We’ve all read stories about royalty who has become frustrated with the noble life and ends up disguising themselves as (or switching with) a commoner. Licht, the youngest prince, has taken on a fake persona in order to work at a café.
Still, unlike in most of these stories, he hasn’t temporarily or permanently left his title behind, being watched by guards and Heine. As his beloved boss finds his livelihood in jeopardy because of his heritage, Licht ends up blurting out that Granzreich is “daft”, making Heine angry. It doesn’t last for long, though, as he points out that because Licht is a prince, he has a role that few others can have.
Ultimately, Licht returns to the palace. I don’t know if he would have been allowed to renounce his claim to the throne since no one suggests it. Even Licht, despite internally cursing at his title, never actually thinks he can fully walk away. Licht finds the determination to at least persuade his brothers to tackle discrimination in Granzreich, but I think this arc would have been stronger if Licht a) had to choose whether to completely leave the palace or take up royal duties and b) seen a little more of the world. It seemed like he returned to being a prince for Felix, his boss. That’s admirable, but I wish he could have learned more about similar discrimination stories to cement his decision. Felix’s friend mentions that at his previous job, he was often suddenly sent to the back right as VIP guests come in, a sort of subtle “I’m not racist but…” that still exists in the our world today.
While most of The Royal Tutor‘s fictional locations have had clear comparisons, the fictional Iel and its people, the Kvel, don’t have an obvious correlation. There are some ethnic groups that spring to mind, but Heine drops a tidbit that may indicate there’s a bigger story here than that of just a kingdom that fell nearly two millennia ago.
With Licht’s return, the four princes all continue studying under Heine’s tutelage. But the return to these lesson-filled days doesn’t last long as Eins also reenters the picture. Despite being featured on the cover and the post-Licht stuff being about a third of the volume, the manga has discussions about Eins rather than showing Eins himself — at least not in the present. Even as more about his personality and past are revealed, much mystery still surrounds the eldest prince. Perhaps the events here link to the reason the king is hesitant about Eins taking over, or maybe it’s why Rosenberg is likely behind the attempts to push Heine’s pupils out of the palace. I didn’t doubt that Eins is a good guy beneath his tough exterior, but it still felt like a sudden shift from “I’m not sure about this guy” to “let’s go visit him!!”
The Royal Tutor volume 13 wraps up Licht’s arc and prepares for a renewed challenge to become king. It’s a little flat where you think it should blow you away in terms of story direction, but there are enough little surprising details that keeps you going. Plus you get to see Heine in a hot spring — adorable!