Chapter 25

### Alternative Title: The Suffering of Michaelis, Once Again

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"Miss Alber, I have a very important favor to ask of you.

You are my only hope. There is something only you can do.

Please—please help my House of Dmitrius, and my brother."

Saying this, Jibril knelt on the carpet, her shoulders hunched, and pleaded earnestly. Sitting on the sofa, I tilted my head and let out an involuntary "Oh" at the desperate sight of my younger sister.

"What happened?"

"My brother has been pursued by the foolish princess of the royal family.

There was a tournament where knights and those eligible for knighthood, or those with the title of knight, competed in their skills. It was usually attended by His Majesty, the queen, and the princes, but coincidentally, the princess came that day.

She seems to have fallen in love with my brother at first sight and has requested that he become her fiancé."

"Um, well... Isn't that... a great honor? She is the only princess among the three royal highnesses, isn't she?"

Indeed, wasn't it Princess Elmedia?

Princess Elmedia of Or Sandis is the daughter of the first queen—her mother. She is also the sister of the first prince, who once hit me. I heard that my father thoroughly defeated the first prince's faction...

Recently, she has been gaining prominence as a potential queen, but it seems unlikely that Princess Elmedia will ascend to the throne.

The royal succession of the Sandis royal family is governed by the unspoken rule of green eyes and the royal seal, which are absolute conditions.

Among the old nobility, it is said that those without green eyes are not even considered part of the royal family.

The princes have the royal seal on their hands and both have green eyes.

Even if the king and queen approve, the nobility will oppose it. The more conservative elders and the various councils involved in the royal selection process will not allow it.

They are said to be fanatically devoted to the royal family's eyes and the royal seal, almost to the point of worship.

The princess lacks these. Even if she were to take a husband, the only ones currently eligible are the princes.

No matter how much the new nobility, who call themselves reformers, may protest, a princess who cannot use the royal family's magical artifacts in times of crisis lacks the necessary charisma.

"Yes... I see."

Jibril, looking bitter, is likely more informed than I am, being a socialite.

"Princess Elmedia is being promoted as a potential queen, but it is unlikely she will ascend to the throne.

The royal succession of the Sandis royal family is governed by the unspoken rule of green eyes and the royal seal, which are absolute conditions.

The princes have the royal seal and green eyes.

Even if the king and queen approve, the nobility will oppose it. The more conservative elders and the various councils involved in the royal selection process will not allow it.

They are said to be fanatically devoted to the royal family's eyes and the royal seal, almost to the point of worship.

The princess lacks these. Even if she were to take a husband, the only ones currently eligible are the princes.

No matter how much the new nobility, who call themselves reformers, may protest, a princess who cannot use the royal family's magical artifacts in times of crisis lacks the necessary charisma."

Jibril glanced at me.

"I think the reason the duke doesn't want to take you to the royal castle is that your eyes are the closest to the royal Sandis green.

If things go wrong, they might try to promote you over the other princes."

Ew! What is that? That's scary!

Indeed, my father wouldn't want to take me to a place where there are many nobles who might try to promote me.

The emperor is my great-uncle, and both my parents come from the four great dukes, who are part of the royal family. However, with three legitimate children of the emperor already in line for the throne, I have no interest in it. It's clear they are only interested in a puppet.

I understand why my father had me disguise myself at the academy...

"But... what can I do?"

"Intimidation. While the duke, Latitche, did not grant permission for the engagement...

He agreed with the idea of making that extremely arrogant princess uncomfortable."

Father!?

You really don't like the royal family, do you... I knew that.

And does Jibril dislike the princess? Her words seem a bit off.

I helped Jibril stand up and gestured for her to sit next to me. She looked a bit apologetic but said, "Thank you," and sat down.

"But, even with their power, it's difficult for a viscount's family to refuse a proposal from the royal family.

The royal family likely wants the princess to marry into the Latitche family, but there are too many complications. They want to maintain a connection without offending the duke."

"I see, so the royal family is in favor of Princess Elmedia?"

"Yes, the princess is the most enthusiastic, but Empress Mezarin also seems to approve. While it might be difficult for the duke's son, Kishtria, the Dmitrius family, being a viscount, is more acceptable. My brother is friends with the duke and Kishtria..."

"Does Michaelis feel about this? If he doesn't mind, I won't interfere."

I feel a bit conflicted, having received passionate letters from Michaelis.

I know he's not the type to toy with women, but noble marriages are not always based on love. They are often political, and love may or may not develop later.

"Do you understand when I say that I receive my favorite stomach medicine from the butler, Sebastian?"

That's bad.

I feel a lot of sympathy. I might even pet his head the next time I see him.

"Is the princess really that unacceptable?"

She barely appeared in the story, just a minor character.

The main antagonist roles for the princesses were usually played by Albertina. Could it be that because I abandoned the antagonist role, it fell to someone else?

"I would refuse immediately if she were not a royal."

Jibril said firmly.

She finds it difficult to accept Princess Elmedia as a sister-in-law.

And Michaelis also finds it undesirable.

"My brother is quite picky and prefers gentle and cute women.

The hysterical and intense princess is far beyond his preferences."

"Oh, Jibril."

With a beautiful and adorable sister like Jibril, it's no wonder he doesn't see other young ladies as anything special.

