The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

47 – The Imperial Banquet (Part 1)

The second and third daughters both headed to the Hohenberg Marquisate.

Most likely, they followed that guy.

Barbarossa wasn’t pleased with the sudden actions of his daughters, who left without a word of explanation to their beloved father. It was an uncomfortable feeling of rejection from his own flesh and blood.

“Hohenberg! Hohenberg! Hohenberg…!! Just hearing the name brings thunder in my mind!”

A middle-aged man with a bushy mustache shouted as he slammed the table.

Crash!

Ink and pens scattered everywhere.

It was unable to withstand the iron-like punch of the Emperor.

If Otto, the head of the Hohenberg family, had seen it, he would have been ashamed and fallen to the ground. Barbarossa’s figure, burning with rage, was like something out of a nightmare.

“Your Majesty, please calm down.”

“Hmph!”

The beautiful lady with long red hair gently smiled and tried to dissuade him.

Despite Barbarossa showing signs of displeasure, he eventually calmed down without displaying his anger.

“Mila and Liza are adults now. Well, Mila has been an adult for a while… Anyway, Your Majesty, please stop being overprotective.”

“Overprotective! The Valteria Imperial family is playing with the Hohenberg family’s playboy…!”

“Don’t be too hasty in your judgment. Nothing has happened so far, right?”

“…”

The anger that had erupted like a volcano subsided at the soothing voice.

The fierce Emperor was left speechless.

If the courtiers who always suffered had witnessed this scene, they would have been astounded.

It was a miracle made possible solely because she was the Imperial Princess.

Isabel von Valteria.

The First Princess of the Baltaria Empire.

The Viscountess of the Mobia Marquisate and the Lady of the Devner Viscountcy, widowed several years ago by the late Empress Carolina, whose appearance she eerily resembled. Even in her stern demeanor, Barbarosa displayed an unusual tolerance toward Isabelle.

“It seems the eldest rushed here in fear of the imperial wrath. Ease your anger.”

“Hmm! If you say so, I’ll comply, but…”

The eldest daughter, who had married early, visited the imperial residence and coquettishly pleaded with her father. Barbarosa, still recovering from the shock of being rejected by her daughters, quickly softened her stern expression.

Indeed, I can’t resist her.

She muttered under her breath with a heavy sigh.

If Elizaveta, the third daughter, was considered the “admired finger” of the Emperor as a Holy Sword wielder, Isabelle was the “particularly painful finger” for the Emperor.

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This was due to Isabelle’s congenital physical defect—infertility.

Though Barbarosa always presented a confident facade, she harbored a perpetual sense of guilt towards Isabelle. She believed that the severe trials she had endured in subduing numerous adversaries in the past had inflicted a cruel fate on Isabelle, who was still in her womb at that time.

“I heard that the younger son of the Hohenberg family has been revealed as a Holy Sword user. He’s the one who rescued Lisa from the merciless mine, right?”

“A benefactor? He’s nothing but a bandit!”

Barbarosa erupted in anger once again.

Isabelle, in response, chuckled and tried to appease her father.

It was like watching Beauty and the Beast.

The maids who observed the ladies’ teatime after a long time muttered to themselves.

“Lady Isabelle really resembles the Empress a lot.”

“Do you think so?”

Tawny hair, like autumn leaves, and brown eyes filled with compassion.

Resemblance.

It seemed to grow more pronounced as she aged.

As the First Princess reached her thirties this year, she was becoming even more like the Empress.

The maids who had served Isabelle for over a decade looked at her and reminisced about someone they missed.

“It will be a rare occasion for the family to gather for a quiet meal.”

“Milah and Lisa will surely be delighted to hear of your arrival.”

The kind mistress clapped her hands in joy.

In response, a rare smile crept across the usually stern face of the Emperor.

“They say Alec is returning triumphantly today from the Holy Land, right?”

“He boarded the train yesterday… He’ll probably arrive late today.”

My younger brother, who went to study in the prosperous kingdom of Gael, was expected to return today.

Alexis Imperator Valtaria.

The news of the Crown Prince of Valtaria Empire’s return greatly stirred the royal city. The palace was buzzing with excitement as the guards were deployed, and the platform where the train would arrive was firmly surrounded.

Isn’t he the only prince who will inherit the vast empire someday?

Even before the news spread, the citizens of the royal city were tirelessly preparing to welcome the Crown Prince.

“Mila’s lover is also arriving today… The royal city will be bustling.”

“Lover? I haven’t approved of that!”

Barbarossa responded vehemently to Isabella’s playful words.

Absolutely not.

Unacceptable even if mud enters his eyes.

To acknowledge the notorious womanizer who tempted not only Mila but also Eliza as a son-in-law… Barbarossa showed a determination not to have any ties with the House of Hohenberg.

* * *

Currently, Ludmila was in such a elated state that she wanted to hum a tune.

The annoying and troublesome First Saint who had been her thorn in the side stayed in Hohenberg territory for a while. She didn’t know the reason, but just the fact that the smug face was gone was satisfying.

And Elizabeth felt the same way.

