Obsession of the Neglected 6-Star Heroes-Chapter 25

“...That… That person… couldn’t be him, right?”

Her murmured words were hesitant, almost trembling.

No, it couldn’t be. Surely not.

The warmth that had once wrapped around her, the soothing, gentle voice she remembered, couldn’t possibly belong to the ridiculous fool before her.

At least, not yet. Neither of them had fully pieced together the situation.

One of them pondered the luck of the day written in their diary.

The other was staring in disbelief at the bumbling idiot before them.

Somewhere, a piece of the puzzle had been placed incorrectly, and the princess stood upon it, struggling to deny the completed picture. She desperately attempted to laugh it off, to reshuffle the pieces in her mind.

Even as a faintly familiar voice reached her ears, she shook her head in denial.

The deep, dignified voice that had once saved her—the same voice, now slightly exaggerated in tone and emotion—was undeniably his. Or so it seemed.

“Kyah-hooo!”

The man’s voice grated against her nerves, pulling her from her thoughts.

The amber eyes of the tigress narrowed sharply as they locked onto the man again.

‘No… it can’t be. Surely not.’

Her instincts told her it was true. But her mind, clinging to sanity, fervently denied it.

At that moment—

A flicker.

The man’s body twisted slightly, his pupils locking directly onto her. He noticed that she had awoken.

The man, who had just been slapping his thighs and flailing, suddenly transformed. In an instant, he rearranged himself into the picture of an elegant gentleman.

As if realizing his earlier antics were unbefitting, he cleared his throat, adjusted his posture, and turned away from her. From across the room, he bowed slightly and offered an apology.

Then, half-bent, he turned fully toward Reina, his eyes meeting hers.

“You’re awake, Your Highness?”

It was the same behavior, the same tone and mannerisms, as when they first met—the very image of the man who had captivated the tigress.

The white lioness froze. Her body stiffened like stone, rooted in place.

For a moment, every motion ceased.

The white lioness shook her head slowly, disbelief written across her features.

The sheer absurdity of the scene before her was enough to drive anyone mad.

“…My… my…”

“Eh?”

It took a long while for the tigress to regain her senses, stammering incoherently for a moment before speaking clearly.

“Give me back my prince…”

The fading red hues of twilight gave way to a night lit by the soft glow of a full moon.

The bumbling idiot was none other than the prince on the white horse.

No… not the prince on the white horse. A prince who could lift a hundred tons.

Yes, that’s how he should be named.

***

Reina opened her eyes.

Keyal began recounting the details of the plan he had devised to rescue her when she was first brought to the slave market. He explained everything, step by step, leaving nothing out.

"Ah, so that's how it happened," she murmured, her tone calm yet contemplative.

In his story, Keyal mentioned that he was merely an adventurer at the time, unable to afford to purchase her outright. To save her, he had dug into the background of Baron Brown, unearthing the man’s corruption and using it to his advantage.

Oh, and one more thing.

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He made sure to include a vivid description of the pathetic downfall of that despicable baron.

When he finished, Reina bowed her head deeply, expressing her gratitude.

"I apologize for my delayed thanks," she said earnestly, her posture displaying utmost respect.

Keyal, clearly unprepared for such a gesture from someone of royal blood, hurriedly motioned for her to rise.

"Ah, no, no! There's no need for that. I didn’t do it expecting anything in return. Please, you don’t have to…"

"But still," she insisted, her tone unwavering.

What a polite princess, Keyal thought to himself.

If only all royals across the four continents carried themselves with such humility, there might be no wars in the world at all.

After much insistence, Reina finally raised her head, but her expression still seemed uneasy. She glanced around the room, her eyes darting restlessly, as if something was still troubling her.

It was a look reminiscent of a kitten hiding in the corners of a new home, wary of its unfamiliar surroundings.

Her discomfort was natural, Keyal supposed. Adapting to a strange environment and circumstances would take time. Besides, she probably didn’t fully trust him yet.

"…Don’t worry," Keyal said gently. "I didn’t bring you here with any bad intentions. Honestly, I’m more of a supporter of equality than a fan of class systems. And I’ve never been fond of slavery, either."

Raising one eyebrow playfully, he gave her a sheepish wink.

"I just happened to pass by the auction house and couldn’t ignore how pitiful your situation was. That’s all."

