Chapter 81 The Angel’s Invitation and the Stratagem Against the Knight
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A single pure-white envelope lay on the desk.
The fine paper gleamed faintly as it drank in the morning light, and on the wax seal, the crest of the Asgard Royal Family was proudly embossed.
The sender’s name made me raise an eyebrow.
Liliana Asgard.
It was from the younger sister of this country’s First Prince Liam—the princess known as the “Angel of the Asgard Kingdom,” a girl of pure and innocent charm.
According to my knowledge from the game in my previous life, her character profile went something like this:
She had the same golden hair as her brother Liam—hair that seemed woven from sunlight itself. But compared to her sister Elenor, hers was shorter, giving her a livelier impression.
Her large sky-blue eyes sparkled with endless curiosity and a depth of intelligence that seemed far beyond her years. Sometimes, a mischievous glint flickered within them.
Though small in size, her bearing showed an unmistakable intelligence of a princess.
Her personality appeared pure and innocent, but in truth, she had a keen, sharp mind. She had a strong sense of justice and could not tolerate wrongdoing or unfairness. She loved reading and research, with deep knowledge spanning history, politics, economics, and other fields.
Liliana was still young and did not attend the Royal Academy of Magic.
Honestly, even in the game, she didn’t have much screen time.
The only event involving her was a political marriage to a powerful noble within the kingdom. In the main scenario, shortly after her engagement was arranged, Liliana was abducted and never seen again.
It was guessed in-game that she’d been kidnapped by extremist nobles from the pro-war faction who opposed the peace between the two nations.
If the protagonist prevented that abduction and successfully married her off to a royalist noble, the military support from that noble would grow.
In the scenario, that was all she amounted to—
To put it bluntly, she was just another pawn.
So what could she possibly want with someone like me?
The meeting location mentioned in the letter was inside the royal palace—her private chambers.
As for whether to accept or refuse this invitation—of course, I planned to accept.
But the real question was: what would I gain from this meeting?
I finished reading the letter just as the teacher arrived and class began.
I paid attention to the lesson while considering how to respond to Princess Liliana’s invitation.
For example—what if I showed her “that footage” of Liam and Cecilia’s affair and directly threatened her?
That option immediately came to mind.
But wait.
Considering her age, it was highly questionable whether that threat would even work. She was still so young—she might not understand the true meaning of that footage or its political weight.
If that happened, it would be a disaster.
I’d have to patiently explain, from scratch, just how damaging that footage was for the royal family—and make her understand. That’s an absolute nightmare scenario. A far cry from the dignified image of this world’s final boss. Just imagining it made cold sweat bead on my forehead.
(Accepting the offer is fine, but now—what should I do?)
If I was going to have this meeting, I wanted to make it worthwhile.
That’s when it hit me.
Instead of threatening her directly, why not threaten her guard knight?
Princess Liliana’s personal guard—Serena Crystalight.
A young lady from the Crystalight ducal house, a family that had served the royal family for generations in the Asgard Kingdom.
A knight with her level of discernment would instantly understand the true meaning and danger of that footage. She’d smoothly agree to my terms.
Perfect.
I’d play along with the princess’s game—indulge her with some harmless conversation. Then, I’d find some convenient excuse to have a private talk with her guard knight, Serena, show her the footage, and bring her under my control.
(Yeah, this is the plan.)
I listened to the tedious lesson—actually paying attention, of course—while perfectly arranging my strategy for what lay ahead.
After school that day, I sent a reply accepting Princess Liliana’s invitation.
Afterward, as usual, I used the beastman messenger to return home to the Grimlock Margrave Estate with my fiancée, Cecilia, and our classmate, Lizel.
I’d promised to show them Lumiá, our newest companion. I introduced Lumiá, who was currently transformed into a lion cub, as “a rare dog I just picked up.”
”Kyah! How adorable!” Cecilia stroked her pure-white coat in rapture.
Her cheeks softened with affection, her eyes sparkling as she scooped up the small body, unable to resist.
”Hmph. Well, I suppose it’s cute…” Lizel crossed her arms, a thin smile curling at the corner of her mouth.
”But unlike Kuuko, this one’s going to get big and be a lot of work. Make sure you train it properly, got it?”
She said that with a knowing air.
If Lumiá were an ordinary large dog, her concern would be valid.
But this child was a beastman.
That worry was unnecessary.
I’d deliberately kept it from them that Lumiá was a lion beastkin. She was far too rare a species. A white-furred beastfolk princess—anyone in the underworld knew she was with me. There were probably plenty of people targeting her. To be doubly sure, I’d better keep it under wraps.
Both of them seemed satisfied with Lumiá’s adorable charm.
Good.
Now it was my turn to satisfy them.
It’d been a while since I’d had them wear those dog and cat beastkin costumes.
”Hmph! Do I really have to wear this again? Putting up with your hobbies is such a hassle,” Lizel grumbled.
”Lizel-sama, you say that, but your tail’s wagging~” Cecilia teased.
”Eh! No way!” Lizel hurriedly pressed her hand against her tail at Cecilia’s teasing.
Of course, she was lying. Lizel’s tail hadn’t been moving at all.
Cecilia wore a mischievous grin, like a child whose prank had succeeded, and pressed a kiss to Lizel’s cheek.
I pulled them both into my arms.
In one of the manor’s rooms, as night’s veil descended.
The fireplace crackled, its flames casting a warm, gentle glow throughout the room. In that cozy light, I lavished them with affection to my heart’s content.
I ran my fingers through their soft hair, whispered sweet words in their ears.
As if everything about them belonged to me alone.
