Chapter 41

“Her? So… you’re saying that she is the lost Princess of the Kingdom of Kettlin?”  

“Shouldn’t that be something the Prince, as a royal of Kettlin, can recognize better than I, who has no connection to that kingdom?”  

“Duke. Now that I think of it.”  

Leopold narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on Eric.  

“So you already knew that there was a lost Princess in the Kingdom of Kettlin.”  

“It wasn’t something I wanted to know. I have no interest in getting involved in the affairs of foreign countries, especially ones I’d rather avoid.”  

Eric’s indifferent reply made Leopold grit his teeth. A Duke of the empire who claimed to have no interest in the secrets of foreign royalty—it was a blatant lie that no one would believe, yet Eric spoke it without batting an eye.  

“But now that I’ve been dragged into it, as a Duke of the Lockvela Empire, it is naturally my duty to protect a Princess in distress. Let’s return together, Prince.”  

Eric then gestured toward the woman standing behind him.  

“Princess? How does it feel to finally meet your brother? I’ll give you a moment to exchange names.”  

Taking a deliberate step back to stand beside Euphrasia, Eric scoffed.  

He was trying to make sense of this absurd situation in his own way.  

To be honest, his mood, which had already been sour during the journey to the slums, had only worsened when he encountered the woman claiming to be the Princess of Kettlin in front of a shack.  

Eric recalled the moment she revealed her identity in front of the dilapidated shack.  

The Princess and the pickpocket child acted as though they were incredibly close to one another.  

When the soldiers approached the child at Eric’s command to bring the culprit forward, the woman had suddenly stood up and stammered.  

“I am the Princess of the Kingdom of Kettlin…! I swear on my honor, I will protect this child!”  

Her voice trembled uncontrollably, yet her posture as she shielded the child remained firm.  

Perhaps realizing that words alone wouldn’t suffice, she rummaged through the pockets of her worn and tattered skirt.  

Eventually, she pulled out a folded piece of paper. The center of the paper bulged slightly, as if it contained a small object wrapped carefully within.  

With trembling hands, she unfolded the paper and retrieved the item inside—a ring so small it wouldn’t fit even a little finger.  

At the center of the ring was a chaotic engraving intertwining symbols representing the four elemental spirits: wind, water, fire, and earth.  

Eric recognized the design immediately. He had occasionally seen documents related to the Kingdom of Kettlin in the emperor’s office.  

The intricate design was a symbol of Kettlin’s royal family.  

“This is the only keepsake my parents left me.”  

With those words, the woman fell silent, and Eric, after some deliberation, issued an order to the soldiers.  

“You heard her. She is the Princess of the Kingdom of Kettlin. Escort her safely without causing her any discomfort.”  

The woman complied with the forced escort without resistance.  

‘Is that wretched woman really the Princess of Kettlin?’  

He had set out on a light reconnaissance mission, merely to confirm the truth of the rumors about a Princess in the slums, but he ended up entangled with a pickpocket child and, as if waiting for him, the Princess appeared.  

The timing of her appearance and the circumstances aligned too perfectly, making it all seem suspicious.  

Yet, no matter how dubious it seemed, he couldn’t dismiss it. The emperor’s informants had reliably reported the Princess’s presence in the slums, and the woman had presented proof of her identity as though she had been waiting for this moment.  

Eric raised an eyebrow and scrutinized the woman again.  

Her emaciated frame, haggard demeanor, and sickly pallor made her look as though she might collapse at any moment.  

Her entire body bore the marks of hardship and poverty, leaving no trace of the dignity one would expect from royalty.  

She looked every bit the typical slum dweller, with no semblance of nobility to be found.  

‘There’s definitely something odd about her.’  

Still, Eric tried to suppress his rising irritation.  

‘This might actually work out well.’  

Whatever the true identity of this suspicious woman might be, her presence was enough to serve as evidence that Euphrasia was not the Princess of Kettlin.  

Eric still harbored doubts that Euphrasia might be the lost Princess of Kettlin. If she were, it meant the emperor could shift his suspicions onto her at any time.  

In a brief moment, Eric calculated the situation thoroughly.  

Whether the woman, who radiated the air of a slum dweller, was truly the Princess or not, it was necessary to play along for now.  

