Chapter 115 The Royal Family’s Private Counsel and the Fiancée’s Shadow
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Liam Asgard was moving every piece on the board.
He had cast a web1 of connections-his personal relationships, the people he could influence through his authority as a royal prince, every asset at his disposal-all in a desperate bid to track down his missing sister, Princess Liliana.
A princess of the realm had vanished into thin air.
The prince had not only launched a heavy-handed search with the Holy Knights; he was also running deeper, darker operations in the background-infiltration, spying, and intelligence-gathering.
After school. The Royal Academy of Magic.
Prince Liam’s private salon-a fancy space kept only for him.
The slanting rays of the setting sun streamed through the tall windows, casting long shadows across the room. The air was still, heavy with the faint, nice smell of expensive tea leaves.
”…So, what is this matter you wished to discuss?”
At Liam’s question, a noble lady quietly spoke up.
”I’ve found important information that I believe you should hear.”
Merinda Lancaster.
The third daughter of a penniless baronial house in the Royal Capital-and the newly engaged of Balthazar, the oldest son of the Zaitz slave merchant family.
”…Important information?”
Liam raised a perfectly shaped brow.
”Yes. The princess of the Dwarf Tribe-Eil Eisenfleet-was recently sold through the Zaitz Merchant Guild. She was transferred from that per…2 pardon me, from Balthazar-sama, to the Grimlock family’s per… forgive me, to Xenos-sama.”
Merinda stopped there, letting the words settle.
”Unfortunately, I found no proof that Princess Liliana had been kept as goods or sold through the Zaitz Merchant Guild. However, Xenos Grimlock showed a clearly too-strong reaction to the title of ‘princess’ during talks. I believe that there is a high chance that man is working behind the scenes to catch Princess Liliana himself.”
”…The dwarf princess is in Grimlock’s hands. That is indeed a serious matter, but I’ve heard nothing from the Duke Crowley family about a ‘princess being taken.’ Most likely, they’ve stayed quiet out of fear that the royal family would hold them responsible for their own bad management…”
Liam tapped his fingers lightly against the table-tap, tap, tap-lost in thought.
”…If the dwarf princess is in his manor, that gives us enough reason for a forced search. We can use this as a tool to pull that indecisive, cowardly Duke Crowley onto our side. And while Liliana doesn’t appear to be with Xenos Grimlock at present, there’s an extremely high chance he’s planning to get his hands on my sister in the chaos.3“
The prince stopped, locking eyes with Merinda.
”-Lady Merinda. The information you’ve brought me is very valuable. I shall prepare a suitable reward. Name anything within my power, and it shall be yours.”
Merinda’s face lit up at the prince’s praise.
”…Then, if I may be so bold-would you think about taking me as your concubine, Lord Liam?”
”…What? I was under the impression you were engaged to the Zaitz Merchant Guild’s heir.”
That was exactly why Liam had been using her as a spy-for that very connection.
”That engagement was a matter of need-to save my house from ruin. But if I could become the prince’s concubine, I could help far more to the Lancaster family than any marriage agreement with a merchant’s son.”
”…Hmm. I see. Understood. I’ll think about it favorably-but that depends on the information you’ve given and the results of our actions going forward.”
With that, their private meeting came to an end.
Merinda bowed deeply and silently left the salon.
Left alone in the room, the prince gazed out the window at the sky dyed red in the fading light-and muttered softly to himself.
”…Her future husband is the son of a slave merchant. He must be overjoyed at the chance to marry a nobleman’s daughter. It’s not my goal to steal a man’s beautiful fiancée. But those who give service must receive their due reward-that is the duty of one who stands above others. The duty of the highborn.”
And then-he let out a long, tired sigh.4
”Sigh… Being this popular is such a problem.”
The search for his sister and her rescue remained the highest priority.
But the bad acts of the Grimlock family-callously tricking a simple dwarf princess, selling her into slavery, and working her to the bone-could not be ignored.
(And if that man has a sick taste for collecting young princesses… he’ll be tearing his hair out searching for Liliana as well. If I make a forced search of Grimlock Manor under the banner of ‘Rescue the Dwarf Princess’… there might just be an unexpected lead on my sister’s location.)
However, his enemy was the manor of a high-ranking noble.
Even as a prince, moving against such a target needed a lot of resolve.
Prince Liam turned his thoughts to how he would bring down that hated rival, the manor of Xenos Grimlock.
The day after getting the rare Magic Material [Spirit Echo]5 in the Elven Forest Sylvain.
