“Are you not going to see me off?”
“There’s no need. I’ve already said everything I had to say.”
Adele knew very well the day Robert would leave.
If there were things to say before going, that would be different, but as for the words she wanted to say, they were all said last night.
At the moment the bell rang, Adele let out a light sigh as she recalled the gaze Robert had on her.
– Care to make a bet?
A bet? The sudden mention of it left her questioning its meaning.
To think they could watch the ringing together next year? If she called for him, he was supposed to come.
If he didn’t show up, she’d be the one dragging him over, wasn’t that what she knew best?
A wish in a losing bet?
It was an overly generous reward, and she really couldn’t wrap her head around it.
Maybe… he realized she was anxious.
That intuition had been a born instinct since childhood.
When she was anxious, when in peril. That sixth sense almost felt like foreseeing every situation.
She had always lived in a world where survival was paramount.
In the North, where it wouldn’t be strange to die at any moment, with everyone hunting each other’s lives,
A young girl surviving with just a sword was straightforward.
Recognizing threats before they approached, nipping them in the bud, and crushing them so that they couldn’t rise again.
That instinct she was born with was the driving force of such a life, and Adele generally trusted it.
However, what she felt now was different from her usual instincts. It couldn’t be classified as bad.
Instead, it whispered that nothing bad would happen, and only a peaceful premonition seemed to linger.
“That’s strange.”
It was a sensation she had never felt before.
Did everything go well if it continued like this? Adele didn’t believe in such peaceful thoughts.
Hadn’t ominous feelings followed her in every moment, in any situation?
Suddenly, she recalled the letter she received from Robert.
As she thought of it, the peaceful feeling disappeared, replaced by a foreboding sense.
…Something’s off.
With that thought in mind, Adele tore open the letter and stared blankly at what dropped from it.
It was a pure white handkerchief.
The handkerchief she had lent when she beheaded Robert. The one with her own crest on it.
She chuckled and picked up the handkerchief.
It was okay not to return it, but finding something she had forgotten come back felt a bit funny.
Did he remember asking for it back?
Setting aside the handkerchief, she picked up the letter, and despite appearances, neat handwriting caught her eye.
Being born a noble showed even in such places.
Unlike her, born in the center, Robert must have been able to write well.
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1WGhqcGhuYTJFRGN2aE5qSVpiK21YQ1lLQ3hOS0k4aktiZHRIaWFYUnJiRw
[I’m struggling to decide what to write in the first line, so I’ll just lightly jot this down. I wonder if you received the handkerchief well.]
She wanted to reply that she had received the handkerchief well, but this was just a letter.
As Adele stared at the paper for a while, her gaze fell downwards.
Adele’s gaze turned downward.
What was written in the letter was a simple greeting at first. She mentioned having something to say to me, but where could it be?
After some time spent examining the letter, Adele’s eyes narrowed.
[While I’ve seen many things in the North, I believe I’ve seen the Grand Duke the most. We spent the most time together, had many conversations, and received a lot of help from him.]
“Help, huh.”
Adele chuckled softly.
In truth, she had no significant memories of providing help to Robert.
He managed to adapt well on his own; all she did was lend him a sword.
There were sights she wanted to show him, but Robert’s expression upon seeing them appeared quite complex.
Whatever memory he was recalling, it was certain he didn’t understand it.
There was clearly a gap between her and Robert.
Things that she didn’t know, but he did. Was it possible not to feel discomfort in that space?
Though she didn’t like that fact, her scattered thoughts were drawn back by the next line in the letter.
[While I said I had things I wanted to say, the main purpose was actually to warn you. The reason I came to the North and sought to meet the Grand Duke was not solely to return a handkerchief.]
Warning, that word made her frown, but as she read the next sentence, Adele couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
It was an utterly out-of-context statement.
It was just puzzlement that blossomed in her mind over names she hadn’t been thinking about, names that weren’t stored in her head.
Still, her gaze remained downward.
The things Robert wanted to tell her, those words steeped in the nature of a warning, seemed utterly nonsensical upon reflection.
Having gained recognition from the Imperial Family and ascending to the position of Grand Duke, especially receiving the title directly from the Crown Prince, made it even more so.
Adele’s lips pressed tightly together.
Her eyes, which were always cold, were now swirling with questions and confusion.
[The first thing I wanted to convey is.]
“…What on earth were you thinking when you wrote this, Robert?”
[What I hope is that you do not respond to the Crown Prince’s summons.]
#
Thud—
As she left the North and rode in a carriage instead of a sleigh, she finally felt her feet stepping back into the center.
It was a place she didn’t want to be. Besides seeing Yuria or Kaitel’s faces, remnants of her memories were scattered all over this central area.
No matter where she went, traces of her attempts would surely remain.
The only comfort was that she wouldn’t have to visit the Ducal Residence.
[It seems the Lady of the House has begun to move.]
My eyes narrowed as I read Renold’s letter.
The implication of beginning to move meant that preparations to secure the head of the family position had finally come to a close.
How far they would push was something to watch, but it was possible they might threaten Father.
It would be better to take precautions in advance.
If she lost her advantage in a hurry, it would disrupt her plans.
The very first thing she needed to do was to ‘secure’ her father’s safety.
He would serve as the primary insurance against any unexpected situations Yuria might create.
