351. Princess Cecilia
351. Princess Cecilia
***
"I greet the Grand Duke."
I spared only a brief glance at the title "Grand Duke" before I opened my mouth.
"Leira."
The moment I saw her, the name of this female knight and her current position came to mind naturally.
Leira, deputy commander of the Imperial Knight Order. And the commander was probably still that bastard.
"Yes. Your Grace."
Leira's expression as she answered had already completely changed.
Her face, which had been bright until just before she was startled, was now stiff enough for anyone to see, and her voice was plainly tense as well.
But I didn't find it strange at all. I had risen to the dizzying position of Grand Duke and hadn't treated them comfortably. So how could they possibly treat me comfortably?
Back then, the expressions of others who faced me were usually not much different from Leira's now.
"..."
Leira, whose eyes met mine—what was she so afraid of? I could see her blue pupils trembling uncontrollably. But even so, Leira didn't avoid my gaze. She must be making the effort because she knew that such an act itself would be rude.
So I didn't bother with other words and got straight to the point.
"Where is the Princess right now?"
Like I would have back then.
In the manner I would have spoken.
"Her Highness... is in the annex, as far as I know."
When I glanced away, the sky above the imperial palace was tinged with sunset. At the word "annex," a place came vaguely to mind, and I thought it was just like Cecilia.
The time seemed to be between day and evening. She had always stayed there at that hour.
"In the annex, is it. Leira, do you have any other schedule after this?"
When I spoke calmly, Leira blinked her faintly trembling eyes once and answered.
"No. I don't. I will guide you."
She answered as if she had read my intent, and I nodded without a word.
...
And so I walked through the imperial palace with Leira as my guide.
From Leira, walking ahead of me, came the sound of armor joints meshing, distinctive of a knight in plate, and it stirred old memories.
Entrusting someone with guiding my way was something that had rarely happened in the past, but now I deemed it necessary.
Considering that she addressed me as Grand Duke and that the location was the imperial palace, many things seemed the same as the past. But thinking of the unexpected figures I had encountered in Phase 3, I couldn't regard it as exactly the same, so there might be variables I didn't know about.
Walking through the imperial palace like that, I came across a variety of people.
"I greet the Grand Duke."
"You are as beautiful as ever, Your Grace."
Looking at the people who greeted me first each time we met, at some point I began responding with only a small nod.
Among them were many people I knew, but I also often saw figures who made me wonder whether they had existed at all. Then, perhaps they found Leira in front of me curious, they gave me slightly odd looks.
They seemed to find it curious that I, who had always acted alone, was now accompanied by someone, and it made me wonder anew how I had gotten by back then.
...
"His Grace has stated that he has business here."
"Understood. Would you wait a moment? I will relay the message."
At Leira's words, the imperial knight standing guard before the exceedingly lavish door answered with courtesy.
Knock, knock.
Then the knight carefully knocked, and soon the annex door opened. A woman in neat attire who appeared to be the Princess's attendant revealed herself, and after confirming me and Leira, she wore a slightly startled expression.
After exchanging quiet words with the imperial knight, the attendant went back inside to seek permission.
I figured the Princess's permission would come down before long, but then I saw Leira in front of me looking at me with hesitant air.
"..."
When our eyes met, Leira silently conveyed her intent.
Her eyes seemed to ask whether she could leave now that the guiding was done, and I was about to nod absently when my mind changed in an instant.
"I will go see Her Highness, so you wait here."
At that, Leira blinked blankly and looked at me as if she didn't understand.
"...Yes. Your Grace."
She tried to feign composure, but I could clearly feel her reluctant air as she answered, and before I knew it, a small laugh escaped me.
Was it really that unpleasant for her? Their reactions like this felt somehow novel.
But right after.
"...!"
"...?"
The imperial knights on guard and Leira all turned their gazes toward me as if startled, and I quickly wiped the smile away and feigned indifference again.
Then they hurriedly straightened their expressions and averted their eyes as if they hadn't been looking at me, and realizing that, I understood how much I had changed.
Now, even a small laugh from me... right.
To them, it must be utterly alien.
Aware of them, I steadied my thoughts about what I needed to do next.
The Phase 4 clear condition. Gaining trust—I had already cleared that. But since I remained in this space, I figured the location would change only once Sua and Yujeong also gained trust, clearing it as well.
I didn't know how long that would take. But I judged that I at least needed to talk with the Princess. Now that I was certain Another World was no ordinary game.
