Long Live His Highness the Crown Prince
There had been a minor incident in which the Fourth Division Chief put on a display of being filled with a peculiar brand of courage, but in any case, his arrival set my mind at ease. Aside from the butler, the household staff were a long way from anything resembling fighting strength.
With the Fourth Division Chief holding the mansion from within and the Mukgwangdae standing watch outside, even people who came determined to stage a terrorist attack could be cleaned out in reverse. If only the Academy had enjoyed this level of manpower support, I might actually have been happy there.
"An interesting suggestion," the Palace Minister said.
"Thank you for hearing me out."
"Not at all. Managing the field is the Audit Department Chief's responsibility, is it not?"
I had been discussing protocol matters and had floated the idea lightly past the Minister of Palace Affairs, only for him to laugh it off as interesting. Of course, everyone in this business knew that "interesting" meant stop talking nonsense and do the job you already have.
So it was a no-go after all. The last time the Mukgwangdae had come to the Academy, it had been for the purpose of crushing the Third Glory. Stationing a force of that caliber there on an ordinary day would simply be too much of a waste.
Even the support I was receiving now was only possible because mine was the special case of a mansion that had already been seized. Just because I had tasted convenience once did not mean I could treat it as the new baseline. I needed to discard the attachment quickly.
"And the distinguished guests?"
"I took a light look around the square as the center. They seemed pleased."
"Haha. The mayor will be delighted to hear that."
I found myself nodding at the Palace Minister's words. Ordinarily the mayor kept a quiet profile on account of his age, yet for some reason he threw himself into the management of the square as if it were the very face of the city.
If one thought of it as elderly gentlemen tending flower beds or kitchen gardens as a pastime, it was more or less understandable—though the scale was rather excessive.
Given a mayor like that, word that the square he managed had looked good even in the eyes of royalty would leave him thoroughly satisfied. I half-wondered whether hearing it might not push him into such extreme bliss that he would simply ascend on the spot.
"If they have already seen it, so much the better. Conducting the ceremony in a place that feels even a little familiar is preferable, is it not?"
"Your words are most reasonable."
I offered a suitably agreeable reply to the announcement that the ceremony would be held in the square. In truth it made no difference where it took place. I had already been tormented by those people; square or Imperial Palace, what did it matter? If they were going to do it, they should have finished it at lunch.
"His Highness the Crown Prince's business will be finished shortly. The Audit Department Chief should make ready as well."
"Yes, understood."
A faint reluctance to go outside welled up, but I forced myself to my feet. Leaving the Crown Prince unattended would only breed future trouble.
There was a brief, pitiful commotion in which Ainter's pupils shuddered violently, but in the end the entire party did head for the square. If forced to choose between going to meet the Crown Prince—who might well appear in my nightmares—and standing him up, the former was still the better option.
"Ainter, are you all right? Perhaps you should rest."
"I am fine, Lady Luise. It seems the motion sickness is arriving a little late."
The sight of him answering with a forced smile made my heart ache of its own accord. This time, at least, Ainter was nothing more than a victim jerked around by those hopeless club members, just as I was.
"It will be over soon, so do not worry. His Highness the Crown Prince is busy with other duties."
At those words, Ainter's expression eased a little. I had given him my personal assurance that the Crown Prince would have no occasion to lay a hand on him during this particular ceremony. Meeting him was still frightening, no doubt, but at least it was not a procession arranged specifically to grind him down in person.
"Since it is not an official visit, it should conclude quickly. Once we return, you ought to rest thoroughly."
Beside him, Later gave Ainter's shoulder a comforting pat. After spending a full term together they had apparently built up enough friendship to worry about each other like this. On the surface it made for a thoroughly heartwarming picture.
And whose fault is that, exactly?
If this hopeless trio had never announced they were going to the Imperial Capital in the first place, none of this would have happened. Whether Ainter shared my thoughts or not, he looked at Later with a complicated gaze that mixed half gratitude and half the desire to unleash a string of curses. Giving someone the disease and then handing them the medicine—this was exactly that.
"I am grateful for your consideration."
Even so, the way Ainter smiled and offered thanks was almost admirable. That kind of composure was what allowed a person to survive the Crown Prince's "Dragon-Chopping Show."
Apparently every scrap of mental fortitude that should have gone to the Second Prince had ended up with Ainter instead. A weak-willed bastard had no right to survive. I felt I had just discovered one of the reasons that Second Prince bastard had gone down so completely like a dog.
Having arrived at that enlightenment, I turned my gaze elsewhere and caught sight of Irina fidgeting restlessly.
"Irina."
"Hyeut!"
When I gave her shoulder a light tap she startled so dramatically that I felt awkwardly guilty. I truly had not expected her to jump that hard.
"Ah—Oppa."
"Do not tremble so much. His Highness the Crown Prince already said it would be fine."
I could easily guess why Irina had been rolling her eyes every which way like a meerkat. She was wondering whether a mere baron's daughter had any business standing in a place where the Crown Prince was making an appearance and other royalty were present.
I had originally intended to bring only those three from their country, but the Crown Prince had wanted full attendance, so I had been forced to drag everyone along. That bastard had a talent for making people miserable over the smallest details.
