The Duty of a Noble (2)
Morgania's Governor-General—that is, Carmen before my regression—had used people with ruthless efficiency.
After the Empire conquered the Kingdom, she ascended to the position of Governor-General and ruled as an administrator, actively promoting commoners to key roles. Of course, "commoners" was a polite term; in reality, they were the wealthy elite without titles. Those who either couldn't afford a title or chose not to buy one, but had amassed knowledge on the back of their economic power. The Empire called them bourgeois, but from their perspective, they were just convenient stopgaps—useful patches to plug holes.
Stopgaps. It was a crude word, but it fit their role perfectly, so there was no better term. At best, you could call them buffers, holding the Kingdom's administration together until Empire talent could infiltrate properly.
Even so, Queen Carmen's willingness to employ such people showed she spared no means or methods when it came to using others. Even if it meant ruling through torture.
Yeah.
"Sending a thirteen-year-old child as External Minister and ripping her from her parents' arms like that."
She was the type to drag a kid like me into the cutthroat arena of political diplomacy without a second thought. Carmen didn't hesitate to use any tactic if it served her purpose.
"Don't you think that's too much, Viscount Hex?"
"You calling yourself a normal thirteen-year-old?"
Viscount Hex, sitting across from me in the carriage, smirked.
"Using your own father to root out the Empire's puppets—the Shadows."
"Ah, did you call me aside just to bring that up? If so, then—"
"No. I figured we'd chat to pass the time on the ride. Once this is over, I'll return all three to you, so make good use of them."
Three.
Obviously—
"Number 9, 18, and 27."
Those weren't my words.
"Numbers tattooed right on their bodies. With magic, no less."
They were Viscount Hex's.
"I had to admit, the Empire's impressive. They handle their intelligence network as well as we do. Turning imperial blood—bastards, no less—into spies."
"So it really is that, huh?"
"You didn't know?"
"Just suspected. If every white-haired person was imperial blood, then Letar would be royalty too."
"Fair point."
I knew, of course.
"Surprising. I thought you had it all figured out."
"No way I'd know every little detail."
"And yet you handled them like you did? We didn't kill them because they're imperial blood and sent them our way instead?"
"We sent them to verify, and verification's done. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Hmm... Well, if you say so."
But when dealing with Morgania, you couldn't afford to leave any variables unchecked.
"Those Shadows? Way more numerous than I thought. If you include the non-imperial ones, probably around a thousand."
"Morgania has about that many spies, doesn't it?"
"We don't treat noble blood like disposable cards, at least. Not Her Majesty's style either."
"Personal taste in espionage?"
"Of course. The intelligence org moves by the rules and lines Queen Carmen sets."
Viscount Hex held up three fingers toward me.
"You spared them and sent them over, so we're sparing them back. After a proper re-education, of course."
"......"
"If they don't listen, just threaten to send them back to the 'secret room.' They'll break down crying, begging not to go."
"I'd rather not resort to fear tactics."
Threats and domination through terror—that was the crown prince's way. Not mine.
"Got it. If you send them, I'll make good use of them. Now, can we turn this carriage around?"
"You'll head straight to the orphanage once we reach the house."
"Come to think of it, I didn't even get to properly say goodbye to my adorable little sisters, Letar and Ruby."
"Not Noir, huh?"
"...Viscount Hex."
A sigh escaped me.
"Does the situation really warrant kidnapping me like this?"
"Not fire on our feet, but more like the water's rising under us while we sit idle."
Viscount Hex grinned, waggling the fingers he'd held up.
"Wanna guess?"
"...The retainers you brought along don't seem useless."
"Normally, yeah. But this summit? The top power isn't Queen Carmen."
"Guess I'll have to jump."
I pointed at the carriage door.
"If it's about escorting the Incompetent King, that's got nothing to do with me."
"Wait! Stop. Please. I'll die without you."
"You'll die, not me."
"Cold-blooded kid. If Queen Carmen's your mom, think of me as your political uncle!"
"I have plenty of moms I know well, but no uncles, so I'm not sure."
"Ha... "
Viscount Hex covered his face with both hands in despair.
"Cut me some slack. Begging a thirteen-year-old like this— you get how serious it is, right?"
"To some extent, yeah."
If I teased him more, the man might actually burst. I straightened up.
"Kidding. Just venting a bit. I was supposed to make dessert for Zabeth and Ellie today, but then I got kidnapped."
"......"
"Princess Naria and one of my exclusive Whites."
"Ah, got it. What dessert? Research mana herbs?"
"Pound cake topped with dried Somnus petals?"
Delicious and nutritious. Sure, it used a lot of flour and honey, but the Somnus petals and pollen mixed into the batter aided mana absorption. Above all, Astasia loved Somnus.
Not just because I ate it often—it was because her tongue savored the mana in Somnus like sweet sugar. Blessed constitution.
Somnus tasted faintly bitter to me when chewed, but Astasia perceived it as sugary bliss. A difference in mana affinity, probably. For reference, Naria tasted spicy.
"I see. Did I interrupt a date with young master Gibraltar?"
"Yep. Father would've drawn steel by now."
