FTMR 29

Chapter 29

“Has His Grace the Grand Duke Ever Spoken About Me?”

“Haha…”

Crown Prince Mikhail still couldn’t take his eyes off Anette, who appeared to be his age, amazed that she was actually an adult.

The Empress had asked him to keep watch for just a moment, and as he lingered by her side, Anette found herself unconsciously checking the time, wondering when they would arrive.

Mikhail, just as she had thought before, was far kinder and cuter than Laon or Bridget had been—but Anette found children generally uncomfortable.

Perhaps it was because she had endured too much from Bridget and Laon for so long, leaving a lingering aversion.

Despite their innocent faces, children often said cruel things casually and had gotten her into trouble more than once.

“You’re really a princess, Princess Uncle!”

…Of course, part of the novelty was that such pure, well-meaning words were unfamiliar.

Watching Mikhail so openly express his fondness toward her, Anette gave an awkward smile and suddenly spoke a question that had come to mind.

“Um… Your Highness, Crown Prince…”

“Yes?”

“Well… has His Grace the Grand Duke ever spoken about me?”

Even before she had collapsed yesterday, Mikhail had looked at her and exclaimed “My uncle’s princess!” with a surprised expression.

It had seemed as though his reaction was instinctive, as if he already knew something about her, which puzzled her. Now, hearing similar words again, she couldn’t help but ask.

Anette felt that Kardin calling her “princess” wasn’t just a simple title and waited for Mikhail’s answer.

“Yes! I heard! My uncle talks a lot about the princess!”

Mikhail answered excitedly without hesitation.

Anette blinked, asking, “Really?”

She had suspected that when Kardin said he knew her well and wanted her as a marriage partner from the beginning, it wasn’t just idle gossip.

But she hadn’t realized he would have spoken about her to others, and even “a lot.”

‘Come to think of it, even when he told me about writing the marriage proposal to the Emperor, he seemed to already know about me.’

That meant not only the Grand Duke but perhaps even the Empress Dowager had observed her to some degree.

Suddenly, Anette felt her mouth dry.

These were members of the Alkan royal family she had only vaguely recognized until recently—she never expected to meet them.

The thought that they might have been watching her for quite some time sent a chill down her spine.

What could they have said?

Surely not anything bad.

Seeing how favorable they were toward her, and considering the Grand Duke’s attitude, she thought it impossible—but she still worried. She knew all too well what rumors and attention she had drawn.

The seed of a demon… taken by her late mother, unacknowledged by her father…

Trying to calm her racing heart, she asked with a stiff expression,

“Has His Grace the Grand Duke… said anything about me?”

“My uncle said about the princess?”

Mikhail tilted his head in confusion at Anette’s question, then blinked and clapped his hands.

“Of course! He said you’re the person he respects most in the world!”

Anette’s expression twisted slightly.

Would it have been less surprising if he had said she was someone he liked?

Of course, even that seemed unbelievable—a mistake in judgment.

Still, since it was about a potential marriage partner, she had included that possibility in her mental list of expected answers.

But “respects the most”? That was unexpected.

Muttering to herself, unsure if she was embarrassed or disappointed, she said,

“Respects….”

“Yes! My uncle is incredibly smart and can do everything, but he said you’re the coolest, strongest, and most amazing person in the world, and that’s why he respects you the most!”

“I see…”

Anette’s reaction, slightly awkward despite the praise, went unnoticed by Mikhail, who continued excitedly,

“Actually, I wasn’t sure even after hearing my uncle talk about you. Because our Abamama, Urmamama, and Halmamama are all so amazing too!”

Anette agreed with that.

Surrounded by people of remarkable status, talent, and character, why would they respect her—especially when she herself was competent in every way?

“But my uncle was right! Yesterday, when the princess flew and tore the tree apart, I finally understood!”

“I didn’t tear it,” Anette quietly corrected, but Mikhail, already caught up in his excitement, didn’t hear.

