My Beloved Princess ~The Boy Called Incompetent Rises with Only a Sword and the Princess's Devotion~

The capital, Black Emperor Castle.

Black Emperor Castle was an impregnable fortress city with black castle walls made of the world’s hardest ore—Black Dragon Stone. The population totaled one hundred thousand: twenty thousand dragonkin and eighty thousand other races. A status system was established in Black Emperor Castle, divided into four tiers—six consorts, princess ranks, citizens, and slaves.

The most populous were the eighty thousand in the citizen class granted to other races. Next most populous were the twenty thousand in the class called princess ranks granted to dragonkin women. And reigning at that apex were the six women called the six consorts.

Each of the six consorts had a determined rank, arranged in descending order: First Consort, General Consort, Wise Consort, Benevolent Consort, Loyal Consort, Alliance Consort. Each consort served as head of major facilities and had direct subordinates called Warrior Princesses under their command. For example, Alliance Consort Seiran’s job was managing and operating the academy, with the female teachers as Warrior Princesses assisting her.

The six consorts were the most noble titles forming the pack’s core.

If the six consorts, who were the pack’s supreme council, all assembled, it meant either an important case meeting or an emergency.

And right now, that emergency had occurred.

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The palace where the Dragon Emperor resided in the great city of Black Emperor Castle—Central Palace.

At the innermost part of each palace partitioned by high walls stood a luxurious structure called Phoenix Pavilion, the Dragon Emperor’s residence. And adjacent to Phoenix Pavilion, the First Consort’s residence Tower Palace stood amicably side by side like a married couple.

Tower Palace, conference chamber.

Six elaborately designed, magnificently gorgeous chairs lined the interior. The crystal pedestals increased in tiers toward the higher seats, and thus seated at the highest position, the six-tiered upper seat, was General Consort Rakuyō who supervised military facilities. The mother of Princess Kuroyō, she was reputed to possess beauty unrivaled in Black Emperor Castle, and it was said no man existed who hadn’t been bewitched by her charms. Her crimson-painted lips twisted alluringly as she reproached Seiran seated at the lowest seat.

“I thought I could entrust Kuroyō to you.”

At the tone that couldn’t hide disappointment rather than rebuke, Seiran hung her head apologetically. Truly, she wanted to immediately press her forehead to the floor and prostrate herself in apology, but her position as Alliance Consort seemed unlikely to permit that. Plus there were the attendant handmaidens’ eyes. So Seiran demonstrated maximum apology by clasping her hands and bowing deeply.

“I apologize, General Consort-sama. This was my inadequate supervision.”

Two seats above Seiran at the lowest seat, fourth rank Benevolent Consort giggled.

“Oh my♪ Are you thinking that subordinates’ failures are the responsibility of those above… or something like that? Though it would end if you just punished your subordinates.”

The Benevolent Consort supervised the judiciary. In a frivolous, sticky tone unbefitting a guardian of law, she whispered simple temptation to discard her subordinates.

She mustn’t be deceived. This was a trap.

(Don’t make me laugh. I know that if I punish my direct subordinates to save myself, I’m the one who’ll lose credibility.)

Without engaging, when Seiran glared sharply, the Benevolent Consort pretended to be scared saying “Oh, scary♪” and covered her face with her gorgeous dragon robe’s sleeve.

Before that farce, the one who let out a big sigh was fifth rank Loyal Consort.

“Princess Kuroyō’s whereabouts were unknown from the first day, weren’t they?”

The Loyal Consort who led the territory’s security forces directed an overtly suspicious gaze.

However, no matter how dissatisfied, the fault lay with Seiran as academy administrator. Right now she could only bow her head and wait for the storm to pass.

“Yes. That’s how it was reported from my subordinates.”

The Loyal Consort scoffed as if exasperated.

“Hmph. This is absurd. Though princesses hold no authority, their status inherits their mother’s position. In Princess Kuroyō’s case, that equals General Consort. Special consideration should be natural.”

