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Join the ServerOnly after hearing these words did Jeanne Decker realize how naive her past ideas had been.
Indeed, the internal power structures of the Empire, from the imperial family to the Church, were bloated and plagued by severe internal strife. Even the Emperor himself was not truly free. What could she possibly change, even if she joined the Knights and climbed through the ranks?
The path she had always believed in, she now understood, led nowhere.
The only consolation was that she had been forced to stop before facing the despair of a dead end.
There was no longer any need to consider things that were impossible.
With this realization, a profound sense of relief washed over her.
“Do you have any regrets?” Prince Kleiman suddenly asked.
Jeanne Decker realized he was asking about her last wishes.
Jeanne Decker looked at him, then shook her head. “Since Your Highness cannot save me, I believe my wish is beyond your power to grant.”
“That’s true,” Prince Kleiman said with a somewhat helpless smile. “Then, is there anyone you wish to see?”
“This…” Jeanne Decker fell into deep thought.
Anyone she wished to see? She had no living blood relatives. As for her adoptive father, there was nothing left to see, only renewed grief. Her friends in the academy and the Knights could hardly visit her now, given her conviction. If Levi were still alive, perhaps she would indeed want to see her again.
Just then, the image of that witch inexplicably surfaced in her mind.
For a moment, even Jeanne Decker herself felt a touch of surprise—she found that, on the brink of death, she actually harbored a slight desire to see that witch.
Of course, this was impossible, and even if she did see her, what could she possibly say?
She was truly curious why that witch always made her feel so familiar.
“No one?” Kleiman asked.
Jeanne Decker lifted her face and shook her head. “No one.”
‘What a pity. It seems there’s truly nothing more I can do for you.’
‘Your thoughtfulness is enough, Your Highness.’
Jeanne Decker said calmly.
Prince Kleiman slowly turned away, his mind drifting back to the past.
He was no longer as ignorant as he once was, yet he remained as powerless as ever to change the things he witnessed and wished to rectify.
As a boy, he had inherited his mother’s innocence and kindness, often distributing alms to the poor. The imperial family was content to use him as a public relations project, frequently arranging for him to perform charity work in various regions.
One day, in a certain place, he encountered a poor matchstick girl.
Seeing her in rags, shivering in the cold wind, her hands crimson with frostbite, and without even a hat on her head, he felt a profound sympathy. He removed a jeweled button adorning his clothes and offered it to her.
“For you, my beautiful little girl. You need a hat, a pair of gloves, and perhaps a bowl of hot soup,” he said, offering a charming smile to the girl who appeared a few years younger than himself.
“Huh?” She took the jeweled button with some surprise, then scrutinized him carefully.
The young prince continued to smile, awaiting a word of thanks.
The little girl’s eyes showed a flicker of emotion. Then, she opened her mouth and, with genuine sincerity and resounding force, retorted, “Go to hell!”
At the same moment, she flung the jeweled button back at him, striking him squarely on the forehead.
Due to her overly ‘enthusiastic’ response, His Highness the Prince remained frozen in place, his polite smile fixed.
“Get lost! I don’t care for your stinking money! You damn parasitic nobles do nothing but steal our money every day, and then you pretend to be good people?”
“Uh, little sister, I merely…” The Prince struggled to maintain his smile, trying to say something to alleviate the awkward atmosphere.
At that moment, the girl wiped the hand that had just held the jewel on her tattered skirt, muttering curses. “Damn it! Bad luck!”
The Prince was at a loss for words, only managing to maintain his smile.
The next instant, the attendants deployed around the Prince finally recovered from their shock and rushed forward to restrain the girl.
“Fool! His Highness was kind enough to offer charity, and you repay his kindness with insolence?” The attendant loudly chastised her.
“Who cares about you all! I was just selling things here, and you bothered me!” The girl struggled incessantly. “Don’t touch me! I hate nobles the most!”
“Why do you hate me so much? I truly just wanted to help you,” the Prince asked, bewildered.
“Help me? Are you worthy?” The girl looked up and mocked him loudly, truly a reckless, wild child.
“You’re not even remotely afraid in this situation. How much suffering have I endured from nobles like you? How much do pampered little lords like you, raised in a honey pot, truly know? Don’t pretend to be a saint in front of me; it makes me sick! If you want to kill me, go ahead! Come on! Come on!”
“Drag her away! Drag this mad child away!” The official accompanying the Prince shouted.
Just then, the Prince raised a hand and spoke. “No need. We’re going back. Take her with us.”
These words left the attendants and officials around the Prince exchanging bewildered glances.
“Your Highness?” an official cautiously asked. “Where do you intend to take her?”
“Hmm…” The Prince pondered for a moment. “Take her to my room.”
This time, not only those around the Prince, but even the wild girl herself was shocked.
“You, you actually want to do such a shameless thing to me?! Pervert! Scum!” The girl struggled desperately. “Let me go!”
“I merely want to talk to you. Didn’t you say I don’t know how much you’ve suffered? Then I should listen carefully. Mother taught me that when I don’t understand something, I should ask and learn,” the Prince replied, then asked curiously, “By the way, what is that ‘shameless thing’ you’re talking about?”
The girl suddenly froze, her face turning crimson with embarrassment.
After a long pause, she furiously cursed, “Go to hell!”
‘What exactly was she talking about? Do you know?’ The Prince, embodying his willingness to learn from anyone, asked those around him with curiosity.
“R-really, Your Highness… Your subordinate is also not quite sure.”
The officials quickly shook their heads, simultaneously trying hard not to burst into laughter.
“Then let’s go,” the Prince said, turning away.
“Let go! Let go! I’m not going!!!”
The attendants lifted the cursing girl and followed.
“I have a fireplace in my room, you know,” the Prince called back to the girl.
“Who cares about that!!!” the girl yelled.
****
That was the catalyst for him to begin attempting to understand the darker aspects of this nation.
From that day forward, he delved deeper and deeper into this path, and unknowingly, the innocent and ignorant boy he once was became buried.
If not for that wild girl, he might have lived a more ignorant and happier life, truly a ‘happy prince’ oblivious to the world’s hardships.
After all, knowing certain things without being able to change them merely added to one’s inner turmoil.
He walked down the corridor to the staircase, where he collided squarely with Miss Eve, who was descending from above.
“Watch where you’re going, hey!” Miss Eve cursed.
“Ah, it’s all because of you…” he suddenly sighed, a genuine sentiment.
“Huh? You weren’t watching where you were going either, were you?” Miss Eve retorted.
“Never mind, it’s fine. Just do your work well,” he said, patting Miss Eve’s shoulder as he brushed past her.
“How peculiar,” Miss Eve muttered, watching him ascend the stairs before shaking her head.
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Read : The Girl Who Returned from Hell Doesn’t Want to Depend on Her Best friend
Yeah, kinda guessed it was Eve before the story was over