Ikemen Prince – Chevalier Michel

Synopsis

You’re the resident bookstore keeper who loves to read. One day you were unwittingly chosen to be the Belle who would choose the next king to be among 8 brothers. The king had died suddenly leaving no apparent immediate heir so it’s up to Belle, typically a pure hearted commoner picked amongst the people to find the best candidate to rule the kingdom. You are suddenly thrusted into living in close quarters with these royal brothers from different mothers with the objective of getting to know each of them to choose the right person to be king, being wary not to fall in love with any of them while you’re at it. 

2nd Prince Chevalier Michel Route

Prince Chevalier or Chev in short is your classic prince who believes in the need to draw the distinction between royalty, nobility, and commoner, and how each is to play their role in this hierarchy. He doesn’t believe in human relations or love but certainly studies it fervently so that he can use it to his advantage to move his chess pieces. Often targeted for assassination due to his cold exterior, it certainly begs the player to melt this icy block to discover who is really under all that façade. Of all the routes I’m concurrently on, Chev’s character appeals to me the most in terms of his looks (white hair gahhhhh), his haughtiness (is he secretly tsundere reading romance novels?!) and cold calculated moves. 

After MC tactfully handled a potential PR crisis between Prince Chev and a baron at a ball, Chev finally found someone who isn’t too afraid to voice their opinions and speak to him on equal terms. This refreshing take may have just softened his heart towards MC. However it seems that Prince Clavis is eager to plot the downfall of his brother and find a weakness in him, perhaps the MC herself. Clavis sets up a trap to determine his brother’s inclination towards MC and was surprised to learn that she has indeed gotten him to lower his guard around her.

When Sariel learns of MC’s night spent in Chev’s room after telling him a bedtime story, he reminds her of Clause 99 which stated that the Belle would not have any contact with the king once chosen. Chev plans to start a war against neighbouring kingdom Obsidian as he learnt that they are in the progress of developing a very advanced weaponry that will put Rhodolite in severe military disadvantage. However he knows that he would face a lot of resistance from Leon’s faction.

MC requested to attend the round table discussion to understand the perspectives of both factions. When told that her choice of King would affect the final outcome of whether they go to war, she was laden with the pressure of the decision. Chev appears in her room the next door and in a roundabout way told her that the future of the country had nothing to do with her decision, even if they failed it was failure on part of the royals. It was his way of relieving her burden.

Chev is called away to a northern fortress which the anti-war faction has taken over. He spares no time to head there to quell the rebellion. Feeling unease, the MC went with Prince Nokto and Prince Luke to witness civil war for herself. She is greeted by Chev’s brutality which completely erased her romantic notion that he had any humanity in him. However while she sleeps, Chev steals into her room to treat a wound she sustained. How will MC now reconcile her growing feelings for Chev while accepting the parts of him that scares her?

MC witnessed Chev and Leon having a heated argument over Chev’s handling of the revolt. After Leon leaves, Chev stays behind to hear what MC had to say to him. MC is at a loss for words as she struggles between her perception of Chev and what she saw on the battlefield. With nothing left to say between them, Chev disregards her and leaves. 

MC is distraught so Jin tries to help her by getting Clavis to teach her all she needs to know about Chev. He was born a genius and even from a young age, his parents feared his intelligence and lack of humanity. MC realised that Chev has been alone all his life. Meanwhile Sariel informs Chev that his popularity is at all time low following the quelling of the rebellion. Chev alludes that he had to secure a decisive victory because someone in the anti-war faction was working for the kingdom of Obsidian. However he didn’t think it necessary to let the people understand. Sariel asked Chev about the MC and was surprised that for the first time, Chev might be pursuing something not out of calculated interests. 

MC still desires to speak with Chev despite learning about him but she doesn’t feel ready. Clavis sets up the opportunity by forcing a kiss on her. But before he could do anything, Chev has a sword pointed at his throat. With Clavis gone, Chev carries MC and brings her back to her room. (Oh my goodness my heart is about to burst. This guy has swept me off my feet!) 