Biting her lip, Seiran answered patiently:

“What kind of response would constitute special consideration?”

The Loyal Consort who’d laughed through her nose cast a looking-down gaze at Seiran who clasped her hands seeking instruction.

“That’s obvious. If you knew Princess Kuroyō was absent at roll call, you should have searched that same day. This is negligence.”

That seemed reasonable at first glance, but measured against dragonkin common sense, it was absurd and tantamount to a statement belittling Seiran who governed the academy.

Because the academy interior was completely extraterritoriality—academy rules took priority. Academy rules stipulated treating all as students regardless of status. The Loyal Consort’s statement taking special treatment for granted was nothing but overstepping authority.

“Summer special practicum was arranged to be conducted near headquarters. Reports came in that teachers also instructed hunting near headquarters.”

“Oh? And? Are you saying it’s Princess Kuroyō’s own fault for stepping into the forest depths herself?”

In front of her benefactor the General Consort, she couldn’t say it was Princess Kuroyō’s own fault. Seiran answered with a hardened expression:

“Of course we searched the vicinity. But Beast King Forest is vast. Searching without any clues would be impossible. Or does Loyal Consort-dono have some good solutions?”

The earnest Instructor Mion had apparently still searched near headquarters. Since she wasn’t found even then, Seiran considered the duty sufficiently fulfilled.

But the Loyal Consort spoke in a tone as if it were obvious:

“If you don’t know the location, you should have students search a wide range.”

“Doing that would make summer special practicum unworkable.”

“That doesn’t matter. It’s a trivial matter compared to Princess Kuroyō’s safety.”

“That’s too unreasonable!!!”

Seiran was a newcomer who’d joined the Dragon Emperor’s pack a mere ten years ago.

In contrast, the other consorts were founding members from when the pack was raised, with relationships spanning hundreds of years and deep bonds. Perhaps unable to accept that newcomer Seiran occupied the same six consorts position as them, they showered her with harsh words whenever they met. Especially this time, since Seiran was at fault, she couldn’t push back strongly even when unreasonableness was forced on her.

At that point, the one who opened her mouth to mediate was the last person who’d maintained silence until now. The Wise Consort who governed internal affairs. She who also served as prime minister was a logical thinker.

“Loyal Consort, that’s really too much. Academy rules stipulate treating students as students. You shouldn’t blame Alliance Consort on that point.”

“However—”

Losing momentum, the Loyal Consort pouted with dissatisfaction, but the Wise Consort restrained her with just a slow hand movement and said:

“The problem this time was insufficient field investigation and inadequate teacher armament. There were no other problems. You share this opinion too, don’t you?”

The Wise Consort’s questioning gaze. It was directed at the single flower blooming proudly in Black Emperor Castle—General Consort Rakuyō. Gathering the room’s attention, the General Consort nodded her too-beautiful face.

“That matter is fine now. Since she acted apart from the academy pack, all responsibility lies with Kuroyō. But you see, Seiran. The engagement is a different story.”

With a jolt, the expression of the bowing Seiran froze.

A beautiful voice descended from above.

“I hear she became engaged to a Lower School student. Moreover, a half-dragonkin with no aptitude attribute. Even allowing for free love, there are limits. Right, don’t you think so too?”

It was General Consort Rakuyō who’d picked up wandering Seiran and her young daughter and recommended to His Majesty the Dragon Emperor that she be granted Alliance Consort position. That she existed now was entirely thanks to this person. Ignoring her wishes was utterly impossible for Seiran.

Clasping her hands, she offered a deep bow.

“I understand. Regarding that matter, I intend to somehow adjust things on my end.”

The General Consort’s beauty shone as if blooming. At the dazzling brightness as if radiating a halo, Seiran could only redden her cheeks and return her half-raised face.

“As expected of Seiran. The talent I recognized. I’m grateful this was quick.”

A bewitching woman. Princess Kuroyō’s mother possessed beauty that bewitched people’s hearts even more than her daughter.