Chapter 75
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 75 – His Possessiveness
Ain was on his way home with a happy face. Dill walked beside him as his escort. There was a reason for his happy face. It was because of the test results that were distributed this time. Ain had not been able to take time to study due to a half-year break, official duties, and a trip to Ist.
To say how he felt due to all this was that he was anxious. He was ready to fail at the first attempt.
It was under such circ.u.mstances that the study sessions began with her.
She was selected from many partic.i.p.ants and has become an invaluable and important a.s.sistant to Ain, so much so that it would be a shame to end with the word “competent.”
“I’ll have to thank Krone when I get back.”
“I never thought you could go from there to the top of your cla.s.s again… but I’m surprised too.”
The test results given to the students were written as follows. The word “first” was written in plain language. Of course, there were also detailed subject evaluations, but other than that, there was nothing else in the results that caught his attention.
It has been almost two months since Ain returned from Ist. During that time, Ain worked hard, studying with a competent a.s.sistant.
“I almost want to hug Krone.”
“That’s good. Then why don’t you?”
The more Ain said such a thing, the more his feelings were elated.
“N-no… It’s a bit serious, you know what I mean, Dill.”
“Good grief.”
It’s frustrating. It was the consensus of all the knights in the castle. It’s no longer an open secret that Ain and Krone were so close that there’s no one who didn’t think they should just get together. Recently, however, new information had been added to this story.
There was a dark horse: Christina Wernstein, the new Marshal of the Knights of Ishtalika.
Since her return from Ist, rumors have been circulating around the castle. The main source of the rumors could be traced back to some of the servants. Even though she was a woman, Chris had a reputation for looking like “just a woman.”
Dill, in particular, had frequent contact with Ain. The knights and servants had asked him numerous questions about Ain’s love life. He usually covers it up with a convoluted story, but lately, the castle has been abuzz with talk.
The only people who didn’t know about the rumors are the people themselves.
“I’m glad you were able to maintain a set.”
“That’s true… Come on, let’s hurry! I want to report it as soon as possible!”
Ain showed his happiness. The first thing that came to mind is the fact that the two of them were not only almost the same age, but they were also very much in tune with each other. Dill also ran lightly after his master, who began to walk quickly.
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Ain could not contain his excitement and walked back to the castle at a brisk pace.
However, the atmosphere was different than usual, and he felt like he was on a battlefield. When he left the castle this morning, the atmosphere was calm as usual, but what in the world had happened? Dill, his escort, also had a suspicious look on his face.
“The knights are in place as usual. So there’s no chance that there was an attack… and so on. I wonder if that’s the case.”
“Then it is even stranger. What’s with this atmosphere? It’s like we’re about to start a battle.”
But judging by the expressions on the knights’ faces, they seemed more nervous than eager to fight.
——Ain asks a pa.s.sing knight what happened.
“What happened?”
“Y-Your Highness, the Crown Prince… welcome back!”
He straightens his back and stares at Ain.
“The mood in the castle is bad. I want to hear what happened.”
“There’s no information reaching us either…”
“You don’t know anything about it? Dil, what do you think?”
Ain asked Dill with a puzzled look on his face. Dill then turned to the knight and told him the following words.
“Don’t worry, you can talk about it. Do you have any idea?”
Hearing these words, the knight crossed his arms and looked troubled. Was there something he didn’t want to say? But what was it that the Crown Prince was asking, and it was hard to say?
“A-Ain-sama!? When did you return?”
Chris came down the stairs with a tired look on her face. The situation that even Chris gets tired? Ain’s suspicion grew even more.
“Marshall, Ain-sama wants to talk about the situation in the castle… I’m sorry, sir. I haven’t heard anything about it…”
“…I see what you mean. Okay, you can go back to your post. I will explain the situation to Ain-sama.”
“I understand. …Your Highness, I am sorry that I cannot be of more help.”
The knight bowed his head and left. Ain, too, responded lightly with an empty “Yes.”
“I just got home. You look tired, Chris-san.”
“Y-yes… it’s actually quite an unpleasant situation… and that’s why I was on my way to pick up Ain-sama.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I think that Ain-sama is probably the most effective solution at the moment.”
Even when he was told that he was the most effective solution, he had no understanding of what was happening. On the contrary, there was no explanation for the atmosphere in the castle.
“Does it have something to do with the atmosphere in the castle?”
“Of course it does. …Come, I will show you.”
“W-wait a minute! It’s okay to go, but at least tell me where we’re going! And tell me what’s going on!”
“Oh… I’m sorry. The destination is the audience chamber. I want you to find some way to calm His Majesty there.”
Ain was given an explanation that was no explanation at all. But he understood that there was a problem with Sylvird. First of all, Ain thought he would check out the situation… and followed Chris. He went to the audience room with Dill in tow.
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As they approached the audience chamber, Ain could feel that the atmosphere was becoming more and more disconcerting. In fact, he felt as if he was being pushed by the pressure.
“We have arrived. Then, Ain-sama… please continue without fear.”
“I don’t know what’s going on with Grandfather, but… Speaking of which, has the Demon King’s magic stone been moved properly?”
