“Only the two of us were born for the sake of ruling this world. So, if we are to wed, we shall rule this world for eternity.”
His words were endlessly innocent.
“Umm, what do you mean by wed?”
“Getting married. You, and Us.”
Now that he mentioned it, she recalled him saying something similar before.
“I feel like that’s a little strange, though. What do you think, Jubilia?”
“With all due respect, marriage between siblings is avoided by both commoners and nobles.”
Kyou glared at Jubilia. “That is surely because of the effects it can have on children. We have no need to have any children. Even without Amrita, royalty lives forever.”
“Dear knight, my liege’s thoughts are fathomless. They cannot be weighed by the standards of others,” Ivara said to Jubilia.
“Pardon my discourtesy.”
“It isn’t something you can simply apologize for.”
Jubilia broke into a sweat. Ivara’s status was likely higher than hers. It had been a mistake for Saya to imprudently pass the topic over to her.
“Thank you for the tea,” Saya said, forcing a change of subject as she stood up. She had just finished her cup, anyway.
“Are you leaving already?” Kyou asked.
“I can’t stay here too long. It’d be troublesome if Gratos or the like finds out, right?”
“That scoundrel... He’s so tiresome. Please come by again, sister.”
“If the opportunity arises.”
“We shall definitely prepare another such opportunity,” Kyou declared, then hesitantly asked, “How was the tea?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Saya replied, “It was a nostalgic flavor.”
With that, she excused herself and left Kyou’s room. Upon arriving at her own room, she found someone inside: Lernaean.
“I have been waiting for you.”
Just like always, this man with glamorous hair and a bulky body gave off a regal yet terrifying presence. He was the very embodiment of a noble. His aura was so powerful that Saya’s room seemed like an entirely different place altogether.
“Jubilia, you told him?”
“Lord Lernaean assisted with getting in touch with the royal guards.”
“Well, that makes sense. You are this man’s subordinate.”
This was Jubilia they were talking about. She was serious about abiding by the pecking order. Of course she would’ve reported everything to Lernaean. It was perfectly obvious now that Saya thought about it, but she was a little disappointed. She had started to take a liking to this serious knight, but the woman still wasn’t her ally. After being thrown a light glare by Saya, Jubilia looked at the floor.
“How was it?” Lernaean asked.
Saya didn’t feel like answering him honestly. She simply decided to speak of the most inconsequential part of her conversation with Kyou.
“He proposed to me.”
“What a foolish child. I can understand why he yet maintains such an infantile form. Well, Gratos and the like say this is a special circumstance of being the Sovereign, though.” Lernaean’s choice of words was so sharp one wouldn’t think he was speaking of his liege. “Don’t you feel the same way?” he asked.
“I do,” Saya answered. She was actually in complete agreement. It was surely intentional on his part. “So, what do you want?”
“Is there not something you would like to say to me yourself?”
There certainly was. It was now clear after speaking with Kyou that this man was the one who had plotted to bring her here. That was why she had to ask him directly.
“What do you plan on making me do by bringing me here?”
“That is precisely why I am here. I have a request of you, Lady Saya. However, before that, I’d like to hear your greatest wish.”
“My wish?”
“Think of it as our terms of agreement. In exchange for granting my request, I shall grant you one wish. Not a bad deal, is it?”
Despite there being an air of refinement to his voice, Saya could sense the risk in accepting his proposition. She couldn’t strike a deal with this man, so she believed. Yet she still felt compelled to speak nonetheless.
“I want to leave this place. And I want you to leave me alone.”
“Will you live with that boy, then?”
Lernaean had completely seen through her. Saya’s cheeks grew hot with embarrassment.
“Very well. He’s much better than that boy who calls himself a king. If he’s still alive, that is.”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems there has been an assault on Ronadyphe Prison. Information on those who performed the attack is a mess. Some say it was the Tainted... the Crestfolk, that is. Others say it was Cobalt. The attackers ultimately won, but there were heavy casualties on both sides. It wouldn’t be strange for one excitable boy to be among them, don’t you think?” Lernaean told her with a gentle smile.
“Nagi can’t die,” Saya responded, relying on her feelings without an ounce of reasoning.
