Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 282

282.

“Greetings to His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Swalt. I am Raon Hwizen of Katers.”

Though his tone was polite, the Crown Prince’s attitude betrayed an undeniable arrogance of power. It was the confidence that only someone who had reigned supreme from birth could possess. Perhaps because he had slept well, he seemed to be in excellent condition. In contrast, Asel and his group, standing behind him, all looked dark and grim. The dark circles under their eyes made it clear that they hadn’t slept a wink last night. As one of the people who had caused it, I felt a little sorry.

“There were many discourtesies yesterday. Thank you for your help.”

“It’s nothing, Crown Prince. I am relieved to see you safe. How is your health?”

“I am well, thanks to your treatment.”

“I see. That’s fortunate.”

It was clearly a peaceful conversation, so why did it feel so chilling? It seemed I wasn’t the only one who thought so, as the faces of Asel’s group turned even paler.

Just as they were guarding the Crown Prince, I was standing behind Alisa in my capacity as her escort. Our positions were directly opposite Asel’s group, making it easy to observe them. Every time our eyes met, Asel’s group would shrink back and avoid my gaze. Then, a low voice spoke.

“What trouble did you cause yesterday?”

“…….”

The owner of the sharp, downward-glancing red eyes was Lapis. Usually, he wouldn’t be caught dead at such a gathering, but he seemed intrigued by the new group and had stubbornly stuck to me today. Ironically, Sibilius, who usually faithfully carried out his assigned roles, was absent. Considering it was meal preparation time, he was probably caught by the cooks.

“I just healed the injured Crown Prince.”

“Those are definitely the faces of people who are terrified. Is that how they treat the benefactor who healed their lord?”

“…Before that, I did use the Memory of Water to find Alisa.”

“Huh?”

“And before that, I dug up some ground. And maybe caused an earthquake.”

“Why didn’t you just reveal your entire identity?”

It’s not like I knew things would turn out this way.

I was just using the necessary abilities as needed, but they got subtly intertwined and messed everything up. I couldn’t just do nothing to protect myself when time was of the essence. I could confidently say that this time, it was truly unavoidable. …Of course, if I had been a little more careful, there were many aspects that could have been prevented.

As I became acutely aware and could only offer an awkward smile, Lapis’s gaze towards me became even more contemptuous. He looked so utterly disgusted that I said in a disgruntled voice.

“Well, it’s not that I have to hide it, it’s just that I’m not revealing it, okay?”

“Oh, really? When were you ever so considerate of your precious human contractor’s position?”

Yesterday it was Sibilius, and now this. Why do they keep bringing up Isana? I gave him a light glare, and Lapis returned a look that dared me to try anything. A brief, meaningless staring contest ensued.

“That’s because of domestic public opinion. Those people are outsiders. They’re going back to their country anyway, so what does it matter if they suspect or find out? And yesterday, Isana seemed to be taking it into account too. It was a situation where some display was necessary.”

“Hmph, to that thing.”

The Crown Prince, whom Lapis referred to as ‘that thing,’ was currently staring intently at Alisa. He didn’t seem to care much that Alisa was openly showing her discomfort. Rather, he seemed to be enjoying the reaction itself.

“I couldn’t see properly yesterday because you were covering yourself. You have quite the appearance.”

The Crown Prince, who had been observing her appreciatively, spoke in a friendly tone.

“S-so, what about it? Got a problem with it?”

Alisa, startled, retorted with a mix of formal and informal speech. Everyone else looked taken aback by her rude attitude, but only the Crown Prince smiled.

“No. You have very beautiful eyes. A crimson color, as if dyed by the sunset. It suits you well.”

He seemed to know how to make the other person feel good. Alisa’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s at the smooth, flowing compliment. After a moment of blankness, she hurriedly began to fix her hair, and the Crown Prince smiled again. It felt as if only the two of them existed in this space. A clearing of the throat was heard, but he didn’t pay any attention. I sensed a familiar scent in his self-centered attitude, which showed no regard for the gazes around him. It was the very scent I often encountered from the red lizard next to me.

“I heard you already know my business here.”

