Episode 79
I couldn’t understand it.
Of course, I knew they were preparing my winter clothes until the trunks were bursting, but Cal was just returning to his own duchy, so he shouldn’t have any special preparations to make.
At that, Phoebe gulped dryly.
“His Grace, Grand Duke Calisteon…”
I quietly watched my maid’s quivering lips.
“Actually, he received urgent news from the Imperial Capital…”
“Urgent news?”
Then, Phoebe revealed the anxious expression she had been barely concealing until now all over her face.
“His Grace told me not to tell you because you’d worry. If he finds out I was caught, I’ll be in trouble, Your Highness!”
“…Who is your master?”
Phoebe sniffled.
“You are, Your Highness! But you are pregnant, and I have a duty to keep you and the baby safe…!”
“…Phoebe.”
I cut her off sharply. Finally, Phoebe opened her mouth.
“They say His Highness the Crown Prince has been deposed.”
“What?”
“And also…”
Phoebe reached into her clothes and fumbled out a letter.
“It’s a letter from the Imperial Capital, Your Highness.”
Then she got off the bed, knelt on the floor, and bowed her head.
“Please forgive me for not delivering it on time.”
I clenched my fist, crumpling the letter in my hand.
“For that to be forgiven, the contents shouldn’t say that my brother is in danger.”
Phoebe stated firmly.
“His Highness Rurik is the only son of Brentani, who will become the next Crown Prince. Of course he is safe.”
That much was exactly what I had told Helena.
But even before opening the letter, as I listened to Phoebe, I realized one fact.
‘The point where it differs from the novel, and thus the unpredictable fact.’
It wasn’t just Len involved in that point, but myself as well.
And that was the reason Calisteon had been absent from my side.
“How could you not tell me the news? It’s news about my brother!”
The blue gaze floundered, avoiding my eyes.
Calisteon answered in a deflated voice.
“I didn’t want to worry you. Even if you knew, nothing would change…”
“What, are we running away to Babenberg? Are you afraid Her Majesty the Empress will be angry and harm me?”
He paused momentarily at my words, then tilted his head.
“Running away? Me?”
Wasn’t that it?
Perhaps I had just been terribly rude to the Grand Duke of the North.
He replied as if it were absurd.
“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to go. Whether it’s here or a cabin on a mountainside, do you think there’s any situation where I couldn’t protect you?”
He looked at me as if he had calmed down a little.
His blue eyes, having regained their composure, were placid.
Calisteon slowly continued his explanation.
“This place has been meticulously maintained for a full two months. Some of the Babenberg Knights are here, and several mages from the Magic Tower have also come. The reason I didn’t tell you anything is because I was that confident. Meaningless intrusions are insignificant enough that you don’t need to know about them.”
“Th-then, to Babenberg…”
Just then, a knock was heard.
—Knock knock.
The door opened, and Ernst appeared.
I didn’t even know he was at the hotel, so I looked up in surprise.
“Ernie?”
Ernst gave an awkward smile.
“I was the one who suggested Babenberg. I plan to give our esteemed Empress a proper headache while you’re away.”
“Whaat?”
Ernst cleared his throat artificially. Ahem, ahem.
“Just because I didn’t say anything doesn’t mean I don’t have my own grievances. Did you know Her Majesty the Empress has been spreading all sorts of rumors to get the Flavi royal family to send you a marriage proposal?”
Without giving me a chance to answer, he added.
“Of course you didn’t. I worked hard to keep it from you. Why drag me into it when she just wants to provoke the Grand Duke? Anyway.”
Ernst’s golden eyes curved into crescent moons.
“I think the duration of the Ice Festival should be enough. It’s been discussed with His Highness Rurik, so don’t worry.”
I asked, startled.
“Really? My brother permitted a trip to Babenberg?”
Ernst repeated, with a look that asked what I had been listening to.
“He agreed because we have things to do here while you’re gone.”
Thinking about it, this would be a rather good opportunity for Rurik.
If the Empress tries to harm the youngest Princess, who isn’t her own blood, and the Emperor turns a blind eye, it would provide excellent justification for Rurik’s revolution.
