Home/The Prince died, so we're starting over!/ch19

Episode 19

It occurred to me that this current demeanor might be the Third Prince's true personality.

His unguarded, genuine self—perhaps even unknown to himself...

"I won't hold you accountable, Lady Lulupel."

The Third Prince approached me, still wearing a playful expression.

"How very grateful I am."

Still not fully placated, I snorted and gave a slight, sarcastic reply.

But the Third Prince seemed completely unbothered.

He revealed his true intentions without hesitation.

"Instead, I'd like you to help me."

"...Excuse me? Help? With what?"

"We're accomplices now, aren't we?"

Accomplices? What accomplices!

The Third Prince had turned me into a criminal.

Having become an unwitting criminal, I was so dumbfounded that my mouth fell open.

"No one in this court must know that I'm studying magic. Nor that I'm the son of a witch. All of this must remain a secret between you and me alone."

"I see. But can't you just let me off? I don't think I heard or saw anything, really."

"Of course not."

Was this morning's breakfast perhaps a hard-boiled pumpkin soup?

Despite his easygoing face, the Third Prince was unnecessarily firm.

"Article 13, Clause 1. Party A and Party B shall strictly keep secret all important matters learned during the contract period. Important matters shall be defined as any matter that at least one of the parties wishes to keep confidential."

That was one of the confidentiality clauses I'd added after the Third Prince asked me to keep the fact that he owned Delique Port a secret.

"Article 15, Clause 1. Party A and Party B shall do their utmost to uphold all terms of this contract."

"...Their utmost?"

I used such vague wording?

"Yes. You wrote it yourself, Lady Lulupel."

At my suspicious look, the Third Prince handed me the contract.

...Does he always carry this around with him?

Anyway, upon opening it with a skeptical mind, the word "utmost" was indeed written there, exactly as he said.

Come to think of it, I remembered inserting a few ambiguous clauses like this, just in case there might be some back-and-forth with the Third Prince later.

Of all things.

My own schemes had backfired on me.

"...Well then, shall I see your 'utmost' now, Lady Lulupel?"

The Third Prince beamed and clapped his hands.

It seemed that gesture was a habit of his whenever things went his way.

I wondered if he'd end up with some kind of clapping-induced neurosis.

Though the lightning above my head had disappeared long ago, the back of my neck still felt a chill.

---

The "utmost" the Third Prince asked me to show was truly absurd.

"My lady! What book did you read with His Highness today?"

"Hmm? What was it again... Mama Squid Loves Papa Squid?"

"...It's Mama Duck Loves Baby Duck."

"Well, it's basically the same."

"It's not the same at all! Honestly, my lady, you always just say whatever comes to mind!"

"I'm busy, that's why! Look at me these days—reading in the morning, preparing for the engagement ceremony in the evening. I've never worked this hard in my life!"

The task the Third Prince had entrusted me with.

That was to participate in his absurd little puppet show.

Every day after breakfast, I headed straight to the library and read with him until lunchtime.

Of course, that was only on the surface.

In reality, more often than not, I'd just sprawl on the sofa and take a nap.

Sometimes the Third Prince would practice magic, and sometimes he'd rummage through every corner of the library.

Gradually, he spent more days examining the library than practicing magic.

From his mutterings about magic stones, it seemed he was looking for one.

Of course, there was no way a precious item like a magic stone would be hidden in such an unlikely place.

"...What are you doing?"

Most of the time, I paid no attention to the Third Prince's incomprehensible behavior.

But when he stuck his head into the fireplace, I couldn't help but interfere.

When I asked what he was doing, the Third Prince shot back:

"Are you curious?"

"Yes."

"And are you prepared to do your utmost to keep the secret?"

"...Hmm, no. I guess I'm not curious. Let's pretend I didn't ask."

Our days usually passed by in this vague, meandering fashion.

According to the Third Prince, my role was to be the guard of the library.

At first, I couldn't understand that at all.

"A guard? Me? Don't you see these frail little arms? Talented as I may be, even I'm not good at using force."

"Really? My attendant who collided with you ended up with a broken leg, you know."

