Chapter 144: These Two Are Quite Convenient, Aren’t They?
“Ahem. Shall we get to the main topic soon?”
Prince Lucas gave an exaggerated cough and asked us. When we straightened our posture, Prince Lucas gave a small nod and began to speak.
“I thought you might be wondering why I decided to accompany you on your Off-Campus Training Exercise. Let me say this first, it’s not for any significant reason.”
With that preface, Prince Lucas brought the teacup to his lips once.
“Hugh, do you know that our mother was born in the Spen Region?”
“…Yes, well.”
At my reply, Rouge beside me widened her large, azure eyes. I could have said I didn’t know, and it wasn’t like Lily had explicitly told me so. But since I had already guessed, denying it would be a lie. I didn’t feel like deceiving him.
“Mm, I see. It’s not like it’s completely secret, so it wouldn’t be strange if you heard about it somewhere. From the looks of it, I suppose you know a fair bit about the Curse of Drefon too?”
“Yes. The basics.”
“Then this will be quick.”
Prince Lucas smiled as if to say it saved him some trouble, but beside me, Rouge looked down, tightly clenching her hands on her lap. Was she angry that I knew the circumstances but kept quiet…?
“While the epidemic known as the Curse of Drefon was spreading in the Royal Capital, our mother passed away from an illness completely unrelated to the epidemic. That’s clear from the testimonies and records of the Royal Castle physicians at the time. But human emotions are troublesome things, you see. Mother was not permitted to be interred in the royal family’s burial grounds.”
Prince Lucas and Lucretia’s mother’s body was apparently carried out of the Royal Capital and transported to the Spen Region. It’s said she now rests in a grave built on land that once belonged to House Drephone.
“Then, your reason for joining the Off-Campus Training Exercise is…”
“To put it plainly, it’s a Grave Visit for Mother, I suppose. You might think it’s strange timing, given the Succession War, but conversely, once I become king, I won’t be able to leave the Royal Capital so easily. I wanted to pay my respects to Mother while I still could.”
I see…
Just as Idiot had worried about in the carriage on the way, this action might worsen Prince Lucas’s position and be exploited by Prince Brute. Even knowing that, Prince Lucas must have really wanted to visit his mother’s grave before becoming king…
I can’t fathom what he’ll think before the grave. But I can understand the feeling of wanting to visit and remember the deceased.
…But, is that really all?
“Of course, I don’t intend to be away from the Royal Capital for that long. Once I’ve finished the Grave Visit for Mother, I plan to head back before you all.”
Does that mean he’s taking a transport ship back? It sounds like an even worse hellscape than before might unfold.
Prince Lucas’s planned absence from the Royal Capital is apparently about half a month. He said that Roan-san and Marquis Puridi, who remained in the Royal Capital, should be able to keep Prince Brute’s movements in check for that long.
“You can tell Lily-jou and Idiot-kun about this. I’m sure they’re curious too.”
“Understood.”
“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“…………No.”
I hesitated slightly and shook my head. But there was actually one thing bothering me.
If visiting his mother’s grave was the purpose, why didn’t he tell Lucretia?
The girl sitting beside me is looking down with a solemn expression. Prince Lucas must be able to see her too. If he had told her beforehand that the Grave Visit was the reason and that our training exercise destination was also set to the Drefon Great Labyrinth because of it, Lucretia wouldn’t have had to worry so much.
…Was there a reason he couldn’t tell her, or does he perhaps have another purpose besides the Grave Visit?
Either way, what I have to do doesn’t change. Stay by Lucretia’s side and protect her.
That’s all.
“That’s all I wanted to talk about. Sorry for calling you over.”
“No, not at all. Well then, we’ll be going. Shall we go, Rouge?”
“Y-Yes…”
Rouge nodded somewhat hesitantly and followed me, getting up from the sofa.
After that, we were made to help with ship duties as part of lunch and the training exercise, and time flew by in an instant. Eventually, evening came, and the ship docked at a transit port.
