They say when you’re intoxicated by an aphrodisiac, you dream sexual dreams, but perhaps because he’d lost all his experiences, the dream’s content seemed very simple. But what on earth does he think I am….
How much food have I made sure he ate? I always gave him dessert too! Are you dreaming about being starved for a few days? I was about to wake him up immediately when the corners of my mouth turned bitter.
Was it that shocking?
He said the palace was scary, difficult, and a frightening place. That was true. But the person who planted such thoughts in Rosenthal was purely himself.
He’d done terrible things to someone whose memories had become a blank slate and was no different from a young child. From when he first brought him until even today.
He maintained a submissive attitude the entire time staying at the separate palace. It wasn’t to curry favor or plot schemes, but purely because he was intimidated by the pressure of status.
The nobles looked down on him as a Crown Prince of humble origins who didn’t know when he’d be deposed, but when seen by Rosenthal who only had memories as a theater slave, he must have seemed truly high and lofty.
‘Did he really lose his memory? It might be a lie. He’s a cunning bastard.’
The suspicion that had been crawling around the floor gathered and whispered in Eldon’s ear. Suspect him, you mustn’t believe easily. Do you intend to repeat the past?
But Eldon shook his head and cut off the thread of suspicion.
There was no falsehood in Rosenthal’s voice as he screamed while restrained by the Ryrium.
An omega adopted by Duke Chendewden to form a connection with the imperial family. A crystallization of lewdness and greed who seduced Arleigh with ambition to become Crown Princess, and mercilessly switched boats as soon as I became Crown Prince.
But the nature that remained after the memories disappeared is truly clear.
Someone who likes drawing, moves without calculation for a young master, looks after despised beastmen, doesn’t hesitate to use the expression “family” for his attendants. Someone who’s ready to give up the Crown Princess position at any time, no—someone who wants to escape from the imperial palace.
Only now did the subtle cracks disappear and the person called Rosenthal Chendewden became visible.
“Please save me….”
Rosenthal talked in his sleep again. He’d said to save him before too.
After saying he loved me, he must have truly thought I was quite a vicious person.
Eldon pressed down on the lips of Rosenthal who was begging to be saved, up and down.
Then the red lips popped out like a duck’s.
“Nngh….”
As if even this was stimulation, he let out a strange moan. Eldon kissed his lips lightly as if pecking with a beak.
He’ll only go this far today. He wanted to embrace him right away, but if all his memories had disappeared and it was essentially his first experience, he should treat him more courteously. Befitting the treatment of a Crown Princess.
***
When I opened my eyes the next day, Eldon wasn’t visible. I don’t know whether he believed my lie or not, but thinking about it, it wasn’t a very important issue. I don’t care how he views me. After today passes, he’s someone I won’t see.
As I sat up, my body somehow felt hot. He said I’d be fine in the morning, but the aphrodisiac must still remain.
According to the original work, as the secret ledger is revealed and investigations proceed, it’s discovered that one of Eldon’s concubines was someone from Grand Duke Curtis’s side and she’s expelled from the palace.
According to the Empire’s laws, the Crown Prince can have five concubines, and Eldon gives the vacated concubine position to Seha. But I had to somehow twist the original work so that Seha would be appointed as Crown Princess, not a concubine.
If Seha becomes Eldon’s partner and lives happily, <Three Crowns> will end too.
As I imagined Eldon and Seha holding a wedding ceremony in my place, anger surged again.
No matter how much you dislike me, you throw me to a tentacle monster? Last night I thought I was relatively sane, but I must have actually been under the aphrodisiac’s control. As my mind cleared, anger surged and I ground my teeth. Of course, it’s my fault for slipping, but if you knew I was a kid who’d never held a sword and brought me, shouldn’t you take responsibility!
Knowing my relationships with men are complicated, you harass me for being complicated; knowing I’m clumsy, you throw me away for being a burden. Anyway, he’s a nasty bastard. I should have pretended to be out of it from the drug and hurled insults.
Anyway, if I keep staying here, I’ll die from shame before my head gets cut off. I even showed Hereis the sight of being violated by a tentacle monster. Gyaaah!
This isn’t the time for me to be doing this. I need to flee as fast as possible, even one second earlier!
“Young Master, is your body okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. But where’s Harry?”
“He went to escort Young Master Bellos home.”
That was fortunate at least. I can’t face Harry from embarrassment. By the way, I starved him yesterday too.
Just as I curse him as Eltrash, Hereis must be internally annoyed at getting involved with a strange guy. I’m sorry, Hereis. Once I leave the palace, I’ll research in earnest and definitely let you feast.
“I’ll have an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince. Prepare….”
“Rosenthal!”
As I was about to get off the bed, Forti entered the room and jumped straight onto the bed. Unlike yesterday, he’d returned to his usual cute Forti.
“Forti! I told you not to climb on Young Master’s bed!”
Raki cautioned him, but Forti hugged me and burrowed into my embrace. I sent Raki a look that it was okay and stroked Forti’s head. He was especially clingy today.
“Forti, what’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”
“I’m sorry. Rosenthal, you got hurt because of me, right? You got hurt trying to keep your promise with me, right?”
“No. I’m not hurt. See? I’m fine.”