With his gaze still fixed on Alisa, the Crown Prince opened his mouth calmly.

“I have come to take my partner.”

As expected of someone who was going to become Lapis’s comrade, he dropped a bombshell with the same directness. Amid the sounds of gasps echoing from all around (even from his own group), I quietly sighed.

“I don’t think I’ll get along with that guy.”

“He’s quite obnoxious, isn’t he?”

Yeah, because he’s like you.

I stopped myself from adding a word to Lapis, who was muttering as if it were someone else’s problem. Knowing his personality, he would immediately cause an accident, saying, ‘I’ll show you what’s more obnoxious.’

“A partner…”

Even in this chaotic situation, Isana remained calm. He looked at Alisa with a composed gaze, and Alisa bit her lip, looking helpless.

“Is the partner that the Crown Prince speaks of referring to Lord Aldref here?”

Asking even though he knew was merely for confirmation. In this case, it was more like a check. However, true to form for someone who showed signs of becoming a Lapis-type from the start, the Crown Prince didn’t even twitch an eyebrow. He simply turned his gaze to Alisa, ignoring Isana completely. That was all the reaction he showed.

“She and I are connected by the stars of destiny. She is a woman born to be my partner. She is not someone who should be in this harsh battlefield.”

The voice that followed was as firm and unwavering as his expression.

“I heard that her participation was her own decision. But if Your Majesty truly cares for her, you should also consider how harsh this environment is for a young girl.”

“…Indeed, it is not a good environment for a young girl’s emotional well-being.”

“I am sincerely glad that we seem to agree. In my country, Katers, there is a castle prepared for her. A place that is safe, cozy, and has everything she could want. I wish to take her there.”

A heavy silence fell for a moment. Isana took a short breath and then looked at Alisa again. It was a look that seemed to ask for her opinion. Alisa shook her head vigorously, almost to the point of breaking her neck. Only then did the Crown Prince’s flawless expression falter for the first time. Asel’s group, who had been watching anxiously, also let out sympathetic sighs.

“As you can see, Lord Aldref says she doesn’t want to go.”

“Your Majesty also agreed that she should not be in a place like this.”

“Yes, I agree. But there is nothing I can do against her will, Crown Prince.”

“That is not something an emperor should say.”

“Haha, not something an emperor should say. You’re right, it’s not.”

“Then…!”.

“I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you, Crown Prince. I have never been an emperor in front of her. And I probably never will be. I don’t think that harms my authority as an emperor.”

The Crown Prince’s eyes wavered. Isana’s words seemed to have been quite a shock. Alisa was looking at him with completely moved eyes, shining brightly. I was probably making a similar face. “What should I do, Lapis? Our Isana is so cool!” I whispered, and Lapis clicked his tongue next to me. The gaze that fell upon me was as intense as if he were looking at a lovesick hedgehog.

Even after gaining the upper hand with just a few words, Isana still looked calm. His expression was gentle, but that made it even harder to read his emotions. The Crown Prince’s somewhat relaxed eyes turned cold. Everyone held their breath and watched the two powerful figures.

“Now that I think about it, you mentioned the stars of destiny?”

“…Yes, I did.”

“The Crown Prince may not know this, but someone from the Katers Empire came to visit me some time ago. It was Olivan von Danimer, the chief court magician. He asked for my help in finding the missing Crown Prince of his country.”

At the same time as the Crown Prince’s face hardened, the group behind him flinched. I looked at their group with a slightly bewildered feeling. Missing, you say. I thought it was a bit small for the Crown Prince’s entourage. He must have run away from the imperial palace without even informing them. I hadn’t realized it because he was a handsome young man with an overbearing tone, but when I thought about it, the Crown Prince of the Katers Empire was said to be the same age as Isana. In other words, he was not yet an adult. I suddenly felt like I had been unexpectedly hit in the back of the head.

“That day, Danimer also went on and on about a certain legend for a long time. It was about the star of the monarch and the star of the partner. It seems that the partner the Crown Prince is talking about is related to that. Does the Crown Prince also think that he was born under the star of the monarch?”

