TPITT - Chapter 40

“Goodbye, Father. Take care, sisters.”

Finally, Desmond II and the Princesses and the knights under their direct command stepped out of the threshold of the quarters.

Employees began to clean up the spaces left by uncomfortable guests.

I looked tired and sat down on the couch.

The amber eyes were somewhat blank.

After some time, the employees who had finished tidying up retreated out of the reception room.

When we were alone, Michael looked at me and asked.

“Are you okay, Princess?”

"Yes?"

“I think you were pretty nervous.”

"Ah... Is it obvious like that?”

"No, I was the only one who knew.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

I sighed softly.

I certainly felt tremendous pressure dealing with Desmond II in Brigitte's presence.

“I was worried what if I said something wrong about the homunculus and it backfired.”

“For all your worries, I think the results are very good.”

I looked at Michael blankly.

“Do you think the results are good? Why?"

“Isn’t it possible to obtain the rights of the owner?”

Michael was noticing. He is the one who will become the King of the homunculus.

Even if he didn't learn kingship, is this something he's born with? I was a little impressed.

“If I understood you correctly, I thought that was your intention.”

“Even if you understand me, it’s not enough. There is no way, Michael.”

I smiled. However, I lowered my gaze as a complicated thought immediately came to my mind.

“How did the direct knights standing on the wall react?”

“Everyone seemed surprised at first, and after that, the reactions were a little different.”

"How? Tell me."

“One seemed to have no idea, the other two were resigned, and the remaining one laughed.”

A homunculus who had been brainwashed into loyalty would have erased the thought from his mind.

The homunculus, who felt that his pride as a knight had been trampled upon again, would have resigned. I understand up to this point.

“Smiling is a bit strange. Who was it?”

“He was a knight directly under the third Princess.”

“Ah, what if it’s Lord Halsten?”

I remembered Elijah laughing when our eyes met. A bit of a strange homunculus. Since it was him, I thought it might be possible.

I spoke playfully to Michael.

“Michael will also have a home. I wish it was a comfortable place. You must invite me later.”

“Will it happen to me too?”

"Of course."

"Right."

Michael seemed to have no idea. I suddenly became interested.

I asked him about this and that.

“How about the Knights Templar’s ​​lodgings that you are currently using?”

“I use the knight’s quarters under my direct management.”

“Ah, the two are distinct. What do you want me to do?”

“Because I was a direct knight from the time he entered the palace. I don’t know much about the accommodations for regular guards, but I heard there is a difference between two people in one room and six people in one room.”

“So Michael, is there a roommate in the dorm now?”

"Yes. Lately..."

At that moment, a knock-knock sound cut off the conversation. Ryan has informed us of a visitor.

“Your Highness, Lord Halsten has come to visit us again.”

“Lord Halsten? What brings him here?"

“He said he came to pick up the ribbon that Her Highness the Third Princess dropped. He said there was nothing in the living room, but he said he had to see it with his own eyes..."

“Tell him to come in.”

It was better to just accept the small truth. I took Elijah into the living room.

A male knight with watery spots and a strange charm showed courtesy at the door.

“Elijah Halsten meets the 7th Princess again.”

“You said you came to check that there was no ribbon..”

“This is to prevent unnecessary suspicion, so please understand with an open mind, Your Highness.”

Elijah finished speaking and smiled with lemon-colored eyes.

I didn't know much about him because I never encountered him in my last life, but he really is.

He was a unique person. Homunculi, who were trained to control their emotions, rarely smiled.

However, Elijah has an expression similar to that of a nobleman from the social world. The way he was speaking also had a very active and lively personality.

He looks at the table at that time.

Elijah approached the couch where I was sitting.

From what I could remember, Brigitte never went near the couch.

I made a puzzled face. Even though Elijah was looking directly at the figure, he did not stop walking.

“Your Highness, please excuse me for a moment.”

It was the moment Elijah's hand was about to touch my shoulder.

Michael grabbed his wrist and stopped him. He held with such force that the veins on the back of Elijah's hand stood out and his hand trembled slightly.

Even in that state, Elijah smiled brightly and said.

“I was just trying to take the petal off because it was sitting on your shoulder. I think it flew in through the window.”

Michael's eyes narrowed. There were no flower petals on my shoulder.

