Malicious Plots

My nanny has once again astounded me.

We were already outside the carriage, with me being carried in Miss Hestia's arms. However, what really left me in a shaken mess was the fact that we were entirely invisible. Also, if the guards would turn their gazes towards our carriage's window, they would actually see vague mirages of our seated figures.

I stared at the direction of my nanny. Although I couldn't see her or myself, she thoughtfully hummed quietly to let me know she was still there, along with the warmth that came from her steady hands.

Invisibility and deception magic…

Both were incredibly rare abilities of mages. After all, the most common abilities revolved around the four main elements: air, water, earth, and fire. Quite rarer are the branches of these four: weather manipulation, ice, metal, and lava. And even rarer are the special deviant powers: light and time.

Miss Hestia's invisibility and image mirage were possibly derived from light magic. She was capable of redirecting the reflections of the light, creating confusing images at first glance…

Amazing. That is all I could say.

I imagine it could only be hard to make oneself invisible, even while staying perfectly still. But, here we were, walking slowly but steadily, invisible the whole time. We did have to stop once in a while, hiding behind nearby trees and other carriages, but it was still quite an amazing feat. No wonder my nanny made it as a female adventurer.

"Are you feeling alright, Lady Elle?" she asked me, just as we were nearing the front of our royal procession. We had hidden behind a tall bush as she rested from using her powers. My carriage was found in the rear part of the group, so we had to walk quite a bit to reach the royal family's main carriages.

"That's what I should ask of you," I answered my nanny. "I was not aware my nanny was capable of such advanced light magic."

Miss Hestia was clearly out of breath and had a thin layer of sweat on her face, yet her smile was still full of energy. "Haha! Well, you asked for my help, did you not? I should respond with my full abilities, yes? Now, where do you reckon your second brother's carriage would be?"

I could only slightly laugh at my nanny's response and said quietly, "Well… The common royal family's carriages would normally be at the center of the procession where it is safest, but our house does have a certain tradition of having the King and Queen lead the whole group… So, I suppose second brother's carriage would be the third carriage from the front."

Miss Hestia only looked at me for a few moments. I was feeling quite nervous about the sudden searching gaze.

"Umm…" I started, but she quickly cut me off.

"Are you really only five, my Lady Eleftheria?" my nanny asked me quite seriously.

I could only let out a hollow laugh.

However, I was saved from answering her question when we heard shuffling sounds of movement from the forest behind us. My nanny hastily motioned for me to keep low and quiet, and then we heard voices.

"… Must succeed," one voice said, quite high pitched like a child's.

"Yes, your highness. We have finished all the preparations," another replied. "The Knokril Bandits know what to do as well."

I almost gasped in shock but thankfully my nanny had quickly covered my mouth. I have heard tales of the Knokril Bandits in my past life. They were considered the meanest and most powerful bandit group in the kingdom.

"… Did you hear something?" the child asked.

"No. It must have been the wind, your highness."

"Bah! I hate the outdoors." the child let out a huff. "Now, make sure it goes as planned. I want to see a scar on that boy. I swear he grows more arrogant the longer he lives."

"… Understood, your highness."

"Alright. I'm leaving. I already feel so dirty after standing here so long…"

Even though I wanted to listen more, my nanny had grabbed me and held me close against her chest. Then, I saw myself turn into the wind. We were invisible again.

A few paces away from our hiding place, a small figure appeared, followed by numerous guards. They quickly disappeared into the distance. First brother…

"Prince Ara," I whispered. "Huh. I should have known he was involved in this."

My nanny said nothing else, but only tightened her grip on me. "Is… Is the royal highness somewhat involved in the 'bad things' you told me would happen?"

I sighed. "I suppose so, and it seems like the target indeed is my second brother."

My nanny probably already had an inkling about how corrupted the minds of the royalty are, but I suppose she never would have thought that the young princes, not even proper men yet, would already be involved in such petty politics as well.

"Let's go," I reminded my nanny when she still hasn't moved from her place.