“Numerous astronomers and astrologers have repeatedly confirmed it. Your Majesty also knows that the astronomy of the Katers Empire is superior to that of any other country. There is no reason not to trust it.”

“Y-Your Highness!”

Asel, who was standing behind him, shouted with a panicked face. It was the face of someone who was trying his best to refrain from shouting, “Are you crazy right now!” It was appalling that he had not only elevated himself in front of the emperor of another empire but also mentioned the level of scholarship. Even Isana couldn’t hide his cold gaze this time.

“Even if you are the Crown Prince who has been designated as the heir to the throne, how dare you speak so boldly in front of me, the emperor. Is my confidence excessive? Do you think I’m a joke?”

“I did not intend to offend Your Majesty.”

He immediately shook his head, but neither his tone nor his expression showed any signs of shrinking. Right now, Isana’s status was higher, but Crown Prince Raon Hwizen was also destined to become the emperor of a powerful nation. Moreover, since their ages were similar, there would be no difference in experience or capabilities. From the Crown Prince’s point of view, there was no reason to be intimidated.

“Very well. To be honest, I’m not very interested in such legends. All I’ve judged is that the Crown Prince’s presence here is a unilateral action that has not been sufficiently discussed with his home country, and that the Crown Prince is so irresponsible that he has not considered the future at all. Therefore, I cannot condone such a Crown Prince trying to exercise his authority simply because of fate.”

However, even the arrogant Crown Prince could not refute what Isana was saying now. Isana said, as if driving a wedge into him, who was speechless with a lost expression.

“In the name of Isana, the Emperor of the Swalt Empire, Alisa will have her wishes respected above all else. As long as she wishes it, she will not be forced to leave this land.”

“…Is there no personal feeling in that decision of Your Majesty?”

“My personal feelings?”

“I heard that Your Majesty called her a precious person.”

“So?”

“Since I was young, I have heard about the star of the monarch until it was ingrained in my ears. And about the consequences that star brings.”

“As I said, I’m not interested in such legends.”

“No, I think you should listen. Because it seems that it is not unrelated to Your Majesty either.”

“…?”

“Do you perhaps know about the Prawas War?”

“Two hundred years ago, it was fought between the Katers Empire and the Alponf Empire…”

“Yes, that’s right. It was a war fought to possess one truly beautiful woman, named after the goddess of flowers, Prawas.”

Everyone’s eyes were on the Crown Prince’s mouth at the unexpected history lesson. His face was smiling, but his eyes were not smiling at all.

“Your Majesty said you were not interested, but the star of the partner and the star of the monarch have always appeared steadily. But only once have two stars of the monarch appeared on one star of the partner. One of them was my predecessor, and the other was a promising prime minister from the Alponf Empire: Obis, the Iron-Blooded Prime Minister, who started and led the Prawas War.”

“Why are you suddenly telling such a story…”

“Why do you think?”

“…”

That’s because there are two stars of the monarch in this generation too.

Muttering the answer that the Crown Prince didn’t properly tell me, I swallowed a groan inside. It was unusual from the start that he came all the way here to find the star of the partner, but he seemed to know more than I thought. Isana had a slightly stiff face. Since he was a bright guy, he would have quickly grasped the meaning of what he had just heard. He looked at Alisa with a slightly confused expression. Alisa was in a state of not knowing what was going on, looking helpless.

“I didn’t feel good when I heard that the star of the partner had already left her hometown. Trying to persuade through a rival, I was definitely foolish this time. When there are two stars of the monarch, the choice is up to the star of the partner. I forgot that I had to win her heart first, thinking that she was naturally mine.”

The Crown Prince, who spoke calmly, stared at Alisa. When she avoided his gaze, he smiled with a bitter face. It was a self-deprecating smile.

“I would like to ask just one last thing. Your Majesty said that you respect her wishes. Then, if she says she will go with me, will you just let her go then too?”

“…If that is what Alisa wants.”

“I hope you don’t forget that answer.”

It felt like electricity was sparking from the eyes of the two men who met. If they could cut something with their eyes, they would have both been rags long ago. The situation was already such that the words they exchanged were no different from weapons. I was glad that they still had to be polite to each other on the surface.