“Okay, it’s decided then. I’ll protect you, Nagi.”
And now that it was two on one, his opinion was thrown out the window.
Nagi’s worries were completely betrayed by how easily they managed to infiltrate the palace.
“Now then, shall we?”
After following Jubilia from the designated meeting place, the group arrived at Kyou’s prison without being challenged once. They used a passageway meant for servants; normally, there’d be guards stationed along the way.
“The hell’s going on? There ain’t a single guard around. How boring,” Keele said in astonishment.
“The palace is short on hands. It’s bad enough that security is lacking. It just so happens that a transfer happening today means there’s a time when no guards are present. Having said that, the locks are obviously still in place, so they’re not particularly worried.” With that, Jubilia pulled out a key. “The key is properly being managed too, just like this.”
“Lernaean, huh?” Keele spat out bitterly.
“It’s true the palace is in a rickety state. Order can’t possibly be maintained as we burn through what remains of the nobility. It’s just a coincidence an opening was made at this time.”
“With everything set up so perfectly, did you even need our help?” Nagi asked.
Jubilia shook her head, then handed the key to Nagi.
“The form it takes is important in such cases. That’s why I can’t accompany you any further. You simply need to head straight from here, then retrace your steps to get out.”
“What do you mean by form?”
“We don’t have the time to speak of it now. The coincidental absence of guards won’t last for long.”
With that, Nagi held his tongue and proceeded onward. The young boy they found locked up in the prison was pale and haggard. He wore dirty clothes, and his blond hair was sticky with grease. Seeing him like this, nobody would be able to tell he was called the Sovereign just a little while ago.
“Get up,” Nagi said.
He figured Kyou was sleeping, considering how late it was, but the boy’s response was quick. Any sleep in such a cell had to be light. The only part of his former self which remained was his haughty tone.
“Who goes there?”
“Garuga Village’s Nagi.”
“We know that name. You’re the commoner who deceived Our sister.”
“Well, you could say that.”
“What have you come here for...? We suppose that much is obvious. Just kill Us.”
Nagi was perplexed. Didn’t Saya say that he wanted to be saved?
“I’m not here to kill you. I’m here to save you. Saya asked me to.”
“Impossible. Our sister did?”
Kyou was clearly shaken at the mention of Saya’s name. His eyes trembled.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Exactly what it looks like. You asked Saya for help, and she asked me. So, I’m here to save you.”
“Lies. There’s no way a commoner would come to save Us. Commoners are Our enemy.”
“Hey, I ain’t no commoner,” Keele cut in. “I’m a Crestfolk.”
“Same here,” Tess added.
“Leave that kinda trivial stuff for later. I don’t care if you’re a noble, a Sovereign, or whatever. You’re family to Saya. That’s why I’ll save you. That’s all there is to it.”
Everyone turned to Nagi at once.
“Trivial? Us being Crestfolk? I thought you were stupid, but you really are a dumbass.”
“It is trivial. The revolution put an end to the sterilizations. The Crestfolk are no different from commoners now.”
“I’m not as bad as Keele, but people don’t change that easily. I’m pretty sure only a few people share your thoughts on this, Nagi,” Tess muttered.
“Trivial, is it? So, that’s why you’re a hero,” Kyou said.
“I’m no hero. Quit spouting nonsense. Let’s get out of here. Jubilia told us to hurry.”
“Hopefully, there’s at least one guard on the way out...” Keele muttered ominously.
“Don’t jinx it.”
Kyou was haggard, but he wasn’t debilitated to the point where he couldn’t walk. Nagi’s group took Kyou down the path they came from. They didn’t end up getting through without bumping into anyone this time. There were several knights waiting at the side entrance, as if to substantiate Keele’s hopes. Next to the knights was one other ominous presence.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Who knows? Lernaean, cut the farce and let us through,” Nagi replied.
“It’s meaningless to take Kyou with you like that. This boy isn’t royalty. Why do you think he’s lived for centuries despite that?”
“Amrita, I guess?”
“Indeed, the effect of which should be just about to wear off. This boy has lived far longer than most nobles. The kickback will surely be tremendous. He’ll age rapidly, meaning he won’t survive if you take him out like that. Without this, at least.”
Lernaean made a show of a package he was holding. There was likely Amrita within.
“Hand it over.”
“And what will you give me in return, Nagi?”
Nagi wasn’t sure how to answer.
