Chapter 146 The Dwarf Princess’s Appeal
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I pressed the naked blade against Duke Crowley’s trembling throat.
The cold steel tip just barely broke his skin, and a single thin line of red blood welled up slowly.
Prince Liam, seeing this, went pale and rushed between us to intervene.
The Duke had brought about two hundred soldiers with him from the frontier territory.
These were not just a ragtag mob of commoners. From their flawless formation and quality equipment, they were clearly an elite force made of noble-class soldiers, each with a decent amount of Mana.
Even if they lacked skill for offensive spells, or had low power, basic physical reinforcement should still be within their reach. With two hundred veteran soldiers who could use physical reinforcement, crushing this manor would be a simple task.
In any era, war came down to numbers.
If all two hundred charged the manor at once, there was no way I could hold them all back, no matter how strong I was.
But right now, I held the one and only vital point of that enemy force, Duke Crowley’s life itself, firmly in my grasp.
On the other side, three sorceresses were aiming their magic wands at me, ready to fire offensive spells at any moment.
I had [Magic Seal], so magic itself was a non-issue. Even if I drove my sword through Duke Crowley’s neck, I could nullify any retaliation.
But politically, killing the Duke here was a non-starter. It would be an act of sheer foolishness. In other words…
Neither side could make the first move.
A perfect stalemate.
To any outsider who did not know my true abilities, it would look like an even match.
Prince Liam dismounted and hurried over. He was probably the one who had stirred up this ridiculous conflict behind the scenes, but now that it had actually started, his side’s commander was suddenly at a disadvantage, so he was rushing in to mediate.
Actually, though…
I had to admit, the Prince’s timing was convenient.
Duke Crowley had his pride[2] as a great noble. There was no way he could withdraw empty-handed after mobilizing such a large force. And I did not want any more chaos than I could manage.
I wanted to end this as peacefully as possible, and on favorable terms for me. That was my intention.
”Well, well. Your Highness. Whatever brings you to such a dangerous place?”
I deliberately asked Prince Liam, who had just arrived. Behind him, as always, Elliot and Aldrick stood ready.
”Actually, Xenos-kun. I received word that you had, most despicably, enslaved the dwarf princess. Duke Crowley made a desperate appeal, and I accompanied him to see the results of this search with my own eyes, as a ‘fair and impartial third party.’ You could call me an inspector, if you will.”
”I see. So His Highness was completely fooled by Duke Crowley’s baseless accusations.”
I wore a mocking smirk at the corner of my mouth. The moment the provocation left my lips, Elliot, standing behind the Prince, went red in the face and snapped at me.
”You bastard[4]! That is beyond disrespectful!!”
I did not spare a glance for the usual four-eyed prick[5]. Keeping my eyes fixed on Prince Liam, the one I needed to negotiate with, I waited for his response.
The Prince did not lose his composure. He quietly pressed me further.
”So you are claiming that I was simply fooled? If you are going to go that far, then surely you will let Duke Crowley search the manor and prove your innocence.”
”No. There is no need for a search. To save you the trouble, I have already called the person in question here.”
That was right.
Before I left the manor, I had contacted the dwarves’ hut in the garden via communication magic. I told Princess Eil: “Wait for the right moment, watch how things play out, make sure it is safe, then come.”
Everything up to this point was in the palm of my hand[3].
The Prince’s intervention. The Duke’s panic. The Princess’s entrance.
All according to plan.
There had been a risk of open battle, depending on how the other side reacted. But following my instructions, the dwarf princess waited until she saw the perfect stalemate, then quietly appeared at the manor’s front gate.
Behind her came her four loyal dwarf maidservants.
”You called for me, Xenos-sama?”
”Guh…! W-wait, Princess Eil…!”
Duke Crowley was visibly shaken by her calm appearance.
Ignoring the pathetic Duke, I quietly told Princess Eil to explain her situation before everyone present.
”Please tell His Highness Prince Liam your appeal.”
”Of course. At my parents’ home, I strongly argued for the Duke Crowley family’s one-sided exploitation of us dwarves to be reviewed. But my parents, the King and Queen, are completely indifferent to politics and refused to listen to my pleas. So I left home of my own will and am currently staying with the Grimlock family, seeking the aid of a noble who would lend us strength.”
At Princess Eil’s clear, dignified appeal, Prince Liam’s expression shifted.
”…Princess Eil. I was told you were being held as Xenos Grimlock’s slave.”
”No. Xenos-sama has not enslaved us. Please, see for yourself.”
She said this, then undid a few buttons on her shirt, baring her white chest.
She had only parted her clothes slightly, but enough to see clearly.
There was no contract mark binding her as a slave.
Prince Liam glanced at Duke Crowley.
Duke Crowley glanced back.
Their eyes silently accused each other: This is not what we agreed on.
”I trust that clears up any doubts, Your Highness?”
”…Y-yes.”
Prince Liam could only nod. With that, Duke Crowley’s only legitimate pretext[1] for using force against the Grimlock family was completely lost.
But…
That was not the end of it.
Behind us.
The manor’s heavy front door slowly swung open.
