At the forward outpost bordering the northern demon territory. Princess Anne and her female knights sit in the small, dirty stone outpost, finally able to take a break. The long, gruelling battles and complicated outpost politics see them isolated from the other knights and defenders.
"Tsk... To think these bastards are more loyal to the snake-like bastard Qwass than my father, who ensures they receive the food and equipnt that keeps them safe and fed!" The beautiful princess Anne stands up, her fist slamming the fragile walls, creating a thick crack, the true strength of the knights that was hidden from Ryuji and the other heroes.
"Princess... please calm down. I am sure they are just nervous and scared!" A lovely knight with brown hair and amber eyes "—If we cause issues now, what happens if they revolt?!" Her voice was like a bird song soothing the princess who looked at her.
It seed to work because Anne's stern eyes and tight browns relaxed as her lips curled into a smile. "As if those fools have such guts, they don't even dare flirt with you girls, let alone flee."
"Phew... Good job, Maria! I almost pee'd a little seeing big sis' so mad." A cheeky ginger-haired girl joked, her accent a little rural and thick, and her freckled face carried a village girl charm.
"Claire, don't be so vulgar... I've told you a thousand tis that a lady should be refined and use more colourful language." A blonde knight with silky blonde hair twisted into drill-shaped bangs, a wavy back, and smooth skin like porcelain scolded the lovely village girl with her nose lifted into the air as she spoke with a snobbish tone.
Yet the look in her eyes was full of concern for the other woman.
"Okay, Celine, I will try to be careful next ti~ okay, don't be angry."
The room was filled with a calming and warm atmosphere all the won in this room knew each other for at least a decade after being chosen by Princess Anne when she chose the path of a knight despite her role as princess.
"Oh~ Captain, we have so mail!" A black-haired knight with a petite figure held a small brown sack, weathered and left by the door; likely, the n didn't care to give more effort than the bare minimum, even to the princes in this hellhole.
"Hmmm? There's actually sothing for , how interesting." Princess Anne noticed that the last envelope with a soft pink colour, and a lovely heart stamp with a cat in the middle was addressed to her. "The only one cute enough to write such a letter is Liana, that silly girl."
Though everyone in the group knew how much Anne doted on Liana, though they didn't speak. Instead, they watched as the princess turned her back and used a small dagger to cut through the steal. Her lips curled into a wide smile, unable to hide her delight.
The mont the envelope opened, a flicker of magic and purple smoke fluttered through the air, allowing the princess to know that no one had tampered with the letter on the journey.
Unlike her sister, Anne didn't inherit her mother's witch abilities. Thus, her hair wasn't red; instead, it carried a soft brown colour like her grandfather's. Anne was one of the few people who refused to call it a curse and always called Liana special when she was younger.
"What do you have to say... Lia? I miss you so much."
—⁂—
Dearest Sister, I am writing to you...
Ah~ it's too hard to write so seriously, Big sis. I miss you! I hope you are doing well protecting our lands while suffering in those horrible situations you told about last sumr!
Do you miss ? I miss you, and there are so many things that I would love to tell you!
(Cute picture of a black cat rolling in the grass)
Sister, I think that I have fallen in love... at first, he was just soone I wanted to tease, but sohow my eyes couldn't leave his body. I asked Kathryn to watch him train secretly and paid the knights who travelled with him into the dungeons to send reports on his actions...
I know I sound like soone sick, but he finally ca on a quest with .
The fear I felt when showing him my powers everyone in the kingdoms knew what the witch's curse ant, yet he told if I wanted to improve my magic and train, I should use it on him!?
But sister... do you know what?
I did it.
Even knowing it might have killed him, he didn't even flinch or complain. His stupid face is so handso, but the an look in his eyes makes people think he's a bad guy.
Well... I went to the forest and fought bandits with him and...
Sorry, these letters are limited in size, but I just wanted to let you know how happy I am right now; thanks to Ryuji, everything is different. I can control my magic. My chest doesn't hurt when I try to leave my room or exercise; I am so happy, sister!
P.S. Uncle Alan said he supports my love! Yay~ that old man is finally good at sothing!
There isn't much space left... sorry, I wanted to ask you more but only rambled about myself.
Anne, I heard you might co ho soon. I cannot wait to see you and let you et Ryuji and see for yourself how amazing he is!
I love you very much, and please be safe
Liana
—⁂—
"...."
"....What?"
"Captain?"
"Princess Anne?"
The knights felt the room tingle, the kinetic force of Princess Anne's aura began to vibrate and caused the room to quake.
Her eyes read the letter several tis while her hand crushed it slowly, her breath becoming more ragged as her lips twisted, losing the smile from before.
'Love?'
'Ryuji?'
'A fake hero...? With my cute little sister?'
"This is a lie, right? There is no way my lovely sister would fall for one of them. No, this cannot be true, right?"
Her eyes trembled; a sense of instability seed to ooze from her current state as she turned to her knight with a look of confusion on her face.
"Eh, Big Sis, does Liana have a lover!? How she hated n!" Claire exclaid in shock; the playful village girl had known Liana since becoming a knight and rembered how much she teased and hated n for their sll and appearance.
Maria was silent, her amber eyes flickering with worry and anxiety towards Anne. However, the other knights weren't smart enough to realise the dangers and instead thought of the letter at face value.
'Lord Qwass is already looking to dethrone father... That slut who calls herself my Mother-in-law thinks nobody knows what disgusting things she does at night... Father, you must be careful. We cannot trust our people; how can a human from another world be so easily trusted with our treasure, Liana!'
Anne couldn't quite trust her sister's words. She believed that the hero Ryuji must have tricked her; feeling intense worry, she couldn't focus as the twelve won all looked a little confused at her distraught state.
"Princess Anne, please calm down... perhaps we might still guide Liana in the right direction?"
"Maria is right, big sis. Maybe it's only puppy love, and she can still be saved! Let us return together and determine the truth!"
Anne cald down a little. Claire's rural voice was a little crude, but her energetic smile and Celine's refined attitude helped her regain a sense of clarity.
However, there was one thing she didn't share: the fact the hero of Grigor, the next king, supported her choice. This caused Anna to consider giving the false hero a chance.
'If Uncle Alan really trusts him, then I will test him. Let see if he has the power and will to protect Liana, even when faced with an opponent that can crush him with a single hand!'
"Thank you all, lets finish our duties properly and head back in the next few days. I heard there is a competition between knights and heroes, and maybe I will participate and test out the man who caught Liana's eyes." Anne smiled calmly once again and decided not to rush out mindlessly; her knights would help guide her.
While she believed, at least for now, the hero Ryuji would ensure her sister was safe.
Unknown to anyone, the letter Liana wrote would change the course of the kingdom's history and their treatnt of summoned heroes forever.
***
Five days later, the princess and her knights returned to the capital, only three days before the first round of the Chosen tournant.
She visited the office of the man she hated the most because, unlike her sister and father, Anne knew that her mother-in-law would spend most nights in this man's room and that their two younger half-siblings shared no blood with her or Liana.
With a resounding knock, she entered.
The mont Lord Qwass saw her face, he looked confused; at first, he seed apprehensive and looked ready to engage in a fierce argunt like usual. Yet the princess seed different, sitting across from him in her full-plate outfit and a sharp, stern look on her face.
It seed hard to believe, but the woman's next words shocked even Qwass himself, the frown of distrust becoming a slow, inverted smile of amusent.
"Lord Quass, I heard you need a knight to help your hero in the tournant—"
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