Chapter 81: You're a real liar sometimes, Your Highness

The only thing Arnold hadn't guessed was Rishe's final reason, which she hadn't even told Theodore, her coconspirator. She had to come clean.

"I understand what you're saying, Your Highness, but…"

"But?"

Knowing she was being selfish, Rishe hunched over, furrowing her brow as she murmured, "I wanted to try your training regimen…" The words came out sounding sulky, with a note of childishness.

Arnold frowned, but since that one brief duel they'd fought the other day, she felt she knew him much better. In her life as a knight, Rishe had lost to Arnold—an undeniable, absolute defeat. And if someone like that had a plan for new recruits, then she wanted to experience that plan herself.

Wait, that doesn't actually explain anything!

As he studied her in silence, Rishe sprang to her feet. "I-It's true that this training might not be a good match, considering my physique, but Count Lawvine knows just what to assign us so we don't overwork ourselves. The trainees can spar and point out each other's flaws! I've definitely improved over the last few days!"

"…"

"The training I know is just pushing yourself until your body breaks, but this week, I've learned that it doesn't have to be that way. If I could only stay for the rest of the sessions, I won't require a personal instructor—I can just do it on my own!"

"…"

"And that means I won't ever have to monopolize an instructor for myself!"

Even as she was saying it, it sounded like a weak excuse. Arnold put a hand to his forehead, heaving a sigh.

"P-Prince Arnold?"

"Forget it. I imagine you have no issues with a regimen that should be too harsh for you?"

"Of course not! It's fun, and I'm learning a lot."

Arnold stared at Rishe, his expression dour as always. After another sigh, he asked, "You haven't gotten hurt or overly exhausted, have you?"

"No, thanks to Lord Lawvine's excellent instruction."

"I heard you sneak out of your room at five in the morning. What time did you go to bed last night?"

"Ugh… I try to get in bed by eleven…" She'd tried to be careful this morning, but it seemed he'd noticed her anyway. Maybe he just let her go because he thought she was tending her field or something. And she had been in bed by eleven, but then she'd spent some time memorizing the geography of Galkhein and poring over diplomatic records. She kept that fact to herself.

Arnold thought for a moment, then said slowly, "I have some conditions."

Rishe's eyes went wide. She wasn't expecting this.

"Go to bed one hour earlier. And most importantly, don't let anyone find out you're a woman. Got it?"

Rishe hadn't foreseen him giving in. "You don't mind if I continue?"

Arnold just looked at her and pressed the point, as if he was speaking to a child. "Can you do that for me?"

"Yes! Thank you so much, Prince Arnold!" Suddenly, everything around her seemed brighter.

Arnold sighed for the umpteenth time and asked the overjoyed Rishe. "What do you think of the knights, from the perspective of a cadet?"

"They're wonderful. All the cadets are more than qualified, and Lord Lawvine knows just how to instruct them. He pays careful attention to each and every trainee."

"I see."

"You really value your knights, don't you?" Rishe asked.

Arnold's neutral expression was difficult to read. "People are a country's assets. There's no harm in treating them with respect."

But in a few years, you'll execute Lord Lawvine and send many of those knights out into a war of conquest.

Taking a deep breath, Rishe broached the subject that had been on her mind since the party. "I heard why Prince Kyle is here."

Arnold smiled, looking amused. "So, you were listening last night."

"You knew? I was careful to erase all signs of my presence."

"Partway through. There aren't many people who can escape my notice for so long."

Be more careful next time, Rishe chided herself. "How much time does Coyolles have?"

"We didn't discuss the specifics of their gem mining operation. You must have heard that."

"Of course. What I want to know is your father's—His Majesty the Emperor of Galkhein's —plans."

Rishe's eyes rose to meet his.

"You and I were both cautious of Prince Kyle's reason for visiting, why he's really here. I'm sure that your father was much the same."

Rishe knew hardly anything about the emperor, but last night, Arnold had described him as someone who'd prefer conquering another country to allying with one. And even if that weren't true, she knew very well that he'd wanted his son to marry a foreigner out of desire for a political hostage.

"Unfortunately, I have no idea how much my father knows. But whenever he finds out, I have no doubt he'll make a move before Coyolles is claimed by another nation. The country has no value, but we need the sea routes to the north."

As she suspected, the situation was bad. Whatever moves she made to improve relations between Coyolles and Galkhein would have to escape the emperor's notice. In that case, her timeline was compressed—she didn't have years to plan.

"I know what you're thinking…" Arnold took a step toward Rishe with a beautiful, somber smile on his face. "But if the alternative is that man invading them, I think it'd be better if I did it."

Rishe gasped, goose bumps forming on her back. "What are you saying…?"

"You want to persuade me to make peace with Coyolles, but they're worthless to us. Even if you do manage to stop me, what if my father finds out about their predicament? That would be worse than if I'd made the first move."

Arnold watched Rishe, seemingly amused by her reactions. "Coyolles is doomed—now we're just squabbling over who finishes them off. If Kyle had stayed put, he could have bought his country another couple of years. Yet he came seeking aid like a fool… Anyone would take advantage of that."

"Prince Arnold."

"It'll be too late once my father finds out. If you have compassion for the people of Coyolles, then you should help me invade them."

His tone was jovial, but Rishe didn't doubt that he was serious. If she'd just met him, Rishe would have been terrified—but now she knew better.

"You're a real liar sometimes, Your Highness," Rishe said sadly. "If you really preferred conquest to diplomacy, you wouldn't have bothered swearing troublesome oaths to me. You would have just made me your wife by force."

Arnold scowled.

"I don't know why you wanted to marry me, but I'm just some duke's daughter from a politically weak country. You could have just taken me, but you didn't. Even after I came here, you continued to treat me with respect."

He was doing the same thing now. His "conditions" for Rishe's training were only out of concern for her. Why would a man like that choose this future?

Rishe peered into his eyes, but they held no answers. His vast, oceanic irises glowed with a dusky light that gradually faded away.

"You're free to think whatever you want about me." Arnold said as he slowly backed away from her.

"But remember this: In my country, war is not some terrible last resort. It's just politics."