I was calculating that far when Ernst added.
“But there’s one thing…”
“Yes?”
He came closer to me and lowered his voice.
“I haven’t told Ren yet.”
I met Ernst’s eyes and let out a deep sigh.
The reason for not telling Ren was obvious.
‘No matter the reason, whether we take Phoebe or not, Ren would never stand for me and Calisteon traveling to Babenberg together.’
But regardless, hearing Ren’s name made me anxious.
‘If Rurik is getting that serious, I need to extract Ren soon.’
In the novel, when Rurik raised a rebel army and attempted to usurp the throne, Ren secluded himself in the Magic Tower and ignored the Emperor’s summons.
I had glossed over that part without describing it properly, but Ren’s reason for acting that way was obvious.
‘He went into seclusion after Louise’s death, that’s all.’
If the Tower Lord didn’t appear, as in the novel, Rurik could occupy the imperial palace in a single night.
But now, Ren is at the imperial palace.
‘If Ren is there, the story might change.’
It was never a part of the setting I established, but Ren had mentioned something called the ‘Oath of the Tower Lord.’
Considering the case of Moghold, one couldn’t discount the possibility that the Tower Lord held a duty to protect the imperial family.
“He’ll find out eventually…?”
As I asked absently while thinking that, Ernst chuckled.
“He seems quite busy right now. He’ll probably be angry, but oh well.”
Phoebe, who was in the corner, suddenly interjected.
“Your Highness, just think of the baby. If you are happy and joyful, the baby will be too. Understood?”
I looked back and forth between Calisteon and Ernst.
‘After bickering all this time…’
It was curious how they managed to achieve such perfect agreement at a time like this.
I couldn’t see hide nor hair of Calisteon until the day we promised to leave, so I remained suspicious of this sudden trip to Babenberg until the very last moment.
‘Are they using the trip to placate me while they scheme something else among themselves?’
But when the promised day arrived, Calisteon came to see me, dressed for once in Babenberg formal attire.
“Are you ready?”
When I nodded, feeling a little nervous, he relaxed the line of his mouth and laughed as if it were ridiculous.
“Ready? Babenberg is cold. I told them to heat it until it’s almost hot, but I’m not sure if it will be alright for you.”
Saying this, he took off his own cloak and draped it over me.
‘He’s already gifted me so many outer garments…’
But I thought I understood the meaning behind this cloak, so I quietly let Calisteon wrap me in it.
As he carefully fastened the edges with his large hands, he said.
“Using the royal gate would leave a trace, so we’ll open a one-time-use gate instead. The ride might be somewhat uncomfortable. It’s inconvenient not having that mage around at times like this.”
A short while later, Calisteon and I stood looking at the empty corridor opposite my room.
Behind us were the two Babenberg Knight Captains joining us, the Brentani guards, and Phoebe.
But for some reason, Ernst was nowhere to be seen.
“Where’s Ernie?”
Calisteon answered thoughtfully.
“Ernst has things to do. He asked me to tell you he’s sorry he couldn’t see you off.”
I thought he’d at least come out to see us off.
“Really?”
I cast a suspicious glance for just a moment, but Calisteon nodded immediately.
A single, concise nod that showed not a hint of falsehood.
Finally, a small ball came bouncing down the far end of the corridor.
“Oh, this…”
Only then did I properly examine Calisteon’s expression.
The corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, and his blue eyes were opened a little wider than usual.
“Yes, you’ve seen this before, right?”
His tone was rushed, almost unnoticeably so unless one listened carefully.
He was clearly looking forward to this trip.
The bouncing ball began to draw a large door in the middle of the corridor.
“Well then, if you’ll excuse me.”
And then, Calisteon scooped me up into his arms before the door was even fully formed.
“Whoa! Carl, is this really necessary…!”
“It is. Close your eyes.”
A tender laugh laced his decisive tone.
As we stepped through the door, my vision began to flash dazzlingly.
“Lou, your eyes.”
It was only at the sound of his voice that I tightly closed my eyes.
