Much Deserved Third Life of a Prince

Author: 凡場はま

TL: summerpeanut. A ‘short’ story.

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"Liese, I’m breaking my engagement with you!"

His voice echoed through the halls of the academy, and the lively venue suddenly quieted down.

The school's graduation party was a gathering place for alumni and other young nobles. When I, the first prince who was originally the center of attention among them, declared, Liese, a woman of a duchy household, quietly asked back.

"May I hear the reason for such?"

I don't like that part of her. It would have been better if she’s a little flustered or shaken.

I suppressed the urge to click my tongue and glared at the woman in front of me.

First of all, I don't like the way she looks. She is too small and slender, with small eyes and expressionless face. She has none of the splendor of a princess, and she does not match me, someone who is reputed to be a handsome man. I have put up with her until now, but I am embarrassed to have to escort such an unassuming woman.

Then there is her attitude. She looks so weak that she could fly away if the wind blows, and yet she repeatedly gives me a hard time. Not only does she never praise me no matter how hard I endeavor, she always shows troubled face in front of me and not a single smile.

She's not cute at all.

She is nothing compared to the flowers that always gather around me with smiles on their face. They understand how amazing I am and always dress themselves beautifully to appeal to me. Does she think she could be next to me without making such an effort to be beautiful? What a fool.

"You don't deserve me. Do you need other reason than that? You know that better than anyone, don't you?"

I'm not going to expose your shortcomings here. I can be that considerate at least. After all, I'm a kind gentleman.

It would have been a little more endearing if she had cried and apologized for not being able to be of my use, but all this woman did was to quietly say, "I understand."

She's really not cute.

"I'll let you off the hook for your disrespect to me. In exchange, don't show yourself in front of me anymore."

I said firmly, and for the first time the woman looked up at me, slightly perturbed.

"Do you not need myself to hand over the tasks?"

"You were only helping me, weren't you? Why should I take over the tasks that I was doing in the first place? What an unseemly attempt to get my attention. Get the hell out of here."

I felt slight comfort since the woman's expression stifled for a moment. Then she bowed as if nothing had happened and spun around on her heel.

She looked so defiant that it made me angry. I regretted a little how I should have explained to her the reasons why I had broken off the engagement.

However, since I had broken off the engagement in front of so many people, even my father, the king, would not be able to say anything. My father, who had decided on my engagement to Liese, the prime minister's daughter, would not allow me to break off the engagement, no matter how many times I wished he would.

Now I am finally free.

This fact made me feel a little better. With a refreshed heart, I watched the woman I would never see again leave.

Two days later, I visited my office for the first time in a long time, and what awaited me was a large volume of documents. The prime minister had brought them on behalf of my father, who was away on a local inspection.

"What's this all about?"

"This is all the work of His Highness the prince. It is also your job to protect this place on behalf of His Majesty, who is normally absent."

"Are you harassing me because I broke off the engagement with your daughter?"

"I am not. These are all the ‘only helping’ that my daughter has been undertaking on behalf of His Highness. My daughter offered to perform a handover, but His Highness rejected her offer, did you not?"

I had no choice but to look over the documents, but I couldn't make sense of them at all.

"Hey, this is not my job. I don't understand."

"That should not be. It is a fact that the documents were signed by His Highness."

The prime minister pointed to where I had signed.

No way, Liese was doing this?

It can't be. What she was doing was supposed to be only assisting me. But thinking back, I recall that Liese often came to me for my sign with a troubled look on her face. I never paid much attention to her, though she would repeatedly tell me to give them a look.

"Hey, call Liese."

"She's on her way to the duke's estate. She can’t come here."

"I told you to call her, and you won't do it? Let her come back at once."

"With all due respect, Your Highness. You were the one who told her not to show herself in front of you, did you not? She moved away to avoid the miniscule possibility of entering your sight. I ask that you take responsibility for what you have said."

The prime minister indicated with a cold stare that he had no intention of backing down, added some more documents, and left. This bastard prime minister. When my father returns, I will charge both this father and daughter with lese-majeste.

I picked up one of the documents. I still don't understand it. I had no choice but to start with the ones I could. As I looked at the stack of papers, all I could do was groan.

No matter how much I tried, the work never ended, and I couldn't get out of the office because the prime minister was watching me. After almost no sleep and what felt like endless confrontation, my father and mother finally returned from their inspection.

Thank God, now I can get out of here.

My father and mother are sweet on me. It is only natural. My father has many concubines, but I am the only child of my mother, the queen. As a legitimate son, I have been promised that I will be crowned as crown prince when I graduate from the school.

If my father and mother returned, I was sure that they would keep away this abominable prime minister with a single word.

I finally left the office when they called me. I am sure that they called me to greet me as well as to discuss the agenda for the crown prince position. They might also talk about my next fiancée. There are several candidates. The one with the highest status should be taken as the legal wife, and the rest should be made concubines. I had been patient with Liese, but it was her fault that I couldn't tolerate even that anymore.

Yes, everything is Liese's fault.

The reason I had to do so much work and the reason I had to break off the engagement was because she didn't understand me. She should have just obediently obey me.

I bit my back teeth. Firstly, I want the prime minister and his daughter to pay for lese-majeste. I made up my mind and stopped in front of the room, and the door slowly opened.

I snickered at the prime minister, who is about to be scolded by my father, and entered the room where my father and mother are. First, deal with the prime minister and his daughter, and then we would discuss the issue of the crown prince position. I bowed before my father and mother with a buoyant feeling.

