Mediation (1)
The Inquisitors appeared a little earlier than expected, somehow knowing that my master’s treatment had concluded. “I told you it would take a week. Why have you come so soon?”
They looked far more haggard than when I had seen them a week ago. I had already guessed they had been through quite an ordeal after chasing after Prince Loras. “We lost Prince Loras,” one of them reported, confirming my suspicions.
“Oh dear. Then it seems Prince Loras has safely returned to the Deltrack Empire.”
“Yes. That appears to be the case.”
“Did you at least encounter him?” my master asked in a relaxed tone from his hospital bed, as if he had expected as much. The Inquisitor, who had seemed reluctant to answer at first, surprisingly responded without hesitation. “It felt as though we were bewitched. We thought we had him cornered, yet we could only find traces of him.”
“See? I told you he wouldn’t go down easily.”
“It seems certain that Prince Loras possesses something unusual.”
Fortunately, the Inquisitors did not stubbornly deny the facts. Even while dismissing the idea of a demon as a lie, they at least acknowledged that the prince wielded some strange power.
“What will you do now? You missed the perfect chance to kill him.”
“That is our concern. Since the treatment is complete, would you accompany us for questioning?”
The Inquisitor, remembering the original purpose of their visit, addressed my master. In response, my master proudly displayed his newly regenerated arm. “It turned out quite well, didn’t it?”
“…You truly are remarkable.”
“This boy here is the youngest Chief Healer. Even so, this isn’t something even the youngest Chief Healer could achieve alone.”
I hadn’t expected my master to suddenly start praising me in front of them. He was laying the groundwork for the plan we had discussed earlier.
“This disciple of mine has a bright future ahead. It would be wise for all of you to stay on his good side.”
“I simply don’t want my master to be unjustly oppressed.”
“It will be an investigation, not an interrogation.”
Though he claimed it would only be an investigation, I was no fool to believe the process wouldn’t resemble an interrogation.
“I certainly hope so.”
In the end, my master left with the Inquisitors without even finishing his rehabilitation. I trusted he would handle things well, but I couldn’t help feeling uneasy. He was the kind of person who could cause trouble without warning. Still, it was because of me that he ended up in this situation, so I couldn’t shirk responsibility. I prayed fervently that he would return safely and that he wouldn’t stir up too much trouble.
* * *
“The Holy Empire might help me? I don’t understand what you mean.”
We couldn’t be sure if our plan would succeed, but we couldn’t proceed without consulting the person involved. After my master disappeared with the Inquisitors, I went straight to Princess Reciel. With the Inquisitor who had been guarding and watching me gone, I could move about freely.
“Of course, this assumes everything goes smoothly.”
“Well… I appreciate the offer, but it’s not something I can accept so readily.”
Princess Reciel didn’t welcome the idea immediately. Instead, she replied that she needed time to think. It was the reaction I had expected. Why would the Holy Empire offer help without strings attached? After all the underhanded diplomacy they had pulled, which led to the recent chaos, they would surely try to extract something in return for their assistance.
“I understand why you’d be cautious. I’m also worried that the Holy Empire might use this as an excuse to interfere too much. Still, I believe this proposal could be a good breakthrough, especially since you currently have no other options.”
We couldn’t afford to waste time here indefinitely.
“So my situation is bad enough that I have to accept this risk.”
“I’m sorry.”
Pointing out an unpleasant truth was bound to cause discomfort, especially when the situation was truly dire. Normally, someone fanning the flames of an already burning house would be resented. But I knew Princess Reciel wasn’t the type to dislike me for it, so I spoke honestly. As expected, she shook her head.
“No, there’s no need to apologize. That’s simply the reality. I had planned to tell you about my situation when we met again. It’s not exactly good news.”
As I suspected, Princess Reciel’s efforts hadn’t gone well.
“It would be ridiculous to reject your help outright when you didn’t even bring good news. I won’t force the issue just because it feels uncomfortable.”
Though the idea was repulsive, she understood her situation was unfavorable and chose not to resist. The young princess had grown remarkably mature, handling matters that even adults found difficult.