‘Could the Prince also be involved in this matter?’  

Eric’s gaze shifted to Leopold, whose expression was one of clear bewilderment.  

“My apologies… Lady. I never imagined we’d meet like this. I was caught off guard.”  

“It’s an honor to meet you, Prince. I am Sylvia Kettlin.”  

Leopold began to move toward the woman, and though she flinched momentarily, she straightened her posture and stood firm.  

The two exchanged brief greetings, and silence followed.  

Eric caught the fleeting moment when the woman’s body faltered slightly.  

Her reaction was not one of joy at meeting a long-lost sibling.  

It was closer to fear and despair—a negative response.  

‘It’s certainly unsettling… but perhaps it doesn’t matter.’  

Eric’s expression twisted into something between a grimace and a smirk, faint wrinkles forming at the corners of his mouth.  

Soon, he adopted a nonchalant attitude and began walking lightly, prompting the soldiers to prepare to move again.  

For now, he had successfully secured both women under the protection of the Kettlin household. Any unresolved doubts could be addressed later.  

More importantly, at the moment—  

“The slums are dangerous. It’s not a place for a lady to visit alone. You’re fortunate nothing happened to you.”  

Eric turned his head slightly to check on Euphrasia beside him.  

She, too, was staring at Leopold and the Princess with a confused expression.  

Stepping closer to her, Eric extended his hand toward Euphrasia.  

“It’s time to return home. Remember that today’s fortune was an exception. The slums are far more dangerous than you realize, with various crimes occurring here regularly.”  

Though his tone seemed considerate, it carried a subtle hint of reproach.  

Euphrasia felt a bit indignant.  

While the slums’ stark reality had shocked her, and meeting the Princess of Kettlin had been unexpected, she swore that no dangerous incidents had occurred—not even slightly.  

“I came here with Prince Leopold. I didn’t come alone…”  

“Is it carelessness or thoughtlessness? Ah, perhaps both. Are you calling that an excuse? You nearly endangered a foreign guest. If word gets out that the lady of the Herrington household is this reckless, it’ll be troublesome. Tsk.”  

Eric grumbled lightly, but his words had no effect.  

He even began voicing twisted concerns with a look of utter disdain.  

Fuming, Euphrasia clenched her jaw tightly, creating a crease on her chin.  

“Judging by how you secretly assigned guards to me, what exactly are you so worried about? An unreliable, thoughtless, and ignorant woman like me doesn’t deserve your escort. I’ll leave first.”  

“Hmph.”  

With a scoff, she deliberately brushed past Eric, ignoring his outstretched hand.  

Eric stared at her retreating figure in disbelief for a moment before his facial muscles began to relax.  

“Hey, Madam. I didn’t call you ignorant.”  

“I hate being called ignorant. So don’t say it again.”  

“I promise I’ll never utter the word again.”  

Eric’s eyes curved into a smile as he followed Euphrasia’s retreating steps with a playful gait.  

Although moments ago he had been tense and frustrated, her pouty demeanor melted his irritation away like magic.  

‘She doesn’t seem to realize it herself.’  

Gradually, she had begun to reveal honest and unfiltered emotions toward him.  

Each time her guarded demeanor softened, Eric felt a peculiar satisfaction.  

“Madam, aren’t you walking too fast? You might trip.”  

With a faint smile, Eric deliberately spoke in a teasing tone as he walked beside Euphrasia.  

He had anticipated her reaction—bristling like a startled cat—and he wasn’t wrong.  

“‘Madam’! ‘Madam’! Please stop using that title so casually! I haven’t made a final decision yet!”  

Even as she flinched, she subtly threatened to escape at any moment, adding to her defiant stance.  

‘Thankfully, she doesn’t seem too shaken.’  

Eric’s concerns were alleviated.  

The sudden appearance of Kettlin’s Princess and the unexpected arrangement of staying under the same roof hadn’t caused Euphrasia to display excessive curiosity or agitation.  

Perhaps she had simply been swept up in the whirlwind of events, leaving her no time to dwell on them further.  

“If I upset you, I apologize. Let’s walk together now. It’s not a good look for the soldiers to see us like this.”  

When Eric offered an apology in surrender, Euphrasia glared at him fiercely.  

But soon, she reluctantly slowed her steps as well.