Chapter 3: The Abandoned Prince is Taken to the Imperial Capital

"Your Highness Rosemary, what shall we do with these individuals?"

After treating the so-called Your Highness Rosemary, the dragoon knights restrained us without question.

Well, we are enemies, after all. I suppose this treatment is unavoidable.

"But, um, why am I the only one being threatened with a sword?"

While my subordinates are only bound with ropes, for some reason, I am being threatened with a sword.

It's scary.

Even if I get stabbed or my head chopped off, I won't die, but it still hurts, and I'm scared.

Thinking that, a woman who seems to be Rosemary's vice captain, a dragoon knight, presses a sword against my neck and says,

"You touched the sacred body of her Highness Rosemary. That's worth death."

"Wait! No, I don't want to die! At least let me wear some clothes!! I don't want to be naked!! I don't want to be left naked!!"

As I desperately resist, Rosemary, seeing the situation, intervenes.

"I told you to stop, Leah."

"But, but..."

"This boy is the savior of my life. While this is a battlefield and he is to be taken as a prisoner, treat him with respect."

"...Understood."

Thanks to Rosemary's intervention, we were spared further trouble and were taken away.

Fortunately, there was no sign of torture. We were blindfolded, put on a carriage, and taken somewhere.

"Ugh, this is all Your Highness's fault!"

"S-sorry. But in the end, everyone seemed to agree, right?"

"Did you say something?"

"N-nothing."

"In any case, Your Highness—"

I receive a sermon from my vice-captain while blindfolded, and my subordinates laugh as they listen.

It's impressive how my subordinates are relaxed even in such an obvious pinch.

Maybe the vice-captain was also aiming to scold me in this situation.

...Is he aiming for something?

Surely he's not trying to use his grudge against his superior to lighten the mood?

I want to believe that.

"Hey, you."

The carriage rocks for a while.

I don't know the exact time, but after a couple of days, the carriage stops, and I'm addressed.

It's the voice of the vice-captain who had pointed a sword at me.

Her name, if I recall correctly, was Leah, as called by Rosemary.

"Here you are. Take the others to a separate room."

"W-What about my subordinates?"

"...I have no intention of eating them. They will be treated with respect as prisoners. It's orders from Her Highness Rosemary."

"Uh, then what about me?"

"I don't know. I was only told to bring you to Her Highness Rosemary."

I was led somewhere with my arms pulled while blindfolded.

After a while, the blindfold was suddenly removed.

Light flooded into my obstructed vision, causing a sensation akin to dizziness.

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I noticed Princess Rosemary standing in front of me.

"Whoa, you're huge."

"Hey, don't stare at my chest like that."

Perhaps it's because I'm short, or maybe it's because Princess Rosemary is tall.

Right in front of me were Princess Rosemary's generously endowed breasts.

... *gulp*.

Alright, focus. First, I need to understand the situation.

"Where... is this?"

I looked around in disbelief.

It seemed like a castle.

Or rather, as someone who had lived in a castle as a crown prince, it was immediately apparent to me.

This was a castle.

However, it certainly wasn't the castle in the capital of the Agaram Kingdom.

The architectural style was different, there was no mistaking it.

In front of a large door in a corridor inside the castle, Rosemary and I stood facing each other.

"Um, could it be...?"

"Yes, you catch on quickly. This is the Imperial Castle, located in the central district of the Holy Dragoon Empire's capital."

"...Seriously?"

I had thought I was being taken to some base as a prisoner... But the capital? That was completely unexpected.

"What... What are your intentions with me? Just so you know, even if my subordinates address me as 'Your Highness', I no longer hold any royal authority. I'm a discarded individual with no value, even as a hostage."

"Hm? You... or rather, are you a member of the Agarram royal family?"

"Huh? Did I dig my own grave?"

Seeing me panic inwardly, Rosemary chuckled softly.

Oh no, it's unfair for a cute beauty like her to laugh.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm Rosemary. The seventh princess of the Dragoon Empire."

"The... seventh princess? Seriously?"

"Yes, absolutely. Could you tell me your name?"

"...It's Reichel. And just to add, I'm not as young as I look. I'm twenty this year."

"Hm? W-We're the same age. I'm sorry. But Reichel, huh. It's indeed the same name as the eldest son of the former king of Agarram. A good name."

