Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 354

354.

“You mean touching to check body temperature. It feels a bit strange the first time. I felt the same way.”

“…You mean.”

“I mean I haven’t gotten used to it for long either. I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable. I might believe what others say is okay, but I can’t take the Crown Prince’s words at face value.”

“…What…”

“Royals are good at hiding their condition. Because of that habit, I had many uncomfortable moments during my travels. Every time, my friend would touch me and check. Thanks to that, I learned. When dealing with someone who doesn’t show their true colors, touch them first.”

“…”

“Fortunately, it wasn’t a lie. I was relieved it wasn’t pain. Ah, but you still need to eat.”

Raonhwi Jen fell silent again at the softly smiling face. His face hardened slightly, but not because of the unpleasant feeling as before. Rather, he was more unsure of how to treat him. The appearance that he had only felt uncomfortable with before no longer bothered him as much. He was aware that he himself had lost his edge. It had all started after the conversation they had that day.

“Come to think of it, I’m late in greeting you. I was flustered because I heard that everything was settled while I was unconscious. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“I don’t think you need to thank me for that. Both you and I were just lucky.”

“But why did I faint that day?”

“…Well, you just suddenly collapsed. Do you remember anything?”

“I only know that I lost consciousness at some point. I know that the carriage stopped suddenly, but I don’t remember anything after that.”

“Hmm, I see. Maybe there was a side effect from the anesthetic. Should you get a checkup from a military doctor?”

Isana’s face, saying that, was awkwardly furrowed. He looked to be in a complicated mood, but Raonhwi Jen didn’t find it strange. If someone with the status of the next emperor were to be disabled by this incident, it wouldn’t just be a matter of things getting bigger. That was probably what Isana was most concerned about right now.

Strictly speaking, Raonhwi Jen was more at fault for visiting a country in the midst of a civil war. Moreover, since someone under his command was involved, he wasn’t in a position to protest confidently. However, these issues of gains and losses don’t inherently involve rational thinking. Just the fact that it happened within the Emperor’s army camp made it difficult for Isana, the commander-in-chief, to avoid responsibility. It was unlikely that only one or two people had plotted this. It was an operation that required all the timing and movements to align, something that a small number of people couldn’t plan. If one were to start blaming him for not noticing sooner, there were plenty of things to nitpick. If it had been the old him, he would have tried to sort out the rights and wrongs first. But now, strangely, he didn’t have any particular thoughts. It was amazing how so many things changed just because his perspective had changed.

“Since you recommend it, I will get a checkup. But I will make sure that His Majesty doesn’t have to worry about anything.”

Isana’s expression became strange at the words he said to ease the burden. Until now, he had just been asking about his well-being formally, but this time, he genuinely looked concerned about his condition. Raonhwi Jen, not wanting to enjoy the awkward feeling for long, quickly changed the subject.

“Come to think of it, I heard you arrested a noble.”

“Ah, you mean Baron Liam. I won’t bother hiding it. He is one of those involved in this. I’ve shaken him down, but there’s not much to gain. The sentence will be carried out tomorrow morning.”

Isana’s expression was calm as he answered. It wasn’t unusual for traitors to appear during wartime, but it wouldn’t be a welcome experience. Especially since all the nobles in the advance party were said to be from families that faithfully served the late emperor. They were all traditionalists and had spared no support for Isana to become emperor. Even though a member of that group had betrayed him, Isana didn’t seem to care much. It was proof that he was used to this kind of thing.

“You said that Your Majesty also faced assassination threats from a young age.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“In that way… If you have many enemies around you, don’t you become suspicious?”

“…?”

“I was. As I said before, I couldn’t trust anyone around me.”

The following words were closer to a confession. Isana just stared calmly and didn’t say anything. Raonhwi Jen felt a strange sense of relief at that quiet reaction.

“I saw everything I received from others as suspicious. I always avoided places with many people. I couldn’t even bring myself to go to the training ground where my knights trained. I thought they might throw a blind sword [a sudden, unexpected attack] under the guise of sparring.”

