Curtain Fall: A Backstage Farewell (2)
I must protect Astasia. Even if it means revealing everything about my regression, I have to protect Astasia no matter what.
"...I understand."
Father nodded silently.
"I'll increase the knights."
"Pardon?"
"I'll hire mages too. I'll personally vet them to ensure no one like Arshen Gillarus slips through."
"Father."
"The festival... it was always risky, but we'll have to postpone it even longer for now. We'll need to keep managing outsiders coming from afar."
"Father, are you thinking of keeping Astasia in the territory indefinitely?"
"And if I am?"
Father tilted his head.
"You're the one who said we must protect Astasia."
"No, Father."
"...That sounds like you're saying my approach is wrong."
"Yes. We must protect Astasia, but Gibraltar can't be the one doing it."
Father's gaze flicked momentarily to my hand.
"......."
I glanced down and realized my fist was clenched tight without me noticing.
"Yes. To be honest, I want to protect her. Not someone else—me. Personally. Just as you protect Mother, I want to protect Astasia myself."
"Until you grow strong enough, I can be her shield."
"That would be no different from locking a bird in a cage for life."
Protecting her and merely confining her were worlds apart.
"If we keep her from going out just to protect her and shut her away in the mansion, it'll only eat away at her and lead to her ruin."
"If it's going outside that worries you..."
"A second Arshen Gillarus could appear. Malcolm the butler, Sir Carlos, even Sir Mente could one day turn into vampire thralls and attack."
"......."
"When enemies target both Marchioness Charlotte and Grand Princess Astasia at once, it's obvious where your sword would point."
Father didn't deny it.
This was an eternal truth, an unchanging major premise that always existed in such dilemmas.
"It might sound paradoxical, but the safest place for Astasia is the imperial palace."
"What?"
"More precisely, by the crown prince's side. Just as I'm safest by your side, Father, she's safest by her father's."
I didn't want to admit it, but I had no choice.
"And the crown prince thinks the same."
"How? Are you saying he knows what's happening here?"
"It might seem like the emperor and crown prince are at odds, but at their core, they're blood kin in the same imperial family. What the emperor knows, the crown prince knows too."
Not the other way around, though.
"Besides, the emperor already knew Astasia was here, didn't he?"
"...True. No reason to kill her now."
"What if the prime minister—or rather, that consort-like figure—wants her dead, and she's just now caught on?"
"......."
I couldn't name Isabella Imperial Consort yet.
"That one surely commands vampires, or is one herself."
"Either way, the emperor can't refuse. Or rather, he'll pretend not to know."
"The vampires will keep raiding Gibraltar."
"Yes. The emperor will feign ignorance as always, but the vampires sent by imperial agents will terrorize Gibraltar endlessly."
So the answer was clear.
"...The crown prince will surely move to retrieve Astasia soon. Because I can't protect her."
Astasia was in danger, and Gibraltar lacked the means to shield her forever.
"Of course, there's one person who could fend off any threat. You, Father."
"......."
"Yes. But you don't need to risk your life for Grand Princess Astasia. She's not your wife."
"Ahem."
"They know me to some extent. And no matter my true skill, they won't think I can overcome the threat level they perceive."
I pointed at Father.
"If I were as strong as you, maybe."
"You can become strong."
"Thank you for the vote of confidence in my talent, but that's not now."
I knew I could grow stronger, of course. I'd walked that path before, and I was getting stronger every day.
"No matter how much I flap my wings, I'm still just novice knight level."
But not in this moment.
"I can't protect Grand Princess Astasia."
"Then what do you plan to do?"
"...Obviously."
It was so obvious.
"Entrust her to those who can."
"I..."
"Not you, Father. Not Morgania either. No one in Gibraltar territory."
At this point in time, regardless of reasons, only one person could safeguard Astasia from threats as securely as Father protected Mother.
"The crown prince will send someone soon. To retrieve his grand princess."
I trusted him.
Whether crown prince or emperor, they were both Hapsburg von Tersian at root. Their branches had thickened with age, bearing fruit and scattering seeds. If he was the competent, efficiency-obsessed man I knew, even scant information would make him act exactly as I hoped.
I didn't trust him even before regression, and now life's first act of faith has to be in a situation like this.
Statistics and faith.
Please don't disappoint me.
No matter how I struggled, I was just a handful of power now. All a powerless me could do was believe.
Imperial capital, a small room somewhere.
"......."
The crown prince lay on the bed in simple attire—just a shirt and pants. In the pitch-black room devoid of anyone else, he lay still for a long while before reaching out sideways.
His hand grasped something massive—a large orb too big for one hand.
As soon as he touched it, the huge magic stone began to glimmer navy blue.
> [What is it? Sudden comms?]
> [Busy with work, Your Highness. Hang up if nothing to say?]
"Astasia."
> [...Astasia what.]
"I think I need to bring your daughter back under me."
> [What?]
Below the large magic stone, the name 'Erwin Iferia' glowed red.
> [What nonsense is that all of a sudden! Contract breach! I did that because—]
"The situation's changed. I—"
> [Sent her to Gibraltar to seduce a Gibraltar! You're getting regular reports, right?!]
