Chapter 25: Chapter 25 - Not a pushover
'What is the Princess doing here?'
Ryu was ready to compromise with Shun and Rosie when Yume unexpectedly appeared.
Shin panicked that he unknowingly ordered in haste.
"What?! Don't let her in!"
Yume was a lady trained in swordsmanship. Having improved physical capabilities and a sense of hearing was expected.
"I can hear you, Crown Prince Shin."
Shin got dumbfounded that he had forgotten about this. He didn't reply, so Yume continued.
"I know you don't want others to see you with Lady Rosie in your quarters, so you don't want to invite me in. Honestly, I also don't want to bother with your affairs. So let me just talk here outside, but I need an answer! Are you the one responsible for the class F-1's involvement in the expedition?"
Shin trembled and looked at Rosie. But before he could open his mouth, Yume raised her voice.
"Listen here! I'm only telling you this once. If I ever find out that you messed with my friend, don't blame me for retaliating! I'm leaving!"
"Wait!"
Shin, trying to understand what she said, confused him, so he asked further.
"What do you mean? Who is the friend you are talking about?"
"Who else?! The person with black hair! The one who knocked you cold. He is an innocent man for you to play around with! This is my last warning, Crown Prince Shin!"
A crown prince is an heir to the throne, so who would blame Shin for getting angry when someone tried to threaten him?
"You dare threaten me, the crown prince?!"
"Then why don't you try it? Think about it; I never used my family's influence, even if you had your affair while still engaged with me. But I won't let you mess with someone because of me!"
Bam!
"Your Highness, the Lady left."
With her sweats dripping, Rosie stretched out her head at the door.
"D-Did she just slams the door?"
However, what bothered Ryu most was not Rosie. It was how Shin noticed Yume's lovely personality.
"I, it's the first time I've experienced her get mad. Is she the cold Lady I knew? Not the one who was quiet but with an evil personality. But now, she even defends her friend."
Shin was dumbstruck by Yume's actions. Even Ryu, who had been reading the novel for years, wouldn't expect Yume to act this way.
"Shin! Don't forget the bad things she has done to me!"
"If I think about it, I never literally saw her do those things."
"Shin!"
"Pfffft!"
Ryu was busy pondering but giggled as he heard these traitors fight with each other. Then Yume's words knocked into his head, allowing Ryu to reason.
'Did the Princess still blame herself for lending me her sword? Is that why she came here for me... A friend?'
"Is there something funny?"
Shin, who got irritated, looked at Ryu through his mask directly.
"So you only learned how cute the Prin—I mean Lady Yume is? Well, that's not my problem, though. Please forgive me for leaving early."
"What...Cute?"
"Where are you going, Sir Ryu?"
Rosie abruptly blocked his path towards the exit.
"Where? Leaving, of course, I just made up my mind, so I respectfully decline your offer."
Ryu shoved her off gently with his arm. Because of their significant strength difference, she couldn't stop him.
He halted for a second when Shin shouted.
"You think I will stop the expedition because of a Lady's threat?!"
"No, but even if you don't stop it... I will."
"Hey! Wait! What do you think you can do?! I'm warning you! If you leave now, then you will be my enemy forever!"
Bam!
"Your Highness, Sir Ryu left."
***
Sigh...
Ryu was discreetly sitting on the academy's roof, shaded by a humongous old tree from the sun, watching Yume on the ground release her anger.
"How dare I threaten you, you said?"
Yume repeated as she kicked on a poor boulder.
"You disrespected and embarrassed me by having an affair—"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"—But I didn't care much! Now, you want to ruin someone because of me—?"
Thud! Thud!
She kicked the poor stone repeatedly until she puffed and huffed.
"Ha..."
Ryu was thinking about what Shin said earlier. For his sake, it was also his first time seeing her this angry. Even in the novel, Yume is modest, elegant, intelligent, and quiet. Not until people started to accuse and punish her there did she begin to rage, making her look worse. But now, she was venting her frustrations by kicking a rock.
'She even called me her friend. Pffft.'
Ryu laughed, smiling like an idiot.
'She never ceases to surprise me. Seeing her in real life is different.'
"Your Majesty."
Felix abruptly appeared beside Ryu, kneeling with one leg.
"Report."
"The Crown Prince and Vice-Principal of the Academy instigated the expedition."
"I see. Anything more?"
"There is not much evidence, but it seems the scholars are trying to steal our technology and inventions."
"Don't worry about them even if they succeed. It doesn't matter. I'm already used to these kinds of things in the business world. As if they can fight against me, one of the toughest businessmen ever lived! So anything more?"
"Nothing more worth your attention, Your Majesty."
"Alright, you can go now."
"As you command, Your Maje—"
"Oh, wait! Another thing, I want you to stop the third-year junior class expedition and do everything in your power to do this. This might be a little reckless on our side. Intervening with the enemy and showing our power might blow our cover. Still, it's better than making Yume do that."
"Do what, Your Majesty?"
"Look."
With a proud look, Ryu pointed at the large boulder below where Yume continued releasing her anger.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"I-Is that the Princess? Why is she kicking that rock?"