“…”

“It was hard to tell who was on my side and who wasn’t. So I thought it would be better to be wary of everyone. I only ever had guards that I personally chose. But even so, this happened…”

Even now, he couldn’t believe his subordinate’s betrayal. He didn’t know when he had decided to change his mind. Whether he had been bought off by the Grand Duke on the day he contacted him, or whether there was another person behind him from the beginning. He had killed himself as soon as he was caught, so he hadn’t been able to confirm the details. The important thing was that he hadn’t noticed anything until then. He felt extremely anxious that he wouldn’t be able to trust anyone anymore. As if to soothe him, a low voice continued.

“I probably wouldn’t be much different. It’s natural not to trust. It was hard to believe.”

“…But you don’t seem that way at all. You’re close to the Imperial Guard, aren’t you?”

“Well, that’s because I experienced that dawn.”

“…?”

“Originally, there were over a hundred Imperial Guards. But now, there are only about ten left by my side. All of them died trying to protect me. In front of my eyes, they were hit by arrows and swords flying at me instead, and I saw them collapse, coughing up blood, with my own two eyes.”

“Ah…”

“That day, Cade was also injured in my place. His injuries were so severe that it was a miracle he survived. All of them are benefactors who saved my life.”

“So you trust them?”

“Well, to be honest, it’s not that I trust them.”

He had expected him to say of course, but the answer was different from what he had expected. Raonhwi Jen couldn’t hide his confused feelings and looked at Isana.

“If you don’t trust them…”

“I just don’t care, I guess.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t care if I give them my life. After all, if it weren’t for them, I would have died that day.”

Raonhwi Jen’s mouth opened unconsciously. Isana chuckled at his face, which showed his astonishment.

“You have a face that says you never imagined I would give such an answer.”

“…Isn’t that obvious? Since ancient times, emperors have been said to be made by gods. Those in that position must consider their own lives as a mission. It may be a rude remark, but I think Your Majesty lacks the awareness of being an emperor.”

“That’s a really rude thing to say. I thought the Crown Prince would say that.”

“Honestly, I can’t understand Your Majesty at all by my standards. The path of the emperor that I think of and the path of the emperor that Your Majesty thinks of seem very different.”

“That’s what I think too.”

“…But, I know that Your Majesty is a good person.”

The last words were closer to a murmur, but Isana, who was right in front of him, heard them clearly. Isana, who had a surprised expression, soon burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Raonhwi Jen stared diligently at the innocent floor. He immediately regretted the words he had blurted out without realizing it, but they were sincere. Even if his subordinates died protecting him in front of his eyes, he didn’t have the confidence to say that. Being able to give up one’s life regardless of trust was impossible without cherishing them that much. In Raonhwi Jen’s eyes, it was a more solid expression of trust than the word trust. Although it may not be the ideal image of an emperor, it was hard to deny that Isana was a lord who was personally worthy of respect.

“Shall we get along?”

“…Excuse me?”

However, he never imagined that his personality would be displayed in this way. The moment he heard the following words, Raonhwi Jen doubted his ears. Isana smiled brightly at him, who was flustered and raised his head.

“I mean, we were born under the same star of destiny. When you think about it, there doesn’t seem to be a stronger connection than that, does there? I think it’s a waste to interpret that only as a competitive relationship.”

“A waste… you say?”

“Yes, it’s a great waste. Being the same destiny also means that you can understand each other best, right?”

Raonhwi Jen had a blank expression on his face. He had never thought of it that way. The divided star of the emperor had always been a test for him to prove his worth. A value that could only be recognized as a true emperor by winning the other’s star first. Only winners and losers existed in the result. It was naturally unimaginable to get along with each other. What Isana had just said was shaking his entire life. However, Isana, who had detonated a large explosive, didn’t seem to be interested in his answer. Raonhwi Jen couldn’t continue thinking because he immediately changed the subject.

“Ah. Come to think of it, I came to visit because I had something to say, but the small talk got long.”

“…?”

“In the past, the sage Daniel had come to me. He wanted help finding the Crown Prince’s whereabouts.”

The moment he heard the name, Raonhwi Jen reflexively frowned. He could feel Isana keenly watching that reaction, but he couldn’t hide his expression.