When he decided that it was clearly a trick, his hand holding Elijah's wrist automatically gained more strength.

“Lord Agnito, please let go of Lord Halsten’s hand.”

Elijah was Brigitte's direct knight. I, who did not want to engage in armed conflict with her, quickly stopped Michael.

Instead, I pointed out Elijah's lame excuse.

“The cherry blossoms that could fly through the window have long since fallen, Lord Halsten.”

“I guess I saw it wrong. Please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness.”

Elijah got down on one knee. After expressing his apology, he looked up at me and said,

“I’ll just leave.”

He held out his right hand without getting up.

The process of changing from apology to formal etiquette is so natural that there is no time to stop it.

There wasn't. I had no choice but to give the back of my hand according to etiquette.

Elijah’s kiss on the back of my hand was different. He placed his lips on the back of my hand and made a loud noise on purpose. I was very surprised.

"Lord Halsten!"

“I’m sorry if you were offended. I’m so excited about having the honor of kissing the back of Your Highness’s hand.”

“Go back quickly.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I and Michael's expressions as we see him leaving with a smile until the end.

Of course, it wasn't pretty. In particular, Michael was showing off his vitality.

While I was wiping the back of my hand with a napkin, Michael spoke in an angry voice.

“I did that so I could twist his wrist.”

“It’s difficult to mess with the third Princess’s direct knight.”

“It doesn’t seem like he was doing it under orders.”

"Yes?"

This was surprising to me, who thought Elijah had come under orders from Brigitte to make me uncomfortable.

Michael said with a sigh.

“Last time, it was the eighth Princess who gave me the back of her hand, but this time, it’s her direct knight who asks for the back of my hand.”

"I know. Let’s not do that.”

Although I said it as if I was joking, my feelings were a little confused.

One more bit of information about Elijah Halsten popped into my mind.

It went up.

The homunculus who stayed with Brigitte for quite a long time was famous for being a person with a strange charm.

And he is rumored to be Brigitte's favorite.

It is said that even though I knew about men's bias, he put in a lot of effort to get my attention.

'The reason is obvious. Because Betty is a strong candidate for Crown Princess.'

It occurred to me that he was an opportunistic homunculus. And now the homunculus is flirting with me.

'I don't like him.'

If things got wrong, there was a high possibility that most of the government offices would end up looking dirty.

Sure enough, Michael spoke about the physiology of the imperial palace as if he had read my mind.

“Now that I think about it, I heard that in the imperial palace, they sometimes make bets or play games by offering knights under their direct command as prizes.”

It was a low-level amusement made possible by viewing the knight under one's command as a possession. I responded as if just imagining it made me uncomfortable.

“I have no intention of applying for that.”

Michael was reassured by my consistency. In order not to reveal my true feelings, he joked a little.

“Are you the one applying? I thought you were definitely the one receiving the application.”

However, my reaction upon returning was serious.

“Oh, I see. Lord Halsten, I was so focused that I overlooked it. As long as Michael is my direct knight, there will be a higher chance of receiving an application.”

At this point, Michael also became more and more serious. The owner he serves is like this. Because he wasn't one to joke about work.

"Right. You have to prepare your mind.”

“I have no intention of responding.”

“What would you do if the fight was unavoidable?”

“Of course, I have to win.”

I looked directly at Michael and answered immediately. Michael felt a little unexpected.

The me he sees is someone who makes plans and puts effort into executing them.

This is because I was not the type to be sure of winning at all costs.

Certainly, even now, what appeared in my amber eyes was closer to determination than confidence.

At that time, I smiled and opened my mouth.

“We can’t have Michael taken away. I will never give you to anyone else.”

Why? At that moment, Michael felt his heart tighten slightly.

“...Yes."

The black in the middle of Michael's purple eyes were greatly dilated. It was greedy as if it wanted to suck up the image in its sight.

For Michael, who rotted for 19 years in the city, the outside world, illuminated by this greenery, was always brilliant and dazzling.

However, at this moment, there was no one who showed such exceptional sparkle as the Eve that existed before his eyes.

The being who brought him to this outside world. His eyes were anxious not to be able to absorb her image.

So at this moment, Michael realized something again.

That he had imprinted her.

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