He twisted his lips into a frown, glaring at his master as he stood before him. He didn’t want to do anything while this man was prying. While he didn’t care what his master saw, it was clear to him that Jubelian would be embarrassed if she ever found out that her father had witnessed her affectionate actions. Since Max had decided to put Jubelian first before anything else, he refrained from stealing a kiss.
Yes, it was all for her.
Max couldn't help but resent his master for going so far as to interrupt their goodbye.
"I see that you still don’t respect your daughter's privacy,” he spat scornfully.
Regis wrinkled his brows, annoyed.
"Didn't you say that you were busy?" he coldly retorted. Sarcasm laced his voice, implying that he wanted Max to leave immediately.
Surprisingly, however, his disciple kneeled instead of getting upset.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, thoroughly irritated.
However, Max remained unmoved as he looked up.
"I want to become stronger,” he said. "Please help me."
Regis looked into his disciple's eyes. A sense of desperation and an intense longing for something lingered within their crimson depths. Unlike before when he didn’t have any clear goals, he seemed to have something in mind now.
It looked like he finally came to a decision. Although Regis was proud, Max was still an arrogant disciple. Thinking that Max might be tainted with pride once more, Regis remained indifferent as he accepted the request.
"Very well, then."
At his master's acceptance, Max exhaled a sigh of relief.
Victor gulped, his eyes on Beatrice. He couldn't understand how the princess had found out. Although the crown prince’s personality was different from his, Victor possessed a similar physique, eye color, and even tone of voice. If one excluded the crown prince’s closest aides from the count, Beatrice would have been the first to have seen through the disguise.
Victor knew this was bad. With the uprising just around the corner, how could he...? This could serve as a fatal weakness, he lamented.
"You mean to say that my brother often goes out, leaving a body double behind to sit in his room?” Beatrice asked.
Victor frowned. "Please don’t distort the answer I gave you earlier. I made it clear that this is a one-day only situation.”
Beatrice’s eyes narrowed in response. "Who’d believe that?”
The princess was no joke, and now Victor was cursed with a throbbing headache. Captain Dennis would be here soon... He was definitely going to get scolded. And His Highness...
For some reason, Victor was more afraid of being beheaded by the crown prince before the princess could tell anyone about this. He swallowed nervously. Now that it had come to this, the only choice he had left was to convince Her Highness. Hoping that Max would come back as late as possible, Victor glanced at the princess.
"Your Highness, that friend you mentioned earlier,” he began, "I’ll assist you with them if I can be of any help."
Beatrice studied Victor, humming thoughtfully. He didn’t look very trustworthy, but he was one of Maximillian’s closest aides, and there must have been a reason for that. Also, that meant that he wouldn't dare to win Jubelian over for himself.
If Maximilian showed an interest in Jubelian, there was a high possibility that the emperor's attention would end up with her. However, if it was just a knight Beatrice would give orders to, no one would think it strange even if he wandered around Jubelian.
After making up her mind, Beatrice answered his proposal. "On the day of the hunting competition, you must protect my friend,” she declared.
At first, Victor tried to refuse. After all, the only subject he needed to protect was his lord, the crown prince. However, the moment Victor heard the name of the princess’ friend, he changed his mind.
Lady Floyen?
Victor believed he had fallen in love at first sight. He couldn’t forget her elegant appearance at the princess' coronation ceremony. In the knight’s eyes, she resembled a beautiful elf.
He couldn’t believe the opportunity had come. Although the crown prince had asked Lady Floyen for a dance, Victor was convinced that it was simply a scheme of some sort. His Highness already had the Handkerchief Lady. He must have asked Lady Floyen for a dance so he could keep the Handkerchief Lady safe from the emperor’s influence.
Victor made up his mind.
"I’ll take responsibility and protect the lady,” he promised Beatrice.
Hearing his serious pledge, Beatrice smiled contentedly. Maximilian's subordinates were certainly loyal. The only people Beatrice kept close were the empress' subordinates, so the princess couldn't help but feel a bit of envy.
