“Kim Deok-Sung. I came all the way to France just to help you! So, who’s the enemy we need to deal with? Leave it to me!”
Shinozaki Rin beams with confidence, placing her hand on her impressively large chest as always.
“Master. Your sword, Makoto, has arrived.”
Makoto scratches her head shyly, her face turning red.
“Hey! Big bro, how’s France treating you? I’d go to hell and back with you!”
“I came to help too, Kim. We’re friends, right?”
Ishihara laughs amiably, while Kurosawa Yuji provides a charming smile like a shounen manga protagonist.
Yuji comes up and playfully taps my shoulder.
It’s a situation I would usually hate, but for some reason, I couldn’t even react properly to this sudden turn of events.
“Mr. Kim Deok-Sung. How dare you come to France without getting permission from the Student Council President of Shuo? I cannot allow this. You will face the consequences of breaking school rules when you return. Do you understand?”
Finally, here comes Saionji Aris, wearing the Student Council President armband.
Everyone was here.
“What is happening…?”
It feels like a typical light novel cliché where the protagonist goes missing, and the heroine and her allies realize it late and join him on-site.
I’m taken aback.
“Master! Eri-Ling was so scared when you suddenly disappeared. So, I tried to find out where you went and heard news about you and the princess. That’s why I gathered everyone and came to help you in France. Wasn’t that smart? After all, Eri-Ling is your best slave, right?”
Ahem.
Eri seems proud as she clears her throat with a smile.
She fiddles with her dog collar.
At her words, everyone behind her nods in unison as if it was a prearranged agreement.
Only after hearing her did I finally grasp what was going on.
The bunker, which was once filled with blind national pride, now mixed with the unique light novel vibe of a flower garden gone haywire.
Forget what I said about light novels being better.
Light novels or blind national pride, they both are equally terrible.
[Your partner’s friends are all good people. Unlike somebody who’s twisted, selfish, cannot be trusted, and is not honest at all. It says a lot that they traveled all the way from Japan to France just for you.]
The Black Prince’s voice echoes in my head.
A typical ally joining cliché combined with the baseless trust unique to light novels.
In a harsh web novel, that wouldn’t amount to a hill of beans—only a miracle possible in the gentler world of light novels.
This atmosphere and sentiment may be cringe-worthy, but it’s not bad.
Not bad, you say?
Light novels?
I must be losing my mind.
I shake my head.
She moves closer to me, presenting her orange hair.
“Praise Eri-Ling! Praise!”
She’s asking me to pat her head.
I let out a sigh internally.
Sigh, really.
What a needlessly nice world this is.
‘This is why everyone can’t live to a ripe old age.’
Well, still.
Despite being unnecessarily cringy, gratitude is gratitude.
[Come on, you’re not being honest. You’re definitely one of those tsundere types, aren’t you?]
The Black Prince chimes in again.
Tsundere or what?
Hearing that makes me feel nauseous.
[Anyway, at least give that Eri girl some praise. You can manage that much, right, partner?]
Before I can even think of a response, the Black Prince speaks up again.
As I turned my gaze, I saw Eri still reaching out with her head, asking to be petted.
I’d rather die than suffer.
I stretched out my hand and patted Eri’s head.
“Heheh, Eri-ring loves it when Master pets her the most.”
Eri blushed and smiled.
No wonder she’s called the world’s top beautiful girl; she gets unnecessarily pretty when she smiles.
I pulled my hand away from her head.
Eri beamed with pride.
At that moment, the gazes of the other girls all turned toward me in unison.
This feels a bit unsettling.
“Wait a minute, Junior! Only petting Nishizawa is unfair. Pet me too! Black Beast Junior!”
“Kim Deok-Sung! Me too, me too! Pet me! If you want, I don’t care if it’s my head, thighs, or even my chest!”
“Master. I want to be petted too. Is that okay?”
Kasumi-senpai, Rin, and Makoto all rushed toward me, throwing out dizzying lines.
“Truly, Kim Deok-Sung! To think you’ve already captured the hearts of the students like this!”
“You are indeed the pride of our South Korea!”
“I can’t believe I’m witnessing this scene with my own eyes, it’s overwhelming…”
On top of that, I could hear the agents’ teary voices whispering in my ears.
Why are they like that again?
My head is starting to hurt.
Forget what I said earlier about being grateful.
Hell, this damn light novel world, what’s with this ridiculous national pride?
I came to save you
France. Versailles Palace.
