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Chapter : 7
The imperial palace, which I set foot in again after five years, was damnably unchanged—still as splendid as ever.
Meeting the Second Prince had been the goal, and now safely returning Adriel to the imperial palace had been added to that objective. But since the Second Prince was said to be Adriel’s— the Third Prince’s—guardian, it was something that would be resolved once we met him.
Because this was a gathering where nobles congregated in large numbers, someone might recognize Adriel’s face. After checking the hood of the robe that all but concealed his face one last time, I narrowed my eyes in front of the banquet hall.
This is where it really begins.
“Baroness Sierra von Anes, Head of the Anes Merchant Guild, and her partner enter!”
With the blare of a trumpet, the massive doors opened to reveal a lavishly decorated banquet hall.
The child fidgeted while tightly holding both his doll and my hand.
“Oh my, Baroness, that dress is absolutely beautiful!”
“Where did you…?”
I let out a small laugh.
Though Sierra was only a baroness—not a countess or a marchioness—the influence of the Anes Grand Merchant Guild, which had a spirit mage as its head, seemed to be quite formidable.
Just look at those awkward nobles and young ladies desperately trying to strike up a conversation with Sierra.
“But Baroness, the person who came with you is….”
“Oh my, Count Grente. How did the mining issue turn out the other day?”
“Ah, of course it was handled well. Contracts with your guild are always—”
A few nobles’ gazes shifted toward me, who was part of Sierra’s group, but before the topic could turn to me, Sierra smoothly changed the subject, and their attention quickly returned to her.
“His Grace Duke Shutriën and Lady Lilia von Shutriën enter!”
Bang.
No sooner had the servant’s booming announcement ended than someone flung themselves into my arms.
“Sister! I missed you so much!”
How she recognized me when I was even wearing a robe, I had no idea, but Lilia ran straight over and clung to me, caring nothing for noble decorum.
She had shown me endless affection up to now, but just in case, I stepped back slightly so that Adriel wouldn’t catch Lilia’s eye.
“…Lilia.”
“Your Ladyship?”
“She seems to be part of the group that arrived with the baroness. Do you know her?”
As people’s attention gathered, Lilia seized the opportunity and began introducing one young lady after another to me. Flustered, yet unable to take my eyes off Adriel, I ended up being swept into the crowd.
“Phew.”
After finally calming Lilia down—who had been hell-bent on introducing me to as many people as possible—I told her I’d go rest for a moment. With a deep sigh, I took Adriel with me to a secluded corner of the terrace, away from prying eyes.
Crowded places had always felt stifling, both then and now.
The cool night air wrapped pleasantly around my face beneath the robe.
“Big sis… will brother come…?”
Adriel asked anxiously, hugging my waist tightly.
I knelt on one knee to meet his eyes.
Those violet eyes that had been full of hope until this morning, before coming to the banquet hall, were gradually clouding with unease.
I met his gaze in silence.
“It’s okay. He’ll come. And even if he doesn’t, he’ll be somewhere in the palace, right? You know how to get to the prince’s residence, don’t you?”
Honestly, it would be troublesome for me if he didn’t come.
Still looking uneasy, but with a much better expression than before, the child slowly nodded.
I was just lifting the robe that covered his face to fix his hair when—
“…Adriel?”
As the saying goes, speak of the tiger and it appears. Someone called the child’s name in an incredulous voice.
I turned my head sharply, then froze.
“Adriel!”
I stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the child—until a large, black-haired man snatched him out of my arms and leveled a sword at me.
“…Second Prince?”
Despite my target for attending the banquet being right in front of me, my thoughts came to a complete halt.
“Who are you.”
The child in the Second Prince’s grip began to hiccup, his face crumpling as if he were about to cry.
“…Brother…? Brother…! I missed you…!”
Adriel burst into tears and clung to the Second Prince.
With no choice, the Second Prince lowered his sword for the moment and held the child, soothing him—though the fierce glare directed at me remained unchanged.
“Who are you.”
Only after Adriel had calmed down somewhat did the sword once again press against my throat.
As the finely honed blade edged closer, enough to draw blood, the mental gears that had stopped began to turn again.
The Second Prince was right in front of me.
“Speak. Who are you.”
There was no time to think.
Meeting the threatening gaze of the Second Prince—who looked as if he were trying to shield Adriel behind him—I pulled back the hood of the robe that concealed my face.
The terrace curtains were tightly drawn. There was no risk of being seen.
“…?”
“I came to see you, Second Prince.”
“Nonsense. Who sent you? Where have you been keeping Adriel all this time? How dare you scheme with the Crown Prince—”
The prince’s expressionless face radiated killing intent.
Tch.
I clicked my tongue.
Would he listen if I showed him a spirit?
And it didn’t look like he considered me a benefactor at all.