"Fair enough,” she said. "I’ll keep what I saw today a secret in exchange."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Having finished the trade, she got up. "If anyone asks what had happened, I came here to argue with my brother about the hunting competition. Do you understand?"
Victor nodded. He knew that Beatrice had nothing to benefit from being seen as having a close relationship with the crown prince. That would only raise the emperor and empress' hostility toward her.
"Understood,” he said.
Then, Beatrice left and Victor donned the helmet once more, grinning.
The princess was a better person than he had once thought.
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind him. "Victor.”
Startled, the knight turned around. "Oh, Your Highness. You’ve returned earlier than expected."
His lord looked somewhat more tired than usual. Victor observed his lord for a moment before noticing the crown prince's gaze on him. He quickly stood up.
"Did anything happen while I was gone?" Max asked as he sat in his chair. Victor hesitated for a moment, recalling the conversation he had with Beatrice just now.
"If anyone asks what happened, I came here to argue with my brother about the hunting competition,” she had said. "Do you understand?"
If his lord found out that the princess discovered his identity, he could be beheaded, so he made up his mind to report false information as he had planned with Beatrice.
"The princess came and argued that her knight would be a better hunter than Your Highness,” he said.
Max furrowed his brow slightly in response, wondering why Beatrice would suddenly pick a fight with him. Could it be because of...
No matter how much he thought about it, the only explanation he could come up with behind his sister holding a grudge against him was that he caught her dancing hideously alone in her room the other night.
"I see."
Noticing Max’s sinister smirk, Victor hurriedly added, "Of course, I mocked the princess once I heard what she had to say!"
Aware that his subordinate wanted praise, Max nodded.
"I see. Well done,” he said. "Anyway, I think it’s time to start our evening meeting..."
"Ah, tonight's meeting is canceled,” Victor replied quickly. "Captain Dennis should be with Lady Fresia right now."
"Fresia? What did she need him for?"
"Ah, she had something to discuss about Your Highness' orders to keep an eye on the emperor's activities regarding the hunting competition. Anyway, the captain should be returning soon."
"I see."
Once Victor was about to take off the crown prince's armor, Max suddenly pointed something out.
"By the way... You seem uncomfortable,” he commented.
Victor flinched a little.
"I'm sorry?" he asked. "In what way do I look uncomfortable?"
"I'm only saying this because you've been acting extremely nervous since I arrived. Is something wrong?"
Victor had finally received the attention he very much desired from the crown prince. However, his blood was curdling. He swallowed dryly. His lord had never been this interested in him before... What had gotten into him?
If Victor reported what had happened, he was sure to receive disciplinary action for failing to fulfill his duties. Shaking his head, he forced a smile.
"S-Something wrong?!” he stammered. "Of course not, Your Highness."
Studying his subordinate's face, Max frowned slightly. Laughing with a pallid complexion. How suspicious. Maybe something did happen while he was gone.
Max was about to interrogate Victor further when a knock resounded. "It's Dennis, Your Highness."
Max sighed. He would have to save this matter for later, then.
"Come in,” he said.
Dennis entered the office with some documents in hand. "Your Highness, Lady Fresia has done some investigations on the speculations you discussed earlier.”
Max took the papers. Then, his face contorted. "The emperor caught a wild beast?"
"So is the word."
It wasn’t an uncommon thing to catch and release a wild beast for a hunting competition. However, it was peculiar that the emperor dared to catch one for the event when he didn’t even enjoy hunting in the first place. No matter how Max thought about it, this wasn’t like his father. The man was afraid of wild beasts even when they were locked up in cages. There was no way he would enjoy one running around in an open field.
Max fell into deep thought for a moment.
"Tell Fresia to keep an eye on the emperor,” he said, "and ask her to find out if he has any means to control the wild beast—either with tools or medicines."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The emperor will stop paying attention to me as long as Max proves his claims true.
An ominous feeling overcame Max as he recalled what Jubelian had said earlier.
He clenched his fists.