LIGHTNOVELONLINE chapter 43
43. What adult isn’t a little crazy? It’s just putting on a brave face.
It wasn’t just the young nobles who were at a loss; there was also a lower-ranked knight squad.
The two princesses were so openly hostile that they had no idea what to do.
Thus, from the moment they entered the room, they had no choice but to block the only exit with their bodies, preventing more people from witnessing this scene.
So they stood by, watching the entire escalation of conflict between the two princesses, until Valentina walked over to them with a smile and said:
“You don’t need to worry too much. Just do what you have to do and fulfill your duties. I will personally prove my innocence.”
“Ah… Yes, Your Highness.”
The knights instinctively made way, forming two lines to bow to Valentina.
This was entirely a subconscious action.
Their minds hadn’t caught up yet, but their bodies reacted to the leadership aura emanating from Valentina.
Like a knee-jerk reflex, by the time they realized it, their bodies had already completed the act of accepting the command and saluting, which surprised them as the parties involved.
It’s worth noting that before, the only person who could command them to act before they thought was the now young and vigorous Crown Prince.
Even the current king, who managed the country, couldn’t do that, let alone Prince Mori and Princess Dilia.
And Valentina seemed unfazed, smiling as she elegantly left the marquis’s residence in her high-heeled combat boots.
“Princess Valentina… has really matured a lot lately.”
“Yeah, it feels like Princess Valentina is even more inspiring than Prince Mori. Is this the influence of Mr. Allen?”
“……”
The knights slowly lowered their hands from their salutes, unable to help but discuss Valentina’s changes.
Ultimately, they all believed this was the work of the kingdom’s top scholar, Allen.
After all, Mr. Allen was the princess’s private tutor and a respected figure; it wasn’t impossible for the princess to mature rapidly under his influence.
“Truly impressive, Mr. Allen.”
“Of course, we can’t overlook the princess’s own efforts.”
“I wonder if we could ask Mr. Allen to help us train next time we see him?”
The knights gazed at Valentina’s figure gradually disappearing from view, their faces filled with admiration and emotion, determined to embody chivalry with her as their goal.
However, the princess they regarded as having such leadership qualities was merely maintaining her composure until she was out of sight.
Once she reached a deserted area, she could no longer hold back her anger at the empty air before her.
“……Ah! Ah—!!! I’m so furious! What do you mean ‘such a rare beautiful face is going to waste!’? How shameless! I’m not that different, am I? Why not say it to me just once!”
—
At this moment, Valentina’s expression was no longer the calm demeanor she had shown in front of the knights; all that remained was restlessness and extreme displeasure.
With others around, she could still put on a facade, but in solitude, just the thought of Noah’s actions made her so furious that she wanted to bite him directly.
“And what was that about ‘Although I quite enjoy seeing you go mad~’… I could do that too!”
Just like her sister Dilia, Valentina was now losing her mind alone at the entrance of the marquis’s mansion.
When she spoke of Noah’s remarks, she not only mimicked him but also exaggeratedly posed as a ‘Prince Charming.’
Her tone was low and magnetic, throwing flirtatious glances at the air.
Then, while clenching her fists, she gritted her teeth in criticism of Noah’s behavior.
Her pupils, transformed into dragon-like slits due to her intense emotions, were now completely narrowed, revealing deep-seated anger and jealousy.
“N-No, wait a minute, am I actually jealous?”
The princess, somewhat slow to realize, suddenly froze after venting her emotions into the air; she finally sensed something was off.
“It can’t be, right? I’m just simply annoyed by the unfair treatment; it’s just pure competitiveness, yes, that’s it, mm.”
Valentina, resolutely refusing to believe she was jealous, quickly shook her head, denying her feelings.
Yes, she was just frustrated about losing to someone else; it had nothing to do with Noah. She was definitely not jealous of Noah’s much better attitude towards Dilia.
…Although, even if it wasn’t jealousy, it was still infuriating!
The princess, whose expression had softened a bit upon realizing her oddity, immediately scowled again at the thought of Noah.
“Ha, ha, ha, I need to calm down. Maybe that guy is actually enjoying my reaction right now. Yes, that’s it, it must be. Otherwise, how could he possibly be interested in that kind of woman?”
Placing her hand on her chest to steady herself, Valentina began to talk to herself in an attempt to convince her mind.
Though she said that, deep down, Valentina didn’t truly believe it. She was merely forcing herself to accept this viewpoint, as she actually felt she couldn’t compare to Dilia.
But if she didn’t deceive herself, she feared she wouldn’t be able to calm down at all.
She wasn’t narcissistic enough to think that a deity would go to such lengths for her.
How could the evil god simply use another, more legitimate royal just to make her unhappy?
But it wasn’t a big deal.
After all, it had always been like this; no one would be watching her.
She had grown accustomed to being alone, after all.
“Alright… I’ve calmed down. First, I need to find evidence to prove that the role that guy is playing is not a companion of mine. Even if I was just being used, that woman is indeed annoying. If I slap her hard in the face, that guy will surely fall silent in a subtle way.”
In her self-reassurance, Valentina’s slightly convulsed displeasure began to normalize. She straightened her back, closed her eyes, and placed her hand on her fair neck, trailing along her alluring collarbone, all the way down to her slightly larger-than-average chest, taking a deep breath.
When she opened her eyes again, her dragon-like pupils had returned to their human form.
This signified that her emotions had truly stabilized.
“Just you wait! It’s just about proving my innocence! This little thing is a piece of cake, alright? I will definitely surprise you!”
Still speaking to the air before her, this time Valentina’s attitude was much more serious, as if she were genuinely conversing with Noah.
—
That resolute gaze, that determined expression—anyone who saw it would surely feel admiration.
As if making a declaration of war, the calm princess began to take action.
The goal, of course, was to leave Noah speechless.
As for slapping Delia in the face? That was merely a side benefit, just a side benefit!