She quickly stirred into life and carried me forward until we had finally arrived at the desired carriage. Thankfully, there were only two guards in the immediate surroundings.

Miss Hestia first brought us into the shade of the forest yet again, and made us visible.

"Alright, Miss Hestia. If possible, I would like you to make a distraction, just long enough for me to sneak into my brother's carriage," I told my nanny quietly.

Then, she shook her head. "But, my lady, even then, what would you even do about it? You would only be in harm's way if you are inside with the second prince as well!"

"Please, Miss Hestia. I have to do this quietly or people would be suspicious of us, and if we told them that we overheard the eldest prince's malicious plans, then I would only be put into a disadvantageous position in the long run. My first brother is the most powerful of us siblings right now, and the people will easily believe his words over mine."

My nanny couldn't reply to that but still wasn't quite happy. "… And what exactly will you do once you get inside the carriage?"

"I'll speak with him, and warn him. I know my second brother has a formidable personal guard with him. If they won't be caught by surprise by the ambush, then they could protect the prince easier."

She only sighed after a while of thinking and agreed to my proposal. Before long, I was carefully hidden underneath the carriage while we were still invisible, and I felt rather than saw my nanny walk away. While I was lying on my belly on the dusty ground, I heard the voices of the two guards standing around the carriage.

"Did you hear why we stopped so suddenly?" one guard asked the other.

"They said a great tree was obstructing the road. It probably fell from the storm a few days ago."

"What? That was already five days ago, and it still hasn't been cleared? The King must be furious. This is the King's Road, after all."

Then, another voice, one familiar but quite suddenly turned sultry, called out, "Good evening, guards~ Will you offer some help towards a poor, young woman?"

I almost wanted to knock my head on the ground, hearing my nanny's obvious ploy. However, contrary to my expectation that the plan would surely fail, the guards seem to be stuttering and shuffling around nervously in the company of my nanny.

"W-What could such a fair lady be doing at such dreadful a place?" the one guard said.

"Ohoho! I am afraid I got lost on the way home~ Huhuhu! Could you, perhaps… help… me?"

I could only imagine what was happening above me, but I deemed not to look.

When their voices grew farther away, I finally got my chance. I shimmied out from under the carriage and proceeded to open the carriage door, much with difficulty due to my limited height and chubby fingers. All the while I was glad our plan worked, but also worried because our royal guards didn't seem too disciplined.

Ahh~ the power of temptresses I suppose.

When I finally opened the door, I found myself looking into the yellow eyes of a beast. My scream was covered up as I was quickly brought into the carriage and the door was rapidly closed.

"Who are you, brat?" the beast growled at me, his hot breath panting onto my face. I simply closed my eyes in fright. Why was there a magical beast inside the second prince's carriage?!

"... Princess Elle?" a familiar voice asked. I cautiously opened my eyes. I didn't want to look at the beast in front of me, so I stared instead at the fair face appearing from behind its broad, hairy shoulders.

"Second brother Clement!" I wept, sounding much like the child I was.

"Ah! Release her, Norman. She is my princess sister," my brother ordered belatedly.

The beast called Norman huffed irritably and let me go. I finally breathed out in relief.

Prince Clement approached me as the beast made us room. "What in the world are you doing here, Princess Elle?"

I stared at my brother. He was eight, only a year younger than Prince Ara. Looking at his worried expression, he wasn't as thin or as gloomy as he seemed on the portraits around the castle. In fact, he was…

"SO CUTE!" I accidentally blurted out, which made my brother blush and his beast flinch in shock.

My brother's fair cheeks reddened, giving him an almost feminine appeal. His hair was a darker blond than first brother's, and his eyes were a gorgeous blue. He wasn't gloomy at all! Looking so flustered by my rash compliment, he looked full of life.

"He he! I have a message for brother!" I announced with a bright smile. And then, looking as cutely uncomfortable as I could, I glanced at the hulking beast taking up a good half of the large carriage. "… Can Elle talk with second brother alone?"

Prince Clement obviously looked confused and was unsure of what to do. Then, a gruff voice replied, "I'm not some beast as to leave Prince Clem alone."

