Chapter 96
The Flower That Bears a Sword - Chapter 96
Translation: godsn
"We're sending a portrait of the Viscount's heir. Since marriage prospects are being discussed, you should consider this as well."
She had nearly forgotten. Noble girls her age were usually preparing for marriage by now. In early cases, engagements were made during adolescence, with weddings following immediately after coming of age. Of course, most matches were arranged by parents.
Officer cadets and female knights tended to marry later, but until just a few months ago, Eki had been nothing more than an ordinary noble girl. From her parents' perspective, they still hadn't fully adjusted to the reality of their daughter becoming a cadet.
Moreover, Count and Countess Roaz weren't the type to force marriage upon their daughter. This was simply them fulfilling their natural parental duty of seeking suitable matches now that their daughter had reached the appropriate age. If she disliked a candidate, they would find another. And if she fancied someone, they would assess whether the man was worthy before granting permission.
So the problem wasn't Count Roaz or his wife.
'The problem is me.'
The pre-regression Echinacea would have considered this perfectly natural and felt no resistance. But the current her was thrown into profound turmoil the moment she read the message. Especially since she'd come to Agenka under the pretense of taking a brief pre-marriage trip.
Because she'd realized she loved Yurien. And because Yurien had confessed to her.
'I'd already decided to treat it as if it never happened.'
Lady Diassant was still staying at the knight order headquarters. Though no formal engagement had been announced yet, it could happen any day.
'Probably, if I told Yurien I accept his feelings...'
After making such a confession, there was no way he would proceed with an engagement to the Lady, no matter how entangled the political complications might be. He'd find some way to handle the risks to House Roaz too. That was the kind of man he was.
'But I... I can't accept it.'
Which meant Yurien would ultimately become engaged to Lady Diassant after all. Her chest burned as if melting from within. Eki gritted her teeth.
'...If it can't be him, what difference does it make who it is?'
If it didn't matter who, then making her parents happy might be the better choice. The thought crossed her mind. Her hand clenched involuntarily, crumpling the telegram. She folded it haphazardly and shoved it into a drawer.
Yurien returned to Agenka at dawn on June 14th. His homecoming had been delayed beyond schedule because he'd stopped at the Magic Tower to discuss the Node and collect his payment.
After a brief rest, he tackled the mountain of accumulated paperwork. The servant who brought his breakfast as he watched the sunrise from his office was one of the Captain's direct intelligence operatives.
Over his meal, Yurien received a general report of Echinacea's recent activities, compiled from sightings by operatives stationed throughout the Azure Sky Knights and various Agenka citizens.
"...So she's scheduled to meet with Dame Teresa today. That's all."
"You've done well."
"And these are the results of the 'Wedge' investigation you previously ordered. The first page contains urgent new information. Please review it at your earliest convenience."
"Understood. Go get some rest."
"Ar Sebat-tiem."
The operative left behind a dossier thick enough to be a book before gathering the empty dishes and withdrawing. The organizational investigation Yurien had commissioned from Wedge upon initial contact appeared to be finally complete. Before picking it up, Yurien absently sipped his tea, lost in thought.
[I can roughly guess what you're thinking, but try to restrain yourself.]
"What do you imagine I'm thinking?"
[That report about the magic sword's wielder visiting a dressmaker—you're planning to commission a dress for her, aren't you? Obvious.]
"...An excellent suggestion, Rang. Thank you."
[What?...Damn it.]
Yurien set down his teacup and began writing a letter—to the very dressmaker Echinacea had visited. Creating a dress on such short notice would be difficult, but few things couldn't be achieved with sufficient money. Realizing he'd inadvertently given Yurien the idea, Langiosa stewed in frustrated silence.
[No, wait a minute—then what on earth were you thinking about?]
"......"
Yurien remained silent. As he finished the letter, called a servant to deliver it, and the Holy Sword pressed for an answer, he only gave a small reply after dismissing the servant.
"It was nothing."
[What could possibly be so important that you'd hide it from me? You weren't having any improper thoughts, were you?]
"It's nothing like that, so don't concern yourself with it."
He had been thinking that he wanted to see her. It had been over ten days since he last laid eyes on her. The urge to seek her out immediately warred with reason's insistence that he attend to urgent matters first. To be precise, it was more like reason barely holding back a flood of emotions.
Unable to bring himself to admit that aloud, Yurien closed his mouth and unfolded the documents left by the informant. A folded note lay on the first page—likely the freshly acquired intelligence the informant had mentioned. As he absently unfolded it, his eyes widened.
[The Demon of the Magic Sword has made her move.]
The report stated that informants stationed near Wedge had witnessed a hooded woman visiting and leaving. Though the tail had failed, circumstances strongly suggested it was Squire Echinacea Roaz, who had apparently stopped by Olavat before returning.
'There's only one reason she'd visit Wedge.'
She must still be investigating the origins of the Magic Sword. Why? For revenge? How much had she uncovered? Did she know the sword had come from the imperial family? And if she found out—what would she think of him, a member of that very family? An inexplicable dread seized him.
