“Why does Prince Tesla come to the Rapion Empire?”
I asked, clenching my fist without realizing it.
“As Your Majesty the Empress knows, every year all countries gather together to hold a continental hunting competition, right?”
“Yes, I understand it hasn’t been open in recent years.”
The purpose of the intercontinental hunting competition was to promote friendship between countries, but in reality, it was a competition held to understand each other's movements.
“That’s right. The war broke out because the wyverns began to inhabit the Death Valley between the two continents, and because of that, the hunting competition wasn’t held for three years, but it seems like it might be held this time.”
“I heard it’s time for the wyverns to return, but they’re still having a hunting competition?”
“Yes, it seems that the discussion arose because of the personal letters sent by the Emperor of the Tebello Empire of the Southern Continent to each country.”
“What kind of personal letter is it?”
“In the future, rather than starting a war out of thin air, how about dealing with the Wyvern issue while maintaining peaceful relations with each other?”
“Oh, so you’re saying that you’re going to use the hunting competition as an excuse to have all the Emperors gather together and discuss the matter?”
“Yes.”
Grand Duke Martins nodded.
“He must have an ulterior motive, too, right?”
“Of course. The war won’t stop easily unless one of the two continents gives up the Wyverns.”
"Then is there really a need to hold a hunting competition? If it’s going to cause war anyway?”
When I asked curiously, the Grand Duke laughed heartily.
“Intercontinental hunting competitions are a great opportunity to spy on each other.”
Grand Duke Martins had a point.
“If this hunting competition is held, it will become a silent war?”
“Thank you for your attention, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Is that why Prince Tesla is coming here?”
I asked, frowning.
“Yes, since it is a country located on the same northern continent, it seems that the purpose is to meet Your Majesty in advance before the hunting competition begins.”
“Then he won’t be staying long?”
“Yes, he will. Anyway, once the hunting competition is confirmed, he will have to come back then.”
If the hunting competition were held this time, the starting point of this year's competition would be the Lapion Empire. That means that all the dignitaries from each country attending the hunting competition would gather in the Lapion Empire.
“Then, since the starting point is the Northern Continent... Which country in the Southern Continent is the destination?”
“It is said to be the Patsha Empire, whose Emperor changed not long ago.”
A smile that did not fit the conversation spread across Grand Duke Martin's face.
“Your Highness, why are you laughing? Do you have any connection with the Parsha Empire?”
“Oh, did I laugh?”
He ran his hand over my face and lowered the corners of his mouth, which had been raised to the point of a frown.
“There is a connection. No, I think it is a deeper connection with Princess Resilia than with me.”
Why Princess Resilia?
“What does that mean?”
“You will come to understand it soon. I think it would be good for Your Majesty the Empress to also pay attention to the Parsha Empire from now on.”
I?
"Why?"
“Because it is a much more important country than you think.”
Grand Duke Martins's answer was simple, but I felt uneasy about it. I followed his advice and kept the Parsha Empire of the Southern Continent in mind.
“Oh, is it possible that YmHis Majesty has been meeting with his ministers since morning because of that matter?”
“Probably. They are debating whether or not to hold a continental hunting competition.”
“When will the Prince arrive here?”
I didn't have the confidence to face Prince Tesla with a smile. I even thought that it would be nice if someone at the hunting competition faked an accident and shot Prince Tesla in the heart with an arrow. If that were possible, I would...
“Your Majesty, rash actions are prohibited.”
Grand Duke Martins spoke as if he knew what I was thinking. I felt embarrassed at being caught, but I didn't want to deny it, so I just kept silent.
“He is a cruel person.”
The Grand Duke said.
"Yes?"
“The Prince. He may seem gentle on the outside, but he has a very cruel personality.”
Prince Tesla is cruel? I knew he was a bad guy the day I was sent here as the acting Empress. But I didn't know Prince Tesla was cruel until then. My eyes fell on the jewel box again. The Grand Duke put strength into his voice as he saw me not readily agreeing with his words.
“Your Majesty the Empress would not have known, for you had never experienced Prince Tesla’s cruelty before.”
I turned my gaze to him again.
"Grand Duke."
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“The Prince wouldn’t kill Bonis, would he?”
I asked, clenching my fist so hard that my wrist bones threatened to burst through my skin.
“He won’t kill her. Not yet.”
My heart sank at the final words the Grand Duke added slowly.
