Chapter 40: The Father’s Heart, Known by His Daughter
“Well then, it’s getting late. Let’s get to the main topic. First, let’s sort out the situation. Three nights from now, a grand ball will be held at the Duke Lecherie’s residence. At that event, your engagement to Duke Lecherie will be announced, and he will formally express his support for Prince Slay. Is that correct?”
When Prince Lucas asked, Lily nodded quietly. This information was the same as what I had heard from Lily and conveyed to Alissa.
“When did the talks about your engagement to Duke Lecherie begin?”
“…About six months ago, my father and Prince Slay started meeting frequently. I believe discussions were underway around that time. I was informed about it a month ago.”
“…I see. Quite typical of Marquis Puridi.”
“Eh…?”
Lily looked puzzled at Prince Lucas, who nodded knowingly. It seemed he had picked up on something from their exchange, but I was completely in the dark.
“Don’t worry, Lady Lily. Your father is genuinely concerned about you. He isn’t just eager to hand you over to some lecherous middle-aged man.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Prince Slay proposed the engagement to you about six months ago, right when I was preparing to enter the Succession War. Prince Slay must have sensed my intentions and wanted to resolve the Succession War before I took the stage.”
“…But that wasn’t the case from the start…?”
“Your father didn’t immediately accept Prince Slay’s proposal. If he had agreed when Prince Slay first brought it up, you would have already been married to Duke Lecherie by now. You wouldn’t even be here, let alone taking the entrance exam for the Royal Academy.”
“Is that even possible…?”
I asked, questioning Prince Lucas’s speculation.
Everyone who possesses skills deemed useful for war is obligated to take the entrance exam for the Royal Academy. Even if Lily had been married to Duke Lecherie, she would still have to take the exam.
“Of course, it’s not normal. But six months ago, things could have been arranged.”
“…My birthday was three months ago. At that time, I hadn’t yet received my skill.”
“Could it be that you intended to hide your skill…?”
“Yes. Skills granted by the gods can typically only be seen by the person who received them. So, if you conceal your skill and lie about it, you wouldn’t be obligated to take the entrance exam for the Royal Academy. And even if it were discovered, Duke Lecherie has enough power to cover it up.”
“Since skills are self-reported, it would be easy to deceive if one wanted to…”
…That’s the exact opposite of what I did. I received the Brainwashing skill from the gods and, in a panic, ended up claiming I had a skill that made fire erupt from my hands, which forced me to take the entrance exam for the Royal Academy.
“Well, normally, people wouldn’t do that. For nobles, attending the Royal Academy is a mark of honor, and for commoners, graduating from it guarantees a bright future. Only someone extremely reclusive or someone who received a dangerous skill would take such a risk.”
“……That’s true.”
Prince Lucas smiled at me with a knowing look. It’s moments like this that make him so unpredictable… I couldn’t relax at all.
“Marquis Puridi delayed his response to buy time until Lady Lily could enter the Academy. I know about your skill, Tactician, even without being told. The ability to survey the battlefield, automatically identify friend from foe, and ascertain positions is precisely the kind of skill needed for war. It’s only natural for you to attend the Royal Academy.”
“My father started boasting about my skill to those around him. He claims I’m the reincarnation of a legendary strategist known for his cunning, which is honestly quite embarrassing…”
“That was likely part of his strategy. The more widely known your skill becomes, the more Prince Slay and Duke Lecherie will feel compelled to ensure your admission to the Royal Academy. This way, you would be safe for three years. Even if you are engaged, you wouldn’t be living together, and you wouldn’t be at risk of being touched. The Royal Academy has strict policies against expulsion unless one performs poorly or behaves outrageously, or even dies, so I believe he was not worried about that.”
“Father…”
Lily clasped her hands in front of her chest as if in prayer. Did she harbor the fear that she might be sold off by her father?
“Marquis Puridi, due to his position, couldn’t refuse if pressured by Prince Slay and Duke Lecherie. But as a form of resistance, he managed to protect you until your admission to the Royal Academy. I think your father is a remarkable man.”
“Thank you, Prince Lucas.”
Lily bowed her head, and Prince Lucas responded with a smile.
…It’s truly frightening how this man operates.
While alleviating Lily’s anxieties, he subtly guided her to believe that her father did not wish for the engagement. I also thought that Lily’s father did not want the engagement, but that was merely speculation.
Prince Lucas spoke as if it were the truth, trying to convince Lily. It was more convenient for him that way.
I quietly reached under the table (though I was sure Prince Lucas could see) and took Lily’s hand. She looked at me in surprise, but instead of pulling away, she gripped my hand tightly in return.
“Hehe. Now, let’s confirm our victory conditions.”
Prince Lucas raised a finger and spoke.
“First and foremost, we must sever the alliance between Prince Slay and Duke Lecherie. Therefore, breaking off the engagement between Duke Lecherie and Lady Lily is an absolute necessity. …However, there is a slight problem.”
“…That would be Lady Lily and House Puridi being put in the line of fire, right?”
“Exactly. For instance, if Lady Lily were to unilaterally declare the engagement annulled, the backlash against her and House Puridi would be tremendous. Prince Slay, having his pride wounded, would do everything in his power to crush House Puridi, and Duke Lecherie could react unpredictably. In the worst-case scenario, both Lady Lily and Marquis Puridi could be killed on the spot.”
“…!”
Lily tightened her grip on my hand.
This was likely the issue she feared the most. If the engagement with Duke Lecherie were annulled, the responsibility would fall squarely on House Puridi. They would be bombarded with criticism from allies like Prince Slay and other nobles, leading to the ruin of House Puridi.
“To avoid that, we will need a legitimate reason for the annulment of the engagement between Lady Lily and Duke Lecherie.”
“A legitimate reason, you say…?”
“Yes, for example—”
Prince Lucas smiled a devious smile as he spoke.
“—If Duke Lecherie were found to be involved in human trafficking, for instance.”