The Reincarnated Princess in Crisis

The Reincarnated Princess in Crisis

Why is Hilde here?

This area wasn’t the sort of place you could just waltz into. It housed the research facilities and lodgings of Miss Altman and the other sorcerers, along with all of the confidential information that entailed—naturally, entry was restricted.

Other than the sorcerers, like Lutz and Teo, the only ones who could enter this area at will were members of the royal family, and knights on patrol or acting as guards. Maids who weren’t serving directly under a member of the royal family could enter, but only when cleaning, and they followed a strict duty schedule determining who did what, when, and where.

This isn’t cleaning time, and I don’t think that Hilde has been assigned to clean either. Did she come here for some nefarious purpose?

The thought made the wretched look on her face appear immensely more disturbing. A cold bead of sweat ran down my spine. I held my breath and searched for her motive.

Neither of us moved or said a word. We just faced each other.

Hilde was the first to break the long silence that had engulfed us. She moved one pace forward, and her footstep echoed throughout the hallway.

“Stop,” Klaus said immediately. He stood in front, shielding me, and fixed his eyes on Hilde with a sharp glare. “Move any further, and you’ll be entering a restricted area. Leave now,” he ordered.

His voice was so cold and firm that I couldn’t imagine it had come from him.

Though Klaus had only sharply reprimanded her, Hilde flinched as though he’d struck her with a whip. She stopped walking and turned her deathly pale face towards me, expression imploring.

“Your...Highness...” Hilde managed to wring out. Her voice trembled as much as her hands, which she’d clasped together.

I’d help you out, but we’ve only just met, so I’m not sure what I can do for you.

As I struggled to hide my discomposure, Klaus took one step forward, obstructing my line of sight. “Leave, I said. Can’t you hear?” Klaus placed his fingers on the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist. The quiet metallic sound of the blade sliding a few inches out of its sheath sounded almost deafening to me.

I’d wanted to speak with Hilde, but now wasn’t the time. I couldn’t be sure that she wasn’t up to something. And most of all, if she got any closer, Klaus was liable to cut her down.

“I didn’t know!” Hilde shrieked. I’d been about to order her to withdraw, but her outburst came a single beat faster.

“That...come to this—I wasn’t...wasn’t—I didn’t know...” she muttered incoherently, in a state of confusion.

“What are you saying?” Klaus asked with an icy tone of voice. He furrowed his brow suspiciously while watching Hilde’s delirious state, but I felt like I understood what she meant.

She’s saying that she didn’t know it would come to this.

I was stunned.

Had Nicholas not told her anything about his plan when he drew her into this grand-scale criminal conspiracy? Was she really just a pawn in his plan, a sacrifice to be used and discarded?

I chastised myself for almost succumbing to sympathetic feelings.

I can’t rule out the possibility that she’s lying. How do I know she’s not trying to deceive me in order to get out of the bind she’s in?

But however much I tried to tell myself that, doubt remained in my heart.

“I...didn’t...” Hilde staggered another step forward, and her gait was tremendously unsteady.

Her face was pale white, and there was no light in her eyes. She paid no mind to her disheveled hair, which she’d previously always kept neat and tidy. I couldn’t imagine this ghostly state being a deceptive work of theatrics.

If it turns out that this response is just a performance to have her punishment abated, then she might be Nevel’s greatest villain.

“Lady Rosemary, stand back.” Klaus at last unsheathed his sword and brandished it towards Hilde. She continued to edge closer, step by step. The dull glint of the double-edged sword reached my eyes and brought me back to my senses.

Save the daydreaming for later!

“Klaus, don’t be too rough,” I urged.

“I know.” Klaus answered my panicked plea for restraint in an extremely composed tone of voice. The sight of him pointing the tip of his blade towards Hilde didn’t fill me with confidence, but I had to trust him.

I retreated a few paces.

Hilde advanced just as many though, as if drawn to me, and her slender, white hand reached out towards me. Her lips mouthed one voiceless word: wait.

I gasped at the ghastly look on her face, but at that very moment, an angry shout resounded through the hallway.

“Don’t you lay your hands on her!”