“Not yet? Do you think that’s possible in the future?”
“Of course. This will be the beginning of a warning. If Your Majesty the Empress continues to get closer to His Majesty, he will send you a bigger warning.”
“If it’s a bigger warning...”
I didn't want to imagine it. If I thought about it a little more, I felt like I would immediately run to the Kingdom of Shattonil and blow off Prince Tesla's hand.
“This time, they sent a box of jewels the size of the palm of your hand, but they said that a larger box may be delivered later. For example...”
“No! I don’t want to hear it.”
“Um, sorry. Anyway, we need to find Prince Tesla’s puppet within the palace.”
“The Grand Duke speaks as if you were a different species from that puppet?”
“It’s different.”
He said it in a hurt tone.
“What’s different?”
“Inflexible puppets bring about needless sacrifices. This is proof of that.”
He knocked on the lid of the jewelry box.
“Take a good look around you. I will do my own research as well.”
“Right. Then, is Bonis... is Prince Tesla with her now?”
“It is highly likely.”
If Prince Tesla had Bonis, she must still be in the palace. As I thought about Bonis's bright face, the weight of my guilt grew.
“Your Majesty, you must be more careful from now on.”
“...What should I be careful of? Does it mean to keep away from His Majesty?”
“Don’t you know? The Prince has begun to be on guard.”
“If I just... confess my identity? How will Hos Majesty react?”
I brought out the words that had been lingering in my head in front of Grand Duke Martins.
“It’s not a good idea. We need to find the spy the Prince planted first. And if we move rashly, Your Majesty the Empress’s life will be in danger.”
“The Prince... has no reason to kill me, right?”
In response to my question, the Grand Duke smiled sadly as if he were looking at an innocent child.
“Your Majesty the Empress is not related by blood to the Prince. That means you will not be of any real help in strengthening the royal authority. What the Prince wanted from this marriage was not simply to keep an eye on the Lapion Empire and maintain an alliance.”
"Sure..?"
“He has an even greater greed. He wants to make his younger sister, Princess Resilia, the Empress of the Lapion Empire, no matter what.”
“Ha, are you waiting until His Majesty the King gets old so that you can unify the Northern Continent yourself?”
When I asked, suppressing my anger, the Grand Duke responded with a short laugh.
“As long as there is a justification, it will be fine. If he can just have a nephew to put forward, why wait until His Majesty dies?”
“Surely not, before that, His Majesty...?”
“Yes, if he poison or assassinate him, that’s it.”
“!”
I couldn't believe it. Just how far did Prince Tesla's vain ambitions extend? Did he really plan to unite the entire northern continent? What even Linel couldn't achieve, Prince Tesla? That crazy bastard. The Prince was definitely a delusional lunatic.
“Your Majesty, do not become a useless sacrifice.”
Grand Duke Martins spoke to me in a way that was unusual for me, and it was even more disconcerting because it seemed to come from the heart.
“I feel like I’m already a scapegoat?”
“I’m telling you this because you’ve adapted too well here.”
“Is this the treatment I get even though I perform my role perfectly?”
I laughed and replied curtly. While we were talking, I was still suffering from worry about Bonis.
“If you really can’t stop your feelings for His Majesty...”
Grand Duke Martins sat up from the sofa and began to speak. I looked up at him. I was very curious to hear what he would say next.
“Don't get caught.”
“?”
“Then it will be fine.”
The Grand Duke left the drawing room, leaving behind words that were confusingly either advice or counsel. The drawing room was left with only the jewel box containing Bonis' little fingers. I sat on the drawing room sofa for a while, then took the box and headed to the bedroom.
I asked, clenching my fist without realizing it.
“As Your Majesty the Empress knows, every year all countries gather together to hold a continental hunting competition, right?”
“Yes, I understand it hasn’t been open in recent years.”
The purpose of the intercontinental hunting competition was to promote friendship between countries, but in reality, it was a competition held to understand each other's movements.
“That’s right. The war broke out because the wyverns began to inhabit the Death Valley between the two continents, and because of that, the hunting competition wasn’t held for three years, but it seems like it might be held this time.”
“I heard it’s time for the wyverns to return, but they’re still having a hunting competition?”
“Yes, it seems that the discussion arose because of the personal letters sent by the Emperor of the Tebello Empire of the Southern Continent to each country.”
“What kind of personal letter is it?”
