Chapter 4:
A Cure for the Incurable Illness
“YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO PARNACORTA? You never stop, do you?”
After hearing my plan, Erza agreed to help—albeit with an awkward smile.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I need Prince Reichardt’s approval before I can search for the Moontear Flower.”
“Hey, it’s no trouble. After all, it’s only Mammon’s energy you’re draining.”
“Listen to yourself, Big Sis Erza! I knew you only thought of me as a means to an end!”
“Actually, you’re more like a slave.”
“How could you be so heartless?”
Mammon acted scandalized by Erza’s attitude. As I watched their usual repartee, I almost started to laugh. Still, I was truly grateful that I could use Mammon’s teleportation gate. Without his help, it would be impossible to travel from one nation to the other so easily.
Mammon condensed his magical power and an ornate, sinister door materialized in front of us. “Here you go. I’m more than happy to fulfill any request from a beautiful lady—that’s just part of my service. Consider it a wedding gift. You can use it as much as you like.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Sorry for the trouble, Sir Mammon.”
“You sure you want to emerge in front of the royal palace, rather than your own place?”
“Yes. That would be perfect.”
In the blink of an eye, we were standing outside Parnacorta’s royal palace. We headed straight inside.
“Oh, Prince Osvalt. And you’ve brought Philia with you.”
“Sorry for dropping in unannounced. Where’s my brother?”
“Prince Reichardt is in his office at present.”
We asked a palace servant where His Highness was and then headed straight there. When we reached his office, we were let in without having to wait.
Prince Reichardt looked up from his work. “Osvalt and Miss Philia? What’s the matter? You both look apologetic.”
“Brother. The truth is, Philia wants to ask you a favor…”
“A favor? From Miss Philia? Now that doesn’t happen every day. Go ahead and take a seat.”
After hearing what Sir Osvalt had to say, Prince Reichardt urged us to take a seat on his office sofa. We did as he said and sat down.
“Now then, Miss Philia. What kind of favor would you like to ask me?”
“Prince Reichardt, I’ve come here today to ask for your permission to enter the forbidden zone.”
My request elicited a suspicious look. “Sorry, do you mean the Volcanic Miasma Zone? What brought this on?”
I understood his confusion. Who wouldn’t feel confused after being asked for permission to enter a no-go zone with no prior warning?
“The thing is, I want to create a cure for the devil’s seed…”
I explained everything that had happened so far, including my reason for wanting to venture into the Volcanic Miasma Zone in search of the Moontear Flower.
“…and that’s why I’d like you to give me permission to enter.”
Prince Reichardt listened to my story in silence, but his face was stern. He certainly didn’t look like he was going to oblige.
“Moontear Flowers might be growing in that desolate place? Intriguing.”
“Your Highness…”
“Miss Philia, I have something to say to you. But first, Osvalt. It’s unacceptable that you aren’t trying to stop her. As her fiancé, it’s your responsibility to stop her from making such reckless choices. Have you forgotten that you’re a member of the royal family?”
“Sorry, brother.” Sir Osvalt bowed his head, but Prince Reichardt continued his stern tirade.
“You need to stop acting so fecklessly. I know you have no interest in political power, but as royalty, you still have a duty to protect our citizens.”
Sir Osvalt fell silent.
“Miss Philia is the saint of Parnacorta. If any harm were to befall her, the whole country would suffer. You are her fiancé, Osvalt—you should be willing to risk your life to protect her. Please don’t make me say this again.”
“Agh…”
Sir Osvalt tried to answer, but all that came out was a groan.
In reality, he had done his best to stop me, but it was noble of him to refrain from making excuses. As much as I appreciated his consideration, however, I couldn’t bite my tongue.
“Prince Reichardt,” I said, “Sir Osvalt did try to stop me. I selfishly forced him to oblige.”
“I’m sure you did, Miss Philia, but at the end of the day, my brother failed to curb your recklessness. In other words, he didn’t stop you at all. This is shameful. Following your heart is one thing, but I never expected my brother to put someone he loved at risk of death.”
His Highness turned back to Sir Osvalt, utterly exasperated. He heaved a small sigh. “Osvalt, have you forgotten what happened when I lost Elizabeth? You’d go through the same thing if you lost Miss Philia. Do you want to end up like me?”
“O-of course not! I love Philia. I want to have a future with her!”
“Then prioritize her life above all else! Sometimes, loving someone means making decisions that don’t align with their wishes, even if it upsets them! If you refuse to do that, someday you’ll make a fatal mistake!”
Prince Reichardt’s dressing-down made Sir Osvalt fall silent.
