Chapter 48: A Gaze That Holds Intent
The next day, I was summoned again by Cornelia-san and the others.
They said they wanted to talk, so I rented a room at the inn and we settled down there.
Since it was a cheap inn, there was only a shabby table, so I used Maso to create a luxurious facing table with sofas for them to sit on.
“I am truly sorry. Even though we were the ones who requested this, you even prepared the place for us.”
“Not at all, we’re practically family, so please don’t worry about it. More importantly, what did you want to talk about?”
“Yes… Today’s discussion concerns none other than the war of our country.”
Our country, huh…
Well, it’s natural they can’t switch their mindset in just a day or two.
I’d already explained things, so I decided not to correct them and nodded to continue the conversation. It turned out they wanted me to get them in touch with Uncle Rudolf.
“Hmm? Can’t you just go directly to the General’s place?”
“Don’t be silly. If the gatekeepers are from a generation that doesn’t know us, we’d be turned away at best. Normally, we’d be imprisoned for impersonation.”
“Yunon! Watch your mouth!”
Yunon-san looked dejected after being scolded by Cornelia-san.
But for me, her way of speaking is more like everyday language. “I prefer a more casual feel, so please continue as you are,” I replied honestly, and returned to the topic.
“But I see. So you’re looking for someone who can make introductions for you…”
“Yes. Since we don’t even know what the current world is like, we hesitate to carelessly use the royal crest.”
“Hmm. But, wouldn’t Viscount Oldam work for that?”
“No, while we are indebted to him, that person is neither an enemy nor an ally…”
“Oh, he said he’d hand us over to King Lestall, so he’s an enemy! Big Sister, no matter how you sugarcoat it, this is the truth!”
“He only said it would be problematic if we didn’t have an audience once, if we were to stay in Lestall. We won’t know his true intentions until we actually go.”
Oh, are things getting complicated?
Despite that, even with the coachman’s surveillance, they were able to come out normally…
Well, I guess it’s fine to introduce Uncle Rudolf. No matter how you look at it, Uncle is on their side.
However, Uncle Rudolf said he was going ahead and already left for Razbel.
I have his contact information, so I think I can send him a letter, but…
We’re heading to the Royal Capital at the beginning of next week, right? Will it be in time?
I posed that question to them.
“Yes, we didn’t expect it to be in time from the start. However, even if things have changed a little with the passage of time, if it’s Rudolph, he should act as he said he would.”
They said they want to contact him as insurance, in case they are falsely accused by the Lestall royal family and taken captive.
“Well, if that child hasn’t changed, then it’s reassuring, but… In the first place, what kind of situation is it where you, Royce’s eldest child, can’t even make introductions! You’re supposed to be the next king, you know!? Does this mean there isn’t even a shred of loyalty left!?”
Ooh… she seems really angry.
But, it can’t be helped, right? I wasn’t told anything.
Cornelia-san pressed down on the shoulder of Yunon-san, who had suddenly stood up, and admonished her.
“Stop it!! I’ve already explained the circumstances, haven’t I!?”
“But! Isn’t this too pitiful for Rui!!”
Yunon, with tears welling in her eyes, glared at her sister and pointed at me.
Cornelia-san gently embraced her.
Huh… Wasn’t she angry at me for being pathetic?
“Um, I don’t really get it, but… I’m not dissatisfied with my current situation.”
“Whyyy… You should at least feel dissatisfied…”
Ooh, this cute pouting feels kind of like Yume.
Well, it seems like she was getting angry for my sake, so I thought I’d pat her head. When I placed my hand on her head, she let go of Cornelia-san, who was holding her, and clung to me.
Cornelia-san sent her a look of utter disbelief.
“Well, don’t worry, it’ll be fine. Even if I don’t receive a position from my parents, it seems I’m set to become at least a Baron.”
While smiling wryly, I reported that I could probably achieve a certain level of status on my own.
“Eh, of the Kingdom of Lestall… is it?”
“Yeah. That’s right, isn’t it? Even if Mildrad offered me something, I’d probably refuse.”
“That’s not it! Does this mean you will stand with Lestall!?”
Stand with them or not… Belfast doesn’t even exist anymore, does it?
It’s been over ten years. They probably can’t grasp that reality, though.
“No, there’s no ‘which side’ or anything. Still, if I had to say, I guess I’d stand with Razbel?”
Yeah. I plan to support them in the war too.
“Ah… yes, that would be the case, wouldn’t it. I’m sorry.”
Cornelia-san gently moved Yunon-chan aside and bowed her head.
Seeing her bring her head closer and glance up at me, I figured she probably wanted me to pat her, so I obliged and patted her head, but then I remembered we hadn’t gotten to the main topic yet.
“Ah, huh? Come to think of it, you said you came to talk about the war, right…”
“Yes. Yesterday, after hearing from the Viscount, some matters arose that we must investigate.”
Apparently, they want to gather the Knights of Belfast who scattered into the countryside once more.
When Belfast changed its name to Razbel, it seems over forty percent of the Knights left Razbel, and they say that if they can gather those Knights, independence wouldn’t be just a dream.
