Chapter 42: The “Incompetent” Princess
Princess Helen was a household name in Golden Griffin City, renowned for her beauty, even though she wasn’t the first in line to the throne, having two older brothers.
In popular folklore, Helen’s beauty was more than just skin deep. Her eyes were said to be as bright as the stars, her skin as fair as unicorn milk, and her hair a shimmering silver that glowed in the dark, making it impossible for her to walk the streets at night without being recognized. Her scent could cure rhinitis, and her voice could heal deafness—such legends rivaled those of the former Saint Flora. The only difference was that the Saint’s legends were true, while the princess’s were merely exaggerated tales.
Abyss was more interested in the forty-two-year-old dead princess beside him, who hadn’t even washed off the embalming spices, than a living, breathing one. So, after entering the city, he hadn’t bothered to learn much about Helen. However, Leona was different. This Princess Helen, who looked so much like her, was a blood relative, her niece. She had frequently inquired about Helen from Dar, the tavern owner, who had spoken at length about her, yet failed to recognize her when she was right in front of him.
“Then I’ll have a drink with you three,” Princess Helen said, regaining her composure and her polite demeanor, sitting down next to Abyss. “Please don’t…”
“Don’t worry, we won’t,” Leona said, patting Abyss on the back. “Kidney-deficient man, go sit somewhere else. I want to drink with her.”
Abyss stood up reluctantly and moved to another chair, returning to his notes. Leona, taking her drink, sat beside Princess Helen and asked in a low voice, “Hey, tell me, why are you out here interviewing commoners in a tavern?”
“Not commoners,” Princess Helen corrected seriously. “The people.”
“Oh, sorry, my mistake,” Leona said, realizing that unlike her flippant self, this princess took the matter seriously. “Then tell me why you’re interviewing the people in the tavern.”
“I… I want to know what the people need,” Princess Helen said, a hint of shyness in her voice, but her tone was firm. “Behind the palace walls, all I see are pompous nobles. I can never know what the real Empire is like.”
Although Princess Helen deliberately lowered her voice, Abyss, reading his notes, glanced up at her. Flora nodded approvingly.
Leona was surprised. The information she had received from Dar had all been about how beautiful and charming this princess was. She had assumed Helen was a very “competent” princess, skilled in self-presentation, but the person sitting beside her now seemed vastly different from her expectations.
Why would a princess who wasn’t the first in line to the throne care about the needs of the people? Most princesses focused on making themselves beautiful, mastering various arts, and preparing to marry a nobleman worthy of the royal family. Those with a bit more ambition would cultivate their own network of supporters, scheming to usurp their parents’ power in their old age and then, upon their demise, smoothly ascend the throne. They would then settle scores with their siblings, rewarding loyalty and punishing betrayal, or simply banishing those who posed no threat to a remote corner of the Empire.
Leona had initially envisioned her own life as finding a husband, perhaps using her martial prowess to choose a handsome young man she fancied. Although she was a true Dou Qi genius, there were no wars that required a princess to fight. Her current life, traveling with Abyss, was actually more fulfilling than her life in the palace, at least she was free.
“This… I never thought about that. What’s the point?” Leona tilted her head. “This isn’t the Elven Kingdoms. The Emperor isn’t elected by the people.”
“But it’s the royal family’s responsibility to protect and care for the people,” Princess Helen said, her voice tinged with displeasure. “I don’t want to be someone who only thinks of herself.”
She took a sip from her glass. The drink wasn’t to her taste, but she maintained her elegant composure, swallowing it without changing her expression.
Leona’s interest in this somewhat naive girl grew.
“So, what have you learned from your interviews?” she asked.
“I sneaked out of the palace early this morning,” Princess Helen whispered. “I’ve interviewed many people in the city, and the most common complaint is about the Empire’s healthcare.”
“The Empire’s healthcare is good. They can treat many illnesses—I’m talking about the court physicians.”
“What good is it if only nobles can be cured? Ordinary people can’t afford those court physicians or the medicines used by nobles. And the Divine Arts of the Church priests are even more expensive,” Princess Helen said, clearly dissatisfied. “Sure, you can get treatment, but you have to pay a hefty price. The Western Empire is indeed more prosperous than other nations on the continent, but that doesn’t mean everyone can afford to get sick.”
“So, do you have any solutions?” Leona asked.
“You must have heard about the recent events in the city—the Empress Dowager, my grandmother, passed away. Before her death, she donated all her wealth to the national treasury. Now, the ministers and nobles are arguing about how to spend this money. They just want to direct it towards areas where they can profit. But I have my own idea,” Princess Helen said, looking earnestly into Leona’s eyes. “I want to use this money to hire a group of renowned physicians to research new treatments that reduce the cost of healthcare for the people. If this fortune is used for this purpose, it will definitely achieve great results. At the very least, it will prevent people in the Western Empire from dying of pneumonia because they can’t afford to treat a cold.”
“Hmm… Indeed. The Western Empire still uses ancient remedies for treatment. Some are effective, but some are just useless,” Leona nodded in agreement. “I’ve heard that it’s often more effective to pray to statues at home than to spend money on treatment or seek a Disease Dispelling spell from a Church priest.”
“That’s right. It seems you’re well-informed about these matters, miss.”
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Princess Helen’s mood seemed to have improved. She wanted to reach out and hold Leona’s hand, but remembering her etiquette, she refrained.
“You’ll face many obstacles,” Abyss said suddenly, closing the notebook he had just finished reading and looking up at Princess Helen, throwing cold water on her enthusiasm. “No noble will allow you to control this money. You’re just a princess with no claim to the throne.”
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