Chapter 52

Suddenly, a head of snow-white hair popped out.

But Braden held him back and didn’t let him in. Even then, Liber greeted Adela.

“Hello, Princess? I really missed you.”

“Get lost.”

Braden threw Liber far back and slammed the door.

“At least let me say hello, you mean Braden!”

Liber shouted at the top of his lungs.

“It’s not that I can’t come in, it’s that I’m not coming in. Got it?”

Braden sighed at Liber’s antics in such a serious moment.

‘What a crazy, clueless Liber.’

“Prince?”

Adela’s calm voice was clear even amid Liber’s yelling.

“I’m the Prince of Sovaro Empire.”

“You’re the Prince who sent the proposal?”

“Yes.”

“Then why were you a gladiator slave?”

“It’s a long story. I wanted to tell you face to face, but things got complicated. Still, I’m happy, Adela. You called me while running away. I don’t like that you told me to run instead of asking for help, but…”

All kinds of emotions flooded Braden’s heart.

He was pained that Adela was so desperate she’d considered dying, and regretful he couldn’t be by her side in such a hard time.

He was furious at Adamante for driving Adela to such lengths, and glad that even in her hardship, Adela remembered and called for him.

He was surprised and happy that Adela said she loved him, but disappointed she wanted him to run alone. Amid all those swirling emotions, the final feeling that bloomed was anticipation.

From now on, he could be with Adela.

Whispering ‘I love you’, and hearing ‘I love you’ in return, Braden could spend the rest of his life by her side.

Braden looked at Adela again.

“Don’t die. Marry me and let’s live together. Happily, for a long, long time. Just as you wished, we’ll travel to many countries. How about it?”

Braden took her hand and kissed the fourth finger where the pink diamond was set.

“Haa.”

Adela let out a long sigh.

The reason Adela had to leave in a hurry yesterday was because the Prince, visiting as part of the congratulatory delegation, was arriving today.

The reason Adela collapsed was because she didn’t want to marry any man other than Braden.

One of the reasons she considered drinking poison was also because of the Prince.

But to think that the Prince who drove her into a corner was none other than Braden.

“You shouldn’t have sent the proposal letter.”

Her heart had crumbled rapidly at the news of the Prince’s proposal and visit. As much as she loved Braden, the despair that swept over her made her stagger.

“There was a reason. I’ll explain it slowly later.”

Her expression was darker than expected, and cold sweat ran down Braden’s back.

He had his own reasons for his actions, and he thought Adela’s generous nature would understand. But her situation was just too harsh.

He too had contributed to this mess with his poor judgment, so it would take considerable effort to win her heart back.

Yes, effort was only right.

To do that, he first needed to secure some time.

“Should we leave here right now?”

Adela wanted to argue more, but now was not the time. They had to deal with the immediate crisis.

The one who stopped her from drinking poison was Braden.

The reason she chose to run instead of die was the hope that ‘maybe she could see him one more time.’

Most decisively, Braden appeared and saved her.

The one who made her want to die, the one who made her want to live, and the one who saved her life were all the same man.

Life was truly complicated and spectacular.

What if he had revealed he was the Prince back in Lasve?

A much easier path would have opened. Even the same event can turn out differently if the order changes.

But life doesn’t go as people wish. Thanks to that, she’d lived through a spectacular series of days.

And the man before her was not a gladiator slave, but a Prince. As a Prince, he would become the eye of a storm, exerting tremendous influence around him.

“How many troops do you have?”

“How many do you need?”

“Enough to wage an all-out war against the Marquis.”

If she died, Adamante would have no choice but to let Holden stay as the King. But with Braden present, the royal authority would be severely weakened.

Since she was alive, the treacherous Adamante had to be eliminated.

“Right now, including myself, there are five.”

“Really?”

Adela looked disappointed.

She knew Braden’s skills, but the Marquis’s forces were dozens of times larger than the twenty assassins who had attacked him.

“Just kill the Marquis. If the leader falls, the rest will scatter. But can you do it? He’s your maternal grandfather.”

