Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 703

That evening, at the Central Palace Tetra...

The Emperor had just returned from a long-overdue inspection of the continent. He had been spending more time away lately, leaving the responsibilities of state affairs to Empress Charlotte while he traveled.

Upon his return, he decided to gather his children for dinner. None of the empresses were present. It was a simple meal with just his three children.

A heavy silence hung over the dining hall.

Prince Rune was naturally reserved, and Amelia and Priscilla, having had some heavy conversations earlier, exchanged glances without uttering a word.

The Emperor quietly cut a piece of steak and placed it in his mouth as he observed the tense atmosphere.

“My precious children... Judging by how tense the atmosphere is today, I’m guessing you two beat the living daylights out of each other again.”

“Hmph,” Amelia responded, her lips forming a pout in silent protest.

The Emperor’s gaze shifted to Priscilla’s hair, a subtle sign of his concern. “Priscilla, looks like you got some of your hair ripped out again.”

“W-well... not that much...”

The Emperor couldn’t hide his surprise when Priscilla downplayed her injuries, his eyes widening in disbelief.

“Isn’t this usually the part where you protest that your scalp was almost peeled off...?”

“I-It wasn’t that bad...”

Priscilla’s uncharacteristic reservedness left both the Emperor and Amelia in shock. Normally, she would rush to the Emperor, tears streaming down her face, accusing her sister of trying to kill her. Even a minor incident, like having her toe stepped on, would be exaggerated into a dramatic tale of an attempted foot-breaking by her boar-like sibling.

For some reason, though, she seemed unexpectedly composed this time.

The Emperor glanced at Rune, who was still eating quietly, his fork and knife moving with steady precision. The only child who never stirred up trouble was, ironically, the one who worried the Emperor the most.

Though his two daughters were boisterous and unruly, it was his quiet and composed son who kept him up at night. Children who behaved too well often turned out to be the ones who caused the most significant issues later on. The Emperor believed that rowdiness could be tamed with time, but mischief learned late was always a cause for concern.

Whether his son became the instigator or the victim, any incident involving him seemed destined to be significant. After all, he had to admit that his youngest son was exceptionally beautiful.

Feeling his father’s intense gaze, the prince inclined his head, meeting the Emperor’s eyes, and the Emperor felt overwhelmed with love and affection for his adorable and charming son. He sighed deeply, unsure of what was bothering him. It felt as if the weight of his worries might pull him into the earth.

Meanwhile, the prince cut some of his steak into small pieces and fed them to the cat sitting beside him.

The Emperor gazed at his two daughters, contemplating what lay ahead. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

“Anyway, my precious daughters. I called you here because there’s something I desperately—really desperately want to ask of you.”

“... A request?”

“... What is it?”

“I know you both can be like leaky buckets. After all, I know whose daughters you are, and it’s only natural that you’d be this way. You take after me. I know you two tend to wander off on your own if left alone, but whenever you meet, you don’t just cause a small leak—it turns into a total, spectacular disaster.”

Amelia had developed her own quirks from the separation she’d endured in her childhood. Priscilla, on the other hand, had been shaped by her relationship with Amelia. Both had grown into young girls with rather complex personalities, and when they were together, their combined energy burned like something fierce.

“The princesses fighting and pulling each other’s hair—that’s still understandable. Kids grow up fighting, as you know, though this seems a bit too intense... Anyway, it’s fine. If it happens within the palace, we can keep it quiet. Everyone’s used to it by now. But... Please. I plead with you... Can’t you not fight at the Temple...?

“I’m not asking you to hold hands and pretend to get along. But can’t you at least ignore each other like cows and chickens sharing a farm? You’re in different grades, yet I keep hearing stories every few days about you two running into each other and brawling at the Temple. The rumor that you two hate each other so much that you pull each other’s hair has spread beyond the Temple to the entire capital.

“There are rumors that First Princess Amelia is a crazy girl who treats her sister like a dog and beats her. And other rumors that Second Princess Priscilla is a foul-mouthed girl who calls her sister a stupid cow.”

He signed in exasperation. “Those rumors are now spreading across the continent through the warp gates! Wherever I go, people ask if I’m okay with the rumors that my parenting has failed. Literally everyone’s saying this to me!

“This shameful father of yours can’t live like this... As a father and also the Emperor, I have a request for my precious and noble daughters, my princesses! Please... don’t fight outside. If you must fight, do it within the palace!”

As he spoke, the Emperor’s face wavered between amusement and frustration, while the two princesses sat there silently, their lips pressed together.

