For My Empire
Shortly thereafter—for ■■.
Nine Whites were escorted under guard by Mente Knight and Robert, along with the waiting Gibraltar Knights. Tying the hands of children was certainly no good deed, but the knights who had heard of their crimes no longer treated them as such.
Assassins in the guise of children.
Before, we couldn't uncover their backers, but things are different now.
The Shadow who kidnapped Noir three years ago was dead, but now they had secured three Shadows and six reserves.
How will that man move?
For now, they wouldn't kill the nine Whites. As he'd told his father, the three Shadows with silver dust would be sent to Morgania, but the remaining six still had potential for redemption.
They're perfect as maids to manage Noir for once; can't just kill them off carelessly.
If they had to kill them, perhaps wait until adulthood. But only the three who had directly targeted him and Astasia von Tersian merited that.
Perfect timing. They're all younger than Astasia, so they won't dare lay a hand on her.
The maids would now serve Astasia von Tersian thoroughly—and Gibraltar. Or their heads would roll.
If they obediently spill everything they know for Gibraltar, they might even become true members of the family.
They faced death wherever they went, but if they believed Gibraltar would protect them, they would betray the Empire—the Shadows' king, the crown prince.
Unlike the Shadows, whose lives are pledged to the crown prince.
Unlike those deeply entrenched as Shadows, these reserves hadn't sworn a blood oath.
And the silver dust hasn't been exposed.
The crown prince's most prized silver dust remained hidden. Only those three Shadows had carried it anyway.
As long as they have utility, it'd be good if they realize we're hiding them for that reason.
And Gibraltar would keep the truth buried as much as possible.
By the time the crown prince suspects, their minds will be remade and loyalty sworn.
While the crown prince's gaze was fixed on the south.
With a silver dust sample secured, all that's left is gathering the raw materials.
Produce silver dust. Not the addictive drug that made the crown prince emperor, but Grey Gibraltar-brand silver dust.
I already know the ingredients.
Silver dust's silver. A substance not easily obtained by ordinary means.
It was tied to the elves, after all.
Secure elves, produce Gibraltar silver dust.
Conveniently, heading south along the canyon led to a vast forest larger than any viscountcy.
So much to do.
Manage the Gibraltar family. Watch over the orphanage children who would grow into knights. Now figure out how to train the Empire's orphans as spies.
Above all—
"Lord Grey?"
"Yes, Your Highness Astasia von Tersian."
This girl. Astasia von Tersian, the emperor's granddaughter.
"Lord Grey, you really seem close to Father—the margrave."
"......"
"Oh? Not asking me? About my relationship with Father?"
"Can't exactly say it's all sunshine, can I?"
At his question, Astasia von Tersian gave a wry smile.
"Do you know who my father is?"
"Of course. Better than anyone."
In this world.
"Probably no one knows Your Highness's father as well as I do."
"Ehh, liar. Then... do you know his name?"
"Naturally."
No one knew him better than Grey.
"Your Highness's father, the current crown prince's name is—"
* * *
At that moment, the southern strait. The kingdom-empire border.
A middle-aged man and a woman who appeared in her twenties walked hand in hand along the beach. Their attire was exceedingly light, especially the woman's thin sundress.
"General."
The woman, Ariana Seirene, cautiously spoke.
"It might be belated, but thank you for saving me."
"No need for thanks."
The man called general, Admiral Hailredin of the navy, matched her pace on the sandy shore.
"More importantly, the night air is chilly. Best head inside."
"I can just go home, but you'll have to swim back, General."
"No issue. Our ship waits nearby."
"General...."
Ariana Seirene placed a hand on her belly, tears welling.
"We can be together, right?"
"Of course. Even if the Empire wages war on the kingdom again."
Hailredin lightly kissed her hand.
"Even if I must abandon all rank and wealth in the Empire, I will return here for you."
"Yes. You must... I’ll wait for you."
Thick tears fell from Ariana Seirene's eyes.
Toot.
A faint horn echoed from the dark sea.
"Time to go."
At the return signal, Hailredin wiped her tears with his hand, then dashed toward the sea.
"General!"
Ariana Seirene cried out behind him, but he ran straight into the waves and swam.
"Sa...!"
Splash, splash.
The words were lost in the water, but he could guess.
"Kkh."
Hailredin swallowed seawater amid an involuntary chuckle, clamped his mouth shut, and swam toward the horizon.
About ten minutes later.
In the fog-shrouded sea thick with blackness, a shape loomed.
Hailredin swam straight for it, grabbed the dropped rope, and climbed aboard.
"Thanks for waiting."
It was a ship. A navy-uniformed soldier on deck looked grave as he waited.
"General. That...."
"What's wrong?"
"...His Highness is here."
Hailredin froze at "His Highness."
"It's fine."
But he steadied his breath and patted the soldier's shoulder.
"His Highness knows."
"......"
"Where is he?"