“In the future, rather than starting a war out of thin air, how about dealing with the Wyvern issue while maintaining peaceful relations with each other?”
“Oh, so you’re saying that you’re going to use the hunting competition as an excuse to have all the Emperors gather together and discuss the matter?”
“Yes.”
Grand Duke Martins nodded.
“He must have an ulterior motive, too, right?”
“Of course. The war won’t stop easily unless one of the two continents gives up the Wyverns.”
"Then is there really a need to hold a hunting competition? If it’s going to cause war anyway?”
When I asked curiously, the Grand Duke laughed heartily.
“Intercontinental hunting competitions are a great opportunity to spy on each other.”
Grand Duke Martins had a point.
“If this hunting competition is held, it will become a silent war?”
“Thank you for your attention, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Is that why Prince Tesla is coming here?”
I asked, frowning.
“Yes, since it is a country located on the same northern continent, it seems that the purpose is to meet Your Majesty in advance before the hunting competition begins.”
“Then he won’t be staying long?”
“Yes, he will. Anyway, once the hunting competition is confirmed, he will have to come back then.”
If the hunting competition were held this time, the starting point of this year's competition would be the Lapion Empire. That means that all the dignitaries from each country attending the hunting competition would gather in the Lapion Empire.
“Then, since the starting point is the Northern Continent... Which country in the Southern Continent is the destination?”
“It is said to be the Patsha Empire, whose Emperor changed not long ago.”
A smile that did not fit the conversation spread across Grand Duke Martin's face.
“Your Highness, why are you laughing? Do you have any connection with the Parsha Empire?”
“Oh, did I laugh?”
He ran his hand over my face and lowered the corners of his mouth, which had been raised to the point of a frown.
“There is a connection. No, I think it is a deeper connection with Princess Resilia than with me.”
Why Princess Resilia?
“What does that mean?”
“You will come to understand it soon. I think it would be good for Your Majesty the Empress to also pay attention to the Parsha Empire from now on.”
I?
"Why?"
“Because it is a much more important country than you think.”
Grand Duke Martins's answer was simple, but I felt uneasy about it. I followed his advice and kept the Parsha Empire of the Southern Continent in mind.
“Oh, is it possible that YmHis Majesty has been meeting with his ministers since morning because of that matter?”
“Probably. They are debating whether or not to hold a continental hunting competition.”
“When will the Prince arrive here?”
I didn't have the confidence to face Prince Tesla with a smile. I even thought that it would be nice if someone at the hunting competition faked an accident and shot Prince Tesla in the heart with an arrow. If that were possible, I would...
“Your Majesty, rash actions are prohibited.”
Grand Duke Martins spoke as if he knew what I was thinking. I felt embarrassed at being caught, but I didn't want to deny it, so I just kept silent.
“He is a cruel person.”
The Grand Duke said.
"Yes?"
“The Prince. He may seem gentle on the outside, but he has a very cruel personality.”
Prince Tesla is cruel? I knew he was a bad guy the day I was sent here as the acting Empress. But I didn't know Prince Tesla was cruel until then. My eyes fell on the jewel box again. The Grand Duke put strength into his voice as he saw me not readily agreeing with his words.
“Your Majesty the Empress would not have known, for you had never experienced Prince Tesla’s cruelty before.”
I turned my gaze to him again.
"Grand Duke."
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“The Prince wouldn’t kill Bonis, would he?”
I asked, clenching my fist so hard that my wrist bones threatened to burst through my skin.
“He won’t kill her. Not yet.”
My heart sank at the final words the Grand Duke added slowly.
“Not yet? Do you think that’s possible in the future?”
“Of course. This will be the beginning of a warning. If Your Majesty the Empress continues to get closer to His Majesty, he will send you a bigger warning.”
“If it’s a bigger warning...”
I didn't want to imagine it. If I thought about it a little more, I felt like I would immediately run to the Kingdom of Shattonil and blow off Prince Tesla's hand.
“This time, they sent a box of jewels the size of the palm of your hand, but they said that a larger box may be delivered later. For example...”
“No! I don’t want to hear it.”
“Um, sorry. Anyway, we need to find Prince Tesla’s puppet within the palace.”
“The Grand Duke speaks as if you were a different species from that puppet?”
“It’s different.”
He said it in a hurt tone.
“What’s different?”
“Inflexible puppets bring about needless sacrifices. This is proof of that.”
He knocked on the lid of the jewelry box.