Next, His Highness turned back to me. His gaze wasn’t so piercing anymore. In fact, there was a certain tenderness to it.
“Miss Philia, I understand how you feel. I feel sorry for your father, too. Nevertheless, this makes no sense whatsoever. Why do you need to ride into the jaws of death? If you were to lose your life, it would grieve countless people. Your life is priceless.”
“P-Prince Reichardt…”
To my surprise, the prince’s words warmed my heart. He was such a kind and considerate person. How much hardship had he endured for the sake of his country since Elizabeth’s death? It was beyond imagining.
“Miss Philia. I don’t think you understand how much people cherish you.”
“I do. Everyone here has been so good to me.”
“No, you don’t. Miss Philia, you’re our country’s saint and the future wife of our second prince. If that wasn’t enough, you’re an archsaint. A person as honorable as you has no reason to drag herself into a danger zone.”
His Highness was most likely right. On this occasion, I’d been focused on my own selfish idea. When I reflected on it calmly, I could see the point he was making.
I couldn’t allow my personal feelings to send the country into turmoil. That was an inexcusable thing for a saint to do. Protecting the country’s peace was my duty. I’d known this from the first time my mother reprimanded me.
And yet—
“Prince Reichardt. There’s still no way I can give up. I’m desperate to find a cure for the disease that took my father’s and Elizabeth’s lives.”
“Miss Philia…”
“I’m begging you, Prince Reichardt.” I stood and bowed deeply. “Please let me go into the Volcanic Miasma Zone.”
“Please look up, Miss Philia,” Prince Reichardt responded, sounding troubled. “I can’t make sense of this. Why would someone like you, who is always so logical, go to such lengths to find a cure? I understand how you feel, but if you were to lose your life, both your sister and my brother would be overwhelmed by sorrow.”
“I appreciate your concern, Prince Reichardt, but I swear I won’t die. I assure you I’ll make it back alive.”
My declaration was met with silence. I stared straight back into Prince Reichardt’s gleaming amber eyes.
No matter how I tried to sugarcoat it, I still came across as selfish, and I knew my plan was far from rational. And yet this was something I simply couldn’t back down from.
“Brother. Philia despises that wretched illness that took Elizabeth’s life. That’s why she’s seeking a cure.”
“Osvalt…”
“Please try to see it from her point of view.”
Prince Reichardt sat there in silence, seemingly at a loss. No doubt he still wanted to stop me.
“I remember what you went through back then as if it were yesterday. You lost the person you loved, were consumed by grief, and stopped caring about anything. There was nothing I could do to help you.”
Prince Reichardt didn’t respond.
“But now things are different. Philia can free you from the regrets you still carry with you, brother.”
Sir Osvalt gave me what seemed like a reassuring smile. Then he turned to face Prince Reichardt.
“If there was a chance that you could have cured Elizabeth’s illness, wouldn’t you have risked your life to save her, even if it meant turning your back on your responsibilities as the crown prince?”
“Sir Osvalt, don’t—”
“You loved Elizabeth that much. You would have done anything to save her, but you weren’t able to. It was that frustration that sent you into despair, wasn’t it?”
Prince Reichardt said nothing. Sir Osvalt had likely hit the nail on the head.
“Hahhh…”
His Highness silently thought things over for a moment before eventually letting out a small sigh. He looked up at me with resignation.
“As if a bothersome brother wasn’t enough, it looks like I’ve found myself a troublesome sister-in-law as well.” Prince Reichardt forced a smile. “But Miss Philia, I want you to keep causing as many problems as you can. If we lose you, I’ll be immortalized as the stupid prince who let you get yourself killed.”
“Brother!”
“Thank you, Prince Reichardt!”
I detected a hint of happiness in His Highness’s reluctant smile. This was more or less the outcome I was hoping for. I’d suspected he had unresolved feelings about Elizabeth.
“There’s no need to bow. I’ve never done anything quite this impulsive, but still… Philia Adenauer, I give you and your sister Mia Adenauer, saint of Girtonia, permission to enter the Volcanic Miasma Zone.”
Prince Reichardt’s tone was strictly business, but his expression was kinder and gentler than I’d seen on anyone else’s face.
Thanks to Sir Osvalt’s help, I’d won him over and obtained permission to step inside the Volcanic Miasma Zone.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Well, we managed to get my brother’s approval.”
“Yes. I’m sure Mia will come back with the go-ahead as well. Now we just have to wait.”
After obtaining permission from Prince Reichardt, Sir Osvalt and I headed straight back to Mother’s mansion. Mia had yet to return from Girtonia’s royal palace, so it was Mother who greeted us.