How to Survive as a Princess in a Reverse Harem Game - Chapter 164

“If that is the Princess’s wish, I will ask no further. Killis Yelpen, come forward.”

Killis, who had been bowing his head, straightened up and began moving. Just as when I had ascended, I could see people staring at him as he climbed the stairs.

While Killis was ascending, a lady-in-waiting handed me a ceremonial sword. The ceremonial sword with its thin blade was quite light and not difficult to hold even in reality.

By then, he had reached me and knelt on one knee.

“Killis Yelpen, will you become my guardian?”

“I am honored by your choice.”

“Very well.”

Drawing the ceremonial sword from its scabbard, I placed the blade on his shoulder.

Though it wasn’t particularly difficult since I had practiced many times, my hands trembled with everyone watching. If there was anything fortunate, it was perhaps that this ceremonial sword had a dull blade.

“Killis Yelpen, will you protect and guard me as a guardian?”

“I will protect and guard Your Highness, prioritizing it above my own life.”

“Do you swear to fulfill your duties as a guardian without forgetting your responsibilities?”

“I swear. Until the beating of this heart ceases, I will be Your Highness’s guardian.”

After tapping each shoulder once with the sword for each question, I returned the sword to its scabbard. Then I extended it to Killis.

“From this moment forward, you are my guardian.”

“It is an infinite honor.”

Killis received the sword with both hands.

* * *

After the guardian appointment ceremony ended, two men who had left the banquet hall boarded a carriage. As soon as they entered the carriage with its soundproofing magic, Talus Futurum exclaimed, almost shouting in indignation.

“She actually took Duke Yelpen as her guardian! Even bringing up useless precedents!”

“Please calm yourself, brother.”

“Calm! I’ve done enough of that by holding myself back from making a scene at the banquet hall! Are you not outraged, Duke?”

Talus glared at Morris. Shortly after his forceful outburst, he broke into a series of heavy coughs.

It was an aftereffect of being forced to drink iron water for several weeks. It was punishment for not only interfering with Nepheli’s iron supplement business but also spreading defective products.

He couldn’t even complain about how he, the Duke of Futurum, could be treated the same as commoners.

This was because Evgenia had also discovered their abuse of Cyrilla and was using it to pressure the Futurum ducal family and Morris Futurum. Moreover, with the revelation that they had planted spies in Nepheli’s palace, the Futurum ducal family had thoroughly fallen out of Evgenia’s favor.

Not only had the Futurum ducal family been forced to pay substantial compensation and consolation money, but Morris Futurum had also received a confinement order like Meliana and was stripped of some of his privileges as First Secretary of State.

Examples included drastic cuts to his dignity maintenance budget, management of Equus Cecil, and the ability to independently approach the princesses. The prestigious position of First Secretary of State had been diminished in an instant.

While it appeared to be Evgenia’s doing, both Talus and Morris knew that Nepheli was behind all of this. So while Talus was outraged, Morris remained surprisingly calm, contrary to expectations.

“It’s just taking on one guardian. Besides, Duke Yelpen was already on the First Princess’s side.”

“I didn’t know you shared the opinion of those fools. Don’t you truly understand the implications are different? A marriage engagement can be broken, but a guardian’s oath cannot be broken!”

The weight of a guardian’s oath was incomparably heavier than breaking off an engagement.

While an engagement shared relatively equal status between parties, becoming a guardian meant swearing subordination to royalty. If a guardian betrayed their charge, they could be killed without question regardless of the reason. In other words, a guardian was essentially a royal’s dog, their slave.

And to even take him, a mage, as a guardian! It was essentially setting a special precedent and also imprinting Nepheli’s authority on everyone.

“I knew Evgenia favored the First Princess, but I didn’t expect this extent. To make such a public declaration before everyone! At this rate, won’t she even conduct the ‘Trial of Lublin’!”