You're Really Bad at This - 3
The name of the Empire is never a light one.
A nation stronger than any other on the continent, a nation that stands at the center of the continent and leads all things, a nation blessed by the gods and charged with safeguarding the Mandate of Heaven, a nation so exalted that two of its kind can never exist in the same age.
Every one of those titles is glory and praise that exists for the Empire alone. Even the mightiest kingdoms must at least nominally bow their heads to it, and even in the days when the Kpelleofen Empire stood on the brink of ruin, the other nations of the continent still observed “some” measure of courtesy. Of course, only some.
Yet after the current Emperor ascended the throne the Empire rose again, and today—having even absorbed the North—it proudly announces the dawn of its second golden age. Needless to say, the pride of the Empire and every Imperial citizen pierces the heavens.
Even so, the Imperial students paid little attention to the inter-class tournament. Pitiful students from other classes like Ryutis and Later, or those from foreign lands, might turn into berserkers for the sake of victory, but to Imperial students the inter-class tournament had always been a fixed game of Go-Stop. Play half-heartedly and the class that happens to contain the highest-ranking student wins; there is no reason to exhaust yourself.
The decisive factor was that Ainter—who could have served as a focal point for the Imperial students—had remained silent. Stepping into the role of a rallying figure in place of the Imperial family itself carried a faintly insolent scent, after all.
"Long live the Empire! Long live victory!"
"The Empire! Above all else, the Empire! The Empire that stands over every nation!"
That was why Ainter’s declaration of victory became the spark that detonated the previously quiet Imperial students. The greatest Empire of all, the most exalted Imperial blood, roaring for victory and taking the lead? Any Imperial who refused to follow would be a traitor-in-training.
I’m going to lose my mind.
I let out a hollow laugh as I watched the Imperial students instantly seize with frenzy.
There was no stopping this. If Ainter had been some distant sixth or seventh cousin of the Emperor I might have quietly suggested restraint, but he was the Emperor’s only younger brother; his authority was rock-solid. No matter how many titles I wore like a Christmas tree, I could not openly restrain a member of the Imperial family.
You son of a bitch…
So I glared at Erich, who was standing right beside Ainter and shouting “Long live!” with the rest of them.
This was all that bastard’s fault. The root of every evil, the one who had blown empty wind into Ainter—who had been content to sit quietly breathing—and dumped a mountain of vicious extra work on an already overworked older brother.
I wanted nothing more than to charge over and grab him by the collar, but the little shit had realized that if he got caught by me he would get his neck wrung all over again, so he refused to leave Ainter’s side. If he had spent even half of the cunning he used to protect his own life on looking after his older brother, how much better things would be.
"It is unthinkable that the Empire should suffer defeat on Imperial soil! We will treat our guests with every courtesy—but victory always belongs to the Empire!"
"Waaaaah!"
"Long live His Lordship the Marquis of Idrafen! Long live the Livnoman Imperial House! Long live the Kpelleofen Empire!"
"Long live! Long live! Long, long live!"
Listening to the cheers grow even more thunderous, I quietly closed my eyes.
I miss the club members from the ’78 season…
I sat blankly in the stands and watched the equestrian race. Watching the horses thunder past with such free abandon, the bitter taste in my mouth seemed to ease a little.
Irina Jollun takes first place once again this year!
And when I saw Rin cross the finish line in proud first place, my heart lightened even more.
Well done, our Rin. Compared to that worthless little brother who only ever gives me stomachaches, our Rin is a hundred times—no, a thousand times—better. What I needed was never Erich Crassius; it was Irina Crassius.
"It’s amazing every time I see it. She usually enjoys flower arranging, yet she’s so good at riding too."
Rory murmured as she watched Rin take her victory lap, clearly impressed by the girl who had now claimed first place three years running.
Honestly, I found it amazing myself. As the young lady of the merchant-house Jollun family and a member of the Gardening Club, Rin projected a demure, intellectual image. Seeing her gallop past in riding clothes always left a strangely uncanny feeling.
Of course, put kindly it simply meant she was accomplished in both the literary and martial arts, so I didn’t mind. If anything, having a talented lover was something to celebrate.
With Irina Jollun’s victory in the opening match, the Empire has taken the early lead!
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
And right then the announcer committed the atrocity of mentioning not Rin’s class but her nationality.
As if it weren’t already enough that the Empire had crashed into the Armein–Uben two-power structure and driven everyone insane, emphasizing nationality was just pouring oil on the fire.
Is that bastard an Imperial too?
Yes—the announcer currently running the broadcast was surely another loyal Imperial who had been swept away by Ainter’s victory declaration. That had to be it.
Otherwise there was no explaining this outrage. If those words had come from a foreigner’s mouth, it would have been the act of a saboteur deliberately trying to stir up trouble at the Imperial Academy.
"Oppa."
"I’m fine."
The moment Rory carefully took my hand I answered on pure reflex.