In truth, whenever they crossed paths at the Temple, it was only a matter of time before their spiteful exchanges turned into full-blown fights.

“And it isn’t just between the two of you. Amelia, I’ve heard you’re going around hitting other kids! Is that true?”

“... They probably deserved it.”

“Regardless, you still hit them! And Priscilla, I’ve been told you’re forcing strange alchemical potions on your classmates?”

“... It’s good for them!”

“How can you be so sure of that?! You can’t give them things like that without a license or certification! It’s illegal!”

“Dad, you used to have your friends do that without any of those things.”

“W-well... that was...”

The Emperor gazed at his troublesome daughters, looking weary and resigned. His checkered past prevented him from being convincing, even when he was in the right. It only made matters worse.

He threw his hands up, his voice carrying a hint of desperation. “Anyway, you little leaking buckets, I’m not asking for much. Just please keep it within the palace walls. Please, let’s not let the world know that the imperial family is in disarray. Is that really too much to ask?”

The only one who seemed unaffected was the young prince, who sat quietly, focused on his meal.

The Emperor sighed, knowing his words would likely fall on deaf ears. This wasn’t the first time he’d had this conversation.

Priscilla pouted, her eyes defiant. “Dad, what right do you have to say that? Not even Mom can, but for it to come from you...!”

The Emperor was taken aback. His daughter’s accusation left him momentarily speechless.

Amelia, too, couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving laugh. “Dad, I heard you used to hit the other kids when you were at the Temple. They say that what I’m doing is nothing compared to you.”

“Huh...?!”

The prince was the only one who stood out as an exception. Even the Emperor was no different from his daughters. In fact, he was even worse.

“Well y-yes... I did...! But I had my reasons back then...!”

“I had my reasons too, you know? Why do you think I wouldn’t?” Amelia protested.

“Well, um...”

“The potions I gave them also weren’t harmful, you know?” Priscilla said.

“...”

The Emperor had no right to speak on this subject. His daughters already knew he had nothing to stand on.

“So, why did you go around hitting kids when you were at the Temple?” one of his daughters asked instead. “I hear the people you hit back then are now in high positions.”

“Yeah, I’m curious as well,” said the other. “How often and how badly did you hit them to become a legend at the Temple? You didn’t even graduate. And I heard you even fought your seniors.”

The sisters, who usually couldn’t stand each other, only came together when they were interrogating the Emperor.

“Yeah, and Mom said you also tried to hit her when you were at the Temple. I heard everything from her.”

At those words, both the Emperor and Amelia turned pale.

“What? You tried to hit that witch—I mean, the Archmage?”

“Yeah, it’s true,” Priscilla said. “Ask her later. She said Dad tried to slap her.”

Amelia was so shocked that her mouth fell wide open. “How could you... She’s such a kind person... Why would you even hit her?”

“I didn’t hit her! I didn’t!”

“But you did try to hit her!”

“W-well, you see, Amelia... There were circumstances...” the Emperor murmured, his voice trailing off. “I was going through a rebellious phase back then... And at that age—”

“Wow, it must be true... How could you... How could you be so... terrible...? Why did you even get married to her...?” Amelia said, her words barely audible and her eyes distant and unfocused.

The Emperor, feeling the sting of his daughters’ harsh judgment, turned pale, as if their words had stripped him of his dignity. After all, it was all true. He had indeed threatened to leave a mark on her cheek if she said the wrong thing.

“Hey, k-kids...? That’s not what we’re talking about here...”

“Why don’t you just mind your own business, Dad?”

“... Exactly.”

In the end, the Emperor, who had attempted to give his children a lecture, found himself verbally outmatched by his daughters.

Emperor Reinhart wasn’t someone to be trifled with, but what could he do? As a parent, he wasn’t treated with the respect deserving of a proper father, and sometimes not even as a person.

Ultimately, the sisters, who usually had a terrible relationship, formed a united front, which seemed like a good thing.

Meow, meow.

The white cat purred as it nibbled on the meat Rune was feeding it. Its tail swayed gently, as if it found something amusing.

***

The Emperor often attempted to lecture his daughters, only to find himself on the receiving end. It was a familiar routine. Despite his efforts to curb their unruly behavior, his attempts always backfired, leaving him with no choice but to adopt a resigned “do as you please” attitude.

After their meal, the Emperor’s three children boarded the internal tram to the Spring Palace. As usual, Priscilla held Prince Rune on her lap, embracing him tightly, while Rune cuddled the cat in return. Amelia sat across from them, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside the window.

Though Priscilla and Amelia usually bickered and ended up in fistfights whenever they met, neither of them felt like getting into it at that moment.