"What have you done!"

"Hah?"

My father's curses flew as soon as the door closed.

My father's face was red as he scowled at me.

"I had said so much that your marriage with Liese was absolute, so why did you break it off without permission."

"It's because Liese is not suitable as the future queen..."

"What future queen? No, you're right. Whoever takes her as his wife will be the future king."

I could not follow my father's response, which I had not expected at all.

The one who takes her as his wife will be the king?

Even if she were gone, I would still be king, wouldn't I?

"When this engagement is over, the possibility for you to become the next king is over."

"...what?"

"Do you even realize that this country is on the verge of collapsing?"

According to my father, although the king is at the top of this country, but it seems that what is really running this country is the prime minister and his household.

Their power is great, and the nobles follow the royal family because the prime minister who led them is attached to the royal family. There is no problem if the king is replaced, but it is even said that if the prime minister disappears, the country will end. He has that much influence. That is why his only daughter, Liese, and I have the arranged marriage.

The prime minister does not like conflict. My father told me that he allowed Liese to be my fiancée as an alternative because he thought that having a legitimate heir with few cracks as the next king with Liese's support as the next queen would be a way to manage the country peacefully.

"Then..."

My heart palpitates. I can't breathe well, and I'm at a loss for words.

"Many people have seen you breaking off your engagement. You can no longer overturn it. You must stay at your estate in the palace for a while. If you want to remain as a royalty, at least prove that you can work as one there. If you cannot, I will annul your royalty status."

"N-no, way…"

I looked at my mother next to my father as if clinging for a helping rope. If it’s the usual mother, she would have listened to all my words. But this time she closed her eyes with sadness.

"Take him away."

My father's merciless voice pushed me away from the palace.

The rooms in the detached palace were smaller than my private quarters, and I felt uncomfortable.

The quality of the food was poor, and I was not allowed to leave the house, and only work was brought to me.

I am the prince, and yet I am put in this situation, furthermore all I am expected to do is work?

I don't understand. Isn't it the role of an aide to do the work?

I was scolded at the time, but I am the only legitimate son. After a while, my father will call me back from here and this time he will make a move to push me as the crown prince.

At that time, I still thought so.

I stayed at the palace for a while, and one day, my father came to me and said below.

"Unfortunately, I don't see any sign of remorse on your part."

I was taken out of the palace and imprisoned in the tower.

It was only when I got there that I realized that he was serious about this.

I try to remember what my father said. He told me that I had to prove that I could work as royalty, or I would be stripped of my royal status.

I worked hard. But the documents were full of things I didn't understand. Gradually, the number of documents being brought to me decreased.

One day, I told the servant who brought the documents that he could give me more work. I told him that I would be stripped of my position if I did not prove that I could do my work, but what was the point if the work did not come in the first place?

"The documents His Highness had done were full of mistakes. Frankly, it would take me twice as long to fix them, so I can't go on any longer."

When I was wondering what is he saying, his attitude was snide as if he was mocking me.

"How dare you!"

I snapped. I found myself punching him in the face.

I was stripped of my status as a royalty and sent to the mines for causing a disturbance during my imprisonment. At this point, I still didn't understand my situation.

In the mine, there were rows of dirty miners in tattered clothes.

"This new guy will be working with you guys from today."

With one voice from a man who claimed to be their boss, they began their work. It was hard work, scratching at the rocks in the dark with only a few lights to guide, and I found my hands soon became numb.

I slammed the tool in my hand against the rock.

"Don’t be ridiculous, I'm a prince. Why do I have to do this!"

It was at that moment when I shouted. I felt a pain in my solar plexus, and I was lying on the ground. I realized later that a man had hit me.

"Huhh? The prince?"

"What are you doing? You know what will happen to you if you raise your hand against me!"

"You’re the one who doesn’t know what’s going to happen to you."

Then I was kicked and punched by several people.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the man they called boss. It looked like a very shabby hut. I thought he had put me in a stable, but there’s a desk and what looked like a bunk, so I guessed it’s supposed to be a place of dwelling.

"Oh, you're awake. Are you an idiot? Well, you wouldn't be here if you weren't an idiot, would you, almighty prince?"

He laughed. I tried to get up, but I couldn't move because of the pain.

"Stop it. You have many parts that are broken or hurt. If you move, you will really die. Not that I care if you do. If you want to die, go ahead."

He gave me a bowl of soup. The soup was light in flavor and hardly tasty. Still, the lukewarm taste soaked into my body.

"I guess it wouldn't taste good to a prince with a discerning palate."
"You know I'm the..."

"Yeah, I'm the only one here who knows you were a real prince. I'm telling you, I'm not going to give you any special treatment, even if you were a former prince. You're not one anymore."

I almost got up again when he told me I wasn't a prince, but I still couldn't move due to the intense pain. I groaned, and he laughed at me in an amused way.

"I'll tell you one thing. If you don't want to die, don't call yourself a prince anymore. Do you know what they think of royalty here?"

I shook my head and grunted, my neck aching.

"I'll tell you then. They're the kind of bastards that would love to torment and kill in you the most brutal way possible if they know."

"What?"

"All these guys here work every day in a sweatshop. A lot of the money they make is taken away as taxes. No matter how much they work, their lives don't get any better, but the nobles and royalty party with that money."

He said with a hint of disgust in his voice and snickered.

He said that most of them are impoverished because of the recent increase in the tax rate. The resentment towards the royalty is only growing.