“Without delay. As expected, it’s quite a problem that the Crown Prince can’t enter the audience chamber…”
“I guess it’s okay then. Now… let’s go.”
He didn’t ask where it was kept, but the Demon King’s magic stone was kept in a very safe place. And now he had to think about what was going on in this audience chamber.
The huge door made a sound like creaking wood and opened to the left and right. What he saw inside was Sylvird sitting on his throne. Lloyd and Warren waited in the distance.
They both looked at Ain and had a look on their faces that showed they thought help had arrived, and it was easy to see that they thought so.
“(Err… what’s with the atmosphere here?)”
Ain was surprised that the two members of Sylvird’s usual entourage were forced to keep their distance. After making eye contact with them, he returned his gaze to Sylvird. He was staring at a point where his point of view was not fixed, as if he was looking into a void.
His right hand rests on the elbow of the throne. The index finger of that hand was tapping softly.
But even the small movement of that tapping… was like that of a huge dragon. As if it were a walking shock, it gave Ain this illusion.
Ain, who was walking with determination, straightened his legs and walked in front of Sylvird. The two who were following Ain, Chris, and Dill were held back as they were in the presence of the king.
Suu…hahh. This was the sound of Ain’s deep breath. He never dreamt he would do such a thing in front of his grandfather. But the more he needed him, the harder it was for Ain to feel Sylvird’s presence now.
“Grandfather. I’m back.”
He thought of something to say… but nothing came to him. As usual, Ain’s lighthearted words flowed out of the gla.s.s. Today, the gla.s.s was cracked.
“…Hmm? Oh, Ain. You’re early today.”
H-huh? Ain’s head went blank. Sylvird’s expression when he looked up did not change at all, just as he always spoke to Ain.
“Y-yes. I got the results of my exam today, so I came home right away, I mean.”
“How did it go?”
“Thanks to you. I was at the top of the cla.s.s.”
“Fu, fufu… It’s as expected of you, Ain. You did a great job.”
He motioned for him to come closer, and Ain followed, moving closer to Sylvird’s side. He was confused by the gentle pat on the head. Normally, he would have been a bit embarra.s.sed. But today, the difference between the two was so great that he couldn’t quite put his mind at ease.
“Thank you, Grandfather. By the way, why are you in the audience chamber?”
A few seconds later. Ain would come to regret this. The best solution would have been to just leave things as they were and get it over with.
“Huh. For the first time in my life… I almost ordered a preemptive strike.”
“Huh?”
Ain was not the only one who was surprised. The four people who had been standing by also looked surprised.
“Anger. Feeling lost. And self-loathing. It’s a very annoying feeling.”
“G-Grandfather! Preemptive strike… N-no! Where’s the war?”
“It’s obvious. Heim.”
The word “Heim” came from Sylvird. It hit Ain as if his body had been hit by a big hammer.
“What happened to you all of a sudden? T-that country… no longer matters!”
For Ain, this was almost a true statement. The feeling that it no longer mattered was really there in Ain’s heart. So why now, after all this time, Heim? The thought occupied Ain’s mind.
“That’s right. I didn’t care either until I received this this morning.”
Then he took a letter out of his pocket. It was sealed with gold, indicating that it had been prepared by someone of high rank.
“Y-Your Majesty? When did you receive that letter…?”
A letter that Warren had no idea about when he had received it. He wondered about when it must have arrived, after all, all letters to Sylvird were routed through Warren.
“It was in the report from Euro.”
Sylvird handed the letter to Ain. Ain immediately checked the contents of the letter. He started to look through it smoothly as if he was going through a workflow.
“…..”
“A-Ain-sama? What’s in it?”
Warren was curious. There was no sign of his usual coolness here.
“…Hah. I see. No wonder Grandfather’s so angry.”
“I’m not complaining. But I understand that we are also responsible for the situation. After all, we ‘never’ launch a preemptive attack, and people think we’re too naive for that.”
These are the words of the First Unified King. They were still carefully guarded today. That was why, even during the troubles with Olivia, the Ishtalikas took a hard line and did not use force.
“Gradually. As the years go by, more and more people are saying, ‘We should use a little force.’ I understand how they feel because my gut was boiling during the Olivia incident.”
“…I understand. Grandfather.”
If Ishtalika sent a fleet with a large number of troops, Heim would probably not be able to hold back. But as has been said many times, they would not do so because of the words of the First Unified King. As the royal family with his blood in their veins, they had no intention of breaking that rule.
However, in the current situation of frustration, it was natural for violent thoughts to arise.
“Warren-san.”
“Y-yes… What is it, Ain-sama?”
“It’s just a bug. It’s a ridiculous joke that makes me wonder if he has a head on his shoulders. …It’s a pain, so I’ll just say the result, as a formal deal, they want information on Graff-san and the others. That sort of thing.”
Warren was not the only one with his mouth open. Lloyd, Chris, and, of course, Dill had the same reaction.
“I’m sorry. I just got distracted. Isn’t this a bit too much of a bug? I don’t think we can trust them to make a deal… after all this time.”
“That’s why, Warren. It was also a letter from the Heim royal family in their own handwriting. You can imagine my anger.”