It was to help the Louignans, who had started coexisting with humans. Perhaps due to a strong sense of responsibility, the platinum princess, who couldn’t leave the Louignans alone, ultimately decided to stay in the territory.

‘Although I’ve never found Riza irritating like a First Saint… let’s enjoy a little train trip with Edanant, just the two of us.’

It wasn’t strictly ‘just the two.’

Ludmila also had Rue, Edanant’s partner, with them.

Let’s set aside the little one for now.

In the eyes of the princess, only Edanant was visible.

So Ludmila firmly defined the situation as just the two.

‘Truly exceptional appearance. Is it because he is the younger brother of the knight known as the Handsome Hero? I’ve seen numerous sons of noble families, but none can compare to Edanant.’

She murmured while staring intently at Edanant.

Currently, Edanant was caressing the sleeping Rue and looking out the window, allowing her to freely appreciate his handsome appearance.

Perhaps because of the beauty mark on his nose.

She rated Edanant higher than Maximilian, who boasted the highest probability.

If he had heard this, he would have shown a perplexed reaction.

But Ludmila was gazing at Edanant with a single-minded devotion.

“I’m sure Your Majesty enjoys hunting.”

“That, that’s right… Enjoy it to the point of obsession.”

Edanant turned his head and asked Rudmila.

Rudmila, who had momentarily lost her composure, raised her head, stumbling over her words.

Did he catch her staring so intently?

She hadn’t been so blatantly obvious about it…

She couldn’t suppress the anxious expression, like a child caught in the act of mischief.

“Oh! You were said to have innate talent for hunting!”

“You’re too kind.”

“Then it’s a chance to score points with the emperor! Don’t worry, I know all about impressing the emperor!”

“…”

Rudmila exclaimed with sparkling red eyes, even placing her hand on her chest and boasting again.

It wouldn’t be bad to receive the emperor’s favor.

Edanant, feeling perplexed by Rudmila’s strangely energetic demeanor, nodded his head.

“First, when we arrive at the imperial capital, we should greet His Majesty…”

“…!”

Edanant and Rudmila, who were discussing while facing each other, simultaneously turned their bodies with a dismayed expression.

It happened in an instant.

Edanant embraced the sleeping Lue.

And Rudmila turned her shoulder to stare directly ahead.

*Kkeuueueuk—!*

The sound of forcibly stopping the wheels echoed.

Then came the metallic noise as the monorail tracks diverged toward the imperial capital.

The powerful impact swept through the locomotive.

It was a result of rapidly accumulated kinetic energy exploding.

Edanant, who was holding Lue with one hand, was thrown forward. Inadvertently, Edanant and Rudmila’s bodies overlapped.

“Ugh…!”

Their faces seemed to touch.

If Edanant hadn’t grabbed the seat, their lips might have collided.

It was almost a situation that could not be undone.

Rudmila’s face flushed red.

A heat surged across her face as if it would erupt at any moment.

The jolt that had swept through the locomotive quickly subsided. Surely the engineer had swiftly applied the brakes upon detecting the unexpected situation.

Edanant and Rudmila, caught in an unexpected circumstance, stiffened, their bodies overlapping. The only sounds were irregular, rough breaths.

If she tilted her head just so, their lips would almost touch…

The blonde princess, her hair cascading, silently observed Edanant, swallowing dryly. And Edanant mirrored her. Silence flowed in this peculiar situation.

“Hey-ack! Ah, it hurts! What’s happening?!”

Rue, awakening from sleep, let out a cry.

She rubbed the bump on her head with both hands, tears trickling down.

“Your Highness, are you all right?”

“I-I’m fine…! Cough! What’s this commotion about?”

Edanant spoke up.

At that moment, Rudmila, with an affected cough, replied.

The monorail they were riding came to an urgent halt.

There was evidently a problem on the journey to the capital.

Edanant and Rudmila, as if in sync, took faltering steps as if released from a spell. Rudmila, on the brink of having her lips touched, nearly collapsed to the ground.

“Y-Your Highness…! I apologize!”

A middle-aged man in a black uniform appeared with his staff.

He was the engineer in charge.

“What’s the matter?”

Rudmila, brushing off the dirt, asked as she stood.

She continued to bow her head deeply, attempting to conceal her fiercely blushing face.

However, the engineer and his staff thought Rudmila was suppressing her anger, trembling as if they were about to be severely reprimanded.

“We received word of a monorail disruption due to an inexplicable explosion.”

“Could this be another act of the Society?”

The monorail disrupted.

The engineer’s swift braking decision was accurate.

Had they hesitated, it could have resulted in the worst catastrophe of the locomotive derailing from the monorail.

“Perhaps… it might not be the Society’s doing.”

“What do you mean?”

Edanant spoke with a stiff voice.

Rudmila asked him.

“Just a villain attempting to destroy a monorail. It seems too clumsy and timid to be called a masterpiece of conspirators. If they were real conspirators, they would have blown up a whole locomotive.”

“…”

So serious, awkward, and cowardly.

Are we really aiming for the Imperial Red Dragon with such a passive method?

No,

Perhaps, we might not be the target.

Maybe we got entangled in a plan to assassinate another factor…

Taking a deep breath, Ruelle embraced her unease.