The Crown Prince Who Raises a Side Character-Chapter 54: Servant Cedric (20). Farewell, My Servant

The archdemon Lucidra had been in a remarkably good mood lately.

If one were to ask how good, well—good enough that she’d randomly start giggling to herself, her lips twitching as if beyond her control, even while standing or sitting in silence.

Such behavior didn’t suit the dignity of a demon who, in ages past, could bend nations with ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) a mere smile or flick of the hand. Lucidra herself was aware of this. Still, she couldn’t suppress her laughter.

“This time... I win!”

It had been several months since she awakened from her long imprisonment and entered into a contract with Crown Prince Alondre.

At first, she had expected that manipulating some pampered young heir, raised with no sense of the real world, would be an easy matter.

But Crown Prince Alondre turned out to be exceptional in many ways.

Or rather—if we’re being generous, he was “exceptional.” To put it bluntly, he was not even human.

His skills were monstrous, and his personality even stranger. The amount of torment and humiliation she’d endured thanks to him was beyond measure.

But that humiliation ended here.

From Lucidra’s point of view, that noble girl Claudia had absolutely no intention of letting Cedric—Alondre’s clone—go.

The Crown Prince himself seemed to believe everything was finished: the contract was fulfilled, so it was time to leave. But human emotions were never so cleanly severed.

“There’s no creature more reckless and unreasonable than a girl in love. No matter how capable you are, this time, you’ve got no way out.”

Whether Claudia tried to use her authority as a noble to forcibly keep him, or broke down crying that she’d revert to a tyrant if he left, either path ran counter to Alondre’s hopes for her—to stand on her own as a true lord.

And that meant Lucidra had won their wager.

“...Fufu. Fufufufu! What should I ask for? What demand could possibly repay all the humiliation I’ve suffered from that smug bastard?”

Thanks to Alondre’s overly meticulous contract, she couldn’t pull the classic demon trick of fleecing her contractor with some outrageous request.

Toppling the Empire using him like a puppet? Out of the question.

But for petty personal revenge—for the anger and indignity she’d endured—it was enough.

Still lost in joyful contemplation, Lucidra shifted her awareness from Alondre’s shadow over to Cedric’s.

Now then, what glorious disaster had the lovely little noble girl cooked up to torment Cedric—Alondre—on Lucidra’s behalf?

—

“...Alright. I’ll let you go.”

—

...Huh?

***

After her conversation with the marquess, Claudia returned home.

Upon her shoulder rested a snake made entirely of blood—a blood beast, one of the Marquess’s, which he lent her since he wouldn’t come in person.

Though she’d achieved what she came for, her expression remained heavy.

“Cedric is an imperial agent...?”

The Marquess had repeatedly called it a guess, but from his tone, Claudia had sensed something more—a certainty.

And more than anything, the way he laid it out made sense. If what he said was true, it perfectly explained Cedric’s bizarre and almost inhuman competence.

She wanted to deny it. But she couldn’t.

That truth scorched her chest.

“My lady?”

The moment she saw Cedric, with those soft, round eyes gazing up at her, she was struck speechless.

She had so much she wanted to say—but facing him directly, her mind went blank, and no words came out.

—Ssshhk.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The blood-red snake on her shoulder, however, wasn’t similarly stunned.

Eager to return to its original master, the snake stuck out its tongue and peered closely at Cedric.

—Ssshhk?

Then it raised a question mark over its head.

The snake’s powerful instincts told it: the creature before it was dying.

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And at the same time—it was connected to something massive, overwhelming, and filled with force.

These two contradictory impressions clashed in the snake’s brain, and like a puzzled human, it tilted its head repeatedly. Then it simply transmitted what it felt to Claudia.

However—one important thing to remember was that blood beasts didn’t speak in human language.

They simply exchanged “intent” with their master—someone bound to them by blood.

The marquess, their true master, had grown adept at interpreting them.

But Claudia, despite being his blood relative, was still a different person. Miscommunication was inevitable.

Specifically, it was like having a half-trained interpreter botch the message somewhere in the middle.

The marquess had warned her of this. He’d explained it thoroughly.

But Claudia, half out of her mind at the time, had heard it through one ear and let it slip out the other.

He’d noticed that too—but hadn’t bothered to stop her.

After all, if the message was just “he’s sick” or “he’s fine,” a little distortion wouldn’t matter.

As a result...

“He’s dying. But... it kind of feels like something big is holding him together, so maybe he’s fine?”

...was mistranslated as:

“This is already a dead body. Something massive is forcibly holding it together to make it seem alive.”

Naturally, Claudia was horrified.