A palace of such colossal beauty and grandeur, it’s considered one of the finest in the world.
Inside, the Bonaparte royal family, governing France, resided.
In a room so large it couldn’t even compare to the Shuo Hero Academy dormitory, Olivia was getting dressed with Bella’s help.
Olivia, wearing a pristine white dress symbolizing a bride, looked beautiful, but her expression was gloomy.
It was hard to believe she was a bride-to-be.
“Today… is the day.”
Olivia murmured in a low voice.
As she said, it was today.
The date of her engagement ceremony with William.
It was going to be a grand international event attended by not only the main figures from England and France but also important personalities from West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States.
“That’s right.”
Swoosh.
From behind, Bella, Olivia’s personal maid, quietly brushed Olivia’s beautiful platinum hair.
‘So today is really the day.’
Bella quietly clenched her fist.
William Stewart.
Knowing his true nature, Bella did not want to send Olivia to the engagement ceremony.
But for the sake of William’s complete downfall and the total cancellation of the engagement, Olivia had to participate, and Bella felt bitter about it.
“I… don’t like this.”
Olivia bowed her head.
Her voice was laced with tears.
As the engagement ceremony drew closer, Olivia realized who her true love was.
Only his image filled her mind.
“That fool… Will he really come?”
Olivia trembled.
The words she had heard during the summer festival fireworks in Tokyo still lingered in her ears.
“He promised he would… come to save me. He said he wouldn’t let anyone take me… He told me to trust him, so…”
Her voice faded away.
Tears flowed from her blue eyes.
“I can trust him, right? Bella?”
“Trust him.”
Bella spoke in a calm voice.
“Your Master’s Master will certainly come to save you today.”
Hearing those words, Olivia wiped her tears with a handkerchief.
A faint smile appeared on Olivia’s lips.
“I’ll believe you.”
Her trembling hands stilled.
“That guy’s a complete idiot who knows nothing about a woman’s heart, the absolute dullest among the dull, with no hints of mood or sense whatsoever…”
Olivia closed her eyes and opened them again.
“But he’s the kind of fool who keeps his word once he makes it. So I’ll believe in that fool. Bella.”
“Bella.”
Thump.
Olivia’s heart races.
He told her to believe, so she will.
Kim Deok-Sung.
He will definitely come to save her.
“And, he has to take responsibility for me! He… he has to take care of me since he made me his personal maid…”
Olivia’s face turns red.
She pouts her lips shyly.
“You’ve thought well, my lady.”
Bella smiles faintly.
Just then, as Bella is fixing Olivia’s hair, there’s a creak.
The door opens, and a maid in uniform enters.
“Your Highness, the Emperor is calling for you.”
Upon hearing this, Olivia bites her lips.
“I’ll be back, Bella.”
“Understood, my lady. Have a good trip.”
Receiving Bella’s send-off, Olivia exits the room.
Arriving at the Emperor’s office with the maids in attendance.
Knock, knock.
The maids knock on the door and announce.
“Her Highness has arrived.”
“Let her in.”
Squeak.
The door opens.
In a luxurious office adorned with portraits of past French emperors, including Napoleon I and Napoleon III, flags, and the Bonaparte family’s symbol of the eagle, sits a middle-aged man with platinum hair in a fine suit.
It is Olivia’s father and the Emperor of France, Albert Napoleon Bonaparte.
Next to him is the beautiful blonde woman with a bun, the Empress of France, Giselle Napoleon Bonaparte.
“Hello, Father, Mother.”
Olivia awkwardly smiles and bows.
“Oh, welcome. Olivia. How does it feel to finally relax at home after so long?”
Albert inquires.
“Well… it wasn’t too bad, I suppose.”
Olivia replies uneasily.
“Today is supposed to be the happiest day, so think only of yourself without any worries. Olivia, forget about that damn black-haired rogue from the Far East.”
Albert’s hand trembles.
“Father, but he… he’s not like that.”
Olivia retorts, biting her lips.
Since her return, Olivia has been defending Kim Deok-Sung, but Albert does not believe her.
“Shut it. I’ve seen through everything. I have no idea how that brat managed to charm our sweet daughter, but he’s a scoundrel who touches all the girls at the academy and dares to make my precious French princess his personal maid…”
Albert’s hand trembles again.
“Plus, his nickname at the academy is ‘Black Beast’? My goodness… Just imagining you breathing the same air as such a rogue makes me sick. I can’t let my precious daughter be handed over to such a bastard. Absolutely not. From now on, I will protect you, Olivia. You don’t need to worry.”
