The sixth prince, who had been executed in the kingdom after being betrayed by the trusted saint, was reincarnated and, in order to seek revenge, became engaged once again to the neighboring kingdom’s “Guillotine Princess.” As a result, he was adored and lived happily.

“…You.”

“Hmm?”

“If only you were not here, ‘that person’ could be saved.”

Claire, who rarely showed much emotion, now glared at me with a look filled with hatred.

“Is ‘that person’ you’re referring to Princess Abigail?”

“Who else could it be?”

I see… If I weren’t here, Princess Abigail could be saved. That meant someone had ill intentions towards our engagement, and they were willing to harm Princess Abigail to achieve their goals.

There were two possible scenarios: either someone, fearing the Valois Kingdom behind me, wanted to prevent the alliance between me and Princess Abigail at any cost, or… their ultimate goal had always been me.

…Let’s dig a little deeper.

“But, just to be clear, if you were to eliminate me here, wouldn’t that put you and… not to mention, even Princess Abigail’s life at risk?”

“!?”

From Claire’s reaction, it seemed like the latter was the case.

“However, as you know, I’m the sixth prince of the Valois Kingdom, and I’m despised as a bastard even in my homeland. Yet…”

“Don’t talk any further. What will you do now?”

I wanted to extract more information, but it seemed impossible at this point. So, should I end this now?

“…By the way, why do you think Mariette isn’t here?”

“It’s obvious. While you were training in swordsmanship, she was busy with other tasks in the room…”

“Ah…”

Claire suddenly realized something and nervously glanced around. Her momentary lapse gave me a chance.

“Don’t move!”

Swiftly bending down and twisting her arm, I pressed the edge of my gladius against Claire’s throat. The tables had turned completely.

“You’re not as skilled as I thought. I expected more from someone like you.”

While Glen served as the Knight Commander, suggesting some level of martial expertise, Claire was an earl’s daughter. She hadn’t been taught the dirty tricks of an assassin. That was clear from her actions so far.

Even when I insulted the Corbeau family as a clan of killers, she had shown anger. It meant that Claire had some attachment to martial skills and her noble family. So, she could be easily fooled by such a simple bait.

“Worry not; Mariette isn’t here.”

“Urgh…”

As I twisted her arm, Claire winced in pain.

“I’ll tell you this: don’t even think about doing anything strange. I won’t hesitate to get rid of you.”

“…”

“By the way, who instructed you to convince me to break off with Princess Abigail? Ah, I could start peeling your fingers off one by one until you tell me.”

“Just… kill me already.”

Despite the threat, Claire stared at me with resentment before speaking in a defeated tone.

“I’ll say it once: if you break off your engagement with Princess Abigail and leave the kingdom, I won’t touch you… In fact, I’ll even guarantee your safety as long as you stay in the kingdom.”

“Hmm…”

Anyway, it was clear that she was hell-bent on tearing Princess Abigail and me apart. However, I didn’t need to be cautious in this case.

“Just one thing. Can you tell me your… or rather, your family’s real motives? I mean, surely it’s not just that you dislike me?”

Not only Claire, but it seemed that Glen, too, was trying to eliminate me. While being the sixth prince of the Valois Kingdom was certainly a reason, I couldn’t help but feel that there was more to it.

“…You.”

“Hmm?”

“As long as you’re not around, she can be saved.”

It seemed that the latter scenario was the case, given Claire’s reaction.

“Rest assured, if you ever make a move against me here, I’ll make sure Princess Abigail knows exactly that you’re a traitor. Even if it costs you dearly.”

“!?”

The moment I said this, Claire’s eyes widened, and then she lowered her head as if giving up. She must really not want to be on Princess Abigail’s bad side, considering the risks she had taken.

“…Well…”

I sighed and scratched my head in frustration.

“Go on. But remember, I will keep you in my sights. You’ve been targeting me for far too long.”

Even so, I thought it was better to let her go. Claire had gone to such lengths to protect Princess Abigail, even if it meant following the orders of someone in the shadows. That meant, as long as I remained a target, the likelihood of her harming me was low.

Besides…

“As long as you stay by Princess Abigail’s side, you’ll be able to protect her.”

“Ah…”

Despite her displeasure, considering that she had gone to such lengths to target me even at the cost of her own life, she would undoubtedly do everything in her power to protect Princess Abigail.

“…I can’t stay by ‘that person’s’ side anymore.”

“Alright, alright… I won’t tell her that you’re a traitor, okay?”

Feeling annoyed, I contemplated what I could do to ensure Princess Abigail’s safety as I returned to my room.