“What will you do?’

The winter night was getting deep at Romero.

‘It is time for the Imperial family to make a move.’

Cédric recalled his mother’s gaze as he stood there in the darkness.

‘I will give Marquis François Duhem and his house a week’s grace. That is the limit of this Empress’s tolerance.’

It was a discreet Imperial Decree. One of Élisabeth’s supporting Imperial Guard members headed toward the March to deliver the Empress’s ultimatum. It was someone the two members of the Imperial family had seen for a long time as well as a connection of Margrave Caroline Moutet, so he was trustworthy.

On the outside, it looked as if the Empress was sending the Marquis a warning. ‘Hand over Prince Jesse and withdraw peacefully while I am asking nicely.’ ‘I will grace you with plenty of time because of our past relationship and level of trust.’ Duke Simon de Sarnez should understand it as such.

However, the Imperial Crown Prince knew his mother’s true intentions. As a result, he chose his own path.

“……”

He wrapped himself in a demonic beast’s fur coat, placed a dagger on the side of his boots, and then observed the table as he packed the Sword of Wisdom and some light rations. He could see the map of the continent and the nearby islands under the dim magic light.

It was late at night when everybody was asleep. David did not sleep much and woke up easily after attending to him for a very long time, but he was confident that he would not get caught. It was extremely easy for a Grade 8 swordsman like himself to hide his presence as he moved.

– Squeeeee.

– Screeeech!

……He slightly frowned.

“You woke up.”

He had no plans on taking them, but it would be difficult to go by himself now that he had been caught.

The divine beasts, who enjoyed causing trouble more than sleeping, recognized the signs of an adventure. Rhea came out of the bedroom, twitched her ear, and roamed around him. Perry noticed the sounds of a traveler on him and quickly climbed up the table. He then sat on the map and tilted his head. He seemed curious as to where they were heading.

Cédric answered gruffly. “We are heading south.”

– Sqoo?

Did they need more explanation? “Christelle de Sarnez will find a way to survive on her own.”

– Cruuu.

The chances were extremely low, but it would be bad if an Archbishop level Holy Knight ended up as one of the Duke’s rank and file. His mother would instantly take care of it if she played a part in this frame-up. However, the Christelle that Cédric knew was someone whose core was firm. She would choose to cast away her own father than to betray the prince who had been so nice and friendly to her this whole time. She was strong enough to do as she wanted and not be pushed around by others.

“…On the other hand, we don’t know how the prince will move.”

As a result, he needed to quickly get the prince in his hand. He needed to clearly figure out the prince’s intentions and get some rest. That was Cédric’s judgment. Rhea wrapped his ankle with her tail as if to console him.

The man flipped the page on the thought that was already fully organized in his mind. The top priority was figuring out if either of these families had a reason to do something like this.However, he could find no reason for the Marquis to instigate a rebellion. The man he knew cherished his younger siblings to the extreme that he would never do anything that would hinder them in any way. Of those things, a rebellion was something that would cause them the most danger. It was a grave sin that could get the entire house executed, and their opponent was the Empress, who was a sword master. Although it was true that the March had an abnormally large Knight Brigade and the soldiers were trained extremely well……

“It’s still reckless.”

He was not taking the Marquis side just because he thought this man was not someone who would do something like this. The results were the same even when he thought about it rationally. If the Marquis’ rebellion had even the slightest chance of success, the prince he was protecting needed to provide significant help. For example, if there was a significant number of soldiers from the Holy Kingdom illegally entering the Empire through the Unité River, or if they were very strong.

However, the anonymous letter that Sarah Belliard received used an odd term like child soldiers. The Bellang Barony had been as small as he remembered visiting when he was younger.

Of course……

‘Based on what that guy claimed, Johann Geens massacred the Imperial Guard with Jesse Venetiaan being the one to command it.’

It was possible if Johann Geens was there. His orange pupils, which were not receiving the moonlight as he was indoors, became darker.

– Squeeeee

Perry dangled while pulling at the hem of his clothes. The crown prince raised his head. The divine beast was looking right at him.

‘Do you really think the prince is someone who would do something like that?’ He seemed to be asking that question.

“……”

Of course not. The prince did not have the guts nor the personality to do something like that. Despite being a member of the royal family, he got off a carriage to look at a hurt water deer. Someone who shed tears at the death of an old person on the streets would never order a Holy Knight to murder people.