And from within, a beautiful princess appeared.
Her guardian knight, Freya, followed behind her.
”…Lady Elisabeth? Why here…?”
The appearance of such an unexpected figure completely threw Prince Liam off.
And I was just as confused.
I had called Princess Eil here, but I had given no instructions to Elisabeth.
As I, Prince Liam, and Duke Crowley stood in confusion…
The aftermath of the failed raid quietly began to unfold.
—
Summary:
Xenos holds Duke Crowley at sword-point and establishes a perfect stalemate with his two hundred soldiers, then uses Princess Eil’s testimony to dismantle the Duke’s justification for attack. Prince Liam, revealed as a biased mediator, is forced to concede defeat. However, Elisabeth’s sudden and unplanned arrival introduces a new variable that even Xenos cannot control.
—
Trivia:
Xenos’s ability [Magic Seal] allows him to completely nullify all magic, making him immune to offensive spells.
Duke Crowley brought 200 elite noble-class soldiers from the frontier territory, not commoners.
The dwarf princess fled her own kingdom because her parents, the King and Queen, ignored her pleas about the Crowley family’s exploitation.
Eil bears no slave contract mark, proving she is not enslaved.
Elisabeth’s arrival is unplanned and shocks even Xenos, who had orchestrated every other event.
Prince Liam’s claim of being an impartial third party is exposed as a political facade.
The Grimlock family is currently sheltering Princess Eil and her four dwarf maidservants.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Duke Crowley – Duke who governs the Dwarf Tribe territories. Thin, frail-looking, and indecisive. He fears conflict and avoids decisive action, concerned primarily with protecting his own position and concealing his oppressive exploitation of the dwarves.
• Crowley – Bearing the Bartholomeus family name, this cowardly, conflict-averse Duke of the Asgard Kingdom oversees the Dwarf Tribe’s jurisdiction. Outwardly posing as a protector of dwarven culture, he deceitfully exploits them and secretly orchestrates Princess Eil’s sale into slavery. He is relieved when Prince Liam’s attention turns toward the Grimlocks rather than exposing his schemes.
• Liam – Liam Asgard, the golden-haired, emerald-eyed Crown Prince of Asgard, is Liliana’s older brother, betrothed to Elisabeth, and liege to Elliot and Aldrick. Though possessing royal Light Mana and a sense of justice, he speaks with polished grace to hide a manipulative, calculating ambition. Scheme-driven to destroy his rival Xenos and obsessively steal Cecilia, he uses his authority to incite war.
• Aldrick – Job: Aide to Prince Liam; Relationship: Subordinate to Liam; Appearance: Green-haired giant; Note: Battle-obsessed and simple-minded. Job: Holy Knight; Note: Muscle-headed battle maniac.
• Elliot – Elliot Valias, a tall, slender, blue-haired noble and intellectual aide to Prince Liam, masks his deep, unrequited love for Elenor with crude, condescending arrogance. A pseudo-intellectual prone to quick accusations, he harbors murderous, freezing hostility toward Xenos Grimlock, driven by intense jealousy over Xenos’s intimacy with Elenor.
• Xenos – Job: Heir to a high-ranking noble house; Relationship: Owner of Lilia; Has romantic connections with Elenor, Cecilia, and Lizel; Item/Magic: Summoning magic, [Substitution Collars]; Note: Was caught up in a Royal Palace explosion and missed three days of school. Pragmatic and calculating personality. Job: Noble of Grimlock family, protagonist; Relationship: Manipulator of Princess Liliana, pursuing Serena; Item/Magic: [Ring of Transformation]; Note: Reincarnated villain with game knowledge, calculating and arrogant. Job: Theater Owner and noble of Grimlock family; Relationship: Fiancé to Cecilia; Item/Magic: Game knowledge/metaknowledge; Note: Reincarnated villain protagonist who knows the original game script.
• Eil – Dwarf princess and skilled artisan. Energetic and earnest with a bright, hopeful demeanor. Works alongside her four attendants to forge weapons and build a smithy. Shows shy vulnerability when confronted with romantic advances.
• Grimlock – Xenos’s family name.
• Freya – Guard knight assigned to Xenos. She acts as a direct subordinate and protector, showing familiarity with Xenos through her casual speech. Her composure breaks upon learning of the military threat, revealing her investment in the situation and concern for Elisabeth’s safety. Loyal knight and personal guard to Princess Elisabeth. Has fiery red-brown hair and a strong, prideful demeanor. Secretly longs for both Elisabeth and Xenos, hiding her desires behind professionalism. Princess Elisabeth’s loyal knight. Openly hostile toward Xenos. Sharp-tongued and protective of her charge. Shows intense loyalty to Elisabeth.
• Elisabeth – Princess of the enemy Adrastea Empire, Prince Liam’s fiancée, and the game’s main heroine. Dignified and diplomatic even when cornered or falsely accused, she is targeted by Violetta’s assassination plot. While Xenos exchanges opinions with her, her heart has shifted from Liam to the protagonist, showing visible relief at his arrival while unconsciously avoiding relying on her fiancé.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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