Chapter 5: Mom’s Pocket

One of the villains in the novel, the Knight of Betrayal, Lucius.

The second son of Count Grendal, who is loyal to the second prince, and a piece of trash who puts Justia in danger midway through the story.

Watching him surrounded by a crowd, his pants gradually soaking wet, was quite unsettling.

‘Ah, this is a bit much.’

To be honest, I didn’t mean to go this far.

I thought just scaring him a little would make him say something like, ‘Tsk, I’ll retreat for now!’

But maybe remembering what he and the second prince did in the original work made me snap.

Before I knew it, my actions had become sharp and cutting.

Fortunately, Justia and the other students hadn’t noticed yet.

If I left it as it was, I’d end up as the one who made Her Highness’s knight wet himself, so I quickly retracted my killing intent.

Whoosh—

“Ugh… Huh!?”

Lucius seemed to snap out of it and reacted.

When his eyes met mine, a shadow of fear spread across his face.

I spoke in a low tone to the trembling man who looked like a terrified dog.

“Get lost.”

“Eek! I-I apologize!”

Forgetting his role as a bodyguard, Lucius scrambled away in a hurry.

As he dashed through the crowd like the wind, a faint smell of urine lingered in the air where he’d been.

“I seem to have gone too far just trying to scare him. Shall we continue where we left off?”

“…What exactly are you scheming?”

“Who knows? Do you remember what I told you earlier?”

My voice was heavy yet soft.

With an arrogant attitude, I spoke with a hint of goodwill.

My crimson eyes met the golden gaze of the cautious girl before me.

“You mean about becoming your ally?”

Her tone dripped with suspicion.

A chuckle escaped my lips.

Yes, it’s only natural to doubt me.

The relationship between the Develion family and the royal family is far from harmonious.

Sigh.

A deep sorrow settled in my chest, but I let it pass.

What mattered was an unyielding resolve.

I slowly approached Justia and whispered into her ear.

“Your Highness is currently isolated within the royal family, isn’t that right?”

“…How do you know that?”

“It’s common knowledge among high-ranking nobles.”

“Is that so…”

Justia bit her lip with a hardened expression, looking visibly deflated after her vulnerability was exposed.
I spoke to her in a gentle tone.

“Don’t worry. I truly mean it when I say I will be on your side. For now, I will assign one of my family’s knights to escort you, and we can discuss the details after the entrance ceremony.”

“…Alright.”

“Then I will be waiting at the dessert shop in the commercial district. I’ll take my leave now.”

I turned lightly and bid farewell. I could feel Eustia’s gaze on the back of my head, but I ignored it.

‘The Northern Duke is cold.’

Dragging my unwilling feet, I headed toward the commercial district.

* * *

After returning from the academy.

I had rented out the finest dessert shop in the commercial district and was waiting for Justia.

‘The view is nice.’

Indeed, the scenery drenched in money was something else.

The shops lining the streets reminded me of famous Eastern European tourist spots, and watching the people strolling along the roads was an entertaining pastime.

This is what life in another world is like.

Compared to my previous life, the lack of modern conveniences was a pity, but the clear skies free of fine dust weren’t too bad.

“Here is your strawberry cake and tea, as ordered.”

As I absentmindedly admired the view outside, the server brought the desserts to the table.

A delicate cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream, and warm tea.

They were all things Justia liked.

“Everything is perfect.”

I slowly lifted the teacup, savoring the aroma of the tea.

Just as a confident smile spread across my face, a clear voice like a music box sounded beside me.

“Duke, you’ve been waiting.”

When I turned toward the direction of the voice, I saw Eustia entering in her academy uniform.

A beautiful girl with golden hair so radiant it could make even a goddess envious.

It might have been my imagination, but it looked like there was a halo glowing behind her.

More importantly, that outfit.

‘The buttons look like they’re about to pop.’

The overwhelming gravity of her chest drew attention with an undeniable force.

Her uniform top seemed on the verge of surrendering to the monumental burden it bore.

“Sorry for being late. The headmaster arrived late, so the entrance ceremony was slightly delayed.”

Justia, apologizing for her tardiness, seemed unbothered by the precarious state of her chest.

As I listened to her words, I raised an eyebrow slightly.

‘Endless…’

Ah, the mention of the headmaster brought to mind that neglectful guardian dragon who wandered the continent, oblivious to the academy’s glaring security flaws.

It was a familiar name.

In the future, she would become one of the key allies who supported the protagonist and Justia.

I lifted my teacup with a faint smile curling at the corners of my lips.

“That’s all right. More importantly, please enjoy. It’s black tea and strawberry cake. I hope you like it.

