Chapter 50: The Calm Prince and Our Reunion

It had already been a week since I returned to the Kingdom of Sugarcreek, after attending that heated conference in the Kingdom of Liner—where shouts practically filled the air.

Since then, the major ministers of our kingdom have been holding countermeasure meetings day and night, discussing strategies without rest.

By the way, after that conference, the Demon Lord dragged Stein-kun around and ended up taking him on a small adventure here and there. But… let’s save that story for another time.

Incidentally, the Demon Lord vanished right after the conference, and no one has been able to track his whereabouts since.

It’s an incredibly worrying situation, but I don’t have the capability to go searching for him myself, so I’ve given up on that front.

At worst, I could use Berial to find him… but I’m far too afraid of the price that might cost me, so that’s not an option right now.

Anyway, after many rounds of debate, our nation finally decided to formally enter a truce agreement with the Demon Lord’s army.

Apparently, the burden on the national treasury from maintaining our defensive operations turned out to be far heavier than expected.

"…Now then, may I ask for your signature here?"

"Yes. And please, sign here on your side as well."

The process of signing the truce with the Demon Lord’s army went surprisingly smoothly.

For this negotiation, rather than the warriors who had actually clashed swords, it was agreed that representatives from both sides would take a more diplomatic, conciliatory approach.

Thus, I was appointed as Sugarcreek’s plenipotentiary ambassador and sent to attend the signing.

On the Demon Lord’s side, the delegation included fairies such as Miss Pixie and several elves.

"Excuse me, but… would you happen to be Princess Sonia?"

"Eh? Ah—yes, I’m Sonia."

"My, my. So you’re the one who…"

For some reason, the Pixie trailed off there.

The one who… what?

Now I’m curious.

"Ahem. Well then, Your Highness. At present, our army is safeguarding several people from your kingdom. In light of this truce agreement, we intend to return them to your care. Of course, there are a few who have refused to come back, and we won’t be forcing them against their will."

"Um, that’s a very generous offer, but…"

What exactly are they asking for in exchange for releasing the captives? We have nothing left to bargain with.

"Oh, no, no. There’s no need to be so wary. This decision was made personally by His Majesty. Our army seeks no profit from this, so please rest assured."

"…I see. His Majesty, huh."

Well, if that’s the case, I suppose there’s nothing for me to complain about. I might as well take the credit for it.

"As for the formalities, we’ll send you a full list of returnees later…"

The Pixie hesitated mid-sentence.

"??"

I tilted my head, prompting her to continue.

"…Um, the person listed at the very top of that list…"

"Yes?"

"That would be Prince Shirot of the Kingdom of Paptes—your fiancé, Your Highness."

Ah, right. Him.

The man whose countless betrayals had already earned him a clear “guilty” verdict in my book. Still, officially, he’s my fiancé. I can’t exactly ignore him.

"He is included on the list, and we have been trying to persuade him to return, but…"

"Persuade him?"

"Ah… perhaps it would be best if Your Highness met and spoke with him directly."

The Pixie ended the conversation there, deftly dodging my curiosity.

Now that’s just suspicious!

The preliminary talks ended like that, and a few days later, the list of returnees arrived.

At the top was indeed Prince Shirot.

Well, well—what a pleasant surprise.

Through diplomatic channels, we had already informed the Kingdom of Paptes, and it seems that Shirot’s faction there—the one favoring reconciliation with Sugarcreek—was absolutely delighted by the news.

Lately, internal strife within the Kingdom of Paptes has grown intense.

The royal faction, led by the king himself, advocates for independence from the Demon Lord’s forces by allying with Sugarcreek and other kingdoms. Meanwhile, the duke’s faction—led by the king’s younger brother—seeks to come under the protection of the Dalai-Tokazma Empire and fight alongside them instead.

It’s essentially a clash of national strategies—one that’s splitting their country in two.

So naturally, the safe return of Prince Shirot is a political victory for the Sugarcreek-aligned faction.

