CLAIRE’S POV
“Right this way, Lady Claire.”
A soldier of the revolutionary government brought me to the out-of-use second building of the House of Lords, a historic edifice that had been designated a national treasure. The room the soldier led me to had a familiar face waiting for me.
“Claire…”
“Father!”
My father got up off the sofa, rushed over, and hugged me.
“I was so worried about you!” I said.
“I’m sorry.”
I wanted to cry in his arms that very moment, I really did. But this was no time for tears.
“Please wait here in this room. Feel free to ring the bell if you need anything.” Saying no more, the soldier left the room.
The room’s fixtures were quite classy, as befitting a building used by the former House of Lords. The place showed signs of being abandoned for a time, however. There was dust here and there, and the furniture seemed comparatively cheap, as though hastily procured. The mismatch in quality between the fixtures and the furniture was jarring.
“I take it Rae failed, seeing as you’re here?” my father asked. He avoided revealing any information with his question, instead probing to see how much I knew.
“She tried until the bitter end to follow through with the plan the two of you devised. But I have my pride.”
“…How foolish.” My father grimaced, as though that answer told him everything he needed to know. He tightened his embrace and said, “As a noble, I am proud of your decision.”
“Thank you, Father.”
In a pained voice, he continued, “But as a father, I cannot help but be disappointed. You should live freely, Claire.”
“This is how I’ve chosen to live.”
“Then I’ve forced a terrible life onto you.”
“Not at all. I accept my fate as a noble. I’m fine with this.”
I’d had a good life. There had been sorrow, but it was a blessed life nonetheless. I’d been born into a wealthy noble house, had a respectable and loving father, made good friends, and…I was able to meet you.
Rae. My beloved. Leaving her behind, alone. That was my only regret.
The door swung open without a knock. An out-of-place, cheerful voice called out. “My, my. You noble folk sure take defeat graciously!”
“Cardinal Lilly…”
“Call me ‘Alter,’ would ya? I’m not quite the Lilly you know.” Lilly—or rather, Alter—gave us a sarcastic smile that would never have been seen on Lilly’s face.
Alter was the black-masked assassin of Nur we had seen before. His true identity was the alter ego of Lilly, created by Salas’s magic.
“Leave it at that, Alter. There’s no point in explaining anything to these two when they’ll soon be dead.”
“Salas! How dare you show yourself here?”
“Ah, Dole. I’ll miss you, you know. The world needs capable politicians like you.”
“Spare me,” my father spat.
Salas smiled calmly. “No, I mean it. I really do. Though, I suppose it’s true I’ll be more relieved than anything to see you gone. You always were a bit of a thorn in my side, weren’t you?”
“Salas… Do you understand what you’re doing? You’re selling out your own people for your ambitions.”
Salas sneered. My father, by contrast, maintained his earnest politician’s face the whole time. He wanted to stop whatever Salas was plotting. It was my father who put the revolution in motion, but it was not in his design for the Nur Empire to take advantage of it.
“Why should I care about the people of Bauer? All my politicking has been for my own sake, not theirs. And I’ll have both Bauer and Nur dancing in the palm of my hands soon enough,” Salas said.
“…You’re incorrigible. Not being able to bring you down was my greatest failure.”
“Ha ha, say whatever you like. There’s nothing you can do at this point. Or would you like to challenge me now, alongside your daughter?” Salas darted his red eyes tauntingly at us.
“Why you—”
“Don’t, Claire. Ignore his cheap provocations. He may be weak, but the same can’t be said for his experiment there.”
“Heh heh. Why, how mighty kind of you.” Alter bowed like a performer would.
“What do you intend to do with us then, Salas?” my father asked. “Hand us over to the Nur Empire?”
“No, no. Your heads aren’t worth that much. I’ll have you two executed as symbols of the old order.”
Executed. The word made me grow pale. Belatedly, I realized how real this all was. I was going to die.
“Oh? Is something the matter, Claire? You’ve come a bit too far to start fearing death all of a sudden, don’t you think?”
Salas’s taunting was insufferable, but he was right. Suddenly, I was afraid of death. If I were lucky, I’d be beheaded. That would be over quickly. But I could just as well be burned alive. I trembled at the thought of the agony.
“No matter how brave you might pretend to be, you’re just a child. You can’t help but fear death. Perhaps I should be merciful and grant you an alternative.” He grinned. “Become my puppet, like Alter, and I’ll let you live.”
“Wha—don’t be ridiculous!” I shouted, incensed at the idea. I wouldn’t work for Salas, no matter what terms he offered.
…But with my life hanging in the balance, I had to admit I found the offer ever so slightly tempting. As a noble, that hurt my pride.
He laughed, seeming genuinely amused. “Ha ha ha, Is that so? What a shame. Then I suppose you’ll be departing this world, together with that haughty, noble pride of yours.”
“…Talk about bad humor,” Alter muttered under his breath.
I understood then that Salas had had no intention of letting me live. He just wanted to mess with me, the daughter of his old political enemy, as much as he could.
“What a waste of our time. Leave at once,” I said with a scoff.
“Oh? Should you be taking such an attitude? I do believe your life is in my hands at this very moment.”
“Claire is my flesh and blood,” my father said. “She’s prepared for whatever you throw her way.”
“Is that right? The thought of death seems to terrify her, if you ask me.”
“All people fear death. But a noble finds meaning in death, despite their fear.”
I gasped at my father’s words. I was, indeed, afraid of death. But would my death be meaningless? No. No, it certainly wouldn’t. My death would help mark a new era for the commoners—one in which they lived under a government that treated them properly.
Rae was a commoner. My death would pave the way to a brighter future for her as well. Gifted as she was, I was sure she would get along just fine. No…I was certain she would thrive in the new world.
Gradually, my trembling came to a halt.
“Oh? Putting up a brave front, are we, little lady?” Salas teased.
“Say whatever you like. Your comeuppance will come sooner or later,” I replied. My mind was calm now.
Who knew? Perhaps it would be Rae who’d deliver Salas’s punishment. I believed she was capable of putting a stop to him and saving Lilly.
“…Hmph. How dull. That’s enough, I suppose. Let’s be off, Alter.”
“Later then, you two. Don’t do anything hasty now, ya hear?”
Salas left the room with Alter in tow.
“Are you sure about this, Claire? I’m sure you could easily escape if—”
“I’m sure, Father. My will is set.”
I was ready. I might not have lived a long life, but it had been a life befitting a noble. Besides… Now I can finally apologize to my mother for that day.
My mother might be cross with me for dying so young, but I was sure she would praise me for staying true to my noble ideals until the bitter end.
“…I see. I understand.” My father hugged me once more.
Several uneventful days went by. Salas dropped by to taunt us every now and then, but my father and I were hardly bothered at this point. I fought to keep my heart calm for my impending death, but…
“It’s Rae Taylor! Stop her!”
Her arrival was more than enough to shake my resolve.