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.

“…I see.”

When I conveyed the information about the Kingdom’s envoy brought by Mariette, Princess Abigail displayed a face filled with hatred.

Hatred towards the Kingdom that had mistreated me.

“I would very much like to refuse such a dishonorable title… but that seems difficult.”

“Yes…”

King Edward would probably accept the Kingdom’s envoy. This was also related to the bestowal of the “Iris Emblem,” the Kingdom’s objective.

“However, I see this as an excellent opportunity. To tarnish the Kingdom’s reputation and lead it towards destruction.”

“That’s…”

I slowly explained to Princess Abigail, who was scrutinizing my face.

The Royal Palace Knights, led by the Knight Commander Philip, would be responsible for guarding the Kingdom’s envoy. Philip was a man filled with pride, unwavering in his belief in his own abilities.

Well, in reality, Philip’s skill ranked among the top in the Kingdom, so it was not unreasonable for him to be arrogant. That was precisely why it would be easy to manipulate him by provoking his pride.

“…In other words, I plan to enrage Philip and challenge him to a swordsmanship competition between the Empire and the Kingdom.”

“T-That’s…”

Princess Abigail attempted to say something, even reaching out her hand, but then pulled it back. She must have understood my intentions.

“Don’t worry. Before our engagement, I fought Philip once, and there’s no way he can match my current abilities. There’s not even a one-in-a-million chance that I’ll lose.”

This was no exaggeration. Thanks to General Cyrus’s strict training, my current abilities were on a completely different level compared to back then. In fact, even in my past life… my previous final moments, I had surpassed Philip’s skills.

“Furthermore, the Vice-Commander of the Royal Palace Knights, a man named Barak, is far less skilled in swordsmanship than Philip. Either way, they will bring great shame upon themselves and return to the Kingdom with their tails between their legs.”

“Hmm…”

Whether she still felt anxious despite my explanation, Princess Abigail let out a sigh and massaged her temples.

“Please understand that no matter how you plead, I won’t back down. However, please… promise me that you won’t get injured?”

“Of course. Just receiving a scratch from those kinds of people would sully my honor.”

Above all, it would tarnish the honor of my fiancée, Princess Abigail.

“Enough already…”

As Princess Abigail pouted and protested, I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

◇

“I’ll be going now.”

“Yes! Please do your best!”

With Mariette seeing me off, I was about to head to the training grounds as usual.

“That is…”

“His Highness Gustave!”

Appearing from the shadows of the corridor were Bridget and two other maids.

They rushed towards me with smiles on their faces as soon as they saw me.

“Could it be that you’re heading for swordsmanship training now?”

“Uh, yes…”

Slightly perplexed, I answered Bridget, who was peering into my face.

Nevertheless… running into this woman here couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.

Until yesterday, I had never encountered Bridget when I was heading to the training grounds. According to Mariette’s reports, which monitor Bridget’s activities, she either met with nobles or hosted tea parties for the ladies every day since the baptism ceremony.

So, it’s safe to assume that her purpose here is related to the contact she had with King Edward during the baptism and the recent dinner. In fact, it’s more surprising that she hadn’t made contact until now.

“I’ve been quite busy lately and haven’t had much free time, but this morning I found some time available.”

“Is that so…”

“Well, if you don’t mind, would you care to have some tea with me?”

Now, what should I do? It’s okay to accompany her, but there’s a high possibility it might be a trap.

For Bridget, I’m undoubtedly an annoying presence in this situation. However, it’s a fact that to obtain the truth, I have to get closer to her. And that truth… could ultimately become my trump card.

So…

“Thank you for the invitation. I would be delighted to join you.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!”

Bridget responded with a radiant smile, showing enthusiasm. For those who didn’t know her true nature, they would undoubtedly be deceived by this alone. In fact, many nobles and commoners had fallen for it.

With that in mind, Bridget led me to the terrace of a greenhouse within the imperial palace.

This place was filled with blooming flowers year-round regardless of the season, but today’s weather was a bit warm.

“Please, have a seat.”

One of Bridget’s maids kindly offered me some chilled tea. I refrained from reaching for it immediately because I didn’t know what might be in it and instead expressed my gratitude.

“Hehe… Do you perhaps think there’s poison in it?”

“Wha!?”

Taken aback by Bridget’s unexpected words, I almost gasped, but I managed to maintain my composure.

“Please rest assured. This is just tea.”

“I see…”

Bridget picked up her glass and took a sip of the tea.

“You know?”

“Well, um…”

…With everything that has happened, I can’t refuse to drink it.

Reluctantly, I accepted the glass from Bridget and took a sip of the tea.

“Phew… It’s delicious.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Bridget smiled warmly. Her true intentions remained more mysterious than ever.

“You know, Gustave…”

Bridget’s emerald eyes glistened, and she placed her hand on my hand that rested on the table.

“Is it too late for you to choose me instead of my sister…?”