It seems they wish for the reconstruction of Belfast.
Well, I guess it’s a natural desire, but will those around them agree?
“Um, I learned that you surrendered it because you couldn’t protect it yourselves. You talk about independence, but is there a just cause for it?”
“Then are you saying it’s fine for Rui to leave the country surrendered to Lestall like this!?”
“No, if the people of Razbel were being oppressed, that would be one thing, but if they can continue to live happily like this, isn’t that fine?”
“――!?”
Eh!?
Why the surprised faces…
Did I make them angry?
“Well, I won’t help, but I won’t stop you either. It’s convenient for Razbel to gather military strength.”
After summing things up, they still said they wanted Uncle Rudolf’s help.
“Well then, shall we go to Aunt Mary’s place? It’s on the outskirts of town, but it’s not that far.”
“Mary… I see, so Rudolph-kun ended up with Mary-sama, did he?”
To Yunon-san’s question, “Aoi, do you know her?” she replied, “She is the young lady of our main family.”
Hearing that, Yunon-san chuckled, “Ah, that child! From Marquis Arbane’s family…”
Apparently, this is convenient for them.
It looks like this is going to be troublesome.
While mentally apologizing to Aunt Mary, we headed to my house by Beast-Drawn Cart.
After an hour’s ride in the Beast-Drawn Cart, the house where I grew up finally came into view.
I haven’t been away for that long, but it feels nostalgic.
As expected, one’s family home is comforting.
“In such a remote place…”
“You must have endured great hardships…”
“Isn’t this worse than a commoner’s life…”
“For Rui-sama to live in poverty like this…”
Everyone looked at me with faces full of despair.
Huh? This place is one of my heart’s oases, you know!?
Is this bullying?
Are you trying to show off your wealth?
“You couldn’t even prepare a decent house!? What is this sorry state of affairs!”
Hey, hey, you shouldn’t make fun of someone’s house like that, I thought, and then I saw my aunt standing behind Cornelia-san with a vein throbbing on her forehead.
“Rui-chaan, who might these rude young ladies beee…”
“Oh my, you don’t remember me either? Lady Mary?”
“Eh… Ao…chan? You can’t be serious?”
“Yes, it’s Ao-neechan! These are Her Highness Princess Cornelia and Her Highness Princess Yunon. Even though you were young, you must have greeted them several times, haven’t you?”
Aoi-san puffed out her chest proudly, but my aunt was so confused she looked like she might faint.
“Rui-chan, what is all this?”
My aunt took a step or two back, looking to me for help.
It couldn’t be helped, so I said, “Please wait a moment,” had the group wait, and went inside the house with my aunt to explain the situation.
Saying I brought dead people back to life wouldn’t be believable, so I explained that their time had been stopped by Monsters and I had freed them.
“This is a huge deal! I have to tell Rud…!”
“Yeah. But before that, let’s talk with everyone, okay?”
“R-right. Rui-chan, help me, okay? I don’t have much experience with this kind of thing.”
“Yes, yes, it’s okay,” I said, calming my aunt, and invited everyone in.
Then, my aunt gracefully knelt before the Princesses and looked up at me.
What…?
Ah, she wants me to imitate her?
So I tried kneeling, but I was immediately stopped by the two of them.
My aunt was also looking at me with a face that seemed to say, “That’s not it!!”
“Rui-sama? You are the most important person here, you know?”
“That’s right. You’re the Crown Prince. Please be aware of that.”
“Umm, I’d like to say that’s not quite right, but… well, for now, shall we sit?”
I used Magical Power to create enough chairs for everyone and urged them to sit.
“Now then, Mary, I know you’re confused, but could you tell us what happened while our time was stopped? We heard a rough outline from Viscount Oldam, but you would know more details, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes! Understood!”
My aunt, pausing to think from time to time, slowly explained things chronologically.
First, less than a year after the two princesses disappeared, the king at the time—my grandfather—was apparently assassinated.
As a result, the throne apparently passed to my father, who was still in his teens.
However, since my great-grandfather was still alive and well, he took on the role of advisor, and things were apparently managed well enough.
The traitors who orchestrated the assassination were rooted out, and the castle was steadily brought back to order.
Through interrogation, the reason for the surprisingly large number of traitors quickly became clear.
Their families had been taken hostage.
And most of them had been taken to the Mildrad Kingdom via the Lestall Kingdom.
Naturally, things like debts were fabricated, and Belfast doesn’t have a slavery system.
So, this was a ploy to make it seem to others like they had fled in the night.
The people taken away were actually kidnapped, but because several spies had infiltrated the leadership of the guards, the discovery was greatly delayed, and with the help of traitors, a large number of people were apparently abducted.
And so, during wartime when there were few knights, it was primarily the families of low-ranking but valiant knights who had gone to war that disappeared.
When the long war reached a lull and the soldiers returned, those who had been out fighting learned of this, and it’s said some disappeared, unable to fight, or even took their own lives.
If it had stopped there, they might have recovered, but the situation worsened due to knights who, threatened with the safety of the hostages, turned against Belfast.
