Chapter 25
At that moment, Sizelry was suddenly lifted into the air with a whoosh!
Serra had come up from somewhere, slipped her hands under Sizelry’s arms, and hoisted her up.
“Even if you say something about the princess’s body, I won’t let go.”
“Serra.”
Despite Serra’s grumbling, Sizelry calmly stared ahead.
“It seems like some interesting characters have appeared in this martial arts tournament.”
Having heard that, Serra let out a quiet sigh.
“Do you know how many times I’ve heard that?”
“This time it’s for real.”
The martial arts tournament was being held under the pretext of gathering students for Rahelrn Academy.
Sizelry couldn’t help but smile, thinking that this time, the tournament might really be entertaining.
[Luck seems to be on your side. You met the fourth princess right after you arrived.]
Crimson Garden seemed to have picked up on it too.
Kraush scratched his head.
He certainly hadn’t expected to run into the fourth princess right after arriving.
That little troublemaker had a knack for popping up unexpectedly with her impulsive behavior.
‘I just caught her when she was about to fall.’
Kraush couldn’t shake the expression on Sizelry’s face as she looked at him.
It was unmistakably the face of someone who had just discovered something amusing.
‘If I get involved with that girl, it’ll be a hassle.’
Sizelry was brilliant, but she was so smart that she went out of her way to hide it.
Kraush knew her fate in the Empire.
A brilliant mind that ended in an unfortunate way.
And because of that sharp mind, it was also the way it had to end.
‘That’ll do.’
She was not someone he wanted to get entangled with for now.
So Kraush first decided to register for the tournament.
The name he gave was Kraud, age 14.
From the outskirts of the Empire, from Ojeone.
He briefly filled it out and finished the registration for the tournament, then stepped outside.
Fortunately, Sizelry didn’t chase after him.
‘Now I just need to…’
All that was left was to place in the top three and obtain the Golden Dragon Herb.
Thinking this, Kraush set out to find an inn where he could stay for the upcoming preliminaries.
Until he realized that all the inns were full due to the influx of people coming for the tournament.
“Ha, crazy.”
He had known there were a lot of people in the Empire since ages past.
But he never imagined that even the capital’s inns would be full to bursting.
Kraush sat down in a corner and sighed.
With spectators and participants crowded, there was hardly any space to even stand in the inns.
At this rate, he would have to sleep outside tonight.
‘Not just tonight.’
He would need a place to stay not only tonight but also tomorrow, and until the finals.
“Hey there.”
Just then, Kraush heard a voice calling him.
Looking up, he saw an old woman.
“Are you looking for a place to stay?”
The old woman asked in a concerned tone.
“I don’t have one.”
“Oh dear, no adults around? I’ve seen you sitting here alone for a while.”
The old woman worked at the shop in front of the park where Kraush had been sitting.
That’s why she noticed him deep in thought.
“Did you come all the way here to participate in the tournament? Oh my, that’s rough. What do you think about coming to my house?”
There was no hint of deceit in the old woman’s expression.
She genuinely felt sorry for Kraush.
It seemed the sight of a child needing help struck a chord with her kindness.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Kraush was quick to accept the offer.
[Didn’t they ever tell you as a kid to never follow strangers?]
Crimson Garden teased him, but Kraush had no plans to sleep on the bare ground.
Sleeping on the ground was enough of a world erosion for him.
The place the old woman led him to was a house a little away from the center of the capital.
It made sense since prices were extremely high in the heart of the city.
The old woman’s house was not very big.
Just the right size.
However, there were no issues for staying there.
“There’s only one vacant room left, how fortunate! You must be hungry, so I’ll get dinner ready in a jiffy.”
“Thank you.”
“Alright, head up to the end room on the second floor. It should be comfortable enough.”
The old woman treated Kraush with kindness as if he were her grandchild.
Kraush followed her orders without saying much.
‘Fortunate.’
He never expected to secure a room in this way.
