A Western Outing
The Shurelitz Grand Ducal House. Yes—she had clearly said “Grand Ducal House.”
One of only three highest-tier powers that existed as singular forces in the entire Empire.
Kyle hurriedly looked at the crest Elga had mentioned.
“….”
Looking told him nothing. Of course he’d never seen it before.
To begin with, he had never paid the slightest attention to any Grand Ducal House other than Litorio.
Then what the hell had he been reading when he claimed to be studying? Hadn’t he been skimming history?
Naturally, Kyle had only cherry-picked books on knights’ physical conditioning methods.
Swoosh—.
In the meantime the men who had given Elga a light bow of respect turned their gazes back to Kyle.
“Lord Kyle John Nassen. We would be grateful if you would accompany us. Over there, ‘those personages’ are…”
“No—wait. Just a moment.”
Elga immediately stepped between Kyle and the men.
Had any other nobles realized the other party belonged to a Grand Ducal House, they would have been extremely cautious.
But Elga was also the young lady of Litorio, one of the three Grand Ducal Houses.
Moreover, unlike them—who were merely people of a Grand Ducal House—she was a direct descendant.
Was it that only a Grand Ducal House could face another? She questioned them in a stern voice.
“You people just said you were from Shurelitz.”
“That is correct.”
“At the Academy, no one except the Imperial Family may approach a student…”
“Though we belong to the Shurelitz Grand Ducal House, we are carrying out an Imperial decree.”
Even for Litorio, the Imperial Family stood higher still.
Even a Grand Ducal House had to bow their heads the moment the Emperor’s name was invoked.
“An Imperial decree…?”
“Yes, Lady Elga.”
“W-why would His Majesty the Emperor send you…?”
“We apologize, but we cannot explain that far. Please step aside.”
It was surprising how nonchalantly they reacted even before a direct descendant of another Grand Ducal House.
Normally, with power roughly equal, they would have avoided giving anyone any handle to seize.
But with the absolute, inviolable backing of an Imperial decree, they could afford to act this way.
That was why they showed little regard even to Elga, young lady of Litorio.
What was curious, however, was that toward Kyle they displayed an extremely careful and polite demeanor that could not possibly have been more deferential.
“We will explain the details as we go, Lord Kyle John Nassen.”
“No—even so, you can at least tell us the details.”
“We apologize. In truth, even we were told by those personages to keep our mouths shut…”
“Those personages?”
“Y-you’ll understand if you come with us.”
While they conversed with Kyle, Elga’s mind spun wildly, racing at a mad pace.
Clearly these people were from the Shurelitz Grand Ducal House; they were probably knights.
Yet they themselves claimed they had come not on Grand Ducal House business but by Imperial decree.
No matter how grand a Grand Ducal House, they would never dare invoke the Imperial Family unless it was true.
Therefore it was certain they had truly entered the Academy under Imperial orders.
The important part was why, of all people, the Shurelitz Grand Ducal House was carrying out that Imperial decree.
Normally the Ministry of the Imperial Household would handle this, or at the very least the Special Affairs Agency.
In that short span every possible hypothesis rose in Elga’s mind.
And at a certain moment, recalling what kind of place the Shurelitz Grand Ducal House truly was, Elga found the answer.
No way?
Just as the Shurelitz people were about to lead Kyle away somewhere, Elga hastily parted her lips and threw a question.
“Are you going west?”
“…?!”
At Elga’s words, bewilderment filled the eyes of the Shurelitz people.
Without a single explanation, that young lady of Litorio had figured it out at once—and in a mere few minutes, a truly fleeting instant.
“Looks like I’m right.”
“Ah…”
“Lady Elga? What do you mean by that? West? All of a sudden…”
Haa. Elga let out a sigh and closed both eyes.
She had half-expected it, and as expected her prediction had hit the mark.
Why that Shurelitz Grand Ducal House was carrying out an Imperial decree—it began from there.
The Academy remained as peaceful as ever, but not long ago a major incident had clearly occurred.
Namely, the surprise attack by unidentified intruders who had openly targeted the Academy and its people.
As the young lady of Litorio, Elga had been able to hear news related to that raid quickly.
None other than that the Western Kingdom Alliance had committed a fatal mistake.
They had apparently wanted to inflict heavy damage across the Empire and declare: If you come, we will of course lose, but you will have to steel yourselves as well.
The problem was that the affair had been a complete failure and had only stoked the Empire’s fury as a result.
The Shurelitz Grand Ducal House is the symbol of martial might that always joins any war of national scale. During this recent period of peace they had remained silent and restrained their activities to the extreme. For such a Grand Ducal House to suddenly come bearing an Imperial decree means…
War. Yes. War—and a very large-scale war at that—was imminent.
The Alliance had already lost its justification, while the Empire had seized it.
In this situation the Emperor would not pass up such an excellent opportunity.
