TFPHS 02

Chapter – 02

(We can skip the part in parentheses for now—it’s not our concern.)

The request date was only four days away, and the contract period lasted a full month.

Yet, despite that enormous number, my attention didn’t immediately go there—it went straight to the utterly absurd premise right before it:

“The Princess of Bristle!”

Bristle… that must be the wealthy island nation in the south of the Empire, right?

We—I mean, not we, but Rafael—couldn’t possibly play the role of a princess. So, this request would fall on me unless that kid was reborn or something.

So, are they really asking me to become the Princess of Bristle and attend a royal banquet?

And in exchange, they’ll return Millicent?

The part of me deeply ingrained with a commoner’s sensibility was flabbergasted by such an outrageous premise, but the request form brazenly continued toward the next ordeal.

2. The client must, by the day of the final hunting event, empty the enclosed leather pouch and hide it in the Crown Prince’s chamber inside the royal palace.

Wha—Crown Prince’s chamber…?

How on earth do I even get in there?!

I couldn’t even close my mouth as I continued reading the request form.

3. After completing the second task, the client will receive separate instructions for the final day’s hunting event.

Rafael and I exchanged incredulous looks.

In other words, the client was insane enough to withhold the third task until the last day.

Judging by this, the third task would probably be even crazier!

How could anyone accept this?

What if, on that hunting day, they demand I assassinate the Crown Prince?

No… right. I must have gone mad thinking that because of the insane request.

No matter how crazy the client, would they really harm our shining hope of the Empire?

That kind and beautiful person—what crime could they have possibly committed?!

I steadied myself and read the next line, which revealed why I couldn’t possibly refuse this request:

– This request form uses Millicent Suvia’s life as collateral. By signing, the magical document becomes effective and guarantees the collateral’s safety until the request is completed.

Ha…

What kind of scoundrel move is this?

Our Millicent is just a bit strong-handed, but a loyal citizen of the Empire.

Why should an innocent person become collateral for this nonsense request?!

But thinking further, this wasn’t just Millicent’s problem.

Given that the unknown client came all the way to our countryside, they likely know my true identity.

After all, I’m an unregistered, illegal magician—not even on the Mage Tower’s records, so my existence is technically illegal.

Yet, instead of the standard threat of reporting me, the client took Millicent away.

Wait a second.

To abduct Brisle’s strongest fire-fist Millicent without leaving a trace, wouldn’t at least a company of the imperial army need to be involved?

And Rafael, despite ten days of effort, couldn’t find even a single hair from her.

Does that make sense? There’s nothing Rafael can’t find!

I read the request form over and over, but its ridiculous contents didn’t change a single word.

Yet, there was no time to worry.

Just seeing hot-headed Millicent obediently write down the absurd request made the danger she faced palpable, and I could almost feel my chest tighten.

Poor Millicent…

Before Rafael could stop me, I signed the request form as if possessed, and its words floated into the air, transforming into a glowing magical document.

The words disappeared, leaving the paper to burst into flames and vanish without a trace, along with any evidence that could report this illegal request to the royal court.

As if on cue, an assistant the client had mentioned appeared, and after just three days of preparation, we had arrived at this moment.

With the Crown Prince escorting me, I entered the banquet hall, where curious and envious eyes immediately turned toward the new face.

No need to be so wary.

I’m not really a princess, and I don’t intend to become the Crown Princess.

I just need to get into the Crown Prince’s chamber to secretly hide something, that’s all.

…If only I could shout that, life would be easier.

But life is always more complicated than expected.

Especially for someone from a humble background.

At that moment, Crown Prince Calission bid a brief farewell with a polite gesture:

“I hope you enjoy your days in Eustini. I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

So, the jungle of tuxedos and dresses awaits me now.

After the Crown Prince turned away, I tried to quickly disappear to the center of the hall, careful not to step on any metaphorical crocodile tails.

But someone with unnecessary courage suddenly stepped in front of me.

“We meet the Princess of Bristle.”

Oh, the lovely daughter of the Empire’s Prime Minister?

All the nights spent memorizing portraits and noble family rosters over the past three days finally paid off.

I recognized her immediately but tilted my head as if I didn’t.

The social angel, famous in society, graciously accepted my cheeky demeanor.

“I’m Vivian Hillace of Eustini.”

“Ah…!”

I smiled warmly as if overjoyed.

Anyway, to save Millicent, I had to attend this month-long banquet exactly as the client requested.

The purpose of the banquet was to select a Crown Princess, and when everyone shares the same goal, pretending I’m not interested makes me less suspicious.

Besides, if the easiest and most plausible way to get into the flirtatious Crown Prince’s chamber as a foreign princess exists, this would be it.

Still…

I recalled the unlucky request form in my mind:

1. The client must attend the Imperial Charity Banquet, starting on [Month] [Day], for a full month, as the Princess of Bristle.

Attend for a month.

So… I just need to show up, right?

I don’t need to make friends or be a model for others.

As an orphan who’s far from being a princess, I had no chance against the terrifying ladies of high society.

Better to put up a firm wall from the start than risk being exposed by clumsily pretending to be a princess.

So, I used the foreign-style greeting I’d practiced all along:

“Meeting the Prime Minister’s daughter! Nice to meet you, I’m April.”

Fortunately, Bristle is a small but incredibly wealthy country, so its princess is treated as a legitimate guest in the Empire.

So, one slip wouldn’t result in harassment, and if trouble arose, maybe the Crown Prince would help.

A quiet awkwardness passed just as expected.

Seeing Vivian Hillace’s flushed face, I felt a thrill—I had become the first girl to fluster this angel.

Just as she slowly averted her gaze from me, seemingly satisfied with the outcome, a laugh echoed from behind.

“You’re not very good at Imperial, are you, Your Highness?”

Ah! Is someone mocking me directly?

I quickly turned toward the Crown Prince, hoping he might intervene.

But no, the Crown Prince, the protagonist of the story, had already left.

So I faced the speaker and saw a surprisingly young girl with pink hair smiling brightly.

Oh… that girl…

I paused for a moment, and she bowed politely, introducing herself with a bright, unmocking expression:

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. I’m Nina, daughter of Duke Green.”

What?

Then she winked and whispered:

“Actually, in Imperial, it’s ‘gongnyeo’—princess-in-training, that is.”

“Ah… a princess-in-training…”

Lady Nina Green.

From what I had studied, she was the youngest and came from the most distinguished unmarried family.

So I set my own age to nineteen, just like her.

But… what should I do with this straightforward, unbiased girl?