As he climbed the stairs and passed through the second-floor wooden hallway…
Just then, a door on the second floor creaked open.
Thinking it was the old woman’s family, Kraush turned his head.
He froze upon seeing the person who stood there.
“Hey, you!”
A girl with blue hair pointed at him and shouted as if they’d met by chance.
“You’re the friend who helped me earlier!”
Kraush felt a mild headache coming on.
That blue-haired girl with a doll-like beauty was none other than Princess Sizelry Ephania.
Her face was known only outside the palace.
So, she believed no one would recognize her and acted so freely.
‘Great.’
And Kraush realized that, somehow, she had guided him to this place.
He didn’t understand why she would use her sharp wit in such a ridiculous way.
After staring at her for a moment, Kraush promptly turned away and entered the room the old woman had mentioned.
“Hmmm, are you shy?”
Ignoring the remark that floated in from outside, he decided to keep his distance.
Thus began the brief cohabitation of the proud Balheim of Starlon and the Empire’s highest power, the princess.
＊＊＊
Knock, knock, knock!
The next morning.
Since today was the registration day, and the preliminaries would be the day after, Kraush was savoring the pleasure of sleeping in a bed after a long time.
Knock, knock, knock!
But it seemed the door had no intention of letting him enjoy his slumber, knocking once more.
Kraush buried his head into the pillow, plugging his ears.
Creeeak—
But when he didn’t respond to the knocking, the door opened.
He had locked it before sleeping, for certain.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Kraush sat up, the first thing he saw was blue hair.
Of course, it was Sizelry Ephania.
She confidently held a small piece of wire in her hand.
Which princess carries wire around to pick locks?
It was absurd beyond belief.
“A bird that wakes early surely catches the worm. You’re really sleeping late, aren’t you?”
“Still, I don’t think barging into someone’s room like this is very polite.”
“What else am I supposed to do? You give off the vibe that you’re trying to avoid me.”
She came right out with a nonchalant tone, purposely hiding her princess-like manner.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
As she asked, Kraush tidied the quilt and got up.
Talking to her wasn’t a good idea.
He had firsthand experience of how dangerous her sharp mind could be.
If he spoke with her, something would surely be revealed.
“Because you’re not my type.”
Kraush decided to give her an unexpectedly blunt answer.
And it was spot on.
Sizelry’s large eyes widened in surprise, then she burst into laughter as if it were the funniest thing ever.
“I’ve only ever heard I’m pretty or cute in my life!”
How brazen of her.
Still, true to her word, Sizelry was indeed no ordinary beauty.
“There are plenty of people prettier than you.”
“Really? Who are they?”
Sizelry asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Kraush, remembering Bianca for a fleeting moment, quickly tossed that thought aside.
“I won’t tell you.”
“That’s a lot of secrets. Just like your face.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“Then you should thank me. I’m the one giving it.”
Ignoring her, Kraush stepped out into the hallway, and Sizelry hastily followed him.
“Where are you going?”
“Don’t follow me.”
“Why? Shouldn’t it be an obligation to get friendly if you want to be someone’s type? Especially when someone as pretty as me is putting in the effort on your behalf.”
How annoying.
Kraush felt that way to be honest.
The desire to slap her lightly bubbled up.
The problem was, as soon as he did, Serra, her ever-present attendant, would likely appear.
‘If I get involved with the Beast Sword, I’m dead.’
She was, after all, a highly skilled master.
Even now, he could feel a pricking sensation in his instincts, as if her gaze were penetrating him from somewhere.
“How about it? Am I getting closer to being your type?”
“More annoying every minute.”
“Interesting.”
Sizelry’s eyes widened, almost like she was experiencing this treatment for the first time.
“Do you know I’m a princess? How could you treat me like this?”
And at that moment, Kraush stiffened.
‘This damn girl.’
That statement was not something she tossed out lightly.
She had noticed that he knew who she was from the way he treated her.
