By making them believe Byron's plan was working, they would crawl into the trap themselves. It was a brilliant plan, hard to believe it was devised by a fourteen-year-old.
The problem was that this would require the fourteen-year-old girl to act as a spy.
“...”
Roderick remained silent, unable to open his mouth to listen to the Emperor's words.
No parent would want to drive their daughter to the brink of death, especially after she had been missing for more than a decade.
"I understand. It won't be an easy decision for you or Ophelia. But if you want to bring Byron out, that's the only way..."
The one who tried to kill his father, the one who tried to pull him down from his position. And... his only brother.
Hiram forced a smile, suppressing his boiling anger, sadness, and hatred.
"I have no intention of forcing you. Even if I were the Emperor, I couldn't do that. But... wouldn't Aila want that too?"
And his last words shook Roderick.
His daughter wants to get her revenge on her own.
“...Yes, that’s right. That girl, Aila, wants that.”
He repeated the words of his friend and lord. His complicated thoughts seemed to be clearing up a little.
"I'll try to persuade Ophelia. But if she refuses, I won't do it, Your Majesty."
“Well, well. Of course, it should be like that.”
At Roderick's words, Hiram nodded vigorously. It was her daughter's business, so shouldn't she have her mother's consent?
Another thing Roderick and Hiram had in common was that they were both incredibly devoted husbands. It was absurd to proceed with anything without the consent of a wife whom he loved dearly.
The heavy atmosphere lightened a little as Hiram's face returned to its usual playfulness.
And then. Knock knock, a knock on the door, breaking the eavesdropping protection spell cast by the royal wizard.
It was because he didn't want to give away that he was having a secret conversation with Roderick, so he deliberately avoided going around.
“Come in.”
“Father, gasp...”
As soon as permission was granted, the door opened, and it was none other than Crown Prince Winfred who came in, calling out to his father briskly, but then froze when he saw Roderick.
“Du, du, Duke Weishaffen, I didn’t know the Duke would be here... I won’t disturb you, so have a nice time, Father.”
Winfred turned around stiffly, like a wooden puppet in a puppet show, and creaked back the way he had come.
Then he started banging his head, blaming his own foolishness, and because the door wasn't closed yet, his actions were clearly visible to everyone inside the room.
“...Why is His Highness the Crown Prince acting like that?”
Roderick opened his mouth, dumbfounded by the mysterious sight.
“Why? It’s because of you. Tsk tsk.”
“Huh? Because of me? What do you mean...?”
As Hiram clicked his tongue in response, Roderick tilted his head, looking even more puzzled. Then Hiram lowered his voice and whispered.
"Why don't you know that? He likes Ayla, and he wants to look good for you, but he doesn't know how to do it, so he's broken."
And Hiram's words gave Roderick a lot to think about.
Aside from being a Crown Prince, Winfred was a very kind and innocent boy. He was also a dearly loved child, as the son of a close friend.
But, he felt sorry for the child that he had been so cold the last time he visited the palace, and for the child who had been so bright and cheerful to have become so frozen...
When he thought of Aila, who had blushed and been lost in thought after hearing the word "Crown Prince" at dinner last night, his regret quickly subsided, and the blood in his neck and forehead began to boil.
“So, how is your daughter?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is my son acting like this on his own, or does she have feelings for someone else too... Why, you know.”
Hiram continued to whisper. Of course, the more Roderick heard, the more uncomfortable he became.
“I don’t know.”
Roderick looked into the void, averting his gaze from the Emperor. The voice was sharp and clear.
"That kid isn't completely uninterested in my son, is she? That's why he's acting so badly. I understand your desire to have the daughter you worked so hard to find, right by your side. But you're more pathetic than I thought. Pathetic."
“...”
Unable to offer any excuse for the Emperor's spiteful words, Roderick simply chose to keep his mouth shut. There was absolutely nothing wrong with what he said.
"This is disappointing. What's wrong with our Winfred? He's not even fully grown yet, yet he's already grown tall, handsome, and has a great personality."