"You know what would happen if you started saying 'I'm a prince' in such a situation, don't you? No, you've already experienced it. So don't say you're a prince. If you don't want to be brutally murdered, shut up and work here."

The boss took care of me while my body healed. The food was not delicious and not nearly enough to fill. At first, I thought he was messing with me, after all, I couldn't move my body. I wanted to hit him, but this guy seems to be stronger than me. If I let the guards do it... they’re already gone huh. No matter what I order, no one will move. This guy is only mocking me, it seems.

I was feeling better, and I was going to go back into the mines. “I'll give you one chance. Whether you are able to continue living is up to you”. The boss who said so explained to the rest of miners.

"This guy was so hungry by the time he got here that he ate some weird mushrooms. He says he's still affected by it and sometimes hallucinates that he's the prince."

"What the hell is that?"

"Of course, you'd like to have been born with a golden spoon, wouldn't you?

"Stop bullshittin."

They laughed and laughed.

"So, you all will have to forgive him if he still says prince whatnot from time to time. He's got a complicated background. He may be useless until he gets used to the job, but take care of him."

I decided to work quietly as I was told to avoid being killed. The miners were surprisingly kind and taught me many things.

"I'm sorry I did you in the other day. Because you were yelping prince and whatnot, and I didn't know you were in such a situation."

"Have you healed yet? Until you heal properly, just do what you can."

And with that, they taught me work little by little.

A year passed, and then another. The miners' work was hard. And yet, no matter how hard they worked, life did not get any easier. As I worked hard and sweated every day, I couldn't believe that I had been a prince. I gradually began to understand why people hate the royalty.

Indeed, I understood nothing at all.

I lived thinking that being served and being called His Highness by everyone, wearing and eating all the good stuffs, are all obviously what I was entitled to. Everything I said was what would come to pass.

I had never imagined that so many people had worked so hard behind the scenes.

A few years later, news came that the king had been killed. The ringleader was the prime minister. In the village near the mine where I now live, there was a festival. Everyone was happy, raising their hands in the air.

I had come to understand the feeling, so I pretended to be equally happy with very mixed feelings.

The festivities continued into the night. I was hidden by boss and cried in secret. My father and mother were gone.

I realized that twenty years had passed since I was sent to the mine. During this time, my boss, who had been so kind to me, died. It was an accident. I cried more than when I was told that my parents had died. I grieved. Mining is always fraught with danger. Since I came to the mine, several people have already died.

I heard through the rumors in the wind that the prime minister had taken the throne of the king, who had been absent for a long time.

I wonder how Liese is doing.

I suddenly remembered my former fiancée. Thinking back, she always kept good grades and always worked hard. I wonder when did I realize that the complaints I used to find bothersome were quite sincere.

I was the one who broke off the engagement for selfish reasons, such as not liking the way she looked or not pleasing me. I can see now that since she had done my work while I was playing, attending the academy, and receiving the queen's education, she would not have had time to dress up. I never once complimented her while complaining about not getting compliments. I felt refreshed when I confronted her about breaking off the engagement, but I guess she was the one who was really refreshed.

I did wonder how she was doing, but now I could no longer get any information of her.

I feel guilty toward her.

However, I selfishly and one-sidedly wished she is at least happy.

A few more years passed. The tax rate was reduced, and little by little, life in the village improved. Above all, the faces of the villagers became brighter. They began to see a little hope for the future.

There was a wedding in the village. The villagers married each other. A small celebration party was held. Everyone was smiling and celebrating, and the bride and groom were smiling happily.

I wondered if I had ever seen Liese smile. She always had a troubled look on her face. If I had said "Thank you" to Liese for helping me with my work, would she have laughed? If I had cared for her when she was tired, if I had given her a gift, would anything have changed?

If it’s about her crying, I have only seen it once. I grumbled about her servant and ordered the guards to teach that person a lesson. He died from the wound. Since then, Liese has been less bitter and spoke little. I was pleased at the time that things had quieted down. Looking back on it now, it's a terrible story.

I wonder what Liese looked like when she smiled.

The villagers suggested to me, "Why don't you get married too?” But I couldn't bring myself to do it. In the end, I remained single until I reached this age.

A few months later, I was involved in a rock fall at a mine. My last thought was of the many regrets I had. And instead of the glamorous life in the castle, I was thinking about drinking cheap drinks and laughing with the villagers.

〇〇〇

I have a strange memory. It is the memory of a man who ended his life as a miner, but it is hazy and I cannot recall it clearly. At first, I thought it was a dream, maybe a previous life, a remembrance of my own steps. For some reason, I remember very little of my younger days, and yet remember clearly the many regrets after becoming a miner.

I was an orphan from a church in a certain city. I was in an orphanage for as long as I can remember, so I never knew my real parents. Fortunately, the priest of that church was a wonderful man who taught the orphans how to write because it would help them in the future if they could. He also taught us what we wanted if he has the knowledge. However, he was a busy man, so it was hard for me to find time with him.

In my previous life, I had nothing but regrets. What those regrets taught me was to be diligent and hardworking.

I loved to learn. So I asked the priest for stories and occasionally read the book I was allowed to borrow over and over again during the service.

It was a rule that I had to leave the orphanage at the age of 12.

I lived and worked there. The world is harsh on people from orphanages. Even so, I worked hard and gradually gained recognition.

I saved the little wage I earned from my work and borrowed books. Books are a luxury item, so they are hard to buy. I wanted to learn more, but only a privileged few could learn about teaching. I talked to many people and read books, gaining knowledge little by little.

