Chapter 33: I Believe in You, Prince Jalpha.

Prince Jalpha of the Deken Empire had an excellent reputation even within the royal court.

Polite, cheerful, courageous, and rational—he continued to wear the "mask" of the ideal prince.

"Princess Lululu, you are truly wise. If only you were in Deken, my duties would be far easier."

"Oh, you're overestimating me. But I can't say it feels bad to hear that."

Prince Jalpha’s charm seemed to have passed the scrutiny of my older sister, Lululu.

Unusually for her, who detests social gatherings, she was actively engaging the prince in conversation.

Compared to how she treats Lord Rouga, her demeanor was clearly more favorable.

In truth, the prince was an extraordinarily charming person.

Even when a maid accidentally spilled water—

"A-ah, m-my sincerest apologies!"

"Don’t panic, it’s alright. You’re not hurt, are you?"

He simply smiled kindly and forgave her.

…Frankly, a noble from Saripa would’ve exploded in anger.

"As expected of the Deken Empire’s prince."

"He’s on a whole different level as a human being."

Even the palace’s butlers and maids took a liking to Prince Jalpha.

The way he won over anyone who saw or spoke with him, the depth of his character—those were qualities worthy of an emperor.

"And on top of all that, they say he’s a battle-hardened commander."

"Kind, brave, intelligent... it’s hard to believe someone like him exists."

...What’s terrifying is that despite possessing such elite social skills, diplomacy isn’t even his main strength.

Prince Jalpha is known as one of the most formidable warrior princes in the Deken Empire, undefeated in every battle he’s fought.

According to rumors, his belief is that “the outcome of a war is decided before the fighting begins.”

He prepares meticulously so that victory is guaranteed before initiating a campaign, and has crushed every enemy without fail.

A cautious yet brilliant general, leveraging the might of the great Deken Empire—that is how Prince Jalpha is regarded.

It’s said that if Deken invades Yaiban, Prince Jalpha will serve as supreme commander.

He is a man of exceptional strategic mind and diplomatic skill.

"If Prince Jalpha inherits the Deken throne, the empire will be in good hands."

"Oh no, I have brothers and sisters far more capable than myself."

Even so, in the Deken Empire, he is still considered just "one of the possible successors."

Apparently, Prince Jalpha’s siblings include many who are even more talented than him.

"But if I can capture Yaiban, Father may finally acknowledge me."

"Oh! You have my full support!"

That said, it doesn’t seem he’s entirely uninterested in the throne.

Through this campaign, he seems intent on achieving results to climb the ranks.

---

"Princess Rishali, I’ve been looking for you."

"Why, Prince Jalpha. A pleasure to see you."

As expected, Prince Jalpha conducted himself with grace at the banquet.

He read the room perfectly, was attentive, and never uttered a single unpleasant word.

The way he remained humble and courteous at a banquet in a small nation like Saripa made one marvel—could a prince of a great empire really behave like this?

"Your dress today is lovely as well. You look just like a goddess."

"You're making me blush with such praise."

"And even your blushing face is beautiful, Princess Rishali."

Yet his eyes, as always, remained murky beneath the surface—impossible to read the true meaning behind his words.

At a glance, it looked like he was treating me warmly, but...

"Not even the stars in the night sky can compare to your brilliance."

"Oh my..."

The more he complimented me, the more clouded his eyes became.

I could sense it—he was fiercely guarding the depths of his heart.

His lines were smooth, but they carried no emotion. Just words, nothing more.

…Honestly, I couldn’t tell if he actually liked me or not.

"If you keep saying such things, I might start getting the wrong idea, Prince Jalpha."

"Oh? Perhaps my words were a bit too bold. But I assure you, I’m being sincere."

Feigning embarrassment, I held his gaze.

What I saw was only the mask of a kind, noble prince.

But there was something familiar in the aura he gave off.

That gentle manner, that sweet tone—something was being deliberately hidden beneath it all...

"...I see."

"Princess Rishali?"

I saw it—ambition. Prince Jalpha carried a vast ambition deep within him.

Right now, he gave off the exact same vibe as my older brother Jikei when he’s pretending to be meek.

Prince Jalpha’s true nature wasn’t that of a gentle prince—it was more like a ferocious wolf.

"Oh, how embarrassing. I found myself captivated for a moment."

"Think nothing of it. To gaze into your eyes is a joy beyond measure."

The Emperor of Deken is already elderly. I’d heard he was in the midst of choosing a successor.

And it seems Prince Jalpha, in order to garner support from Saripa, was acting humbly and sincerely… something along those lines.

"Well then, I’ll take my leave for today. Thank you for your time, Princess Rishali."

"Please, don’t hesitate to visit me again."

If that’s the case, I might as well play along with his performance for now.

If he’s aiming to gain Saripa’s favor, he shouldn’t treat us poorly.

"And one last thing—rejoice, Princess Rishali. It seems things are heading in the direction Saripa wishes for."