“Take a good look around you. I will do my own research as well.”
“Right. Then, is Bonis... is Prince Tesla with her now?”
“It is highly likely.”
If Prince Tesla had Bonis, she must still be in the palace. As I thought about Bonis's bright face, the weight of my guilt grew.
“Your Majesty, you must be more careful from now on.”
“...What should I be careful of? Does it mean to keep away from His Majesty?”
“Don’t you know? The Prince has begun to be on guard.”
“If I just... confess my identity? How will Hos Majesty react?”
I brought out the words that had been lingering in my head in front of Grand Duke Martins.
“It’s not a good idea. We need to find the spy the Prince planted first. And if we move rashly, Your Majesty the Empress’s life will be in danger.”
“The Prince... has no reason to kill me, right?”
In response to my question, the Grand Duke smiled sadly as if he were looking at an innocent child.
“Your Majesty the Empress is not related by blood to the Prince. That means you will not be of any real help in strengthening the royal authority. What the Prince wanted from this marriage was not simply to keep an eye on the Lapion Empire and maintain an alliance.”
"Sure..?"
“He has an even greater greed. He wants to make his younger sister, Princess Resilia, the Empress of the Lapion Empire, no matter what.”
“Ha, are you waiting until His Majesty the King gets old so that you can unify the Northern Continent yourself?”
When I asked, suppressing my anger, the Grand Duke responded with a short laugh.
“As long as there is a justification, it will be fine. If he can just have a nephew to put forward, why wait until His Majesty dies?”
“Surely not, before that, His Majesty...?”
“Yes, if he poison or assassinate him, that’s it.”
“!”
I couldn't believe it. Just how far did Prince Tesla's vain ambitions extend? Did he really plan to unite the entire northern continent? What even Linel couldn't achieve, Prince Tesla? That crazy bastard. The Prince was definitely a delusional lunatic.
“Your Majesty, do not become a useless sacrifice.”
Grand Duke Martins spoke to me in a way that was unusual for me, and it was even more disconcerting because it seemed to come from the heart.
“I feel like I’m already a scapegoat?”
“I’m telling you this because you’ve adapted too well here.”
“Is this the treatment I get even though I perform my role perfectly?”
I laughed and replied curtly. While we were talking, I was still suffering from worry about Bonis.
“If you really can’t stop your feelings for His Majesty...”
Grand Duke Martins sat up from the sofa and began to speak. I looked up at him. I was very curious to hear what he would say next.
“Don't get caught.”
“?”
“Then it will be fine.”
The Grand Duke left the drawing room, leaving behind words that were confusingly either advice or counsel. The drawing room was left with only the jewel box containing Bonis' little fingers. I sat on the drawing room sofa for a while, then took the box and headed to the bedroom.
***
Prince Tesla's study.
“Huh? This is Emperor Linel’s face?”
Princess Resilia, who was looking at the three paintings lined up on the table, asked Prince Tesla in an excited voice.
“Yeah. If only you hadn’t done something so stupid, he would already be your husband.”
The paintings were drawn by the court painter of Shattonil on the wedding day of Linel and Zelda.
“Is this really his face? Isn’t this just a beautification by the artist?”
“Not at all. Rather, it failed to properly portray the Emperor’s appearance.”
Prince Tesla, who had met Emperor Linel several times, saw that the picture was far less accurate than the real him.
“That’s ridiculous. I thought he was ugly!”
Princess Resilia held up Linel's portrait and admired it.
“What? Why on earth did you think that?”
“My brother said so. Emperor Lapion avoids women.”
“What does that have to do with looks?”
“I thought there was something wrong with him that women didn’t like, so he was avoiding women.”
“You thought that defect was a face? How stupid.”
Prince Tesla looked at his sister with a bewildered expression.
“If I had known he was this handsome...”
The Prince suddenly spoke to her as she muttered softly.
“Isn’t he much better than that mercenary guy?”
“Why? Norton is handsome too. And he’s a man among men!”
“Resilia, are you still not awake?”
He shouted and pointed at his sister.
“How can we take responsibility if Emperor Linel is handsome but not very good-looking at night?”
Princess Resilia also glared at her brother and asked.
“What should I do? I have to make him do something, even if it means giving him medicine.”
“No. I’m sure if he sees you he won’t need any of that medicine.”