"I haven’t even said anything yet…"
But the reflex had been far too fast. Anyone could see I was not fine.
"Rory."
"Yes, Oppa."
"If I suddenly disappear, just assume I’ve been put under house arrest."
At that, Rory could not manage a single word.
She was probably too busy remembering the nightmare from two years ago.
I checked the report the Minister had submitted several times over.
"Ha."
At last a short laugh escaped me. I had never imagined something like this would happen.
Ainter stepping to the front…
It truly was unexpected. During the days when Dorgos—who barely deserved the title of Second Prince—was still alive, Ainter had lived as little more than a shadow, pushed aside by him. After I became Crown Prince he had lived as though dead, always watching my face. And now that same Ainter had stood before the nobles and become a rallying point?
So he no longer feels the need to protect himself.
It was a welcome thing. Ainter, who had once trembled in constant fear of losing his life, had finally risen with a will of his own. To him I was no longer a monster hunting his neck; I was simply the Emperor.
Of course the name “Emperor” was not light, so he would still watch my mood carefully—but watching the mood of an Emperor was surely more comfortable than watching the mood of a potential murderer.
This is how we improve, little by little.
As Ainter gradually became a proper member of the Imperial family, even if we could never become warm brothers, we might at least become an ordinary family. He might even become a decent uncle to the Crown Princess.
And the Retired Emperor, who had discarded everything and walked away, might be able to set down at least a small portion of the burden on his heart.
…
Hmm.
After that brief reflection I scanned the report again. Personal gratification aside, this was an urgent submission from the Minister; I needed to examine it seriously and issue instructions.
Nothing that requires my involvement.
No matter how I looked at it, there seemed no need for me to step in.
Imperial students rising up for victory? If they had rioted demanding the expulsion of foreign students I would have had to intervene, but these were ordinary students fired up to win an official Academy event. What was so wrong with students showing enthusiasm for an Academy event? If anything, their desire to exalt the name of the Empire deserved praise.
The Minister’s concern that their passion might grow excessive and spark collisions was valid, but that much I could tolerate.
As long as the royals don’t get hurt.
The Minister’s purpose at the Academy was “maintaining Academy security for the safety of key foreign personages,” not “maintaining Academy safety” itself. Even if fistfights broke out among the students, it was fine so long as the royals stayed out of them.
And though it was a somewhat rough thing to say, there was that old line about children growing by fighting, after all.
As always, the Emperor sent me not help but provocation.
"The juniors wish to leave beautiful memories before they graduate. Stopping them would hardly be proper for a senior."
"Your Majesty. I am not a senior."
"Ah, of course. We briefly mistook the matter."
This dog of a bastard.
A stream of curses swirled inside my mouth of their own accord. He was definitely doing this on purpose.
"And the inter-class tournament is an Academy tradition held every year. The participants are not outsiders but students already enrolled, showing proper enthusiasm. Is that not so?"
But the Emperor’s next words forced me to swallow the curses that had been on the verge of spilling out.
He was right. The inter-class tournament was not some sudden new schedule, and the participants were students who had always been at the Academy. Everything was thoroughly under the management of the Academy and the Empire.
If the Empire had to intervene because those elements could not be properly controlled, it would put a scratch on the prestige of both the Academy and the Empire that had been raised to the heavens with such effort.
"Of course it would be regrettable if honored guests from other nations were injured after being swept into our own event. We trust the Minister will handle that point well."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please set your mind at ease."
Just before I bowed my head toward the communication orb, my eyes met the Emperor’s, which were fixed steadily on me.
And that gaze seemed to be cursing me: The accident in which you beat the Armein prince half to death was bigger than any accident that could happen in the inter-class tournament.
Damn it.
This is why a man should not live with sins on his back. Even a simple look makes me flinch.
The second day of the inter-class tournament arrived.
"O Empire! Empire that stands above all things! Empire more powerful than any other!"
"You, Armein! Show the courage of the lion!"
"It is not force but wisdom that changes the world! The sages of Uben march toward the future!"
Group cheering songs I had never seen before began to appear.
Whoa.
My head was spinning. Because of those cheers even the ordinary spectators who were not competing were being swallowed by the frenzy of the inter-class tournament.
Moreover, figures who looked suspiciously like cheer captains stood at the front. These people were more serious than anything I could have imagined.
"Minister…"
While I let out a small sigh and watched the scene of cheering madness, the Purple Retriever came toddling over.
"Um… if I drop out right now, you’ll still give me a recommendation letter… right…?"
Along with a question that struck deep into the heart.
"…If you hold out until graduation, I’ll take personal responsibility and push you forward."
"Uuuugh…"
In the end a faint sheen of moisture appeared in the Purple Retriever’s eyes. For some reason it felt as though I had made Titi cry, and my heart was not at ease.
Still, once you actually graduate I’ll push you wherever you want to go. I do have that much power, at least.