“Ugh…”
Olivia groans.
She had expected her doting father to react this way when hearing about Kim Deok-Sung’s reputation.
But it was hard to endure hearing such things about someone she loves.
No matter how much they are her parents.
“Right. Olivia. Forget that rogue and look only at William from now on.”
Her mother Giselle says in an elegant voice.
Olivia bites her lips and gives a faint nod.
Her weak rebellion against answering aloud is all she can muster.
“Please hurry up, you fool.”
All she can do now is trust and wait.
“We’ve been holding up our future bride for too long. Today is an important day for both the royal family and our country.”
“That’s right, dear. Olivia, it’s time to get ready for the engagement ceremony.”
“Okay… sure.”
Olivia’s reply brings a smile to the faces of the French Emperor and Empress.
This was a conversation that took place on the morning of the engagement ceremony.
*
Paris, France.
Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The essence of Gothic architecture and a representative cultural heritage of France.
The historical site where Napoleon I, the founder of the Bonaparte imperial family and the first Emperor of France, held his coronation.
A historic place for the coronation of the first generation.
Right here, a grand wedding ceremony between the two powerful nations representing England and France, Western Europe, is taking place.
In this era, where the threat of the Warsaw Pact, led by the Soviet Union, looms larger than life, the engagement between the British royal family and the French imperial family serves as a symbolic event signifying the unity of the free world.
For the second prince aspiring for the British throne, William Stewart, this is also an opportunity to expand his political influence.
‘Finally, this day has come.’
The handsome William Stewart, with his blonde hair and blue eyes, grins deviously.
Colorful light spills into the chapel through stained glass.
In the chapel, the statue of France’s pride, Saint Joan of Arc, looks down as the flags of England and France are intertwined on the walls.
Inside the cathedral, filled with the presence of the British royal couple, the French emperor and empress, British Prime Minister, French Prime Minister, and a multitude of distinguished guests, an oppressive silence hangs in the air.
‘If I can just get my hands on Olivia… the throne will be next. Heh heh heh…’
William lets a sinister smile cross his mind.
He swallows his saliva.
Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte.
If he can successfully conclude the engagement ceremony with her, he could secure French support for his grand scheme.
But her value goes beyond her noble lineage and political worth.
It lies in her perfection, as if crafted by the gods.
‘I can finally have her in my grasp.’
How much effort he had put into preparing for this engagement ceremony.
Continuously supplying exaggerated negative information about the hero candidate Kim Deok-Sung from the Far East to the French emperor to alter perceptions, ultimately leading to Olivia’s return home—this mastermind was none other than William.
William’s gaze falls on the podium and the Catholic cardinal officiating the engagement.
Now, under God’s blessing, the ceremony will commence.
No one can stop it.
“Noble French Princess and heir to the Black Prince, the platinum knight princess, Lady Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte enters!”
Hearing the officiant’s booming voice, William turns his head.
The grand doors of Notre-Dame Cathedral swing open.
There stands Olivia, clad in a pure white dress.
Click, click, click, click, click!
As Olivia appears, a barrage of camera flashes erupts.
With a blank expression, Olivia walks slowly, attended by her handmaidens.
“Is that the French princess…?”
“She’s truly beautiful… like a fairy tale princess…”
“Truly, our princess…”
“Isn’t Prince William handsome too? They really are a striking couple.”
Whispers of admiration echo throughout the chapel.
Finally, looking at Olivia now standing beside him, William speaks.
“It’s been a while, Olivia. How many years has it been?”
“…I’d really rather not answer that.”
Olivia replies with a cold voice.
A chill runs down his spine. Even the sight of that man disgusts her.
“Right. Olivia, that’s always been your charm, hasn’t it? From now on, I’ll treat you with the gentlemanly respect you deserve as your fiancé.”
William whispers quietly.
Olivia bites her lip.
She wishes to be anywhere but here for even a moment.
“From this moment, we shall begin the engagement ceremony.”
The cardinal at the podium speaks.
“Prince of Dragon Slaying, second prince of the Stewart royal family, William Stewart. Do you vow before God to take Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte as your wife, to love her in joy and sorrow, in poverty and in health, without change?”
“Yes, of course.”
William replies with a sly smile.
The cardinal’s gaze shifts to Olivia at his side.
“Platinum knight princess, first daughter of the Bonaparte imperial family, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte. Do you vow before God to take William Stewart as your husband, to love him in joy and sorrow, in poverty and in health, without change?”
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