Chapter 42 Emotional Care and the Princess from the Empire
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I returned to the Margrave Grimlock estate, accompanied by Cecilia and Lizel. Tonight, the three of us were going to have a sleepover.
Having already dined at the theater, we each took a bath, and then gathered in my bedroom. A gentle, sweet aroma of soap wafted from the steamy bathroom, gradually fading into the bedroom air.
The refreshing feeling of washing away the day’s exhaustion blended with a subtle, growing excitement deep within me for the night ahead. Meanwhile, Kai—Lizel’s Magic Slave—was supposed to be spending some private time with my younger sister, Mina.
Occasionally, I make an effort to provide that overly serious brother and sister an opportunity to chat peacefully. I truly am a considerate master, aren’t I?
On the bed, Lizel sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, still looking slightly pouty. It appeared that Balthazar’s perverse behavior at the theater had genuinely repulsed her.
And who could blame her? That display was almost traumatic.
Her thin lips were tightly pressed together in disapproval, devoid of her usual cheerful smile. I approached the brooding Lizel and, without allowing her any chance to argue, pinned her down onto the mattress. The soft bed yielded slightly under her weight.
Then, to ensure she couldn’t resist, I held both of her wrists above her head.
Her slender wrists pressed into my fingers.
For a fleeting moment, she tensed as if to struggle, but she quickly relaxed, surrendering all resistance.
”W-Wait, what are you doing?!” Lizel exclaimed, her voice slightly higher than usual.
”Stay still. It’s time for your treatment,” I murmured calmly.
”T-Treatment?!” she stammered in response.
Leaving Lizel in her state of confusion, I slowly lowered my face toward her collarbone.
A faint, refreshing scent of citrus soap emanated from her freshly bathed skin.
Then, I gently pressed my lips against that smooth, white skin.
The cool sensation of her skin transferred directly to my palms.
Relishing that pure fragrance, I felt my mind settle into a tranquil calm.
”…You smell wonderful. I quite like it,” I whispered softly.
Since she had just come out of the bath, the truth was that she simply smelled like soap, but the literal scent wasn’t the point here. The goal was to ensure that the freak’s behavior didn’t leave a lasting trauma in Lizel’s mind.
That man had absolutely no delicate sensitivity.
He had praised the scent of his preferred woman’s sweat in such a grotesque way, completely unaware that his words might deeply hurt the person in question.
I suppose one could dismiss it as him staying in character, but still…
(He claimed it was a compliment, but I doubt any woman would feel flattered by that. Well, unless she happens to be an extreme masochist—)
”I-It’s not like… I mean, just because you say that doesn’t mean I’m happy or anything!!” Lizel huffed, her face turning crimson, but her voice carried an undeniable tone of joy.
I noticed a faint glimmer of profound relief in the depths of her eyes.
Perfect.
This should greatly help in healing her psychological wounds.
As this scene unfolded, Cecilia stood by the bed, watching with a mixture of envy.
Her large eyes shifted between anticipation and hesitation.
Soon, she timidly made her way over to me.
Her hesitant steps made her resemble a lost puppy.
”U-Um, Xenos-sama… If, well… if you enjoy a lady’s scent so much… Th-Then my… um… oh, it’s nothing at all, I assure you!!” Cecilia whimpered, cutting herself off as her face turned bright red, overwhelmed by the embarrassment of her own words.
However, one look into those moist, pleading eyes revealed everything she was trying to say with painful clarity. A helpless smile crossed my face at her sheer devotion.
”Cecilia,” I called softly.
I took her hand and gently pulled her down onto the bed next to Lizel.
Then, I leaned down to press a similar kiss against her skin.
Cecilia averted her eyes from mine, overcome by shyness.
But beneath that immense wave of embarrassment, a hint of delight shone through, which she couldn’t possibly hide. Her slightly trembling fingertips clutched the hem of my shirt.
The night was still young.
Our sweet, intimate encounter had only just begun. The silver moonlight streaming through the bedroom window softly illuminated their figures.
The following day.
After our usual breakfast routine, I escorted both of them back to their respective family estates by carriage before heading to school.
The crisp, fresh morning air seemed to dispel the lingering warmth of the previous night.
With a light spring in my step, I passed through the academy gates to start the day.
Royal Magic Academy ‘Arcanum’.
Currently, a particular international student was enrolled at this academy.
Elisabeth Adrastea, the princess of the Adrastea Empire, was a young lady who had come to study abroad with a monumental mission: to marry the first prince of this country, Liam Asgard, and establish lasting peace between the two nations.
She had deep, lustrous blue hair that resembled a piece of the night sky.
Her cool, slender eyes gave her an air of sharp intelligence.
Additionally, her dignified posture made it immediately evident that she was no ordinary girl; she carried the profound majesty and unwavering determination of an imperial princess.
Her beauty was akin to a finely crafted ice sculpture.
Even within the bustling academy halls, her presence radiated a distinct brilliance.
However, it was my own family, the House of Margrave Grimlock, that bordered the Adrastea Empire and had been engaged in generations of bloody, frontline warfare against them.
And currently, my father was aggressively pushing forward his military campaign against the Adrastea Empire, determined to sabotage any chances of peaceful negotiations.
The momentum was so intense that one could almost smell the acrid smoke of the battlefield reaching the academy. I was constantly aware that I stood at the center of this tumultuous situation.
Given these circumstances, my social position within the academy was incredibly sensitive.
The royalist nobles who advocated for the peace initiative, as well as the foreign students who had accompanied the princess from the Empire, treated me like a pariah, maintaining a clear and deliberate distance.
