Now that Cleo was unofficially crown prince, Bagrada had summoned him. Cleo headed for the audience hall, Lysithea in tow.
“You’re finally crown prince, Cleo,” she said. “You’ve climbed so high…”
“I suppose so,” Cleo replied with a smile. “Once I’m emperor, I’ll introduce you to a nice man, Sister. You’ll have your pick of handsome nobles.”
Lysithea flushed red, embarrassed. “R-really? I’ll be able to get married, huh? I see… I guess that’d be nice. I thought it was enough that Cecilia could marry, but if I’m also able to, I guess I’d like to.”
Finally, Lysithea didn’t need to worry about being killed at any moment. That thought made her a bit giddy.
I’ve finally come this far, Cleo thought, looking over at his sister. Now I just need to officially ascend to the throne and take control of the Empire. Liam…you may have climbed to the position of the Empire’s most powerful noble, but I’m going to be crowned emperor. And as emperor I’ll have no need to fear you.
When they reached the audience hall, some of the emperor’s guards stopped them. “Only the crown prince from here on, if you please.”
Lysithea accepted this demand as natural. “Go ahead,” she told Cleo.
“Right.”
Alone, Cleo proceeded down a long hallway to a space lavish enough to suit the massive Empire. Though this was called an “audience chamber,” it was mostly outdoors, and since the weather here was controlled, there was no need for a roof.
Lit by the warm light of the artificial sun, Cleo nevertheless felt a terrible chill when he faced Emperor Bagrada Noah Albareto. Wh-what? This is my father, His Imperial Majesty…?! He seems so different from the last time I met with him!
Seated on his throne, Bagrada wore a good-natured smile. He was a kind and jovial-looking man, as he had been before. This time, though, he frightened Cleo so much the prince couldn’t stand it.
“I-it’s been too long, Your Imperial Majesty. I’ve come in response to your summons.” Cleo bowed his head immediately, trying not to look at his father. Cold sweat burst from his pores.
Bagrada responded in a soft voice. “It seems that a lot happened, but I see that you’ve defeated Calvin. No one will complain about you being named crown prince now, Cleo. If everything goes well, you’ll be emperor in fifty years or a century.”
“Th-thank you, Your Majesty.” That’s right. I’m the crown prince—there’s nothing to be afraid of. And I decided that, if I met with His Majesty again, I’d ask something.
In truth, Cleo disliked Bagrada. There was a reason for this: Because Cleo’s mother had insisted that the prince was male, Bagrada had forbidden any of his children to undergo a sex change, solely for his own amusement. Furthermore, he’d made Cleo third in line for the throne as a form of cruelty. Bagrada’s actions had twisted Cleo’s life horribly.
Yes, Cleo was a girl. He’d been required to live as a man all this time sheerly to entertain Bagrada. If Cleo had been a normal citizen, this situation would probably have been obvious to those around him, but he lived in the inner palace as a prince. Since he was surrounded entirely by his relatives, he could hide the truth, and when he went out he wore a special suit that disguised his figure.
Now that he was crown prince, Cleo wanted to clear up the matter of his gender. “I have a request, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“No.” Bagrada denied Cleo’s request before the prince could even say what it was.
Looking up, Cleo saw Bagrada smiling sunnily at him. That smile looked horribly off to Cleo, though.
“You want to undergo a sex change, am I right?” the emperor asked. “If you do, I’ll disinherit you.”
“B-but it’ll be more convenient for everyone if I’m actually male. If only for times when I’m doing my duties as crown prince…”
“No. Then I couldn’t watch you look uncomfortable. Now, let me see that pretty face of yours up close.”
Obeying Bagrada’s teasing command, Cleo stood, trembling as he walked toward the emperor. As he drew closer to Bagrada, his horrible feeling intensified. The closer Cleo got to his father, the more something sinister seemed to coil around the prince.
Bagrada smiled as he watched Cleo. “By the way, it seems that you had a falling-out with House Banfield.”
“After our previous discussion, I determined that to be the best course of action,” Cleo replied. “I have other noble supporters to replace him, and more and more people want to meet with me, so I daresay I no longer require his support.”
“Mm-hmm. I’m relieved to see you working so hard. That aside, though…” As Bagrada’s voice lowered, his kind expression dropped, and Cleo felt a chill run down his spine. The emperor now wore an amused, belligerent grin. “I’ve had a chance to see that prodigy’s face, but I haven’t had an opportunity to speak with him personally yet. Bring him to me, would you?”
What did Bagrada want to speak with Liam about? Cleo was curious, but the atmosphere suggested that it wasn’t his place to ask. Bagrada exuded a pressure that suggested that he’d reject unnecessary questions at present.
“If Liam comes to the Capital Planet, I’ll arrange an interview immediately,” Cleo said.
“Please do, my cute little Cleo. I’ve wanted to have a long chat with him for a while now. He managed to climb to the top of the Empire during this messy succession conflict, so I must commend him, don’t you think?”
The candidates Cleo had beaten to get this far, Calvin and Linus, had both had powerful nobles backing them—people with real strength and abilities. Since Liam had made Cleo crown prince, it was like he’d beaten all those other nobles, coming out on top of every single one of them. It wasn’t that Cleo had become crown prince; that role was now filled by the prince Liam had chosen.
Cleo hung his head and ground his teeth. Bagrada’s eyes narrowed with glee at the sight, and he smiled maliciously. “You dislike Count Banfield? Your face says that you despise the man who brought you this far with your very soul.”
Although surprised by this astute observation, Cleo regained his composure. “I don’t dislike him that much. I just know where I myself am lacking.” He was lying. In truth, Liam irritated him so badly that he could hardly stand it. He couldn’t say that here, however; he didn’t feel it would be appropriate for a crown prince to act that way.
Bagrada reacted in a way Cleo didn’t expect, however. “No need for that. You don’t have to conceal anything.”
“Huh…?”
Although Cleo’s response was bewildered, Bagrada stood and praised him. “Your feelings are what make you the crown prince. No one is more suited to becoming the next emperor than you. That you envy the man who sincerely supported you, wishing to strike him down, is what I like about you.”
“Your Majesty?”
As Cleo stood there in confusion, Bagrada gently embraced him. “I do hope you’ll continue to entertain me, my dear child.”