I flinched as I heard the beast speak human words. However, as I turned towards it, it started convulsing and then morphing into something smaller and smaller…

Before long, a young, handsome man was sitting leisurely on the carriage seats. He was looking down at me with an uninterested expression. "How'd you even get here? I thought the women were on the last carriages?"

I felt myself going pale in shock. I didn't think the great shapeshifter, Normunculus, would be here inside the carriage. But, of course! This IS the formidable guard I believed my second brother had.

I slowly gathered my thoughts while staring at both at them. I turned towards my brother's personal guard, and said with a serious voice, "If you really want to protect your liege, then I suppose you have to listen dearly to what I am about to say."

I watched as varied expressions took form on the people in front of me. My brother seemed surprised but also looked at me with interest. The shapeshifter was more visibly shocked, probably alarmed at the proficiency of my words.

"Continue then, sister," the prince told me.

I nodded in reply. "I was going on a short walk with my nanny when we overheard first brother talking about a ploy against you."

His brows went up in surprise.

I continued, "They spoke about hiring a bandit group, the Knokril Bandits if I heard correctly, and they plan to injure you in an ambush."

I turned to look at the gaping shapeshifter. "I only came to warn you so that enough defenses would properly be prepared."

I then found my brother holding his chin, deep in thought. "… I knew brother would act out, but I wasn't aware he would do it during our trip. If your words hold truth, then I must say I am greatly indebted to you, Princess Eleftheria."

Then, thinking that I must bring him to my side, I smiled sweetly and bravely grabbed onto his hand. Anyway, I was still a young child and such an act would be easily forgiven. "No need for thanks, brother! I am your only sister after all."

I saw my brother blush yet again. Hehe… I must make sure I get him on my side!

"What?! You're really gonna believe that brat so quickly?" Norman spoke out quite rudely towards his prince.

Prince Clement seemed used to his guard's behavior though and only nodded his head calmly. "Yes, Norman. My sister does not have any reason to lie. And even if this turns out to be a simple prank, then we have lost nothing by simply increasing our defenses."

Norman could only fume in frustration. He glared at me so fiercely a normal five-year-old would burst out in tears. I, however, responded by smiling at him widely.

"But, sister, I don't understand why you had to order your nanny, Lady Hestia, to do such things just to enter our carriage secretly," the prince told me, looking so innocent I almost forgot to listen properly.

"… You knew?!" I released a surprised scream.

If my brother knew about how we sneaked into his carriage… and how my nanny seduced his guards away… and how I was lying on the dirty ground, then... then...!

Prince Clement laughed at my expression. "I knew you were highly intelligent ever since I first met you, but here you are already ordering your nanny around, and no other than Lady Hestia of House Aron, as well!"

I only stared at my brother, now finding it quite hard to see him as a cute child again…

He really does seem to know a lot about everything that's happening. He knows a part of Prince Ara's plans and he even knows of my nanny's true identity.

"On that note, brother… You must have an inkling on why we had to go through so much measures in order to speak to you," I told him in defeat, wondering why it was so tiring to speak to an eight-year-old child.

He only shook his head. "That I don't know why. You could have easily passed on a message and all would be done."

I huffed, finally feeling like the smart person in the room. I haughtily said, "Well, brother. It's because I especially do not want our first brother to know that I was the one who had warned you. If he gets wind of me helping you, I will only become too easy a target for him. And although that might work well for you, you won't leave your youngest sister to suffer alone, right?"

Brother had to laugh at that. "Well, I don't think Prince Ara would be so brave to hurt you, my sister."

That made me pause in shock. "... What do you mean? If he is able to hire bandits to ambush you, who knows what he may do to his younger sister?"

Brother only looked at me curiously. "So, you really don't know…"

I hated not knowing what he meant. I glared at him as I waited for his answer.

Then, he finally relented after seeing my angry face. He laughed charmingly, then said with a knowing smile, "Sister, don't you know that father dotes on you the most?"

Then, before I could even register my brother's words, a loud explosion erupted right outside our carriage door.