"Captain's quarters...."
"Understood. After I change—"
"He said come at once upon return, as is."
"...No choice, then."
Hailredin shook water from his dripping clothes and headed inside via the deck.
A somewhat eerie atmosphere.
The captain's quarters were practically his own, yet the path felt endlessly long tonight.
Knock knock knock.
He knocked and entered. Inside, a man with military-blue hair—the Empire's crown prince—waited in a black suit.
"Your Highness...?"
"Did you bid a proper farewell?"
He sat at a round table with an open wine bottle and two empty glasses.
"...Why come all this way? You were resting at port—"
"To watch your love from afar? Haha. Sit."
Hailredin bowed and took a seat.
"Didn't want to drink alone after uncorking it. Lucky you. A bit later and... heh heh."
He couldn't fathom why the crown prince was here, but fortunately, he seemed in good spirits, slightly tipsy.
"Had a glass already?"
"Ah, yes. One ahead. Come, drink."
"My thanks."
The crown prince grabbed the bottle with one hand and poured vigorously into Hailredin's empty glass.
"Your Highness...?"
"Giving as much as I cherish you. No law says wine must fill the glass precisely, right?"
Dislike for kingdom etiquette? Or wanting to guzzle like sailors with beer mugs? Incomprehensible.
"Raise your glass."
Such eccentricities weren't new from the crown prince, so Hailredin simply complied.
"General."
The crown prince lifted his glass seriously.
"What completes a human?"
"...I'm no philosopher, so only humble words from limited insight."
Gulp, gulp.
Hailredin drained his glass in one go.
"Family."
"Becoming a married man?"
"...Apologies. First time for me."
"Heh heh. No need. Just curious about your view."
The crown prince spun his empty glass lightly, smiling faintly.
"Power. Wealth. Honor. Status. Love. I've asked countless people what completes humanity, but none matched my answer."
"......"
"Why the face? Ah, never heard I go around asking?"
The crown prince grinned, still flushed with drink.
"I'll tell you."
"......"
Something chilled his spine.
"Here's what I think. And it's truth."
No drugs in the wine, yet the aftertaste was thick like enemy blood in battle.
"Humans are completed by death."
"......!!"
"General."
Hailredin shot to his feet.
"Your Highness—"
"Slow."
Boom—!
The moment he rose, he was staring at the ceiling.
"Why? Don't ask. All part of the plan."
Crunch.
The crown prince pressed a foot to his chest.
"Kh, heuk, ugh...!"
"Since you're going anyway, a final explanation is proper."
He clawed at the foot with both hands, but it was immovable as a boulder.
"By your death, you bridge Nostrum and our great Empire—Tersian—in peace."
"Y-Your Highness...?!"
"Admiral Hailredin, assassinated by Empire hawks."
Hailredin couldn't comprehend. Despite the explanation, why him?
"Handy, that noisy palace bitch. Bundling you with her right-hand man."
"Kh, kuh...!"
"That look. Like there are other ways besides your death."
The crown prince blinked, tilting his head.
"Got your last words ready. One as Empire soldier. One as lover of kingdom noble. Which? Both? Fine, I'll handle it."
"Your Highness, why...!"
"Think positive. Your name lives in history—as peace symbol between nations."
"Kh, kuh...!"
Incomprehensible. Logic, reason—all failed against those words.
"Why resist so? Baffling."
One thing. A long-honed instinct found the truth.
"Do you truly believe... this is for my sake...?"
Instinct.
"That my death, leaving a name in death... completes me...?!!"
"Naturally."
The crown prince.
"Better than quietly living with enemy noble's daughter. Glorious end in death. Obviously."
He spoke flatly, like reading a book.
"Rest easy. I'll embellish it fine. Died fighting hawks desperately."
"Kh, kaaaaah!!"
Hailredin roared, thrashing, but only limbs flailed futilely.
"You, you ba...!"
"All the same. Always spewing informal drivel at the end. Sigh."
The crown prince chuckled dryly, lifting the wine bottle.
Slice.
Hand chop severed the neck; it gleamed sharp.
"Try it. Shout my name."
"You, you...! Tersian...!!"
"That's the Empire."
The crown prince grinned wickedly, inverting the bottle.
"This cursed... Hapsburg—!!"
"Correct."
The crown prince smiled brightly.
"Your reward."
He released the bottle.
Stab—!
"......"
Red liquid splattered inside the empty bottle, trickling down.
"Tersian Empire, hm. Founder's name."
At the twitching, he pressed his foot harder, stomping lightly.
"Long used. Time to change. To the name of the great unifier of Nostrum and continent."
The crown prince spread his arms, beaming.
"All for the Unified Empire, Hapsburg."
Moonlight filtered through the captain's window.
"For my empire."
* * *
Tersian Empire's crown prince.
The man plotting a unified empire in his name.
Hapsburg von Tersian.
I must kill him.
For you.