Incidentally, the name of the former prime minister—who had already been dismissed from his post—was not on the list.

When I later inquired with the Demon Lord’s army, they told me that he personally refused repatriation.

According to Miss Pixie, with whom I’d grown quite friendly, he’s now serving as an advisor to the Demon Lord’s army. Hardly surprising, really.

As for how to deal with that man later… I’ll save that for another time.

Heheheh…

Naturally, I was appointed as the official observer for the prisoner exchange, including Prince Shirot.

Thus, I headed north to the fortress at once.

"Lady Sonia, please remain close to me at all times. There’s still a chance this could be a trap set by the Demon Lord’s army."

"Kamina, you worry too much. It’ll be fine, don’t fret."

If this was a decision decreed by the Demon Lord himself, then no one in his army would dare oppose it. For that reason, I had nothing to worry about.

I looked up at the familiar stone fortress of Gaikoku.

Ah… it’s been, what, half a year since then?

A wave of nostalgia washed over me.

Today, I’m wearing a white dress with a daringly low neckline, and my hair is styled up.

It’s been a while since I’ve worn a tiara, too.

After all, this is technically a reunion with my fiancé. As a show of the utmost sincerity, I have to at least look my best.

We were escorted into the audience chamber.

How nostalgic. Though, back then, I was the one being received in this room.

…But something feels off.

Compared to when I stayed here before, aren’t there far more flowers—roses, in particular—decorating the room? On top of that, there’s a red carpet, silk curtains, beautiful carvings, and paintings adorning the walls.

Before, the place had a far rougher, more “fortress-like” feel to it. Now, it’s practically elegant enough to be called a palace.

As I was thinking that, the doors at the far end opened, and Prince Shirot appeared.

It’s been such a long time since I last saw his face. But somehow, he looks… different from before.

Not dramatically, but compared to when we first met, he now carries himself with a far more aristocratic air. How should I put it? He seems—well—cooler.

"Y-Your Highness Prince Shirot. I’m relieved to see you safe."

I bowed my head politely.

"No need for such formality, Princess. I am deeply pleased that this truce has been signed so peacefully."

He smiled faintly.

Hmm. That smile… something about it feels strange. What is it?

It’s not just that his demeanor has changed. It feels like something deeper—fundamentally—about him has shifted.

"Then, Prince Shirot, as of this moment you are officially a free man. Please, come with us and return home."

I had already signed the documents for the prisoner transfer, so my official duties were complete. Naturally, I had to call out to him—after all, he was supposed to return with us.

But to my surprise, Shirot only smiled faintly and shook his head.

"…Forgive me, Princess. I’m honored by your offer, but I cannot accept it."

He turned away from me as he spoke, and for the first time, his expression softened—not the polite smile he’d shown me, but one of pure bliss.

Following his gaze, I saw a person standing there—so strikingly beautiful that, at first glance, I couldn’t tell if they were male or female. Their skin was unnaturally pale.

Then, as I caught a side view of Shirot’s face, I realized what had been bothering me all along.

His canine teeth—his fangs—were unusually prominent.

"Princess Sonia, I must apologize… Please deliver this letter to my parents. And as for our engagement… I am truly sorry, but I must decline it."

He dropped a bombshell just like that.

Personally, I couldn’t care less if our engagement were annulled. But still—one must preserve appearances.

So, acting slightly indignant, I raised my voice.

"Explain yourself!"

"In short… I have found myself a new master."

And with that, he leaned affectionately against the pale-skinned figure who had, at some point, approached him.

That person also had two sharp fangs peeking from their lips.

Ah. So they’re vampires—the clan of the night.

Behind them, vases overflowing with red, white, and blue roses filled the space, as if deliberately accentuating the atmosphere of the scene.

Watching the two of them stand there together, I instantly understood.

Ah… so this is what they call the world of decadent romance.

Terminal stage, really.

"…If that is truly Your Highness’s wish, then I have nothing more to say."

I bowed my head slightly, gaze lowered.

Ah, may their future be blessed—with all the happiness in the world.