The Childhood Friend of the Villainess in a Romance Fantasy

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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“Let me get this straight… You’re saying you came all the way here without notice just to broaden your horizons?”

“That’s correct.”

It wasn’t just me who was shocked by this statement.

Amelia, who should have known the original story, looked equally stunned. Though her image of the Crown Prince might not have been as strong as mine, but still—his overbearing and self-righteous demeanor would have remained intact in her eyes too.

“Are you sure you’re not hiding another reason for your visit?”

That question from Amelia was a clear sign she couldn’t hold back anymore.

Even though we had grown somewhat close during childhood due to certain events, strictly speaking, her tone was quite rude.

Of course, considering that the prince didn’t particularly display the etiquette one might expect when addressing us nobles, it was a similar situation.

Case in point, Lobo, the wolf he had brought along, had been allowed to enter the mansion with him.

“Lobo lives in the same building as me. Are you saying he can’t come inside here? Once again, I’ll remind you—Lobo doesn’t bite people.”

Uh, but doesn’t the scar on your eyebrow serve as undeniable proof that he does indeed bite people hard enough to draw blood?

The Crown Prince I knew from the original story had a somewhat twisted personality, but this one… he seemed warped in an entirely different way.

Could this really be my fault?

As I sat next to Amelia, lost in thought while watching the prince, Amelia was trying to maintain her composure despite her evident frustration. She spoke with a strained formality.

“I heard that following Prince Evan, your younger brother, Prince Allen, is also on his way here…”

“You heard correctly.”

Prince Evan nodded.

“When I mentioned heading to the North, my younger brother—who is a year younger than me—insisted on tagging along.”

“It is truly an honor for our estate to host the two princes of the kingdom.”

“Your enthusiastic welcome is much appreciated.”

Though Amelia’s words were laced with sarcasm—a rare occurrence for her—it didn’t seem to register with Prince Evan, who had clearly discarded any sense of subtlety.

The prince, in a manner unbefitting his station, downed his tea, which contained more milk than actual tea, in one gulp without any semblance of decorum.

“……”

Amelia and I were left speechless, simply staring at him.

“Oh, don’t worry. I didn’t come to fulfill any past promises.”

“Past promises?”

“I’m talking about the unresolved duel between Lady Delkis and me.”

“……”

Ah.

So he remembered.

But I held on to a sliver of hope. If he didn’t come here specifically because of that promise, perhaps he intended to treat it as a fleeting memory of childhood.

“Challenging someone to a duel without giving them time to prepare isn’t exactly gentlemanly behavior. It’s only after all this time that I’ve come to realize how rude I was back then.”

Um… you’re still being rude now, though.

I bit my tongue to avoid saying that out loud, barely managing to maintain my composure in front of the kingdom’s first prince.

Not that it would have made much difference, given his behavior.

“And Lady Delkis is younger than I am. Not to mention, I’m taller now, so the handicap would be rather excessive.”

His tone made it abundantly clear he believed he could win.

Admittedly, he was taller than me. Prince Evan seemed to stand just over 180 centimeters, which meant there was nearly a 20-centimeter difference between us when we stood side by side.

Honestly, I should have been taller than him by now, even considering that I’m a woman. If I had been, though, the subtle exclusion I already felt in this place would have been even more blatant. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.

And hey, at least the furniture fits.

The prince’s height wasn’t exceptionally tall. Objectively speaking, he was on the taller side, but given the number of people I’d seen of a similar height since coming to Grattanmount, he was merely “slightly above average” compared to the Delkis people, who were notably taller.

“Have you perhaps learned how to wield aura?”

While I had been preoccupied with his height, Amelia, who was sharper than I was, quickly caught on to the source of his confidence.

“Yes. Although I awakened a year later than my younger brother, that doesn’t mean my swordsmanship is any worse than others. Surely, using aura, I could hold my own against the people of Delkis.”

Prince Evan turned to look at me as he spoke.

“In that sense, it would be rather inappropriate to spar with Lady Delkis, who hasn’t even finished growing.”

