Episode 60: Androphobia
The mastermind behind the Crown Princess’s poisoning is still unknown, but the objective facts point to Alberto.
“Considering who benefits the most from the current situation, it seems obvious who orchestrated this, doesn’t it?”
“…However! …No, it’s not certain that Alberto-sama did it…”
Nephthys raised her voice for a moment but quickly composed herself.
She probably doesn’t want to believe that her lord would harm a relative.
From Nephthys’s story, it couldn’t be definitively stated that Alberto was the mastermind.
However, let’s remember that there’s a high possibility that an unidentified individual capable of freely manipulating high-level Curse-Seal Magic is in Alberto’s camp.
“Which one is Carlina planning to have succeed to the throne, Alberto or Luna?”
“…Of course, Luna-sama.”
The Queen seems to be moving in the direction of maintaining the current system after all.
If it were me, I’d think it would be fine to let the First Prince inherit the throne, since they’re both her children.
“Why are you so fixated on this tradition of female succession? Wouldn’t it be better to just give the throne to the First Prince, rather than causing further chaos?”
“…I don’t know what Carlina-sama is thinking. However, many of the central nobles value tradition, and they are opposed to Alberto-sama inheriting the throne. As long as she has their support, Carlina-sama will likely move to maintain the current system.”
So, the fundamental reason for the female line is unknown, huh?
When she says central nobles, she’s referring to those related to the royal family, like the Duke’s house in Naia’s capital, Gordasht.
I don’t know if they’re well-informed or just stubborn.
In any case, I understand that the Queen is firmly committed to the female line.
“Carlina doesn’t seem to have the same outstanding leadership as the previous queen, so she can’t wield power as strongly as before, right?”
“…At this stage, it would be difficult.”
“And that’s where you, the First Prince’s faction, saw an opening?”
“…Yes.”
The great-great-grandmother who destroyed the Ortenos Royal Family and united the Kingdom of Naia into one.
The previous queen, who built Naia’s golden age but ultimately became a defeated general.
The current queen, whose charisma has been significantly lost, and whose governance seems uncertain.
Well, it’s the way of the world.
“I see, I understand the Queen’s situation for the most part.”
Honestly, hearing about Naia’s decline didn’t make me feel good.
A poisoning within the royal family is the ultimate act of betrayal.
The thought of something like that happening in my own family sends a chill down my spine.
The Ortenos region alone has many kinship ties, and as nobles, we can’t be sure that we’ll always be immune to such incidents.
Lanecki is the leader, but I don’t know what the Nevilim and Erschein are really thinking deep down.
…Okay, let’s change the subject. There’s still something I want to ask.
It’s about the girl I’m a little interested in right now…
“What’s the other problem that Luna is facing?”
“…It’s one of the Stella-Class Three Great Sexual Conundrums, ‘Androphobia’.”
“Huh? Stella-Class Three Great Sexual Conundrums? Androphobia…?”
I was taken aback by the unexpected turn of the conversation.
What’s with the Stella-Class Three Great Sexual Conundrums?
It sounds like the Three Great Night Views, but one of them is Androphobia?
“…Are you not familiar with it? Androphobia, Erectile Dysfunction, and Prolonged Celibacy. Among these, Androphobia is a problem that only occurs in women.”
“With that lineup, I guess so.”
“…Yes, Androphobia is a condition that rarely occurs due to psychological trauma caused by male nobles.”
So, it means not being able to trust male nobles?
However, since it’s called a condition, its meaning might be different from the words I used in my previous life.
Hearing about Luna’s Androphobia, I suddenly remembered the scandal that Getrude had told me about before.
“Is this perhaps the story involving Barbat? The one where he attacked Luna when she was still very young?”
“…Yes, that was about five years ago…”
Nephthys began to tell the story of Barbat’s incident, though she spoke vaguely.
The incident occurred five years ago, when Luna was not yet ten years old.
At the time, Barbat hadn’t been long since his fiancée had run away, and he was in a terrible state, causing many problems.
Five years ago was also the year Carlina ascended to the throne.
Barbat’s aunt, Martina, and her daughter, Luana, were assassinated, and his mother took the throne.
Suddenly, the possibility of inheriting the throne arose for Barbat, and he was thrilled.
However, in reality, only the First Prince and First Princess factions were formed, and he was left out.
The reason was that he had twisted his sexual preferences and was causing problems by preying on young noble girls, and his reputation had plummeted, but the arrogant Barbat didn’t care.
Barbat grew angrier day by day.
He could understand his brother putting himself forward, but he didn’t understand why his succession ranking was lower than Luna, who was twelve years younger.
Even from Barbat’s perspective, Luna was a kind, brave, and beautiful girl.
When her beloved grandmother died in the war, while everyone else was venting their resentment towards Ortenos, only Luna silently pressed her chest and cried.
It was as if she was trying to accept the sadness and hatred in her small chest, and he saw an inviolable sacredness in her.
For some reason, Barbat couldn’t forget that figure, and he fell into a dark mood every time he remembered it.
Barbat harbored overflowing, pent-up feelings and was looking for a way to release them.
Eventually, the assassination occurred, and his cousin Luana was assassinated.
Luana and Luna were very close.
Because their names were similar, she was apparently cherished like a younger sister.
The grief of losing a beloved sister must have been considerable.
One day, Barbat saw it.
In front of the tombstones of her deceased grandmother, aunt, and cousin, she placed Freesia Gold flowers that she had picked in the castle’s backyard and shed tears—the figure of young Luna.
Barbat wondered, and asked Luna if she didn’t feel anger.
It was a pure question towards an incomprehensible existence.
Originally, her grandmother died in the war, and the power balance of the royal family collapsed, and assassinations became rampant, all because of Ortenos, who had agreed to the war.
He shouted at her to turn her sadness into anger.
However, Luna shook her head.
Originally, Naia had started it, so it was unreasonable to blame Ortenos.
The war was to blame, and if either side stopped the war, no more sadness would be created.
That’s why—she said that she wanted to become queen and eliminate the war.
Barbat was taken aback by Luna’s jade eyes, which held a strong will.
There, Barbat finally realized Luna’s true nature.
Luna was a noble with ideals, albeit distorted.
Barbat overlapped Luna with his former self, and his heart was deeply disturbed.
A noble and virtuous soul—and it was something that had already been lost.
Wasn’t this girl on the path of nobility that Barbat had given up on?
He couldn’t admit it.
So what should he do?
He should defile her.
He should inflict the same humiliation he had experienced, and take away her nobility, virtue, and sacredness.
That way, she would never be able to spout platitudes in front of him again.
At that moment—Barbat attacked Luna.
What the Naia guards who stopped him witnessed was Barbat, completely naked, straddling Luna and expressing his anger while committing violence, and Luna, her clothes torn to shreds and her body covered in bruises, sobbing.