—
Summary:
The protagonist receives a surprise invitation from Princess Liliana Asgard, analyzes her limited role in the game’s scenario as just a pawn in political schemes, and devises a strategy to manipulate her guard knight Serena Crystalight using compromising footage of Liam and Cecilia. After sending his acceptance, he returns home with Cecilia and Lizel, introduces Lumiá as a “rare dog,” and enjoys a warm domestic evening with cosplay and affection. Though the night ends in contentment, his plan to control Liliana’s knight remains an unresolved variable poised to unfold in the next chapter.
—
Trivia:
The protagonist’s game knowledge reveals Liliana gets abducted shortly after her political engagement, with her fate remaining unknown afterward.
The “Liam and Cecilia footage” is a recurring plot device that the protagonist plans to use as leverage against the royal family through Serena Crystalight.
Lumiá is not a dog at all but a rare white-furred lion beastkin princess, and the underworld already knows she is with the protagonist.
Cecilia deliberately lies about Lizel’s tail wagging just to tease her, showing their playful dynamic and Cecilia’s mischievous nature.
The protagonist sees himself as the “final boss” of this world, justifying his cold manipulation as part of his role in the story.
The Crystalight ducal house has served the Asgard Royal Family for generations, making Serena a valuable and trustworthy target for leverage.
The protagonist chooses to manipulate Serena instead of Liliana because Liliana’s youth makes her unlikely to understand the political weight of the footage.
The warm domestic scene with Cecilia and Lizel contrasts sharply with the cold strategic planning that precedes and follows it.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Asgard – Elenor Asgard, the esteemed Saint of Light, and Prince Liam share a prestigious royal lineage. While both belong to the noble Asgard family and maintain a high social standing, they navigate distinct public roles and responsibilities within the realm. Their shared identity defines their status, balancing the expectations placed upon them as they fulfill their unique duties to the kingdom.
• Liliana – A princess renowned as the “Angel of the Asgard Kingdom” for her unparalleled beauty and purity, she is the younger sister of First Prince Liam and Elenor. Not yet attending the Royal Academy of Magic, she has golden hair like woven sunlight (shorter than Elenor’s) and large, deeply intelligent sky-blue eyes full of curiosity. She sends a letter to the protagonist.
• Lilia – Xenos’s fiercely loyal, trauma-resilient Head Maid and slave is a lovely, pale, busty woman with long dark hair, large eyes, a chest tattoo, and a nullified crest. Wearing a black uniform, she speaks with refined Kyoto elegance, masking her subtle jealousy and anxiety for Xenos. Formally efficient with Mina and guests, the devoted maid finds deep joy sleeping by her master’s side.
• Liam – Asgard’s golden-haired, emerald-eyed First Prince Liam Asgard is Liliána’s older brother. An arrogant “born winner” with a flawless smile, he is betrothed to Princess Elisabeth and allied with aides Elliot and Aldrick. His obsessive pursuit of Cecilia jeopardizes his standing, and he underestimates Xenos due to his Zero Mana status during meetings with Prince Azim.
• Elenor – Princess Elenor, the “Saint of Light” and sister to Liliana-hime, is a haughty, analytical silver-blonde gladiator, swordswoman, and healer with gray-blue eyes. Bound by a Magic Seal, she is the MC’s dedicated, submissive slave and has unknowingly fallen for him. Though absent, her lethal grace remains the object of Elliot’s intense obsession, which the protagonist exploits to taunt him.
• Cecilia – Eldest daughter of the Vermillion Duchy, former saint, and Xenos’s fiancée, this noble has flame-like red hair, blue eyes, and a white-coated pet, Lumiá. Outwardly cold yet playful, she walks the “Path of Light.” She rejected Prince Liam, adores Kuuko, and teases friend Lizel. She uses a ring to disguise in a revealing dancer’s costume, though embarrassed by the aftermath.
• Serena – Job: Guard knight to Princess Liliana; Relationship: Protector of Liliana; Note: From the Crystalight ducal house, a family that has served the royal family for generations. Job: Guardian knight; Relationship: Protector: Liliana-hime; Note: Formal and deferential speech.
• Grimlock – Xenos, the mana-less protagonist and heir to the Grimlock Margraviate—a noble Asgardian war family—masks his cunning as “Zero the Loser.” This “Royal Phantom” uses spatial magic and a Collar of Submission alongside his father Gaius to manipulate others, asserting family authority to bypass Prince Liam’s interference while Azim uses the Grimlock name and crest when apologizing to him.
• Lizel – A petite, graceful Blanchet count’s daughter, academy student, and wind mage with pink twin-tails, purple eyes, and a smirk. Luca Dalton’s fiancée and Grimlock’s classmate, she walks the “Path of Light.” A protective, anxious tsundere who acts tough but enjoys attention, she is Cecilia’s playfully teased friend and Xenos’s paramour and deeply devoted companion, disguised in a dancer’s costume.
• Lumiá – A rare lion beastfolk princess with snow-white fur, brilliant hair, and golden eyes, she can shift into a white lion cub. A former Abyss Coliseum prize, she is now hidden for protection at the Grimlock estate under the protagonist’s care. While she maintains a regal demeanor, she harbors a feverish fascination for him as he protects her and plans to safely return her to her homeland.
• Kuuko – A cat beastman infiltration agent under Xenos’s care, she transforms from a tiny black kitten into an imposing black panther. A loyal, regenerative frontline tank, she guards allies, helps with Grimlock estate childcare, and is doted on by friends. Her strong bond with Xenos lets her break magic using his mana, and she is noted as a comparison for a control method.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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