In her room, Chev tells her she is a nuisance and warns her to stay out of his sight. MC goads him to get rid of her if he finds her such an eye sore. He unsheathes his sword at her but she saw that his eyes wavered, much as he is a beast, he was certainly feel emotional looking at her. In the end he leaves her unharmed. 

The next day MC witnessed a memorial service for the knights who died during the revolt. Prince Yves accompanies MC to the memorial ground and they find Chev there. MC is surprised to see him mourn the dead considering that he has said that the dead has no value to him. After Yves leaves, MC questions Chev’s purpose for being here. He shares that he wants to remember the name of everyone who died so that he can carry on their unfulfilled wish for their country. 

MC finally sees through Chev and realises that it isn’t that he doesn’t have a heart (duh) but rather he is able to detach his emotions entirely from his actions. Chev then questions MC’s resolve to understand him at this level since it has no bearing on her eventual decision on who is fit to be king. He also said that harbouring any love for him is useless due to clause 99. MC finally confesses her love for Chev. When he dismisses love as a useless emotion, MC said that she will prove to him that love is not useless in whatever time she has left as Belle.

With that proclamation, Chev accepts MC’s challenge and pulls her in for an intimate embrace. Awwwww…. Chev starts spending more and more time with MC claiming it is to provide her with the opportunity to show the value of love. MC struggles to think of a way to prove something that cannot be seen. One day Chev brings her to attend a meeting of the anti-war faction. Chev confronts the lords who are plotting against him directly and manages to sway them to his side except one Lord Flandre.

On the way back, MC and Chev shares their first kiss. When MC reacted awkwardly to the intimacy, Chev teases her for being so inexperienced despite reading all the romance novels. He is such a tease! 

The next day Leon approaches Chev to ask about his actions at the anti-war faction meeting. He was surprised to learn that Chev was willing to meet the faction midway unlike his past self and had counted on MC to speak up on their behalf to orchestrate the whole scene. Though it was a calculated move, Leon commented that Chev has changed for the better by going for a less sure win method than his usual all or nothing stance. Because of that Chev won over the other half of his brothers and they agreed to go to war. 

Chev asked MC if she wants to join them on the frontlines. The only way to really judge each Prince’s mettle in war is to see all of them in action. MC decides to join them. She shares an intimate hug with Chev and he commanded her not to get hurt being the 2nd Prince personal subject and all during this war. Haha so cheesy and sweet. 

MC is assigned to help with the medical unit in a small village. The village is suddenly under attack by Lord Flandre who has turned traitor. They want to capture MC as position of Belle to subjugate Rhodolite. I wonder in a twisted swing of fate, would Chev kill MC to prevent anything from swinging their war victory or will his own emotional ties to her cause him to sway. In which case it would surely prove to him that love is quite a ‘useless’ emotion.

In the end Rio was able to muster enough morale from the embattled soldiers to push back the anti-faction group but not before one of them managed to stab a poison dagger into MC. MC collapses due to her wound. While she is unconscious, the Princes meet to discuss next steps. In exchange for the antidote, Obsidian forces wanted them to hand over MC. Chev was able to come up with an antidote to slow the poison then headed out to meet Lord Flandre. Before he leaves, MC grabs his hands and makes him promise that he won’t kill them mercilessly. He agrees to the surprise of all the princes. It seems like this Belle has finally tamed the beast. 

Chev negotiates with the captured troops and manages to sway them to break off their alliance with Obsidian (albeit using the safety of their family as collateral). He also retrieves the antidote from their camp. MC finally wakes up after taking the antidote. Rio updates her about what has happened then she returns to sleep. Rio asked Chev why he didn’t talk to her. To which Chev’s reply was that it was pointless since their love cannot be requited.

Romantic Love End

The Rhodolite forces eventually captured an important weapon facility belonging to Obsidian forcing them into a peace treaty. In order for the peace treaty to be enacted, Belle will need to select the king. The moment she makes her decision, Clause 99 will be effected. MC requests for Chev to grace her with a dance. Though he felt it was a foolish thing, he still obliged. MC’s heart is full of joy and yet it was with much angst that she informed Chev that she would be choosing him as king. She was confident that he now understood the power of love when it comes to make decisions and how it made the country better. Chev neither agreed or disagreed. 

