For You Alone (2)
"I invited you to dinner for one reason: I wanted to hear the story straight from the chairman of the Canyon Foundation himself."
"What story?"
The most famous restaurant in the capital.
A place where you had to book six months in advance, and even then, they had pulled us into a private room.
"Who knows? Any conversation has meaning in the sharing itself, doesn't it? Dialogue is, after all, an exchange between two people."
"Even if we're sitting across from each other at the same table on the same chairs, if there's a difference in status between us, do you think a proper conversation can really take place?"
"Why? Is talking one-on-one with me uncomfortable?"
"Yes. It is."
"Is that so?"
The crown prince draped his arm over the table, rested his chin on his hand, and smiled.
"I'm quite comfortable, though."
"......"
"It's strange, really. I've never had a conversation this easygoing in my life."
"I'm dying here."
"Dying? You, right now?"
"I truly have no idea why the Imperial Crown Prince has invited me to dinner like this."
"I told you. I want to hear about the scholarship foundation."
"I'll send it in writing."
"No thanks. Hearing it directly from you seems faster and more efficient."
"......"
A 300-page scholarship foundation operations manual would probably end up in the trash even if I sent it to the capital.
"It's nothing special. The foundation manages scholarship students, as the name implies, and imperial exchange students will be managed as such too."
"And the other cases?"
"Canyon scholarships will be selected in various ways. Explaining every method would take too much of Your Highness's time."
"Go ahead. The chef seems busy today; the food's coming out slowly anyway."
It wasn't coming slowly; he'd probably ordered them not to serve until he called for it himself.
"Fine. I hear you hate beating around the bush, so let's get to the point."
"Who told you that?"
"Who knows. I have a lot of ears listening around me."
"I only see two."
"Kh, heh heh heh..."
Now he was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"You really do match my wavelength somehow."
It wasn't that talking to me was fun; it was probably because this was the first impudent punk he'd met in his life.
"Right, right. The scholarship foundation. What kind of talent are you gathering?"
"Students with excellent grades..."
"Cut the generic crap."
"We're selecting talented individuals who can stand against the Empire."
"...I like the straightforwardness."
The crown prince clapped loudly and laughed.
"Exactly. In this academy built for harmony, in this educational institution funded by imperial gold, you're raising the future to oppose the Empire? Why?"
"To make sure no fools get caught off guard."
"Caught off guard?"
"Most people in Nostrum know little about the Empire. Once imperial goods start flooding in, plenty will die like idiots."
In fact, many had died that way.
"Imperial culture will spread quickly across all of Nostrum. It's an unstoppable tide, and the whole kingdom will assimilate into it."
"Hmm..."
The crown prince tapped the table and tilted his head slightly.
"That's the public line, right?"
"Of course."
"What's the real intent?"
"If you want to pry that out of me, it might help if Your Highness told me the real reason you summoned me first."
I tapped the table.
"I need to know clearly what favor you're asking so I can weigh my options."
"Haha, I like the honesty. But why judge after hearing my request? It'd be easier for you if you just said yes to everything—'Understood, I'll do whatever you ask.'"
"Even casual words can't be taken back easily, so I have to be cautious."
I drew the edge of my hand across my throat.
"Illegal solicitations are a problem."
"What?"
"I don't want to get kicked out as chairman."
"Uhahaha!!"
The crown prince pounded the table and roared with laughter.
"You think I called you here for something like illegal solicitation?"
"Not illegal, but you're definitely soliciting."
"Can't call it solicitation."
"Then a proposal, a favor, or a deal. Whatever form it takes, Your Highness Hapsburg wants something from me—something others can't hear—which is why you brought me here."
"Hmm."
The crown prince had called me here for a purpose.
"You live a boring life, don't you?"
"As much as Your Highness? You've never had a single personal scandal."
"I enjoy what I can."
"Training muscles or reading books. From your perspective, those are leisure and hobbies."
This man only met people privately after everything went his way.
"You don't act like Saint Geo Nostrum, do you?"
"You really think that?"
"I read it in the imperial papers."
"Maybe my real life is even more debauched than Saint Geo Nostrum's, unlike what the papers show?"
"At least you don't enjoy it."
"......"
In other words, until the Empire conquered the kingdom, Hapsburg von Tersian had no private life.
"This won't do. You won't just grant my favor, and a deal might get me strung up, so I suppose I have to command you."
"I'm nominally a Nostrum subject."
"I'm the Imperial Crown Prince, and this academy was built with imperial capital. Tens of trillions of gold went into it."
"Whether you burned hundreds of billions of thalers on this academy or not, the only one who can give me orders here is the real chairman. I'm just a proxy."
I lifted the hem of my dress coat slightly.
"Only Crimson Gibraltar, Margrave of Gibraltar, can command me."
"That red suits you well. For something symbolizing authority, it looks unnaturally natural."
"My family wears red well."
"Good. It really suits you. It's my least favorite color, so I don't like it much, but strangely, it fits you perfectly."
The crown prince chuckled and kept tapping the empty table with his fingers.
"Maybe try a blue suit sometime? It might look decent."
A light, casual suggestion.
"If it's a purple mixing sky blue with a hint of pink, I'll consider it."
"Hmm..."
The crown prince crossed his arms at my response, falling silent for a moment. I picked up my teacup and moistened my throat lightly.
"Is that what you want?"
"You already know me well enough to guess what I want."
"Then what do you think I want?"
The crown prince leaned forward, bringing his face closer to mine.
"Guess. Why did I call you here?"
"Three things."
"Three?"
"Probably more, but we'll build from the bottom up, one by one."
