"Your Royal Highness, the Fourteenth Prince. Queen~"
Ronnel greeted them politely, as if this were their first meeting.
If there were anyone in the world Ronnel would genuinely bow to out of respect or gratitude, they'd be Maha, Linne, Netero, the Bean-Faced Man, and Don Freecss—who's currently exploring the Dark Continent.
More than half of those people, he's never even met.
From a noble's perspective, Ronnel's casual demeanor was blatantly rude. It made the Queen's heart sink.
"You don't look surprised to learn we're your employers. Did you already suspect?" The Queen quickly collected herself, forcing a bitter smile.
She was no stranger to political maneuvering. Having weathered palace intrigues and power struggles, she wouldn't lose her composure over something like this.
"Well, considering that, as far as I know, the Ninth Prince has no shortage of guards, any recruitment request written in his tone must've come from another prince," Ronnel replied calmly.
"The Seventh Prince lacks manpower, the Twelfth is relatively weak, and the Fourteenth... still an infant, largely unaware of the world. All of them could've issued a request mimicking the Ninth Prince."
"Of course, some princes have too much pride to impersonate others. So that narrows it down—"
"It was the Fourteenth Prince, wasn't it?" the Queen interjected, her eyes sharp with interest.
The trap she'd carefully set up had been dismantled so easily. While it caught her off guard, it also stirred a flicker of admiration.
Still, she kept her tone measured.
"Then what if you're wrong? What if the Ninth Prince did issue the request himself?"
"No chance~" Ronnel answered with a slight shrug.
"Even if the posting was cleverly hidden, anyone good at reading between the lines could tell it carries the Ninth Prince's personality. That makes it too obvious."
"If he truly wanted to hire bodyguards, he wouldn't reveal even a hint of his identity."
"Why? Because too many people are desperate to follow him. All he'd need to do is pass a word to his subordinates with the right conditions. His own network would handle the rest."
"He doesn't need strangers for something like this. So if a job listing reveals his identity, it definitely didn't come from him."
"...Brilliant." The Queen couldn't help but compliment him. Her gaze toward Ronnel sparkled with intrigue.
"I have one last question," she added, a bit more eagerly now.
"If you figured out it was the Fourteenth Prince, why did you still come?"
"Because I hate being ordered around," Ronnel replied plainly.
Of course, he wasn't about to say he picked this job at random. Everything he said before was just reverse-engineered from what he already knew.
"The Kakin royal family is notorious worldwide—for both their temperaments and their... peculiarities. Compared to being a pawn for one of those twisted freaks, an underage prince like yours is obviously the safest bet."
"If I'm right, Queen, the reason you used the Ninth Prince's voice in the job posting was to find someone who could protect both you and your child."
"Which makes this simple. You give me freedom and autonomy, I ensure your safety. A fair trade, and one I'm happy with."
"...I see." The Queen let out a soft sigh. He had hit the mark again. She recalled his initial lack of etiquette, but still gave a small, respectful nod.
Aside from his informal manners, the man before her was the ideal bodyguard: intelligent, confident, precise, and utterly calm under pressure.
He had even mentioned the other princes' eccentricities—something only someone with rare access or inside information would know.
That tiny flaw of his seemed trivial now.
"...Morgan?"
The Queen glanced at the table beside her, where the file on Ronnel's assumed identity sat.
"I haven't properly introduced myself. How rude of me. I'm Queen Oito, and this is my son—the Fourteenth Prince, Woble."
Holding her infant in her arms, Queen Oito gave Ronnel a small, dignified bow.
Then her expression shifted, tears welling up as her voice trembled.
"Since you've figured most of it out... I won't hide it anymore. My child and I are in a dire situation because—"
She began to explain everything about the brutal succession war.
"I couldn't bear the thought of him being dragged into such cruelty right after he was born..."
Looking down at the sleeping baby nestled in her arms, a warm smile flickered across her face—only to collapse into grief.
"He's just an innocent child. But to the other princes fighting for power, he's nothing but another target."
"I know I have no right to demand anything. If you walk away now and keep this conversation confidential, I'll still pay you the full reward."
Ronnel chuckled and shook his head.
"If I already knew this was a job from the Fourteenth Prince and came anyway, that means I've already made up my mind."
"As long as I get full autonomy and freedom, I'll do my job—and keep both of you safe."
"Really?" Queen Oito asked, perfectly timing her hopeful expression.
Just like Ronnel said: once someone like him—sharp, self-assured, and insightful—makes a decision, it's almost impossible to change.
She'd known that. But she still asked, just in case...
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)