With a trembling voice, she blurted out to Cedric without thinking,

“Cedric... are you connected to someone with magic? Through some kind of spell?”

Cedric’s expression froze.

It was the most shocked look Claudia had ever seen on him.

His eyes flicked between Claudia and the blood-red snake perched on her shoulder—then a bitter smile crept onto his face, as if everything suddenly made sense.

“So that’s where you went. I was worried when you disappeared without a word, but it seems you went to ask the Marquess for help.”

“T-That’s not what’s important right now! So it’s true, isn’t it? You said you were fine... because of that magic?”

Some powerful spell was binding Cedric, prolonging his life.

To Claudia, that wasn’t such a foreign concept.

After all, even her blood beasts could recover from any injury, as long as they made it back to her alive.

Cedric let out a short sigh.

If he’d been able to keep it hidden until the end, maybe it would’ve been fine. But now that she had (somewhat) uncovered the truth, denying it would only seem cowardly.

“...That’s correct. As long as this magic—this clone—exists, true death will not come for me.”

“So you’re bound by some kind of magic like that...!”

Claudia couldn’t suppress her horror.

Not only had they sent an agent, but they even held dominion over his very life.

How powerful—how ruthless—must the Empire be?

Claudia stood stunned, her mouth opening and closing with no words coming out, as Cedric continued his confession.

“My actions here weren’t entirely pure. No—in many ways, they were more like sins. I deceived and used you, my lady.”

“That’s... that’s not your fault...”

To Claudia, Cedric was simply someone caught in chains, forced to obey the will of those above him. How could that be called his sin?

“No. It is my fault. These are actions I took by my own will.”

But Cedric rejected her mercy without hesitation.

To him, he was only stating the truth. But to Claudia, it came across as noble—someone refusing to dodge responsibility.

“To have caused such worry to my master... perhaps I am unfit to be a servant.”

“Th-That’s not what matters right now—!”

“No, my lady. You are what matters.”

Cedric looked straight into Claudia’s teary eyes.

“Did you know this, my lady? Coldly defined, a servant is merely someone who receives pay in exchange for labor. There’s no warmth in that. No recognition.”

“But when a master is someone worthy of true loyalty—then, and only then, do servants hold pride in their hearts. When their master is respected, they feel joy. When their master walks the right path, they feel proud to walk behind them.”

“When we first met, my lady, you were someone who had locked herself in a cage—hurting both yourself and everyone around you. You were not someone I could admire.”

“But you changed. You stopped mistreating others. You used your power to help people. And when something was lacking, you worked to improve. The servants who once trembled at the sight of you now feel pride in serving under you.”

Cedric paused for breath, as if steadying himself.

Then he declared, without hesitation, without fear.

“I am no different.”

Claudia’s eyes widened.

“My name, my status—they are all lies. But the pride I feel watching your growth? That is the truth. I am but a fleeting shadow—but if you remain a just ruler, then ‘Servant Cedric’ will live on in that shadow forever. That is why, to me, you are the most important person of all.”

Claudia didn’t respond.

For a long time, she kept her head bowed in silence.

Cedric didn’t press her.

And finally, Claudia opened her mouth.

“...Alright. I’ll let you go.”

Though he knew she couldn’t see it, Cedric bowed deeply.

“Thank you for your kindness, my lady.”

“Kindness? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Claudia finally raised her head.

Her eyes were still wet, but her gaze no longer wavered.

That fierce light—of someone who had chosen their path—made her rose-colored eyes gleam like gemstones.

“This is only temporary. I may not have the power or influence right now... but just wait. One day, I’ll stand before the person behind you and declare it myself—Give me back my servant.”

Cedric blinked, stunned for a moment, then gave a crooked smile.

“So... she wants to demand her servant (me) back from the one behind me (also me)... How poetic.”

Even he—who could scoff at the most elaborate of honey traps—couldn’t help but be intrigued by a resolve like that.

Still, admiration or not, he had to say what had to be said.

“That’s a perilous road, my lady.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m going to do it.”

“You really should give up.”

“I don’t care what you think! I’m doing this because I want to! You don’t get to stop me!”

“...Good grief.”

Cedric sighed.

Whatever he felt in that sigh, Claudia caught it—and she forced her lips into something resembling a bold smile.

“So you’d better stay healthy. Because I will come find you.”

“...I won’t say I look forward to it. I still think you should give up.”

“Hmph! Perfect! You deserve to be messed with sometimes too!”

“Indeed...”

And from there, it was just loud, familiar banter again.

Sometimes, Claudia’s voice cracked like she might cry—but she never let the tears fall.

As if declaring, This farewell isn’t the end.

And so, the final day of master and servant passed.

And in the shadows...

The archdemon wept.