As MC turns to leave, Chev told her that she is due for punishment for getting injured during the war. As punishment she is to dine with him in his room that night. Of course they did more than just have dinner together. They finally consummated their love. Funny though, the love making paled in comparison to the romantic tension built throughout the story. 

Anyway MC returns to her old life and for the next year devoted herself to increasing the common people access to books, in hope that it would encourage even more people to write stories. In her own small way she wanted Chev to have even more books to read. One day Clavis calls on them to deliver an invitation to a ball – it was Chev’s engagement ball. MC heart drops. She knew this day would come afterall a king needs a queen but she never stopped loving him. This is sooo painful. Especially with the letter from Chev – he wished her all the best and told her to find someone to marry so that she won’t be alone when she cries. That he did love her even for that short moment. I want to die…..

On Foundation Day, the day of Chev’s ascension to King, Clavis invites MC out. Though she was feeling too gloomy to do anything she was pulled along. Clavis brings her to an apartment where she has full view of Chev’s ascension parade. Clavis used this opportunity to encourage MC to pursue true happiness in her heart instead of standing on the sidelines wishing only for Chev’s happiness. He also revealed how Chev had looked after and supported MC throughout her entire stay as Belle. She realised that though Chev said he would forget her, he never could or would. 

With determination in her heart, MC sought audience with the king on pretext of book trade from foreign lands. Chev recognises her immediately despite her disguise. He approves her proposal and then asked her what she was doing here. Unable to hold back her feelings anymore, she tells him that she wants to find happiness together. Chev tells her that letting her go with the one and only mercy he could give her to lead a normal life. Once she steps into his world, her life will be full of pretentiousness, danger and other political strife. Was she willing to make this sacrifice? Arg my heart my heart.  

MC accepted willingly and they shared a night of passion after a year of longing. Chev tells MC to wait for him to summon her back to the palace as he needs time to address Clause 99. Also there was the issue of the political marriage to a noble from Benitoite. Is MC going to be Chev’s wife or mistress then and would she be able to handle this duality?

Turns out that Chev had it all worked out. He announced that he would be taking MC as his Queen. Between a political marriage and one of love that would help him to become the best version of a ruler for the country, he chose the latter. MC is shocked but at the same time full of joy that she can now finally be with Chev officially. She promises to work her hardest to become the woman worthy of the king’s affection to which Chev is sure to hold her to. They took the first dance to the applause of the royal family and the slow acceptance of the other lords.

~ Fin

Review

Not going to lie, Chev’s route has been an absolute delight for me and I’ve definitely fallen in love myself with this cold haughty but incredibly attractive and intelligent being that is the 2nd Prince of Rhodolite. I love it that Chev has so many layers of complexity to his personality – a rational, calculating brain that made him almost inhuman and yet harbouring a desire for romance novels as if it is his only way to retain some form of humanity in himself. MC is this desire personified for him.

I love it that the MC was able to make herself into an ally of Chev which had on many occasions helped Chev politically without her realising it herself. Even MC had her own character development arc where she has to cast away romantic notions of who Chev is outside the safe confines of his personal library and face the cruel realities of the world he lives in as a royalty.

It is beautiful to see their happy ever after though the epilogue did suggest that many potential obstacles will plague their marriage in the years to come. Can MC become a worthy queen, not just as Chev’s companion but also to help him rule the country? Will Chev cave and decide to have a political marriage – after all how useful is love really to him when push comes to shove? He continues to be targeted for assassination as an unpopular and potentially tyrannical king so will MC have the strength to support him after she learns how much he is doing behind the scenes to protect her? And as Chev’s biggest weakness, will he finally realise that to rule a country effectively, he may have to cut off the one thing that is his Archilles heel and go mad in the aftermath? There are so many ways that this romance can go wrong… but for now, let’s forget all that and bask in the afterglow of a wonderfully written romance.

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