Apparently, his attempt at humor was somewhat amusing.

"Heh…" Reina let out a soft scoff. Her tension eased slightly, and the corners of her lips twitched ever so subtly.

But her emotions cooled just as quickly as they had warmed.

Nothing he said truly added up.

He didn’t bring her here with bad intentions?

Yet he opposed the class system and despised slavery?

He had merely stumbled upon the auction house and found her pitiable enough to save? But according to his own words, he should loathe royalty and nobility altogether.

In short, his claim that he had rescued her out of pure goodwill was, at best, implausible.

Reina couldn’t let go of her suspicions.

After all, how could anyone trust someone who openly admitted to hating their very existence?

She averted her gaze, her eyes scanning the room, searching desperately for an escape route.

‘She’s still uneasy,’ Keyal thought to himself.

***

"First, let me make one thing clear."

Keyal began, scratching at his forearm as though trying to quell some lingering itch.

"Even if Your Highness escapes this inn right now, nothing will change."

Reina froze momentarily. Her gaze dropped to the floor as though seeking answers from its surface. Yet, after a moment of hesitation, she raised her head, her azure eyes widening.

"W-What do you mean by that?" she asked, her lips trembling.

‘I’d like to ask you the same thing,’ Keyal thought grimly.

What exactly had she done to warrant being dethroned?

Keyal exhaled unconsciously, the sound drawing another startled reaction from Reina, whose body flinched ever so slightly.

‘Her reactions are really something else,’ he noted inwardly.

Although she asked the question, it was clear she already had some inkling of the answer. She must have understood her situation better than anyone else.

"...I believe you already know this, but you’re no longer a princess, Your Highness," he said firmly. "You’re no longer Reina Leford van Astrea. From now on, you’re simply Reina, a common slave."

"...."

Reina fell silent. Her head drooped, and her eyes reddened with unshed tears.

From somewhere deep within, a seething fury began to bubble.

In those few blunt words, the man had encapsulated everything—her fall from grace, her complete and utter ruin.

"Even if you leave this place, Reina—no, Your Highness—it won’t take long for you to be found. Rumors will spread like wildfire, escalating into wild accusations. You may even find yourself falsely accused of crimes you didn’t commit."

"…Hah."

"And even if you somehow manage to escape and hide yourself, that’s only the beginning of the real ordeal. Right now, Reina, there’s no one left who can help you. And frankly, there’s no one who would want to."

His words were cutting, yet Keyal delivered them with a finality that left no room for rebuttal. He fell silent, having said all that needed to be said.

Thwack—

Reina slammed her hand against the floor, her frustration boiling over.

"Then… what are you saying I should do?!" she shouted, her voice trembling with suppressed rage.

"I can’t do this, I can’t do that...! What am I supposed to do now?!" she cried, her voice breaking into a sob.

Tears fell freely, staining the wooden floor as she rubbed her face with her sleeve, trying in vain to stop the torrent of emotions.

Keyal took a step back, watching quietly. He knew she needed to release all of the pent-up emotions before she could regain control of herself. For now, his role was simply to wait, letting her vent and weep until the weight in her heart began to lift.

"Then… what should I do now…?" Her voice cracked as she sobbed uncontrollably, her shoulders trembling with every breath.

Keyal, having given her space, now took a small step forward—a deliberate move toward resolution.

"When?"

"Right now," he said softly.

He approached, crouching by her side, and gently began wiping away her tears.

"I never said there was no one to help you. I said there was no one outside. Inside, however... things might be different."

He produced a handkerchief from somewhere, carefully dabbing away the tear-streaks on her face. His movements were deliberate, gentle, and patient, as though trying to soothe not just her expression but the storm in her heart.

"Listen to me carefully, Reina. From now on, answer everything I ask with complete honesty. And give it your all to help us. If you do that, I promise we’ll see you return to your rightful place."

"...."

"Oh, and as a bonus, we might even be able to exact revenge on your enemies," he added slyly.

Reina’s eyes flashed with sudden interest. Keyal’s words were whispered, tempting, a promise woven with potential.

The lifelessness in her gaze began to fade, replaced by a flicker of light. A faint spark of hope ignited within her chest—a small but unmistakable flame.

"How… how would we do that?" she asked, her voice trembling but filled with newfound determination.

That day, for the first time, the deposed princess glimpsed the true meaning of salvation.