What is he even talking about, with that fresh-faced look?

Though there was a small scar, the Crown Prince’s face was still far closer to that of a pretty boy than anything imposing. When it came to sheer intimidation, he was no match for the people of Delkis.

“I see…”

Hearing his response, Amelia appeared momentarily contemplative before frowning slightly and continuing.

“Do you have any set plans for your visit? If you wish to meet the retainers of the Grand Ducal House, I can make arrangements.”

“I have no set plans yet, but that doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Last time, I didn’t visit this place and went straight to Delkis. On my way back, I was in such a hurry that I barely managed to stay a single night before leaving. Since you guard the northernmost part of the Alwen Kingdom, it might not be a bad idea to meet your people.”

“Do you intend to visit Delkis as well?”

Amelia, sensing something in his words, asked cautiously.

“That was the plan.”

The prince’s voice carried a hint of regret.

“Still, no matter how much I may have learned to wield aura, it seems my retainers found the idea of me heading to the battlefield worrisome. So, I’ve decided to be satisfied with meeting Lady Delkis here. If you happen to contact Delkis later, I’d appreciate it if you could convey that I visited and expressed my concern for Delkis’s safety.”

“I understand.”

“This isn’t just a casual remark.”

At my reply, the prince’s expression turned serious.

“When I last visited Delkis, I received far too much. I’m always ready to repay that debt. This isn’t something I’m saying out of political necessity, but because I genuinely mean it. If you ever need my help, Lady Delkis, don’t hesitate to call upon me. I’ll assist to the best of my ability.”

The prince then smiled faintly as he added,

“They say nature does not lie, don’t they? Back then, I immersed myself in nature, even if only briefly, and was utterly captivated by it. My perspective has changed a lot since then. Though it was a short time, I learned many things—from your father, and from you as well.”

“……”

I had no idea what he supposedly learned, but it was obvious he learned it wrong.

We’re supposed to learn how to live in harmony with nature, not how to disregard others.

…Or wait. Could it be that my behavior toward him back then came across as dismissive?

As I was seriously reflecting on my past behavior, a knock came at the door.

“Come in,” Amelia said, prompting the door to open cautiously.

The butler, his face pale, entered.

“A message has arrived: His Highness, the Second Prince, and his entourage have reached the estate’s entrance.”

“…Understood. I’ll go out to meet them shortly.”

“If you’d just ridden ahead on a horse, you’d have arrived sooner. Hesitating and deliberating over everything is why you’re always a step behind,” Prince Evan remarked.

“……”

Amelia closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath.

…It might have been my imagination, but that deep breath felt more like a sigh.

“Your Highness, I must now prepare to greet the Second Prince. In fact, my father, the Grand Duke of Grattanmount, has been too busy with related matters, which is why he entrusted me with this responsibility.”

“I can only be grateful for such consideration.”

By now, her words were less veiled sarcasm and more outright verbal jabs, yet the prince seemed entirely unfazed.

Is this what they mean by the Crown Prince’s composure?

…No, he was equally infuriating when his patience was limited. Now that it seemed boundless, I didn’t even know where to begin pointing out issues.

“And may I take Lady Elsie with me? She is my escort, after all.”

“I suppose that can’t be helped. While the reason you brought her here is evident, it’s also true that she is your escort.”

“Lady Elsie is more than capable of fulfilling her duties as my escort.”

“I know. Lady Delkis is someone who always does her part well.”

Why are you two having a power struggle?

Though, to be fair, it was Amelia unilaterally initiating it.

Still, it was making me, sitting next to them, very uncomfortable.

Well, I could understand why Amelia was acting this way. From her perspective, a mountain of frustrating responsibilities had just come crashing down on her.

In Delkis, such formal welcomes were usually skipped under the pretext of “not having the luxury for it.” However, the Grand Duke of Grattanmount couldn’t forgo such formalities due to his family’s status.

There would likely be a grand banquet tonight. After all, the two princes of this kingdom were visiting.

…Just thinking about it was giving me a headache.

I’d better find some quiet corner to hide in tonight.