“Besides, you probably already anticipated this situation, didn’t you?”
“…I simply thought it could be mutually beneficial.”
I decided against denying it, worried that doing so might cast doubt on her abilities. In truth, our circumstances aligned perfectly, creating an opportunity that could help both sides. My master would be released safely, and it would provide Princess Reciel with a breakthrough in her otherwise hopeless situation.
“There’s a high chance Prince Loras is using some unholy power. If that’s true, your chances of defeating him are slim. That’s why you need the Holy Empire’s help.”
“Unholy power…”
“No one is better equipped to deal with Prince Loras than the Holy Empire. They won’t tolerate him, and you can use that to your advantage.”
“Is it appropriate for a priest to suggest using his own nation?”
I shrugged in response.
“Officially, they’ll likely frame it as supporting me to maintain appearances. And I’ll benefit from it in my own way.”
“I’ll consider it positively. Thank you for the suggestion.”
“I’ve made the proposal, but I’m not certain my superiors will accept it. So please don’t get your hopes up too high. For now, just know that such an option exists.”
“Understood.”
Knowing that this wouldn’t be without benefit to me seemed to ease Princess Reciel’s mind.
“Besides, our goals are different, aren’t they?”
Princess Reciel wasn’t entering the Labyrinth out of ambition for the throne. She wanted to save Princess Canaby. But others would assume she was after the crown. How could they imagine otherwise? Even if she stated her true purpose directly, everyone would suspect her of lying. Royals were seen as ruthless when it came to power, after all. That prejudice would actually protect both Princess Reciel and Princess Canaby.
“Yes, you’re right. We just need to achieve our goals.”
“Of course.”
In reality, it made no sense for the Deltrack Empire’s succession to be decided by the Holy Empire’s backing. Princess Reciel could always claim she had tried her best but failed, wiping her hands clean of the matter. Since her actions would outwardly appear aimed at the throne, there would be no issues. And once Princess Canaby awakened…
‘From then on, the game will change.’
Princess Canaby wouldn’t stay idle. Though Princess Reciel was capable, she still lacked the reassuring presence of Princess Canaby. And I believed Princess Canaby could handle Prince Loras effectively.
“By the way, I have a question.”
“A question?”
“What happened between those two…?”
Princess Reciel had said she would resolve the issue between the two of them, but something felt off.
“It’s gotten quite cold between them.”
The once-close bond between the sisters had turned icy.
“Hmm… about that.”
Looking awkward, as if it was difficult to explain, Princess Reciel scratched her head. “Things didn’t go as planned. Somehow, we ended up fighting. It’s mostly my fault.”
“That can’t be true. You’ve done nothing wrong. The problem is her.”
I never expected Marichel to so bluntly criticize her own sister.
“What did I do wrong? You’re the one who messed up!”
“What exactly did I do wrong?”
“You suddenly yelled at me. You got angry!”
Oh dear. This was about to turn into another fight. It seemed the two still hadn’t resolved their grudges, and my presence had reignited the flames.
“Why are you fighting? Let’s hear what happened first.”
I had to choose whether to let the resentment fester or bring it out into the open. I chose the latter. After all, I had already planned to clear up the misunderstanding between them. Since I had anticipated this, it wasn’t difficult or awkward.
“She got angry at me over nothing.”
“How is that nothing? When did I ever tell you to earn money? I said I’d let you enjoy everything you couldn’t before, so do whatever you want! Why are you sneaking around behind my back, working yourself to the bone and making me worry!?”
I understood the situation now. The younger sister had started preparing for independence, unable to hold back any longer. From what I could gather, she hadn’t been out playing but working instead.
‘To become independent, you need money.’
Since her guardian had been absent for so long, it wouldn’t have been easy to start working. But who would be happy about their sister, who had nearly died from illness, taking on grueling labor? Moreover, she was working hard to create a better life for her sister who had been brought back from the brink of death. It was obvious how the older sister must have felt, and I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.