A Princess on the Run
"Is it really you, Your Highness the Princess?"
"You didn't even show your face, so how did you recognize me right away? I specifically told them not to say anything because I wanted to surprise you, but it seems I've been foiled."
"What happened? I heard you were in the imperial palace, so why are you here...? Did everything get resolved properly?"
"Hardly. I simply ran away. Fortunately, Priest Arthur sent exactly the right person at the right time, and that was a tremendous help."
"?!"
It was utterly shocking to watch Princess Reciel drop that bombshell so casually.
"You ran away? Then... are there people searching for you, Your Highness?"
"Indeed. But it's not as serious as it sounds. Now that I've reached the neutral zone, taking me back is impossible."
If pursuers arrived, she could simply flee into the labyrinth. Besides, moving soldiers freely in the neutral zone would create diplomatic headaches, so they would hesitate to do so. Still, no matter how logical it sounded, I couldn't view it in a purely positive light. Running away! It made the princess sound like some kind of fugitive.
"...Could I ask for a more detailed explanation of what happened?"
"Of course."
At my words, both of them lit up as if they'd been waiting for exactly this moment. They seemed delighted to have the chance to recount the magnificent heroic tale they'd created.
At first I'd assumed they'd been frugal with the activity funds I'd given them after arriving in such a wretched state, but the experiences they'd been through were far more extraordinary than anything I'd imagined.
"One moment. Before we begin, it might be best to move to a different location. This isn't exactly a place for resting, is it?"
Besides, it was an out-of-the-way warehouse. There was a real possibility someone might overhear our conversation.
"Excellent. That's precisely what I need most right now."
Naturally, the princess's expression brightened at the suggestion of changing locations. Given her haggard and filthy appearance, that reaction was only to be expected.
The two waited inside my lodging while I bought a mountain of food to feed them and carried it back. In the meantime, they'd changed out of their bedraggled clothes and washed up. Both now revealed their fair, pale skin.
"My clothes are a bit large on you, aren't they?"
All the spare clothes I owned were old and cheap, their quality so poor I couldn't possibly ask anyone to wear them.
"Now, may I hear the full story?"
"Haah... I'm not even sure where to begin...."
The absurd events that had taken place in the Deltrack Empire, the unjust rumors, and everything that had happened during their flight.
"You truly did all of that?"
I had told her to use any means necessary to reach this place, but she had taken those words completely to heart and carried out incredible feats. To get here, she had even resorted to cross-dressing and disguising herself as a beggar.
"I really tried everything. It was a refreshing experience. This will likely be the first and last time. A single act of rebellion doesn't seem so bad."
What surprised me was that despite all the hardship and exhaustion, Princess Reciel's reaction was far more positive than I'd expected.
"The moment I tricked the knights and shook them off was exhilarating."
It had been a dopamine-fueled adventure, so her excitement was understandable. But the important point was that the major problem still hadn't been resolved.
"The fact that you've come here means you intend to enter the labyrinth. What do you plan to do about the imperial palace? Are you simply going to leave it as is?"
Leaving Prince Loras, who was already gaining power, in the palace would be like abandoning a source of disaster. He might seize complete control and ensure the princess had nowhere to return to.
"There are far too many problems to solve. It's already overwhelming to focus on a single matter, yet this is truly serious."
The princess seemed to have many things weighing on her mind; her previously excited mood plummeted.
"Do you know about the situation with Prince Loras and the temple?"
I had assumed she would know, but since she'd been confined, it was possible she didn't.
"I've heard vague rumors. But I don't know the details. No one told me anything."
The court ladies would have given her appropriate answers if she'd asked. However, after being hurt by them, she hadn't wanted to speak with them at all.
"Actually, Prince Loras's matter might resolve more easily than you think."
"Easily? How?"
"I am convinced that Prince Loras has joined hands with the heretics. The Holy Empire will never stand by and allow someone who has allied with heretics to remain unchecked."
"The Deltrack Empire has already refused to hand him over."
It seemed Princess Reciel believed that even if the Holy Empire viewed Loras as a thorn in their side, they couldn't act without the empire's cooperation.
"They didn't simply refuse. They went so far as to attack the Holy Empire."
"What?"
She clearly hadn't known about the attack on the Holy Empire, judging by her startled expression.
"What do you mean?"
I carefully explained the current international situation between the Deltrack Empire and the Holy Empire.