"...You're joking, right?"

The Third Prince just smiled without answering.

Come to think of it, I hadn't seen that insolent attendant—Anchovy or Androo or whatever his name was—around lately.

...Probably my imagination.

"At any rate, it is true that I expect you to act as a guard."

The Third Prince told me that his attendant had once tried to enter the library.

Of course, that was before I'd started coming to the library.

"Why does that attendant keep suspecting you, Your Highness?"

"Only if you're prepared to do your utmost to keep the secret..."

"...I'm not ready. Let's pretend I didn't ask."

Having seen each other's faces every day, the Third Prince and I had grown quite close in just a few days.

But I still didn't try to pry into the Third Prince's secrets.

I felt this distance between us was just right.

If possible, I wanted to continue this peaceful, uneventful daily life forever.

...Of course, for those who carried the heavy roles of villainess and sub-male lead, that was hardly possible.

Five days before the engagement ceremony, in the morning.

The Third Prince finally made his move.

I stood before the scene of the Third Prince's mischief with a look of utter dismay.

"...Wh-what is this?"

"A secret passage!"

"A s-secret passage?"

"It must have been built in case of emergencies. I've only ever read about them—this is my first time seeing one in person!"

The Third Prince had discovered a secret passage hidden in the library!

One of the many bookshelves in the library was the entrance to the passage.

"Lady Lulupel, would you stay here? In case someone comes looking."

"Wait a moment! Your Highness, are you planning to go inside?"

"Of course!"

"What do you mean, of course! How do you know where this leads? What if you get lost!"

I did my utmost to dissuade the Third Prince.

But he didn't listen to a word I said. At times like this, he really showed his childish side.

The Third Prince stepped into the secret passage. Then he inserted the book he'd pulled out from the inside.

The door of the secret passage began to close slowly.

"Agh! Fine, I'll go with you!"

Letting a child go into a dangerous place alone was out of the question.

I hurriedly followed the Third Prince.

And so began the cave exploration I never wanted.

The passage was narrow, long, and dark. But fortunately, it didn't seem to be riddled with particular dangers.

I held the Third Prince's hand tightly and walked cautiously.

If any thugs or monsters were to jump out, I was the only one who could protect this reckless little one.

"Where do you suppose this leads?"

Where does it lead... does it lead... does it lead...

Every word echoed through the passage, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

I had a bad feeling about this.

But unlike me, filled with anxiety, the Third Prince was brimming with excitement.

"Probably to the mountains near the court."

"The mountains?"

"It's an escape route, after all."

"I see..."

Why on earth were we suddenly going hiking?

This was out of character for the Third Prince.

Based on my observations so far, he wasn't particularly adventurous.

"What are you planning to do in the mountains?"

"Not the mountains—the village."

"The village?"

"Yes. I want to visit the market."

"Is there something you want to buy?"

The Rüdebekia Court had everything except what it didn't have.

Whatever he needed, there was no way a village at the foot of the mountain would have something the court didn't.

Unless it was something that couldn't be legally distributed...

"...Is it a magic stone?"

"You're quick."

"Good heavens. That's insane! Let's just go back!"

Magic stones were a precious resource of the Empire.

The Imperial court received reports on where magic stones were mined and where they flowed.

Secretly trading magic stones on the black market was a serious crime.

He kept going on about accomplices... now he really was trying to make me a criminal!

"Lady Lulupel, you can go back first. I think that would be better for you as well."

The Third Prince said something utterly useless.

Utterly worthless, I mean.

There was no way I could abandon the Third Prince and go back alone.

If the Third Prince were to fall into danger, my fourth life would also be at risk.

I didn't want this life to fail either.

I desperately tried to persuade him.

"If you need a magic stone, we can call a merchant later!"

"If I did that, a report would be sent to the Imperial court."

"Wouldn't Lady Ramier be happy to hear that you're trying to learn magic?"

"That's impossible."

"Anyway, magic stones are barely found in Lulupel!"

"That's something only the miners would know."

Had he always been this stubborn?

I might as well talk to a wall—at least a wall wouldn't argue back at every word.

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