No sooner had I spoken than the bruise marks on my wrist became visible. Damn tentacle monster, damn Eltrash!
“You’re hurt! It’s because of me. Because of me, Rosenthal….”
“It’s okay. Viscount Bellos will be released too, and Patrick returned to the viscounty. I’m fine too. Everyone’s happy. It’s no one’s fault.”
“Rosenthal….”
Forti looked up at me with glistening eyes, then licked the bruise on my wrist. Raki started to scold him immediately. I raised my other hand to stop his action.
“Raki, go outside for a moment.”
“But you said you’d have an audience with His Highness.”
“I’ll go in a bit. He must be busy with public affairs, so it would be rude to visit too early.”
“Yes….”
He went outside though reluctantly. Forti continued licking my wrist. Perhaps because the aphrodisiac remaining on my skin hadn’t disappeared yet, the feeling of his tongue sticking was strange.
“Forti, I’m okay so…. Ah! Forti!”
Forti raised his head and came close as if to kiss me. I was startled and hastily pushed his chest away.
“Forti! I told you that you can’t do this!”
“Rosenthal, you smell good.”
Smell? Can he sense the Ryrium sap? Hereis and Raki must have washed me yesterday, but since Forti is a beastman, he’d be sensitive to scents.
“Forti, even if it smells good, you can’t lick. No kissing either. Kissing is something you do with your mate. You know that, Forti.”
“Then I want to mate with Rosenthal.”
Forti acted cute and hugged my waist. His ears pressed firmly against my stomach.
Ah, no. I’m losing consciousness from cuteness. I need to teach him but I can’t even scold him. I’ll teach him tomorrow. Today’s my only day. As I stroked Forti’s head with a dad smile, suddenly a chilling voice rang out.
“Back away.”
“Crown Prince, Your Highness….”
I was startled and got off the bed. As I tried to bow my head and greet him, Forti was still on the bed glaring at Eldon. I went to Forti and whispered gently.
“Forti, you need to greet His Highness the Crown Prince.”
I know Forti dislikes Eldon. Even if I didn’t know, he tied up Forti and used him to mock me. But because this was a status-based society, even if he was the enemy who killed your parents, you had to greet him.
Forti looked at me, then bowed his head toward Eldon. Though the insolence could be felt fully, at least he greeted him, right? I felt proud and stroked Forti’s head.
Is this what it feels like to raise a child?
Just then, Eldon struck my hand away with his scabbard.
“Oh my!”
I was startled by the eerie sensation the sword gave and fell backward. I’d always been afraid, but this was the first time that sword directly touched my body. Why? Why did the death switch turn on?
Ah, while making Forti greet him, I myself didn’t offer courtesy. Ah, idiot. I immediately bowed my head and prostrated myself flat.
“I-I greet His Highness the Crown Prince, the Empire’s hope!”
Damn it, I wanted to act dignified on at least the last day. I told you where the evidence was and even became bait, isn’t this too much?
“Crown Princess….”
“My body was unwell, so I forgot to observe proper etiquette. Please forgive me.”
“Don’t bully Rosenthal!”
Forti blocked in front of me and shouted angrily at Eldon.
Gyaah, Forti! I raised you too indulgently. What dangerous behavior is this! That bastard can kill not only me but people around me in one stroke!
I hurriedly gestured toward Raki standing at the door. Then Raki swiftly ran over and delivered a smashing blow to Forti’s back.
“What presumptuous behavior is this!”
Raki pulled Forti’s arm, but he didn’t move with his mouth firmly shut. I patted Forti’s leg and gestured for him to hurry and go. He looked dissatisfied, but silently followed Raki out.
But even after Forti went outside, Eldon’s expression didn’t soften.
“…I have something to say. Come out.”
As I held the back of my hand where the sword touched while reading his mood, the moment I heard the notice to come out, my mind snapped awake. Something to say? Is the moment of safe separation finally here!
I came out with only minimal grooming. No, I was dressed even more naturally than usual, not even tying a basic tie.
Others might laugh if they heard, but seeing Rosenthal’s insane beauty, mightn’t Eldon change his mind? He might think, ‘Though he’s a guy I hate to look at, should I keep him in the palace as decoration and use him like a doll?’
The moment I was thrown to the tentacle monster, I realized painfully. This guy is trash that far exceeds my expectations.
By the time I finished preparing, Eldon had already left, and I boarded the carriage he’d prepared. It was a small carriage that moved within the palace grounds. When I first rode a carriage, the rattling sounds and shaking kept bothering me, but now I felt almost nothing. People really are creatures of adaptation.
The imperial palace was one large village. In the mansions closest to the imperial palace lived great nobles like the Chendewden ducal family and Grand Duke Curtis’s family, and beyond that were the mansions of common nobles. And with the Serian River as the boundary, on the opposite side lived the wealthy like merchants and guild masters, and around them stayed commoners.
The imperial palace is the Empire’s light, and the less the light reaches, the harder the life.
I looked carefully at the scenery unfolding outside the window. It would be the last moment to feel the Empire’s light with my whole body.
The carriage slowly reduced speed and stopped in front of a beautiful glass garden. The separation location is quite romantic? I thought he’d just kick me out, but it was unexpected.