All of a sudden, a man dressed in the apparel of the royal guard appeared at the end of the hallway, and charged ferociously towards us. While sprinting, he drew the sword he’d hung on his right hip and brought it swinging down, straight towards Hilde.

“Move!!!” I screamed right away.

“Huh?!” Hilde had remained upright, as the change in the situation had been so sudden, but she recoiled immediately in reaction to my cry.

She wasn’t quick enough.

The sword sliced into Hilde’s right shoulder, and she screamed in agony.

The impact hurled her body into the wall. The hard collision forced a murmured groan from Hilde, and she crumpled up slowly and limply onto the floor.

Blood gushed from the gash in her shoulder, gradually staining her clothes red.

All I could manage to do was stand there in silence. I was too shocked to even scream. My brain couldn’t register the spectacle unfolding before my eyes. It was like I was having a nightmare. And yet, the spatters of red on the floor and the walls, that unique smell of rusted iron grazing my nostrils, all of it screamed that this wasn’t a dream.

The man who’d attacked Hilde shook the blood from his sword with a swing and turned to face me.

“Are you all right, Your Highness?” he asked, with a voice altogether too composed for someone who had just cut down a teenage girl.

He was a tall and lean young man, with soft chestnut-colored hair, and eyes of that same color.

Nicholas von Buro.

From afar, the impression he’d conjured was that of a gentle person, but seen from up close, there was a cruel tinge to his lifeless eyes.

“My apologies,” Nicholas said. “I let her out of my sight, putting you in danger.” His expression looked docile enough, but even that seemed like a mask put on for show.

It made me feel sick. Literally, I felt like throwing up.

“What... Just what do you think you’re doing?!” I suppressed my urge to yell, and the voice I wrung out was hoarse and trembling; it sounded nothing like my own. I glared at Nicholas, while simultaneously wanting to chastise myself for how pathetic I must have looked.

Then, Nicholas approached Hilde and brought his sword down as carelessly as one would swat a bug. The hem of her deep-blue maid uniform ripped, and something tumbled out. The object bounced and rolled across the floor with a hard jangling noise.

It was a knife, with a blade about fifteen centimeters long.

Nicholas picked up this knife, which Hilde had apparently fastened to her garter belt, and made a point of showing it to me.

“As you can see, this woman is a rebel. A source of information tipped me off, but she didn’t present any opportunities to catch her, so my investigation stalled in the evidence-gathering stage.”

What’s this guy babbling about?

I was astounded at the ease with which Nicholas rattled off this untruth. Lying seemed as natural to him as breathing. There wasn’t an ounce of agitation present in his facial expression, despite the fact that he’d used, betrayed, and wanted to very soon dispose of someone who likely loved him.

There was no guilt, and no anger or sadness either. Not even pity. His inhuman eyes housed all the emotion of someone placing a piece of unneeded clutter into the rubbish bin.

His gaze chilled me to my core.

I’d lived my previous life in an era of peace, and then after my rebirth, my life had been one of shelter and constant protection, even more so than before. To me, Nicholas was my first encounter with an unquestionable embodiment of evil.

Hilde had lost consciousness, but now, propped against the wall, she stirred and let out a little groan.

Nicholas reacted faster than I could. He strode towards her and once again brandished his bloodstained sword.

“Stop!!!” I exclaimed.

“Lady Rosemary.” Klaus grabbed me and held me back from following my instincts and running to Hilde.

Klaus had appeared to be watching the situation unfold in silence, but his reaction to my movement was immediate. He’d probably devoted the entirety of his concentration to my protection, leaving no blind spots. No amount of struggling could’ve afforded me a way past him.

I gritted my teeth for being caught in his arms so easily.

“Your Highness,” Nicholas said, “this woman will continue her attempts to harm you as long as she’s alive. She needs to be dealt with right away.”

“What gives you the right?! I have commanded you to stop!” I yelled, even as Klaus held me back.

Nicholas, however, showed no signs of hesitation. He gave an exaggerated shake of his head, like a third-rate stage actor. “I’ll submit myself to you for criticism later, but I cannot let this woman go.”

