The Regressed Princess - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: A Risky Decision

“Your Highness, are you unable to sleep?”

Eleanor pressed her cheek against the edge of the window, feeling the vibration of her heart.

She nodded silently and asked softly, “Did they make you join the guard rotation as well?”

“Yes,” Andra replied briskly.

Eleanor tightened her fingers. The current situation was vastly different from her past life. In her previous life, as her guardian knight, Andra naturally ate, lived, and slept with the Princess, being much closer than Manzhu or the others.

Isn’t this good?

Her eyes began to burn again. Eleanor bit her lip: To keep her “far away” while simultaneously slowing her progress in becoming stronger wasting Andra’s future with a pile of trivial chores—isn’t that good?

As long as I am a little bit wicked, everything will go as I wish. But… I know exactly how bright Andra is meant to shine.

The little Princess leaned against the window, her voice somewhat ethereal: “…You don’t have to do this.”

Andra’s figure seemed to sway for a moment, but soon she heard the young girl talking to herself. “…Manzhu and Jingji shouldn’t have to do this either.”

Eleanor closed her eyes. Luxury is the art of waste. In her past life, she prided herself on being more considerate than Andra or anyone else, yet she still enjoyed the nobility of wasting other people’s lives.

The Princess’s quarters were located in the inner ring of the palace complex, with seasoned guards stationed at all four corners. Why was there a need for so many young aristocrats to stand guard all night? It was nothing more than using these trivial rules to domesticate them, to toil their bodies, and to wear down the free spirit of their youth.

“Andra.”

“I am here.” Andra’s right hand pressed against the window frame; she felt as if the Princess’s palm were gently pressed there as well.

The little Princess’s voice was gentle and clear: “I will speak with Mother and have Nolanna’s best swordsmanship instructor teach all of you.”

“Your Highness…” Why? There was both joy and suspicion in Andra’s tone.

Because in the past life, you all took her as your master, though you went through two or three other teachers first.

Eleanor said with her eyes closed, “Because I hope you can all become a little stronger.”

“Yes, I will protect Her Highness well…”

“That way, your lives in the future will be much easier.”

Andra’s lingering voice came to an abrupt halt at Eleanor’s calm tone. Her golden-red hair brushed against the window frame in the darkness, nearly bumping her head.

An image of the little Princess surfaced in her mind: jet-black hair, almond-shaped amber eyes, slightly flushed cheeks, and… that gentle smile that looked as if she were enduring something while forgiving everything.

She is useful.

At Eleanor’s birthday banquet, Andra had brushed aside Marcella’s provocative gestures and spotted the little Princess descending the steps. The roses couldn’t overshadow her delicate face, yet the thought that rose in Andra’s mind alongside her admiration was the little Princess of Nolanna is very useful.

She was the only legitimate Princess of Nolanna, infinitely precious. As for that foolish Marcella, who cared?

When the little Princess stood before her to seriously lecture Marcella, Andra simply thought she was kind in addition to being cute. However, when the banquet ended, that little Princess who was rumored to suffer from headaches ran toward her, her cheeks flushed like roses.

Click.

Tiny Eleanor stood on her tiptoes and tucked a marigold into the hair at Andra’s temple.

“It suits you.” She smiled shyly and then vanished from her sight.

That was a proof of affection, wasn’t it? Then why.

Andra still remembered her heartbeat at that moment. She was simply confused: When I read the hint and knelt on one knee, why did you refuse me?

My mysterious little Princess, what exactly do you desire from me?

Andra leaned toward the source of the voice and asked softly, “Your Highness, I am not used to accepting kindness for nothing. If you have any requests, please, be explicit.”

Eleanor quietly wiped away a tear in the silence following Andra’s steady voice.

How nostalgic the Andra who was alert toward everyone else. But have you noticed? Your voice is trembling a little right now, too.

She likes me. She should have fallen in love with me at first sight. It is I who am unilaterally escaping such a future.

Eleanor clenched her fists. She had a strong premonition: if she cried here and now, confessed her fears to Andra, spoke of the difficulties she faced and the love spreading like weeds, she would surely get the “ideal” answer.

She had known for a long time what a wonderful lover Andra could be. Andra would surely listen to her words and, as the final note fell, unlock the window and leap inside.

“Just leave everything to me.” She would say those words as seriously as she did in the past life, and then take my hand. We would make all difficulties yield to us and walk the exact same path as the previous life. She would be the Anya whose name remains in history, and I would be her only true love in this life.

Click.

While her reason was screaming, her burning emotions incinerated everything. By the time Eleanor regained consciousness, she had already slid back the internal bolt of the window and reached a hand out.

Andra did not disappoint; in a flash, she unhesitatingly grasped that soft little hand and held it in her palm.

Now is the time. A simple “I love you” could return everything to the… right track?

Was that the right track?

Countless memories and emotions happy, peaceful, sad, and desperate wrapped around her, turning her warm fingertips ice-cold.

I know what I want to do!

The woman on the Mountain of the God of Love had smiled sincerely at the red silk, but in an instant, it turned into a pool of bright red, sinking into the underworld with endless regret.

