Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: [Light Seeker]
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"Are you reluctant to leave, miss?"
Reins, sitting beside her, curled one corner of her mouth as she asked. Isabella shook her head vigorously.
"It's not like that, Reins."
"Oh my. Then what is it?"
At Reins's teasing, Isabella clamped her mouth shut.
But Isabella's gaze was fixed toward the imperial palace.
A lone man fighting in isolation within the palace.
The image of that man, who must have lived that way for decades already, lingered in her mind.
If it were me, I would've given up long ago.
She could sense the imperial family's intentions to belittle and undermine him however they could.
Yet amid such people, he shone brilliantly.
Utterly unperturbed by the malicious rumors and attitudes.
Could she have done the same if she were in his place?
No, she couldn't have.
Fighting against prejudice is no easy task. People instinctively reject those different from themselves. They try to trample and crush them.
Reinhardt had shown her how to face such people.
Composure.
It was composure.
The certainty that no matter how they thrashed about, he wouldn't crumble.
A firm resolve in himself!
Over the past three days, Isabella had learned from Reinhardt not just how to wield a sword, but how to battle prejudice as well.
"Have you made up your mind, miss?"
Reading Isabella's expression, Reins asked in a worried voice.
Isabella nodded.
"It won't be an easy fight."
"I'll always be by your side."
"Thank you. That gives me strength."
"There are many mountains to climb, but surely they won't try to kill you over it?"
"Everyone will oppose me becoming a knight. My mother too."
"...You might lose a few arguments."
It wasn't as if there were no records of women becoming knights.
Nor was there any law forbidding them from learning the sword.
But both were socially taboo.
Isabella would fight against that societal prejudice.
She had nearly given up, but seeing Reinhardt changed her mind.
He hadn't given up despite being in an even worse situation. If she quit just because of her gender, he'd laugh at her.
—If you want to learn proper swordsmanship, seek out the mercenary 'Samilia' from Maan. She'll teach you customized techniques suited to you, not the male-oriented ceremonial swordplay.
And she'd even gotten a hint.
I'll come back.
Stronger, with my head held high.
To meet that lonely crown prince.
She wanted to be a friend who could at least support one of his arms.
She brushed off all the bad rumors about him.
Corrected her prejudices.
Then irritation toward the imperial family that tormented him welled up.
It's not Crown Prince Reinhardt who's mad. It's the imperial family.
'That crazy bastard...!'
Empress Josephine bit her lip.
She wanted to hurl curses at him, but he was who he was.
And above all, the situation was what it was.
"You seem uncomfortable, Empress."
"N-no, Your Highness. I-I'm not uncomfortable at all."
"They say strong denials are affirmations. Speak up if you're ever uncomfortable. I'll leave without hesitation."
"Ho... hoho! How could I ever be uncomfortable around Your Highness the Crown Prince? Come anytime, treat this place like your own home."
Veins bulged on her neck.
For a moment, she checked where her sword was.
Her eyes fell on a taxidermied deer mounted on the wall.
Pulling out those antler decorations would reveal a long rapier.
She wanted to draw the rapier and stab him right then.
But she had to endure.
For Carmen's sake.
Reinhardt was the only one who could cure her son.
"Your own home, you say. Hearing that puts my mind at ease. Very well. I'll drop by for tea or a meal whenever I feel like it."
Please don't.
She knew it was empty talk, but he said it anyway.
It infuriated her to no end.
Early in the morning, Reinhardt knocked on the door of the Lion Palace.
Even for another member of the imperial family, it was normal to seek permission first.
It wouldn't be odd to rebuke him for his lack of manners, but since it was for Carmen's treatment, she had nothing to say.
As he strolled down the corridor, Reinhardt marveled.
"By the way, the Lion Palace is far more refined than my own. The artistic sense is extraordinary. Did you decorate it yourself, Empress?"
"Yes, I... Ah, don't touch that."
Crash!
A porcelain piece crafted by the genius artisan Atlluyen from 500 years ago shattered on the floor.
Its beauty and historical value were priceless.
It was an artwork among artworks that Josephine had personally tracked down and negotiated for.
"Oh dear. Since my palace doesn't have such things, I touched it absentmindedly. My apologies. But don't people usually secure these so they don't fall?"
"Ahh..."
Josephine staggered.
It felt like anemia was setting in.
"This painting next to it is splendid too. But what's this button?"
"No...!"
Click.
She screamed, but it was too late.
The red button beneath the painting.
p]Riiip!
Pressing it caused the painting to crumple and tear apart.
It was the work of the era's greatest painter, dubbed the 'Painter of Destruction,' whose face and name were unknown.
Everyone hailed him as the best not just for his style's beauty.
His works were everywhere, yet always ready to vanish.
They were rigged to be destroyed by human greed or curiosity.
Beauty should be enjoyed naturally by all.
Leaving it as is was the most beautiful, per his philosophy.