"In the direction we wish for…?"

"Please, look forward to what I’ll accomplish."

As we parted, he said those words with a meaningful smile.

Heading in the direction Saripa wishes for... I knew exactly what he meant by that.

"Yes. I believe in you, Prince Jalpha."

"Thank you. Your words fill me with courage."

So Deken is finally getting serious about subjugating Yaiban... is that what this means?

---

"Rishali, I need to speak with you."

"What is it, Father?"

That evening—

Just as I was getting ready for bed, Father the King came to my room, wearing a rather pleased expression.

"It seems the Deken Empire has decided to take action."

"Oh?"

Apparently, Prince Jalpha had made the decision to mobilize his forces.

The Deken army would likely begin its invasion of Yaiban within the next few months.

"Prince Jalpha had high praise for you. Well done."

"I'm honored, Father the King."

"Because of that, I’ll be away from the country for a while."

"You’ll be leaving?"

Negotiations regarding territorial concessions after the war, and ownership over Draznest, were still ongoing.

It seemed those matters would be settled in a formal meeting with the Emperor of Deken.

"To secure the best terms possible, I need to go to Deken in person."

"I see."

"During my absence, Sario will handle royal duties. Jikei will manage internal affairs. And you, Rishali—I’d like you to oversee the social scene."

"Hmm… the social scene?"

"I won’t be back for a while. But the court can’t just shut down while I’m gone."

Meetings with the Emperor of Deken tended to drag on.

It was notoriously difficult to get an appointment with him.

As a result, the daily burdens of governance got delegated like this.

"I accept. Leave it to me, Father."

"I’m counting on you."

Tasks involving the court’s social functions often ended up falling to me.

My older sister Lululu always slacked off when it came to social obligations, after all.

"…But Father, may I ask one thing?"

"What is it?"

"If Deken is moving, then… what of the frontlines?"

"Ah. That."

I didn’t mind being assigned more work. It was simply part of my duty as a royal.

What I was concerned about… was the situation at the front—specifically, with Takeru and the others.

"Just as you feared. Yaiban's main force, the Levigdard army, has appeared on the front."

"I thought as much…"

My worries were confirmed. The Levigdard, Yaiban’s primary military force, had shown itself.

They were said to be far more disciplined and powerful than the ragtag soldiers of Draznest.

"…Father. I’ve heard Levigdard’s commander is a formidable tactician. Have there been any casualties?"

"Yes. I suppose you deserve to know."

When I heard that “the enemy’s main force had appeared,” my heart started to race.

I didn’t believe Takeru would be defeated easily—but if Paulik’s warnings about their 'weak point' were accurate…

"Takeru was injured. He’s been hospitalized."

"What do you mean by that?!"

My father met my gaze seriously.

Then, with solemnity, he began to recount the details of what had happened on the front lines.

---

—The Silver Knight, Levigdard.

He was a lean, long-haired man with smooth silver hair tied back—a seasoned veteran.

To sum up Revigdaard’s nature in a word, he was a defense-specialized knight.

Unusually for a frontline soldier, he was a water-attribute mage—typically seen as ill-suited for combat.

Water magic had low offensive power, and so water mages were usually relegated to support roles on the battlefield.

But Levigdard was different. He had mastered the art of suspending water in mid-air.

His water barriers boasted surprisingly high durability, easily stopping projectiles like hurled stones.

No matter how strong the enemy soldier, none could penetrate the aqueous shield he wore.

No matter how wide the explosion, it couldn’t even leave a burn on him.

And because it was soft, the water shield never shattered.

As long as his mana held out, it could regenerate infinitely—becoming the ultimate armor.

Levigdard used this impenetrable defense to storm across the battlefield like a living tank.

That was how the strongest man in Yaiban, Levigdard, fought.

However, twenty years ago, he had once lost in a duel against Paulik.

In the midst of their duel, Paulik realized something: Levigdard’s water armor took time to regenerate once destroyed.

So he used his technique, Knight’s Cross Slash – Cross Paulik, to tear the armor in an X-shape—then drove his blade into the center opening, striking Levigdard.

Badly wounded by the thrust, Levigdard fled the battlefield, leaving a trail of blood.

Paulik, too, was spent from the battle and had no strength left to give chase.

After the fight, he supposedly muttered:

“Next time I fight Levigdard… I don’t know if I can win.”

…This tale alone made it clear just how terrifying Levigdard really was.

“Is Takeru safe? Will his wounds heal properly?”

“Calm down. Let me tell you everything—step by step.”

Takeru’s strength had always been, in a sense, a first-strike advantage.

If a veteran opponent found a countermeasure, even someone like Levigdard could kill him.

“Takeru apparently ignored the warnings of those around him and challenged Levigdard to a duel.”

“...And?”

Just as I’d feared—

Takeru saw Levigdard and, without hesitation, challenged him straightaway.