Having learned about Amelia’s past, Priscilla realized there was a reason behind Amelia’s behavior, even though she still could not fully understand her sister.

Amelia, too, recognized that her actions only made things worse. She understood that escalating the situation wouldn’t bring anyone happiness, especially after her mother’s heartfelt plea. She knew she was in the wrong.

So, Amelia decided to do something she had never done before in her life.

“Hey.”

“... What?”

“I thought you’d tattle right away, but you didn’t.”

Priscilla, who usually made a fuss over the slightest touch, had downplayed the hair-pulling incident in front of the Emperor.

“... It really didn’t hurt. Do you think I’m always exaggerating?”

Amelia struggled to hold back her instinctive reply of “Aren’t you?”

“Well... thanks for that,” she said instead.

“Huh...?”

Priscilla’s eyes widened in surprise at Amelia’s unexpected reply. It was something she never thought she’d hear from her.

“W-what did you just say?”

“I don’t want to say it twice,” Amelia replied, pouting as she turned her gaze away.

Priscilla could see from the slight flush on Amelia’s face that she hadn’t misheard her older sister. Yet, the deep-seated emotional rift between them often led to misunderstandings in moments like these.

‘Is she on drugs? Why is she acting like this all of a sudden?’

It was an unavoidable thought.

“... What are you planning?” Priscilla asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

“Nothing,” Amelia replied. Her attempt at kindness felt foreign and awkward.

As the tram creaked along its tracks, an uncomfortable silence settled between them. Priscilla chose to let it go, deciding not to dwell on it any longer. Amelia, who knew Priscilla as someone with unpredictable mood swings, decided that she was just in one of her moods.

‘Well, if things continued like this, getting along might not be so difficult,’ Priscilla thought as she glanced down at Rune, nestled in her arms.

Amelia, pretending to gaze out the window, couldn’t resist stealing a glance at Priscilla to gauge her reaction. Naturally, she noticed Priscilla’s little smirk as she looked at Rune.

‘She’s undoubtedly entertaining some mischievous thoughts.’

Sure, Rune was adorable and charming, and seeing him dressed like that sometimes made Amelia’s heart flutter as well. But Priscilla, who actually acted on those impulses, was clearly out of her mind.

And Rune, although so quiet and timid, clearly didn’t appreciate Priscilla’s antics.

“Hey.”

“... What now?”

“Everything else is fine, but could you stop dressing the kid in those weird clothes?”

Priscilla furrowed her brows at Amelia’s words.

“Why are you suddenly acting like you care about Rune?”

“Because he doesn’t like it.”

Despite how adorable Rune could be, Amelia’s fondness for Priscilla waned whenever she witnessed her odd behavior.

“And how would you know that?” Priscilla demanded, pulling Rune even closer to her as if signaling Amelia to back off.

How could she not know? It was clear just by looking at him.

“Hey, kid,” she spoke to Rune instead.

“...”

“If you don’t like it, you should say so. Because if you just take it without saying a word, she ends up thinking you enjoy being treated that way.”

“Hey! Why are you suddenly talking to Rune instead of me? Don’t talk to him!”

Amelia ignored Priscilla, who seemed ready to burst, and focused on Rune.

There was definitely blame to be shared. Priscilla could impose her nonsense on Rune because he always endured it quietly, never voicing his feelings.

“Kid, speak your mind. What do you think?” Amelia prompted, and Priscilla swallowed hard.

It was true that Rune didn’t like it, but he had never openly told Priscilla that. Therefore, she assumed that she wasn’t being too extreme. In fact, she even thought Rune might enjoy it.

With Amelia’s encouragement, Rune hesitantly spoke up.

“I... don’t like it...”

“See? You heard him. He said he doesn’t like it.”

“...”

Priscilla bit her lip at Rune’s quiet response.

But Rune wasn’t finished.

“But... since sister Priscilla likes it... then I like it too.”

“... What?”

Amelia could only stare in disbelief at Rune’s answer, and naturally, Priscilla was surprised as well.

Rune did not like being treated that way. And though he kept quiet, it wasn’t because he was shy or unexpressive. He endured his ordeal quietly because his sister Priscilla enjoyed it.

“Since sister Priscilla likes it, then I like it too.”

Amelia and Priscilla were both dumbfounded by his unexpected answer. What a deep and loving child he was.

Amelia’s face flushed, and her lips quivered. She could barely resist the urge to hug him.

Meanwhile, Priscilla was triumphant.

“S-see, he said he likes it! He said he likes it! You heard that, right?”

“This crazy girl... Even after hearing that, you still plan to keep doing it to him?”

