Chapter Sixty-nine: Royal Duty
“I rather like this body… though no one understands.”
Saying this, Waltride looked down at her thick palm.
“With this body, I don’t need to marry, and I’m exempt from the duties of a princess. I’m considered to be recuperating from my Bloodline Blessing. I enjoy this freedom. Unbecoming of a princess, I know.”
Nobles had a duty to fight. It seemed royalty did as well. But not everyone was as resolute as the people of the Ehlertt family.
“I was born to the queen, my lawful mother. Her marriage was political, so there wasn’t much affection between her and the king, but I was deeply beloved by His Majesty. As a young child, I was apparently praised as being like a goddess’s incarnation, like a spirit—that’s how charming I was.”
Karen had seen a portrait of her before, so she could imagine it.
If a child born of a loveless marriage was cherished so much, then her charm must have far surpassed what even the portrait could convey.
“Because of my charm, I was spoiled… You see, I would cry when seeing monsters, so His Majesty specially exempted me from combat training.”
“There’s training to see monsters?”
“Not just seeing—they teach how to kill them with one’s own hands. Royalty must be prepared to lead knights and conquer dungeons if necessary.”
“At what age is this?”
“Training starts at seven. I was exempted until I was ten.”
“Isn’t that too harsh a training for children…?”
Karen was taken aback by how challenging royal life could be.
Waltride gave a wry smile at her reaction.
“Such is the duty of royalty. However, safety is guaranteed. As long as the child feels challenged, the goddess will accept it as a true trial. That’s why training starts at a young age before they even realize they’re being protected.”
Karen was impressed.
Rather than suddenly throwing them into real life-or-death situations after they’ve grown up, maybe it’s better to give children growth opportunities in a secure environment—even if they don’t realize it. Though it might cause trauma, she could understand the reasoning that nothing was worth more than a life.
“But I ran. I kept running until my mother—the queen—forcibly dragged me before the monsters. And shamefully, my magical power went berserk, leaving me in this state.”
She gestured to her body.
“Since my life wasn’t in danger, I wasn’t permitted to use magical sealing artifacts… Instead, His Majesty recommended I recuperate. Either he had grown tired of a ten-year-old daughter afraid of monsters, or lost interest because I’d become fat and ugly—I hope it’s the latter.”
Waltride wore a bitter smile. Even if it were the latter, it wasn’t exactly something to be happy about.
“Thanks to this body, I’m freed from combat training and allowed to live freely. I apologize to the citizens, but I’m terrified, terribly terrified of fighting monsters…”
Waltride shuddered.
Karen knew there were ways to increase magical power, even for alchemists with low D-rank capabilities. Still, the idea of fighting monsters to the death was unimaginable.
Understanding Waltride’s feelings, Karen furrowed her brow.
“Your Highness…”
“I understand all too well the feelings of daughters obsessed with beauty. No one would dare say they want to marry just to avoid fighting monsters. …Outwardly, I avoid treatment, saying it would be wasteful to use precious magical artifacts or potions on someone without life-threatening conditions. Then they praise me as befitting a princess. It pains me, but I can’t reveal my true feelings even to my closest maids or knight escorts. Let alone the kind Ehlertt people.”
For the people here, fighting was simply a responsibility they accepted without question. Julius had even called those trying to avoid fighting criminals.
Waltride couldn’t admit her fear of fighting. Even if she tried to become a commoner to avoid fighting, the fact of being the king’s daughter would remain unchanged. She couldn’t live a peaceful life.
“In that regard, I’m just a commoner alchemist.”
“Yes, only you could say such things. If you were to spread this, I could punish you for slander and insult.”
At her threat-like warning, Karen tightened her lips. Now she understood why Waltride had been so pleased that Karen hadn’t noticed the side effects of her Bloodline Blessing. Waltride was satisfied with her current self.
“Therefore, even if you discover a potion to make me lose weight, I don’t want you to use it.”
Waltride lowered her voice, as if—despite being alone with Karen—no one should hear.
“I know I’m saying something foolish. But I beg you.”
She bowed her head. Her neck’s flesh prevented more than a slight nod, but her desperation was palpable. Waltride thought Karen might eventually find a potion to cure her condition.
Faced with this urgent plea, Karen closed her eyes, thought, and eventually nodded.
“Understood.”
“Really?”
Waltride looked at Karen suspiciously.
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