For a moment, she was worried and burst into laughter as she spoke confidently. Then, she looked down at the image of Zelda drawn next to Linel and frowned.
“This girl... why does she look so shabby even when she’s wearing a pretty wedding dress? Isn’t that right, brother?”
“Well? Maybe it’s because the burn scars disappeared after drinking the magic potion? I think she's become a lot prettier.”
“Are your eyes cloudy?”
“Ahem, is it because of the crown? Looking at it like this, I think she really does look like an Empress..m.”
Prince Tesla coughed, trailing off slightly.
“Brother, are you in your right mind? Zelda is still Zelda, with or without burn scars! What kind of Empress is she?”
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s noisy.”
At her nervous reaction, Prince Tesla left the office first with a tired expression. As soon as his brother left, she tore the picture of Linel and Zelda standing side by side in half as if she had been waiting and threw the part with Zelda on it on the floor. Then she started to trample and dirty the burn scar on the right side of Zelda's face with her shoe.
“This is it, this is it.”
After a while, a satisfied smile appeared on the Princess's face.
“Now the original Zelda von Trova’s face is showing.”
She picked up Zelda's portrait from the floor again.
“You know, Zelda. I really want to see the expression on Emperor Linel’s face when he frowns at your original face. Do you think you’d look pretty then?”
With Princess Resilia's charming laughter, Zelda's portrait was torn in her hands and scattered into the air.
“Hohoho, I’m really curious. Isn’t that right?”
“Huh? This is Emperor Linel’s face?”
Princess Resilia, who was looking at the three paintings lined up on the table, asked Prince Tesla in an excited voice.
“Yeah. If only you hadn’t done something so stupid, he would already be your husband.”
The paintings were drawn by the court painter of Shattonil on the wedding day of Linel and Zelda.
“Is this really his face? Isn’t this just a beautification by the artist?”
“Not at all. Rather, it failed to properly portray the Emperor’s appearance.”
Prince Tesla, who had met Emperor Linel several times, saw that the picture was far less accurate than the real him.
“That’s ridiculous. I thought he was ugly!”
Princess Resilia held up Linel's portrait and admired it.
“What? Why on earth did you think that?”
“My brother said so. Emperor Lapion avoids women.”
“What does that have to do with looks?”
“I thought there was something wrong with him that women didn’t like, so he was avoiding women.”
“You thought that defect was a face? How stupid.”
Prince Tesla looked at his sister with a bewildered expression.
“If I had known he was this handsome...”
The Prince suddenly spoke to her as she muttered softly.
“Isn’t he much better than that mercenary guy?”
“Why? Norton is handsome too. And he’s a man among men!”
“Resilia, are you still not awake?”
He shouted and pointed at his sister.
“How can we take responsibility if Emperor Linel is handsome but not very good-looking at night?”
Princess Resilia also glared at her brother and asked.
“What should I do? I have to make him do something, even if it means giving him medicine.”
“No. I’m sure if he sees you he won’t need any of that medicine.”
For a moment, she was worried and burst into laughter as she spoke confidently. Then, she looked down at the image of Zelda drawn next to Linel and frowned.
“This girl... why does she look so shabby even when she’s wearing a pretty wedding dress? Isn’t that right, brother?”
“Well? Maybe it’s because the burn scars disappeared after drinking the magic potion? I think she's become a lot prettier.”
“Are your eyes cloudy?”
“Ahem, is it because of the crown? Looking at it like this, I think she really does look like an Empress..m.”
Prince Tesla coughed, trailing off slightly.
“Brother, are you in your right mind? Zelda is still Zelda, with or without burn scars! What kind of Empress is she?”
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s noisy.”
At her nervous reaction, Prince Tesla left the office first with a tired expression. As soon as his brother left, she tore the picture of Linel and Zelda standing side by side in half as if she had been waiting and threw the part with Zelda on it on the floor. Then she started to trample and dirty the burn scar on the right side of Zelda's face with her shoe.
“This is it, this is it.”
After a while, a satisfied smile appeared on the Princess's face.
“Now the original Zelda von Trova’s face is showing.”
She picked up Zelda's portrait from the floor again.
“You know, Zelda. I really want to see the expression on Emperor Linel’s face when he frowns at your original face. Do you think you’d look pretty then?”
With Princess Resilia's charming laughter, Zelda's portrait was torn in her hands and scattered into the air.
“Hohoho, I’m really curious. Isn’t that right?”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment