A Leisurely Tour of Reichland (1)
“Welcome to Reichland.”
There was no grand welcoming ceremony upon our arrival in Reichland.
After all, the spies had failed in their mission and were returning home. Luah and I had only brought a small number of attendants.
The situation didn’t call for a welcome, and I had no desire to receive one anyway.
But when I saw Luah’s eyes sparkling as she looked around, I figured we should at least take some time to sightsee.
“Do you want to look around the city?”
“Yes, yes! I really do!”
Luah nodded her head over and over.
After all, Reichland was the center of the world right now.
And it would likely remain so for the foreseeable future.
“Then let’s head to our lodging first.”
We parted ways with the diplomatic party and made our way to the lodging.
Though we had come at the Emperor’s invitation, no meeting had been scheduled.
They were watching us, but we clearly weren’t important enough for the Emperor to meet us in person yet.
The provided lodging was decent.
It was the kind the imperial family offered to important guests.
From the moment we stepped through the entrance, it was clear—this was the Empire.
After unpacking, I took care of the most urgent matter first.
“Luah, wait here for a moment.”
“Where are you going?”
“I have someone to meet.”
“You have someone to meet in this city?”
“No… Actually, it would be better if you came with me.”
The carriage we had ridden in, with the knights taking turns resting.
Inside that carriage, Alcmene was bound and being used as a makeshift prison.
“Goodness. Brother, who is this person?”
“Another spy who was hiding in our kingdom.”
I first removed the gag I had placed on Alcmene.
The moment it came off, she spat out harsh words.
“Kuh… Can you still call yourself the prince of the Knight Kingdom after doing something like this?”
“What does that matter? Unfortunately, I am.”
“So this little girl is Princess Luah. She’s not old enough to be shown something like this.”
“She’s old enough to know what she needs to know.”
Luah looked flustered by the sudden situation, but she didn’t take her eyes off Alcmene.
“Anyway, I was waiting for you to remove the gag.”
“What were you waiting to say?”
“I have a proposal.”
“A proposal to join forces with you and attack the Empire together?”
Alcmene’s sharp gaze softened for a moment.
“How did you know what I was going to say?”
“Sorry, but I already know where you came from and why you’re here. Alcmene.”
Alcmene looked completely stunned.
“W-What? How do you know my name?”
“You’re from Parta. A member of the Shadow Brigade under Nelaos’s command.”
“Are you actually a demon wearing the prince’s skin?”
“Nothing like that. You just spilled everything in your sleep talk.”
“I… I talked in my sleep?”
Of course, that was a lie.
She wouldn’t believe me if I said I had read her memories with magic, and there was no need to tell her that anyway.
The thought that she had revealed everything not through torture but through sleep talk made Alcmene shake her head, consumed by self-loathing.
“The order is a bit off, but I have a proposal for you. Join hands with us and—”
“No.”
“You’re rejecting me without even hearing me out? At least let me finish—”
“Parta can stand against the Empire because you’ve allied with the surrounding nations. Solea can’t.”
Alcmene’s expression turned blank.
“Not right now, that is.”
“You said ‘right now’? Does that mean you’re willing to fight alongside us in the future?”
When I planted that small seed, hope flickered back into Alcmene’s eyes.
But I had to crush that will completely here and now.
“Luah, what do you think? She wants Parta to fight alongside us.”
“That’s obviously an absurd proposal.”
“What does a little girl know? Hrk…!”
I instantly drew up my mana and pressed down on Alcmene.
Luah might be young, but she was still the princess of Solea and my little sister.
I couldn’t allow anyone to treat her so disrespectfully.
Alcmene was currently our captive, the one begging us for help, yet she dared to act so arrogant.
I needed to push her down further so she understood her place.
I poured even more mana into the pressure.
Alcmene was skilled enough to handle mana herself.
She would be able to sense the powerful mana moving right in front of her.
“Hrk, ugh…!”
