19-4 Part 1
Imperial Capital Turmoil 1/2
Translator : PolterGlast
A turmoil occurred
in the Imperial Capital. It was a mere five days after Carral had
departed from here. This time's story is quite complicated. Even I, when I
received the report, had no idea what was going on anymore. Incoherent.
Madness. Or perhaps an event that could even be called catastrophic occurred in
the palace, which ought to be orderly.
◇ ◆ ◇
Lately, I've been
hooked on road maintenance. Because the citizens and trade merchants were
happier than I thought, I constructed a road leading directly from the Imperial
Capital side to Erin Port, and opened up roads here and there to
invigorate the coming and going of people. It might be imprudent even though
it's right after my parent died, but it was a fun day. However, a certain
report destroyed the pleasant fatigue of the evening.
It was when I had
returned to the mansion, having received dried fish from fishermen who were
rejoicing over their extra income because merchants had come directly to buy
thanks to the new road. As soon as I returned, Puis jumped into the
entrance hall.
「...Sorry
for smelling like fish when you look so serious.」
Puis did not
immediately open his mouth. With just a gesture, he had a maid collect the
dried fish I was carrying on my back, and similarly guided me to the study.
It's unlike Puis to have such an attitude. That invited extra anxiety.
「Earlier,
an urgent report came in from Georg-sama.」
「It
doesn't sound like a good report.」
When we reached the
study, he heavily opened his mouth.
「At the
palace in the Imperial Capital, the Crown Prince went mad. He suddenly slashed
at the third son, Olive, and inflicted a serious wound...」
「Olive,
huh. As a fellow dilettante, I felt a sense of closeness to him, but I see, he
was slashed.」
With the Emperor's
throne on the line, someone drawing their blade in the court would eventually
appear. I had anticipated that, but this is far too early, and I never imagined
that the Crown Prince would be the one to do it. In the first place, the Crown
Prince didn't even appear at Father's funeral, and completely skipped out even
on the coronation ceremony that was supposed to be held on a later date,
causing anxiety among the people living in the Empire. And then he suddenly
appeared and slashed Olive, who is dirty when it comes to money.
「Have
you informed Atomina-aneue?」
「Yes, Georg-sama's
messenger went directly...」
「How is
she doing?」
「She
said to call you to her room once your business here is finished.」
「Aneue
alone was the exception, being loved by almost all the relatives, after all...」
「The
vital spots were missed, so if he's lucky, he seems to be able to be saved.」
No matter how much
he's the Crown Prince, it's before his enthronement. And he slashed his younger
brother who holds the same succession rights and unifies the northern nobles.
Even without being Puis or Georg, I can tell. This is the worst.
The Crown Prince has done something that could split the Empire. But things
don't add up. Then why did the Crown Prince not appear at his own coronation
ceremony?
「I will
coordinate with Georg-sama and gather further reports. Ashley-sama,
please refrain from approaching the Imperial Capital for a while. There's no
telling what might happen over there.」
「Understood.」
「Oh my,
you are unusually docile...」
「Road
maintenance has been fun. ...As expected, I'd get scolded if I built a road all
the way into the neighboring territory, right?」
「I will
negotiate that from my end.」
「As
expected of Puis. Then I'll go see Aneue.」
I left the study and
headed to Aneue's room, the finest
in Erin. Perhaps at Puis's instigation, a cat-type beastman was
standing in front of the door. I don't think there's an idiot who would try to
assassinate Aneue, but right after
something impossible has happened, huh...
「Do you
like dried fish?」
「I love
it, myan!」
「Then
I'll give you this. Go roast and eat it outside.」
「I've
never heard of a Prince walking around carrying dried fish, myan...」
「If you
don't want it, give it back.」
「Of
course I want it, nyan!」
Clearing the person
away with dried fish, I entered Aneue's
living quarters. Hearing the commotion outside, Durin came to check the
situation, and upon seeing me, she let me inside.
「Oh my,
Ashley, is something wrong?」
「I came
to see how Aneue is doing.」
「She's
fine, deshu. She was upset at first, though...」
「Jeez, Durin-chan,
you have a loose mouth.」
「I'm
sorry, deshu...」
Aneue was her usual self. It seems Durin helped her recover
in our stead.
「...I'm
sad about Olive. But it's fine, because that person was also strange.
I'll say it now, that person, you see... He said he wanted your eyeballs...」
「Ugeee...
deshu... I was too late in covering my ears, deshu...」
The Crown Prince
lacking in morality. The second son, a conspirator and an extreme aristocrat.
Compared to the narrow-minded and violent fourth son, Yord, I thought
the third son Olive was still one of the better ones.
「That's
a complicated matter, sort of making me happy but also terrifying...」
「Why
would you be happy about someone wanting your eyeballs...」
However, with Aneue being calm, this time I start getting
worried about Georg-aniue in the Imperial Capital. As long as he has the
sword made by that old man, no one should be able to ambush Aniue in the dark, but... In this case,
the construction of the escape route leading directly to the Imperial Capital
had been halted halfway, but I should resume it starting tomorrow.
「I'm
worried about Georg too...」
「There's
no need to worry. I'll complete the escape route connecting the Imperial
Capital and here by the day after tomorrow.」
「If
that's the case, I'll help too!」
「That
would be problematic. Aneue, you have your public
duties, right?」
「Even
so, I can't stand doing nothing! It's okay, recently Prea-chan has been
helping me too.」
Does Aneue have a relationship with that
gal? If Aneue were to be influenced
by that unique fashion sense and way of speaking, what should Georg and
I do...?
「Prea-chan
is a bright and fun person, deshu. She's completely different from that
violent hero...」
「Then,
help me just a little... But Aneue,
about Prea... no, actually, it's nothing...」
If I interject here, I'll be on the same level as the old man. I held myself back, telling myself there's no way Aneue would be influenced by a gal. Besides, the old man or Georg-aniue will probably handle this kind of disagreeable role. Thus, starting the next day, we began accumulating insurance for Georg-aniue.
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