Chapter 156
TN: Please read my translations only on my website since I never give my permission to any site to host my translations. And if you like my translations, please support this site on Ko-fi and Patreon to read several chapters ahead!
Sponsored chapter by our Patreon. Enjoy~
ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 156 – Mutual Struggle in the Dark
――After the tumultuous night, morning arrived in Heim.
The lights in the great hall were kept on constantly to maintain a bright room for the second prince.
Ralph, who surprisingly had a doting side, stayed by the second prince’s side without leaving until he collapsed from exhaustion before noon.
Many n.o.bles and government officials, including Elena, entered the castle and began their day with a full schedule of work, but the commotion only continued to grow.
“…They act so quickly.”
Let’s change the air.
And if it could be a little change of pace, that would be great.
Thinking this, Elena approached the window and opened it with a tired look on her face.
What she saw was a large number of knights gathered in front of the castle gate.
Logas was at the front, checking the condition of the knights.
“Of course. Logas-dono had his family killed, so his resentment is growing…”
So far, Logas had been a loyal general who valued his mother’s words above all else.
However, this was only the nicest way to put it, and in another way, he was a man who was overly dependent on his mother and lacked initiative.
If, like Ain, he had the same dependency on his mother but also had the ability to think for himself, there would be no problem.
However, in the case of Logas, like Ain, he was directly connected to troublesome things, so it was not the same motherly dependency.
This time, however, Logas was the first to act and report to Ralph.
Though she found it impolite, Elena also found it surprising.
The a.s.sa.s.sination had only been discovered last night, but the next morning, Logas had already acted, so Elena had no choice but to change her opinion of him.
“…I shouldn’t talk bad about people’s families.”
Things that happened when she crossed over to Ishtalika and a bit of cold treatment for Elena after she returned home.
And when she saw the way the royal family behaved at the meeting, Elena felt like complaining a little.
Elena herself also felt a little empty because of this change in her feelings.
“What is it? This feeling of things not quite fitting together?”
The royalty and the n.o.bles were united in their goal of revenge.
That was probably the majority opinion, but Elena found it incomprehensible.
It was an indescribable feeling, as if not only the b.u.t.tons had been put on the wrong way but also the intentions of each person were somehow mixed up.
“No, that’s not it. On the contrary, it may be that they’re too well matched.”
After the secret agreement was broken, Olivia and Ain went to Ishtalika.
Next, at the Euro they came in contact with, Tigre caused a commotion.
Then, after a few years of no contact, a meeting was held with Ishtalika.
The result was that Logas defeated the bodyguard of the crown prince, but the opponent was still young and could not be called a general like Logas.
In other words, the talks ended with a devastating result, and they returned home, but then this commotion happened.
“It seems that Heim is being targeted unilaterally. This uproar has gone on for too long.”
The secret agreement would be a disgrace to their country, but even if the second child was blessed with talent, would the wife of the former head of the Great General Family treat someone with such a connection to a great power in such a way?
If Ain was a twisted person, Isis might have felt like being mean to him.
However, as Ain worked hard at his training, he acquired a strength that was unmatched by anyone of his age.
Even though he had a natural skill-oriented side, this behavior was still too rough.
“Is it a question of character, or a question of ingrained culture…?”
Thinking about it didn’t help, but it still felt somewhat inexplicable.
“Perhaps the madness began when Grint-dono was born.”
Born with a holy knight, Grint was truly a child of the warrior cla.s.s with the highest talent.
After that, she remembered Ain’s treatment getting worse.
As she had said many times, as a result, Ain and Olivia went over to Ishtalika and became enemies of Heim.
“…With the Crown Prince becoming an Ishtalikan, he has become an enemy of Prince Tigre and Grint-dono. But that’s not the end of the story, is it?”
This was not a story between individuals.
As in the recent meeting, the story had already become a problem between countries.
Although the severing of diplomatic relations had already been confirmed, there was one last opportunity to sign the treaty in Euro.
Elena felt as if the locks were being unlocked one by one.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince… no, Ishtalika. As a result, Ishtalika has become an enemy of the Kingdom of Heim.”
The story went on as if they were setting up the stage props one by one.
It was a story that was too good to be true, but the composition seemed to be trying to create a conflict between Ishtalika and Heim.
“In the end, Logas-dono sent an investigation team because of the a.s.sa.s.sination plot against Heim…”
A war against the different countries.
Since this becomes a possibility, it seems to indicate something.
“…If Heim unifies the continent, it will become the same unified nation as Ishtalika, right?”
Of course, the scale is different.
