The Grand Duchess of the North Was Secretly a Villainess

"Your Royal Highness wouldn't have been so surprised if you hadn't lost your memory."

Caien frowned when I used the title and being formal unlike usual.

"I told you to call me Caien."

Originally, when people tell you to stop, they want to tease you, so they do more. I was surprised at the thought of making fun of the Caien.

'Was I that comfortable with Caien?'

I thought it'd be better to be a little careful.

"I'm just being careful because I might make a mistake when you get your memory back."

I replied as I drank a glass of wine in front of me. Perhaps because of the blood, the wine felt particularly sweet.

'I can't believe I thought of this after killing someone...... Well, no. This is Eloise's habit.'

Caien face was rather grumpy as if he didn't like my answer.

"Even if I regain my memories back, I'll keep telling Eloise to call me by name."

"There's only one person who can call Your Royal Highness in such a way."

Somehow, I kept saying things that made fun of him because he looked like a boy.

"One person?"

"Your Empress."

I shrugged and replied lightly. Naturally, I thought of a saintess in the capital. Even so, I was about to instruct Eloine to find out about her movements while going to the capital.

'When Eloine comes back, we can hear stories about her.'

I remembered it well, and I intended to use it when sending Caien to the capital.

"Eloise. You can call me by name."

I stopped drinking my wine. The wine in the clear glass rolled inside.

'A name must have an important meaning to the Imperial family.'

In particular, the names of members of the Imperial family, except for the emperor, are not disclosed to the general public. It was because someone could commit a crime by selling the name of the Imperial family.

'The Crown Prince is no exception.'

Very few people knew Caien name. Caien can use his real name, not an alias, in the north because there is no one who will associate him with the Crown Prince when they hear his name.

'But why do you keep asking me to call your name?'

My question didn't last long. This is because Caien, who had hesitated for a while, gave the reason in a slightly gloomy tone.

"Call me Caien. There's no one else who can call me by my name other than Eloise. I never did it before."

It was difficult to refuse with a sad expression. As soon as I tried to answer yes, I felt a subtle feeling.

"You never did it before? Did your memory come back?"

"...... Just bits and pieces. It's not complete memories."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't think Eloise will treat me as comfortable as you are now when my memory comes back."

Caien replied in a voice that became smaller and smaller like a man who prayed for wrongdoing. I was so perplexed that I couldn't come up with an appropriate answer.

'It's not that I don't treat you as comfortably as I do now, but I don't think you'll let me do that.'

I can't speak plain words to the prince who blows cold air.

"No, Caien."

"No?"

"If the way you treat me doesn't change, I'll do the same. If your memory fully returns and you ask me to treat you as the Crown Prince, I will do that. If you ask me to treat you like I do now, I will do it."

In response to my answer, Caien smiled brightly, as if he had never a gloomy expression.

"Can you promise?"

"I promise."

Caien laughed like an angel again. Then, as if something came to mind, he tilted his head and asked a sudden question.

"Is Johaim your taste?"

"Cough!"

I hurriedly swallowed what was in my mouth while drinking wine. I choked and a shallow cough came out.

What? Taste? What did he say with his angelic lips? I briefly thought about whether I should point out Johaim or the word taste first.

"What are you talking about, Caien? He's my Knight Commander."

"Isn't that your taste?"

"No!"

“Then what is Eloise’s taste?”

Why am I talking about this with a kid? I felt a slight realization, but Caien eyes sparkled so much that I reluctantly gave an answer.

"First of all, he must be a head taller than me."

"And?"

“His status should be higher than mine.”

I answered without much meaning.

"Handsome, rich, and....."

For some reason, I felt like I was describing the future Caien of 'Its status should be higher than mine'. I hastily changed my words.

"A gentle, soft, friendly person.....? I need to protect...?"

It was obvious that the keyword #ColdMaleLead #IndifferentMaleLead would be added to the future Caien.

'Let's say the keywords that are at the opposite ends as much as possible.'

Maybe in the future, 'I know I'm your taste. Is that why you kidnapped the saintess?' I wanted to avoid misunderstandings like that.

"I see. All right."

Replied Caien, smiling softly. Actually, I didn't have any intention of dating, but it was strange to say, 'I'm not going to date.' I drank the rest of the wine instead of bringing it up.

'What do you mean, dating? I'll be stuck in the north and live comfortably alone.'

It was ridiculous that Eloise was in a relationship.
 

*****

Today was the day I decided to go on a forest reconnaissance with Caien. It was not a matter of going inside the boundary, and it was an occasional job for apprentice knights, so it was judged that there was no problem.

'It's about time for Eloine to arrive.'

Recalling the letter I received from Eloine, I walked to the training ground. It was about finding people in the capital and coming to the north. It seemed to take more time than expected to move secretly to avoid the eyes of Duke Ilysian

'Anyway, if Eloine brings someone, the clue about Caien memories will be roughly solved.'