“By the way, according to my investigation, the third prince is indeed a strong candidate to be the next king of Heim. After all, neither the first nor the second prince has any of those qualities. …The third prince is still chasing after Krone-dono, huh?”
The first prince was just a fat pig. He loved women and food and was not fit to be king. And the second prince could only be described in one word: frail. He did everything with ease but nothing more. And it was said that he was feeble-minded and loved quiet places.
In this respect, the third prince, Tigre, was clever. And he was the more dignified and dynamic of the brothers. It was not a process of elimination, but it seemed that Tigre would be Heim’s next king.
“Warren-dono. Are you saying that he has not given up on Krone-dono yet?”
“That’s right. My goodness… he’s stubborn.”
Lloyd opened his mouth for the first time. As he said, Tigre’s reluctance to give up shone through.
“He’s probably threatening Euro. So he must have smuggled the letter in somehow.”
“You’re probably right, Grandfather…”
“…I don’t like to put a value on people. But Krone is too good for Heim… and the third prince. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. They had no intention of giving Krone and Graff-san to Heim, no matter what.
And the most unhappy of them all was actually Ain. He was not angry outwardly, but inwardly, he was as frustrated as Sylvird, if not more so.
“…Shall we settle this once and for all?”
The air in the audience chamber stopped with a snap at Ain’s words. Everyone stopped moving and looked at Ain at once. Seeing the determined look on Ain’s face, Sylvird urged him to continue.
“Frankly, I’m tired of it too. Krone is mine. She is my “a.s.sistant.” I’m tired of Heim messing with me. …I don’t feel good about it.”
He was going to say “his a.s.sistant,” but then he said, “Krone is mine. It was good that she was not here, and Ain was just grateful for that.
Exclusive, to say the least. It’s only natural that he liked her. And if there was such a thing as giving Krone to someone else, he would stop it, even if it made Dullahan go berserk.
“Yours, huh…? Ku, kuku… Did you hear that, everyone? Hahahaha!”
“G-Grandfather! My a.s.sistant! I meant as my a.s.sistant!”
Sylvird laughed, and everyone started laughing together. The atmosphere became more relaxed than before. It was amusing to see the possessiveness burst out of Ain’s determined face.
After a round of laughter, Sylvird turned a little more serious and opened his mouth.
“But it’s not bad. I agree with you that we should settle this once and for all.”
“Um… it’s not by force, you know? As expected, we, the royal family, cannot break the words of His Majesty the First.”
Just in case, Ain followed up to make sure he was not misunderstood.
“I know. I also have no intention of violating the words of the first king. And there are several ways to settle this… Warren! Tell me which works best!”
“There are two. If it was strength, then it is definitely a duel. Well, it won’t be a deadly one. The other is to beat them with diplomacy. Personally, I think the latter would be more effective… to leave them speechless!”
Warren cheerfully offered his idea. Everyone laughed when he said the phrase “leave them speechless.”
“That’s good. If it comes to a duel, I’ll swing my sword. The opponent will probably be Logas-dono. Hahaha!”
“You showed great courage, Lloyd. Tell me what the odds are.”
Encouraged by Sylvird’s words, Lloyd straightened his back and spoke with an exuberant voice.
“Yes! I’ll finish him off with a single blow.”
Lloyd’s bright eyes had a strong look that only made him feel powerful. And these words were not overconfident. He really intended to defeat Logas with a single blow if given the opportunity.
“I appreciate your determination. You can do it; I believe in you.”
“Yes!”
“His son was defeated by your son. I would be more than happy to see the same result between fathers. Wouldn’t you agree? I wish my grandson could see such a joyous spectacle.”
He turned a gentle smile towards Ain, but the content was not gentle at all. But for Sylvird, it remained amusing.
“Dill. If I ever fight Logas-dono, I will show him that I am the strongest in Ishtalika.”
“Pfft… Kuku. Y-yes, I understand, Father. Please show me more of your skills than I have seen.”
Lloyd, who kept his public life separate from his private life, addressed his son as father and son in the presence of the king. It was an inappropriate way to speak to him in this situation, but it was appropriate to the current atmosphere. Dill also smiled at his father’s appearance.
“Umu, umu. You are a reliable father and son, aren’t you? …Well then, Ain. I’ll accept your plan and show Heim their position once and for all.”
“I didn’t plan anything… but I didn’t think you would really do it.”
“However, it will take some time to adjust. We need to decide on a location.”
Warren is the one saying this. From the way he spoke, Warren also seemed interested in the idea.
“Next, I’d like to make a declaration right here and now.”
Then Sylvird got everyone’s attention.
“I’ll go too.”
Of course, everyone tried to stop him, but he would not listen to them. He was well aware of his duty as king, but his patience had run out.
Ain estimated that it would probably take years to implement the plan. However, the meeting with Heim would certainly move things between the two countries. He had a feeling that something would move.
“(The City of Adventures’s: Baltic, the former Demon King’s territory, and the port city of Magna… are all full of things to investigate. Another great event has been decided upon…).
When you say “party”, Ain was involved. After all, Krone was involved as well.
——The next few years would not bring a day where he could relax. Ain was convinced of that.