The Ishtar Continent is larger than this continent, and its military strength was demonstrated during the meeting.
However, there is a strange composition between the two nations that has unified the continents.
“Is it a coincidence?”
Whether it was a coincidence or not, it was a story that made her feel a connection.
Looking at it that way, she couldn’t help but worry more and more about the a.s.sa.s.sins.
“I suppose there are only a few a.s.sa.s.sins. After all, an a.s.sa.s.sin who can kill so many people on his own…”
Even for Logas, that would be difficult.
Elena couldn’t help but smile wryly when she thought about the deeds of the night.
“That’s right. It means that there is someone more powerful than Logas-dono.”
However, these strange words had a great impact on Elena’s thoughts.
Someone more powerful than Logas?
Suddenly, Elena’s body seemed to freeze.
When she thought of someone more powerful than Logas, there was one person she knew.
It was the martial arts festival that was held in Birdland every few years.
She remembered that Logas had been defeated by the same person many times.
…Even she couldn’t help but regret having shown such brilliance.
“I think of something strange. Why would Ed-dono want to murder someone from Heim…”
At this point, Elena realized something.
Before the meeting, she had heard a story from Tigre.
It was about Anon, Grint’s fiancée, asking Grint to deliver a message to Ed.
She had also heard the content of the message, which was something like, “Let’s prepare for the new stage.”
“A stage… a stage… could it be…”
It was just the words of a n.o.bleman’s daughter.
However, in the current situation, they could not be ignored.
The timing and the words captured Elena’s heart.
If it’s all just a false alarm, that’s fine.
All she had to do was ask one thing: if Ed came to the Bruno family’s mansion.
After that, she could also ask Duke Amour, and this suspicion would be cleared up.
If there were any discrepancies between the two stories, she could find out, and it would be over.
“It’s okay. It’s just a coincidence.”
She didn’t think Duke Amour would lie.
If he wasn’t conspiring with Ishtalika to create this murder frenzy, he wouldn’t have sent Ed away without telling Ishtalika.
There’s no need to do such a thing and incur Ishtalika’s wrath.
“I’ll have to increase my bodyguards, just in case… and I’ll also have to prepare a letter to Euro.”
This was beginning to sound like a bad situation.
At the same time as telling her husband Harley, taking steps to protect herself had become necessary.
“I wonder if I should tell Logas-dono about this…”
Will Logas really listen to Elena?
After all, Anon was Grint’s fiancée, and their relationship was well known.
She hoped this didn’t turn into a situation where she was adding fuel to the fire…
“If my concerns are true, then Miss Anon is also an accomplice, right?”
Anon herself had requested that a message be sent to Ed.
If that’s the case, it’s impossible to believe that Anon didn’t know about his intentions.
“…Not good. I can’t tell Roundheart yet.”
Who should she tell then?
It’s too much for Elena to handle everything alone.
It was impossible since Logas’ biological mother had died, but if Roundheart was involved, Elena’s life would be in danger.
Then, only one person came to her mind.
“Prince Tigre… there is no one else.”
It was rude to say it was a desperate measure, but it seemed that Tigre was the only person who could be told at the moment.
The appearance of Tigre and Ralph yesterday did not seem like an act at all.
However, telling Ralph that in the current situation would be too much of a story.
“Let’s be prepared. Pretending not to know is something I can’t do now.”
Elena said this and then gave both cheeks a hard slap.
With her mood lifted, she left the office and went to Tigre’s room.
＊＊＊
Tigre and Ralph had not slept for a long time.
They were resting in their rooms when they received information from the servant.
Even if it was Elena, it was not recommended to visit the royal family’s rooms.
However, since this was an emergency, Elena thought that she wouldn’t attract too much attention.
“…Your Highness, it’s me.”
When she arrived at Tigre’s room, Elena knocked on the door several times.
Even Elena, who had been treated coldly the other day, hesitated a bit to ask him under these circ.u.mstances, but she gathered her courage and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
After a few seconds, Tigre answered.
It was probably because he hadn’t slept much. Elena heard his tired voice.
“Excuse me.”
“What do you want, Elena?”
He did not even try to hide his grumpiness to ask her in his room at a time like this.
Elena checked that no one was in Tigre’s room and approached the sofa where he was sitting.
“I have something to tell you.”
Tigre straightened up when he heard her words, spoken in a serious tone.
He thought that the fact that Elena had come to see him meant that it must be something important and that it must be related to this incident.
“Go on.”
“――The a.s.sa.s.sin is probably as good as Logas-dono, or even better.”
When he heard these words, Tigre was understandably disappointed.