In just one night, she had grown certain of it.
Her golden eyes twinkled as they looked at Kraush, seeming to hold all wisdom gathered in the universe.
It felt as though her eyes saw through everything.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Why would you be a princess?”
Kraush played dumb.
But Sizelry just smiled faintly.
“It’s just a joke! How could I possibly be a princess, right?”
While laughing, she extended her hand towards Kraush.
“I’m Sizelry, nice to meet you. Kraud, from Starlon!”
Damn it.
Kraush barely stopped the curse from escaping his lips.
Not only did she announce his name, but she also knew where he was from.
“Not at all pleased to meet you.”
Ignoring her outstretched hand, Kraush swiftly turned away and walked off.
Watching him leave, Sizelry pulled back her hand in embarrassment, placing it on her hip.
“Princess Sizelry.”
And just then, Serra appeared beside her.
“Is that boy truly from Starlon?”
“Exactly. Though the Empire and Starlon speak the same language, Starlon tends to emphasize certain consonants a bit harder. This boy has picked up some of that Empire accent but fundamentally cannot change his speech patterns, so it’s quite evident.”
“…That’s something only Your Highness would notice.”
Sera shook her head, bewildered by the way Sizelry discerned his origins.
“What do you mean by knowing my identity?”
“It’s literal. His manner of treating me indicated he has acknowledged me.”
“Can you give a simple example?”
“The way he acted when meeting that old woman and how he treated me when we first met were different.”
Sera blinked.
“Well, that just points to a difference between adults and children, doesn’t it?”
“What’s important is that it was the first time. The way one treats someone upon first meeting is different for everyone, but familiarity and first impressions are absolutely discernible.”
“I can’t understand it at all.”
“It’s a matter of observational skills. I absorb information faster than others.”
Her style of thinking was different from that of regular people.
Especially regarding observation, her intellect showed overwhelming efficiency.
While average individuals might overlook information their brains recognize, Sizelry’s would accurately record everything and derive value from it.
Thus, she saw much more.
Her capacity for absorbing information was so extraordinary that it could be described as insight.
That’s why Sizelry was all the more puzzled.
“But I’m meeting that boy for the first time.”
How could someone unfamiliar with her act so familiar?
Was she perhaps imagining things?
But without being some kind of grand trickster, there was no way to deceive her eyes.
As she pondered various possibilities, she let out a small chuckle.
“Honestly, a trickster would be more plausible.”
Rather, that was the most likely story.
“Should we capture him?”
If he truly was from Starlon, it meant he was participating in the tournament under a false identity.
So, when Sera quietly prompted, Sizelry smacked her thigh.
“What are you thinking? With such a fun character before us, why would we spoil the excitement? Let him be.”
Sera sulked slightly from the unexpected smack on her thigh.
“More importantly, Serra, have you gathered any information on my sister?”
Hearing Sizelry’s question, Sera turned to face her.
“Yes, I’ve acquired some information as you instructed. Indeed, Your Highness’s observation that Ms. Sigryn has changed since before is correct.”
Princess Sigryn Ephania, the third princess of the Empire.
Renowned for her talent with the sword, she was expected to become the Empire’s shining blade, and she was Sizelry’s older sister.
Sizelry had already suspected that she had subtly changed over the past year.
“Hmmm, I wonder what’s happening inside the palace.”
Sizelry clicked her tongue lightly and continued walking.
“Are you going to take some action?”
Sera asked, but Sizelry shook her head.
“Let it go. Affairs of the palace should be resolved within the palace. I shouldn’t meddle in them.”
She deliberately distanced herself from palace affairs.
Sizelry was only concerned about Sigryn because of her personal curiosity.
Outside of that, there was no other reason.
Only that she felt the first and second princes might be in some danger.
“Right now, I’ve found something far more entertaining.”
Sizelry’s eyes sparkled with fresh interest, a rarity for her.
Quietly, she hoped that her interest would be sufficiently piqued.
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