TTPB 44

Chapter 44

Makes You Want to Snatch It Away Immediately

Early in the morning, the clear song of a canary woke the Emperor from his sleep.

“Any new messages?”
“No, Your Majesty.”

Euclid let out a deep sigh. He pulled out the letter he had already read countless times. It had arrived at the palace more than half a year ago. No further word had come since then.

“This has never happened before.”

The Emperor tilted his head slightly. The longest interval between regular correspondence had never exceeded a month. For there to be no word at all for this long—never before. His troubled thumb brushed across the seal of the letter.

The silence was broken only by the occasional fluttering of wings. Watching the bird soar, Euclid gave a quiet command.

“Tell the Imperial Guard to trace the last whereabouts of this letter. We must find out quickly.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”

When the chamber doors shut, the Emperor took his pet bird from the cage. The pale morning sunlight lit up its yellow feathers. The canary looked up at him, and his stroking hand froze.

“Anya… where are you now?”

In Calonne, few dared look down on Duke Roscher. Yet the man now occupying his office was one even he could not defy. The Duke anxiously received Ludwig de Calonne.

“Her Highness the Second Princess has passed away.”
“We already held the funeral, did we not? Who do you think gifted that coffin? Do you know how hard it was to find a material that would not melt away?”

The Duke shuddered at Ludwig’s expressionless mention of the princess’s death.

“Her Highness the First Empress, stricken with grief, says she will leave the palace.”
“Say it plainly. You’re sending her away because you fear the scandal of a mad imperial.”

With Arachne’s death, the frail First Empress had supposedly gone to her family’s villa to recuperate. But in truth, it was no different from exile.

“The Imperial Court is in utter chaos. How much more do you intend to throw it into disorder?”

The Duke’s trembling had grown visibly worse. Ludwig clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“And you expect to lead a revolution when you shake over something so small?”
“This is not what we agreed! The nobles’ faction lends you strength so you may marry into House Roscher and secure your place in the Imperial Family.”
“And is that not what is happening?”
“In what way does this look like it? This is outright treason, Your Grace!”

The Duke’s voice rose despite himself. Ludwig’s brow arched, his face dark and sharp as a snake’s glare. The Duke flinched and shrank back.

“Are you afraid?”
“…Regicide is high treason.”

At that, Ludwig chuckled faintly.

“It is only the natural order. It should have been done long ago.”

He stepped closer to the Duke.

“All you need do is follow where I lead. Do not be impatient. Do not be afraid.”
“Y-Your Grace!”
“Shh. Calm yourself, and listen. You are the Duke of Roscher, are you not? The head of the nobles’ faction that serves Ludwig.”

Ludwig’s eyes gleamed like icy steel. The Duke’s own gaze wavered in confusion, then slowly sank into a dark void. When the trembling ceased and his focus broke, his lips parted.

“House Roscher will obey Your Grace’s will.”

Like a puppet, he stood still in the middle of the office, docile as if awaiting his next command.

“Good. That’s how it should be. Worry not. The wedding with your daughter will take place soon.”

Ludwig patted his rigid shoulder, smiling a sinister smile. But the upturned lips briefly twitched. At the same time, a single lock of his dark hair turned white.

“The throne’s master is unworthy—so of course he must be dragged down.”
“Yet there is one thing Your Grace did not foresee.”

A woman’s voice rang out from behind. Turning, Ludwig met calm violet eyes. Even while he had been casting his “mind-bending” spell on the Duke, Xavier had remained composed.

“So tell me—how is it the Third Princess still lives?”

He could not understand. Rose had drunk poison—yet survived. The plan had been flawless. Foolish Arachne had played her role perfectly. A pawn captured by a pawn. A simple strategy with no risk. Yet what he thought was a pawn had turned out to be an unexpected knight.

“Her Highness’s blessing is believed to have healed her body.”
“She healed herself?”

The spell Regeneration could indeed affect its caster. Ludwig recalled the white radiance he had seen at her coming-of-age ceremony.

“Perhaps the girl could be useful to me.”
“Will you act at once?”
“No. To move again so soon would give the Emperor’s faction cause to grasp my tail.”

Tanasis’s growing strength had already been troublesome enough. Many attempts to eliminate him before his power grew had failed. Now, with the backing of House Benoît, Tanasis had become the strongest imperial successor put forth by the Emperor’s faction. Like his father, luck was on his side.

“She cannot be touched for now. I saw she has even been given a personal guard.”
“Annoying. A Holy Knight for a guard? Has the Emperor allied with Tebere?”
“Apparently not. He is said to have refused, as always, the Church’s attempts to expand influence.”

Still, the Emperor had assigned a Holy Knight of Tebere as the Third Princess’s guard. The Vatican’s motives remained a mystery.

“Seems I’ll need to pay Tebere a visit.”
“And the wedding, Your Grace? When will it be?”