“Today, I received another call from him. This time, he was talking about the Crown Prince’s return. He seemed concerned that the issue of the star of destiny would lead to discord between the empires.”

“…He said that?”

“Yes. The funny thing is, when he came to me, he didn’t even know where the star of destiny was. For the record, I haven’t told him anything on my side, either then or now.”

“…”

A hot breath boiled up from his stomach. Raonhwi Jen clenched his fists tightly and slowly repeated the process of loosening them. He finally felt like he knew whose influence his subordinate, who had betrayed him, had been under. Isana also confirmed his guess when he saw Raonhwi Jen’s face, which had hardened terribly.

“Isn’t Daniel the Crown Prince’s teacher?”

“…His eldest daughter is married to my second younger brother. Now that the precious daughter he had late in life has become a member of the imperial family, he must be coveting the position of the emperor’s father-in-law.”

“Ah.”

Isana swallowed a bitter smile as he grasped the whole situation. The sage Daniel’s actions had been suspicious from the beginning. He had tried to handle the enormous fact that the Crown Prince had disappeared on his own, but he was also bothered by the fact that he was reciting detailed information about the Crown Prince of his own country in front of Isana, the emperor of another empire. The star of the emperor and the star of destiny were sensitive topics to mention in other empires. If he was called a sage, he could have asked for help in a more sensible way. But that day, Daniel’s remarks were unreserved. He exaggeratedly praised the Crown Prince and spared no expression of how special he was. It was as if he was deliberately trying to provoke Isana.

In fact, Isana recognized the Crown Prince as a threatening presence at that moment. If he had been of a jealous and cruel nature, he would have had other thoughts at that moment. Naturally, he had no choice but to suspect Daniel’s intentions. That’s why he didn’t tell him anything even after meeting Raonhwi Jen.

“I tried to see him as a foolish man with extreme love for his disciple, but it’s a pity. It seems that he has become quite anxious because the spy he planted was discovered, judging by the fact that he recklessly revealed his identity.”

“He must have thought he could join hands with Your Majesty. He must have thought you would be hostile to me.”

“Not knowing that I was actually telling him to get along.”

“…”

Isana chuckled again at Raonhwi Jen, who had closed his mouth as if he was speechless.

“Anyway, now that I know that Daniel is involved in this, I need to find out when he started having a close relationship with the Grand Duke.”

“…? Wasn’t it when I met the Grand Duke?”

“I wish it were that, but…”

“Are you saying that because Your Majesty believes that Daniel had a close relationship with the Grand Duke before that?”

“I’m just keeping all possibilities open. Ah, right. By any chance, has the Crown Prince ever heard of people called Ilya?”

“Ilya, you say?”

At that moment, Raonhwi Jen’s expression changed noticeably. Isana, who noticed the meaning, gave a slightly distorted smile.

“Oh. It seems like I got an answer more easily than I thought. I should have asked the Crown Prince from the beginning.”

“…Wait, please wait a moment. Ilya, why is that name coming up here?”

“It’s what Baron Liam, who was caught as a spy, confessed. He said that there are people who the Grand Duke has been using for a long time, and they are called Ilya.”

Raonhwi Jen’s face, which had been stunned by the shock, hardened again.

“That… that can’t be. Ilya is…”

“How does the Crown Prince know Ilya?”

“The Ilya I know is the name of a theological research society sponsored by Adris.”

“Theological research society?”

“It’s a very ordinary gathering, just like the name. I remember seeing them a few times when they came to give lectures at the academy, and they were closer to scholars or religious people. It must be a different group with the same name as the ones the Grand Duke uses.”

“Well. Adris, isn’t that the name of the Second Prince?”

“…That’s right.”

“The sage Daniel, who is the father-in-law of the Second Prince, was involved in this, and it turns out that those who have the same name as the group sponsored by that Second Prince are also involved. I think the Crown Prince knows what this means.”

“I know it well enough. But I don’t think it’s an impossible coincidence at all. Names can overlap, can’t they?”

“Maybe so. Ah, by the way, does that research society use the symbol of Kraze as its symbol? I don’t know if you know, but it looks like a human eye.”