“The king probably thinks that if this conflict over succession gets out of hand, chaos will erupt within the royal capital, so he’s advocating for his son in order to avoid having to see his children fight.”
Did he mean that he was using his public position as a means to satisfy his personal feelings as a parent? The same king who watched the second and third princes get assassinated and let his daughter lose her position and get used as a puppet? “I do not really understand what you are saying,” I responded.
“Neither do I. I think that’s why I completely misread how the meeting would go. He’s probably tired of his responsibility as king.” Count Gentoh sighed. I never once thought the king was doing his job well, and I would have liked to stop him from getting others involved if he was truly tired of his job. His actions were largely to keep the peace in the capital, but that meant overlooking the turmoil in the remote regions. It must have taken guts for those around him to pretend not to notice.
“If the king is truly only thinking about the royal capital, then we have no need to give this place any thought ourselves,” I concluded. The royal family and the central nobles probably think that they are in a position to just ignore the remote regions. How wrong they are. It’s us who are in the position to ignore them. “If that’s truly how they feel, then I have a proposition.” We cared about the position of the nation, and we were simply just waiting for the king to make a decision. The ace in our hand was that we could make our own independent decisions. To be honest, I was confident that we would be able to work a lot better that way. “Your Excellency, since we cannot expect the king to make a decision, we should just do what we want. If we negotiate here in the royal capital, it will lead to more responsibility for yourself and especially Princess Alicia but—” As I gave Princess Alicia an apologetic look, her expression changed in an instant. It reminded me of the face she used to make back when I used to call her Arthur and we were being chased through the forest by assassins. It was a look of despair.
“Ah, um, Ash, um, I-I’m sorry.” Her face was as white as a sheet. “E-Even though I-I have to help you... I... It’s...all my fault that everything... I’m sorry, I’m so sorry...”
“What?” Princess Alicia’s words acted as a catalyst for the build-up of complaints I had within me and set them all alight. “Lady Alicia, what did you just say?” I think I lost myself for a moment and spoke more harshly than I intended. My patience and ability to control my feelings had run incredibly thin, however, I could not keep up this kind of attitude with Princess Alicia.
“I-I’m sorry... Y-You’re mad, huh...” I realized I had let my anger boil over and had taken it out on Princess Alicia. She looked tearful. I am mad. I am actually irate. However...
“I am not even remotely mad at you, Lady Alicia. I am simply enraged beyond words at whatever made you feel like you needed to apologize.” Why must Princess Alicia feel so guilty that it brings her to tears? What has she even done? Didn’t she only try to help those in need with her own talent? Those who were unable to act themselves were just simply jealous of that fact. Even so, why does Princess Alicia have to look this sad? I know that she is dedicated. I know she is diligent. That’s why, even now, her sense of duty and responsibility makes her feel worried. However, you are not the one who should be feeling sad. You should be so mad that you tear everything to shreds.
“Lady Alicia, I said this once before, but I will always want your help.”
“Yes, of course I remember,” Alicia responded.
“That does not change even now. If you want to help me, do everything in your power to lend me that strength. If there are any obstacles in your path, you kick them down.” If there was ever a time for the words I spoke that day, it was now. The color returned to Princess Alicia’s face in an instant, and she was deep in thought.
“But, if I were to do such a thing...” Lady Alicia frowned. Although resilient and diligent, she was still weighing the pros and cons of her own suffering against the suffering of others. She’s smiling, but I can see that she’s in pain. “I’m all right... Don’t worry about me, Ash.” She was once again hiding her true feelings behind a lie.
“Lady Alicia, while I do like lies...” Princess Alicia no doubt remembered that line from before. She raised her head. “Do you need that lie in order to live?” I asked her.
“Th-That’s...unfair, Ash. If you ask me that...” I was going to bring out her true feelings to the light. With her true feelings exposed, she let go of the tears she had been holding back for a long time. “Help me, Ash. I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to go back to where you’re from.”
“Your wish is my command.” As I was about to say my next words, I suddenly thought of Maika. I remember now. Just before I left, when she told me to do what I wanted, she probably anticipated a moment like this. As expected of the daughter of a goddess, Angel Maika. With thanks to my fiancée’s clairvoyance and generosity, I held Princess Alicia’s hand. “I am going to abduct you. This, I declare.”
“Y-Yes...” I looked at Princess Alicia’s cheeks as they flushed red. We may have been looking at one another a bit too seductively, especially considering we were in the Sacula manor where there were a lot of eyes on us.
“Ah, Ash. While this is a scene straight out of a painting, I wonder if we could continue the conversation?” Count Gentoh interrupted.
“Ah! I-I’m sorry! Your Excellency Count Gentoh, p-please proceed!” Princess Alicia panicked, distancing herself from me as her face went bright red. It seems she was enjoying that quite a bit.
✦ ✦ ✦
“So, Ash. I understand you wish to abduct Her Highness the Princess, but how do you plan to do that? I’m especially curious about what you meant by ‘abduct’?” Count Gentoh inquired.
“As far as the king and the crown prince are concerned, Lady Alicia may try to exercise the right to succession, although that is a groundless suspicion. So, I thought, it would be a good idea if Lady Alicia officially lost her right to claim the crown.”
“No, no, she can’t just throw it away like that.” Count Gentoh refused the idea, but looking at Princess Alicia, it seemed she had already decided.
“I don’t need my royal position. I won’t miss it. It’s just a bother.” Princess Alicia allowed herself to be frank and say what she was really thinking. She had always wanted to say this, but she was unable to due to her position.
“Says the lady herself, thus I think we should allow Lady Alicia to throw it all away and return to the remote regions. We just so happen to have a territory available for her,” I followed up.
“Her Highness Princess Alicia...to Yanga? Hm...” Count Gentoh shook his head, although it seemed he did not think it was a bad idea. “I have no complaints about Her Highness Princess Alicia becoming the new lord of the Yanga region, however, that would make that region a duchy. If she is to be a duchess, she would still be in the running for the throne.”
“That is correct. That is why I need to abduct her,” I replied.
“Ash, are you serious about abducting her?” Count Gentoh scanned both my face and Princess Alicia’s. I was as certain as ever, and Princess Alicia was looking down, her face glowing bright red. Stories from all ages and countries always end up in marriage when the princess gets abducted. “Although, I suppose if she marries Ash, she will lose her right to succession.” I am the son of a farmer, after all. She would go from the top to the bottom of the hierarchy. It would be difficult to abduct the princess, but that did not mean it would be impossible.
“Therefore, I would like to request all of my accomplishments up to now, Your Excellency.” I plan to give her a whole bouquet of accomplishments.