Chapter 500: The Terrifying Brother-Obsessed Princess

“Saintzai, my elder brother, don’t be too harsh on Kelaimu —he’s already trying his best.”

Hearing Princess Lana speak up for him, Kelaimu hastily waved his hands, looking utterly flustered: “No, no, no! My modest efforts mean nothing compared to Your Highness Saintzai.”

Your Highness Saintzai possesses such extraordinary talent and strength, yet still works with such diligence—even collapsing from exhaustion due to training.”

Compared to Your Highness Saintzai, I feel utterly ashamed.”

“Enough, Kelaimu . Could you please fetch my tea set? I’d like to have a proper chat with Elder Brother Saintzai.”

Princess Lana loved black tea and owned a specially crafted tea set, so Kelaimu immediately nodded and turned to leave at her request.

Once Kelaimu had left, Saintzai let out a deep sigh, then turned to his younger sister: “Lana, there’s no one else here—you don’t need to pretend you’re innocent and naive anymore.”

Speak up—what do you want this time? If you’re planning some cruel prank again, don’t blame me if I expose you.”

And ever since you took in Kelaimu , your personality has grown even worse. Even Second Brother and Marquess Lei Buen must have seen through your true nature by now.”

With Kelaimu gone and only Saintzai and Lana remaining in the room, the girl who had just smiled like an innocent little neighbor girl now bore no trace of the “Golden Princess.”

Though still smiling, her demeanor had shifted utterly.

Where her earlier smile had been the kind that healed the soul—a pure, innocent girl’s grin—now her expression was chilling, like that of a shrine maiden or a demon.”

“Elder Brother Saintzai is being too harsh. I simply enjoy seeing Kelaimu ’s troubled expressions.”

And since childhood, you’ve always been the one person I loved and trusted most. You’re the only one who knows my true nature—and still accepts me, aren’t you?”

And this time, I’m not here to cause trouble—I came specifically to warn you.”

When Brother Babro and Brother Zanak heard you collapsed, they were delighted—and secretly plotting against you.”

As your most beloved younger sister, I rushed here the moment I heard. Yet your reaction has made me angry.”

That’s right—the “Golden Princess” of the Ri Yestige Kingdom, though outwardly possessing unmatched beauty and wisdom, had long concealed her true self behind a facade of childish innocence.

Her real nature was that of a girl with an extremely dark and insane soul.

And Saintzai found this utterly exasperating.

As a reincarnator who knew the plot, Saintzai was fully aware of the “Golden Princess’s” true character.

As her elder brother, he had once tried to guide her in childhood, hoping to steer her away from a dark path.

Perhaps because of this, Saintzai—who had always kept Lana close since childhood—became the one person she trusted and clung to most.

But whether due to the old saying that nature is hard to change, or because Lana was born with darkness in her blood, his lifelong teachings had no effect—she had still grown twisted.

Of course, his efforts weren’t entirely useless: because Saintzai had given her the care no one else ever had, she became deeply dependent on him—even bordering on a pathological brother obsession…”

The original “Golden Princess” would sacrifice anything for her goals—her brother, her father, even her entire kingdom.

Now, though Lana’s soul remained dark and insane, she at least restrained herself somewhat when Saintzai was involved.

“Babro and Zanak want to move against me?”

At Saintzai’s question, Lana let out a derisive laugh: “Of course. Those two brothers are utterly talentless and brainless.”

Any fool can see that you and I have no interest in the throne—but they still treat you as a threat.”

Second Brother, at least, has some sense—he’s probably being stirred up by the nobles behind him. But First Brother, that idiot, doesn’t even bother hiding his intentions.”

It’s laughable. If you truly wanted the throne, your reputation in the army and among the people, combined with your own abilities, would leave Babro and Zanak with zero chance.”

Yet even though you have no such ambition, they’re still scrambling to eliminate you—their greatest threat.”

Watching the usually sweet, innocent-looking Lana now sneer and insult her own brothers, any outsider witnessing this would be stunned.

But to Saintzai, it was already familiar—he knew this was the real Lana.

And with him, this dark, insane sister never needed to hide her true nature.

As for the First and Second Princes seeing him as a threat and wanting him dead—Saintzai wasn’t even surprised.

Rivalry between legitimate and illegitimate heirs has always been like this—especially when the throne is at stake.

Throughout history, how many could remain unmoved by the pinnacle of power?

“Elder Brother Saintzai, there’s one thing I truly don’t understand: if you have no interest in the throne, why do you keep showing off your talents to outsiders?”

In the royal family, being too talented isn’t always a good thing.”

I don’t believe someone as clever as you wouldn’t know that… Could it be you’re trying to win Father’s approval?”

But I also don’t think you’re that childish.”

Though Lana’s soul was dark and insane, her talent and cunning far surpassed those of her two brothers.

She disguised herself as innocent precisely to avoid being dragged into dangerous politics.

In her view, Saintzai was even smarter than she was—he should have known better than to expose himself. Yet despite having no interest in the throne, he never concealed his abilities—and that was what puzzled her.

“Lana, let me be clear: very soon, the Ri Yestige Kingdom will face a national crisis.”

A disaster—not just for the kingdom, but for all of humanity in this world—like a natural calamity.”

In ordinary royal rivalries, hiding one’s abilities is the wisest course. But the current situation doesn’t allow me to do so.”

(End of Chapter)