He wondered what she was going to say, but that’s what she meant.
He already knew that without her telling him.
“I was wondering what you would say, Elena. You say something like that…”
He was about to reprimand Elena, but Elena, unusually, interrupted Tigre’s words.
“Before we went to the meeting, when Grint-dono went to Euro… do you remember when Grint-dono was asked to deliver a message to a certain person?”
At that moment, Tigre’s field of vision was covered by a shock that felt like breaking gla.s.s.
Then, for several seconds, his thoughts seemed to stop, as if his consciousness had flown away, and Elena’s words soaked into his entire body.
“I can’t sort it out. Sorry, but could you give me more details?”
He swallowed the water on the table in one go, then patted his cheek as Elena had just done.
Then, with eyes full of determination, he looked at Elena and urged her to continue her thoughts.
“Yes. Then I will explain the hypothesis I have come up with.”
After clearing her throat, Elena told Tigre the hypothesis she had come up with in her office from the beginning.
She talked about the timing being too good and the word “stage” that Anon had mentioned.
She spoke at length about the materials for her hypothesis.
She spoke for several minutes, and when she was finished, Elena listened to the sound of her own heart beating loudly as she waited for Tigre’s reaction, which had been quiet.
“…You can’t tell father about this.”
“――Yes. I understand.”
Elena replied, and Tigre continued to speak, his chin resting on his hand.
“Elena’s concerns… they certainly make sense.”
Elena breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Tigre’s answer.
“I don’t think so, but in the worst-case scenario, Roundheart is also connected. Is that what you mean?”
“…That’s right.”
Tigre said it, too, but right now, he could only say that he didn’t believe it.
He couldn’t tell Elena that the possibility was zero.
“Let’s use my private army and send a messenger to the Bruno family to investigate. Wouldn’t that be better?”
“I appreciate your special consideration.”
“But I have no idea what’s going on. If what Elena says is true, I’m starting to lose track of who the enemies and allies are.”
“Yes. I was thinking the same thing… I don’t know who I can trust.”
The people involved with Roundheart and the people involved with the Bruno family.
Both of them came in and out of the castle a lot.
Also, there were many people who were related to both families, even among the servants and knights.
“Elena, you said you wanted to deliver a letter to Euro, didn’t you?”
“…Did you hear about it?”
“Yes. I just received a report from a knight. …You haven’t set a departure date yet, have you?”
“Well, no. The letter wasn’t even finished yet.”
When he heard this, Tigre put his hand to his mouth and seemed to be lost in thought.
After a few tens of seconds, he nodded a few times and looked at Elena.
“I will prepare and go to Euro. We’ll use my personal guards and the knights of the Augusto family for protection. The letter will be sent by carriage, and we’ll leave within the hour.”
Tigre suddenly blurted out these words with sweat on his forehead.
“Yo-Your Highness! It’s dangerous for you to go there, too!”
“What are you talking about? If you say that, then it is just as dangerous for me to stay here, where my brother was killed.”
“But! There’s no need to go all the way to Euro, where Ed-dono might be…”
It’s a clear case of dangerous behavior.
However, Tigre’s thoughts seemed to be different, and he answered with a determined expression.
“…Elena pointed something out to me, and I realized something. I’m sorry, but I’m not going to change my mind about this.”
“If that’s the case, at least tell me what you realized. It’s too dangerous.”
This is absolutely unacceptable.
When Elena replied to Tigre with this att.i.tude, he looked up at the ceiling as if he were looking at the sky.
Then Tigre answered with a slightly trembling voice.
“It was when we returned home from the meeting.”
“When we returned home?”
“Yeah, it was then that…”
It was a recent story.
Elena waited silently for the rest of the story, wondering what had happened on the ship.
“My father was consoling me for not being able to marry Krone. He mentioned that Heim had many beautiful women…”
“Yes.”
“…I remember that at that time, my father called Anon with ‘dono."”
A king of a country addressing a n.o.bleman’s daughter with the honorific ‘dono.’
Moreover, considering that this king was Ralph, this abnormality was also understandable to Elena.
Then, a chill ran down her spine.
She didn’t know what’s happening or how things were connected, but she had to think that something sinister was beginning…
Although he was panicked about his brother’s death, Tigre’s mind worked surprisingly calmly because he was only thinking about that.
“I felt something was wrong for a moment, but it seems to be this. ――Haha… Elena. What on earth is going on?”
…The event of “Death” happening so close to him had given Tigre a feeling of calm and fear.
If you like my translations, please support me on Ko-Fi and subscribe my Patreon to read several chapters ahead!