Who Could Have Loved the Monster Princess? - Chapter 32
As noon approached, the garden filled with participants. The imperial staff diligently prepared snacks and drinks for the nobles under the awnings.
A servant came by to ask if I needed anything. Rose politely declined on my behalf and returned to my side. However, the person coming back with her wasn’t alone. Carnelian, adorned with jewels and gilded armor, followed behind Rose. When I stood up to greet him, Rose looked behind her in surprise.
“Greetings, Dawn of Latropole.”
“Belienne, thank you for attending again this year.”
Strangely, he seemed genuinely grateful.
“Is there something good happening?”
“I’m participating in this year’s tournament. I’m very much looking forward to it.”
He had always been the organizer, but participating?
You’re the organizer, and you’re participating, Your Highness?”
Carnelian nodded enthusiastically with a bright smile. “Indeed. I’ve hidden my flag as well, so it would be nice if you tried to find it.”
No, I didn’t need the flag of the crown prince. If I ever needed Carnelian’s assistance, negotiating without finding the flag would suffice. He had plenty to offer to Staedt.
“You can find it and ask for my hand.”
“…?”
What did he mean? It sounded like he’s asking me to marry him. I don’t know what the hell he meant by that, but it felt like a joke, so I chose not to respond.
Carnelian sighed, seemingly frustrated.
“I have a gift of my own for you, though.”
“A gift….”
I waited, wondering what he would give, but Carnelian only gave me a meaning-laden smile.
“You’ll find out once the tournament is underway.”
What else did he have in store for me? Did he put a salamander in a Staedt flag box?
‘Then it’s a real war.’
Surely he wouldn’t stoop to insulting House Staedt like that. I grew uneasy. As our conversation ended and silence fell between us, a group of young men who had been observing us approached.
“Your Highness, would you mind if we joined your conversation with the Duchess?”
I welcomed the idea; after all, the purpose of my participation was to interact with them. Carnelian looked like he was about to decline, but then he looked at me, hid his trepidation, and nodded.
“I’ll allow it.”
“Thank you! Your Highness is truly majestic today. Might I inquire if you are personally participating in the tournament this time?”
“No way, is His Highness’s flag hidden as well?”
There was keen interest.
“There have been many requests for arranged marriages in the trade between nobles, but I wonder if your majesty has such a request in mind?”
Carnelian only offered a mysterious smile.
I asked, puzzled, “Is it not so? You even said that if I find the flag, I’m welcome to ask for Your Highness’s hand.”
We all laughed at what sounded like a very witty joke. Carnelian also chuckled lightly while looking at me. However, there was a look in his eyes that somehow hinted it wasn’t just a joke.
Everyone raised their voices, saying that Carnelian was finally ready to welcome his Crown Princess. At that moment, the event coordinator and the prince’s aide approached Carnelian.
He bowed to me and said, “I must go and see to the preparations. Belienne, I hope you get what you desire today.”
“As do you, Your Highness.”
As Carnelian walked away, discussions about the potential for a Crown Princess to finally be determined filled the air around me. Even outside the estate where the participants who couldn’t enter the garden had gathered, there were conversations about the crown princess.
I glanced over the fence.
‘I have a strange feeling about this…’
I felt like something was going to happen. It was an unpleasant feeling, as if I had entered the realm of a demon. But when I focused on feeling my mana to figure out if there were any demons nearby, there didn’t seem to be anything unusual.
‘Is it just my imagination?’
Lily trailed behind me, peering beyond the dry vines clinging to the fence. “There seem to be more participants than last year, could it be because His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is attending?”
“I don’t think so,” Daisy said smugly. “Most of these people only found out today.”
“Don’t you know? It’s because of the succession issue with the Bittern Territory.”
“Succession issue?”
“Well, ever since Lord Bittern disappeared, there’s been a dispute over the succession rights. That’s why the ownership of the estate hasn’t been decided yet.”
The Bittern manor was currently without an owner. The lord had abandoned the defense of the manor when it was attacked by demons and fled to another country, never to be seen again.
He had no heirs, but there were plenty of people from his family left to inherit the estate, and who should inherit it was always hotly debated.
“But what does the succession issue of the territory have to do with the Flag Hunt Contest?”
“Because the Emperor has said that he will grant the succession to the heir candidate who performs well in the tournament.”
“Through the tournament? How will they judge that?”
“Probably by finding a lot of flags, wouldn’t you think?”
In the end, it turned out that the heir candidate who found the most flags in this contest would inherit the territory.
“Since finding more flags means more families to request support from.”
Unless a rival heir found the Emperor’s flag and asked for support, there shouldn’t be any problem, and the ownership of the territory would go to the person who found the most flags.
From what I’ve heard, there are more than a dozen people claiming the right of succession. There are three candidates in sight. All of them were chatting merrily with the nobles who supported them. The others were probably outside, talking to their respective backers.
‘I heard there’s even a five-year-old candidate this year…. Is he not here because it’s dangerous?’
Listening to Lily and Daisy’s conversation, Rose, who had been eavesdropping, looked around.
“With so many competitors, it seems challenging to find even one flag….”