"Yes."
> [And I, I...! Even sent photos myself! And you're saying this?!]
"Let me... haa. Don't hang up."
The crown prince covered his face with one hand and picked up the printed photos beside the magic stone.
"Astasia must take after someone—she's definitely pretty. Grey Gibraltar, was it? To put the young master of Gibraltar on a leash like this."
In the photos.
Astasia, her hair color different but clearly collared by Grey Gibraltar himself, trailed after her like a petty thief caught by a noble lady.
The moment he saw them, various thoughts crossed the crown prince's mind.
He might act incompetent publicly, even going this far for show, but could anyone do this with a normal mindset?
No way.
If he could do this without a shred of rational affection, that man would be impotent or some beast-loving lunatic.
At least, Grey Gibraltar's behavior so far screamed 'boy in the throes of first love.'
"You think I want to pull Astasia from Gibraltar right now?"
> [...What are you talking about?]
"Circumstances have arisen."
It was such a shame.
"Now that Astasia has succeeded in seducing Grey Gibraltar, we must protect her at all costs."
> [Someone targeting Astasia?]
"They're planning to."
Because it was such a shame, he'd even hurled insults directly at the emperor to press him.
"Isabella seems to have found out. About Astasia's location."
Breathing paused on the other side of the stone.
"Father sent vampires to assassinate Princess Naria, and one spotted Astasia on site."
> [That...]
"Don't ask why her of all people. You left her free to enjoy the festival in the first place."
> [........]
"You're not going to say you had no chance to tell her the festival was risky and to head back quietly, right? Erwin?"
> [Don't use my name casually.]
"Not the time to get mad."
The crown prince continued irritably.
"If you've got time to be pissed, head to Gibraltar now."
> [Right now?]
"Yes. I'll comm Claydoll Marquis. Go yourself and bring Astasia back."
> [......You're not planning anything weird, right?]
"You're the one thinking weird shit. I'm dead serious about protecting Astasia."
The crown prince sat up.
"She's won over Gibraltar's heart—something no one else could. You think I'd let her get hurt or killed?"
> [But right now...]
"Move now, or Father will first."
The crown prince tapped the stone rapidly, and the rectangular image floating on its surface zipped back inside.
"If Isabella whispers in his ear, she'll frenzy the pollution zone beasts and march on Nostrum."
> [Meanwhile, vampires descend from the zone to hit Gibraltar and Astasia?]
"Exactly."
> [...Do we really have to go this far?]
"Of course."
The crown prince chuckled dryly.
"The orphanage is far from the castle, lightly guarded. I'd send high vampires to surround the mansion, then elites to assassinate Astasia."
> [Is that what you say now?]
"It is. Because Father might not think of what I do. No—Isabella will, to make her son official grand prince."
> [Tch...]
"You're not dismissing this as hot air anyway."
The crown prince smirked, stroking the stone.
"Seems your body's already heading to the hangar mid-call."
Bzzz—hum.
"No answer? Fine. Go. Comms might cut during travel—call when you arrive."
> [Got it. But... at least let me say goodbye properly.]
"Goodbye?"
> [Can't just kidnap her. Need to explain and take her. At least... 30 minutes.]
"Naturally. You think I'd deny even that? Sounds good."
The crown prince stroked his goatee with a faint smile.
"A sudden parting made tender at the last moment will linger specially in the heart."
"...Then there's no helping it."
Was it fortunate?
"If my presence harms not just Naria but all of Gibraltar, then I should leave. Hehe."
Or despair?
"It's fine. Yeah, it's not forever—just a short separation, right?"
When I called Astasia to my room alone and explained, she smiled bitterly yet humbly accepted my proposal.
"Don't feel too bad about it. Hmm... Ah, right! I was supposed to come to Nostrum at 17 anyway!"
"Can you say that?"
"......Uh, um."
"And I already know about the academy."
Astasia tried to comfort me with whatever came to mind, but I wasn't greatly shaken.
"If we meet at the academy... that'll be almost four years from now."
"Three years and some months! Enrollment's in spring!"
"So we'll meet again in spring?"
"Right? ...Ah! Wait a sec."
Astasia placed both hands on her head and closed her eyes.
"Come to think... Sir Grey, didn't you say you weren't going to the academy?"
"I did."
"Th-that won't do. I'll definitely be sent there..."
"Don't worry about that. I've got ways."
It was planned from the regression point, so reunion was no issue.
"Princess."
I took out the ring for her.
"Though it's come to this, first—"
"No. I won't take it."
Astasia firmly extended her hand to refuse the ring I offered.
"I've already received something else. Not that I hate this."
"Then...?"
"This... hehe."
Astasia grinned playfully and slipped it onto the index finger of my right hand.
"If I'm taking it, I want it in the most meaningful place someday... that kind of feeling?"
"......."
"Ah, n-no weird meaning! Just, you know..."
"Noted."
She's the same as ever.
"One promise. On the day we meet again."
I lifted Astasia's hand.
"No matter who comes, I'll be strong enough to protect you."
I kissed the back of her hand and vowed.
"Ahaha. Now I feel like a queen or something."
"A queen. If that's your wish."
Anytime.
"For my queen."