“Anyone can die. Even us nobles. Well, it’s not determined that he’s dead. The probability is actually pretty low. Almost all the deaths on their side were apparently Crestfolk, after all.” Despite saying information was a mess, Lernaean spoke as if he had seen it for himself. “I shall grant your wish. But first, I would like you to fulfill my request.”
Saya held her breath, wondering what kind of request he would make of her. And what came was something she couldn’t expect at all.
“I want you to save this world.”
“Huh?”
“You should have witnessed the disastrous state of this world for yourself. The degenerate nobles, the oppressed commoners, and the Crestfolk whose very existence is denied.” Lernaean knitted his well-shaped brows. His eyes reflected a deep sorrow. “Nobles have forgotten their obligations and instead condemn the commoners. Commoners take that resentment and turn it on the Crestfolk, who are beneath them... Who do you think lies at the roots of this chain of hatred?”
This was a rhetorical question. As proof of this, Lernaean only paused briefly before continuing in a resonant voice.
“It is the Sovereign, along with the congressmen who borrow his authority, the members of the Traditionalists with Gratos at their core. We members of the Sovereignty Faction fight against them.”
Jubilia said worriedly, “Lord Lernaean, others may hear you.”
“There are no ears here. Be at ease,” he told her with a smile.
“So, what do you expect me to do?” Saya asked.
“Can’t you tell? You are the one and only member of royalty aside from that boy. Why do you think that foolish child has sat upon the throne for so long? There was nobody to replace him. Gratos hid you within the Garden so that he could create such a situation.”
Saya now knew the reason she had been confined within that miniature garden.
“But things have changed. There is someone who can replace him: you. Your very existence shakes the foundation of Gratos’ faction. It’s possible to reclaim the authority they have taken for themselves.”
“Are you telling me to become the Sovereign?”
“If you wish to.”
“I don’t want to be a queen or anything like that.”
“That is perfectly fine.”
“Huh?”
“The Sovereign is only required to create Amrita. It’s strange for there to be any authority to accompany that position. That boy doesn’t spare a single thought for this world or those who live in it. A system where someone like that stands at the peak is wrong. You can be the Sovereign. Kyou can be the Sovereign. It doesn’t matter either way, so long as the one who stands on top is one who truly considers the state of this world. According to legends, there was once a world where there was no Sovereign.”
“A world with no Sovereign...”
“It sounds like nothing more than a dream, doesn’t it? First, Gratos must be brought down. This brings me to my next point: I have obtained two weapons to do so.”
“Two?”
“The first is you. Your very existence shakes their foundation, after all. That’s why I would like to make your existence public.”
“How do you plan to—no, that can wait. What’s the other?”
“Cobalt.” The name that spilled from Lernaean’s lips was beyond unexpected. “You saw them too, didn’t you? Despite being commoners, they killed a knight. When I saw them fight, a thought came to mind—I wondered if I could form a common front with them.”
Lernaean had stolen Saya from Cobalt’s base. Had he been thinking of such things even as he attacked them with his blood caliber? Saya trembled at the magnitude of his schemes.
“They were just as I hoped they were. They managed to capture Ronadyphe Prison, of all places. The resulting uproar has turned the palace upside-down.”
Saya didn’t know what was so significant about Ronadyphe Prison, but there was no mistaking that it had been a major incident, and that Nagi had been involved in it.
Lernaean laughed with pleasure. “Aah, that boy... Nagi, was it? It seems he’s also part of Cobalt. He’s safe, even now.”
What was with this conversation? Lernaean had been acting as if he knew everything. How much of this was all just a part of his plan?
Saya mustered up all her courage. “What are you trying to get me to do?”
“As I said before, I would like to make your existence public. It’s simple. You just have to follow me for a short while. Unfortunately, it’ll be nothing but worthless banquets and the like.”
“That’s all?”
“In this way, we will gather numerous allies. It’ll be fine, nobles live long and boring lives. They’re all starved for stimulation. Everyone will surely be entranced with the sudden arrival of a beautiful princess.” Lernaean held out his hand. “Cobalt will destroy this country from the outside while you destroy it from within. After that, you may live as you please.”
Feeling like she had no other choice, Saya gripped his hand. She had no other way of getting out of here. Lernaean’s ice-cold hand caused a chill to settle in her heart.