Reichardt
“THANK YOU FOR the lovely black tea, Prince Reichardt.”
“It’s really no trouble. You’re our kingdom’s guest of honor. I’m sorry that this was the extent of the hospitality I could offer you.”
I invited Grace, the palace’s honored guest, onto the terrace of the royal palace, where I served her tea. The meeting had been arranged the day before, but it came with its fair share of surprises…
“And then Lady Philia told me my skills were so much more impressive than they were before! I felt like I was in heaven!”
At first glance, Grace reminded me of Elizabeth, but when I heard her speak, I realized that their personalities couldn’t have been more different. Grace was…passionate, and full of energy. I admired her untiring efforts to grow as a saint and felt inclined to support her.
“Oh, I’m sorry. All I’ve done is talk about myself.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ve enjoyed listening,” I said. “It sounds like Miss Philia means a lot to you.”
Oh dear. I’d let my thoughts run away with me yet again. How shameful. Still, I was surprised to discover how much Grace respected Miss Philia. That explained why she’d gone out of her way to stand in for her.
“Lady Philia is everything I strive to be. I became a saint because I wanted to be like her.”
“I see. I’d always feared that Count Mattilas had pressured his four daughters to pursue sainthood.”
“No, not at all. In fact, our father gave me the freedom to do whatever I liked, since all my older sisters had become saints.”
Of course, there was no such thing as too many saints, but three was certainly more than enough for one family. Despite that, Grace had become a saint herself through sheer determination and hard work, even when confronted with rigorous training.
“You’re weak, Elizabeth. No matter how talented you are in magic, you will never become a saint.”
“What does my health have to do with it, Prince Reichardt? I will become a saint. I want to protect my country.”
Once upon a time, Elizabeth, too, channeled her determination into tireless effort. Even when she risked her life, I couldn’t bring myself to stop her. When she was determined to achieve something, that was when she truly shone.
“Make sure you’re looking after your health,” I told Grace.
“That goes without saying. Thank you for your concern.”
She smiled and took a sip of her tea. I knew my worry was unnecessary, but I couldn’t help myself. I didn’t want the sparkle in her eyes to ever fade.
“Prince Reichardt, let me tell you how glad I am that the Moontear Flower helped you find a cure for the devil’s seed.”
“Oh? What makes you bring that up?”
This was an unexpected shift in topic. Had I said something inappropriate?
Grace looked slightly apologetic. “I assumed you were worried about my health because you were thinking about Elizabeth. That’s why I just—”
She was right. No matter how much time went by, Elizabeth was still on my mind.
I laughed ruefully. “You’ve hit the nail on the head. I do apologize. I know that you’re your own person.”
“You have nothing to worry about. Even my father and my uncle say I remind them of her. It’s understandable that you would feel the same way.”
“Grace…”
“I want to help cultivate the Moontear Flower, so… Hmm? I just heard a knock.”
Did I have another guest? No. Grace was the only visitor. That could only mean one thing.
“Himari would like to meet with you, Your Highness. She says she has an urgent report to share. Can you see her?”
Himari, who had been accompanying the happy couple on their honeymoon, was back in the capital already. Osvalt said he’d sent her away in a hurry, but I hadn’t expected her to arrive so soon. She was a true ninja.
“Could you wait here for a moment, Grace?”
“No problem. I hope Philia’s all right. If Himari’s at the palace, that’s not a good sign.”
“True. I’ll let her in.”
Himari was ushered inside. She told me that intruders had not only broken into ancient ruins, but trespassed in the Volcanic Miasma Zone as well. I looked over the report she handed me.
“Thank you for coming all this way, Himari. Is this everything you have to pass along?”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Himari lowered her head politely. “Three miscreants entered the Volcanic Miasma Zone, which is strictly outlawed, then vanished. All the details are recorded here.”
Despite having run a considerable distance in just one evening, she didn’t seem tired. The physical prowess of this ninja from Murasame never failed to amaze me.
“Now then, what am I to make of this?”
The intruders who’d ravaged the ruins, and the intruders who’d broken into the Volcanic Miasma Zone. Would it be overly simplistic to suspect a link?
No. It was only natural. It couldn’t be a coincidence that two major break-ins had occurred within days of each other—and at sites that the newlyweds were visiting on their honeymoon, no less.
I was sure the same would occur to Miss Philia.
This all led back to her. She must have decided to tour the ruins on her honeymoon for a reason. Whoever the criminals were, they shared her goal. In which case…
“Ah, I’m getting a call on my bracelet. Excellent timing.”
I stroked the gem on my bracelet to start the call.
Would it be good news or bad? Or perhaps something else?
“Hello, brother. It’s me, Osvalt.”
“I expected as much. Himari just got here. Have there been any developments?”
“Yes. We caught the trespassers who snuck into the Volcanic Miasma Zone.”
“Oh? I see. I wasn’t expecting to hear such good news. Are they the same people who broke into the ruins?”
“Well, yes. You could say that. But that’s where the story takes a strange turn. The truth is—”
The story that Osvalt went on to tell was certainly peculiar. The mastermind behind the crimes was Harry Freyer, the famed merchant. As if ignorant of his precarious position, he’d dared to propose a deal.
How outrageous. In my view, merchants who committed such treacherous acts were beneath respect, but Osvalt insisted that he take on the risk of negotiating with Harry.
“Good grief. You really do astound me,” I said. “What are you thinking? There’s no point in negotiating with a brazen criminal.”
“I know how you feel, but Philia and I have other ideas. We want to put a stop to the explosions in the Volcanic Miasma Zone, and to do that, we need Harry’s support.”
“I’m not rejecting the idea out of hand, but I do encourage you to rethink your approach.”
“I can only apologize. I’m dead set on this, brother. Anyway, I’ll give you an update tomorrow.”
With this decisive statement, Osvalt ended the call.
When all was said and done, it appeared that Osvalt still lacked self-awareness. I’d have to lecture him on his return.
“What a naïve man,” I sighed.
After dismissing Himari, I made plans to send Philip and a few other knights to assist Osvalt.
I wasn’t sure what kind of man this Harry was, but negotiating with a criminal defied all logic. Didn’t he understand why I’d reminded him to protect Miss Philia?
I would order Philip to capture Harry Freyer and bring him before me, no matter how much of a fight Osvalt put up.