I Was Reincarnated as the Prince in a Villainess Story, so I’ll Use My Cheat Knowledge to Create a Noble Lady Harem and Make Them All Happy - 52

Chapter 52: The Morning of Sword Practice, the King’s Regret

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A full season had come and gone. The fires of war that once scorched the land of Beltea were now becoming a thing of the past. New piers had been built in the harbor, and fluttering proudly in the sea breeze were the banners of Alveria’s crest. Ships passing in and out were gradually increasing in number, and the city was beginning to regain the vibrancy it once boasted as a bustling center of trade.

The former royal capital of Beltea had been reorganized into the Governor’s Office and was moving forward as a symbol of reconstruction. Standing at its center was Marquis Livele of Agreia—the father of Reina. Priority, of course, had been given to restoring the harbor. With the roads on land ravaged by war, the sea was now the sole lifeline connecting nations and people.

“―To build a road upon the sea. That alone reshapes the outline of a nation.”

He suddenly remembered those words. Whose voice had spoken them? Valis gazed through the window at a distant white sail swaying in the wind. The affairs of state had finally begun to settle down, and preparations for his coronation and wedding were reaching their climax. And in the midst of it all, what he chose to take up was his sword.

He set aside the stack of documents piled on his desk and slipped on his leather gloves. Crossing the castle’s inner garden on his way to the training grounds, he felt the morning air still crisp and cool against his skin, the clear chill brushing past like running water. And there, waiting ahead of him, was already one man.

“You’re late, Valis. I’ve already warmed up, you know?”

The man who said that with a grin was none other than the current king, Ars. Valis’s father, the King—and the greatest swordsman in the kingdom, a living hero.

“…You’d better go easy on me. You’re even stronger than before.”

“Well, I still like to think of myself as young.”

He said it jokingly, but not a single one of his blows was merciful. Each time their wooden swords met, the air sliced sharply, and Valis’s arms trembled. The speed and weight behind each strike were far beyond what one would call mere training. Truly, the strength of a man who had lived by the sword was not for show.

Three bouts. Five bouts. Ten bouts. Valis steadied his breath, watching his father’s stance.

It’s been since childhood that I’ve crossed blades with him like this.

“You’ve come a long way since then.” 

Ars said with a smirk, resting his wooden sword on his shoulder.

“…But you’re still lacking in experience. You’re not bad—after all, you’re my son—but ‘fighting’ is something that only comes with the number of times you’ve faced death.”

“I’m well aware. I’m not holding a sword to stand at the front. …I want to be strong enough to protect.”

In Valis’s mind appeared the figures of those who had returned through the veil of night—Reina, Milia, and Feril. To take up the sword for someone’s sake—that was a matter of resolve. Ars narrowed his eyes slightly.

“…If that’s the case, maybe you should’ve asked Reina to train you. That girl might already be stronger than me, you know?”

“Still, being taught by the one I want to protect would be… A little awkward, to say the least. …Though honestly, I’m always the one being protected.”

At those words, his father fell silent for a moment—then slowly drove his wooden sword into the ground.

“You know, Valis…”

His voice was gentler than usual.

“You’re already far beyond me… As a king, and as a man.”

“…Father?”

The words took him by surprise. Coming from his father’s mouth, they left Valis momentarily speechless.

“Let’s take a break.”

Ars gestured toward the water bucket with his chin, and the two of them sat down together in the shade. Taking a sip from the ladle, Valis felt the heat leaving his body, a pleasant coolness spreading within.

“Valis, as you know, your mother—Mina—was born a commoner.”

Ars began to speak quietly.

“When I was crown prince… I used to travel wherever I pleased. Swinging my sword, exploring ruins, slaying monsters and during those days, I met Mina.”

His tone carried a mix of nostalgia and faint bitterness.

“Mina was a user of Divine Arts. She and I had survived countless battles together. At first, I just thought she was a dependable woman. But then, one day, I realized… I’d fallen in love with her.”

“…Mother told me a little about that once.”

“Yeah. But there was one more problem.”

Ars took another drink before continuing.