To repay the favor, I taught what I learned at the orphanage where I grew up. Not that I was proud of my knowledge, but at least I could teach what I knew. I knew that life would be very different without knowledge, so I did my best to teach the orphans.

One day, when I was over 30 years old, the greatest blessing of my life came my way.

I was teaching at the orphanage as usual when I was called in by the priest. In the room I entered, there was a soft-faced priest and a man who was obviously a noble.

"I have looked into you. If you like, you can come work for us."

The man was the head of a ducal family and the prime minister of this country. This church belonged to the prime minister in the first place, and it seems that he and the priest were good friends. The dukes are the highest rank of the nobility, excluding the royal family. It is already difficult for a former orphan to work in a noble's house, much so for one to work under a duke's. I was left completely flabbergasted.

"Why me-... this humble self?"

"I'm looking for an educator for my son and daughter. I was introduced to you by the priest here. I was observing you, and I thought you would be a good fit."

"About the education… I-I don't know what to teach to a duke's children..."

"Aah, don't be so nervous. You can be a good friend to them and that's all that matters."

According to the talk, there is another proper teacher.

However, the prime minister wanted the children to know about the lives of the common people, and since a teacher from the aristocracy would not be able to convey this to them, he was looking for someone who was familiar with the lives of the common people.

I was hired as a caretaker and a talker to the children.

The duke's family had three children. A five-year-old girl, a four-year-old and two-year-old boys. The two boys were mischievous and the ladies-in-waiting were troubled by their mischievousness, but the girl was intelligent and quiet.

I spent time with the three of them while doing chores for the duke's family. It was more like playing with them than teaching them. When the youngest one got a little older, I took them out into the city with me and showed them around, and we also went to the church orphanage. When I joined the children, Liese, the eldest, who is usually very mature, seemed to be enjoying herself in an age-appropriate way.

All three of them were honest and intelligent, and they all grew up quickly.

When Liese was ten years old, she was engaged to the first prince of this country. Liese and the first prince, who was born in the same year, were betrothed from the time she was born, and it would be made official once she reached the age of ten.

Liese began to visit the royal palace from time to time and gradually lost her smile.

"His Highness calls me ugly."

"When I asked His Highness to study properly, he said I was too noisy and tripped me down."

"I asked His Highness to do his job, but he wouldn't listen to me, saying that it was my job to support him."

She would say this every once in a while in a whisper. I had no idea how to respond. Although I have never met him in person, I have heard that all royalty have the reputation of being spendthrifts who only think of themselves. I heard that the prince was no exception, and that he was selfish and arrogant, putting on airs about his status. I felt sorry for Liese, who had to marry such a man.

The prime minister always had a difficult look on his face.

"The people's dissatisfaction is growing, and yet here we are again, at a big party. When I reproached him, he said he was going on a tour of the countryside. Not that I mind if he's really going on an inspection."

“I'm sure it's just for fun. The queen also likes to show off.”

I heard the prime minister and his wife exchanging sighs.

One day when Liese turned sixteen, she came home from a student party and her cheeks were bright red and swollen. The first prince was flirting with another girl without escorting her fiancé, Liese, and when she protested softly, he slapped her on the cheek with a rude remark.

"I can't take this anymore. I'm going to ask His Majesty to end this engagement."

"But father, then this country will..."

The prime minister is working hard to stabilize this country. Even if the king is incompetent, a lot of blood will be spilled to change that.

Liese understood this and supported the country as the prince's fiancee.

In the end, the prime minister protested to the king, but the engagement was continued. It is said that the king said he would give the prince a stern talking, along with some compromises.

The prime minister apologized to Liese, and Liese gave up on the idea that it was inevitable, but I couldn't help but feel frustrated.

The next day, when Liese returned from the palace, she looked sad.

"I heard that His Majesty had spoken to His Highness, but he showed no signs of remorse. He told me that I must have planned the whole thing to get His Highness's attention and that I was a real jerk."

"The young lady didn't do anything wrong."

"What should I do? I really don't know."

I could feel her sorrowful thoughts, as she rarely spoke out in weakness, and I couldn't forgive this. What is the prince doing when she is working so hard every day, even falling to pieces like this? Liese never wanted to be the prince's fiancée at all.

I staked out the school on the pretext of taking Liese to and from school, and finally succeeded in making contact with the prince a few days later.

"The young lady is doing her best for His Highness. What is His Highness doing in response? Please, Your Highness, the young lady..."

"Shut up."

"Please refrain from raising Your Highness’s hand against the young lady."

"Didn't you hear me tell you to shut up? Hey, made him shut up."

"Yes, sir!"

Then I was assaulted by the prince's guards.

In my fading consciousness, I realized.

Yeah, this prince was me.

〇〇〇

I was seven years old, in bed with a high fever and clearly remembering my past two lives.

Now I am apparently the same first prince as the first round. Looking back on my still short life of seven years, I am clearly an arrogant, clueless brat. The first round, I grew up only physically as a brat, and then I reached my end.

The parade of my black history runs through my mind like a running light, and I feel like slumping over. At any rate, I rolled over until I fell off the bunk and hit my head on the wall. The lady-in-waiting screamed due to that.

No, there's no point in doing this. I have to figure out what to do.

It shouldn't be too late now.

I listened to my teacher and studied as hard as I could. My attitude changed so much that they said I became a different person after I got a fever. Well, they were not wrong.

But still, isn't it great to have such a good environment to learn?

In my second life, I had a hard time getting books, much less having a teacher and being able to ask questions right away.