I couldn’t say anything.

It’s no good! He’s dead set on ignoring my pleas to stop. He’s going to kill Hilde here, no matter what I do.

My heart was beating so fast that my chest hurt. Blood raced throughout my body. My ears were ringing, and my head ached.

I can’t bear this! It hurts! How do I normally breathe?

I wasn’t sucking in oxygen properly, even though I was gulping for air like a beached fish. While I watched on, dazed and pale, Hilde lifted up her head.

Our gazes met.

Her tear-stricken green eyes looked up at me, and her quivering lips slowly spelled out two words.

Help me.

“Sto—”

I reached out futilely, but nonetheless, out of the reach of my fingertips, the sword fell. No tears or screams could propel my hand to make it in time. The sharp, scarlet-stained point of his blade seared itself into my retinas in a seemingly slow-motion movement.

“Stoooop!!!”

At that moment, there was a dull clash of two objects colliding. Nicholas’s sword was wrenched from his hands. It traced a circular arc, then landed on the floor. A short sword still sheathed in its scabbard lay on the floor next to Nicholas, who was whimpering while clutching at his left hand.

“...Oh.”

A man at the end of the hall straightened his posture from a throwing stance.

“You’re in Her Highness’s presence. Stand down, Nicholas,” his deep voice ordered.

His expression was stern and his obsidian eyes emitted a sharp glint. The sight of him there, seething with anger, caused Nicholas to gasp. I, on the other hand, felt the tension drain from my body.

I would never—could never—feel afraid of him. He alone heard my cries when nobody else did.

Sir Leonhart was the only one who’d answered my prayers.

A clamor of footsteps rang throughout the hallway. Knights of the royal guard poured in, arriving just a few dozen seconds after Sir Leonhart. They surrounded Nicholas and Hilde.

“Bring a doctor! Treating her wound is our first priority!” Sir Leonhart’s firm voice barked out orders.

A female knight worked to staunch Hilde’s bleeding, and performed a swift check for concealed weapons. Though Hilde’s face was pale, her condition didn’t appear to be critical.

Nicholas’s longsword and all of his other weapons were taken away. He presented no resistance. He raised his hands, and his expression didn’t betray any hints that he felt cornered.

I found that odd and stared at him. Then he turned to face me. His eyes met mine.

“Your Highness...forgive me,” said Nicholas.

What does he have to say for himself this late in the game?

He leaned his body towards me while I watched him cautiously. A nearby knight halted him speedily though, so he didn’t manage to get any closer.

“My earnest desire to protect you caused me to act hastily,” he explained.

For a moment, understanding of what he’d said escaped me. Nicholas seemed undisturbed that I’d frozen in place, with my mind unable to keep up, and he continued on with his argument.

“This is my fault. When I realized that she was after you, I panicked, and drove her into a corner. My inexperience allowed Your Highness to be exposed to danger. I don’t know how to beg for your forgiveness.”

His impassioned voice relayed a fervent appeal. Even his facial expression was pleading to me. The perplexed eyes of the knights surrounding him flitted between the two of us.

“She bears a grudge against me. I expect that she’ll attempt to slander me with her testimony. But you must believe me when I say that under no circumstances would I ever betray you,” Nicholas implored.

Ah, so that’s how he’s playing it.

He wants me to believe that he was so enamored with me that he lost control of himself. That his actions were based on loyalty; that his morals forbade him from letting a rebel live. That Hilde would resent him for cornering her, and she would try to besmirch his innocence with false claims that he was in league with the traitors.

I was shocked into an inflamed silence.

This guy thinks that his lousy, half-baked script can get him out of trouble.

Like fuck it will!!!

A rage potent enough to make me dizzy sprang up from the bottom of my stomach.

After trying to hurt my precious friends, does he really plan to ingratiate himself with me and use me in his schemes?! He’s fine with involving the girl who loves him in his crimes, and then abandoning her when he’s done with her, but oh! He doesn’t plan on putting himself out!

What a piece of shit!!!

