I Became the Teacher of the Imperial Family’s Bastard

067. The Second Princess of Chaos (1)

Second Princess Philia Orteare.

The first place I arrived after receiving her letter was none other than the Palace of Dawn.

When I mentioned the letter from the Second Princess, Erilda, who was standing next to the Crown Prince, reacted quite sharply.

“She contacted you?”

“Yes, well…”

“Huh, she’s really crazy.”

Why is Erilda so angry?

To explain that, I need to first talk about the royal family’s genealogy.

The current Emperor of Orteare has one Empress and one concubine, and additionally, an unwed lover… the now-deceased mother of Aria.

Below them, the Empress has given birth to the Crown Prince, the First Princess, and the Third Prince, while the Second Prince and Second Princess were born to the concubine, Hailey of the Estor family.

In other words, the siblings of the Crown Prince’s faction and the Second Prince’s faction are rivals with different mothers.

If you’ve heard this far, you might wonder.

How can the second prince, born of a concubine, aim for the crown prince’s position?

Especially when he lacks ability… How can a future tyrant constantly exert political pressure on the crown prince?

The answer to that was very clear.

“They’re really crossing the line. Do they think they’re Estro?”

The concubine Yurdena Orteair’s origin is from the Estro duchy, one of the three great noble families and founding contributors of the empire.

That’s right.

Concubine Yurdena’s maternal family is one of the most prestigious families, on par with Pharos in history.

In fact, the children she bore, the second prince and the second princess… Considering they’re an idiot and a fool, the superiority of the bloodline is questionable, but the fact that the current empress, who is running towards an affair with the chancellor in real-time, gave birth to the crown prince doesn’t lend much credibility to the bloodline either.

The important thing is that Estro is a top-tier prestigious family.

The network of the founding contributors that Estro has built over a thousand years is their strength.

Estro has been making various attempts to keep the next generation of the empire in their grasp, and their means was the second prince.

Thus, the confrontation structure was formed, and from Erilda’s standpoint, who supports the crown prince, how infuriating must the second princess’s contact be?

Erilda said.

“Reject it. Especially if the letter contains the word ‘teaching’, it’s best not to give them any pretext.”

It’s a reasonable statement.

No matter how separate the second princess is, she still has Estro behind her.

If that woman uses ‘teaching’ as a pretext to meet with ‘Pharos’?

This would only give the second prince’s side a chance to dig into the legitimacy that the crown prince had monopolized.

Of course, I wouldn’t claim to be the second prince’s teacher, but that’s politics.

Appearances are very important.

Ignoring it is the right thing to do.

However, there was a reason it couldn’t be ignored.

“I think it’s better to go.”

“Betrayal?”

“No, why are you being so extreme? Just listen to me first.”

Erilda’s eyes turned cold.

She was full of the look that said, ‘Let’s hear it.’

I said.

“If we handle it well, we might get the seal. The Estro seal. I think you know what that means.”

At that moment, the Crown Prince responded.

“…Seongcheongeom.”

“Yes, that sword. The one the Crown Prince can never obtain.”

“If it’s really that…”

The Crown Prince understood, and Erilda ground her teeth.

What is Seongcheongeom?

As mentioned earlier, it is one of the three great swords of the continent, stolen from the royal treasury during the war by the future Crown Prince.

Its effects are beyond words.

The difference in combat power between the Crown Prince with Seongcheongeom and without it is as vast as that between a knight in full plate armor and a knight armed only with a wooden sword.

Moreover, historically, it is the weapon of the first emperor.

Imagine the impact this has on the legitimacy of the emperor.

Setting everything else aside, that was important.

Although the Crown Prince fulfills all legitimacy, he can never hold that Seongcheongeom in his current situation.

To take it out of the treasury, the seals of the three great nobles of the empire are required, and one of them is Estro, who supports the second prince.

‘We can’t raid the treasury at this time.’

During the war, the security of the treasury was so lax that it could be easily stolen.