Why did I not realize this in my first life. I want to punch myself in the face for all the times I skipped school and ran away from the teachers.

I took full advantage of this environment. I went to the castle library when the teachers were not around. A space full of books, which I craved for the second time in my life. It was wonderful. I read a lot. Once again, it's wonderful to be able to learn.

I have to be careful of the potential aides who come on to me. They may flatter me with appropriate compliments, but they are only after my power. They are incompetent people who are just trying to suck the juice out of my mouth. No, it's better that they are just scheming for power. What is really incompetent is me, who was flattered by those incompetents and got on their good side. I'm having a black history memory attack. I want to writhe.

My father still has many concubines, and my mother, in exchange for tolerating them, is indulging in extravagance. I wonder how many years of my salary as a miner went into that one dress. I wonder how many dresses she has. A great deal of tax money is also spent by my father for his concubines. I am filled with the thought, "You've got to be kidding me," even though they are my own parents.

Yes, just like my fellow miners.

I know that if things continue as they are, the royal family will be purged by the prime minister in the future. I don't feel anything about the purging of the royal family, who are only thinking of themselves without regard for the people, but I don't want blood and money to be spilled for their sake.

Fortunately, the current prime minister has no desire to remove the king yet. It is not that I want to ascend the throne, but it would be better for me to succeed him peacefully and change the nature of the royal family, just as he had hoped.

I don't know if I would be a good king, but there is no one else I would trust with the job.

Royalties! They are all scum.

And the biggest of them is me!

"Aaahh!"

I hit my head on the desk and the lady-in-waiting cried. I'm not a man worth crying over, you know.

Hmm? No, that’s not correct. She’s crying because if I get hurt, she could be removed from her office.

I’m too self-conscious. Aaah!!!

Anyway, I'm going to be king.

I understand very well now that the marriage with her is important for that.

Liese and I are engaged to be married. When I turn ten, we will be officially engaged. It was as if our engagement was decided at the moment of our birth, so if I search my seven-years-old memory, it seems that we have seen each other many times until now.

Where I said mean things to her every time. I've said she’s ugly, or that I don't want to be engaged to her. Sigh, I want to punch the past me.

Today, which is a regularly scheduled meeting with Liese, I'm going to be seeing her. I need Liese. No, I need her for this country. That is why although I do not know how am I supposed to apologize to her due to my heavy guilt, I pray she would accept my hand.

I will devote myself to her for the rest of my life!

Even if I can't love her romantically, I will spend my whole life to make her happy!

A clang sound echoed.

The door opened and Liese entered. She looked at me and gave me a startled look. I guess she was surprised that I was there first, since it was normal for me to be late. Then she appeared to be nervous.

I felt a shiver down my back. Somehow I choked up and heat gathered in my face.

"I apologize to have kept you waiting, Your Highness."

She fluttered the hem of her dress and bowed politely. My heart trembled as I gazed at her, still small but perfectly graceful.

...pretty, isn't she? What the, she’s so cute.

I found myself holding my breath. I consciously resumed breathing, and this time my heart beat loudly.

"Um, Your Highness?"

Liese tilts her head. That's no good. It's too powerful.

"Is there something wrong?"

Something is wrong. My heart is pounding so hard I feel like it's going to jump out of my chest.

"Um, well, um, you know...that"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for everything I've said."

I thought I had to sincerely apologize to her when I saw her, but all that came out of my mouth was a vigorous apology.

No, this is not the way to do it.

"I will, do my best. Make you happy. So please. Marry me in the future!"

I take back my previous statement. I fell for her romantically.

I am depressed.

Even if it was something that happened in my previous life, I know I had to apologize to her. But when I saw her in person, I was at a loss for words.

In the first place, Liese doesn't know the me from the first round, and she would just be troubled if I suddenly apologized to her, wouldn’t she? Didn’t I just want to say sorry to relieve some of my guilt?

The more I think about it, the more I feel that it is just my wish and selfishness.

Another thing I was seriously worried about.

Am I the type to fall in love with a little girl?

No, I never had such thought except for Liese, so it must be different. No, I’m definitely not the type.

But still, asking her to marry me out of the blue. ...sigh. If I’m not stupid, what am I?

But when I saw Liese, I couldn't help but feel this way. Maybe it was because I was looking at Liese, who had been trying to support me healthily for two lifetimes. Was it because I had seen her trying her best and seeing her in distress?

But to Liese, who I had treated so badly?

I want to roll around from one end of the castle lawn to the other.

I even asked the prime minister to teach me a lesson. The prime minister was surprised, but politely told me. He told me what he himself thought, but without imposing his ideas. I can see now that his decision to kill the king was truly unavoidable. He thinks of his people first. I felt that keenly in my second life. That is probably why he felt limited by the royal family, who only think of themselves without regard for the increasingly impoverished people.

When I turned 10, Liese and I were officially engaged.

As a token of our engagement, I gave Liese a hair ornament. Liese smiled happily and said, "Thank you very much" and my heart rate exploded.

I studied with her as much as possible, although prince education and princess education are not the same and sometimes separate. She is smart. How come she's progressing faster than me who had two previous lives worth of experience.

It seems that this time I have the prime minister's approval. Little by little, I started to do some work. Liese even offered to help me.

"No, this is my job, I have to do it."

"It would be faster if the two of us did it together, wouldn't it?I would be in trouble if I had to do all of His Highness's work, but please let me assist some of your tasks."

What a good girl you are, Liese.

