The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

12 – Scandal with the Princess (2)

Word of mouth, passing from mouth to mouth, spreads farther than the pollen in early spring.

Especially among the nobility, who excel in ‘gossip’ and ‘memorizing genealogies,’ there was a constant effort to keep up with new rumors and trends, making the rumors spread even faster.

Red Dragon.

Rudmila Drague Valtaria.

She had a man.

Even the nobles who initially dismissed it as a baseless rumor gradually began to react, and the scandals related to Princess Rudmila suddenly swept through the capital.

“Wh-who on earth is the opponent of the Red Dragon?!”

“I heard he’s the youngest son of the Hohenberg family! They say he’s a virtuoso of Edanant!”

“I’ve never heard that name before… Wait, Hohenberg?! If it’s Hohenberg, then surely…!”

Maximilian, the warrior who had a marriage proposal with the third princess Elisabeth and parted ways, was indeed from the Hohenberg family.

In other words,

The princess and the virtuoso who almost became in-laws are meeting.

As nobles who prefer scandalous love affairs above all else, Princess Rudmila’s scandal spread like wildfire, becoming famous enough to be mentioned at every banquet and tea party.

“….”

The capital was in an uproar.

The scandal, which had been sparked intensely, finally reached the citizens’ ears.

Wondering if it would appear in the newspapers,

I anxiously observed the reactions of the newspaper reporters with a keen eye.

Princess Rudmila’s scandal… It wouldn’t be surprising if it became a special feature tomorrow. Without a doubt, various newspapers were eagerly preparing scandal specials.

“I feel good that Edan is becoming famous like Max! Everyone is talking about Edan!”

“….”

If even a chubby little kid heard about it, then surely all the citizens of the capital knew about it.

A mistake was made.

It was an unprecedented mistake in a lifetime, not anticipating the aftermath.

Perhaps it’s because my past life’s romantic experiences were relatively short. Or maybe it’s the complacency that assumes Ludmila doesn’t take me seriously, leading to the tinder of misunderstanding.

The scandal of the separation between the third princess of the Valtaria royal family and the eldest son of the Hoenberg family, along with the beginning of the meeting between the second princess and the youngest son, spread extensively with verbosity.

To add fuel to the fire, exaggerated fake news continued to pile up, escalating the situation like pouring oil on a burning house.

“Come in quickly. I’ve been waiting.”

“Thank you for inviting me.”

I stayed in the villa provided by the royal family.

The next day.

After receiving a farewell letter from a maid, I arrived at the outdoor café within the palace grounds.

When Ludmila and I arrived, she raised her hand to greet me, a friendly gesture as if meeting an old academy friend.

“Shall we order a pour-over coffee? But… what beverage will you order?”

“I’ll have the same coffee.”

Pour-over coffee, which extracts multiple servings at once, was naturally preferred by nobles and officials who had to digest heaps of tasks.

It seemed Ludmila also preferred the drip-brewed brew coffee.

Our tastes coincidentally overlapped.

I, too, live by brew coffee.

“Have you read the newspaper?”

“I always read the daily newspaper every morning. The Marquess does the same. It’s only natural to be aware of the events happening in the world.”

If ‘The Scandal of Princess Ludmila’ were featured in the favorite newspaper, I wondered what reaction it would elicit.

Hmm.

Certainly, it would garner a tremendous response.

I envisioned the imposing figure of a crimson dragon, obliterating the newspaper that spread baseless rumors.

As someone implicated in the scandal alongside the journalists, I would undoubtedly face the fiery tribunal.

Being mentioned in a scandal would be extremely unpleasant.

“How was the room provided by the royal family? Was it suitable for your stay?”

“I am grateful for your kindness in providing it.”

Ludmila was dressed in a simple outfit.

A white blouse.

Black tailored trousers.

And a sophisticated tailored jacket draped over her shoulders.

It was as if emphasizing a sense of mature elegance in her attire. Combined with Ludmila’s occasionally glimpsed oppressive smile, it exuded a mature charm.

Moreover, when her blouse buttons strained tautly against her ample chest, it felt suffocating, almost breath-stealing.

As Ludmila sipped her coffee and reviewed the documents, her face momentarily reddened.

“Ever since the disappearance of the Order of the Holy Maidens, incidents have been incessant. From the Empire’s embassy in the Kingdom of Luga… to numerous other consulates, all have been under attack.”

Ludmila handed over a document.

Black-and-white photos of charred buildings.

And detailed records of the damages caused by the assaults.

It was almost a declaration of war.

Much like the Kingdom of Gael, it was a call for vengeance against the Valtarian Empire, which had offered comprehensive support to the Order of the Holy Maidens.

Attacks that razed foreign embassies would soon reach the Empire’s mainland.

Ludmila furrowed her brow, expressing deep concern.

“As time passes, the enemy’s onslaught will grow bolder. We need a plan for this.”

“It would be good to uncover their base of operations, wouldn’t it?”

A sigh tinged with frustration was heard.

In response, a solemn nod followed.

“This is absolutely delicious. It melts in your mouth. Have some of this too, Edan.”

“Really?”

Turning away from the violent calamity, Ludmila looked at a girl with verdant hair.

Munching eagerly with a small mouth.

Her manner of eating was akin to watching a sparrow pecking at breadcrumbs.

