CFCF 78

Episode 78

Jesus looked at Ren with a grave expression.

“And if they do… Since there will be more after this, why don’t we send a warning by beheading them and sending the heads back?”

“I’ve ordered their capture alive if possible, but how many will survive…”

As Ren let his words trail off, Jesus exclaimed indignantly.

“Moving private soldiers to harm Her Highness the Princess without the Emperor’s knowledge constitutes treason. Of course, it’s more likely they intend to secretly capture her to use in a deal with His Highness the Second Prince, rather than pose an immediate physical threat. However, considering the Princess’s health condition, they must have shamelessly ignored the probability of things going wrong, even while knowing the risks.”

Len slowly added, as if affirming his words.

“I will order them to be stopped if possible, but most of the intruders are bound by magical contracts. They will likely kill themselves the moment they are captured.”

Rurik spoke heavily.

“…It’s not as if she doesn’t have only one son, and he’s dying. I don’t understand why she’s using such shallow tactics. What does she plan to do with her remaining daughter?”

No one dared to answer. Ren was the first to bow his head.

“I cannot be away from my post for long, so I will take my leave. Until Your Highness ascends to the Crown Prince’s position, it’s better for the First Prince to remain alive.”

It was a bitterly cold statement, implying he would go to ‘take care’ of the First Prince.

Jesus flinched, but Ren left the room with an unperturbed expression.

Jesus asked with an uneasy look.

“Can we even trust the Lord of the Magic Tower?”

“Len Daphte once saved Louise in this very room, not the Crown Prince of that time. Depending on how that is judged, it could have caused him great trouble.”

At Rurik’s immediate answer, Jesus quietly closed his mouth.

“I, too, was unable to trust him for a long time…”

Rurik concluded quietly.

“But in conclusion, I trust Len Daphte. So mind your words. For my sister and me, the Lord of the Magic Tower is needed more than a living First Prince.”

Jesus hastily bowed his head.

“My apologies. I spoke out of turn.”

Not long after, the 2nd Captain of the Charles Knight Order arrived.

“The 2nd and 5th Knight Orders will follow the Chief Commander.”

Jesus asked cautiously.

“Second Captain. Then the 3rd and 4th Orders…”

“The 3rd and 4th Captains are stubborn blockheads, aren’t they? Still, they’ve agreed not to interfere. Please do not worry.”

Rurik nodded.

The night was deep, but the serious discussions continued for a long while.

A day later, in the basement warehouse of the Edessa hotel.

“One, two, three, four, five…”

Calisteon frowned as he looked down at the intruders bound like dried fish with ropes enchanted with restraining magic.

“…Fifteen committed suicide, you said? So that means only twenty came in total?”

Ernst let out a short laugh.

“The Empress doesn’t know you’re here. Luckily, news that the Second Princess is openly coming and going here was blocked. Still, it’s a bit insulting. They’re looking down on Flavi.”

Toruan, Ernst’s aide and scribe, interjected.

“And yet you wished to be seen as the most easy-going Crown Prince in the world. I find it strange that you’re suddenly concerned about your feelings. The issue isn’t Your Highness’s mood, but them.”

When Toruan glanced pointedly at the intruders, Ernst frowned and retorted.

“You always have to be so sharp.”

Calisteon placed his shoe on the face of one intruder trembling on the floor.

“If these don’t return, they’ll probably send others. What shall we do? The Tower Lord said to extract a confession somehow… I wonder if they’ll even talk.”

At that moment, one of the wizards sent by Ren stepped forward.

“Even Her Majesty the Empress wouldn’t be able to move private soldiers by the hundreds. So, if I may ask, how many mages with standard qualifications or above does Your Grace have under your command?”

Calisteon asked indifferently in return.

“How many are you hoping for?”

“Fifteen… no, even ten would be sufficient. If you can provide that many, I can devise trap devices within the day to completely capture any future intruders.”

Ernst interjected wryly.

“Flavi can supply about ten standard mages as well, so proceed without worry.”

“Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince of Flavi.”

After the mage withdrew, Ernst asked casually.

“So, how many do you have?”

Calisteon gave a slight smile.

“May I answer excluding the mages from the northern border? The size of the Northern Garrison is classified.”

Ernst shook his head vigorously.

“I’m sure you’ll manage. I’ll pretend I never heard. More importantly, I heard Lou got permission to travel from her doctor.”

A slight crack appeared in Calisteon’s placid expression.

He spoke somewhat awkwardly.

“Ah, that. I didn’t know things would become so urgent, it seems I misspoke. Louise mentioned she wanted to go to the Babenberg Ice Festival…”

Ernst cut him off and asked.

“The Ice Festival is around the middle of this month, right?”

“Correct. I plan to persuade her to postpone it until next year…”

Calisteon explained as if making an excuse, but unexpected words came from Ernst’s mouth.

“Why postpone?”

As Ernst tilted his head, his golden hair scattered like a fantastical illusion.

With a face as innocent as a baby angel’s, he whispered his scheme.

“No one would expect Lou, who’s supposed to be convalescing in the warm south, to have left for Babenberg. And if Lou isn’t here, we can use more varied and interesting tactics. Don’t you agree?”

He winked as he said this, making Toruan grimace beside him.

“Please don’t waste your stunning looks here unnecessarily. I, for one, am immune.”

Ignoring the Flavi scribe, Calisteon asked Ernst again for confirmation.

“Are you telling me to take Lou to Babenberg and back?”

Ernst then made a slight face.

“What nonsense, not just the two of you. Take Phoebe Nilo too, and a couple of your Knight Captains, and the guards sent by His Highness Rurik as well.”

“And you think the hotel’s defenses will hold if I take that many away?”

At the skeptical tone, Ernst clicked his tongue.

“What is there to defend if Lou is gone? You’re not actually worried about me, are you, Grand Duke?”

“…Ha.”

Calisteon let out a short laugh.

“I’ll give you full authority. Take this chance to put your competent men to work.”

Ernst shrugged his shoulders.

“I won’t decline, Senior.”

At the rarely heard ‘Senior’, the corner of Calisteon’s mouth twisted wryly.

“Oh? It’s raining.”

The long-awaited rain finally fell after several days.

As I looked out the window with delight, Phoebe caught my attention with a strangely different topic.

“Now, shall we apply the oil once more?”

I looked up at Phoebe in shock.

“Again? You just applied some a little while ago!”

Phoebe shrugged her shoulders and picked up the oil bottle.

“Well, your belly is quite prominent now. They say if you don’t apply it often, your skin might stretch and mark.”

“But…”

In the end, led by my maid, I had to go back to the bed to have the oil applied.

‘Why is she sticking so close to me today of all days?’

No, it wasn’t just today.
The day before, and the day before that, Phoebe had stuck to me so persistently that I only managed to open my diary late at night.

‘The diary entry I struggled to check showed Louise agonizing for over a week about whether she should send a letter to Calisteon, which was frustrating to read.’

Thinking about it, all of this seemed related to Calisteon’s absence.

‘If Carl had come to see me, Phoebe would have naturally given us space.’

The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

If he had left Edessa entirely, that would be one thing, but for him to be staying here and only visit me once a day…

I frowned without realizing it and asked.

“Is Karl busy preparing for the trip?”

“Huh?”

As if it was a surprising question, Phoebe started and her shoulders trembled slightly.

I looked at my maid with suspicious eyes.

“Karl. He only came to see me once yesterday. Is taking me to Babenberg really such a huge task?”

Phoebe quickly regained her composure and answered.

“Oh my, are you feeling lonely because His Grace isn’t visiting often? Alright, I’ll call him for you…”