“Nagi, don’t listen to this ass. Nothin’ good will come of it.”
“Keele, no need to speak so ill of me. I simply came here to ask something of Nagi. It’s but a small request. So long as he keeps his word, I’ll hand this over. There’s enough Amrita in here to prolong his life for ten years.”
“What do you want?”
“I’d like you to stop meeting Lady Saya.” Nagi began to react on impulse, but Lernaean continued before he could. “Is what I’d like to say, but I doubt she would accept that. I’d like you to lower the frequency of your meetings little by little. You know it’s dangerous for her to see you, right?”
“But...”
“I don’t mean forever. We are also searching for a means to help Lady Saya recuperate. If her health improves, you can visit as often as you want, but now is not the time.”
Lernaean’s request made sense. Saya was still far from recovered from the toll the royal caliber took on her; Nagi’s presence still posed a threat to her. He was fully aware of this, but Nagi and Saya couldn’t help but want to see each other. Saya desired Nagi’s presence, and he responded in kind. They couldn’t touch each other, but such emotions spurred them on. As a result, Nagi had to come see Saya at least once a week. There was a part of him that already believed this was untenable. Lernaean’s words seeped their way into Nagi’s mind.
“Fine...” Nagi answered.
“You simply have to decrease the frequency little by little. You understand, don’t you? This is for Lady Saya’s sake.”
“Yeah.”
“Nagi, are you really okay with this?” Tess asked, looking into his eyes.
He was unable to maintain eye contact and averted his gaze. He nodded while still somewhat hesitant over the matter.
“Then you may have this,” Lernaean said, handing the bundle over to Nagi.
“The hell are you plannin’?” Keele snarled with a glare.
“I simply wish for Lady Saya’s happiness, as well as that of those who live in this world,” he replied with a mocking smile.
“Hey, I’m the one who abducted this brat. Nagi’s got nothin’ to do with it. You got that?”
Lernaean immediately understood the implications of this. “Very well. Lady Saya’s lover, the Commoners’ Hero, is far too famous. It would turn into an uproar were it to be known he is the False Sovereign’s abductor. I was thinking the same thing myself.”
With that, Lernaean took his knights, walked past Nagi, and disappeared into the palace.
“Sorry, it’s Our fault...” Kyou muttered sadly.
“You’d better stop talking like that. It’s weird,” Tess said.
“Huh?” Kyou looked completely confused.
“A kid like you... well, I guess you’re actually way older, being a noble and all, but normal people refer to themselves as I and me.”
“I... me... So, what will happen to me now?”
Nagi had talked this over with Keele beforehand.
“You’re goin’ to Leshva,” Keele told him. “We’ll take you there. We’ve got an ol’ friend there in the slums. He’s a pitiful jerk called Senak, but I guess he’s pretty trustworthy.”
“Oh yeah, Keele,” Nagi said, recalling something upon hearing Senak’s name. “Crow mentioned you and Senak conspiring about something. He says you stole some kind of confidential documents?”
“Well, we were just lookin’ into a lil’ somethin’. We ain’t done yet. That don’t matter right now. Anyway, he’s way better than those rotten bastards in the capital.”
“Disguise yourself so that you don’t stand out and live in the slums,” Nagi said, turning to Kyou. “There are plenty of kids there who’ve lost their parents. You’ll mix in so long as you wear some dirty-looking clothes. He’ll help look after you so that you can at least get by, but he doesn’t have all that much time to spare himself. Find some way of living there and make the best of it.”
“How do... I do that?”
“Figure it out yourself,” Tess answered.
Kyou looked dumbfounded. He likely never even contemplated such a thing before.
“No need to look like that. It’ll be fine. Humans were made to live like this to begin with,” Tess told him, which still wasn’t much of an answer.
“If you’ve got no other way, then go sell your ass or something,” Keele cut in. “I’m sure you’d fetch a high price.”
“Hey! Don’t say that!” Tess growled at Keele, but he remained indifferent.
“He’s supposed to be dead, and now he’s gonna live. That kinda choice exists. You better resolve yourself.”
Again Nagi wondered what kind of life Keele led after being driven out of Strano Village. Now wasn’t the time to delve into that, however. They had to get going quickly.
“We shouldn’t stay here for long, let’s go,” Nagi said.
Tess and Keele nodded back to him, and they walked into the moonless night with Kyou timidly following behind.