Hiram nudged Roderick with his elbow and spoke disapprovingly. His tone was playful, but his actions, with considerable force, betrayed his sincerity.
“Isn’t now the time to be talking about such things, Your Majesty?”
Roderick sighed. Right now, Aila's life was in Byron's hands, and the fate of her life was uncertain. Talking about the distant future felt a bit far-fetched.
“...Yeah, I was a bit reckless. I’ll reflect on that.”
At Hiram's very quick reflection, he burst out laughing in frustration.
This is precisely why he was able to remain a lifelong friend with Hiram, whose pranks bordered on the outrageous. He was quick to admit and reflect on his mistakes.
"Anyway, I hope you'll think it over carefully, even if it's later. I'd welcome you as my in-laws. And if we could have someone as wise as that child as our Crown Princess, there would be no greater blessing for the Peles Empire."
“...”
At the Emperor's words, Roderick's expression became deeply complicated, lost in thought. It seemed that he would need to summon Alexia Dexen as soon as she got home and have a long-awaited duel with her to calm his turbulent mind.
It was a lazy afternoon.
Isidore, who was looking through reference books in his room, heard the phone he borrowed from his sister ringing, so he quickly closed the door, locked it, and exchanged greetings with Candice on the other side of the screen.
“What is it, Director?”
“...Now the doctor is accepting it as if it were a given.”
When Candice stuck out her lips as if she was not happy, Isidore responded with a serious expression.
"I can't help it, I have some news to look forward to. How are you?"
“Oh, that’s what I’m talking about.”
Candice shrugged, her expression unreadable, and Isidore, growing impatient, rubbed his chin impatiently, waiting for her answer.
“Who am I? Of course, I figured it out.”
Candice lifted her chin and opened her mouth proudly.
She boasted that she had finally found this information after searching through the Academy's archives and restoring documents that had been erased by magic.
Fortunately, there was no need to investigate the professors. Isidore, of course, felt uncomfortable with the idea of threatening (or even threatening) his mentors into revealing their stories from that time.
"Her name is Suki Insidio. As you recall, she was an international student from the Peles Empire. She possessed exceptional natural talent and a keen interest in learning... so she passed the admissions process with ease. Her grades were quite good during her time there. Well, her relationships with her classmates weren't all that great, though."
Candice pushed up her glasses and began reading the papers in front of her.
“It’s true that she quit midway. Oh, to be exact, she was expelled.”
“Expell... What on earth did she do?”
Isidore asked seriously. The academy had a fairly liberal academic culture. The rules weren't particularly strict, and the atmosphere actively encouraged students' free magical research.
But he couldn't figure out what on earth she had done to deserve expulsion. And they even kept the reason for it secret from the students so they wouldn't spread it.
“... She broke a taboo. She must have conducted unauthorized biological experiments. And on humans at that.”
"Oh my god."
At her words, Isidore sighed without realizing it. It was such a terrible thing.
"After being expelled, she returned to the Empire. This is all I can gather here, but... I have a feeling, a feeling. I think that person is the one who did such a terrible thing to our precious Aila."
Candice nodded with a very solemn expression.
If it were any other time, she would have dismissed such words as nothing more than a feeling or a hunch, but this time, she had the same thought.
“I think so too.”
Suki Insidio.
Isidore said goodbye to Candice, taking to heart the name she had given him.
“Then, please go in, Director.”
"Oh, do you need someone good at finding people? I have one under me. Would you like to borrow it?"
Candice asked, winking with one eye. It would have horrified Bernie if he heard it.
“No. It seems like there are experts here, too.”
He nodded with a serious expression and answered. That expert, he said, was none other than Roderick.
He had been searching for Aila with the Knights of Weishaffen for over ten years, so he knew every nook and cranny of the Empire, and he had boasted that he would take care of everything if she just told him her name.
"Then I'll trust and wait. I hope to hear really good news next time."
Candice smiled playfully and waved, and then the call ended.