"You shred people with words alone."
"This much?"
"You know my position full well and still corner me like this—pure malice. Happy?"
Viscount Hex pushed up his slipping glasses with a sigh.
"The External Minister has to work for historic peace between Kingdom and Empire."
"Never imagined this when I took the post."
"Fate. Accept it."
"Haaa..."
Viscount Hex sighed deeply again, but this time—
"Mind sharing your take?"
"Sure."
"How should we handle this mess?"
This wasn't lamenting his lot anymore. It was a practitioner's frustration at a dead end.
"I've been in this carriage all of thirty minutes."
"You know everything already."
"Know what? You think I read the future?"
"Don't you?"
"Ask that seriously, and I'm the one who feels absurd."
I didn't read or see the future. I knew it to some degree—had lived it—so I understood people's tendencies and could infer how they'd play out now.
"All I've heard about Seirene County is rumors. Latest ones from two days ago, at best."
"......"
"For real. I swear on my mother."
"Why does swearing on your mom make me trust you less? It should boost it."
"Father too."
"Sigh. Fine, if you're going that far. You're no patricide, after all."
Viscount Hex straightened up.
"First off: Queen Carmen wants you at her side for Empire-language interpretation."
"You speak it better, don't you? Empire tongue."
"Simultaneous translation's beyond me."
Was he feeling the pressure? Or did he trust me that much?
"Queen Carmen definitely doesn't trust the Empire's translation magitech, huh."
"Right. Can't rely on enemy gadgets."
Insurance or whatever, it was a valid excuse.
"But you dragged me here just for that? Capital's got to have at least one fluent simultaneous interpreter."
"Symbolic participation as Gibraltar's proxy?"
"...You've been writing letters a lot lately. Sneaky groundwork, huh."
"Sharp as ever. Impressive."
"Tch."
I got it instantly. Father sold me out.
"How does a father revenge himself on his son like this?"
"Revenge?"
"Nothing."
Over the container hauling? Or the full-plate armor disguise, drumming the mask and treating him like a coachman in casual speech?
Both were unavoidable.
If that's why he shipped me off secretly, I'd get petty revenge the moment I returned.
"Once everything's done, suggesting Queen Carmen visit Gibraltar wouldn't be bad."
"See Naria?"
"That too, but tell her to meet Father. Heh."
"......"
Mother might get a bit stuffy about Carmen sharing wine alone with him, but that was minor.
What if they actually hit it off?
Carmen Morgania fully allying with Gibraltar would benefit Mother too.
"Grey. Even if it risks exposing Princess Naria to the king, I'll push for Queen Carmen to visit Gibraltar."
"...Sounds like a proposal I shouldn't hear."
"Too late—you're still here. Means you're listening."
"Fine. Spill. What's got you so desperate?"
"Obviously, Saint Geo Nostrum?"
"Yeah. But here's the thing."
Viscount Hex pulled something from his breast pocket.
"To symbolize reconciliation between Kingdom and Empire, he wants to start with a party. Our great king."
"......A mask?"
"Yeah. A masquerade ball, no less."
"Ha..."
A white, ornate half-mask, straight out of a classical play.
"Hide your identity and be Queen Carmen's partner."
"With His Majesty right there?"
"He'll get blackout drunk again. Empire's sending crates of their new liqueur as gifts."
"Well... no real issue then, is there?"
The Incompetent King's antics were frustrating, sometimes murderous, but predictable.
"I doubt Morgania can't handle this variable. Plus... the Grand Duke's attending too, right?"
"Correct."
Nostrum's other Master was set to join the negotiation-turned-gala.
"Whatever His Majesty does, shouldn't be a problem. But. But..."
"Hmm. I can guess."
The Empire must've exploded at this absurd proposal.
"From the Empire's view, they're fostering peace vibes, then lose their admiral, and now hold a solemn memorial."
The Incompetent King's pitch boiled down to:
"Neighbor's holding a funeral? Let's invite 'em over for a wild drunken bash anyway."
"Spot on."
No one madder in the world.
"And here's the real headache..."
"Crown Prince accepted."
Correction.
"Death's a death, but to honor it, Kingdom and Empire must show unity."
One competent soul existed.
"Our king says party regardless of the death. Crown Prince: overcome it, cherish it, march to a bright future. Stark contrast, huh."
Too competent compared to us—that was the issue.
"Thought we'd prep a funeral. Now it's a festival."
"Festival indeed. Celebrating the end of the long Kingdom-Empire war."
"......"
"Don't overthink it. If the Empire had someone like me, they'd see it that way."
Definitely.
"One death seals peace between nations? A meaningful end."
"......"
"Better than a pathetic dog-death."
The Kingdom-Empire memorial gala was set as a masquerade ball.
"Anyway, if Queen Carmen specifically summoned me, that's why."
Empire officially sent one crown prince.
"Chairwoman Erwin coming too?"
Retinue inevitable, of course.
"In that case, no choice."
With Erwin there, I'd dutifully assist Queen Carmen.
"A reunion with Mother after so long—I'll gladly attend. Oh, and."
Not just the two mothers made it joyful.
"I'll get to see Father too."