The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]-Chapter 900: The Capital Beckons

Knock, knock.

A small pause followed, then a soft, distracted voice answered from inside.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal a spacious yet warmly furnished room. Sunlight filtered through tall windows, spilling across the floor where a young Elven Princess sat cross-legged, tongue peeking out in concentration as she colored diligently on a large sheet of paper. Crayons were scattered everywhere. Blues, greens, golds, and one very aggressively used red.

A maid stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind her.

"Good afternoon, Princess Marin," she greeted, bowing with practiced grace.

Marin did not look up right away. "Mm," she hummed, finishing a circle before lifting her head. "Good afternoon. Did you need something?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the maid said gently. "I was instructed to inform you that His Highness, Crown Prince Eren, has made arrangements to send you to Solara."

The crayon slipped from Marin’s fingers.

"...Solara?" she echoed.

She jerked upright so fast the paper crinkled beneath her knees. "Solara as in Solara? The Empire’s capital?"

The maid smiled politely. "Yes, Your Highness."

"But why?" Marin asked, eyes already beginning to sparkle. "Did I do something wrong? Or something really right?"

"His Highness believes it would be good for you," the maid replied. "He mentioned that Solara has been especially popular with children as of late."

Marin gasped.

Popular. With children.

Yes. Solara was most definitely popular as of the moment. It was so talked about that such a thing couldn’t even be hidden from young children.

For even without accessing the terminal, adults from all over just couldn’t help but discuss it in their homes.

Her mind immediately raced through everything she knew. The Annual Expo. The booths. The videos. The clips she saved but couldn’t show others, because the featured Princess Muscle Muscle was someone her brother Eren likely wouldn’t like.

That was why, instead of openly expressing her admiration, she simply joined a secret society. One that required writing in their own secret language when conversing about their idol’s greatness.

Her hands clenched into fists.

"When do I leave?" she asked carefully.

"Crown Prince Eren said that it would depend on your readiness. But he did issue a reminder that the expo only lasted for two weeks."

"!!!"

"So, can I really attend the Expo? What about a pass? Wouldn’t it be too late to get a pass?" asked the worried princess, who knew that it was now impossible to get one.

"The Crown Prince had arranged the necessary passes, Your Highness."

"!!!"

Marin squeaked.

She obviously had to go now. And like this, she’d actually be able to meet her oldest brother, right?

The little Princess shot to her feet.

The maid did not even try to hide her smile this time. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"Everyone needs to prepare immediately!" she declared, pointing dramatically toward the door. "I need clothes. Money. And more clothes. And my good coloring books. Not the practice ones. The good ones."

She spun back to the maid. "Can we leave in two hours?"

"If that is your will, Your Highness," the maid said. "We will prepare accordingly."

"Yes, yes! There’s barely any time at all!" Marin exclaimed. "We have to hurry!"

She immediately began scooping crayons into a box with reckless enthusiasm.

Outside the room, far removed from the child’s bubbling excitement, another reaction unfolded.

Queen Mirael moved quickly through the corridor, skirts gathered in one trembling fist. She couldn’t be bothered to knock when she reached her destination. The wing where a person she could barely recognize as her son resided.

"Prince Eren," she said as she entered, voice tight despite her efforts to remain composed. "I just heard you’re sending Marin to Solara?"

Eren turned slowly from the window.

"Why hello to you, too, Mother," he said pleasantly.

She flinched.

"Yes," he continued calmly. "Let us say it’s my way of making up for sending my dear brother away on a business trip before the two of them could even meet."

His lips curved into a smile.

"She has been sulking ever since she learned he left without a meeting, has she not? So why not send her to meet him? And with how popular the capital has become with children lately, it would be good for her."

The smile lingered.

It was a well-practiced smile that had always unsettled Queen Mirael because nothing good ever followed when her son smiled like that.

"But she’s too young to travel on her own," the Queen insisted, fingers tightening against her dress. "Especially now. This simply isn’t a good time."

They were stretched so thin by the King’s worsening illness, the people’s call for Elior to be punished, Eren’s increasingly odd movements, and now this.

She was practically a dam close to breaking.

Eren tilted his head. "I don’t particularly think she’s too young. I believe she’s bright and determined enough for this."

"Also, with an event as unique as this, even with my position, I wouldn’t be able to request they do it again for another time. And with Elior being there, she wouldn’t exactly be alone, right?"

"But I also understand your concern, Mother. So if you’re really bothered by it, maybe you should ask Marin herself whether she’s interested."

He paused.

"Though from what I’ve heard, the little child had already packed up her entire room."

Queen Mirael bit down on her tongue.

Of course, she had. Which child wouldn’t under such circumstances?

And yet when she asked, voice low, if she could accompany her daughter, Eren simply looked at her.

"You are welcome to do so, Mother," he said. "But what about Father?"

The words were gentle.

The meaning was not.

What about the crown?

If she left, King Eron likely wouldn’t be there when they returned.

If they returned.

The Queen lowered her gaze, her hand still clenched.

What a tight leash they all lived on.

__

But if Queen Mirael only knew how tight a leash everyone actually had on them, then maybe she wouldn’t have felt so helplessly alone.

She would just be mortifyingly afraid. Like Rahil, who was witnessing what he felt was an experience he couldn’t relive.

Because why were the people attending to Prince Elior holding tools?!

Power tools.

"!!!"