Yes, Andra, I know what I want to do. A truth I spent a whole lifetime to understand.

I have my own dreams, too.

Standing at the base of the wall, Andra firmly held the small hand reached out to her. The moment she grasped this hand, her heart throbbed heavily; it felt as if two flawless pieces of jade had clicked together by divine providence.

Gods above.

Andra unconsciously bit her lip: Is this… a hint from the God of Love?

The stories passed down in Hetuya said so. When a person’s True Fate appears before them, no omen is needed; a simple look, a word, or a movement is enough for your heart to fall under the God of Love’s binding.

She made a silent vow in her heart: if this shy little Princess was willing to speak her heart’s desire regarding love, she would do everything in her power to draw closer to her.

“Andra, I’ve realized… I…”

“Mhm.” Andra looked up, gazing expectantly through the gap in the window. The little Princess’s amber eyes were so bright.

Ha. Eleanor gave a radiant smile: “I’ve realized I want to become Nolanna’s Princess Regent!”

“Mhm… Eh?!”

“If I become the Princess Regent, would Andra still be willing to help me?”

The little Princess blinked, but the spark in Andra’s eyes gradually faded, replaced by a cold, guarded emotion. She took a half-step back. Though she didn’t shake her head, her voice was a clear refusal: “Your Highness, my identity is quite sensitive. It may not be appropriate for me to join your plan.”

Andra, I’ve never seen you looking so startled and deterred before.

Eleanor leaned on the windowsill, nodded, and said matter-of-factly, “It’s fine. Don’t worry about the swordsmanship lessons. Manzhu and Jingji are going anyway; one more won’t make a difference. Just consider it an apology from me on behalf of my sister.”

“I wouldn’t dare. Thank you, Your Highness.” Andra bowed respectfully. The window before her gradually closed, and those moving eyes could no longer be seen.

 Andra stood up in silence. She reached into her collar and took a somewhat shriveled marigold from a pouch pressed against her heart.

The girl with golden-red hair looked at the marigold for a long time, swinging her arm as if to throw it into the bushes.

“Sigh…”

Ultimately, she let out a long sigh and put the flower back in the pouch, standing firmly with her back to the window once more. This time, she looked straight ahead, eyes unfaltering.

Eleanor closed the window and let out a soft sigh of relief.

Whew I finally said it.

She crept back to her bed and slowly pulled up the covers. She knew Andra would definitely not agree to join her team; Andra was smart, capable, and ambitious. A hostage from an enemy nation could flirt with a Princess in hopes of future rewards, but she absolutely could not mingle with a Princess Regent. In political struggles, a single failure meant a chain of deaths; the risk of aligning with an enemy Princess Regent was too great. One wrong move and she would be consumed by the flames.

It doesn’t matter. This was the effect I wanted to achieve.

Eleanor closed her eyes, letting her breathing settle, and slowly drifted into sleep.

Besides Andra, who else can be your Prince Consort? Who else can guard your territory? Who will protect your followers from harm?

These questions finally converged into a single answer.

ME.

I will become my own Princess Regent! I will guard my own territory! I will protect everything that is mine!

Three days later, in the early morning, Shanhu began combing the little Princess’s long hair as usual. As soon as she lifted Eleanor’s black tresses, she noticed a thick stack of bound parchment on the table. She asked curiously, “Your Highness, are these pages all filled? What did you draw?”

Eleanor patted the parchment. “They are all filled with writing—many diagrams and suggestions.”

“Oh~” Shanhu combed a few times and asked slowly, “Diagrams and suggestions? Did someone ask you to submit a proposal to the King?”

Shanhu couldn’t help but frown. Unlike the other Princesses, the little Princess could request an audience with the King at almost any time. If someone was using her as a shortcut, that wouldn’t do!

How strange. I follow the Princess every day and haven’t seen anyone suspicious.

Eleanor saw Shanhu’s serious expression through the bronze mirror and smiled. “Don’t worry, I wrote them all myself. They are still quite rough. I hope Mother can take me seriously and agree to hold the ceremony for me to drink the Blessed Water.”

“So that’s it… Eh?”

The horn comb clattered to the floor. Shanhu grabbed Eleanor’s shoulders with both hands and shook her slightly. “Little Princess, you can’t say such things recklessly! Don’t scare me like this, please!”

As soon as she finished speaking, she bit her lip and looked around: luckily, the Princess had just woken up, and only she and the little servant holding the basin were in the room. The guards were outside the door and shouldn’t be able to hear.

Shanhu gave a look to the little servant. Once the servant lifted the curtain and ran out, Shanhu knelt directly before Eleanor and said through gritted teeth, “Your Highness, this is too dangerous! Don’t let yourself be coaxed by others!”

“Don’t worry, Shanhu.” Eleanor turned around, her long hair drifting beside her face.

The little Princess’s expression, once innocent and cute, now held a hint of mature tenderness, perhaps even… motherly love?

Eleanor looked at Shanhu as if gazing upon a friend she hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Please have a little faith in me. At least… let me try.”

As she said this, her fingers remained on the six-petaled flower pendant on her chest.

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