“I’ve never encountered somebody like you before, Prince Osvalt. To tell you the truth, you’re pretty hard to deal with.”
“Hard to deal with?”
“You heard me. The trouble is, you don’t want anything. If there was something you were dying to get your hands on, I could exploit it, but that doesn’t seem like an option here. Not only that, but you’ve got a will of iron. I’m at a loss.”
Haruya playfully held up his hands in defeat. He sounded agreeable, but something told me he wasn’t about to back down. I knew better than to underestimate Haruya, even if he showed weakness. Fortunately, so did Sir Osvalt.
“I think you’re the one without any weaknesses.”
“My, my. Alas, I have nothing else. I’m under arrest, for starters. You could sentence me to death, if you felt so inclined.”
“You don’t seem like a man who’d be swayed by threats, though.”
“Don’t I? You might be surprised. Maybe I’ll agree to anything to save my own skin.”
How much of this was true, and how much of it was more fast talk?
Under normal circumstances, merely breaking into the ruins would be considered a serious crime. From the beginning, Haruya had anticipated the possibility of being arrested, and planned to buy his freedom. It must have come as a shock when his scheme didn’t quite work out.
Was he tempting fate because he was confident that Sir Osvalt would show mercy, or did he have another motive?
“Sir Osvalt,” I ventured, “Haruya is—”
“Yes, I already know. I’ve been observing him for a while now. This man is going to be tricky to deal with.”
Haruya said nothing.
“When he said he was happy to see Himari again, it rang hollow. He spoke with far more conviction when he said that money never lets you down. It’s clear where his principles lie—with cold, hard cash.”
As Sir Osvalt implied, Haruya’s feelings about money were far from ordinary. He trusted it above all.
Haruya’s principles… As a saint, I was supposed to see greed as something to be condemned. It contradicted the values of our faith. Still, if it was enough to keep Haruya going, perhaps even materialism could be a noble conviction.
“But look at it this way,” Sir Osvalt continued. “It’s not that everything else he says is a lie, it’s just that his heart’s not in it. He doesn’t care as much about things he can’t buy and sell.”
Now and then, I couldn’t help but think how unusual Sir Osvalt was. It was like he could see straight into the depths of the human heart. I still couldn’t describe the feeling he stirred in me.
“Prince Osvalt,” said Haruya, “whenever I talk to you, I seem to get thrown off balance. It’s hard to believe we met only yesterday.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Royalty tends to be detached from the real world and oblivious to how common people think. You, however, are the opposite. You’re better than anyone at getting close to people. Are you really a prince?”
Haruya seemed astonished by how quickly Sir Osvalt could see through people.
“Ha ha ha. People tell me that all the time. My older brother is always nagging me to be more aware of my position.”
“It’s not that. I’m talking about a deeper part of your character.”
Sir Osvalt always maintained a cheerful act, but at the same time, he was keeping a close eye on those around him.
When I first met him, I was worried about my sister Mia back in my home country. I didn’t express my anxiety out loud, and I probably didn’t show it on my face, either. Despite this, Sir Osvalt came over and offered me advice, almost as if we’d discussed my worries before. If it wasn’t for his kind encouragement, I wouldn’t have decided to write to Mia.
“You’re remarkably sensitive to other people’s emotions, Your Highness. As we speak, you’re trying to get inside my head.”
“Get inside your head? That’s not exactly my intention. Still, I can’t negotiate with you if I don’t know you well enough, can I?”
“In that case, let’s draw a line under this. I don’t engage in deals that don’t benefit me. Besides—”
“Stop right there, Harry Freyer!”
“Huh?”
The door swung open and Philip stormed in, backed by a dozen knights. Armed with spears, they were all primed for combat.
“By order of His Highness Prince Reichardt, you, Harry Freyer, are under arrest!”
“Hey, Philip!” Sir Osvalt shouted. He seemed as surprised by this development as the rest of us. “Give us a minute. We’re in the middle of negotiations here!”
What a mess. Sir Osvalt could try to delay the inevitable, but there was no fighting Prince Reichardt’s orders.
“Forgive me for being so rude, Prince Osvalt!” Philip loudly announced Prince Reichardt’s decision, looking apologetic. “Regrettably, Prince Reichardt’s stance is simple. He cannot pardon the instigator who plundered the ruins, nor those who helped him break into the forbidden zone!”
This was hardly surprising. Prince Reichardt was known for his strict, uncompromising nature. He was never going to agree to pardon Haruya. Sir Osvalt understood his brother all too well, which was precisely why he had insisted on exercising his own judgement.