Even if the Crown Prince carried that sword around, there was no one who could pressure him (those kinds of people had either fled or died).

But not now.

Therefore, this could be an opportunity.

“Only the head of the family can grant the seal, and the second princess is clearly a close aide to the head of Estro.”

Politically, she is not a close aide.

It’s just that the head of Estro cherishes the second princess dearly.

How much? To the extent that the current head of Estro bought a first-class mansion in the capital for a single tear of Philia.

When Philia calls, he postpones official duties to have tea time with her.

So, if we can somehow persuade her… it means we can obtain Estro’s seal through the second princess.

As I finished speaking, the Crown Prince’s expression changed.

“…It’s definitely worth a try.”

“Kallios!”

“Calm down, Erilda. It’s not just about legitimacy. Considering the enemy, I too feel the need for the sword.”

I nodded.

The sword that the Crown Prince had used until now was ruined to the point of being scrap after embodying the nature of domination.

Thinking about ascending to Sword Master… Before legitimacy, a weapon to fight the enemy was an indispensable element for the Crown Prince.

Thus, it was two against one.

The opinion leaned towards contacting the Second Princess, and Erilda sighed deeply and muttered.

“Anyway, when you two get together, there’s never a day without a headache. You know that?”

“Don’t lump us together. It’s unpleasant.”

“Yuren…?”

“Anyway, I’ll take it as permission.”

The Crown Prince sent a look filled with betrayal.

Ignoring it, he looked at Erilda.

Her bulging eyes were filled with murderous intent.

It couldn’t be helped.

“Shall I make you a burger?”

“……!”

The glare intensified.

But silence was as good as a yes.

Anyway, a burger would solve it all, despite the tantrum.

* * *

In the end, the royalty, who couldn’t resist a cheeseburger, calmed down through proper procedures.

Even in the midst of it, they nagged noisily, but it was all at a level that could be refuted.

If I were to pick the core of it, it was this.

―So how are you going to get the seal out? They know that the seal is disadvantageous to their maternal relatives.

To that, I had answered.

―Do you really think they have that much brains?

―……

―With a brain that only thinks about filling the swallows’ bellies by looting the treasury… Do you think such an idea would come to mind?

―…The head of Estro would think so.

―That’s why we have to do it without the head’s knowledge.

―Without their knowledge…?

Of course, since it was related to power, if the head had any sense, they wouldn’t give the seal.

But that doesn’t mean there’s no way.

‘You just have to make her stamp it secretly.’

It’s well known that Philia freely enters and exits the office of the head of the Estro family.

So, even if you coax Philia into secretly stamping the seal of the head, the head of the Estro family can’t say anything when he finds out later.

Because if he makes an issue of it, he has to severely punish Philia.

In the worst case, it’s okay if he gets angry and tries to drive Philia away.

After all, once the seal is obtained, how much more can he struggle?

Moreover, whether Philia is cast out or not is none of my business, so it’s truly a challenge with no loss.

Anyway, with that judgment, I arrived at the Lotus Palace of the second princess.

“This way, please.”

Well-trained servants guided me to the garden.

A garden full of white and yellow flowers in full bloom.

Amidst the curiosity about how much money was spent to create such a scene in the autumn season, a voice was heard.

“Ah, Grand Master!”

For some reason, the title ‘Grand Master’ made me choke up.

A high-pitched voice uttering those words.

In the middle of the garden, at a tea table, a blonde woman in a yellow dress was laughing.

“It’s an honor to meet you like this. Oh, I should introduce myself first! I’m Philia Orteare, the second princess of the royal family!”

“The ‘young’ head of Paros greets the second princess.”

“Yes, Grand Master! Shall we sit?”

Does she always call me Grand Master?

As I sat down, Philia smiled brightly.

A woman with drooping eyes, a sharp nose, and dimples that appeared when she smiled.

So, she’s pretty, but she looks thoughtless.

Considering that she is actually quite thoughtless, her appearance is indeed honest.