In addition, due to incitement of the populace and rampaging guards, public order deteriorated severely, and the kingdom was apparently torn apart internally to the point where it would fall if attacked seriously again, leading to the decision to rely on Lestall.
“Why couldn’t you stop it before it got that bad?!”
“We, who fell right into their trap, have no right to say that…”
“You’re right,” Yunon-san said, her shoulders slumping in dejection.
“But, if that’s the reason, there should be many who want to avenge their grudges, right?”
“Yes. However, such individuals have not left Razbel. Finding new ones would be difficult, I imagine…”
“I see. But they must be alive somewhere. In Father’s time, they were said to be the strongest in history, so formidable.”
Even if you tell me that…
The place where they’re most likely to be is not somewhere we can easily go looking.
When I muttered that, all eyes turned to me.
“Huh? What? Where did you say? No, if we’re looking for traces, shouldn’t we start with the place where their families were taken?”
Yes, Daltone.
They’re likely suffering terrible fates, but that’s precisely why others would try to rescue them.
Especially if they’re confident in their own strength.
I know I definitely would.
“That investigation has been conducted many times. But we never heard any good news. It seems they were ordered not to sell slaves kidnapped from Belfast to outsiders.”
My aunt’s voice made me unconsciously lost in thought.
The thought of Yuri being taken there sent a chill down my spine.
In a scummy country like that, where anything goes, it wouldn’t be surprising what they might do.
This is bad.
We have to annihilate them immediately…
“Indeed, Daltone must be destroyed. Yes. Annihilation it is.”
“If Rui-sama stands up for us, Belfast will be secure!”
“Now, hold on. You mean Razbel, right?”
I retorted, but the princesses and their escorts were laughing together like, “We’ve won! Gahaha!”
I’m confident I can contribute about as much as a single knight now, but that’s about it.
The princesses are being far too optimistic in their estimations.
Well, I guess it can’t be helped since they’re girls in their mid-teens.
“Then, Mary, please tell Rudolph. In two days, I must head to the Lestall Royal Palace at Viscount Oldam’s request. After that, if I have the freedom, I intend to go to Belfast, but I’d like to rendezvous before then if possible.”
“In two days, you say…? It’s four days to the Royal Capital… Yes, that seems doable. Understood. I will head to Rudolph’s location directly, rendezvous in Razbel, and then proceed to the Royal Capital.”
“Yes, but you mustn’t be reckless. Explain the situation to General Razbel and proceed with caution.”
“Yes. Thank you for your consideration.”
Once their discussion concluded, the princess’s party said they had to return soon and went back to the Viscount’s mansion by Beast-Drawn Cart.
Since I had returned to my own home after a long time, I said I’d stay a bit longer and remained.
“Um, Rui-chan… are you angry?”
My aunt looked at me timidly, like a child.
“Of course I’m angry! Even if it was Mother’s request, hiding Enhancement Magic from someone aiming to be a Hunter? What kind of bullying is that… Honestly.”
“But Yuna-chan insisted, saying ‘please’…”
Ah, so Aunt still calls her with “-chan.”
“Muu, Mother, huh? Then I guess it can’t be helped. It’s Mother, after all…”
And with that, I gave up on everything.
Even from my perspective, she was a wonderful mother, but she was far from perfect.
She wasn’t exactly an airhead… but she was close.
Especially when it came to my safety, she would become stubborn.
“I’m sorry. But from now on, I’ll change my ways too. I’ll fight alongside you!”
“Huh? No, no, Auntie, you should stay here quietly! Uncle Rudolf will get angry! The battlefield is dangerous!”
“Oh, Rudolf will be fine. We’ve decided to resist together until the very end.”
No, no, no, please stop!
I tried to persuade her, but it was like pushing a curtain when she said, “Rui-chan, you don’t need to worry.”
I tried to retort that it was no good, but her earnest gaze stopped my words.
“You see, it’s not like we abandoned our homeland either. We only left because we received a royal decree; we’re prepared to fight to protect Belfast.”
Her eyes, as she said that, held a strength of will I had never seen before.
“But, Belfast is already gone…”
“Oh, it’s not that the people have disappeared. Their will remains. Just like mine…”
Earnest eyes, dwelling a resolute will.
It seemed both my uncle and aunt were firm in their resolve.
I was made to understand that nothing I said would change their minds.
“I understand. But you can only join the fight in defense, when things get absolutely desperate, okay?”
“Oh? But we’ve never waged a war of aggression in the first place, you know?”
“That’s not what I mean! I’m telling you not to die!!”
“Ufufu, thank you. I’m so happy Rui-chan has grown into such a good boy!”
No, that’s not what I meant…
While thinking that, I felt relieved by my aunt being her usual self, and my cheeks couldn’t help but soften into a smile.
And so, after finishing our conversation, I returned home, but my heart felt a little heavy at the fact that various things had started to move.
An independence movement, with Cornelia-san and the others as its figureheads, would probably begin soon.
Even though the war with Daltone is still ongoing.
I hope Yuri doesn’t get caught up in anything strange…
As various anxieties crossed my mind, I went to sleep alone in my dorm.