Yes, obviously that would be a problem to have her do everything. ...the first round me!

The first round me did just throw all my work to her!

"Aaaaah!"

As I plopped down at my desk remembering, I heard a concerned voice say, "Are you all right?" I'm just having a black history memory attack. Please leave me alone.

We went to church together. We played with orphans and did charity work.

When we turned fifteen, we both enrolled in the academy together.

I began carefully selecting my entourage and worked hard to raise the overall level of the school. Liese cooperated with me. Just as in my previous life, she was still making a healthy effort to support me.

To put it mildly, she is super cute.

In this life, I made a discovery for the first time.

I thought Liese was plain and quiet, but she is surprisingly active and talks a lot. And her tongue is a little sharp too.

"Your Highness."

"Call me by my name."

"Lord Klaus."

Ugh. I’m the one who told her to call me by my name, but I can't stop the musing when she does.

"You haven't finished that paperwork yet? It's time to go to the orphanage."

"Liese, you are just fast."

"I'll help you. You owe me one."

"Wait a minute. I can do it myself."

"Isn't it natural that Lord Klaus should be able to do it? It's His Highness job after all. If His Highness couldn't even do his own work and let others do it for him, he's just a fool."

"Ugh."

Unconsciously, my past wound was being gouged, and I pressed down on my aching heart.

In the end, my paperwork was stolen and quickly completed. If this is one favor, how many favors do the me from first round owe?

Liese smiles a lot now. Every time she smiles, it makes me feel as if my heart is being grabbed. Did I miss such a cute smile in the first round? I must be an idiot.

The school occasionally holds parties for students. I escorted Liese into the venue. Liese is really cute when she is dressed up. I couldn't stop loving her.

I want to punch myself from the first round being embarrassed to escort Liese. I'm sure Liese would have been embarrassed to have had to stand next to me instead.

I want to keep her by my side, but she needs time to talk with her friends. I stepped away for a moment, and I was surrounded by women. I was surrounded by women in flashy makeup and revealing dresses that showed off their voluptuous bodies. And the sweet words they churn.

It makes me want to vomit. I felt sick.

"It must be hard for Your Highness, too, isn't it? I'm sure it must be hard for Your Highness to have to live your life with someone like that, even if it's just for political reasons. If it were me, I would send His Highness to..."

"Someone like that?"

The women looked in the direction of Liese and giggled. What are you laughing at? Stop fooling around.

If it was them, what would they do?

But if it had been me for the first round, I would have smiled at that, acting like a gentleman, and hugged her around the waist...

"Aaaaah!"

I'm the one who vomits. Not just a little, but all of it.

I want to climb the walls and scream.

"Y-Your Highness?"

No, this is a party. I have to maintain my composure, even if I have a blackout.

"Liese is elegant and beautiful, isn't she? She is also hardworking and intelligent, too. You should all learn from her."

"Eh?"

"I'm telling you, don't insult my fiancée and think you'll get away with it."

I will not let these people have power.

Feeling sick, I left and turned around. Several women were looking at me dumbfounded. I also noticed the aristocrats staring blankly at me from afar.

...I wondered if they were laughing at me.

I want to dive to the bottom of the castle pond.

Liese was happily talking to a man. I think he is the second son of a duke. Not only is he good-looking, he is capable and said to be a candidate as a close aide.

Thinking that this is not funny, I took Liese and went out onto the empty balcony.

Being suddenly pulled by me, and she looked unhappy.

"Please wait, Lord Klaus, my arm, it hurts. Only the worst kind of lowlife to wield violence to a woman."

"Ugh."

In the first round I was perfect example of being violent right. I was a lowlife.

But this time isn’t violence. It was definitely not. It's Liese fault for having fun with another guy.

I'm lying, there's nothing wrong with Liese, it's all my faulttttttttttttttt.

"Do you want to stay with that guy?"

"Eh? No?"

I was relieved to hear her deny it right away, but I still couldn't get rid of this murky feeling.

"You seemed to be having a lot of fun talking to him."

"I've known him since I was a little girl because of our family connections. Rather, wasn’t Lord Klaus surrounded by women."

"I didn't want that."

I turned my head to the side. I’m being childish. I'm just jealous of him.

I know, he's probably a better guy than I am.

To Liese, I'm just a political marriage partner. She was brought up to marry the first prince and support him for the country. That's how she was raised, and she's honestly making an effort to support me as she could.

Even if that first prince is not me, she will do the same. Liese doesn't see me as a man. I grit my back teeth at this fact.

"I don't think I would ever be looked at in that way by other gentleman. I have such a figure after all. I am sorry that His Highness must be embarrassed to have to escort me, even if it is necessary."

"That can't be further from the truth."

I denied it with all my heart, but Liese only smiled weakly.

Certainly I might have thought so during the first round, I want to punch myself from that…-omitted-.

"I am grateful to you for treating me as your fiancee, even if it is a political engagement. But if Lord Klaus has someone in mind for, you do not have to mind me."

"Does that imply that I should shut up because Liese has someone she’s interested to?"

"No, that is not the case. I have given up on any kind of romantic relationship because of my figure. Lord Klaus will be able to welcome concubines one day, will you not? I will not be jealous when that happens so please."

"You should be jealous."

Liese's small eyes widened a little as she answered without pause.

"You said something along the line of ‘with this figure’, did anyone ever say anything about you?"

"Uhm, I have heard the word ugly used to refer to myself here and there, and I remember that Lord Klaus said so to me during the childhood."

