“What you have been trying to do would equate to a treasonous plot to destroy the nation if not given proper discretion.” From Claudio’s body, a white shimmering haze rose up, and the freshly lit flames of the candles all wavered despite there not being any wind.
“On top of that, you plotted regicide against the princess. Before you are judged before the law, I am going to judge you myself!” The amorphous haze started to take form. Suddenly, the small flames of the candles erupted into practical inferno. What showed up in the center of the hall, parting the flames, was a creature with a gallant lion head and body and curled ram horns. Its back, lurched in an intimidating posture, housed a pair of elegant wings.
“... the sacred beast, the Silver Lion?!”
Its pelt looked far too soft to be an illusion, and the force of wind from the harsh flap of its wings seemed very real. It left Rosemarie awestruck.
The sacred beast let out a thunderous roar. That roar rattled the atmosphere, invoking awe and fear from the onlookers’ very core. As the crowd stood frozen in place, Kastner turned heel with a frantic look on his face.
“After him,” came the cold utterance from Claudio’s mouth. Hearing his instructions, the Silver Lion chased after Kastner as he ran toward the exit. The Silver Lion pounced toward Kastner, who was trying his best to escape while stumbling over himself.
“Stop! You vile monster...! Stay back, stay back, stay back! Aaaaaaaaaaah!!”
The sacred beast opened its gigantic mouth wide and swallowed the Archbishop’s head whole.
Shrieks echoed throughout the room. Those who sank to the floor in a daze, those who were trying to run away in a panic—everyone was in fear of Claudio.
“Prince Claudio... how could you...” Rosemarie clasped onto Claudio’s tunic with shivering fingers. He responded with a smile.
“Look closely.”
The sacred beast started to dissolve like a clearing fog. Left in its wake was the form of Archbishop Kastner, his mind in an absolute daze with his eyes partially rolled up into his head. Upon noticing that, the crowd’s confusion gradually quelled, and someone called the knights to take him into custody.
“He will be out of commission for a while.”
“That was still taking things too far!” She looked at Claudio as he smiled pleasantly with a judging eye. The Archbishop was probably unconscious. She could see the castle guard knights carting the limp body of Kastner off, carrying him by both arms.
Claudio watched calmly as Kastner was taken off into custody. Then, he began instructing those around him. Rosemarie noticed all the people still left in the hall focusing their curious eyes upon Claudio as he spoke.
(Oh, that’s right. The majority of people here are only seeing Prince Claudio’s human face for the first time...)
He was probably recognizable when compared to his younger self, but likely looked considerably different.
She also caught sight of some girls swooning over this dashing black-haired young man standing before them, which put her in a somewhat unamused mood.
“Claudio.” A subdued yet clear voice resounded. Rosemarie turned around along with Claudio and the others. She hurried to take a knee before King Baltzar, the man unperturbed by what just transpired before him. Beside her, Claudio stood.
“I am terribly sorry for the commotion, Your Majesty. Also, I apologize for speaking of the details of the Forbidden Forest before everyone in attendance. I assure you it was done in the interest of preventing anyone else like Kastner from doing the same...”
“That matters not. If you believe you’ve incited a commotion, then be sure to improve upon your actions in the future. You are plenty capable of doing so, I am sure.” Those were the king’s only remarks, made with a stern expression, as he vacated the throne and left with the chamberlain.
“Prince Claudio...” Their exchange was so extremely curt that it was hard to believe they were father and son. It was an interaction that made Rosemarie’s brows droop, discouraged, but Claudio smiled at her as if nothing happened.
“Now, then, a hefty clean-up process awaits. We have exposed all of Kastner’s wrongdoings, after all. It’s about time that I drag all of his conspirators out to the public. However, before I do that...” Claudio’s tone was intentionally bright and cheery to Rosemarie, her mind still not clear. He then softly held her bruised hands.
“You did a good job coming back here. When I heard you had been abandoned in the Forbidden Forest, I was beside myself with concern.”
“I have you to thank for that, Prince Claudio. Master Edel told me I was able to come out safe because I had your mana in me.” There was no stopping her from feeling guilty for stealing his mana in the first place, but that was the one instance in which she was grateful that she had it.
“So, you were able to see Master Edel. That is what brought that deed into fruition, I see...”
“That deed...?” Rosemarie cocked her head in confusion and Claudio stared at her straight in the eyes. More accurately, straight in the lips. The sensation of Claudio’s slightly dry, yet unexpectedly soft, lips came rushing back into her memory, and the blood shot to her head.
“That was...! Um! Master Edel told me to test that in exchange for sending me to you, Prince Claudio, you see, and...” Now that she thought of it, she ended up kissing Claudio with a packed audience. From an unrelated bystander’s perspective, she looked like a loon of a princess devoid of common sense with no regard for the public eye.
(Bucket! I need my bucket!)
Since she still had Claudio holding on to both of her hands, she couldn’t use them to cover her face. Instead, she dug it into her arms, shivering bashfully.
“You’re blushing up a storm.”
“...Your ears are just as red, Prince Claudio,” she pointed out in response to his teasing remark.
“—Shut up. Not another word.” He retaliated by pinching her nose instead of her cheek this time around.
“Your Royal Highness.”
Rosemarie froze up before she could even turn around upon hearing the addressing voice. It was a familiar deep voice, one belonging to the wolf-headed captain of The Second Order.
“I will be right there.” She herself had not been cleared of being suspected of assassinating the prince. She didn’t want to think that her returning like this had added to her charges, but she had no idea what would happen.
Claudio furrowed his brows and whispered to her.
“Rosemarie, you remember what I told you, right?”
“‘No matter what happens, don’t admit to the crime. I will have you cleared in no time. So, just have faith and wait.’” She was confident that she recited each line without error. Claudio looked dumbfounded for a second, probably being caught off-guard by that. He then quickly averted his gaze, seemingly embarrassed.
“I will be waiting for you.”
“Good.”
Rosemarie bashfully smiled at Claudio, who gave a firm nod in reply with his head still facing away.