It had become not a simple war of conquest, but a war of vengeance to punish those who had gone beyond the pale.
The Empire had laid down its swords for over thirty years.
All that remained were a few southern regions, the Western Kingdom Alliance, and the nomadic tribes of the east.
Thus they had focused on managing the Empire with the pen instead of the sword and fattening their coffers.
But that was only because they had lacked the justification to continue war, because cohesion had been insufficient—they had merely endured.
If the other side first created the justification, there was no reason for the Empire not to take up the sword again.
If I assume that, everything fits. The problem is, why Kyle? Why?
No matter how she thought, nothing fit regarding that part.
If there was to be a war, Shurelitz would step forward, and the Empire’s legions would march.
Why take Kyle, of the John Nassen baronial family, who had absolutely nothing to do with any Imperial affairs?
“Lady Elga! Please explain! Why am I suddenly going west?!”
I don’t know either, Kyle. That part I can’t predict at all.
Nearly thirty years had passed since the John Nassen had entered the Empire.
In that time, had the Empire—the Imperial Family—ever demanded anything of them?
No. Not a single instance. No matter how she racked her memory, none existed.
If there had been, it would have been written large in some book or document.
“…Kyle.”
“Yes, Lady Elga.”
“Come back safely.”
I’m sorry, Kyle. For now, that’s all I can say.
I need to send a letter to the main house right away and ask what on earth is going on.
Thinking so, Elga turned first and hurried toward her room.
Should I just flip the whole table?
Why the hell was he going west? Why?!
Even if it was an Imperial decree, they should at least tell him the reason.
He hadn’t come to the Academy to be dragged around like this every time. He’d come to enjoy himself.
He’d been holding back because thrashing about would only hurt himself in the end, but this was enough to make anyone snap.
Emperor or whatever, maybe I should just overturn everything for real.
Just as he was casually considering a thought that would make others turn pale with shock—
At the Academy’s main gate, Kyle saw two all-too-familiar faces.
…Brother? Sister too?
It was Lia and Lea, who had headed for the Imperial Capital just yesterday.
The “business” they mentioned must have been some conversation with the Emperor.
But for them to reappear after only a single day—there had to be some reason….
“G-get on, Kyle.”
“Huh?”
“Get on! We have somewhere to go!”
“Sister? I-I need to know where we’re going first…”
“Want big sis to scoop you up and put you on?”
“I’ll get on with my own feet.”
There were people watching; he didn’t want to abandon a man’s pride.
How embarrassing would it be for a full-grown young man to be lifted by a slender woman?
Of course, her true nature was the protagonist of the Academy half-destruction incident, but appearances still mattered.
Glancing at the carriage, Kyle immediately realized it was no ordinary carriage.
It was a carriage built for long-distance travel. It even bore the Imperial seal.
What is this situation? Kyle thought, and then Elga’s words from a moment ago suddenly came back to him.
“Uh, Brother. Are we… going west by any chance?”
“Yes.”
At Lia’s utterly matter-of-fact answer, Kyle was left speechless.
An Academy student with lectures tomorrow, suddenly heading west out of the blue?
And he’d come empty-handed without any preparation whatsoever.
He hadn’t even brought a single change of clothes, and now they were going somewhere?!
“Don’t worry. Your sister prepared your luggage in advance.”
“No, Brother. Luggage is… important, but I’m an Academy student. Unauthorized leave like this is…”
“His Majesty the Emperor will guarantee your attendance.”
Attendance was one of the important points that decided grades, but…
He had never dreamed that the Emperor himself would be mentioned in connection with it.
Thanks to that, as Kyle let out an “Uh…” of dismay, Lea smiled and continued.
“I told you yesterday. We had business. We’re going to wrap that up.”
“Wasn’t meeting His Majesty the Emperor at the Imperial Palace the end of it, Sister?”
“We asked His Majesty for understanding. We’ll handle it, so don’t get needlessly involved.”
Hearing that far, Kyle finally realized why these two storms had come into the Empire.
The meeting with the Emperor had only been a matter of courtesy. What they intended to do was separate.
And in fact, the “Imperial decree” was merely one of the justifications put forward outwardly.
What had actually drawn him out was neither the Emperor’s order nor will, but his own brother and sister.
“…Is it because of that incident that you’re going in person?”
“You’re stating the obvious.”
“We’re going as representatives of our entire family. Big brother, me, and you too, Kyle.”
It was a bit staggering, and it was absurd…
But when he thought it over again, Kyle decided it was more than justified.
Honestly, just thinking about that incident made rage well up in him again.
“Then what do you intend to do now, Brother?”
“You’re asking something obvious.”
“We’ll go and tell them not to. That they must never do such a thing.”
“And if they don’t listen?”
“They will.”
In a voice so low and sunken it raised goosebumps, Lia said again.
“They will listen. To us.”
Well, they would have no choice but to listen.
This would not be an ordinary conversation, but a physical one.