It was unknown if Caien, who had regained his memories, would be as docile as he is now. I just wanted him to listen carefully to whatever I say.

'I'm in trouble if we fall apart when you're young.'

In a word, getting along with Caien was the most important thing right now.

As I entered the training ground, Johaim and Caien were exchanging swords.

"Hmm."

I exclaimed. Regarding the weight class, Johaim had more experience, so Caien was behind, but he handled the sword quite well for his age.

'No, he's really good for his age.'

Maybe three years later, Johaim will be behind.

'Talent.'

It wasn't something that I, who possessed Eloise's body, had to say, but I couldn't help the innate talent. I was watching the two of them like watching a movie, but Caien suddenly dropped his sword.

"Caien!"

Caien name popped out of my mouth without realizing it.

Joahim had a typical knightly physique, and Caien was still young and small. Of course, he was big for his age, but Joahim was a northerner and a grown man. Maybe that's why Johaim looked like a bully persecuting Caien.

'I'm sorry, Johaim.'

In fact, Johaim was a typical handsome man, so he didn't look like a bully anywhere. It wasn't Johaim, it was the other party that was the problem. Caien looking back at me looked so pure that I had no choice but to approach them.

''Is this how the male lead wants to save the female lead?'

I even thought about useless things.
 

*****

Joahim thought that Caien's sword-wielding skills were pretty good. The Northern Knights are the best among the knights.  Among them, it was very rare for the leader to receive his own sword training.

'I've heard that he's a sword genius....'

Joahim was quite talented, but the Crown Prince's talent was outstanding. He heard that Caien had lost his memory, but he had no hesitation in moving the sword, perhaps because he was familiar with it.

'There's no unnecessary movement.'

Joahim received Caien sword and observed his body. He was growing up as an adult.

'The northerners are taller than the people of the Empire... No matter how you look at it, it looks like he'll be taller than I.'

"Are you thinking of something else?"

Caien drew his sword and asked in a faint voice.

'His senses are as sensitive as ghosts."

His arms were numb for a moment. It was because Caien was looking at him like he wanted to kill him. It was the same as how he had felt a few days ago.

'He was like that even when I was with the Grand Duchess.'

Back then, He looked at the two holding hands, wondering. But at that moment, Caien looked at himself with a sinister look.

'It was definitely a killing intent.'

Judging by what Her Highness didn't feel, it was clearly a covert killing intent towards me. Johaim realized the difference in talent and accepted the sword.

'There's another person with a genius talent.'

Grand Duchess was looking this way. Caien seemed to feel her presence, too. It was the same moment as before when he received his sword.

Chaeng!

"Caien!"

Johaim, who tried to swing his sword reflexively, stopped his arm as soon as he found that Caien sword had fallen. And at that moment, he found out. The Crown Prince, who had been showing his will to live just now, made a pitiful face toward the Grand Duchess who was approaching here.

"Huh..."

It's a disloyal thought, but Caien was like a sly fox.
 

*****

When I approached Caien, I immediately looked at his condition. Caien's hands were trembling slightly.

"Your hands are shaking, Your Royal Highness. It's because you gripped the sword too hard."

I said as I squeezed Caien's hand. The heat in Caien's hands rose gradually.

'Why is it getting hot? Is it because he used a sword just now?'

I was a little puzzled, but Caien answered, wiggling his fingers.

"I guess I put strength into it without realizing it."

My gaze touched the sword that had fallen to the ground. The well-groomed blade shone coolly as the sunlight reflected.

"What do you think?"

I asked Joahim instead of Caien. I had no intention of saying anything to Joahim. It was Caien's mistake to drop the sword.

'If it had been a battlefield, he would have already been decapitated.'

What I was trying to teach Caien was not elegant and beautiful swordsmanship. It was a real battle for survival and death. The swordsmanship that Johaim taught Caien was still close to the former, but it was scheduled to enter the latter as soon as the basic skills were over.

"He's so talented, I think he'll surpass me in a few years."

"Why did he miss the sword?"

"That's..."

Joahim glanced at Caien, then blurted out his words with a disgusted expression. I turned my gaze back to Caien, thinking that he might have a silent conversation with Caien. Caien was staring at the ground with a slightly sullen face.

'That's weird. I think I'll have to talk to Johaim alone.'

The problem was that I didn't have enough time to be alone with Johaim because I was staying with Caien.

"Eloise. Why you ask Johaim and not me?"

Caien pulled his hand. Thanks to that, I realized that I was still his holding hands.

"It's..... Wait a minute. Cai, no, Your Royal Highness. On your face....."

There was a scratch on Caien's cheek. As soon as I finished speaking, blood welled up on his clean cheeks.