“He’s a traitor. He raised his sword against the royal family; I can’t let him live. He’ll be trouble later. But k*lling him won’t be easy. The Marquis is the Kingdom’s best swordsman.”

“But you have me. I’ll lend myself to you.”

Braden thumped his chest with his fist. His expression was confident, almost arrogant.

“And my secret weapon.”

“Secret weapon?”

Braden opened the door and shouted.

“Liber, come in.”

Suddenly, Liber appeared before Adela. She blinked in surprise.

“Me?”

“If the door opens, come through the door.”

Braden closed the door. Without Shutal, Liber’s handler, it was tiring.

“Hello, Princess, I’m Liber. I’m a Grand Mage.”

Ignoring Braden, Liber introduced himself to Adela.

“A mage?”

Adela looked at Braden, wondering if the secret weapon was really a mage.

“Um, um, no, no. Not just a mage—a ‘Grand’ Mage.”

How absurd.

For some reason, Liber was showing off, something he rarely did. He seemed to like Adela very much.

Why was Adela so popular?

All of Braden’s subordinates who met Adela became obsessed with her.

***

“What? All dead?”

At the aide’s report, Adamante slammed his desk.

He knew the royal knight order was chasing the Princess. But Adamante knew better than anyone their capabilities.

Since his days as knight order captain, Adamante had been poaching the best for his private army. His family’s knights were top elite. The royal knight order couldn’t compare.

But now, annihilated?

“Someone helped the royal knight order. There was a mage, too.”

“So? Is the Princess returning with the royal knight order?”

It would be nice if she just returned to the Kingdom.

If she ran away, he’d have to send people after her again—what a hassle.

“No. Many are injured, so the royal knight order is returning to the Kingdom, but the Princess isn’t with them.”

“Tch, she ran away again. Did you put a tail on her? Send more private soldiers.”

Besides the soldiers for force, he sent people to track and report. They would pursue Adela.

“Well, the Princess has disappeared.”

“What? How could you mess up the most important thing? The Princess is the most important thing here. What can you do without her?”

Adamante shouted in anger.

“How unfortunate. To think you were looking for me so desperately.”

Suddenly, Adela’s voice rang out.

“Eek!”

The aide staggered in fright at Adela’s sudden appearance in the office.

The Princess wasn’t alone. She was accompanied by a strong, handsome man gripping a sword and a pure white-haired boy from head to toe.

“You!”

Adamante recognized Braden, pointing at him.

“Show some respect. This is the Prince of Sovaro Empire.”

Adela spoke with a voice as cold as ice.

“Prince?”

Adamante, who rarely showed surprise, was startled this time.

Braden, with a cocky attitude, raised one hand as if to say ‘Hello?’

“What nonsense is this…”

Adamante muttered with a frown.

A mere slave masquerading as a Prince?

And interfering with Adamante’s plans?

Things were getting tangled.

But this was Edel Kingdom. Even if he brought imperial knights, closing the gates would keep him out.

“Marquis, I’ll give you a choice. Surrender and admit your crimes, and you’ll be spared. If not, you’ll face the guillotine.”

“Guillotine? Hahaha.”

Adamante laughed boldly.

“Adela, you still don’t know your place. You’re not capable of that. How will you put me on the guillotine? Are you acting up because you trust that Prince?”

Adamante shed his dignified Marquis persona and revealed his true colors. His face was full of arrogance.

“You’ll have trouble just leaving this room.”

At Adamante’s words, Liber tilted his head slightly and muttered, “Oh, I can leave.” No one responded to that, though.

“Go call the knights.”

Adamante ordered the aide.

“Yes.”

The aide, who had been stunned, quickly ran to the door. But before he could grab the handle—ping!—he was bounced back.

He shot up to the ceiling as if hit by a galloping horse, then crashed to the floor. He fainted from the shock.

“Sorry. I should’ve said earlier. No one can come or go because of the barrier.”

Liber smiled brightly.

“A Grand Mage?”

Adamante’s eyes widened at Liber.