She had seen the doors fly and stick to the window frame or return to their original state like a dream, but she had never seen a massive tree instantly reduced to an unrecognizable form.

After a long burst of excitement, Mikhail wiggled his fingers and asked,

“So, um…”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Are you really stronger than my uncle?”

“…What?”

“My uncle said you’re the strongest knight in the continent. But my uncle’s really strong too… can you really beat him?”

Seeing his pure, curious eyes, Anette chose her words carefully. She didn’t want to give a careless answer, whether because of his admiration or because swordsmanship was the only skill she could boast of.

“Well… I’ve heard that His Grace Grand Duke Harzent is also an exceptional swordsman…”

Many knights had come seeking to gauge her true skill, sometimes hoping to defeat her and make a name for themselves. Among them were winners of the continent-wide Alkan Empire sword tournament; Harzent himself had won five years ago.

But he had never sought to challenge her. At the time, her reputation was not widespread, and afterward, he would have been busy with war against the Bayendor Empire… so it made sense.

‘Come to think of it, when did my name become so well-known?’

Anette, who had never left the Hayworth Kingdom and had only focused quietly on demon hunting, had no idea how her skill had become famous. She had paid little attention to her continental reputation and the visits of skilled challengers… but now she was curious.

“Princess?”

Mikhail’s eager gaze seemed to urge her for an answer.

Apologetically smiling, Anette admitted honestly,

“I’m sorry. I don’t know either. I’ve never faced His Grace in a duel…”

“The princess would win.”

At that, a firm voice came from the doorway.

“Uncle!”

Mikhail turned and spotted Kardin leaning against the open reception room door, calling out excitedly as he ran toward him.

Kardin immediately put his hand under Mikhail’s armpit, lifting him up.

Unbothered by the black mask, Mikhail wrapped his arms around Kardin’s neck.

“Has our little one gotten heavier than last time?”

“Abamama said I’m going to grow really tall now!”

“Wow, soon you’ll catch up to me. Isn’t that too fast?”

Kardin feigned difficulty, while Mikhail laughed gleefully, rubbing his cheek against the cold mask.

If she hadn’t heard the Emperor explain that royal children grow slightly slower before awakening their powers and then rapidly after, it would have sounded like a cute joke.

Anette watched the playful interaction between Mikhail and Kardin with some surprise. Yesterday had been tense, but normally, he was this affectionate with his nephew.

Sensing her gaze, Kardin turned to look at her.

The eyes behind the mask softened.

Anette looked away instinctively, her cheeks heating for no reason.

Being clearly noticed by someone could be so exhilarating.

“Um…”

Mikhail glanced back and forth between her and Kardin, who was smiling at her, then tilted his head and asked,

“But uncle, if you fought the princess, would you lose?”

“Yes, I would.”

Kardin answered without a hint of hesitation.

Anette snapped back to reality.

Even if he was speaking to a child, she shouldn’t accept vague statements as truth.

“Your Highness, you’ve never actually dueled with me.”

She assumed Kardin was exaggerating to praise her.

Seeing her narrowed eyes, Kardin chuckled and whispered to Mikhail,

“How could uncle ever attack the princess in the first place?”

Ah. That’s what he meant by “lose.”

Though she understood the logic, she didn’t fully accept it. A fight and a formal duel were very different.

Even if she had been casually appointed a knight by the king before hunting demons, and later officially recognized as a knight and tournament champion, Harzent might not consider her a proper swordsman yet…

Still, she felt a twinge of bitterness. She had been wielding a sword for a long time, yet no one seemed to acknowledge her as a worthy sparring partner.

Challengers who came often left quietly once the demon hunts were done. They had realized the difference in skill mid-hunt, but Anette didn’t know that.

Frustrated by her unrecognized ambition, she heard Kardin whisper to Mikhail conspiratorially,

“And actually, if we really fought, it’d be a big problem. The princess can beat uncle with just one hand.”