"That's what happens when you make a lady angry, Felix. So if you ever have a companion in the future, you and I know what to and not to do."
Gulp!
"I'll keep that in mind, Your Majesty..."
"Now hurry up and leave."
"Sorry?"
"I'm the only one who can stan her. You better close your eyes... or better leave."
"You mean stalk—"
Ryu knew what Felix would say, something mischievous, so he proactively looked him in the eyes. A shiver went down Felix's spine as Ryu glanced at him with my don't-say-anymore widely stretched eyes.
"—A... Alright. I'll... I'll leave... Haha."
Felix, who was sweating nonstop, quickly disappeared.
'I'm not stalking her... I'm stanning her. I'm sta-nni-ng!'
Ryu mumbled. Not once did he ask anyone to spy on Yume. Not even himself. So he believed he was innocent.
'As long as I don't cross the line, helping Yume.'
Now Ryu's alone. He could finally concentrate on watching, but it was too late to realize that Yume had disappeared.
"Huh? Where did she go?"
"Who did go?"
A voice said, coming from behind.
"What do you mean, Felix? The Princess, of course. She kicked that boulder like a cute child, and now she disappeared... Wait..."
His brain suddenly went into a hundred percent operational mode. Now he was trying to compute the basic algorithm of possibilities where Felix would disobey his command and go back here.
But... Every time Ryu draws the scenarios in his mind, the result always says that he should start running for his dear life. Sadly, his feet went cold, and sweat started marching on his face.
*Inserts final boss background music*
Dan-dudududun... Dudududun... Dudundudundudun...
"Hmm? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Hahahaha... Princess, what are you doing up here?"
"Isn't that what I should be asking, Sir Ryu? What is a noble person like you sitting on a roof?"
"Oh, just sightseeing."
"Did you see?"
"No... No! I didn't see anything about you beating the poor rock... Oh."
Her face flushed.
"You did see!"
Shiiing!
"Princess! W-What is your sword doing hanging around my neck?"
"Who... are you, Sir Ryu?"
Yume's voice trembled. Ryu could see the seriousness of this question, so he stopped grinning and concentrated on her.
Remembering what happened earlier, Ryu already decided to be honest with Yume. Since this novel was no longer fiction, he should no longer be dilly-dallying to prolong the story. Because her life was already at stake, it was not something to joke about.
"I'm..."
Shiiick!
"Huh?"
Without waiting for his answer, Yume sheathed her sword but didn't stop there. She put her sword down on the roof, and he wondered what she was trying to do. Furthermore, she pressed the back of her skirt with both hands as she curved down like she was trying to sit.
"Sit...? Princess, it's dirty here!"
She only replied with a soft giggle.
"I know."
"Then, why do you still want to sit here?"
"I also don't know why... I just feel like being carefree whenever I'm with you, Sir Ryu."
She looked at him profoundly as she tilted her head.
"It's like I already knew you for a long time. Who are you?"
"Haaa..."
Ryu looked at the sky with two hands behind his head and laid his back on the roof.
"Well, I can tell you if you can keep it a secret."
"Alright, I promise."
"Actually, I'm the King of Xan Kingdom, Ryu Xanastre."
For a few seconds, Yume went silent.
"Oh, I see..."
"You believed me?"
"Of course, because to tell you the truth..."
She leaned towards him as she whispered.
"I'm the Empress of the North Continent."
"E-Empress?"
Dumfounded, Ryu repeated. He was so shocked by this information. The novel didn't mention anything about Yume being an empress unless.
"Are you really an empress?"
"Pffft!"
She replied with a burst of cute laughter, forcing herself to stand up. She grabbed the side of her skirt and politely bowed.
"Please forgive my insolence for lying, Your Majesty... Pffft! Hahahahaha!"
Now Ryu understood. Yume was teasing him. He quickly sat up, saying.
"You didn't believe me!"
"Hahahaha!"
She continued laughing for a while until she went back from sitting.
"Ah, my stomach hurts! I'm sorry, Sir Ryu. But what you said is so hard to believe. For example, who in the right mind, especially a King, would go to another Kingdom's academy just to be a student?"
"Who? He's in front of you."
"Mm... Well, let's say I believe you for now. The fact that I feel relieved when I'm with you is also true. It doesn't matter if you are a king or a commoner since I will still envy you."
"Envy me? Why?"
"You can still do what you want, even being in that position. Is that why you have the guts to knock out a prince—a crown prince of another kingdom?"
"Are you saying that from experience?"
She nodded, laying her head above both knees while looking at him.
"Yes, as you can see, I was selected as the fiancee of the crown prince. But he already has someone he likes. People have been telling me to become someone worthy of being a queen all my life.
Now, there is a chance that I will not marry him, then my life's purpose will be gone. My father had already adopted someone to be his successor. I was kind of afraid, to be exact.
That is why I found it fun to meet you, Sir Ryu... That flying experience... Even for a short while, I felt I could finally breathe, so I'm thankful for letting me have fun. Hehe."
"...Then, do you need my help?"
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