Isidore sighed in relief as he stuffed the communication device into his pocket. He finally dared to face his sister and brother-in-law.
The problem was that this would require the fourteen-year-old girl to act as a spy.
“...”
Roderick remained silent, unable to open his mouth to listen to the Emperor's words.
No parent would want to drive their daughter to the brink of death, especially after she had been missing for more than a decade.
"I understand. It won't be an easy decision for you or Ophelia. But if you want to bring Byron out, that's the only way..."
The one who tried to kill his father, the one who tried to pull him down from his position. And... his only brother.
Hiram forced a smile, suppressing his boiling anger, sadness, and hatred.
"I have no intention of forcing you. Even if I were the Emperor, I couldn't do that. But... wouldn't Aila want that too?"
And his last words shook Roderick.
His daughter wants to get her revenge on her own.
“...Yes, that’s right. That girl, Aila, wants that.”
He repeated the words of his friend and lord. His complicated thoughts seemed to be clearing up a little.
"I'll try to persuade Ophelia. But if she refuses, I won't do it, Your Majesty."
“Well, well. Of course, it should be like that.”
At Roderick's words, Hiram nodded vigorously. It was her daughter's business, so shouldn't she have her mother's consent?
Another thing Roderick and Hiram had in common was that they were both incredibly devoted husbands. It was absurd to proceed with anything without the consent of a wife whom he loved dearly.
The heavy atmosphere lightened a little as Hiram's face returned to its usual playfulness.
And then. Knock knock, a knock on the door, breaking the eavesdropping protection spell cast by the royal wizard.
It was because he didn't want to give away that he was having a secret conversation with Roderick, so he deliberately avoided going around.
“Come in.”
“Father, gasp...”
As soon as permission was granted, the door opened, and it was none other than Crown Prince Winfred who came in, calling out to his father briskly, but then froze when he saw Roderick.
“Du, du, Duke Weishaffen, I didn’t know the Duke would be here... I won’t disturb you, so have a nice time, Father.”
Winfred turned around stiffly, like a wooden puppet in a puppet show, and creaked back the way he had come.
Then he started banging his head, blaming his own foolishness, and because the door wasn't closed yet, his actions were clearly visible to everyone inside the room.
“...Why is His Highness the Crown Prince acting like that?”
Roderick opened his mouth, dumbfounded by the mysterious sight.
“Why? It’s because of you. Tsk tsk.”
“Huh? Because of me? What do you mean...?”
As Hiram clicked his tongue in response, Roderick tilted his head, looking even more puzzled. Then Hiram lowered his voice and whispered.
"Why don't you know that? He likes Ayla, and he wants to look good for you, but he doesn't know how to do it, so he's broken."
And Hiram's words gave Roderick a lot to think about.
Aside from being a Crown Prince, Winfred was a very kind and innocent boy. He was also a dearly loved child, as the son of a close friend.
But, he felt sorry for the child that he had been so cold the last time he visited the palace, and for the child who had been so bright and cheerful to have become so frozen...
When he thought of Aila, who had blushed and been lost in thought after hearing the word "Crown Prince" at dinner last night, his regret quickly subsided, and the blood in his neck and forehead began to boil.
“So, how is your daughter?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is my son acting like this on his own, or does she have feelings for someone else too... Why, you know.”
Hiram continued to whisper. Of course, the more Roderick heard, the more uncomfortable he became.
“I don’t know.”
Roderick looked into the void, averting his gaze from the Emperor. The voice was sharp and clear.
"That kid isn't completely uninterested in my son, is she? That's why he's acting so badly. I understand your desire to have the daughter you worked so hard to find, right by your side. But you're more pathetic than I thought. Pathetic."
“...”
Unable to offer any excuse for the Emperor's spiteful words, Roderick simply chose to keep his mouth shut. There was absolutely nothing wrong with what he said.
"This is disappointing. What's wrong with our Winfred? He's not even fully grown yet, yet he's already grown tall, handsome, and has a great personality."
Hiram nudged Roderick with his elbow and spoke disapprovingly. His tone was playful, but his actions, with considerable force, betrayed his sincerity.