What did Hapsburg von Tersian want from Grey Gibraltar, a low-rank knight in a broken body who was nominally chairman of the scholarship foundation?
"First, the scholarship foundation. If you're creating the Hapsburg Scholarship, I welcome it with open arms."
"Perfect score. How much should I give?"
"Whatever you want to give; I'll adjust the budget accordingly."
"Adjust? Planning to skim some?"
"I deserve compensation for my labor. In return, I'll open language immersion programs for Hapsburg scholars."
"...Heh heh."
The crown prince toyed with his mustache.
"Language immersion? How long?"
"At least one semester. If public opinion makes it tough, we can use breaks."
"......"
"I'll actively incorporate opinions from imperial staff on selecting those students. I just need to stamp it."
"A terrifying answer. Do you know how much power a stamp holds?"
"That's why I'm the chairman."
"Good, good. I'll gladly approve that. Create a scholarship in the name of Hapsburg."
The request to Grey Gibraltar, 'Chairman of the Canyon Foundation,' was over.
"Next?"
"What does the Margrave of Gibraltar think of the Empire? Not badly at all."
"200 points."
The crown prince's smile deepened.
"Is it okay to tell me that? I was the enemy from the margrave's perspective just a few years ago."
"The Empire was the enemy."
"Did the margrave permit you to say such things to me?"
"Even if I told him, he wouldn't mind much. He might even like it. Father doesn't like the Empire, but..."
I paused briefly.
"Mother is somewhat favorable toward it, and since the outlets opened, Father has been using imperial products quite a bit."
"Hmm..."
"Baby products or hygiene items. He didn't know what he was missing before, but now it's different."
"Heh heh. As expected."
The crown prince smiled faintly.
"Do you know what humans get most hopelessly addicted to? Alcohol? Drugs? No. Convenience."
"Your Highness."
"Yes?"
"I'm a minor."
"......My apologies. That was a slip. Ahem. Still, it's good that the margrave couple enjoys imperial culture's conveniences."
His expression was one of satisfaction, like a plan falling perfectly into place.
"The fruits of magitech advancement are showing."
"I'm benefiting a lot too. Especially the video mana stones—I can't live without them now."
"The wireless video communicator? Want a new model if you need one?"
"I'd be deeply grateful."
"...Not refusing. Who for?"
"Someone you know."
"......Tsk."
The crown prince leaned back against his chair and rubbed his fingers at me.
"Is that the final, 300-point answer?"
"Might be worth more than 500."
"What's the correct one?"
"Give me your daughter. That's it."
"......."
The crown prince's expression hardened.
I calmly moistened my throat with tea and stared him straight in the eye.
"Of course, saying it here stays secret from her."
"Heh..."
"Why the face?"
"No, just... I get what it means to be a true Gibraltar now."
The crown prince stuck out his tongue and let out a hollow laugh.
"How about your daughters?"
"One is enough for me. I have a brother named Noir; check with him if you're interested."
"I have plenty of sons too."
"My little sisters will choose the men they love themselves."
"Usually, parents say no even over their dead bodies."
"Would Your Highness say that?"
"...What's with gripping the glass like that?"
"What do you think?"
The crown prince scowled fiercely.
"Did you open the canyon gates?"
"Yes."
A sudden question. But I answered plainly.
"Why?"
"Too troublesome."
"Troublesome? That doesn't line up."
This was off-topic from the third request.
"Every time the imperial army came for demonstrations, rushing to the canyon made me think: if I inherit that, will I live like this forever?"
"......."
"What do you think, Your Highness?"
Perfect timing. Turn the question back to draw out his true feelings.
"If Hapsburg von Tersian had been born a son of Gibraltar, would you live as the kingdom's guardian?"
"No. Absolutely not."
He denied it instantly.
"Sacrificing your life, future, and existence for someone is worthwhile—but only if that someone is worth it."
"I agree."
"We're on the same page. If I were you, I'd be frustrated too. Because..."
"The chains of a guardian mean I have no intention of keeping my loved one locked in a mansion for life."
The guardian issue tied into the third reason seamlessly.
"I just want to live happily as a couple with the one I love, not a life restricted for the kingdom."
"Is that your true heart?"
"Yes."
"...I see."
The crown prince looked at the table.
"I hate the kingdom."
Avoiding eye contact, he slowly filled an empty glass with water and continued.
"If I were you? Serving a king like Saint Geo Nostrum? I'd rather rebel."
The water rose, and for a moment, the crown prince's face reflected in the glass.
"The kingdom needs to change. Starting with the king."
"Three years left."
"...Yes. Three years. If he makes one wrong move in that time, if he slips even slightly, everything topples."
Drip, drip.
"Are you planning to overthrow the Nostrum dynasty?"
"If necessary, yes—but right now, I don't see the need."
"Why?"
"Naria Geo Nostrum. I'll see what she does."
"If the heir, the queen, proves worthy of loyalty, you'll become the guardian?"
"No. As I said, my dream is to live happily with the one I love."
When dealing with the crown prince...
"If Saint Geo Nostrum blocks that, I'll remove him. If it's Naria Geo Nostrum, I'll topple the dynasty."
Lies won't work.
"And even if it's..."
"Hapsburg von Tersian?"
"I'll remove you by any means necessary."
With this man, only the truth worked.
"Why? Planning to kill me if I block you?"
"Yes."
"Can you?"
"I'll have to try."
"Ha."
The crown prince lifted his full glass.
"Looks like keeping you by my side is better than getting murdered by you."
"A wise judgment, Your Highness Hapsburg."
"Cheers. Raise your glass."
My glass was half full of water.
"To the future harmony of the Empire and the canyon."
"To harmony."
Clink.