"E-even so, for me to dare stand among royalty..."
Yet even after hearing that the Crown Prince had given permission, Irina could not stop her body from shaking.
In truth this was the normal reaction. Luise had built up unintentional immunity through all her club experience; Erich was afraid of nothing so long as he was with Luise; and Margeta was a member of a ducal house only one step below the imperial family. One way or another, Irina alone was left in a pitiable position.
"We all came for the purpose of travel, not because anyone holds royal credentials. It would be stranger if some of us met the guests and others did not."
"Is that so...?"
I felt a little guilty watching Irina nod as if entranced, because it was a lie. Even for a trip, there was no real need to summon the entire entourage when the matter could have been finished by meeting only the royalty. It was simply the Crown Prince's passive skill—paranoia—activating.
A domestic noble on such friendly terms with foreign royalty that they traveled together. A domestic noble who had made contact with a half-brother who had already kissed his claim to the throne goodbye. From the Crown Prince's standpoint, this was the chance to confirm things with his own eyes.
Of course, if I had said any of that I would only have seen Irina's tears again, so I dressed it up nicely. At any rate it was true that the Crown Prince had said it was all right for her to come. I had not lied.
Sorry.
I murmured an apology she would never hear. Still, aside from a face check, nothing else would happen.
The ceremony itself proceeded without incident. The ministers had gathered and deliberated thoroughly, so it would have been stranger if anything had gone wrong. My role consisted of nothing more than sitting in my seat and offering the occasional polite clap or salute; even if something had tried to explode, it would not have been able to.
That fellow showed up too.
As I scanned the surroundings, a middle-aged man directing the escort force entered my field of vision. The corps commander of the First Imperial Guard Corps, charged with the defense of the Imperial Capital. He had been working himself hard ever since his appointment three years ago, and apparently he was still at it.
Ah. Our eyes met.
We exchanged light bows of the head and immediately looked away. It was not as though we had met over anything pleasant.
"Someone you know?"
"In the capital, finding someone I do not know is harder than finding someone I do."
I answered Erich's quiet question with a bitter smile. Any civil servant of even moderate renown in the Imperial Capital was impossible not to know. All of them were potential audit targets, so I had to keep a rough outline of their information in my head; from their perspective I was the surprise guest who might drop by at any moment.
"That's impressive."
I glanced briefly at Erich, who spoke as though he were genuinely impressed. If he found his older brother's civil-service life impressive, perhaps he was interested in becoming a civil servant himself?
I really ought to put him to use.
Once he graduated, if he had nothing better to do I would write a recommendation letter on the spot and plant him in the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, or the Ministry of War. Erich would surely be delighted. A man of the Crassius line only grew after tasting civil service.
"If today's small meeting should advance into a great friendship among our nations, how could one not rejoice?"
While I was pleasantly absorbed in designing my younger brother's future, an irritating voice reached my ears. Turning my gaze toward it, I saw the Crown Prince on the dais delivering the welcoming address. Since he was the sort who avoided speaking at length, the fact that we had reached the welcoming speech meant the event was almost over.
I had been listening to the address with indifferent ears when the previously ordinary content began to drift.
"An unexpected visit is often more welcome than a guest one already knows."
Huh?
"There are times when a light footstep is more pleasing than a heavy one."
Huhh?
"The Empire is the Empire because all things gather here, and because all people may come. Therefore any visit may be welcomed with an open heart."
You bastard of a Crown Prince.
So you finally lost it too.
A swell of emotion rose from deep within my chest, and I found myself biting my lip lightly. Otherwise I might have leapt to my feet with a standing ovation and poured out a speech of support for the Crown Prince.
Yes. This was how a country ought to be. This was a properly done welcoming address.
As expected, status is a cheat.
A mere heir like myself could never dare, but someone in the Crown Prince's position was more than capable of taking subtle digs even at princes or future saints. When even a crown prince fell short of the imperial Crown Prince, an ordinary prince hardly needed mentioning.
Unexpected visits were welcome? Light footsteps were pleasing? Any visit would be greeted with open arms? On the surface, of course, they were ordinary remarks welcoming guests. If the surface itself had been openly mocking, that would have amounted to picking a diplomatic fight.
But speaking with a surface different from the interior was basic cultivation for the high and mighty. The Crown Prince's words were the equivalent of a sniper shot asking what the hell those prince bastards thought they were doing, suddenly making private visits to the capital without so much as a prior appointment. The boast that the Empire possessed the magnanimity and leisure to welcome even the likes of them was a free bonus.
Thank you...
Here was a situation in which the Crown Prince had poured out, on my behalf, the lump of resentment I could never have voiced even if I died. How joyful this dream-like turn of events was.
My throat tightened with emotion; I stared blankly at the Crown Prince alone. Our eyes met just as he finished the address. He gave a small nod, then coolly stepped down from the dais.
In truth I was not a supporter of the Crown Prince. I had gone beyond mere support into a relationship of one mind and one body. From now on, any challenge to the Crown Prince would be the same as a challenge to me.