“Interesting,” said Haruya. “Unlike you, the first prince values the rule of law.”
“You there! Harry Freyer, right? Follow our orders and we won’t have to get rough. Raise your hands and don’t fight back.” With a stern look on his face, Philip closed in on the criminal. “Now, then, what am I going to do with you?”
At that moment, Himari’s voice echoed from outside the inn. “Sir Philip! Don’t get too close!”
“Huh?”
“Oh, Himari.”
“Please, Haruya. No more of this unreasonable behavior.”
A kunai prodded Haruya in the arm. He glanced around to find his sister standing behind him. She must have been lurking nearby all along, worried about what her brother might do next.
“Allow me to check your pockets.”
Himari rummaged through Haruya’s breast pocket. He must have had a weapon ready to use.
“As I suspected, a smoke bomb. Did you plan to obscure our vision and make your escape?”
“How long have you been back there? You’ve certainly refined your skills.”
“No, Haruya. You’re simply out of practice.”
“Talk about harsh. Himari’s caught me from behind, while the greatest saint of all time looms before me. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Knights of Parnacorta are here, too. I can tell Sir Osvalt and his attendants are forces to be reckoned with. Fleeing this place wouldn’t be worth the effort.”
Philip restrained Haruya, who’d lifted his hands in surrender. It sounded as though Prince Reichardt meant to try him as a criminal—but whatever the case, he seemed to have given up all too easily.
Haruya was a clever schemer. While the arrest might have come as a surprise to him, something just wasn’t adding up.
“Philip, this man is my older brother. I know the laws of Parnacorta. Restrain me as well.”
“What? Um, very well!”
“Huh?”
Why did Himari need to be restrained? I tried to recall the law of Parnacorta. Surely this wasn’t what I feared it was…
“Sir Osvalt. How does the law treat exiles like Himari?”
“Unfortunately, they get the same treatment as foreign citizens. As I’m sure you’re aware, when a foreigner in Parnacorta is charged with a crime, any members of their immediate family who happen to reside within Parnacorta’s borders are deemed guilty by association. This law was established at a time when foreign nationals were responsible for a lot of crimes.”
“S-so now that Himari has been reunited with Haruya…”
“She’ll be tried, too. I know what you’re thinking. If Harry Freyer hadn’t crossed paths with Himari, she’d be free. I dropped the ball, too. I should have known that my brother would ignore my wishes and send the law after Harry.”
I wasn’t familiar with all of Parnacorta’s laws, but since Girtonia had no such law as this one, it had stuck in my mind.
I couldn’t believe that Himari would be forced to shoulder the same punishment as Haruya. She was innocent. I couldn’t turn a blind eye to this injustice.
“Let’s ask for her to be acquitted.”
“Good idea. Maybe if I ask my brother personally…”
“Stop right there! Lady Philia. Prince Osvalt. My brother’s failure is my failure. I would have cut my stomach open in contrition, even if Parnacorta had no such law. I refuse to accept any mercy!”
I couldn’t comprehend why Himari was so eager to share the blame with her brother. No—as preposterous as it was, I had to consider what I would do if Mia committed a crime against Sir Osvalt or Prince Reichardt. Perhaps I would also plead to take accountability for my sibling’s actions.
“I don’t see why you should share the blame, Himari. Ask Lady Philia and His Highness for their help. You’re making a fool of yourself, embroiling yourself in my mess.”
“You are the foolish one, Haruya. You let your immediate desires get the better of you and forgot your humanity.”
“Perhaps I did. But if that’s true, why should you share your fate with a fool like me?”
Haruya couldn’t have wanted his younger sister to share the blame. Still playing it light, he tried to refuse her offer.
“I will assume the same fate as my family. I cannot bring myself to sever our bond. I will not forsake my older brother, no matter how foolish he is.”
The intent in Himari’s eyes was perfectly clear, with no trace of hesitation. Should I respect her wishes or not?
I didn’t know. For her, an innocent bystander, to shoulder the blame would be an intolerable injustice. But if I stopped her, wouldn’t I sever the one family tie she still had?
Why was I so uncertain?
“Prince Osvalt. Lady Philia.” Himari bowed her head. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I will take full responsibility for this disgraceful incident.”
And so, Philip took Himari away, along with her brother.
Why couldn’t I stop her?
Why was I just standing there, unable to move?
Why…?
“Are you all right, Philia?”
“H-how could I be? Himari… Himari… Why did this have to happen to Himari?”
Sir Osvalt had no answer for me.
He was trying to show that he cared, but overwhelmed by my own distress, I could only shout at him.