When I arrived at school, Cecilia-my fiancée-rarely called me of her own choice.
”…May I have a word, Xenos-sama?”
We moved to a dimly lit hallway away from prying eyes.
Apparently, this wasn’t a talk for the classroom.
What could she want?
Perhaps-she’s been having trouble with Prince Liam bothering her relentlessly, and she needs advice. That would certainly be something she couldn’t discuss in class.
Another chance… she just couldn’t resist the urge to get close to me in a place like this, away from everyone else. …Right.
If that were the case, I’d be more than happy to do it-
But unfortunately, it seemed this was something else entirely. Something more serious.
The hallway was empty, dimly lit. A young man and woman, alone.
A shaft of light cut through the tall windows, tracing lazy spirals of dust across the floor.
I met her eyes.
”So, what’s this about?”
”Well… Father said he wishes to speak with you directly. He asked that you come to the manor within a few days…”
Cecilia looked away, her expression deeply worried. Her voice shook slightly.
It seemed she thought this had something to do with our engagement-and that it wasn’t good news.
A summons from her father, huh.
…Looks like a mentally tiring event just came up.
—
Summary:
Liam uses his spy network to find his missing sister, learning that Xenos Grimlock has gotten the dwarf princess Eil and may be hunting Liliana as well. He uses this information to justify a forced search of Grimlock Manor while planning to bring Duke Crowley onto his side. The chapter shifts to Xenos, who is called by his fiancée Cecilia and realizes her father wants to meet him-thinking the engagement is in danger.
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Trivia:
Liam is using Merinda as a spy specifically because of her engagement to Balthazar of the Zaitz slaver family.
Merinda corrects herself twice when calling Balthazar and Xenos “perverts”-she’s playing the polite noblewoman while showing their badness.
Liam’s plan to “rescue the dwarf princess” is actually a reason to raid Grimlock Manor and find Liliana.
Xenos got the rare Magic Material [Spirit Echo] from the Elven Forest the day before.
The Crowley family has been hiding the fact that the dwarf princess was taken from them, fearing royal punishment for their neglect.
Cecilia’s engagement to Xenos is politically motivated, and her father’s summons suggests the agreement may be in danger.
Liam’s inner thoughts show he knows stealing a man’s fiancée is wrong but says it’s “rewarding service.”
The chapter’s title in Japanese talks about both the royal family’s private meeting and the fiancée’s shadow, hinting at Cecilia’s part.
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Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Liam – Liam Asgard, the golden-haired, emerald-eyed First Prince of Asgard, is Liliana’s older brother and the liege of Elliot and Aldrick. Betrothed to Elisabeth, he is an arrogant yet fundamentally kind man who speaks with elegant grace. Though he underestimates his rival Xenos’s Zero Mana status, he shows consideration toward him, even as his obsessive pursuit of Cecilia threatens his political standing.
• Liliana – Known as the “Angel of the Asgard Kingdom” for her golden hair and sky-blue eyes, this princess is the younger sister of Prince Liam and Elenor. While maintaining a refined, angelic public facade, she is a manipulative mastermind who wields explosion magic. As Serena’s liege and the true culprit behind recent assassination attempts, she carefully hides her dark nature behind whispered, noble asides.
• Lilia – Xenos’s fiercely loyal, trauma-resilient Head Maid is a lovely, pale, busty woman with long dark hair, a chest tattoo, and a nullified crest. Dressed in a black uniform, she maintains refined, icy elegance when disciplining others, especially Elenor. While formal and efficient with guests, she masks deep, jealous anxiety for Xenos, finding her greatest joy in serving him and sleeping by his side.
• Merinda – Third daughter of the impoverished Lancaster baron family. Engaged in an arranged marriage meeting with Balthazar. Has dull blue eyes. Expresses cold contempt toward both Balthazar and Xenos after they are grouped together as perverts.
• Balthazar – Son of the Crowley family. A pervert with no boundaries who considers himself improved after being advised to stop saying “stinky” to women. Obsessed with female scent. Currently engaged in an arranged marriage meeting.
• Grimlock – Xenos’s family name.
• 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.
• Crowley – Bartholomeus’ family name.
• Cecilia – The eldest daughter of the Vermillion Duchy and a former saint, she is Xenos’s fiancée and one of his romantic interests. Known for her flame-red hair, blue eyes, and pet, Lumiá, she possesses a cold yet playful nature. Though she rejected Prince Liam, she adores Kuuko and teases Lizel. Lilia shows no jealousy toward her. She occasionally uses a ring to adopt a revealing dancer’s disguise.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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