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Eustia expressed her gratitude and gently grasped the fork

She then sliced off the corner of the cake, brought it softly to her lips, and widened her eyes.

“…Mmm!”

It seemed she was quite pleased.

Heh.

By now, the fluffy sponge and soft whipped cream must be ravaging her taste buds.

Seeing my beloved heroine eating cake like a hamster…

I can confidently say this is one of the top three most rewarding moments since I was reincarnated into this world.

After watching Eustia move her fork three more times, I finally brought up the main topic.

“Then, let’s get straight to the point. From now on, the Develion family will support Your Highness in the competition for the throne.”

“…Are you serious about that?”

Her tone suggested disbelief.

But there was unmistakable hope mixed in.

Surrounded by stillness, her situation was one of isolation.

I was the only one who could respond to her need for someone to rely on.

“Of course.”

My answer was without a hint of hesitation.

Hearing this, a flicker of emotion appeared in Eustia’s eyes.

She stared at me intently for a long moment before slowly parting her lips.

“What do you want?”

“What I want…”

The sharp question caught me off guard for a moment.

I didn’t particularly have any intention of using Justia, as I had told Raphaella.

Before my reincarnation, she had been my source of joy after long days of soul-crushing work.

I simply wanted to help her out of pure admiration as a fan.

There wasn’t any ulterior motive.

But whether Justia would believe that was another matter.

And if I lied, she’d likely see through it.

‘Ah, to hell with it.’

“Because I’m interested in Your Highness.”

“…What?”

“Didn’t you hear me? Then let me repeat. I’m interested in Your Highness—”

“No, no, I heard you! Uh… So, that means, Your Highness… is interested in… me?”

At my words, Justia’s cheeks flushed, and she twisted her body awkwardly.

I hadn’t expected such a reaction.

In the original story, the protagonist was such a clueless idiot that there were no moments like this.

‘I only said I was interested. Is she really this defenseless when it comes to this sort of thing?’

Well, given her status as a princess and her otherworldly beauty, it was likely she’d had few opportunities to interact with the opposite sex.

But then Justia pressed her arms together, squishing her ample chest in the process, and the buttons on her outfit looked like they were on the verge of exploding.

“Da… dangerous…!”

At this rate, the flying button would pierce right through my forehead.

I stood up and reached out toward Justia.

“Your Highness, does this mean you accept my proposal?”

“Y-Yes?”

“I asked if you accept the proposal.”

“Y-Yes… Though I am lacking in many ways, I look forward to your guidance.”

Justia hesitated, but extended her hand toward me.

Her response made me tilt my head slightly in confusion, but I soon brushed it off and gently held her pale hand.

“The pleasure is mine. I will do my utmost to assist you moving forward.”

A soft smile curved my lips.

I lightly bowed and, in the shop filled with sweet desserts, I placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

* * *

That night, at the top floor of the academy dormitory…

Having finally found some time to rest, Justia collapsed onto her bed with a sigh.

“Phew… Today was such a busy day. If only I had two bodies…”

From the academy entrance ceremony to the sudden meeting with the grand duke, and even the paperwork for her duties as a princess…

Her body felt as though it were melting, the tension of the day finally subsiding.

“I was really surprised. I never thought the grand duke would say something like that.”

That he was interested in her.

As she pondered the meaning behind his words, Justia turned to her side and closed her eyes.

Her large, pale bosom rested like a slime on the bed.

Golden hair cascaded down her delicate shoulders.

“The Grand Duke…”

He was truly an enigmatic man.

Until now, he had seemed to despise her.

But the way he acted today was undoubtedly different from before.

One thing was certain—he had become an ally she could rely on.

It was hard to believe, but with her natural ability to judge people and the experience she had gained over the years, she could tell…

He had changed.

As if he had become a completely different person.

“…Still, he was quite impressive.”

With a decadent aura, his appearance was famous even in high society.

His jet-black hair and crimson eyes were like a work of art.

As she imagined his face, a particular moment came to mind—

The scene in the dessert shop where he kissed the back of her hand as they said goodbye.

“Was it this hand?”

Justia slowly lifted her left hand.

A small, slender hand.

Its back was so pale it seemed almost translucent.

She stared at it blankly.

It felt as though a faint warmth still lingered there.

“…No one’s around, right?”

Justia glanced around, wondering if her maid, Anna, might be nearby.

But after calling out several times, she heard no response.

“…..”

Alone in her room,

She turned her attention back to the faint warmth lingering on the back of her hand.

Slowly, she brought her lips toward the spot, playfully planting a light kiss on it.