I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart

ho came to me with a gasp.
Don’t talk to me because I’m being kicked out by your mother.
If you pretend to be friendly with me, it would make the Empress hate me even more.

Unbeknownst to him, Tess grabbed me again and slammed his head against my shoulder.

“Wow, that’s why Mother told me not to go to Euseniel’s house.
Euseniel has come to the Imperial Palace!”

I don’t think so, Tess.

“Your Highness, aren’t you in class?”

The Empress’s handmaid seemed perplexed, but she spoke to Tess without expressing it.

But Tess used his whole body and insisted he wouldn’t go.
Unable to touch Tess’ body carelessly, the handmaid rolled her feet.

“Crown Prince!”

Perhaps Tess had run away from the escorts while escaping from class, and Sir Guard hurriedly approached him.

“What if you suddenly run out of class?”

“But Euseniel is here.”

Tess, still holding my waist, said firmly to me.

“I’m not going.
I will be with Euseniel.”

“Your Highness.”

Sir Guard spoke sternly, but Tess didn’t budge.

“I want to stop.”

It’s a bit sad that Sir Guard sighed silently.
He seemed to notice that I sometimes sneak out and avoid Tess, but he pretended not to know.

Of course, Tess always came to me like crazy, and it was all in vain.

“Your Highness, you should go to class.”

“No, I want to be with Euseniel!”

We saw each other yesterday too.
So I didn’t think you needed to be so happy about today.

I asked formally, pressing down on my true feelings that rose up to my neck.

“What class is this?”

“Magic class.”

It was Sir Guard who answered in place of the sullen Tess.

“If it was magic class, don’t tell me.”

“Yes, this is a class taught by the Archmage.”

Archmage!

He’s at the peak of magic, no wonder he’s called the Encyclopedia of Knowledge! It was said that even for a Duke, he was a difficult person to meet.
There were things I wanted to ask him when we met, so maybe it’s a good opportunity.

I patted Tess on the back and smiled.

“Your Highness?”

Tess looked at me with anxious eyes.

“Let’s go, Crown Prince.
Classes are very important.”

Tess shook his head again, with tears welling up in his eyes.
I couldn’t let go of the hand holding me tight.

“No.
I will be with Euseniel.”

Looking around, the Empress’s handmaid, Sir Guard, and Tess’s handmaids who followed, were making troubled expressions.
Normally, no one could attend the classes the Crown Prince takes, but if the Crown Prince himself was like this, wouldn’t it be okay to use a little trick?

“Your Highness, shall I go with you then?”

“Huh?”

Tess’s eyes widened.

“While Your Highness attends class, I will be waiting by your side.”

“How dare you attend the Crown Prince’s class—”

“-great! I love it!”

Although she was the Crown Prince’s handmaid, she must have been sent by the Empress, the handmaid was furious, but Tess jumped in glee.

“Your Highness, forgive me, but this is a private class.
And the Archmage may be offended.”

Perhaps she resembled her master, the handmaid seemed to hate me.
Although she was better at managing her facial expressions than a novice handmaid.

“So, bringing Lady Hardland to class—”

“-I have decided.”

Tess, now holding my hand tightly, said stubbornly.

“Forgive me, Your Highness.”

“Who told you to talk back to me?”

Wow, even if an old eagle was better than the young crow, he was the Crown Prince, right? He was shouting in a pretty commanding tone.

It was rare for Tess to show such extreme emotion, and while I observed quietly, the handmaid did not give up.
Did she not like me that much? Or maybe Tess looked easy?

“The Archmage was specially invited by His Majesty the Emperor, so Lady Hardland-”

“I told you to stop!”

The little boy, who only came up to my eye level, screamed with all his might.

“Get out of my sight right now.”

It’s the first time I’ve ever heard a fierce tone.
It wasn’t just me, but everyone around me was startled.

“Who are you to keep going against me? I said I want to be with Euseniel!”

It was unusual to roll his feet and get angry.
At this point, I thought she should back down, but the handmaid didn’t even budge.

“Your Highness is saying that you are going to take a mere Duke’s daughter to class now.
That is not going to happen.”

Our family also has a long history, but hearing the word ‘mere’ from a handmaid from a lower noble background made me feel bad.

“Can’t you shut up! How dare you!”

Perhaps it was the same with this friend of mine as he jumped and kicked the handmaid with his feet in anger! Oh my, Tess was acting so violent.