“It’s possible my brothers were the ones pulling the strings behind the initial uprisings.”
“Seriously?” My surprise left me at a loss for words.
“The slave revolt occurred in Dilryne’s territory, and the religious uprising occurred in territory belonging to Jaylud’s primary backer. There are rumors that they may have sent agents to infiltrate and incite those with grievances in order to weaken each other’s support bases. Of course, they’re only rumors.”
“They would go that far to get their hands on the throne?”
“Historically speaking, it wouldn’t be particularly unusual.”
There were parts of Hiltzel’s explanation I could agree with. Looking back through history, such scheming wasn’t without precedent. But if that were the case, it meant that we had been tasked with cleaning up the aftermath of political conflict. Had it been a mistake to indulge Amyu’s whims and take on the responsibility? Just as I began to regret it, a sudden question arose in my mind.
“Wait, if that’s true, then why did the two revolts join together?”
“That I don’t know.” Hiltzel’s expression went blank, and he shook his head. “Even if they were initially behind it, I doubt the current situation is what my brothers desired. Perhaps the rebels found an unexpected kinship.” Hiltzel shrugged his shoulders as though he’d just made a foolish joke. “There are even rumors about someone called the War Princess, so who knows what anyone is plotting.”
“War Princess?”
“You haven’t heard of her?” Hiltzel looked at me in surprise as I repeated the unfamiliar term. “They say that in a city the rebel army was about to invade, a lone female knight arrived first and demanded that the residents surrender. The fleeing townspeople began calling her the War Princess, and the story eventually reached the court.”
“A female knight? Was she like a messenger for the rebel army?”
“If only that had been all she was. At first, the townspeople apparently refused her demands. The local militia even tried to detain her, but they were no match for her.”
I sighed. “Of course.”
“Even the knightly order defending the city and hired mercenaries stood no chance. They were all wiped out, yet supposedly, not a single person was killed or even seriously injured. She must have deliberately held back. The townspeople then decided to flee. They likely concluded that defending the city was impossible since a lone person had managed all that before the main rebel force even arrived. The true identity of the unusually powerful female knight is unknown, but some members of the assembly insist that this ‘War Princess’ is actually the leader of the rebel army.”
“Is that so?” It was a difficult story to judge. Superhuman strength could indeed captivate the masses and inspire devotion. It wasn’t impossible that this so-called War Princess had united the rebel forces and assumed the role of their leader. But would such a person truly join a rebellion of slaves and religious zealots?
Hiltzel suddenly smiled and spoke up as I wrestled with my thoughts. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to dishearten you before you set off to suppress that very revolt.”
“It’s fine.”
“Seeing as you’ve left home, I assume you have an older brother?”
“Yes. My eldest brother is succeeding the family, and my other older brother joined the military.”
“Do you get along with them?”
“Good question,” I replied awkwardly. “My younger brother and I don’t have a great relationship, but my oldest brother is a good guy, so I think we get along well enough.”
“If the eldest son is of fine character, then it sounds like the Lamprogue family’s future is secure.”
“Yeah. We’re lucky that my eldest brother was the one most suited to becoming the family’s heir. I’m sure even the brother I don’t get along with would agree on that.”
“I see. I must say, I’m envious of your brother. I wish I had that aptitude to lead the next generation, and humble siblings to support me,” Hiltzel said, grabbing the cane he had placed next to him. “We should head back. I’d feel bad keeping you after what I said to Fiona about monopolizing guests.”
“The Hero is one thing, but I don’t think anyone besides you would be interested in her companions. I’ll lend you my shoulder.”
“No, that’s quite all right. I can at least stand on my own,” Hiltzel said, planting his cane on the ground. At that moment, I suddenly sensed a faint flow of energy emanating from the prince.
“Your Highness...”
“Hmm?”
“Are you wearing some kind of magic item?”
Hiltzel’s eyes widened slightly. “You can tell?” he asked after a brief silence.
“No, I just had a feeling.”
“You surprised me. Yes, you’re correct, though it’s more of a trinket than anything.” Hiltzel pulled a thin chain necklace from inside his clothing. It appeared to be a pendant intricately modeled after an insect. It was a small beetle with long elytra—a firefly, perhaps. “This ornament glows when infused with magical power.”
“Huh.” I looked more closely, but the flow of energy was too faint to make out. That was probably the full extent of its functionality.
“I bought it thinking it would be handy in dark places, but in the end, the only time I ever made it glow was at the very beginning. It’s too dim to serve as a light, and the moment I use even the slightest bit of magical power, I start to feel ill. Honestly, I can’t stand my body.” Putting the pendant back, Hiltzel stood up. His movement was surprisingly smooth, carrying a sense of familiarity that came from living with an inconvenient condition for a long time.
“Your Highness,” I said, standing up after him, “I’m rooting for you. Not as a member of the Lamprogue family, I’m afraid, but as an individual.” The words slipped out naturally. For some reason, he reminded me of the young rulers I had met in demon territory over the summer.