He didn’t like it, but since his sister enjoyed it, he was okay with it. Shouldn’t a normal person be moved to stop after hearing such a thing? Yet despite everything, Priscilla said she would continue because he liked it.

Amelia’s face twisted with disbelief. Amelia always thought humans were inherently disgusting, and in that moment, she wasn’t wrong. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Princess Priscilla was a lost cause, no matter what she did.

“Fine! I won’t do it anymore. Isn’t that enough? It’s funny how you pretend to know everything when you don’t.”

Deep down, Priscilla was genuinely moved by Rune’s words and had no intention of dressing him up again.

In truth, Priscilla didn’t just keep Rune around to torment him, and the fact that she always kept him by her side, despite the stigma of being an illegitimate child, held deep significance. She taught him about life in the palace, etiquette, and everything else, and even took the time to play with him.

After Empress Harriet, it was Priscilla who helped Rune adjust to palace life. So, being labeled as a bad sister now felt absurd to her. When Rune first appeared and found the palace unfamiliar and frightening, Amelia had done nothing. Yet now, she was offering a few words and acting as though she actually cared about him. That was infuriating.

Amelia’s sudden pretense of concern for Rune, after ignoring him for so long, was revolting. Priscilla always thought humans were inherently obnoxious, and Amelia had proven her right. It seemed Amelia was destined to live such an obnoxious life, regardless of her circumstances.

“Rune doesn’t care about someone like you at all, anyway. It’s too late to pretend you care now.”

“What...?”

“Am I wrong?”

Their promise to get along had fallen apart after just a few exchanges.

“Rune, isn’t it funny?” Priscilla asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “That person is trying to act like a sister. Hmph.”

Rune hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Finally, he said softly, “I... like sister Amelia...”

Priscilla’s eyes lost focus, and her expression became unreadable. “What did you say...?”

‘What has she ever done for you until now?’ Priscilla thought.

Amelia only showed affection for Rune when they were alone, so Priscilla had no way of knowing about it.

Amelia chuckled at Priscilla’s reaction. Seeing her dumbfounded was delightful. Very delightful.

“Where does your certainty that the little one only likes you come from? Huh? What grounds do you have? All you do is dress him up in weird clothes and torment him. The kid put up with it because he’s kind, but he probably doesn’t like you that much.”

“I-is that true, Rune...?” Priscilla asked, her face turning pale as she looked at him. “Tell me the truth. Do you really dislike me...? Do you like her more than someone like me?”

Was he just enduring it out of kindness? Was he tired of her?

“I like both of you...” Rune replied softly.

With those words, Priscilla felt as if her heart, which had been sinking, was suddenly lifted up and whole again. But she was still frustrated at the fact that he liked her too.

Amelia found his words intriguing and smiled. Then she stood up, approached Rune, and sat down in front of him. Her lips curled up mischievously, as if she had just thought of a wicked question.

“Hey, little one.”

“... Yeah?”

“Who do you like more? Me, or her?”

“What? What kind of question is that!”

‘What kind of nonsensical question is that? He’s obviously going to say it’s me. After all, haven’t I always taken care of him?’ Priscilla thought.

But the truth was that she had been making Rune do things he disliked. That was why Amelia thought it was a gamble worth taking. If Rune said he liked her, who had done nothing to him, more than Priscilla, she could watch as Priscilla’s spirit crumbled to dust.

How delightful that would be.

In the end, their promise to get along had long disappeared. Both of them were fully caught up in their childish antics, and had dragged their young sibling into their squabble.

“O-of course, it’s me!”

“Well, you never know what the little one will say, right?”

Amelia figured that even if Rune said he liked Priscilla more, she wouldn’t lose anything. The mere fact that Rune had admitted he liked her, even though she had only occasionally hugged him, filled her with such joy that she could barely resist the urge to hug him back.

Amelia’s deep blue eyes locked onto Rune.

“Come on, who is it?” she urged playfully.

“...”

Priscilla, too, watched Rune, her heart pounding and her face pale. The answer seemed obvious, but she couldn’t help but brace herself for the possibility that it wasn’t her. She couldn’t fathom how she would feel if it weren’t her.

Amelia wore a mischievous smile, while Priscilla’s eyes pleaded silently with her younger brother, hoping he would say her name.

They both waited, and the tension between them stretched.

In the end, as often happens with such questions, the outcome was inevitable.

“Sob...”

“Huh...!”

“Ru-Rune...?” Priscilla’s voice trembled.

The little prince, overwhelmed by the moment, couldn’t hold back his tears any longer.