“Do—”

Do you really think that excuse is going to hold any water? I almost screamed, but I forced myself to pause partway through. My gaze had met Sir Leonhart’s, who stood behind Nicholas. The moment we made eye contact, I couldn’t help but swallow my words. His fierce look went right through me.

Hold it in. Had I imagined seeing his lips mouthing that silently?

No, I hadn’t.

I averted my eyes and exhaled.

Calm down. Compose yourself. I repeated this mantra in my head.

Why did Hilde run into me in the first place?

My assassination couldn’t have been their plan, which is what Nicholas is arguing. That would’ve been way too haphazard, and more importantly, Hilde had no motive. In that case, is it so unreasonable to presume that she was following Nicholas’s orders?

Nicholas wouldn’t benefit from having me killed either. That would mean that the lousy play he performed for us a moment ago was his objective.

Or maybe this is an attempt to endear himself to me, as I could work as a hostage against Lutz.

If that’s so, then Nicholas must have been watching us from somewhere. And Sir Leonhart, who showed up right in the nick of time, must have also been watching. But watching Nicholas, not us.

Which means they’re giving Nicholas rope to hang himself with. Enough rope to hoist up the big players lurking further in the depths.

Enough to draw the Kingdom of Skelluts, where the War-Hungry King rules, out into the open.

I wasn’t sure whether the royal guard was acting on my father’s orders or on Chris’s. I wasn’t even sure whether my prediction was correct. I didn’t know anything. My understanding was clouded, but one thing was clear: getting emotional and throwing a tantrum right here, right now, wouldn’t improve the situation at all.

“I see,” I said in a soft tone, squashing the fury inside. I put my rigid facial muscles to work, forcing them to form a smile.

Smile. It has to be natural; it mustn’t look ridiculous. If I’m only good for holding people back, then the least I can do is put on my most stylish smirk.

“So, you saved my life then,” I lied.

“Your Highness!” Nicholas looked visibly relieved.

Is my acting good enough? Have I correctly executed the face a girl would make when thanking the knight who’d saved her?

My nails dug into my hands where I’d clasped them together.

“Nicholas.” I called out his name and suppressed my swelling feelings of anger and nausea. I took meticulous care not to let my spite seep into my voice.

“Thank you.” I don’t think I’ve ever said something so irreconcilable with my real feelings.

Even as I thanked him, my inner voice spat out—rot in hell, you piece of work.

“You honor me,” Nicholas said aloofly.

I restrained my urge to sink my fist into his face, then turned my back to leave. I needed to get away from him, and quickly. I almost sprinted away, but I held my composure and slowly progressed through the hallway.

“Your Highness.”

I’d turned the corner and the commotion had dwindled to silence with the distance. A voice from behind suddenly stopped me. My legs halted instinctively, and I took a deep breath.

In my present state of mind, all I wanted to do was run away, but there was no way that I could’ve ignored Sir Leonhart.

I thought that Klaus was with me? When did he swap with Sir Leonhart?

I’d been too preoccupied with my own thoughts to even notice the changeover.

“Yes?” I asked, with all the composure I could muster. Or I wished that there was some, anyway.

I hope he ignored the slight hoarseness in my voice, and I hope that he doesn’t mind if I don’t turn around to face him. It’s not that I won’t—rather, I can’t.

Feigning vocal composure took all that I had; I couldn’t manage the same for my facial expressions. My eyebrows were still furrowed and I couldn’t fix that. If my concentration wavered even slightly, I wasn’t sure which liquid would leak out first.

I didn’t want him to see my face in this pathetic state.

The dull noise of his footsteps drew closer.

Stay back. Please, just stay there.

Perhaps my prayer reached him, because he stopped walking at a distance just close enough to hold a hushed conversation. There was a moment’s silence while he appeared to hesitate, and then he let out an audible breath.

“Your Highness.” He called my name again. “Forgive me.”

“Huh?”

I froze for a second. His words had caught me off guard, and I couldn’t understand what they meant.

Why’s Sir Leonhart apologizing? I should be the one saying sorry.

“Please, leave the rest to us,” he finished, leaving me to my confusion.

I swung around without thinking, forgetting the sorry state of my face, but he had already turned on his heel and was walking away.