Chapter 126 - 2-8
"Isaac."
"Brother, what brings you here?"
While sitting in the Gazebo with Louis-sama and Prince Isaac, I noticed a man approaching with several knights. He reached us, his long lavender hair fluttering in the breeze, and gave a pleasant smile and a bow.
Brother? Orta has three princes and two princesses. Prince Isaac is the third, so this must be the first or second prince.
"I heard the Crown Prince of Dutoit and his fiancée, the daughter of Marquis Marcel, had arrived."
"Prince Ricardo, it has been a long time."
"Welcome to our country, Crown Prince. Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule. Please, make yourself at home until the festival. If there is anything you lack, do not hesitate to ask."
Louis-sama stood up quickly and greeted the man with a hand over his chest.
Prince Ricardo... that means he is the second prince.
His calm aura and gentle eyes were different from Prince Isaac's dignified intensity. The air around him was relaxed, carrying the composure of a mature adult. Prince Ricardo shifted his gaze from Louis-sama to me, his smile deepening into something softer.
"So, you are the Dark Saint."
"I am Rachel Marcel. It is an honor to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine. I have been looking forward to this."
I performed a lady's curtsy. When I looked up, Prince Ricardo rested his chin in his hand and fell into thought for a moment before letting out an impressed breath.
"Ah, your dark magical power is truly immense. I am surprised."
"My brother is the most knowledgeable member of the Orta royal family regarding dark magic. I intended to introduce him at dinner tonight, but it seems he couldn't wait," Isaac explained.
"Yes, well, I have heard so much about her."
Prince Isaac's stiff demeanor relaxed, his expression brightening as he looked at Prince Ricardo. The atmosphere between them was warm and familiar, speaking to the strength of their brotherly bond. As I watched their interaction, Prince Ricardo's gaze suddenly returned to me, his narrow eyes crinkling with amusement.
"My brother returned from Dutoit and told me that the Dark Saint he met was more beautiful than any painting of a saint."
A small gasp escaped me at his words, and I looked down in embarrassment. However, I wasn't the only one surprised.
"B-Brother! Please don't say such rude things!"
"Oh? I was merely stating the fact that I was praising Lady Rachel's beauty. Why are you so flustered?"
As Prince Ricardo chuckled, Prince Isaac scratched his head vigorously, awkwardly glancing at Louis-sama to gauge his reaction.
"Ah, Lady Rachel is the Crown Prince's fiancée, isn't she? My apologies if I have offended you."
"Haha, not at all. She is my pride and joy, after all."
"I see. As expected, the Crown Prince is quite magnanimous. That is a relief."
Louis-sama wrapped an arm around my waist as Prince Ricardo looked away with a sheepish, apologetic expression. I peered up at Louis-sama's face, only to find him wearing a dazzlingly beautiful smile. Despite the lovely expression, I couldn't help but feel he had placed a strange amount of emphasis on the word "fiancée."
Prince Ricardo didn't seem to mind Louis-sama's reaction at all. Just then, a knight approached from behind and whispered something to him. He gave a short nod in response.
"My apologies. I would like to stay longer, but I am being rushed. Let us speak again at dinner. Isaac, make sure you aren't rude."
"Yes, yes, of course."
"Oh, right. There's something I need to tell you about tonight."
Prince Ricardo gave a regretful bow to Louis-sama and me before signaling Prince Isaac with his eyes. Prince Isaac told us to wait a moment and followed him out of the Gazebo.
Only Louis-sama and I remained.
"Prince Ricardo seems the same as ever."
"What do you mean?"
"He drifts about like a gentle breeze, only to suddenly surprise you like a gale. He is quite a difficult man to pin down."
Louis-sama leaned close to my ear as he watched the two brothers talking outside. His whispered words were something I could only nod in agreement with.
He has a calm and gentle atmosphere, but it's hard to tell what kind of person he really is.
Still, Prince Isaac's earlier words made it clear that asking him was the fastest way to learn about dark magic. That said, he didn't seem like the type to give up information easily.
As I was wondering what to do, Prince Isaac returned and sat back down in his previous seat.
"My apologies for my brother's sudden intrusion. It seems he was truly looking forward to meeting the Saint. ...Also, about what happened earlier—"
"You two are very close, aren't you?"
"Ah, no. Eh? Oh, with my brother? Is it surprising that we get along?"
Oh, did I miss something he said? Before I could ask him to repeat himself, I had already changed the subject. Prince Isaac's gaze wandered for a moment before he gave a troubled smile.
"I suppose so. I respect my brother from the bottom of my heart, and I want to be of use to him."
"Prince Ricardo must find it very reassuring to be supported by the man known as Orta's strongest sword," Louis-sama remarked. He cast a sharp glance toward the direction Prince Ricardo had left before turning back to Prince Isaac with his usual perfect smile.
"...I hope so. My brother is an incredible person, so I don't know if I'm truly helping him, but I hope to be his right hand."
"His right hand, you say?"
"Yes, exactly."
His right hand...
This conversation wasn't just about brotherly affection. I felt as though Prince Isaac's true purpose for inviting me here was beginning to leak through. My suspicion was confirmed that evening at dinner.