'As the brother and son of those who cast her into the abyss. She'd loathe me. And in truth, I... am the very reason she was chosen.'
For a fleeting moment, he wanted to interfere with her request. If Echinacea learned the truth, he would never be able to claim her. Over the resolve to confess everything and beg forgiveness—if only she could endure it—selfishness and desire now encroached.
'Have I lost all reason to the point of becoming this wretched?'
Yurien splashed water on his face and crumpled the note. Then he penned new orders: uncover what Echinacea had requested from Wedge. First, he needed to confirm how much she knew.
After reviewing the report on Wedge and catching up on backlogged documents, it was nearly noon. Yurien rose for a lunch appointment—with Rosalin Diassant.
The meal took place in the knights' headquarters' VIP dining hall. Nearly three weeks had passed since their last encounter, when the young noblewoman had visited Echinacea. Polite formalities were exchanged as appetizers and the main course arrived, until Rosalin broke the silence.
"Though it's proper to discuss business after the meal, I find myself too curious to wait. Have you—no, Sir Yurien—have you reached a decision?"
"My apologies for keeping you waiting so long."
Yurien set down his knife. He studied Rosalin Diassant as he spoke.
"Does what you said upon your arrival still hold true?"
"Which part do you mean?"
"That you wouldn't insist on an engagement if compensated."
"......You truly mean to refuse me?"
Having glimpsed what 'Echinacea Roaz' meant to him that day, Rosalin had suspected this might happen. Yet she hadn't truly believed it would. She fought to keep her pounding heart from showing.
"A date will be announced for our engagement, and publicly, you'll be my fiancée. Until then, you'll be considered a provisional one. But no actual engagement will take place. Do you understand?"
"You mean to fake an engagement? How could that possibly—"
"His Highness the Crown Prince and I have already settled the matter. Only your consent remains."
Rosalin went pale. What manner of persuasion had he used on the Crown Prince? Dazed, she managed to speak.
"Even if you've persuaded His Highness the Crown Prince, my father will never accept this. You know that, don't you?"
"That's my concern to handle. What do you want in return for your cooperation, my lady?"
Duke Diassant, both the Crown Prince's father-in-law and Rosalin's father, was a man who believed no one could resist the allure of power. That was why the Duke distrusted Yurien even more than the Second Prince. Precisely because he distrusted him so deeply, he had decided to send Rosalin to Yurien.
The Duke knew full well that even if Rosalin married, she would serve thoroughly as both Yurien's leash and his watcher. It wasn't because he trusted her as his daughter. Duke Diassant held Rosalin's weakness in his grasp.
Rosalin fell into a long silence. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined the day would come when the Third Prince—no, the leader of the Azure Sky Knights—would tell her he would reject their engagement and ask what she desired in return. She had completely given up hope, yet now it lifted its head. With a trembling voice, she asked,
"Have you not informed my father yet?"
"I thought negotiations with you should come first."
"Then... does that mean only His Highness the Crown Prince knows of your intention to stage a false engagement?"
"Correct. If word spreads, it defeats the purpose. This feigned engagement... will be known only to a select few."
The pause between his words was for Echinacea. He wanted to tell her. In truth, she was the one he most wished to inform that this engagement was false. But regardless of the truth, with the outward appearance of an engagement in place, such words might be meaningless. Moreover, he couldn't reveal their plan to overthrow the Emperor—not when the core of that plan revolved around the incident of the Magic Sword.
Deciding how much to disclose was a dilemma, and whether she would even believe him was another question. Perhaps it would be better to resolve everything swiftly before she could learn of it. Yurien still hadn't decided how to handle this matter.
After a prolonged silence, Rosalin lifted her wineglass. She downed the full glass in one go. Though it was a low-alcohol dinner wine, she needed even the slightest buzz right now. Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke.
"Don't tell my father."
"Why not?"
"Sir Yurien. I will cooperate with all your plans—whether it's a false engagement or anything else. So, in return... help me."
"What kind of help do you need?"
"You are the master of the Holy Sword. That's why I trust you enough to say this."
Rosalin's hands clenched beneath the table. Yurien's expression remained tranquil. Drawing strength from that composed face, she spoke, her own paling with tension.
"Sir... I have a daughter and a husband."
[...What in the world is she saying?]
The Holy Sword muttered, sounding bewildered. Yurien, too, was visibly stunned. Rosalin swallowed dryly and continued.
"My husband is a painter who once painted my portrait. A commoner. I had loved him for a long time, and when my father belatedly realized it, he flew into a rage. But in the end, I secured his permission."
"Duke Diassant allowed you to marry a commoner?"
"Not so much 'allowed' as... gave up. He said he would consider me dead, so I could do as I pleased. So I left the capital with him, held a quiet ceremony, and lived discreetly."
The words made it sound simple, but the process had been anything but. Rosalin smiled bitterly.
"Back then... I was truly happy. We even had a daughter together. But that happiness lasted less than a year. From the start, my father never intended to let me go. He assumed that if he told me to do as I wished, I wouldn't endure a shabby life and would come crawling back."
"But you didn't return."
"No. My father..."