The Former Prince Who Lost Everything Becomes a Masked Strategist, Dominates from the Shadows, and Vows Revenge - Chapter 8.2

One by one, she wrapped my wounds until my entire body was covered in bandages.

Finally, she gently wrapped my head, covering my left eye like an eyepatch.

Once she was done, she helped me back into my clothes and smiled softly.

“Now, let’s go, Your Highness. Once we get through this forest, we’ll reach Blanchette territory, and—”

It happened in an instant.

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

Then—

An arrow shot out from between the trees and pierced Hannah’s shoulder.

“…Ah.”

Hannah stumbled, clutching her shoulder, her gaze snapping toward the direction the arrow had come from.

And then—

Through the shadows of the trees, knights emerged.

And at the center of them all—

Gaston.

“Fuhahahahahahaha!!! Did you really think you could escape from me, you fools?!”

“Gaston…!!”

Hannah glared at him, her eyes sharp with fury.

Gaston clicked his tongue, looking annoyed.

“A mere maid dares to address me without respect?! I am the future Knight King! Mind your manners!!”

“The only rightful heir to the throne is Lord Grace. Not you.”

“Such insolence…!”

Gaston’s face twisted with irritation—but then, he sneered, his lips curling into a wicked grin.

“A pathetic prince, blind in one eye, frail and starved—Grace won’t last much longer. The man you risk your life to protect is already worthless. Hand him over, maid. If you do, I might just spare your life. But if you resist…”

Gaston raised his hand, and behind him, the knights drew their bows.

Hannah stepped protectively in front of me as I lay on the ground.

Without hesitation, she pulled a dagger from her sleeve and held it at the ready.

◇　　◇　　◇　　◇　　◇

Royal Palace Courtyard

Under the vast night sky, Lilliette gazed up at the full moon.

A quiet voice called out behind her.

“…Are you okay, Lilliette?”

She turned to see Alphonse standing there. A small smile tugged at her lips.

“I really must be terrible at acting. When Gaston tried to kiss me in the throne room earlier… I couldn’t help but push him away.”

“That’s only natural. You don’t love Gaston—you love Grace. I didn’t expect him to pull such a stunt in front of so many people either… I almost stepped in on instinct.”

“Oh? The crybaby Alphonse, trying to protect me? How bold.”

“Of course. We’ve been childhood friends since forever, haven’t we?”

With that, Alphonse stepped beside her and looked up at the massive tree towering in the courtyard.

“Grace didn’t kill the King. We, his childhood friends, know that better than anyone.”

“Yes… That’s why, ever since Grace was imprisoned four years ago, we each chose our own ways to help him. I decided to get close to Gaston, using an engagement as leverage to gain permission to see Grace.”

“And I chose to swear false loyalty to Gaston, playing the role of his knight, so I could uncover where Grace was being held. After Grandfather… after former Knight Commander Gilbert and all those loyal to the late King were dismissed, the only ones left in the castle who can still help Grace… are us. We have to be careful.”

Lilliette suddenly looked up at Alphonse, her voice trembling.

“Alphonse… I’m fourteen now. Do you think I’ve… grown prettier? Do you think Grace still remembers me? Do you think he’s still… alive? I… I just want to see him again… I miss him so much…”

Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at the moon through the canopy of deep green leaves.

Alphonse clenched his fists, his face twisting with anguish.

“Gaston has always hated Grace. I’m sure he’s been subjected to unimaginable torture.”

“…Hic… sniff…”

“But Grace isn’t the type to give up. Just like when we fought against those kidnappers all those years ago—he will never stop fighting. No matter what happens, he will survive.”

“I… I hate this. Even if it’s just a lie, I hate calling myself Gaston’s fiancée! I hate speaking ill of Grace! It makes my skin crawl every time Gaston touches me! But I endured it—for Grace! Because I love him more than anything!”

Lilliette wrapped her arms around herself, trembling as she shouted out her feelings.

Alphonse lowered his head, unable to find the right words to comfort her.

Then—

A knight rushed toward them from behind.

“Lady Lilliette! There you are!”

The moment she saw the knight—one of Gaston’s men—Lilliette quickly wiped away her tears.

She slipped back into the mask of Gaston’s dutiful fiancée.

“Why are you in such a hurry? If possible, I’d like to be alone right now.”

“The Demon of Regicide, Grace, has escaped from prison with the help of a maid! Right now, Lord Gaston and the knights are searching for him!”

“…What?”

Lilliette and Alphonse widened their eyes in shock at the knight’s report.

◇　　◇　　◇　　◇　　◇

“Are you serious? Do you really think you can take on this entire knighthood with just that tiny knife?”

Gaston let out a booming “Fuhahahaha!”, and his knights joined in, mocking Hannah.

As I lay sprawled on the ground, I glared at Gaston and shouted.

“Gaston…! I’ll surrender peacefully…! Just let Hannah go!”

“!? Your Highness, what are you saying?!”

Hannah turned to me, her face filled with shock.

I forced a strained smile and spoke softly.

“I don’t want to lose anyone important to me ever again. Now that Lilliette and Alphonse have become my enemies… you’re the only one I have left, Hannah.”

“Oh? That’s quite useful information.”

Gaston smirked and crossed his arms.

“Then perhaps it would be amusing to have these knights have their way with your precious maid. If the last person you cherish is reduced to a mere plaything before your eyes… what kind of expression will you make then, Grace?”