“The one who was supposed to marry me and become queen was Lady Laura, daughter of the Marquis of Agreia at the time. She was my fiancée and we’d been together since childhood.”

“…!”

A faint shock rippled through Valis’s chest. Lady Laura of House Agreia. The name he knew belonged to Reina’s mother, the woman who had died shortly after giving birth. That his father had a connection to that name… He had never heard such a thing before.

“Laura was frail. Every time I left for a journey, she would cry. But after I met Mina and fell for her, even knowing my duty as crown prince, I still chose to live with Mina. …It was unforgivable. I irresponsibly broke off my engagement with Laura.”

From afar came the rhythmic sounds of wooden swords clashing—young knights sparring in another corner of the training grounds. The steady rhythm lent weight to Ars’s confession.

“And when I told her… She didn’t cling to me or curse me. She only said, ‘I understand.’”

Ars’s eyes closed, as if reliving that distant memory.

“Before I married Mina and ascended the throne, Laura married the man who was next in line to inherit House Agreia—a man who had been my friend and captain of the royal guard, Livele. She gave birth to Reina and soon after… Passed away.”

Though his tone was calm, tension gathered in his knuckles. The wooden cup creaked faintly.

Valis took a breath, then spoke. He knew it was an unavoidable past, but as a son, he had to say it.

“…Given that, don’t you think arranging my engagement to Reina is a bit too selfish, Father?”

“I’ve got no excuse. But even so… That was Laura’s wish.”

Ars pressed his lips together quietly.

“‘Make my daughter Reina the bride of Ars’s child—the future queen of Alveria.’ Laura entrusted that letter to Livele. He brought it to me and Mina himself.”

Ars placed a hand on Valis’s shoulder.

“Mina wasn’t even pregnant yet back then.”

A short silence followed.

“…After reading that letter, Livele punched me. He said, ‘I’ll forgive you because it was Laura’s dying wish, but if your son ever makes Reina cry, I’ll draw my bow against this kingdom.’”

Something heavy sank within Valis’s chest. The image of Marquis Livele—Reina’s father—came to mind. He was a man of strength, yet always gentle in demeanor. Valis never imagined that such a past existed between him and his father. It felt as though the lines connecting his birth and his present life had been suddenly made visible before him.

“So that’s why Mother never tried to interfere too much with Reina.”

Mina, who never opposed the engagement—if anything, she seemed to quietly approve—but rarely spoke of Reina. It now made sense.

“Yeah. It was because of my selfishness. Even back then, many nobles sympathized with Laura.”

Mina hadn’t withdrawn because of her origins. She’d kept her distance to avoid deepening the shadows left by Ars’s past. Thinking back, in public she was reserved, always respectful toward Reina, yet never seeking closeness. Ars smiled faintly.

“…Seeing you and Reina truly love each other… That’s what saved me… And Mina the most.”

The words sank deep into Valis’s heart. For a while, silence lingered. Then..

“Father, the fact that you’re telling me all this now means…”

“Yeah. I’ll be abdicating soon. When you and Reina are wed, you’ll become king.”

So, that’s what he’d been planning after all.

He had sensed it, but hearing it aloud placed a weight squarely in his chest. Valis turned his gaze toward the city beyond the training grounds, where the rooftops glimmered under the morning sun. The name of Ars the Warrior King had grown far beyond the nation’s borders.

The king who slew Biblos and liberated Beltea was a beacon of hope to the weak, but also a rallying cry for rebels in other lands. Under the banner of “King Ars the Liberator,” there was always the danger that others might rise up to overthrow foreign rulers. That was why he would abdicate. The reason could be “wounds from war”—it didn’t matter. If Valis, known as a pacifist and man of governance, ascended the throne, that fervor would cool.

“I understand. I’ll make the preparations, Father.”

Valis rose to his feet, raising his wooden sword into a proper stance. Its tip cut through the morning light.

“The wedding, the coronation…And everything beyond Beltea. I’ll make sure to show the way forward.”

Ars laughed and took his stance once more. Two shadows aligned upon the ground. The sound of clashing wood filled the training yard again. The shadows moved, and soon overlapped… Until the King’s shadow stretched forth as a single, unbroken line.

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