For dinner, a lavish buffet-style party arranged by Prince Lucas was held on the forward deck. By that time, Lily, Rosalie, and the other classmates who had been down with seasickness had recovered somewhat and were each enjoying the meal.
Amidst that bustle, on the aft deck opposite the forward deck where the party was being held, Rouge stood alone near the railing, reaching both hands towards the full Moon floating in the night sky.
Do the souls of the dead go to the Moon…?
I came looking for Rouge, who had disappeared at some point, but how should I approach her?
Ever since we talked with Prince Lucas, Rouge has been keeping a bit of distance from me. During lunch, and when we were helping with ship duties, Rouge acted apart from me.
Maybe she’s angry that I knew about the Curse of Drefon but kept quiet about it after all. If so, I want to apologize…
Anyway, hesitating won’t help. I deliberately made noise with my footsteps as I stood beside Rouge. Rouge pulled back the hands she had stretched towards the Moon and looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise.
Then, immediately after, she gave a self-deprecating smile.
“If you get that close, you might get cursed, you know?”
Rouge probably meant it as a joke. But her voice trembled, and her smile was painfully strained. Maybe those were words someone had actually said to her before. When I thought that, I couldn’t suppress my impulse.
I grabbed Rouge’s shoulders and hugged her tightly just like that.
“Kya!? H-Hugh…?”
Rouge looked up at me, bewildered.
“Aren’t you scared… of the Curse?”
“We sleep snuggled up together every night, what’s the point of being scared now?”
“Ah, right.”
Rouge murmured with a blank expression, relaxing her tense body. It seemed like the scales had fallen from her eyes. Perhaps she had been worrying so much her perspective had narrowed.
“I’m much more scared of you avoiding me than any curse. Sorry, about the curse thing. For knowing but keeping quiet all this time.”
“No. I’m the one who should be sorry. I was always scared that if you found out about House Drephone, about the Curse, you’d hate me.”
“Like I’d ever hate you.”
“Mm…!”
Rouge’s hands wrapped around my back. We held each other tightly, tightly, as if fixing our bodies together. I felt Rouge’s body heat and the sound of her heart. The cool night breeze felt pleasant against my flushed cheeks.
We stayed pressed close for about a minute, then both pulled away at the same time, smiling shyly in embarrassment.
“Hey, Hugh. Will you come with me… to Mother’s Grave Visit?”
“Of course.”
Incense sticks… that culture doesn’t exist in this world, so let’s offer flowers. Just like Prince Lucas said he wanted to pay his respects before becoming king, I also want to pay my respects to her mother.
“Thanks, Hugh! Um, you know. Not just to Mother who’s on the Moon, but I want to introduce Hugh to Mother sleeping in the grave too. Tell her that Hugh is someone important to me!”
“Ah, yeah.”
“So, I… about Hugh–“
“Stop!”
“Fugyu!?”
I hurriedly covered Rouge’s mouth as she looked determined and started to say something. Whoa, that was close. Good thing I switched to the «Ninja» Skill to look for Rouge. Thanks to that, I was able to notice the people spying on us from the shadows.
(“We can’t hear what they’re talking about from here…!”)
(“D-Don’t push, Rosalie-jou! If we go any further, Hugh will spot us–“)
“–Kyaa!?”
“Guhaah!?”
Rosalie and Idiot, who had been hiding in the shadows, lost their balance and tumbled onto the deck. What are these guys doing…? They probably came looking for us. Lily and the others might be worried too.
“Shall we head back soon, Rouge?”
“Yeah… (…Muu, I was so close.)”
Rouge nodded, puffed out her cheeks, and muttered in a small voice. Thanks to the «Ninja» Skill, I heard it perfectly.
…It’s not like I can’t guess what she was ‘so close’ to. That’s exactly why I let out a sigh of relief.
Because the rest of those words are something I want to tell her first.
Idiot’s character design has been released in the activity report!