“Uh... uh...”

As their youngest brother’s tears fell from his eyes like beads, the two older sisters were taken aback, each in their own way.

Priscilla’s brow furrowed in frustration. “Hey! Rune’s crying because you asked such a silly question!”

“N-no. I, I... I didn’t mean to,” Amelia stammered, her face turning pale. She hadn’t expected the child to cry! She stood there, helpless, unsure of what to do.

While Priscilla and Amelia fretted, unsure how to console their youngest sibling who was in tears, the little one sniffled and spoke.

“I love both of you...” he sniffed in between sobs, his voice choking, “But why can’t you two just get along?”

“... Huh?”

“...”

“Can’t you two stop fighting?”

Hearing his heartfelt words, Amelia and Priscilla exchanged bewildered glances.

What were they doing, arguing in front of a child? He loved both of them, so why did they keep fighting with each other?

The youngest of them, far younger than his sisters, was begging them not to fight. Was it right to ask him who he liked more, to force him to choose, and to make him cry? Was that something a person in their right mind should do?

Both Amelia and Priscilla were faced with the same questions. They weren’t sure about each other, but each of them felt like they weren’t acting like decent people. They felt unworthy of being called a decent human being.

In the end, they both reached the same conclusion.

“O-of course...! We won’t fight... We won’t... Yeah,” Priscilla said quickly, casting a sharp glance at Amelia.

“Y-yeah... Little one... We won’t fight. We’ll... get along.”

“Then hold hands...” Rune said promptly.

At Rune’s suggestion, they instinctively reached for each other’s hands without a second thought.

Awkwardly clasping hands, they shook them slightly, as if to prove something to Rune.

“F-for sure! W-we’ll... Uh, get along. H-how’s that sound? Is that okay...?”

“Y-yeah...! Exactly...! We’ll try... Yeah! Rune, I’m sorry.”

They awkwardly held hands and exchanged smiles. Rune wiped his eyes with his sleeve, and then, as if he had never shed a tear, he beamed brightly.

“You have to stay close like this from now on, okay?”

Seeing that smile, the sisters had no choice. They didn’t know much else, but if getting along meant seeing their youngest sibling’s smile every day...

“Of course!”

“You bet!”

They could surely get along with their worst enemy.

***

The tram arrived at the Spring Palace, and Rune trailed a little behind his two sisters as they walked ahead.

Still holding hands, the two sisters made their way toward the palace. Though they shivered as if they could hardly bear it, they glanced back at him. They were laser-focused on his reaction.

Under the vigilant gaze of the youngest sibling, who seemed intent on making sure they held hands all the way to the palace, they reluctantly clasped hands and walked on together. Rune watched them until they disappeared inside, quickly released the other’s hand, and went their separate ways.

Rune smiled softly as he cradled the white cat in his arms.

“You were right, Mom,” he said.

Meow.

“It really is easy.”

Meow.

The cat licked Rune’s cheek a few times, as if offering praise.

.

.

“Why couldn’t they just get along?”

In response to his question, the cat transformed back into his mother. She gently hugged her son and whispered, “Rune.”

“Yes, Mom?” he replied.

“If they start fighting in front of you again, just cry.”

“... Cry?”

“Yes. If you do that, then everything will be resolved.”

Rune was puzzled. How could crying possibly solve anything?

“Why would crying work?” he asked.

His mother smiled softly and explained, “Your two sisters are very different, but they share one important thing.”

“Something in common?” Rune echoed, curious.

“They both love you very much,” she said.

“...”

“If you cry, seeing your tears will hurt them, and they won’t want to fight anymore.”

It was a simple explanation, yet Rune struggled to grasp the full meaning behind his mother’s words.

“And Rune, you’re cute.”

“Why does that matter?” Rune asked, puzzled.

His mother gently patted his head. “Sometimes, in this world, just that alone can solve things.”

Rune didn’t quite grasp what she meant. Yet, as she had predicted, whenever he cried, problems seemed to magically disappear.

So, he decided that if things ever took a turn for the worse, he would simply cry.

Whether or not they truly understood each other, his tears always seemed to work wonders and would likely continue to do so.

.

.

“Being cute has its perks,” Rune said, realizing he could wield his cuteness like a secret weapon.

Meow?

The white cat shivered, sensing something unsettling in the prince’s smile.

“Isn’t that right, Mom?”

Meow...

Cradled in her son’s arms, the white cat trembled slightly, questioning whether she had imparted a lesson she should have kept to herself.

The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: peace would finally grace the Spring Palace, where the sounds of sisters squabbling had been a daily occurrence.

-The End-