“Isn’t now the time to be talking about such things, Your Majesty?”
Roderick sighed. Right now, Aila's life was in Byron's hands, and the fate of her life was uncertain. Talking about the distant future felt a bit far-fetched.
“...Yeah, I was a bit reckless. I’ll reflect on that.”
At Hiram's very quick reflection, he burst out laughing in frustration.
This is precisely why he was able to remain a lifelong friend with Hiram, whose pranks bordered on the outrageous. He was quick to admit and reflect on his mistakes.
"Anyway, I hope you'll think it over carefully, even if it's later. I'd welcome you as my in-laws. And if we could have someone as wise as that child as our Crown Princess, there would be no greater blessing for the Peles Empire."
“...”
At the Emperor's words, Roderick's expression became deeply complicated, lost in thought. It seemed that he would need to summon Alexia Dexen as soon as she got home and have a long-awaited duel with her to calm his turbulent mind.
***
It was a lazy afternoon.
Isidore, who was looking through reference books in his room, heard the phone he borrowed from his sister ringing, so he quickly closed the door, locked it, and exchanged greetings with Candice on the other side of the screen.
“What is it, Director?”
“...Now the doctor is accepting it as if it were a given.”
When Candice stuck out her lips as if she was not happy, Isidore responded with a serious expression.
"I can't help it, I have some news to look forward to. How are you?"
“Oh, that’s what I’m talking about.”
Candice shrugged, her expression unreadable, and Isidore, growing impatient, rubbed his chin impatiently, waiting for her answer.
“Who am I? Of course, I figured it out.”
Candice lifted her chin and opened her mouth proudly.
She boasted that she had finally found this information after searching through the Academy's archives and restoring documents that had been erased by magic.
Fortunately, there was no need to investigate the professors. Isidore, of course, felt uncomfortable with the idea of threatening (or even threatening) his mentors into revealing their stories from that time.
"Her name is Suki Insidio. As you recall, she was an international student from the Peles Empire. She possessed exceptional natural talent and a keen interest in learning... so she passed the admissions process with ease. Her grades were quite good during her time there. Well, her relationships with her classmates weren't all that great, though."
Candice pushed up her glasses and began reading the papers in front of her.
“It’s true that she quit midway. Oh, to be exact, she was expelled.”
“Expell... What on earth did she do?”
Isidore asked seriously. The academy had a fairly liberal academic culture. The rules weren't particularly strict, and the atmosphere actively encouraged students' free magical research.
But he couldn't figure out what on earth she had done to deserve expulsion. And they even kept the reason for it secret from the students so they wouldn't spread it.
“... She broke a taboo. She must have conducted unauthorized biological experiments. And on humans at that.”
"Oh my god."
At her words, Isidore sighed without realizing it. It was such a terrible thing.
"After being expelled, she returned to the Empire. This is all I can gather here, but... I have a feeling, a feeling. I think that person is the one who did such a terrible thing to our precious Aila."
Candice nodded with a very solemn expression.
If it were any other time, she would have dismissed such words as nothing more than a feeling or a hunch, but this time, she had the same thought.
“I think so too.”
Suki Insidio.
Isidore said goodbye to Candice, taking to heart the name she had given him.
“Then, please go in, Director.”
"Oh, do you need someone good at finding people? I have one under me. Would you like to borrow it?"
Candice asked, winking with one eye. It would have horrified Bernie if he heard it.
“No. It seems like there are experts here, too.”
He nodded with a serious expression and answered. That expert, he said, was none other than Roderick.
He had been searching for Aila with the Knights of Weishaffen for over ten years, so he knew every nook and cranny of the Empire, and he had boasted that he would take care of everything if she just told him her name.
"Then I'll trust and wait. I hope to hear really good news next time."
Candice smiled playfully and waved, and then the call ended.
Isidore sighed in relief as he stuffed the communication device into his pocket. He finally dared to face his sister and brother-in-law.
Comments
Post a Comment