Because there was a strong possibility this reunion wouldn't end as a one-time thing.
'And I need to learn about the current situation.'
I also needed to confirm whether the Princess was the same as she had been in my memories, and after that, I needed information about the current empire.
And for that, a knight who held firm loyalty to the empire, whose good nature made her unable to even lie well, and who I could be certain bore no hostility toward me.
We had met by chance, but Leira was the most suitable person for me to talk with.
And thinking back on my memories, at this period, I hadn't held the title of Grand Duke for very long.
Even so, I effectively wielded what could be called absolute power, and I didn't concern myself with anyone's watchful eyes.
But even so, factions within the imperial palace that didn't look favorably on me, who had risen to the high position of Grand Duke all at once, certainly existed. No, to be precise, they simply didn't show it outwardly, but it was safe to say that nobles with established power generally regarded me with wariness.
While I was sorting out my thoughts, the door opened again and the attendant appeared.
"You may enter."
She looked directly at me and spoke in an extremely careful tone, and I naturally moved toward the annex.
The annex where Princess Cecilia stayed.
It was like a private space for the Princess, so those who could come and go were limited, but my steps toward it held not a moment of hesitation.
As the attendant carefully began guiding me, a splendid corridor lined with pillars of every color stretched onward. A corridor spread wide around a vast lake.
And at its end, within the splendid building at the center of the lake, I could see the Princess standing alone.
How far did I walk with her in my sight? Though there was still distance between me and the Princess, the attendant stopped. I felt no doubt about it. Rather, as if that was how it should be, I looked at the empty air.
Slither...
Then, as if by magic, a woman slowly revealed herself from the empty air.
Hair of a transparent color as if holding water, a cold face as if devoid of emotion, and even the strange all-black attire she wore.
All of it marked her as a woman.
The empire's foremost assassin and Princess Cecilia's covert bodyguard.
—Dersia le Belua.
"I trust the Grand Duke will understand."
Belua spoke emotionlessly and reached out her hand without hesitation, and I did not resist.
Rustle, rustle...
After a brief series of light touches over my body, Belua seemed to conclude there was nothing wrong and gave a small bow before concealing herself as if by magic.
Watching that, only now did I feel her caliber.
Back then, I had been able to faintly sense her presence, but in Another World, I couldn't feel it.
As I was now, I couldn't sense her at all.
That in itself meant she had reached the level of Daji. Probably that level.
I realized anew the current level of the Princess's protection.
Continental unification. The empire that would walk the path of domination.
This was a period when the empire faced unparalleled chaos and all manner of rumors circulated, so I was no exception to those Belua needed to be wary of.
"Then I will continue guiding you."
After the attendant's careful words, I moved slowly again.
I reached the space at the center of the lake where the Princess stayed.
Within the space at the center of the clear, beautiful lake, Princess Cecilia was gazing at the lovely view of the water.
The garments wrapping her adorned her beautifully with golden thread, and her golden hair, shining even more brilliantly, hung long as if embracing her.
Considering she usually tied it up for ceremonies, having it down now meant she was at ease.
Then the attendant bowed deeply and withdrew, and I, in turn, slowly approached the Princess.
The Princess hadn't changed. She was exactly as she had been in the past.
The moment I saw her, I felt that instinctively.
Her current attire, the habit of leaving her hair down, even being lost in thought while gazing at the lake—none of it differed from the her of the past.
Right after, the Princess, who had been looking at the water's surface with clear eyes, spoke and slowly turned her head.
"What a curious thing. For you to come to me first..."
With her clear, transparent voice, Cecilia's two eyes, wearing a troubled expression, looked at me.
As her blood-red eyes held me, I naturally knelt on one knee.
"I greet Her Highness the Princess."
I reenacted the courtesy that came to mind as something I must have performed long ago. The movement was very unfamiliar, but it flowed so naturally that even I was surprised.
"Enough. What need is there for ceremony between you and me now..."
At the Princess's gentle voice, I slowly rose, and the Princess gestured slowly to her side. As if telling me to come there.
I naturally moved to where she gestured, and the view of the lake caught my eye without my meaning it to.
Watching the gentle ripples spreading across the lake, I wondered what to say first.
Softly.
As I took my place beside the Princess amid my deliberation, she smiled faintly and swept back her golden hair.
"So. What is your reason for seeking me out in person like this?"