Their cold stares were sharp enough to make me feel like they were looking at something utterly repulsive.
Understandably, I was the son of the primary warmongering house of their enemy nation.
It was natural for them to avoid me.
However, such trivial matters were insignificant compared to my actual goals.
I intended to proceed without being affected by the social atmosphere.
My objective was to bring the princess completely under my control.
Using the academy’s concierge service, I requested a letter to be delivered directly to Princess Elisabeth. There was a strong likelihood that she would be on high alert and try to avoid meeting me.
Therefore, I made sure to include a specific note in the letter.
”—I am contacting you with the intent to provide highly critical, classified information. To that end, I request that we meet entirely in private, without any third parties present.”
Now, I wonder how the princess of our enemy nation will respond to such a suspicious invitation?
I quietly waited for her reply.
Deep within my chest, a faint surge of exhilaration spread. A quiet, predatory excitement coursed through my entire body, as if I were a hunter stalking a prized prey.
—
Summary:
Xenos addresses the lingering disgust and potential trauma within Lizel and Cecilia by administering an intimate “scent treatment” in his bedroom. The mood shifts the next morning as he arrives at the Royal Magic Academy ‘Arcanum’, reflecting on his delicate social status as a member of a hardline warmongering family. Taking a calculated step, he issues an intriguing, highly classified message to the isolated Imperial Princess Elisabeth to lure her into an exclusive trap.
—
Trivia:
- Xenos actively manipulates the environment to heal his companions’ mental state, masking his calculated dominance under the guise of an ironic, self-satisfied kindness.
- Kai and Mina are deliberately granted rare private sibling time by Xenos, establishing his total control over the household schedule.
- The Adrastea Empire and the Margrave Grimlock house share a violent, generations-long history of frontline warfare that heavily influences academy politics.
- Princess Elisabeth’s primary mission at the academy is a strategic political marriage to Prince Liam Asgard to secure peace, which Xenos’s father is actively sabotaging via direct military acceleration.
Notes:
• Grimlock – As head of the influential Margrave house, Xenos manages his family’s vast assets and military legacy from the Royal Capital. Alongside his father, Gaius, he leverages their prestigious standing to defend the nation’s borders from the neighboring enemy empire. Their deep bond and shared duty to the frontier ensure the continued dominance of the estate inherited by Xenos.
• Cecilia – The eldest daughter of the Vermillion Duchy is a graceful noble with crimson hair and cobalt-blue eyes. Outwardly cold and status-driven, she masks her secret love for beastfolk advocacy and cosplay with a refined, superior demeanor. Though she plots to annul her engagement to Xenos, she privately acts timidly around him, bound by his crest while harboring complex, teasing affections for him.
• Lizel – A petite, graceful Blanchet count’s daughter, this magic academy student is known for her vibrant pink twin-tails, purple eyes, and defensive tsundere nature. A powerful wind mage, she masks her genuine joy and vulnerability with a prickly, snapping exterior. Fiancée to Luca Dalton and Kai’s master, she also harbors deep feelings for Xenos, whom she shadows with a mix of aggression and devotion.
• Mina – Kai’s sister, separated by slavery, works as an innocent, anxious maid at the Grimlock estate. Distinctive for her soft brown hair and white rabbit kigurumi, she maintains Xenos’s rooms alongside Lilia. Though she wears a dancer’s outfit at his request, her childlike demeanor masks deep loyalty to Xenos. She occasionally spends private time at the estate reuniting with her brother, Kai.
• Kai – A pale-faced young male commoner with Fire-attribute Mana, he serves as Lizel’s Magic Slave, trailing him like a shadow. Formerly sold into slavery, he is beginning to regain his lost consciousness and complex emotions. He is currently on a journey to find his long-lost younger sister, Mina, as he navigates his role and emerging sense of self.
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Balthazar – The arrogant, sweating heir to the Zaitz Merchant Guild is a short, plump man reeking of pastries and stained finery. Son of a slave trader and proxy for the Grimlocks and Xenos, he hides his cowardice behind bluster and unethical business proposals. As a business partner known for traumatic, perverted eccentricities, he manages the transport of summoned goblins for his illicit trade network.
• Xenos – Reincarnated as House Grimlock’s “Zero-Mana” heir, this cynical, calculating villain masks immense power and a Magic Seal constitution behind an incompetent facade. Using game-script knowledge and specialized artifacts, he builds a commercial empire while manipulating politics and the underworld. He acts as a dominant protector to his slaves and noble allies, orchestrating their lives as a master strategist.
• Elisabeth – A transfer student and imperial princess of the Adrastea Empire, she possesses deep, lustrous blue hair reminiscent of the night sky and cool, slender eyes. She carries herself with a straight-backed, dignified posture and maintains an icy, emotionless expression, presenting a refined beauty akin to an ice sculpture.
• Adrastea – Princess Elisabeth bears the imperial family name of the Adrastea Empire, representing the majesty of the enemy nation she rules. As a royal figure, she embodies the power and identity of her lineage, standing at the center of the empire’s influence and its complex relationships with surrounding nations.
• Asgard – Elenor Asgard, the esteemed Saint of Light, and Prince Liam belong to the same prestigious royal lineage. Their shared high status and noble family name define their prominent social standing, though they navigate their respective roles within the realm with distinct responsibilities and public expectations.
• Liam – The influential and idealistic First Prince is a calm, detached leader committed to harmony between humans and demi-humans. Engaged to Princess Elisabeth Adrastea, he navigates complex political duties while opposing the Grimlock family’s warmongering. His life is further complicated by his secret love for Cecilia and his efforts to rally allies to maintain peace despite his personal desires.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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