Thus, they were hard to obtain and fetched astronomical prices at auctions.
Josephine had gone to the black market herself, enduring great hardship to acquire it.
Devastated.
Empress Josephine leaned against the wall, half-collapsing as she stared at the shredded painting.
Someone kill him...
Her love for art was genuine.
Strolling the corridors and immersing herself in their world through imagination had been her joy.
And now, the crown prince had destroyed that joy.
"My apologies. My palace lacks such things, so I was careless. Perhaps we should do the treatment another time."
"I-it's f-fine, cough, Your Highness."
Forcing herself up by gripping the wall, she called for servants.
"Is anyone there?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Clean this up. ...And collect the fragments separately."
"Yes."
The maids waiting nearby hurried in at her voice.
She wanted to order them to slice him in half and toss him out, but barely restraining herself, Empress Josephine cautiously instructed them to tidy up.
Only after reaching Carmen's room could she finally exhale in relief.
But seeing Carmen darkened her expression again.
"For some reason, he won't wake up. Even the imperial physicians and the Master of the Tower of Light can't find the cause."
Carmen lay on the bed as if asleep.
They said he hadn't woken at all since his rampage.
[The unauthorized nanomachines lost due to 'Forced Adsorption' are affecting his body.]
[The remaining unauthorized nanomachines are attracting surrounding nanomachines to replenish the loss.]
[20 hours until full recovery.]
I took Carmen's hand.
According to Zero, he'd wake in 20 hours.
It meant his body was recovering the mana I'd forcibly taken.
Even though the amount wasn't much, restoration took far longer.
But there seemed to be no other major issues.
I frowned.
"This is quite serious."
"Wh-why, Your Highness? Is there a problem with Prince Carmen?"
"A very big one. Today will be the crisis point."
"Ahh!"
She staggered again.
[Anemia is caused by oxygen and iron deficiency. For reference, iron-rich foods include beef, egg yolks, spinach, broccoli, etc.]
Sometimes Zero provided interpretations and info without being asked.
Any knowledge that might help me.
"Please, I beg you, Your Highness. Save Prince Carmen."
"That's not difficult. But are you sure?"
"Pardon?"
"I'm asking if you're truly okay with me handling Carmen's treatment."
I asked with a blank expression.
That one sentence carried many implications.
The meaningful hint that I knew what you'd done.
Empress Josephine's face wavered for an instant.
"What... do you mean?"
"You haven't sent the medicine these past few days."
"Medicine?"
"The medicine you sent to cure my mania. I heard you personally intervened."
The opposite, actually.
Empress Josephine had sent drugs to exacerbate my mania.
The narcotic 'Devil's Whisper' that scrambled the mind and clouded judgment.
The one with such potent addiction that a single taste turned people into wrecks.
But I didn't reveal the truth.
She wore an even more confused expression.
A secret operation. She'd never dreamed I'd know.
Right now, her mind must be racing: 'Who told the crown prince?'
And endless doubt: 'Does he really know?'
But just from her face, I could tell who was behind it.
"I'll ask once more. Is it alright for me to treat Carmen?"
Realizing the intent behind my words, waves crashed in her eyes.
Admit it. Kneel.
That was the only way to save Carmen.
"...Please."
She knelt.
Tears welled in her eyes.
Whether from resentment toward me or not, I didn't know.
But clearly, her maternal love to save her son ran deep.
Now she was firmly leashed. Collared too.
—Please spare him, Your Majesty. Please save my son, I beg you!
—Please, brother! Kill me, but spare my mother!
In the past, I'd beheaded both.
Persistent Josephine, who'd tormented me endlessly, had her head severed before Carmen's eyes and hung at the castle gates.
Her body fed to dogs.
Was it because my mind had cleared?
Suddenly, memories from my mania-crazed days resurfaced.
Bitter taste in my mouth, but I wouldn't walk that path again.
"Empty words won't do."
Of course, I had no intention of letting it slide nicely.
I wouldn't kill them, but that didn't mean I'd let them off easy.
"What must I offer?"
"Hm. Well. Anything you can provide, I can get on my own."
True enough.
Whatever she could obtain, I could too.
Except for one thing.
Just one thing I couldn't get.
"That will do nicely."
"Th-that's... His Majesty's gift to... "
[Light Seeker].
A gift directly bestowed by the emperor on Third Prince Carmen.
It lay rolling beside the bed.
Even the imperial family hadn't unraveled its secrets yet.
But I knew.
What secret lay within that staff.
"Naturally, I can't take His Majesty's gift. I'm just borrowing it for a bit."
"...Understood, Your Highness."
"Then let's begin the treatment."
Pretending to treat him, I took his hand and eyed the [Light Seeker].
I won't be returning it.
I had to destroy it.
The real contents were inside that staff.
Traces of the great light mage and the spirit that followed him.
End of [Light Seeker]