A familiar voice reached Victoria’s ears as she staggered back toward her own villa, dragging her blood-soaked uniform.
“Sister.”
It was the Second Prince, Arthur, standing at the corner of the corridor with his arms crossed.
He didn’t seem particularly surprised by Victoria’s wretched state and merely jerked his chin to indicate behind him.
“Follow me for now.”
Arthur took the lead and began to walk, and Victoria silently followed behind him.
The place Arthur took her was a massive training hall he had personally arranged within the imperial palace.
“Sit over here. After you smashed everything to pieces during your last visit, I barely managed to rebuild it using my own private funds.”
Arthur offered her a heavy iron bench, grumbling slightly.
At his gesture, a healing specialist mage of the Imperial Family, who had been stationed in a corner of the training hall, came rushing over.
“Not me today. Treat my sister’s face.”
The healing mage carefully stretched out his hand, emitting a warm light of healing.
Her crushed nasal bone returned to its proper place, the swelling of her torn lips and puffed-up cheeks subsided, and her original firm, cold features were restored.
Once the treatment was finished, Arthur waved his hand to dismiss the mage for the day.
Only the two of them remained in the training hall.
“Sister. Is your face all right?”
“…Thanks to you. Thank you.”
“Wipe yourself with this for now. At least clean off the blood.”
Arthur handed her a towel and asked in a heavy, subdued voice.
“Did you know?”
She couldn’t possibly fail to understand what he meant. Victoria silently took the towel and nodded mutely.
“Hah…”
Arthur scratched the back of his head and let out a long, deep sigh.
“Honestly, the fact that he dared to deceive us royals is an act of unparalleled impudence. But… from what I’ve heard of the circumstances, he’s not some villain trying to overthrow the Empire. He did it to protect his family and his own life. To that extent… I think it’s within the realm of understanding.”
Arthur tapped the iron dumbbells as he continued.
“Anyway, I intend to remain on good terms with him. Regardless of status, I’ve already decided he’s my friend. If there was no ill intent, what does some trifling bloodline matter?”
A very faint warmth brushed across Victoria’s frozen eyes.
“What do you plan to do from here on, Sister?”
“Well…”
Victoria leaned back against the bench, staring blankly into the air.
“This time, I’ll be going on the Roland Kingdom expedition with him. If it were the old me, alone, I would have thought it fine to simply swing my spear on the battlefield until I bled to death, but…”
Her eyes gradually began to take on a resolute light.
“Now, Ian’s life is on the line. No matter what, I’ll have to struggle with all my might to win and return.”
Arthur scoffed and shook his head at her answer.
“Make sure you win, and both you and he return alive. That’s the only way you can keep exercising with him, isn’t it?”
Arthur added with a broad grin.
“He committed the crime of lying to me, so next time I’ll work him out until he faints on his feet.”
At that empty jest, a faint smile finally leaked from Victoria’s lips, which had been weighed down with heaviness.
“…Thank you, Arthur.”
“You should go now. I’m not in the mood to exercise today either, so I’ll go in and rest.”
Leaving behind a stoic word of thanks, Victoria rose and began walking toward her quarters.
#
A few days later, the Emperor’s office.
Count Grey, the chief aide, was making his report with a grave expression.
“The true royals of Sterling—Joseph Sterling and Amy Sterling—will be stripped of their status and sold for a pittance on the Empire’s slave market. Furthermore, the King of Sterling has also been bound and escorted by the Imperial Cavalry, and is expected to arrive in the capital shortly.”
“Hmm.”
The Emperor nodded indifferently as he signed the documents.
“Additionally, Ian Harper’s mother and the one called his older brother are currently being detained at a detached palace on the outskirts of the Imperial City. As per Your Majesty’s orders, they have been confined, but are being treated courteously with ample food and bedding.”
“Understood. When that Sterling king arrives, boil him alive in a cauldron in the middle of the capital. He shall serve as an example of the crime of deceiving the Empire. For now, let us consider this matter roughly settled at that.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“As for the disposition of Sterling’s territories and nobles, we shall reconsider after the spring expedition to the Roland Kingdom is over, based on Ian’s results.”
Count Grey set down his pen and asked in a voice full of doubt.
“Your Majesty. If I may… what exactly can Ian Harper contribute to the Roland Kingdom expedition? He is not a warrior of martial might, but merely a greenhorn with a passing knowledge of administration.”
The Emperor leaned back on the throne and looked out the window.
“To be honest, I am not expecting some grand turnaround in the war from him either. But is this not an arduous expedition that our Empire’s soldiers have been unable to overcome for the past two hundred years, no matter how hard they racked their brains?”
An amused smile spread across the Emperor’s lips.
“Rather, isn’t it possible that one who has no ties to the military, no entangled interests… might produce some brilliant idea that soldiers could never imagine, using that extraordinary mind of his? It is roughly that small hope. If he manages to resolve the Empire’s longstanding wish while he’s at it, I would be truly delighted.”
“If… he fails, what will you do?”
“Well then, it would be a shame, but it cannot be helped.”
The Emperor flicked his fingers nonchalantly.
“As promised, I shall charge him with treason and cleanly end it with a hanging. Boiling him in oil would be a bit pitiful.”
“I shall keep that in mind, Your Majesty.”
Count Grey nodded as if in agreement with the Emperor’s decision.
Just as he appeared to be finishing his report and was about to turn away, he suddenly recalled a fact and spoke up.
“Ah, there is one more thing. That fellow called Count Hodeki, who exposed the truth. He is currently staying at an inn in the Imperial Capital, waiting with bated breath for the immense reward and position Your Majesty will bestow. How shall he be handled?”
The moment Hodeki’s name was spoken, a look of utter revulsion spread across the Emperor’s face.
“That worm-like bastard. Did he not sell out the kingdom he served, sell out the royal family who were his liege lords, and even sell out the brave young man who risked his life to come here, all for his own gain? He is trash.”
“That is correct. I visited his territory personally and found that he imposed heavy taxes and usury upon the residents, driving them into debt and then selling them to the Empire as slaves.”
“Is that true? Selling his own subjects into slavery—disgusting. Though I cannot abolish slavery outright, I have been doing my utmost to reduce it…”
“Slaves do not pay taxes, after all.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue and rose from his seat.
“In my heart, I would like to behead that greedy swine right this instant… but if I kill one who exposed the truth, the seed of those willing to inform on others to the Empire will wither away. That, too, would be quite troublesome for governance.”
The Emperor took a single gold coin from his pocket, flicked it lightly into the air, and tossed it to Count Grey.
Count Grey caught the gold coin and looked at the Emperor with a puzzled expression.
“Still, I must give him something, so go and toss him exactly that one gold coin. Did I not say I would not specify what to give him? And tell him to pack his bags and get out of the capital before he catches my eye. If he petitions even once more, kill him on your own authority.”
Count Grey gave a faint smile and bowed his head.
“I shall deliver the message exactly as you command.”
“Also, I should consider making a law that allows one to be beheaded for conducting the slave trade without permission. The more slaves there are, the more power the nobles gain and the less tax revenue we collect…”
“I also believe it to be a fine measure. I shall take my leave now.”
Count Grey exited the office, and silence returned to the room.
Left alone in the empty office, the Emperor quietly gazed out the window at the cold winter wind blowing in.
“By the way, Ian Sterling… no, Harper, is it? I wonder how he will manage to escape this predicament. Let us see if he concocts another ingenious scheme with that brilliant mind of his.”
The Emperor quietly muttered to himself, recalling the handsome young man with the brilliant mind.