Chapter 144: proud and arrogant

"What did you say!? The soldiers tried to arrest Prince Leon!? Those idiots! How could they do something so foolish!"

After hearing her subordinates' report, Iris was stunned—her face immediately turned pale.

Detaining the prince of a kingdom who had come to form an alliance, and without conclusive evidence, was an extremely serious mistake.

She couldn't even begin to imagine the scale of the diplomatic disaster this could provoke. It didn't matter if his kingdom was small—he was the first heir of Palettia! One of the most powerful nations on the continent!

Iris dropped everything she was doing, jumped out of the window, and rushed toward the cafeteria.

But when she arrived—

"Prince Leon... What the hell happened here?!"

Her eyes widened in horror.

The cafeteria floor was littered with knights. All of them were injured and unconscious. Some had even lost their lives. There was no doubt: the one responsible was the prince, who sat calmly sipping a cup of tea, his expression composed.

Iris felt lightheaded.

Had the knights of her own kingdom attempted to arrest Leon and ended up completely defeated? That alone was enough to ignite a war between their nations!

"Your Highness, what exactly are you—"

"Huh? I just dealt with some rude people who drew their swords on me. Is that a problem?"

Leon spoke without a hint of guilt or restraint in his arrogant and noble tone. He even kicked one of the knights sprawled at his feet right in front of Iris.

Iris clenched her fists. Leon had just kicked her knight in the head—right in front of her. Was he mocking her?

"...About Alexia's disappearance."

"That has nothing to do with me."

"But according to our investigation, yesterday you—"

BAM!

Before she could finish, Leon slammed his hand on the dining table, shattering it into pieces. Then, he shot her a piercing glare.

"If I say I didn't do it, it's because I didn't do it. Are you planning to accuse me as well? I suggest you think carefully about the consequences."

Just by meeting his cold, purple gaze—

Iris felt as if her heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand. If she continued questioning him, things could spiral completely out of control.

"And why would I kidnap Alexia? If I wanted to strike Midgar, I'd kidnap you. Alexia is just a talentless princess, isn't she?"

"That..."

"Or are you saying I kidnapped her because I was lusting after her? Hah. Go to the academy and ask around. Your sister's been chasing me publicly for days—waiting after school, going out of her way to find me during her days off. Do you think I'd need to kidnap her?"

Although it was a harsh thing to say—

In the eyes of many students at the academy, it was true. Alexia had been pursuing Leon. He ignored her, but she hadn't given up.

"I... I apologize. It seems we may have made a terrible mistake. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Prince Leon."

Iris's eyes trembled. She didn't know much about the situation between Leon and Alexia at the academy, but in that moment, she no longer believed that Leon had kidnapped her sister.

There were two reasons for this. First, setting aside the supposed eyewitness testimony, Leon simply didn't have a motive to kidnap Alexia.

"Hmph. I'm deeply disappointed in Midgar. Still, I'll give you a chance to save face. I'll be staying at my mansion until this matter is resolved. And I expect a formal apology from Midgar."

Iris's expression twisted into a mix of shame and uncertainty.

That was the second reason.

Leon was too proud, too arrogant to do something like kidnapping—which would only tarnish his own dignity.

Leon walked away with two girls beside him, muttering something as he passed by Iris.

"There are many spies among your knights."

"...What do you mean?"

But Leon didn't respond.

Even though he was being accused of kidnapping the princess in a foreign capital, his proud and imposing demeanor made it hard to suspect him.

How could someone like him commit such a petty crime?

It was like imagining a billionaire robbing a convenience store.

"What the hell happened... and why did it come to this?"

Iris leaned on the shattered table, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

She had no knowledge of the Cult of Diablos, nor of the Night Raid.

But she could sense a dark and hidden force beginning to stir beneath her kingdom. The worst part was her helplessness—her inability to stop it.

Two swords hung at her waist. One was her own. The other was Alexia's, which the knights had found lying abandoned in the street. Iris clutched it tightly, praying from the bottom of her heart for her sister's safety.

"Alexia... where are you?"

"Why am I here?"

In a dark, underground facility beneath the royal capital...

At the center of this entire incident, Alexia slowly opened her eyes and looked around in confusion.

Her last memory was of walking down the street—before suddenly being shoved into a bag.

"Was I... kidnapped?"

Realizing her predicament, Alexia's eyes widened, and she instinctively sat up straight. She heard the rattle of chains, and when she looked down, she found her hands and feet bound by black, beast-like shackles.

"A containment device...? This is bad."

It was a type of device used to seal a person's magical power. While wearing it, she couldn't use magic at all. Alexia struggled, but it was useless.

"Who would do this...?"

With no way to escape, all she could do was think.

Alexia furrowed her brows, trying to piece things together.

Who could possibly kidnap a princess in the heart of the capital—and for what purpose? Ransom? That didn't seem likely...

She looked around nervously. The place resembled the lair of some deranged scientist or sadistic torturer. Bloodstains, surgical tools, and grotesque equipment filled the room.

And she was strapped to an operating table.

"Who... who kidnapped me...?"

"That's right—Leon!"

The image of the dark prince flashed through her mind, and her expression soured.

She had been kidnapped right after parting ways with him. The knights were probably already suspecting him.

That thought made her anxious.

She had to escape—fast!

She couldn't let suspicion fall on him because of her.

"I hope my sister and the others can keep their heads straight. There's no way someone as proud as Leon would kidnap anyone. Anyone with a brain should be able to figure that out. Tsk! These chains are really in the way!"

She scowled at the restraints around her wrists and ankles. Whoever did this—if she found out who it was, they were going straight to the guillotine!

"You're awfully noisy for someone who just woke up. You really are a lively princess..."

From a shadowed corner where no one could see—

A cloaked figure resembling a catwoman muttered to herself, while Sinon silently stood guard, protecting the unconscious princess.

Her cold eyes studied the silver-haired girl tied to the operating table—like a scientist examining a lab rat.

"Hmph. You're weak. Not a woman worthy of Master at all."

(End of chapter)

Give me some power stones there you go~😉