After Rosemary softened her smile, her expression turned serious.

"Lord Reichel. Your healing magic seems different from normal."

"W-Why do you think that?"

"...Hm. I'm going to show you something now, but I hope you won't be too surprised."

"Huh?"

Saying that, Rosemary removed the earring she had on one ear.

Instantly, Rosemary's appearance changed.

Two horns sprouted from her head, and crimson-scaled wings and a tail emerged around her waist.

"This earring is an enchanted accessory with body transformation magic. For some reason, wyverns get frightened when they see horns or wings, so I conceal them with this earring when I ride them."

"I see... So the rumors about the Imperial Family of the Dragoon Empire being dragonkin were true?"

I think I read in a book or something that dragonkin are considered the strongest species, surpassing elves in high magical power, surpassing beastfolk in physical abilities, surpassing dwarves in dexterity, and surpassing humans in intelligence.

"But what does that have to do with my power?"

"While dragonkin possess strong bodies, they also have a high resistance to magic, which means healing magic doesn't work well on them."

"What!? Th-That's an unexpected weakness... Ah!"

"You've noticed, I see. Yes, Lord Reichel, your power easily healed my injury."

I roughly understood the situation.

"S-So, um, basically, there's a dragonkin, a member of the Imperial Family, who wants to be healed by my power?"

"That's right. It's a relief that you catch on quickly. It hasn't been announced publicly yet, but my mother, the Empress, was attacked by bandits. She's been cursed with a fatal injury and is unconscious. Please, I beg you, help my mother."

Hmm... It's quite a dilemma to help the Emperor of an enemy nation.

But if I refuse, I don't know what will happen to my subordinates taken to another room, and I myself am uncertain about what will be done to me.

...I guess I have no choice.

"I understand. In exchange, I want you to guarantee the rights and safety of my subordinates and me."

"Y-Yes!! Of course!! Thank you!!"

"O-Oh!?"

"S-Sorry. I got carried away in my happiness..."

Rosemary hugged me tightly, burying my head in her large breasts.

This only fueled my determination.

I don't care if the people of Agaram call me a traitor.

They're the ones who betrayed first, and I will live honestly with myself.

It's definitely not because I was moved by Rosemary's large breasts.

...Or so I tell myself.

"Leave it to me, Princess Rosemary. I'll heal any injury, be it poison or curse, with a single blow."

"Great! That's reassuring!! The Empress is in this room."

It seems that on the other side of the door in front of us is the Dragoon Empress.

Rosemary knocked on the door.

There was no response, but after a brief pause, Rosemary opened the door.

Inside was a spacious room.

In the center of the room was a huge bed with a canopy curtain, looking incredibly comfortable.

On the bed lay a person.

"Wow..."

I couldn't help but let out a sigh of admiration.

The person sleeping on the bed was a woman of exquisite beauty, almost like a doll.

Long, pure white hair, translucent white skin, and a face so perfectly symmetrical it sent shivers down my spine.

She was even taller than Rosemary.

Lying down, it was hard to determine her exact height, but she must have easily exceeded two meters.

And her figure was stunning.

Her breasts were at least three times larger than a big watermelon sold at a supermarket in the summer.

Her waist was slim and toned, while her thighs were voluptuous.

With horns on her head and dragon wings and tail sprouting from her waist, it was immediately apparent that this woman was at the top of the imperial family.

"She... She's beautiful."

"Heh. I don't mind being praised for my mother."

"...But..."

But the air felt stagnant.

The room seemed poorly ventilated, a bit dusty.

It wasn't an ideal environment for a sick person to rest in.

"The air feels quite stagnant in here."

"...Ah. I had instructed the maids to take care of Her Majesty while I was away, but those fools..."

"What are the maids doing?"

"They must have taken the rumors about the curse Her Majesty received being contagious seriously. I can't believe they left her neglected while I was away. I feel like ripping their heads off for it."

Wow, angry beauties are seriously scary.

"Um, s-sorry. Can you start treating her right away?"

"Y-Yes. Um, first of all, my power requires direct contact, so, uh..."

"Oh, I see. Understood. I'll undress my mother."

I reached out to the naked body of the Dragoon Empire's Empress.

Just to clarify, this is a medical procedure.

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