“Y-You bastard!! Gaston!! How much more depraved can you get?! You’re no longer human—you’re a demon!!”

“No, Grace. The only demon here… is you, the prince who killed his own father.”

A twisted grin spread across his face.

“Now then, knights—violate the maid.”

Gaston’s command rang through the air—but for a brief moment, the knights hesitated.

A flicker of unease passed between them.

Seeing this, Gaston’s expression darkened, and he raised his voice.

“What, you dare disobey me?! Surely you all remember what happens to those who defy me?!”

At his words, the knights visibly flinched, shoulders stiffening.

And then—

Hannah took advantage of their hesitation.

She hoisted me onto her back and bolted into the depths of the forest.

Gaston’s eyes went wide with fury as he barked out an order.

“!? SHOOT THEM!! DON’T LET THEM ESCAPE—!!!”

A barrage of arrows rained down from above.

Hannah came to a sudden stop, set me down, and… threw her arms around me, shielding me with her body.

“STOP! HANNAH—!!”

“Lord Grace… Please… live.”

She smiled softly—

And then.

Thud. Thud.

The sickening sound of arrows piercing flesh.

Bl00d trickled from the corner of her lips.

Her body trembled.

And then—Hannah collapsed against me, her eyes fluttering shut.

“Hannah!? Hey—Hannah!!”

Something warm and wet spread over my hands.

I looked down.

My palms were drenched in red.

I turned her over, and my breath caught in my throat.

Her back was riddled with arrows.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

And then—

A shattered, broken cry escaped my lips.

“Ah… ahhhhhhh… ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Hannah’s body fell lifelessly onto the ground.

Her eyelids fluttered weakly as she whispered her final words.

“…Lord Grace… The days I spent with you… were my most precious… treasure…”

I slammed my fist against the ground.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Until my knuckles split open.

Until the pain no longer mattered.

Until—

A shadow loomed over me.

Gaston.

A smirk twisted on his face.

“I had planned to have the knights violate her right in front of you, but she just had to go and pull this little stunt… how disappointing.”

Then—

He kicked Hannah’s lifeless body.

Something inside me snapped.

A beast within me… finally went mad.

“I’LL KILL YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! GASTOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNN!!!”

With every ounce of strength left in my body, I lunged at him.

For the first time, I saw fear in his eyes.

“H-Hii—!!”

Gaston fell backward, landing on his rear.

I reached out—

I would rip out his throat with my bare hands.
I would gut him alive and tear him apart limb by limb.

But—

Clang!

Two spears crossed in front of me, blocking my path.

Two knights stood before Gaston, shielding him.

“You dare stand in my way?! WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO INTERFERE?!! Get out of my way, you insolent scum!! I’LL DRAG YOU ALL INTO HELL WITH ME!!”

The knights swallowed nervously at my rage.

“T-This… this is the true form of the Demon Prince…”

“Lord Gaston was right… That kind face he wore was all an act. This… this is the real Grace…”

“His eyes… they’re the eyes of a bloodthirsty beast…!”

“And who do you think turned me into this?!”

I lurched forward—

But a sudden, piercing pain ripped through my body.

I staggered.

And collapsed.

“Hah…”

“…Hah…”

I gasped for breath, my body screaming in agony.

Gaston let out a small, amused chuckle.

He got to his feet, dusting off his coat as he looked down at me.

“A burst of adrenaline, huh? I must admit… that was quite the surprise, Grace.”

I glared at him, my breaths ragged.

“Hah… Hah… Gaston… I’ll kill you… I swear I’ll kill you…!”

“Oh? And how exactly do you plan to do that, in your current state?”

With a vicious grin, Gaston kicked me in the stomach.

My weakened body had no resistance—I was sent rolling across the dirt.

“Hahahahaha!! You’re as light as a feather! Your arms and legs are nothing but bones, so thin and weak that you can barely move them! I could kill you here and now—but there’s no need.”

I gasped, clutching my ribs.

Gaston loomed over me, his smirk widening.

“This forest is home to countless wolf-like monsters. Grace, you will be devoured alive. As you die, you can curse your own foolishness for ever thinking you could stand in my way.”

With that, Gaston turned on his heel.

He and his knights left me behind, disappearing into the shadows.

I lay there, staring at their retreating figures.

And then—

I roared into the night.

“I WILL DRAG YOU ALL TO HELL!!!

HADES! GASTON! EVERY LAST MEMBER OF HOUSE AGRANTE! THE ROYAL KNIGHTS! ALPHONSE! LILLIETTE!

I—NO, I AM COMING BACK!!!

I WILL RETURN TO TAKE BACK EVERYTHING YOU STOLE FROM ME!!!”

Hahaha! Crawl on the ground like the worm you are and try not to get eaten, Caterpillar Prince! Fuhahahahahahahahaha!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

Gaston and his knights rode off, heading toward the castle that stood atop a distant hill.

I watched them go.

I watched the castle they disappeared into.

And I swore.

I would steal this kingdom from Gaston.

I would build my own order of knights, an army that could stand against the entire kingdom—one I could truly trust.

My weapon is my mind.

To bring down Gaston, I needed swords that would follow me.

“Power… If I am to fulfill my vengeance, I need pawns…!”

Muttering those words, I clenched the dirt in my fist.