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.

“Phew…”

I gazed out of the carriage window and let out a deep sigh. The carriage was headed towards the port city of “Normand,” located beyond the northwestern border of the Valrois Kingdom.

Yes, it was finally time for me to meet Princess Abigail and conduct the signing ceremony for our engagement.

Normand was once part of Valrois Kingdom’s territory, but it had been taken by the Strasclide Empire in a recent war. Moreover, the nearby city of Cares had also been occupied. To prevent further damage and out of fear that the empire might attack the capital, we had negotiated a fifth ceasefire agreement, which included my engagement to Princess Abigail.

From the kingdom’s perspective, it was a triumphant move. They had secured a non-aggression pact with just the presence of an expendable prince like me. On the flip side, if this engagement were to fail, the empire might launch another attack, and the capital itself could be at risk.

That’s why the carriage I was in was heavily guarded by Philip and the Royal Knights. Although it felt like they were harassing me, I had to endure it until the preparations were complete.

“Your Highness Gustave… The future of the kingdom depends entirely on you. Please, do your best.”

Sitting opposite me in the carriage, the saint, Cecile, squeezed my hand gently, her aquamarine eyes glistening with tears, as she implored me. She was attending the signing ceremony as the representative of the Leannon Church and had accompanied me for that purpose.

“Saint, but can I really handle such a great responsibility?”

I deliberately lowered my head, unable to hide my anxiety. Since leaving the capital, Cecile had given me two specific instructions.

One was to receive detailed reports on the palace’s internal affairs, information that even the kingdom’s spies had trouble obtaining. For this task, my personal maid, Mariette, who was accompanying me in the carriage, would act as the liaison. She had acted reluctant and put on a show of accepting the role.

The other task was to obtain the authority of Abigail, especially the power to issue orders independently in various cities within the empire. To achieve this, I was supposed to win Abigail’s trust and potentially manipulate her. It was a challenging task, but Cecile was insistent that I had to do it for the sake of the kingdom. Surprisingly, Mariette had shown a sudden change in attitude and said, “I’ll help too.”

“It’s alright. I can’t promise that I’ll definitely succeed, but I’ll do my best with everything I can.”

Cecile and Mariette leaned forward eagerly, offering their support.

“Very well… I’ll do my best!”

I raised my clenched fist, and Cecile wiped away her tears, still looking touched.

“Mmm… Your Highness Gustave, we have arrived!”

Mariette, with a disapproving look, announced as she pointed outside. Cecile quickly released my hand, and I smiled back at them, though I still felt a bit annoyed. I had to endure this until everything was in place. Those two would despair soon enough.

◇

“Please wait here until the appointed time.”

In a reception room guided by the empire’s staff, I awaited the meeting with Princess Abigail. As the moment drew nearer, I felt a mix of nervousness, anxiety, and guilt weighing heavily on my chest.

“…Sorry. I need to step out for a moment.”

I excused myself from Cecile and Mariette and left the reception room.

“Hah…”

I wondered what expression I should wear when I meet her. Conflicting feelings of wanting to see her and not wanting to see her tangled inside me, leaving me unsure of how to act.

However, no matter how you put it, I needed Abigail’s help for my revenge against the kingdom. That was the reality. Just like in my previous life, I had to secure this marriage with her, no matter what.

And then…

“Excuse me. Are you Prince Gustave?”

The voice that called out to me belonged to a female servant with azure hair and azure eyes. I knew her.

She was Claire Corbett, a maid who served Princess Abigail. She had always accompanied Abigail as her shadow, providing unwavering support.

Well… in my previous life, she didn’t like me very much.

Thinking back, some of the assassination attempts I faced in my previous life might have been related to Claire. This time, I had to make sure she didn’t target me.

“…Is there something on my face?”

“Huh? N-No, it’s nothing.”

I realized I had been lost in thought and asked Claire if something was wrong with my appearance. However, she hastily reassured me.

I shouldn’t let my thoughts wander like that. I was starting to arouse suspicion.

“So, you must be Prince Gustave, right?”

Claire inquired politely.

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“I will be your guide to the signing ceremony room.”

Claire led us, Cecile, Mariette, and me, to the room where the signing ceremony would take place.

“This is the room where today’s signing ceremony will be held.”

I stared at the door, my mouth dry. On the other side was Princess Abigail.

And then…

“Ah…”

The door, held open by a waiting knight, revealed a golden-haired girl with crimson eyes.

My fiancée, Abigail of Strasclide, was standing there.