How to Survive as a Princess in a Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 97
“Father, Lord Isaac isn’t the kind of person to do such a thing.”
“There’s another one, isn’t there? That mutt.”
“Ah.”
“Who else would dare commit such a brazen act in the royal palace? That mutt, with his elven blood, is even capable of handling spirits. He must have used them to steal it.”
“But Father, Nepheli has been out of power for a long time. What reason would she have to do something like this now? And surely, Evgenia wouldn’t have approved if she saw Uncle’s blueprints. It might simply be a coincidence…….”
“No reason, you say? Your Highness, do you truly believe that?”
“Father, do you think there’s another reason?”
“Do you recall the proposal the First Princess presented during the last banquet? That proposal succeeded, drawing the attention of the central nobles to the First Princess. Even Evgenia herself praised it highly.”
“But that was just a stroke of luck…….”
“Your Highness, such luck accumulates and eventually leads to results. Perhaps the First Princess sees this as her chance to reclaim her position.”
“…….”
“Your Highness, the First Princess has changed. You must stay vigilant.”
At those words, Meliana couldn’t help but recall the recent instances of Nepheli she had witnessed.
The truth was, Meliana had noticed it too. Nepheli had indeed changed.
What solidified that certainty for her was the sight of Nepheli mingling with commoners, personally distributing medicine.
Nepheli distributing medicine alongside her? At first, Meliana outright denied it.
‘There’s no way that timid sister could do such a thing. Father must be mistaken.’
But, just in case, she went to check for herself.
To her shock, Nepheli was indeed there—smiling warmly as she personally greeted commoners and handed out medicine.
This was the same woman who, after her mana circuit had been damaged, had avoided leaving her chambers and feared meeting strangers.
But now…….
‘Now, of all times?’
Changing like this? Was it to aim for the successor’s seat again? After years of doing nothing?
‘I won’t let her.’
Whatever else happened, the throne was non-negotiable. The throne was hers.
As soon as Meliana returned to the palace, she sought out Morris. She needed to tell him that, just as he’d said, Nepheli had clearly changed—and that they needed to be cautious.
However, someone had arrived to see Morris before her.
“……Uncle?”
“I greet Your Highness. May the light of Lublin be with you.”
Talus Futurum, the current Duke of Futurum, stood up upon seeing Meliana.
“Did you return safely from your outing?”
“Yes, well… more or less. But I didn’t expect to see you here, Uncle. If I had known, I would have come by later.”
“How could I, of all people, make Your Highness wait? Besides, I was just discussing something Your Highness ought to know as well.”
“Something I need to know?”
“Yes, this.”
Talus pushed a wooden box from the table toward her. As Meliana peeked inside, her eyes widened in shock.
“Why is this here?”
“We’re still investigating the details, but it is likely the work of the First Princess.”
“Nepheli did this?”
“Yes. I received reports that this has been happening since the day the First Princess became active. Truly…… to think she’d not only steal my designs but also commit such an act…….”
Talus struggled to maintain his composure, but the anger seeping through his voice was unmistakable.
“This is undoubtedly a declaration of war against both our house and Your Highness. We cannot and must not let this slide.”
“My brother is correct. The First Princess will pay dearly for daring to cross us, won’t she, Your Highness?”
“But isn’t it still uncertain? Acting recklessly could backfire on us.”
It wasn’t that she intended to side with Nepheli. She believed Talus’s claim that Nepheli had orchestrated this. Her recent actions had been suspicious enough to warrant such assumptions. Even if they weren’t true, Meliana needed to believe they were.
She felt an ever-growing threat from Nepheli and harbored a deep desire to crush her completely, ensuring she could never rise again.
Still, moving against Nepheli based on mere suspicions risked accusations of false charges, which could provoke Evgenia’s displeasure. Lately, Evgenia had been unusually favorable toward Nepheli.
“I understand Your Highness’s concerns. However, I assure you, there’s no need to worry. The snare has already been set.”
