Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100 Nin no Ouji-sama

I will fulfill my duty.

Until that day comes...

I wish I could taste...

My brother's pancakes once more...

"Shadow"?

# 3: Memories in the Scent of Pancakes

The real Prince Gary is my elder brother.

I am simply using my brother's name.

My secret must not become public. As such, I will not be letting you out of my sight.

I will tell them you are my consort.

What?!

Don't get me wrong. You will not truly be my consort.

Let's see... perhaps I shall have you perform menial tasks?

I-I'm actually quite good at doing menial tasks...

Wait, where are the guys?!

Oh, you mean Prince Avi and the others?

I told them of the situation and had them take their leave.

Dammit!

Open up!

Doesn't look like they'll open it for us. Well, probably not.

Th-the Princess, marrying King Gary?! There must be some mistake!

I don't get it. What's going on inside this castle?!

This isn't right.

All this, while the townspeople are suffering under the weight of your taxes...

What? If you want some, then take as much you wish.

You said earlier that you would do all you can to help the townspeople.

Was that all a lie?

I don't have to give you an answer.

I'm gonna slice through these gates!

Prince Avi, don't be absurd!

What in the world is wrong with this kingdom?!

Hey! This is no time to be spacing out...

At this rate, the Prince and our dear Princess might be getting into trouble. Well, probably.

What's that supposed to mean?!

But on the other hand...

I found us a way in!

I've been meaning to ask.

Why did you come to Clairboore?

Umm, we're on a journey to destroy dream-eaters...

Well, today's the end of that journey.

You'll be living here from now on.

I can't do that!

Pardon me.

I've brought you the items you req-

Please forgive the intrusion!

It's alright. Right, Princess?

Huh?!

Hey. If you react like that, they'll suspect something.

Sure, but...

My Princess is a bit shy.

We'll take a look through the books. Thank you.

Yes, sir. Excuse me.

Income and expenditure reports for imports and exports and the crop harvest numbers for each village?

And provisionary budgets for the Kingdom as a whole... So many...

Ugh, I'm so bad at these...

You read all of these?

If only it were enough.

I must if I am to portray Prince Gary.

Over here, c'mon!

There's nothing here...

Around here? Probably...

Hey, we don't have time to be doing this right...

A hidden door?! How did you know it was there?

I feel like there was something like this in my castle, too.

Well, probably.

Where the hell did you live?

Still, why would this castle have a door like this?

Dunno.

But if the guy who just used it to get into the castle is an assassin...

They could be in trouble, huh?

She's in trouble!

L-let's hurry!

Sounds like someone else is here...

I'm busy. You get it.

O-okay.

Who are you?

Prince Gary! Do as I say, or this woman's life is forfeit!

The royal family has thrown our lives into chaos!

Is that really what you think?

If you weren't around, Clairboore would be peaceful once again!

Is that so?

H-have you lost your mind?!

What's wrong? You want to kill me, don't you?

D-don't think I won't do it!

If you want to die that badly, so be it!

No!

Princess!

You guys!

Dammit!

Hold it!

Where'd he go?

He got away. Well, probably.

What'd you think of my distraction?

Why is it so damn festive? This isn't a party!

Isn't it fun?

Why does it need to be fun?!

Thank you so much, guys!

I'm just glad you're alright, Princess!

Prince Gary!

I'm glad to see-

Don't waste your time.

Huh?

I am my brother's shadow. There's no point in protecting me.

What are you talking about?

Gary's acting pretty differently, don't you think?

Well...

Oh, I got it!

This guy isn't Prince Gary!

Then who are you?

What's going on?

I told you. I am my brother's shadow.

Where's the real Prince Gary?

What would you do with that information?

I'd ask him how he feels about the state of this kingdom!

Avi!

Come on! He's off somewhere else, leaving you in charge while the people of this kingdom suffer.

Some prince he is!

You know nothing about my brother.

What?

He cares for this country and loves its people more than anyone in the world!

How could you understand his suffering, after he was cursed and driven out of this castle?!

"Cursed"?

When enraged, he loses his mind and destroys everything in his path.

Including himself.

My elder brother, my half-sibling, taught me so many things.

It was all so new, so fun.

But one day, our close relationship came to a sudden end.

My mother, who was once a concubine, put a curse upon my elder brother, and drove him out of the castle.

My brother's mother, the Queen Consort, was in such shock that she took her own life.

My mother, the new Queen Consort, began indulging in luxury,

and raised the kingdom's taxes to fund her lifestyle.

It's no wonder the citizens distanced themselves from us.

The only thing I can do is take on Prince Gary's role and perform his duties.

This golden eye proves that I am but a sham.

I am my brother's shadow. There's no point in protecting a formless shadow.

I don't think that's true.

I can't understand the weight of the burdens you carry, Girbert,

but nobody should have to die in someone else's stead, no matter who they are.

Princess...

That, and...

if you died, I think your brother would be sad.

What?

If I died, would you be sad, Bro?

I'm not your bro!

Forgive my forwardness, but I believe it'd be best if we stopped the Queen Consort's reckless behavior...

I know. I've begun preparations to have her rights to the kingdom's finances transferred to me.

What's wrong, Princess?

This woman...

Kill him, I say!

I saw her! She must be possessed by a dream-eater!

What?!

And she kept saying she needed to kill someone!

If that's true, we've got to get that dream-eater out of the Queen!

This is gonna be trouble. Well, probably.

Hold on a moment. I don't know what you're-

Where's the Queen?!

Mother! Mother...

She jumped down from here...?

And went off to kill someone. Well, probably.

No... Did my mother find out that my brother had returned?

Prince Gary's back?

I received information that my brother was hiding away in a small cottage in the forest.

If she heard that, then...

Prince Gary's in danger!

The cottage is just up this way! He should be there now!

Look at that!