Jibril is a proper young lady, gentle but with a strong core. She occasionally shows a strong side, but she is the epitome of a young lady.

When Anna and Jibril look at me and smile, they exchange glances and shake their heads silently.

What is it?

"If Father has given his permission, I will do my best to help.

Especially since Michaelis does not want to marry Princess Elmedia."

If there hasn't been a formal proposal yet, the damage should be minimal.

However, Princess Elmedia is about my age. We were mistaken for each other during the kidnapping incident, so our ages should be similar.

It's probably because of my eyes. They are said to be a symbol of the royal family. I'm glad I don't have the royal seal. I've had enough of drama flags.

If Michaelis, my childhood friend, were to marry such a problematic princess, I might have to distance myself from him. He is one of my few close friends, despite being a hikikomori and a loner!

"Miss Alber, thank you! This Jibril will spend her entire life repaying this favor..."

"Jibril, that's an exaggeration. It's just that Father and I have some leverage with the royal family, so we can do a bit of intimidating."

"No, with you, one person is worth a thousand."

"Oh... you're flattering me. But, what can I do? I'm not very familiar with the social scene, and I can only rely on Father's influence to a certain extent."

It's impossible to navigate political intrigue as a hikikomori. Just standing there is one thing, but trying to influence things with words is difficult.

When I gently expressed my lack of confidence, Jibril's face seemed to twitch a bit.

No, I'm serious. My capabilities are limited to this.

My role is to be a happy doll in Father's little world.

I'm a bit spoiled and cling to Father.

"It's more than enough. Just be there with a smile by my brother's side.

Don't respond to anything Princess Elmedia says, just smile.

I don't want to think that even Princess Elmedia would be rude to a Latitche young lady..."

"Will that be enough?"

"The key is how much she will dig herself into a hole."

Is it assumed she will dig herself into a hole?

Could she be like Prince Lucas, the disappointing prince?

In any case, I'll definitely need the earrings Father gave me.

I want to avoid getting involved in complicated matters. I don't want to be the one to expose my appearance to the royal family, which Father is trying to keep hidden.

However, if the convent is not an option, what about the commoner strategy?

Anna's face turned pale, and she shook her head vigorously. It felt even more impossible than the convent. Maybe it's too early to consult Lady Latitche...

The glasses were broken, but the other magical accessories are still intact.

Father returned to the academy quickly because the signal and tracking function in the glasses suddenly stopped.

Wearing the accessories, my hair turned ash-brown and my eyes turned aqua-blue, just like Father's. No need for a wig or colored contacts.

The dress I chose is blue to match my eyes. Father doesn't like dresses with too much cleavage, and I don't want to be stared at. There are many strangers, so I don't want to expose too much skin.

So, I chose a dress with a high neckline. The collar is adorned with sapphires and diamonds. The chest area is covered with delicate white lace, which is both cool and modest. The neckline is wide, but it's reassuring. The dress itself is a classic A-line. It suits me well because of the excellent material. The shoes are blue to match, with small pearls and a corsage. I also prepared a matching bonnet.

My hair is half-up with braids. This way, it won't fall even if I look down. I think it looks pretty good.

I thought Father would be upset about the previous incident, but he easily allowed me to go out.

It's a VIP area where only a select few are invited, so it's fine, he said.

But he added, "I'll have a shadow on you." What's a shadow? It turns out they are secret guards who protect me discreetly, unlike the knights who openly guard me. They also handle things that can't be done openly.

Do you not trust the knights? I don't think they would have acted that way if their prince hadn't been infatuated and misused the royal authority.

I don't think most people in the world are like that.

Some of the knights were quite confused by the prince's infatuated commands.

Like the one with green hair.

I don't remember the others' faces. Sorry.

I'm taking Anna with me in the carriage. Her injuries from the previous incident have healed, but I'm still worried.

She insisted on coming, saying she wouldn't let anyone else take her place.

I looked around. Raven, who usually accompanied me as a guard, was not there.

"...Is Raven okay?"

"Miss... He's fine, he was quite tough."

"Yes, I'm sure we'll meet again."

The rose Raven gave me is being grown in a pot in the greenhouse.

It's growing a bit. I hope it blooms. I've asked the gardeners, who are more knowledgeable about plants than I am, to take care of it, so I think it will be fine.

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The venue was already full of people.

It was packed. It was overwhelming. So many people.

Noticing my pale face, Anna immediately led me to the VIP room. Jibril was there to greet us, so we went smoothly.

The venue was built with white bricks and stones. However, it was a bit too rugged to be called a white castle.

The arena for the sword competition was bowl-shaped, with the VIP seats offering the best view. The center was the arena, a circular space surrounded by green grass. If someone were to be thrown out, the grass would provide some cushioning.

With Jibril by my side, I noticed the occasional glances. I had hidden under a parasol while walking outside, but I had to face them indoors. I was a bit stubborn about keeping the bonnet on as long as possible. The attention from others is terrifying for a hikikomori.

The magic sword Michaelis showed me before was amazing. The thought of seeing it again helped me muster the courage. I don't think Father will allow me to go out often.

I was clinging to Anna, but I didn't notice that she was emitting a cold aura, deterring those around us.

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The shadows are probably instructed to kill anyone who tries to harm Alber.

These shadows have been watching over Alber since she was a child.

They help the sheltered young lady without her noticing, which is one of the reasons for her carefree nature.

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