The mana I had drawn up was roughly at the 7-Circle level.
Only then did fear appear in Alcmene’s eyes.
“Watch your tongue. I am the heir to Solea’s throne, and Luah is the princess. Remember your current situation and who you’re standing before. Otherwise, handing you over to the Empire is also an option for me.”
Faced with overwhelming power, Alcmene lowered her head deeply.
“So, Luah. Why is her proposal absurd?”
“First, for the reason you mentioned, Brother. Parta can oppose the Empire because they’ve formed an alliance with multiple nations, but we’re alone. There’s no force nearby that can help us.”
“Is there anything else?”
“We have nothing to gain by getting close to Parta. Nothing at all.”
“You hit the mark exactly. And besides…”
I grabbed Alcmene’s chin and lifted her head to meet her eyes.
“Nelaos never gave you orders to negotiate with Solea.”
“What are you saying? Lord Nelaos personally commanded me to—”
“You were only ordered to stir up anti-Empire sentiment among the people of Solea. But now you’re trying to negotiate with us—that’s just an excuse to escape.”
Alcmene stared silently into my eyes for a while, then closed them.
“Do as you wish.”
“Good. I’ll release you.”
“What?”
I personally undid Alcmene’s bindings.
“Return to Parta and tell Nelaos this: Solea will continue observing the situation for now. However, we will seriously ‘consider’ the option of joining forces with Parta.”
“I’ll make sure to pass that on.”
“And don’t even think about returning to Solea. How else would I have known you were following us?”
“Understood. Thank you sincerely for letting me go.”
Alcmene left the carriage with her spirit completely broken.
Luah belatedly let out a sigh of relief, clutching her chest.
“How did you end up capturing someone like that?”
“It was pure luck. An unexpected gain. Shall we start our tour now?”
Luah and I boarded the carriage reserved for honored guests once more.
Our destination was a famous restaurant.
“By the way, that was the first time I’ve seen you like that, Brother.”
“Like what?”
“Scary. Your voice was really low and threatening…”
“She kept running her mouth, so I had no choice. Were you scared of me too?”
At the question, Luah pressed her lips together and shook her head.
“Actually, I thought it was cool.”
“Of course. How could I not get angry when she called my princess a little girl?”
Luah smiled brightly and leaned her shoulder against me as she gazed out at the scenery beyond the window.
Reichland was certainly a bustling city.
Buildings of various architectural styles gathered together was only natural, and even the restaurants carried the Empire’s influence.
The restaurant we visited was quite high-class.
Thanks to Father sparing no expense and providing full financial support.
I deliberately ordered a course with many different dishes, each in small portions.
That way, we could taste dishes made with ingredients and spices from all over the world.
But there were simply too many varieties. Luah, whose palate was still young, found the new flavors quite unfamiliar.
Fortunately, most of the dishes could be finished in one or two bites.
“Ugh, this one’s too sour. How can you eat these dishes so casually, Brother?”
“I guess you could say I’ve matured.”
My body was fifteen, but my taste buds were over thirty.
Still, aside from being surprised by a few dishes, the restaurant lived up to its price.
Luah ate her fill and smiled contentedly while waiting for dessert.
“There were a lot of dishes whose flavors I couldn’t quite figure out, but they were still delicious.”
But her expression soon turned gloomy.
The pudding that came for dessert was so small that even half a bite would have finished it.
“Why is this so small?”
“It’s to accommodate people who are already full by this point. If you want more, you can order extra.”
While I explained, Luah had already eaten the pudding.
“Then please order more. I want to eat more.”
“No.”
“What? Why? Father said we could eat as much as we wanted, even if nothing else.”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying no.”
Luah, who looked ready to cry, seemed to sense something in my words and waited for what I would say next.
“There’s a pastry shop I know well. Let’s go there and eat all the sweets we want.”
At those words, Luah’s expression brightened again.
It was finally time to use the VIP ticket to Cafe Lyonnaise that I had been saving.