"I offer my sincere apology to that and I will not say it again."

"I, too, have awareness of such. I mean, my body isn't very feminine either..."

I couldn’t stand her unyielding and yet embarrassed stance anymore so I embraced her.

Her small and slender body fits perfectly in my arms, arouses the desire to protect her. She said it's not very feminine, but her chest… I hurriedly diverted my thoughts.

"Liese, I don't know what anyone else says, I think you're, you know, pretty cute, and, uhh, beautiful…and not just for your looks, but for the fact that you're always trying so hard, that you're thoughtful and intelligent, and I like those parts of you. Don't belittle yourself."

My heart beats too loudly, and Liese probably could hear that. I cleared my throat and let out a deep breath.

"I don't need a concubine. Liese, you are all I need. So...I know you only see me as a political engagement partner, but can't you at least see me as a man?"

"What?"

Liese looked up at me from inside my arms. She looked surprised, then giggles.

"You are very kind, Lord Klaus. You don't have to be so concerned about me, you know. I would never ask you to break off our engagement unless my status is no longer necessary for Lord Klaus."

"That's not what I meant."

"You would be exhausted if you had to put up a facade to everyone. I'm sure you're enduring many things, aren't you? You should at least take it easy in front of me."

She did not believe me at all.

"If it’s about enduring, you are right. I want to kiss you right now, I want to hold you in my hand, and I want to go further..."

"Eh!"

Liese’s body tensed up. I feel sorry but at the same time I am filled with love to her.

"I'm sorry. But you have to believe me. You're the only one I feel this way to."

Liese was clearly confused. I was shocked by this, but part of me felt that it’s inevitable. I gently released Liese from my embrace and smiled.

"Don't appear so troubled, will you? I’m not planning to have you share your feelings to me today. But I will try my best to be a man who will make you turn towards me someday, so I would be very happy if you could look at me, even if it is just for a little.

But Liese just looked up at me with a blank stare. I knew she didn't believe me.

"Lord Klaus, has your eyesight gone bad? Or did you eat something strange?

"I haven't lost my eyesight, and I haven't eaten anything."

Liese looked worried and began to wonder what it was then.

Even that with that look, I really think she’s cute so I’m probably beyond help.

"I love you, Liese."

From that day on, I told her I loved her every chance I got. It took a year for her to believe me.

"Oh, um, were you serious?"

"I've been saying so for a long time."

Someone should praise me for not pushing her down when she turned bright red.

Then it took another year before Liese even started to have a little bit of feelings for me.

"I'm not quite sure, but I think I may be pining for His Highness as well."

I wish someone should praise me for not kidnapping her when she said that.

"Hey, Liese. What kind of man would you prefer... or rather, even dislike?"

"Let's see, someone who is selfish, who wields his authority around, who doesn't listen to others, arrogant, looks down on those in a weaker position, pushed his work to others without doing it himself, troublesome type, and then..."

"Ugh."

"Especially, one that despite not being able to do anything, put no effort and yet act up arrogantly. I hate them."

"Ugh."

I turn over, holding my aching chest. The blows are too strong.

Isn’t that all me from the first round? I was the one who she hated no matter how I thought go around it.

In that situation, I even said something like “attempting to get my attention” to her.

"Aaaahh!"

It's too painful. If there was a hole, I'd want to get into one. Oh, I was literally in the hole called a mine.

"Ah, it's people like Lord Klaus that I like."

I looked up with startled, and Liese giggled with a face like her prank had succeeded.

Someone should praise me for not attacking her.

That day, a graduation party was being held in the halls of the school. It was the day I broke off my engagement to Liese in the first round.

I escorted Liese through the hall. Liese is dressed in a quality dress that was custom-made for the occasion, and she is wearing light makeup. I can see now that her dress is follows the manners and with a line that is not too extravagant, and that she is mindful of the lives of the common people.

In the first round, I would not have noticed such a thing, and would have snickered at it as plain and lacking in flamboyance. I was a fool who didn't know better what I was talking about.

"I wonder if anyone is breaking off an engagement today?"

"Breaking engagement?"

I asked back with a hiccup, and Liese giggled expressively.

“I heard that it is a standard practice to break off engagements at graduation parties. Fact is, parents won’t be able to overturn anything declared here, or so I heard.”

Noble marriages emphasize the connection between households, so there are times when compatibility of the engaged partners are bad, said Liese as she laughed while I’m sweating cold bullets.

"But I don't think it's a good idea to break it off right here. Both parties are engaged because there is such importance to begin with."

"I-I know, right?"

"Well, but if the one of the involved party is so brain-deficient that he can't think about the consequences, it might be rather fortunate for the other party to be able to break it off."

"Ugh."

There are too many things that come to mind, so I can't say anything back.

"I-I’m just saying my thoughts, but there's no way Liese would break off our engagement, is there?"

"There's no way that's possible. I'm not so stupid as to ruin a graduation party for everyone without reading the atmosphere for my own reasons.

"I-I-I-I-I-I know, right?"

The idiot who ruined everyone's party...

Then such an idiot actually showed up and broke off his engagement. He caused great amount of frustration to others. Was I like that?

I want to be hit by a waterfall.

"He might be thinking that the female side is over, but I think it's the other party’s life that's over. He's probably going to be disinherited."

"Y-yes, that's right."

I gently looked away from Liese's pitying eyes.

The main characters of the engagement breaking incident have left the hall, and an indescribable atmosphere envelopes the hall. I took Liese out to where that idiot had just been and raised my voice.