Ludwig paused at the doorway and glanced back. Xavier’s eyes gleamed with desire—for power. She was of the same breed as he.

“A suitable day will be chosen.”

At the vague answer, Xavier frowned slightly and gave a warning.

“You would do well to secure a woman’s heart before it strays, Your Grace.”

Ludwig twisted his lips in amusement. To hear such words from one without a shred of woman’s heart—it was laughable.

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Are you really not going to talk to me?”

Rose ignored Helja’s whining. Since the closing ceremony, he had stuck to her persistently, following under the excuse of being her guard. She stopped walking to glare at him—but he only smiled back with bright eyes.

And you think I’ll just give in like that?

Why he had become her personal guard still remained unclear. The only assumption was that, being from the Church, he had pressured the Emperor into it.

Obviously, he wants to coax me so I cannot refuse the Pope’s proposal.

“I already told you no.”
“Come on, I’m just carrying out His Majesty’s orders.”

Helja shrugged playfully.

“His Majesty seemed terribly concerned for Your Highness.”

Rose’s brows furrowed.

“I’m a priest, remember? When I said I could wake you with prayer magic, His Majesty immediately ordered me to serve as your guard.”
“Prayer magic?”

He was claiming she had awoken thanks to it. Rose could hardly believe it. The price she had paid for using her blessing could not possibly have been erased by some priest’s prayer.

“That’s absurd. This is—”
“A price?”
“You! How do you—”

Her eyes widened when she realized he knew about her illness. Laughing at her rabbit-like expression, Helja chuckled.

“There are no secrets in this world.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You eavesdropped again, didn’t you? I told you to stop sneaking around like some alley cat.”

She swatted his arm. Helja laughed, rubbing the spot theatrically.

As if that even hurt him.

It was obvious how he knew—he had probably snuck in again through the window to spy on her.

“Why don’t you ever use the front door? Always the window.”
“Too much trouble.”
“You’re a Holy Knight—act like one. Upright and honorable.”

Helja snorted and changed the subject.

“Anyway, if you’re tired, tell me. I can put you into a deep sleep with prayer magic.”
“Can’t you stop the sleep from coming instead?”
“Princess, if you’re sleepy, you’re supposed to sleep.”

How could she argue with that? Rose sighed, turning her head toward the window. But his next words made her look back immediately.

“So, are you really refusing the Pope’s offer?”
“See! You were thinking about that.”
“Alright, alright. Can’t I even ask?”

He raised his hands in mock surrender and whistled nonchalantly. Rose glared. She didn’t have the mind to deal with him right now. Arsen had become Captain of the Imperial Knights and was spending more time with Tanasis than with her. He hadn’t come to see her even once.

She wanted to ask why he hadn’t visited, how he was handling his new duties… She had to restrain herself from rushing straight to the training grounds.

But with Helja watching me like a hawk, I can’t even go like before.

This was not a guard but a jailer.

Flap. At that moment, a yellow canary landed outside the window. The very one whose wing she had once healed with Regeneration.

“Oh, what a surprise. Do you live in the palace?”

When Rose opened the window, the canary perched on her hand without hesitation. Clearly accustomed to humans.

“Wait—I’ve seen this bird somewhere before.”

Helja peered over her shoulder, frowning as if struggling to remember. The canary pecked eagerly at the obsidian bracelet on Rose’s wrist.

“Do you like this?”
“They say birds go crazy for shiny things. Looks like it’s true.”

Indeed, the tugging grew stronger. The little thing strained with its beak so earnestly that it looked almost pitiful. Smiling, Rose undid the bracelet. Instantly, the canary snatched it and darted off.

“Ah.”
“Huh.”

Both of them could only mutter dumbly as the bracelet vanished before their eyes.

“My bracelet!”

When she came to her senses, only the bird’s yellow tail was disappearing into the distance. As Rose stared in despair, Helja yelled by her ear.

“Princess, what were you thinking! I just said birds are crazy for shiny things, and you gave it to it?!”

Rose snapped back in anger.

“Is that what matters now? Don’t just stand there—go after it!”
“How am I supposed to chase a bird?”
“However you usually do it—now go!”

And with that, she shoved Helja out the window.

“Aaagh!” His scream faded downward, followed by branches snapping and a heavy thud.

“Are you insane, Princess?!”

Sticking his head out the window, Rose saw him below, shouting furiously but otherwise unharmed.

I knew it.

“Unbelievable! You tell me to live upright and honorable, then push me out a window? And you said chase it like I usually do—”
“Bring back my bracelet, and I’ll recognize you as my true guard!”
“…Really?”

Forgetting his anger, Helja’s eyes lit up.

“Is it precious to you?”
“Very!”

His lips curved into a sly grin, eyes glinting like a cat’s.

“Well, if you say it like that… it makes me want to snatch it away right now.”

And with that, in the blink of an eye, he was gone.