Just as I was about to call Undine, the child slipped out from behind the Second Prince and clung tightly to my waist again.
“She’s the one who saved me, brother! Don’t do that!”
The Second Prince flinched.
He looked back and forth between Adriel and me.
“Adriel.”
“She saved me and took care of me all this time! Why are you treating her like this!”
In the chaotic situation, I let out a sigh.
“Undine.”
With a pop, the spirit appeared and sealed both men’s mouths.
Perhaps he was startled, because the prince’s violet pupils widened slightly.
After a brief moment, I spoke.
“Have you both calmed down?”
The man and the child nodded at the same time.
When I sent Undine away, the prince stared at me intently.
“…What business does a spirit mage have coming to the imperial palace?”
“I told you I came to see you.”
I dropped formal speech. Even knowing I was a spirit mage, if he was going to be that rude, then prince or not, I’d respond in kind.
“…Follow me.”
After briefly raising his eyebrows, the prince scooped Adriel up as if stealing him away and jumped off the terrace.
It wasn’t that high, but to leap down without hesitation…
Watching him land safely and head off somewhere, I silently jumped down after him.
The stamina I’d built up through subjugating monsters supported me well even without spirits.
It wasn’t long before I realized that the place we arrived at was the prince’s residence.
Entering one of the rooms, the prince set Adriel down on a sofa, then plopped down beside him and looked at me with an indifferent expression.
I sat across from him and met his gaze.
The aura he gave off was like that of a ferocious beast.
“…Where was Adriel?”
The prince spoke, biting his lip.
“I don’t know the details either. He was at one of the restaurants in the capital. This child—the Third Prince—ran away from there, and I ended up saving him by chance. And according to him…”
I glanced at Adriel.
“It seems he was taken to a slave market.”
“…There was the eldest brother’s crest.”
Clutching the doll he’d brought, Adriel murmured softly, perhaps still shaken by seeing the prince draw a sword at me.
The eldest brother… the Crown Prince. Judging by the darkening aura around the Second Prince, it was almost certain the Crown Prince was behind it.
The prince remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
“I apologize for pointing my sword at you. Thank you for saving Adriel. I’ll grant you any reward you wish. But before that, I’d like you to explain what you meant by coming to see me.”
I nodded readily.
“I came to make you emperor.”
I went straight to the point.
The prince’s eyebrows shot up.
“…You’re spouting nonsense. Did you think I wouldn’t know that the Spirit Tower maintains neutrality no matter what?”
The hostile aura I’d only just managed to calm flared up again.
“Instead.”
My eyes sharpened.
“I want you to help me with my revenge. It’s a fair trade. It has nothing to do with the Spirit Tower—and even if it did, I already got the Tower Master’s permission.”
“…I don’t need the power of a spirit mage. I’ve already built up enough influence—”
“The Blessing of Rupium.”
The prince stiffened.
It was information I’d pried out of Sierra.
Why hadn’t a prince known for his overwhelming martial power and, frankly speaking, dogshit personality killed the Crown Prince he hated so much? It was a question whispered about in public.
The conclusion people reached was that the Crown Prince held the prince’s weakness—but that wasn’t quite it.
Not many knew the truth: the restriction placed upon the imperial family of the Rupium Empire.
The Blessing of Rupium, passed down through the imperial line.
There had been tyrants as well as wise rulers, but none of them could kill those who shared the imperial blood. Past empresses, who did not share that blood, were an exception—but the restriction applied to princes and princesses throughout the generations.
A blessing—and now, for the prince, a curse.
Siblings of the same blood could never kill each other. And with the Second Prince’s and Crown Prince’s factions evenly matched, it was difficult for the prince to openly move against him. Because of this “blessing,” even a Sword Master like the prince couldn’t act directly.
“What are you? What do you want?”
With a metallic ring, the prince drew his sword, and in less than a second it was at my throat.
I sighed inwardly.
Even knowing it was pointless, being threatened repeatedly was not pleasant.
“Undine.”
The cold blade was instantly encased in thick ice. Seizing the moment of the prince’s surprise, I flung the sword far away.
Then I grabbed him by the collar.
Our faces were so close I could see the tension in his facial muscles.
“I told you clearly. I’ll help you until you become emperor, and you help me with my revenge.”
“…How am I supposed to trust you?”
I let out another sigh and released his collar.
“Arien von Aisien. Ever heard of her?”
“…Aisien… You mean the former young lady who was expelled? What about her?”
The prince asked with a frown.
“Yeah. That’s me.”
“What does that have to do with—what?”
I looked straight at him.
“The noble lady who was expelled five years ago—that was me.”
“….”
“The people I want revenge on are the entire House of Aisien and the Crown Prince. That’s why I’m making this offer. I’ll make you emperor, and you help me get my revenge. That’s all.”