The brunch served at the outdoor café was Eggs Benedict. Bacon and softly poached eggs sat atop a buttered muffin, generously covered in hollandaise sauce.

Truly living up to the pinnacle of flavors expected from a lavish outdoor café brunch.

“They’re expanding the intelligence department’s efforts to their maximum to find a certain individual.”

“If they need someone to resolve this situation… I will naturally assist.”

Petting the fairy’s head, who ate brunch like a country bumpkin, Ludmila replied.

The individual who will resolve the situation.

Utilizing the entire intelligence apparatus of the Valtarian Empire to find them.

They must be the strongest in the nation, if not surpassing them.

To prepare for the ascent of evil, one would undoubtedly need immense power to sweep away the wicked creatures plotting their rise.

“The sixth member of the Holy Maiden Party… seek the War Enthusiast, the hero of the Fourth Continental War.”

“Hmph!”

In response to Ludmila’s boastful proclamation, the hand that had casually stroked Rhea’s hair now tightened its grip with force.

In that moment,

Rhea spewed out the orange juice she had been sipping, splattering it everywhere.

* * *

The Kingdom of Gael was relentless in addressing the turmoil that began with the disappearance of the Holy Maiden Beatrice.

Whoever the Holy Maiden was.

Those born with innate holiness were the incarnations of Gaia, the Earth Mother, among the Holy Maidens of Gael.

The disappearance of Beatrice, who had stood out prominently among the Holy Maidens of the prosperous kingdom, caused a wavering of the believers’ faith.

The second faction of Holy Maidens, which had supported Beatrice as the focal point of their faith since her selection as a new Holy Maiden, was now facing the threat of downfall.

“Why did Your Holiness accept this proposal? This is undoubtedly a scheme to distance the Holy Maiden from the Kingdom’s affairs!”

Bishop Johan expressed strong concern.

Nevertheless, the woman who knelt on the floor, fervently praying, paid no heed.

She clasped her slender hands together.

Maintaining a posture with her slim waist held straight, she lowered her veil, and silver strands cascaded down, exuding a devout beauty.

There seemed to be no hint of ambiguity, facing the pure white as if meeting the divine presence inherited from the Earth Mother.

In the face of this, Johan fell silent, abandoning his protest.

“Well, I actually had no intention of accommodating Your Holiness’s strategy at first.”

Her thoughts had changed,

the woman with flowing silver hair murmured in a soft voice.

“Why did our adorable successor disappear? It’s quite intriguing that Your Holiness, who doted so fondly on the adopted daughter with such care, would be concerned about a mere disappearance amidst beloved governments. Moreover…”

Beautiful silver hair descending to her calves.

Bright blue eyes shining clearly.

A slender and delicate figure, akin to a winter snowflake, exuding both a pure whiteness and an orphaned fragility.

In her elegant appearance, sacred beauty overflowed.

Certainly, she was the incarnation of the Earth Mother.

It was only natural that numerous leaders praised her fervently.

“The resurgence of evil began with the disappearance of the Holy Maiden’s party… Would the one who vanished without a trace in the continental war break the silence and reveal themselves?”

The successor of the white dragon, the guardian of the Goddess Gael.

The First Holy Maiden.

Javelin Albyon Rassel.

Elation swept across her orphaned face.

Rohan discerned that Javelin’s reason for joining the Batari Empire’s envoy, even in the face of an imminent success, was to find ‘that person.’

Having long assisted the Holy Maiden, Rohan knew better than anyone what she desired.

“But the War Connoisseur is an enigma. Some treat him as an artificially crafted figure by the Batari Empire. It’s all mere extravagant rumors… How do we even begin to find him?”

“I have a clue.”

Despite the numerous kingdoms aspiring for the Batari Empire’s dominance, no trace had endured as an eternal mystery.

Hence, Rohan, veiling his perplexity, lowered his head.

The sixth member of the Holy Maiden’s party,

The War Connoisseur.

An entity whose existence itself was in question.

How were they to find him?

Nevertheless, Javelin held a hint of certainty amidst the puzzle.

“At the battlefield that was the scene of the infernal war, the War Connoisseur received assistance. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see his face, but we acquired a crucial clue in his proximity.”

“Is that… truly the case!”

A vital clue to uncover the War Connoisseur.

They possessed that clue.

Rohan, initially displaying incredulity, began to sense persuasiveness in Javelin’s response, gradually showing signs of increasing conviction.

“I smelled gunpowder.”

“Pardon?”

“A strong scent of gunpowder always lingered around him.”

“……”

What kind of clue is that?

On a battlefield with shells and bullets raining down, of course, there would be a smell of gunpowder!

This is absurd.

He slumped, wrapping his head in his hands, letting out a near-wail, akin to a believer facing a philosopher advocating atheism.

“Anyway, I will definitely find him. I’ve been working diligently to repay the savior of my life. So, Bishop Rohan, please prepare to depart for the Baltaria Empire with the priests.”

“…Yes.”

Javelin suppressed a frustrated sigh from the bishop and expressed strong determination.

The benefactor who saved his life.

A figure to resolve the current situation of repeating crises.

He declared that he would find the person who, like the white dragon of the victorious Holy Kingdom, joined the empire as a latecomer and remained an eternal mystery.

– He continually smelled gunpowder from him.

Though it was indeed a weak clue, Javelin did not waver.