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Chapter 14 – It Has to Be That Way (Prince’s Point of View)
Ah… what a disaster.
“I can’t take this anymore!!”
“Lady Anika, please do not raise your voice!”
“I’ve reached my limit! This is unbearable!!”
The woman shouting at the top of her lungs was my fiancée, Anika Vias—Sibel’s younger stepsister, and the one now proclaimed as the true saint.
I had come to check on her progress in her bridal training, only to be greeted by her yelling and the teacher’s frantic scolding echoing through the room.
“Oh! Prince Marx, please help me!!”
“Eh?”
“Your Highness, please say something to her! Lady Anika keeps making the same mistakes no matter how many times I teach her! She shows no focus, no motivation whatsoever!”
“You’re just being too harsh!”
“Ah… I see how it is…”
This was bad. Really bad.
Two women arguing right in front of me, both expecting me to take their side. All I could do was give a weak smile and slowly back away.
*
Until recently, everyone—including myself—believed that Sibel was the true saint and the future crown princess.
She had been receiving royal bridal education for years, since childhood.
But now, all of that training had to be passed on to Anika. Of course it was going to be difficult.
Still, I had made sure to explain everything to her before Sibel’s banishment.
I told Anika clearly: to become my future wife and the crown princess, she would have to endure strict lessons.
And she agreed.
More than that, she said something Sibel never did—she told me she loved me.
Unlike Sibel, who always kept her distance, Anika was affectionate, gentle, and—according to her mother—had already displayed the saint’s power once.
So of course I accepted her eagerly.
The prophets never specifically named which Vias daughter was the saint, and Sibel had never once shown any sign of divine power.
So when Countess Vias and Anika told me that the real saint was the younger sister, I was easily convinced.
“Lady Anika! You cannot hope to be the crown princess if you act like this!”
“I’m the saint! That means I should be allowed to marry Prince Marx without all this nonsense!”
“My goodness! Are you saying you have no intention of learning proper etiquette!?”
“Exactly! You’re just too strict!”
“…Very well, then. It seems I can no longer be of any help to you. Good day!”
“Ah—wait, please—!”
Another teacher gone.
Within a single month, multiple instructors had already quit, claiming that Anika was “impossible to teach.”
But even a saint needs refinement if she’s going to be the crown princess.
I only wanted her to gain the education and manners that would prevent her from embarrassing herself… and me.
This was truly troublesome.
I have an older half-brother.
He’s the son of my father, the king, and his mistress.
That means I, as the queen’s legitimate son, am first in line for the throne.
Or at least, I was.
Lately, I’ve been hearing troubling rumors—whispers that my brother might be chosen as the next king instead.
He’s five years older than me. Unlike my golden hair inherited from my mother, his hair is jet black, passed down from our great-grandfather.
A rare color in this country.
Our great-grandmother was a saint, and our great-grandfather—the king who married her—was beloved by the people. Together, they brought prosperity and peace.
But because my brother was born of a mistress, he never fit in at the palace. My mother despised him, and Father eventually built a separate residence within the royal grounds for him and his mother to live in.
By fifteen, he had joined the knight order.
A prince choosing to become a knight! I couldn’t believe it.
Still… I didn’t care.
After all, I am destined to be the next king.
Even if my brother were to die, it wouldn’t matter.
As long as I live, everything will be fine. Everyone believes that… right?
At least, that’s what I always told myself.
***
I’ve heard that he travels between foreign lands now, serving as a knight somewhere.
Apparently, he’s become quite skilled—though I’ve never confirmed it myself.
Meanwhile, I’m already twenty years old and still haven’t been formally declared crown prince.
I believed that was because Sibel had failed to awaken her saintly powers.
Once her divine power was revealed and peace spread across the kingdom, I’d marry her and finally be named crown prince.
That was the plan.
So when I was told the real saint was actually Anika, I panicked.
Without investigating properly, I banished Sibel to the remote frontier territory of Tori.
I had never seen her perform any miracle—but apparently, Anika had demonstrated divine power once, and her mother had witnessed it.
That was enough to reassure me.
Then came reports that Sibel had grown jealous of Anika after losing her title as the saint, even going so far as to bully her.
The countess investigated and sent me written proof.
I had no reason to doubt it.
It made perfect sense that Sibel, who had always been distant and cold, would envy her sweeter, gentler sister.
So, clearly… I hadn’t made a mistake.
*
And yet, ever since Anika’s training began, she’s done nothing but complain, whine, and cry.
She keeps insisting that as a saint, she shouldn’t have to endure such hardships.
Even so, I thought—if she truly possesses divine power, that alone would be enough to secure my position.
But she hasn’t shown that power once since then.
She always says, “I’m too tired to use my power.”
Well… at least the capital is peaceful for now.
What matters most is that she learns to behave like a crown princess.
At the very least, she needs to reach the same level of grace that Sibel once had.
Otherwise, it would be embarrassing to take her out in public as my fiancée.
It’ll be fine.
She’s a noblewoman, after all—a highborn daughter of the same house as Sibel.
She’s not a child anymore; she’ll learn to act like a lady soon enough.
I have to believe that.
No—I need to believe that.
Because if she doesn’t…
I’ll be in serious trouble.