"I had no idea. When I left, Prince Loras was still swaggering about freely."
"The Holy Empire will demand that the prince prove he has no connection to the heretics. If he ascends the throne without being able to prove it..."
It would mean war. They could not hand an entire nation over to heretics. They would do whatever it took to replace the emperor and purge every heretic infiltrating the Deltrack Empire.
"War, then."
"Yes. To avoid war, the Deltrack Empire will have no choice but to abandon Prince Loras."
"To think I was unaware of something so important..."
She regretted that if she'd known, she could have fought him from within instead of fleeing in secret.
"It must have been very difficult for you in the palace."
"It was. He was probably pressuring me even harder because his own position was precarious."
Before he could be attacked first, he had struck first to prevent any attacks against him. Even though the labyrinth subjugation had failed, Prince Loras was by no means incompetent.
"Thanks to that, I no longer have a single ally around me. Everyone went over to Prince Loras and reported everything I did to that bastard."
"Ah..."
"I never realized the imperial palace could be such a cold place. I've never felt so keenly that I had no one on my side as I did then."
Princess Reciel spoke in a gloomy voice, saying that everyone she had kept close must have either gone over to Prince Loras or been won over by him.
"Not everyone would have turned."
Just as the mercenary had gone through tremendous effort to make contact and eventually recruited a young court lady, there must still be people who hadn't fallen for Prince Loras's temptations.
"Even if there's the slightest possibility, I have no choice but to turn away. This isn't only my problem. My sister's future is at stake as well."
Since it wasn't just the two of them, she didn't go into detail about Princess Canaby. I wondered whether I should say anything, but I decided to speak because it might offer some comfort.
"Among the heretics' abilities is a method to manipulate people's minds. They enjoy toying with others, shaking their sanity until even upright people act exactly as they wish."
That was why heretics were so dangerous. It wouldn't matter if they only ruined their own lives, but they dragged everyone around them down as well.
"If someone you trusted suddenly betrayed you, then perhaps..."
"It could have been the heretics' doing?"
"Yes."
The princess fell silent for a moment before smiling.
"Priest Arthur truly is kind."
"Pardon?"
"I know you said it to comfort me. It could be true, but it might not be. Still, hearing your words has eased my heart considerably."
Since it could be either true or false, simply deciding to believe it had happened that way was better for her peace of mind in many ways.
"The Holy Empire, furious over that incident, will deal with Prince Loras."
"I hope it turns out exactly as you say. However, I cannot afford to think only of the best-case scenario. There's no way Prince Loras will remain idle."
"Whatever he tries, opposing the Holy Empire is reckless. He doesn't fully understand what it means to be suspected of allying with heretics."
He had touched the one area the Holy Empire could never retreat from and had even attempted to pressure them using other empires. Even if he hadn't actually joined hands with heretics, he had crossed a line that could not be overlooked.
How many old fossils are there in the Holy Empire anyway...
Explaining the internal affairs of the Holy Empire in detail felt too uncomfortable, so I stopped there. We still had plenty to discuss right now.
"By the way, what do you plan to do going forward?"
"Honestly, nothing is registering in my mind at the moment. I never thought I'd actually make it here. I was certain I'd be caught along the way."
"Didn't I tell you? I said you could do it. And you pulled it off spectacularly."
She had been quietly focused on eating when she suddenly spoke up.
"Ah, now that I think about it, I haven't mentioned this. The reason I was able to reach this place is entirely thanks to Marichel. Escape would have been impossible if I'd been alone. I might have run away somehow, but I would have been caught immediately. So I'm thinking of giving her a personal reward. Is that all right?"
"Do as you wish. You don't need to ask my permission for such things in the future either."
She wasn't my subordinate, nor was she a junior priestess from the temple. Why ask for my approval to give someone a reward?
"Still, isn't she someone you hired with your own money? This is basic courtesy."
I believed I had observed Princess Reciel's personality to a reasonable degree. The way she was acting now suggested there was another motive behind it.
"Ah, no, it's fine. I've already received compensation."
Actually, the fact that Reciel was addressing her so familiarly by name was already unusual.
I was worried she might have developed distrust toward people after being hurt so badly, but it seems that concern was unnecessary.
I had thought this incident would breed distrust in others, but that didn't appear to be the case. Instead, she was clearly trying to bring Marichel into her own circle, perhaps to move forward in a more positive direction.