“What would you like for tea? Black tea? Or… Ah! The one we brought in this time…”

“Your Highness, can we get to the point first? I came because of your request.”

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“Huh? Ah, right…!”

Is there something wrong with her concentration?

While I was thinking, Philia spoke.

“Hmm, hmm! Then I should start by telling you the purpose of sending the letter!”

I took a listening posture.

Whatever it was, I had to win this woman’s favor, so if it was a personal concern, I intended to solve it as much as possible.

Then, with a hardened expression, Philia spoke.

“These days, there’s someone I keep thinking about…!”

“?

“I want to know what men like, but there’s no man around me to ask! Then I thought of you! You’re a man and you have experience!”

My mind went blank for a moment.

Philia grabbed my hand tightly.

Then she spoke with desperate eyes.

“Do you know what men my age like?”

How would I know that, you idiot.

* * *

Philia Orteair.

First, the fact I learned after a series of conversations.

‘This…’

There is a possibility of getting a seal.

The certainty I had was that she was a kid who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong.

She had no interest in political dynamics or the current system.

Just love.

Especially in the way she tried to use the static Pharos for her personal gain.

“If you help me, I’ll do anything within my power! So…!”

I couldn’t even say the words I wanted.

I thought things might really go smoothly, so I got a written promise first.

Then I felt a bit more motivated.

For that reason, I listened to the story, and this is the situation.

‘Hmm.’

I had a lot to say.

“I have experience, you know! I’ve given houses, carriages, and shops, but it’s not good to give away so much! Once they’ve seen everything, they leave! Maybe women shouldn’t give their hearts completely…”

Before that, aren’t you giving away your flesh instead?

“So I thought! Ah, let’s give just enough to make them hope they can get more from me!”

Is your future hope to be a pushover?

“Conclusion! Let’s start by giving something small but meaningful! Ah, by meaningful, I mean something moderately valuable and practical!”

Wouldn’t it be better to move away from the idea of giving things?

Many words rose to the tip of my throat.

There weren’t many words I could actually spit out.

So I chose the words I could say.

Honestly, I want to quit right now, but for now, there’s no way to get through without this woman, so what can I do?

“That, the idea of winning favor with things seems a bit strange.”

Isn’t it more important to try to understand the other person first, rather than thinking you need to give something to be loved?

This is something even I, who haven’t dated for over 40 years before and after the regression, know.

‘Well, she’s only 14, so she might not know.’

As I thought that, Philia tilted her head.

“Who doesn’t like money? If someone gives you money, you feel good about them.”

“…Oh.”

Why can’t I refute that?

My lips moved silently.

* * *

Maybe that woman has realized the truth.

Maybe the world just can’t keep up with her ideas.

I briefly thought that.

Anyway, that’s that.

I listened to Philia’s various stories to give the impression that I was seriously considering her concerns.

The store clerk she liked before, the son of the silk shop she liked before that, and the mercenary she liked even before that.

And all the plans derived from those experiences for this success.

In summary, what Philia wants right now is to understand the preferences of the man she (again) likes.

So what should I do?

First, I need to see the person in question.

“First, let’s see who it is. What’s his name?”

“I don’t know!”

“`

“?”

“But I know where it is!”

“???”

Did I hear that right?

Just as doubt began to rise, Philia’s eyes sparkled.

“Perfect timing! Today is the day it appears on the road! Want to sneak a peek with me… no, just pass by?”

What does it mean to just pass by?

…Instead of questioning, I nodded.

And then, I had an experience I never imagined.

“Huh? Brother?”

“Peto…?”

“What?!”

Philia, who had come out wrapped in a robe, led me to the market of the capital, to a hardware store.

The person Philia pointed to was none other than Peto, whom we had brought to the capital.

As I greeted Peto, Philia looked up at me as if she had found a savior.

I alternated my gaze between Peto and Philia.

Shock aside.

“……”

This might make things a bit easier.

“`