[I am pretty much a dead person in the Holy Kingdom. I almost died after coming here as well. I’m not going to do anything reckless when I am already in danger while living a quiet life.]

[I swear.]

The Promise of Ether the prince made early in the summer flashed through his mind. The prince clearly promised that he would not collude with the Holy Kingdom. That was why he could trust him. He knew he should trust the prince, but why were these weed-like feelings of anxiety continuing to bloom in his mind?

“……”

Could he be certain that the prince never had the thought of running away even once? Could he confidently proclaim that the prince never saw the shadows of death coming from him?

– Boom!

– Kii!

Cédric slammed the table with his fist. Perry screeched in shock.

The crown prince finally realized that he had entered a nightmare-like state. He could not sleep very well because the prince was not in the Imperial Palace, and the situation reaching this extreme level was making him recall the scars of his past.

‘Sadie. It’s not your fault.’

The hallucination he had not heard since he was sixteen echoed in his ears like a warning. He felt suffocated.

‘Father, no. No… There’s too much blood……’

‘I’m fine. I’m very sorry, Sadie.’

‘The Imperial Doctor, I will call the Imperial Doctor right away. Please wait just a bit!’

‘I wasn’t trying to hurt you like this…… My good little son, ugh.’

– Screeeeech!

“Ugh.”

Cédric urgently let out a breath as he returned to reality. Under his nose were two little balls of warmth instead of his dying father. Rhea and Perry were hugging him tightly with teary eyes.

He breathed heavily before trying his best to calm down. Seeing the two of them suddenly reminded him of that day. The metallic wings surrounded in light purple light and the darkness in the hole that contrasted the clear blue sky.

‘Sorry…… I wasn’t trying to hurt you.’

He also recalled the prince’s voice as he whispered something similar to what his father had said.

“……There is no second time.”

– Cruuuuuuuuu

The crown prince mumbled in a low voice as he picked up the kids. The prince was not a turncoat, no, he must not be a turncoat. That meant that it was certain that Duke Sarnez had betrayed the Empire. Why?

“It could be an issue of soulmate.”

The Duke had once pushed for his marriage with Christelle. It was before she had absorbed the Blessing of the Blue Sea. He missed the opportunity to become the father-in-law of the future Emperor, so he may be aiming for the Religious Partner position instead of the Political Partner.

Cédric silently opened the balcony door. Swoooooooosh! The cold winter air slapped his chins. He finally felt as if he was coming back to his senses.

“……”

He placed the divine beasts on his shoulders and peeked at the dark room. The memo he had written just now was on the table. It wasn’t something he would normally do, but a certain priest would be upset to hear that he had worried David.

– Pii!

Flinch. Cédric normally did not get surprised, but he did this time as he looked toward the railing.

– Piiiii

“You.”

An extremely familiar chimney bird was in front of him. He must have flown far as its feathers were messy and his head and back were wet. He seemed to smell like salt as well. Perry and Rhea raised their tails to show their joy. Percy looked at each of them before urgently flying into the room. He then started to peck a section of the map with his beak. Cédric felt as if this journey was already off to a rocky start.

“What are you doing? Did you come without the prince?”

– Pipipi

Percy remained firm. His empty feet made it clear that he was not delivering a message for someone, but the way he stubbornly pecked a spot did not look normal.

Cédric held back a sigh and walked back into the room. He looked quite silly for the crown prince of a nation. However, if this bird was trying to inform him about the location of his partner, he needed to confirm……

“The Corleone vassal state?”

– Pi- po!

The crown prince instantly scowled as the chimney bird shouted that he was right. His low voice sounded skeptic.

“I guess even divine items make mistakes. I suppose you still do have a bird’s brain.”

– Pipipi!

The chimney bird opened his beak and jumped up and down. The man snorted.

“Do you think that the prince of the Holy Kingdom would go to such a debaucherous and godless island?” He had no reason or means to get there.

– Piruuuuuuuuuu!

“Quiet.”

Cédric covered the chimney bird’s wet body with a handkerchief as he warned him. It was one of the twenty five pieces of fabric Christelle had gifted him.

