The Villainous Noble Son Wants to Capture His Stepsister! - Chapter 26

“This time, the party is said to be a small gathering. Only those close to the Second Princess will be attending.”

Yes.

Yes, I remember those words clearly.

And yes, they weren’t wrong.

They weren’t wrong, but…

“It has been a while, son of Wertheim. I am Wurzel von Blumenkranz.”

“A pleasure to see you again, Lord Kraut. And greetings to the lovely young lady accompanying you. I am Chamelie von Blumenkranz.”

“It has been a while, Lord Kraut. And a pleasure to meet you, Lady Primelia. I am Lilliane von Blumenkranz.”

“………”

“………”

Both Primelia and I were left speechless.

This was so far beyond our expectations that we couldn’t even react.

Because—come on!

Of all the people who could have been at this party… why is it just us, Lilliane, and… the King and Queen!?!

◇

The day of Lilliane’s birthday party.

Given my position, it wasn’t ideal for me to leave my territory for long, so I didn’t arrive in the capital early. Instead, we set out at dawn.

Since running into my capital-dwelling family would be a pain, we used a discreet, unmarked carriage.

I felt bad about the travel strain on Primelia, but when I apologized, she smiled and forgave me.

She really is a goddess.

After some time, our carriage arrived in the royal capital.

The city was enclosed by towering walls, with three main gates for entry and exit—East, West, and South.

We passed through the South Gate, where we underwent formalities.

Normally, inspections would be required, but flashing a ducal seal meant we were waved through immediately.

Come to think of it, this is my first time in the royal capital since my reincarnation.

I have Kraut’s memories, so it doesn’t feel new, but still…

Beyond the gate, a wide boulevard stretched ahead, bustling with people.

And at its farthest point—the royal castle stood tall.

As we got closer, its grandeur became clear.

Its imposing stone structure, with its carefully arranged masonry, exuded the dignity of generations of monarchs.

Visually, it reminded me of Windsor Castle in England.

Primelia’s eyes sparkled at the sight.

She really is an angel.

Our carriage stopped at the entrance, and I helped Primelia down.

Waiting for us was an elderly butler, dressed immaculately—his posture and etiquette as flawless as Sebastian’s.

“Lord Kraut von Wertheim, Lady Primelia von Wertheim. We have been expecting you.”

“Thank you. Could you lead the way?”

“This way, please.”

Now that I think about it, I don’t believe I’ve met this butler before.

Which makes sense—I’ve never been invited to small, private royal gatherings.

Through the entrance, past the grand hall, and then…

Wait.

Hold on.

I’ve never been in this part of the castle before.

And this isn’t… a party venue.

“Lord Kraut, Lady Primelia. Thank you for coming today.”

We weren’t taken to a banquet hall.

Or a ballroom.

No—this was…

A dining room.

And inside sat the most powerful people in the kingdom.

Lilliane. The King. The Queen.

◇

――――――Huh!?

My brain short-circuited from the shock, and I suddenly found myself recalling everything that had happened up until now, like a near-death experience.

Even if this was basically a trap, I couldn’t afford to lose my composure before the King.

As Primelia stood frozen in shock, I subtly stepped in front of her, lightly squeezing her hand.

She flinched, which meant she was at least aware.

I let go and slowly knelt down, sensing her following my lead behind me.

Right knee on the floor, right hand to the chest, head lowered.

The formal male greeting when meeting the King.

For women, the protocol is different, so Primelia must be following that now… probably.

“Today is not an official audience or a formal gathering—it is a simple, private celebration. No need for stiff greetings. Relax, both of you.”

At the King’s words, I nodded slightly, then stood up.

As I lifted my head, I saw a smirk playing on his lips.

“You’ve grown quite refined since I last saw you. I hardly recognized you at first, with that face of yours.”

“…You jest, Your Majesty.”

…Please don’t bring up my past in front of Primelia.

I have imposed a strict gag order on my black history among my family.

If there were cameras in this world, I would have already asked Heliotrope to end me.

I needed to pull myself together and get through the formalities.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness the Queen, Your Highness the Princess. I apologize for my long absence. Thank you for your gracious invitation. This is my younger sister, Primelia. I humbly request your permission for her to be in your presence.”

“Granted.”

I gave Primelia a small push forward.

Despite her nerves, she straightened herself and spoke.

“P-Primelia von Wertheim. It is a great honor to meet you…!”

Perfect! Absolutely flawless!

I’m so proud of her!

…I might cry.

“Indeed, she is a lovely young lady. And now that Kraut has grown so refined, the two of you make quite the striking siblings.”

“Father.”

Lilliane cut him off before he could go on a tangent.

Well, she is the main focus today.

“Your Majesty, we can talk over the meal. Now then, please, take your seats.”

“Ah, of course. Now then, let’s enjoy the evening. No need to fuss over formalities.”

“R-Right…”

With the King and Queen’s approval, we finally took our seats.

That didn’t mean I could drop all noble etiquette, but at least the atmosphere was relaxed.

I should probably prepare a gift for Primelia later as an apology for dragging her into this.

…That’s what I thought would happen.

But—

“Fufu… At last, we’re alone, Lord Kraut.”

A locked room.

A smirking princess.

How did this happen!?