"Liese!"

I was the first prince who was originally the center of attention, even if I didn't want to be. With this voice, the hall fell silent, and I felt all eyes on me. I guess they must have thought that another idiot who can’t read the air has come out again. In fact, they are not wrong.

We were standing in the opposite positions from the first round, with Liese on the top and me on the bottom.

Perhaps it was because we were talking about the broken engagement, but I could see that Liese's expression had grown tense.

"Liese, I want you to listen to me. I'm really a helpless fool. I'm that awful man you one day said you hated. I can't do anything on my own, but not only didn’t I realize that, didn’t care of others’ consideration, and I've hurt you so much."

What did you look like in the first round? How hurt and how miserable did you feel?

I ruined your life and took all you did for granted.

Nothing I can say now can save the Liese I once knew. I know it's unforgivable.

"I'm trying my best, but I'm always getting support from everyone at work. As a royalty, I am unreliable, and as a man, I am not a man of character. But I want to make the country a better place with you."

The faces of his fellow miners come to mind. They are working hard today, diving into the mountains and facing danger. I want to build a country where they can smile. I want to make a country where even orphans can learn as much as they want and get the job they want.

Together with Liese.

"I will continue to do wrong, and there may be times when you will think I am no good. But I promise to make you happy with my everything. I will definitely make you happy. That is why..."

I stepped forward and knelt down in front of Liese.

"Please marry me."

I was a fool in the first round, and I made a lot of mistakes. I made some irrevocable mistakes. I learned that in the mine and in my second round.

Fortunately, I was given one more chance to start over.

So I'm going to do everything I can to improve the country.

I know it's presumptuous of me. I know it’s too late to say so after hurting you so badly the first round. But I will never make the same mistake again. That is why.

Can you give me one more chance to make you happy?

For a while, neither Liese nor anyone else in the audience spoke a word. Only their own heartbeats were beating annoyingly.

Was it not good enough?

I looked up and saw Liese, and she looked like she was about to cry for some reason. Then she gave a few small nods and answered "Yes".

I stood up and hugged Liese.

The audience burst into thunderous applause.

"Thank you, Liese".

I whispered softly, I'm sure no one but Liese heard me.

"I'm sorry, I'm such an idiot who can’t read the room."

Liese's shoulders shook in her arms and she laughed as she muttered this.

"Then I'll be the fool with you."

Liese pushed on my chest and stretched up, and our lips met.

Even louder cheers and applause rang out in the distance.

〇〇〇

The first prince Klaus was crowned as the crown prince immediately after graduation from the academy, and half a year later, with everyone's blessing, he wed Liese, the daughter of the prime minister, who had been his fiancée from the beginning.

The happy couple's appearance at the graduation party was such that the party was transformed from a place for breaking off engagements to a place for marriage proposals.

One year after the marriage, Klaus abdicated his father, the king, prematurely and took over the throne. From this point on, the system was rapidly reformed by Klaus, who became the king, and the prime minister.

The former king and queen, who were Klaus' parents, and the willing former king's concubines, moved to a detached palace, where they lived on a strictly managed budget. They had been free to spend their lives without being conscious of money, and they complained about the inconvenient life they were now leading, but Klaus brushed it all off.

Klaus and Liese's marriage was good, and they were soon blessed with a child. After the birth of two girls in a row, an aide, concerned about the heir, suggested that they have a concubine, but Klaus did not nod his head. Not only that, but a bill was conceived to allow his daughters to succeed to the throne, which led to a dramatic increase in women's participation in society.

The birth of a third boy, however, meant that the birth of a female king was postponed for once.

By the time ten years had passed since Klaus took the throne, the lives of the common people had improved considerably, and the number of people who harbored resentment toward the royal family gradually decreased.

Whenever he had time, the king would personally visit towns and villages to see how the people were living. He was particularly interested in the mines, where he visited the mines and showing care to the workers, and even pushed aside the opposition of his entourage to enter the dangerous mines himself. With tools in his hands, the king somehow handled them as well as any skilled worker, and he surprised the workers by warning them when he found a dangerous spot.

Even after he reached a ripe old age, Klaus and Liese continued to work side by side at the office desk. The two often talked amiably during their work hours, and many times Klaus was seen holding his chest when Liese said something trivial. Klaus always took care of Liese, and Liese continued to support her husband.

Klaus always displayed the appearance of a dignified king, but sometimes he would make strange noises and scratch his head, making his aides worried. At such times, Liese would look after him with a chuckle and say, "It's an old illness."

He was praised as a great ruler and everyone bowed their heads in his presence, but for some reason, that personage could not bow his ahead to a single lone individual, the slender and petite queen. Because the queen sometimes manipulated the king so well, there are rumors being circulated that she was the real supreme authority.

After handing over the throne to his son, Klaus and Liese visited various places together under the guise of an inspection tour, spending time among the common people. It is said that they looked very peaceful together.

Klaus never had a concubine in his life and loved only Liese. Liese also never had a lover, and she looked at her husband with kind eyes.

When Liese became bedridden in old age, Klaus continued to support her until the end of her life. When her remaining time was near, Klaus held Liese's hand and never left her side.

"Liese, was I able to make you happy?

"Yes, you made me very happy."

"I see... Thank you, thank you Liese. I love you."

Only a month after Liese had ascended to heaven, Klaus also ran to be with his beloved wife.

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Author’s note:

Thanks for reading!

Thank you for reporting the typo.

TLN: Feel free to do so too. It was not short.