Percy discontentedly smashed his body into his hand before jumping on the March on the map as if he was dancing. He then jumped on the twin islands that made up the vassal state, one after the other. The crown prince stopped removing the wetness from the divine item and flinched. His garnet-like eyes slowly opened wide.

“……No way.”

Taking another look at it, he had a reason to and a means to do so. If his memory was not wrong, this was the only way for the prince to reach the Imperial Palace without going through a regional portal. He would have no other choice since even the land paths were all blocked.

However, it was a difficult method that was hard to accept. The vassal state was abnormally decadent. Emma Corleone, the second daughter of the lord of the vassal state and an Admiral of the Empire, was a scary figure that even his mother did not like to see very often. So for someone pure and innocent like Jesse Venetiaan……

“We will head out right away.”

– Piii?

Cédric’s hands were rough as he placed the mocha-bread like bird into his pocket. The two divine beasts held on tightly to his shoulders.

His mother and godmother would handle Duke Sarnez. He decided to focus on Marquis Duhem. The man moved in the blink of an eye and reached the balcony. Flap! His cape fluttered in the wind.

– Tap!

The figure instantly disappeared. Only the curtains of Romero Palace waved goodbye.

*

It was great that we decided to go through the Corleone vassal state, but I couldn’t help but look at the Marquis differently since they mentioned plaything.

“……Prince Jesse, could you please stop looking at me with such a gaze?”

“I’m sorry. Was it that obvious?”

I did my best to change my gaze and turned my head. Sir Johann, who had been looking at us, calmly laughed. Marquis François Duhem used painful but dramatic hand movements to flip the robe over his head.

I had no intention of making fun of him, but that was what ended up happening.

‘I wonder when I can hear the story. Is he dating Admiral Emma Corleone?’

“Yahoo, this is so fun! I’ve always wanted to visit the vassal state! I heard they start dating at six or seven over there? Is it true that they even marry people they’ve just met?”

“Maria, you are only going to ask the Admiral for her understanding to use the portal. Don’t have any other thoughts. You need to have proper poise while you are there. Even our brothers don’t dare to wink when they are in the vassal state!” Antoinette packed her younger sister’s bag with an upset look on her face as she said that.

Maria’s flowery pink eyes sparkled. “Okay! I’ll fling away any and all weirdos. You know I’m the strongest and toughest after second brother!”

The fourth child of the House of Duhem was excited as this was her first true adventure. The youngest, Thérèse, was standing with the coachmen going over the route one last time. The comparably gentle southern breeze brushed past our clothes.

After a night of contemplation, we decided that only some of us would travel there. Someone needed to stay and look after the territory and its residents, and we never knew when an Imperial Order might come from the Empress. The biggest factor was that it was better to have less people use the portal.

The members to head to the vassal state ended up as me, Sir Johann, Demy, Tithé, and three of the Duhem siblings. Maria received the important task of looking after her sick eldest brother on the journey. Benjamin, Ganael, Antoinette, Thérèse, and the Bellang family would all stay here.

“For a noble sir like you to go to a land where they do not believe in the Almighty God…… It is giving me quite the apprehension. I will stay up all night praying that you safely make it across, your highness.”

“Thank you very much. But please sleep well every night as you pray. How will you look after the children or Coco if you get sick?” I smiled as I responded to the Baron.

Lady Bellang and Elody gently kissed the back of my hand. Seeing the three of them worrying about me suddenly made me extremely angry at Duke Sarnez. If he really did receive orders from the Holy Kingdom, it was too cruel and despicable. These people had already lost their beloved sons and brothers, the twins, to that damn Prince Consort bastard.

Messing with me was one thing, but how could he think about framing these people? He has his own family and kid for goodness sake.

“Your highness, please put this on your head.”

Benjamin brought me out of my anger at that moment. He and Ganael carefully placed a veil on my head. Maria, who had been jumping up and down, smiled brightly while looking at me.

“That’s true! His highness looks especially handsome and is so good-natured that he definitely needs it. He might get abducted as soon as we get there, proposed to, or even be forced into a marriage!”

“Hiccup!” Ganael loudly hiccuped. Captain Hervé Duhem’s whole body shuddered.

I almost dropped Demy and Tithé.

‘Wait, what might happen to me……?’

—
Translator’s Comments

Chris, Cedric, your man’s about to be stolen from you!

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