The first line of defense against adversity was Father.
Until Father gives his permission, the position of Head of the Family is undecided, so it makes sense to have that authority first.
While writing something in a letter to Renold, a sudden thought popped into my head.
It was regarding the letter I sent to Adele. I thought by now she must have read it all.
What was written inside was quite a blatant warning, and I added one more thing to it.
‘Reincarnation.’
I wrote it inspired by something Adele said; it was but a near-suggestion.
How she interprets this is up to Adele.
If she believes it, it might lead to a better outcome; if not, that’s fine too.
I will save her. Having decided that, there shall be no death for Adele in this round.
Perhaps because I’ve clashed swords a lot in the North, my level has advanced more than I had anticipated.
Unlike before, I won’t tire out quickly from using a bit of magic, and I can consider using other weapons as well.
Even if I’ve squandered 20 lifetimes losing Miragen, they weren’t completely wasted.
Haven’t I experienced the extremes of every weapon available?
Even if I can’t fully achieve that limit, I believe I can make progress based on the understanding I’ve already gained.
“I should contact Adrian.”
So now, heading to the Order where Adrian is, it feels a bit urgent as I arrive at the Center.
I need to see Adrian, but I also need to build a relationship with the Order in this round, so it’s only natural.
If there’s something that needs to be settled before striking the Crown Prince, it was first to establish my own power.
Going to the North, then to the South with Adrian, and building rapport with Miragen, wasn’t that the reason?
I’ve even met the Crown Prince directly, and the progress on that front was going smoothly.
The Order could be seen as part of that plan.
The Order to which the Saint belongs accounts for 90% of the Empire’s religion; gaining even a little support from such a power could be sufficient preparation for the future.
The only discomfort is that this kind of force is being prepared for a post-betrayal situation.
The betrayal must be carried out secretly.
Even Miragen shouldn’t be able to catch a whiff of it; I must only kill the Crown Prince alongside Arwen, and perhaps Adele as well.
There are several reasons to justify killing the Crown Prince.
His bizarre actions, and now even concerning the Dead Dragon.
The problem is that the process is incredibly, excessively difficult, nearly impossible.
While I’m unfolding destiny in a completely new direction this time, I do have past experiences of getting close to killing the Crown Prince.
If I recall the moment of failure that left me mentally shaken for a while, it does fill me with regret.
With those thoughts swirling in my mind, I fiddled with the Artifact and sent a message to Miragen.
To contact Adrian, I needed Miragen.
As a magician affiliated with the Imperial Family, she should be able to connect me all the way to the Moon Tower.
Just as the ringing tone was cut off, Miragen’s voice came through.
“Uh, is this Lord Robert?”
“That’s right. How are you?”
– “I’m curious why you contacted me. I hope your wound is okay, are you still in the North?”
“I just left and arrived in the Center. From your voice, it seems you’ve been well.”
Miragen’s voice was just as it had always been.
I wondered if there was something wrong; a faint smile appeared on her playful voice.
“I think I’ve just become a bit more uncomfortable moving around than before.”
Even though there’s an investigation into the discovery of the Northwest’s location, it will be tough to reveal any results.
At my words, Miragen sighed heavily, responding with a “Absolutely not.”
As soon as she returned to the Imperial Family, she mentioned a decree was issued for her to refrain from going out for a while, and her voice was filled with worry.
“Well, if I were the Emperor, I’d think that would be a natural course of action. My cherished daughter nearly faced a severe ordeal in the North; there’s no way I’d let that slide without any measures.”
When I comforted her a bit, Miragen started to grumble and asked about me.
– “The Grand Duke will be disappointed. It’s like I came out immediately after you left.”
“Do you think so? He must be a busy man.”
– “Hmm, is that really the case?”
With that cryptic reply, Miragen’s voice brightened a bit. It seemed she had been waiting for someone to talk to.
If a decree of restraint was in place, even talking to her handmaiden would have been tough.
– “Can you come to the Imperial Palace? I mentioned wanting to repay the Prince last time, after all. Since you’re in the Center, if you come over, I can treat you. If it’s a life debt saved for the Princess, I can grant at least one wish.”
“Do you think I would ask for a wish?”
– “If you ask to date me, I might just allow it. I assume you understand how hard it is to become the beloved of the Princess.”
At her mention of difficulty, I shrugged my shoulder.
How many times have she and I been lovers? I’d say it’s over ten times. I know better than her what’s in Miragen’s body.
It’s a ridiculous thought, but if I said this, she’d probably be horrified and try to avoid me.
“I’m not particularly interested in that. I actually contacted you to ask for something else.”
– “…I didn’t expect you to say you’re not interested. But what is it you want?”
“I want to contact the Saintess. Could you possibly connect me to her?”
A moment of silence followed.
I heard the sound of an artifact being dropped and picked up again, and from behind a silly chuckle came a chilling voice.
– “Ah, Adrian, right?”
“Yes, but… your voice sounds dark.”
– “Well, I’m just feeling tricked by someone. I hope people won’t set expectations unnecessarily. Be a bit more careful next time, Duke Taylor.”
As I barely responded to her now-dull voice, Miragen snorted and disappeared with her footsteps.
I think she’s likely calling a magician.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction. You haven’t changed a bit since then; that alone brought me some comfort.
