Haruya was surprised, but for some reason, I’d seen this suggestion coming. It was a proposal that wouldn’t have occurred to a conventional thinker like myself, but of course Sir Osvalt would want to keep Haruya in his orbit.
“I don’t blame you for having doubts. My brother and His Majesty won’t forgive you so easily. I’m sure they’ll want you to make amends for your wrongdoings. However, my brother gave me full authority over this case. He’ll listen to me.”
“That’s not the issue. I’ve turned on you time and again, and you invite me to work for the royal family? Whatever price your country makes me pay, you can’t trust me.”
“It’s a trust issue, huh? Well, you’re not wrong. I have to agree with you there.”
Trust and faith were invisible to the eye. I was well aware of how priceless such imperceptible things could be, but it took inner strength to keep believing in something that couldn’t be seen or touched.
“So why—”
“You said that being betrayed changed your entire outlook. If you can trust someone, your outlook will change again, won’t it?”
“W-well…”
“If you want to change, I’ll have faith in you, no matter what.”
How could he look Haruya square in the face and reach out his hand to him? I was married to him, and not even I could understand it. From the moment we met, he’d been dazzlingly radiant.
Haruya looked dumbfounded. Perhaps he and I felt the same way.
“You really are too kind for your own good. Is this what I think it is? Do you think I’ll supply you with magic ore in exchange for your kindness? If that’s what you’re after, you don’t need to hire me as an attendant. Grant me a pardon on any terms you wish.”
If Prince Reichardt were in this position, he might have offered Haruya a pardon in exchange for a generous payment in magic ore. Sir Osvalt, however, would never exploit someone’s misdeeds for material gain.
“No thanks. I don’t plan to monopolize the Moontear Flowers or sell them at an exorbitant price. Philia feels the same way.”
“Sir Osvalt…”
“But after listening to your concerns, I’ve started to worry that giving them out for free may be a bad idea, too.”
A single Moontear Flower was worth a bag of gold. If we flooded the market with flowers without preparation, it could collapse the economy. In addition, with tensions between nations rising, we needed to be careful with our resources. As arrogant as it might sound, we had been too far removed from common human greed to consider the risks.
“I plan to confer with Girtonia and work out a deal,” Sir Osvalt continued. “And that’s where you come in. I want you to lend me your business acumen and negotiation skills.”
“M-my skills?”
“Look at the fight you put up. You were alone, in a foreign country, with no authority to speak of. Of course, your actions were nothing to applaud, but I have no doubts about your competence. Obviously, I’ll pay you appropriately for your work.”
Haruya had figured out that the ruins harbored clues to stopping the explosions in the Volcanic Miasma Zone and located a stone tablet inscribed with the blueprint he needed. That alone was enough to prove that he possessed exceptional insight. I’d only reached the same conclusion because I’d sensed the disordered mana for myself—and yet Haruya, a man with no magical power, had still beaten me to the punch.
Then there was the way he negotiated with Sir Osvalt, his clever escape, his physical abilities as a ninja, and the business acumen that helped him go from a refugee in Ashbrugge to a wealthy merchant in only a few years. I could understand why Sir Osvalt would entrust him with such an important job.
Haruya groaned. “I just don’t get it. The hardships Himari went through must have been at least as brutal as mine, and yet…her face hasn’t changed at all.”
“Haruya…” Himari murmured.
“Maybe you helped her keep her faith, Prince Osvalt.” Haruya nodded to himself.
He was probably right. Sir Osvalt gave off a light that could purge the darkness from human hearts. Spending time with him had brought the smile back to my face, too. I didn’t even notice it happening.
“I don’t know about that,” said Sir Osvalt. “I bet Himari prefers working for Philia.”
Sir Osvalt’s comment caught me off guard. “N-no, that can’t be. I’m constantly in her debt, and I’ve never managed to repay her as she deserves. You were far more—”
“Come on, you know that’s not true. I told you how much Himari’s brightened up since you arrived.”
I’d never really stopped to think about what I meant to Himari. All I knew was how much I owed to her.
Haruya laughed ruefully. “You two really do make a perfect couple. Interesting. I was convinced I knew how this world really worked, but maybe my perspective was too narrow.”
This time, his smile was open, as if he was no longer hiding his true thoughts. Perhaps he finally felt safe enough to open his heart.
“Now that I think about it, this offer is too good to pass up—and most importantly, it intrigues me.” Haruya gave Sir Osvalt’s outstretched hand a firm squeeze. “So yes, I’d love for you to take me under your wing for a while. I’m in your hands, Prince Osvalt.”
Haruya turned to Himari. “Sorry for disappointing you, Himari. I just couldn’t go back to living a life of servitude.”
Himari had continued to live the life of a ninja, much to her brother’s surprise. I suspected that her steadfastness had inspired Haruya to accept Sir Osvalt’s offer.
“I was shocked by the transformation you’d undergone,” said Himari. “Before I knew it, I’d let my emotions get the better of me.”
“Himari…”
“But in the moment, I failed to appreciate your struggles as Sir Osvalt has. It is I who should apologize.” With that, Himari began to cry.
“Don’t be silly. I don’t blame you for being disappointed. It’s nothing to shed a tear over. I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.”
Haruya pulled Himari into his arms. In that moment, it almost felt like all the effort we’d put into pursuing him was worthwhile.
I recalled Mia’s warm embrace after we had been reunited, and sensed my eyes beginning to sting.
“On that note, why don’t we head back to the palace?” suggested Sir Osvalt. “I’m sorry we had to cut our honeymoon short, Philia.”