Arc 1: Dreaming of Winter’s End

Chapter 1: The Prince’s Test

It was an overcast day, where only a thin stream of sunlight managed to find its way through the gaps of gray clouds. The blizzard continued without letting up. Those in the palace feared the Malduran delegation would be delayed, but as if purposefully aiming to catch Sauslind off guard, they arrived earlier than anticipated.

Since Maldura’s winters were even more frigid than Sauslind’s, they were all dressed in thick layers. The garments themselves were formal, albeit without mantles attached, but in an apparent display of wealth, they were made from extremely expensive material. Their extravagant appearance made the delegates too intimidating for most normal people to approach.

Ordinarily the palace’s audience chamber was only open for special ceremonies, but this was a unique occasion. The most prominent nobles and ministers—anyone with influence in the kingdom—were gathered inside. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call these people the backbone of Sauslind’s political power. And yet, these sly old foxes gaped when they laid eyes upon the man representing the Malduran delegation.

The foreign prince stopped at the foot of the stairs leading to the throne, the spot where other nobles ordinarily paid their respects. He moved without an ounce of hesitation. Judging by his appearance, he was in his mid-twenties. The atmosphere around him and his general demeanor were so warm and inviting it was almost a disappointment—completely contrary to people’s impressions of Maldura. He had a lean, wiry frame and slightly curly black hair. Even under the scrutinizing gazes of the Sauslind elite, he looked perfectly relaxed. The smile on his face was ambiguous and difficult to read.

In response to the king’s welcome, the foreign prince gave a fluttering bow. “Likewise, it is an honor to make your acquaintance, King William of Sauslind. I am the second prince of Maldura, Reglisse Carranza, son of King Orzeno.” By Sauslind’s standards, his manners were a bit peculiar. Nonetheless, his gentle expression concealed any tension he might be feeling, and he moved with grace, showing no signs that the crowd’s attention unnerved him. He proudly lifted his head after bowing, his eyelids still shut.

Maldura’s prince was blind.

This revelation stunned the nobles. If I hadn’t been informed beforehand, I might have gawked like they were doing. Instead, I was surveying the people around the prince.

Ian, of the Black Wing Knights, had already informed me of the prince’s disability, but the way Prince Reglisse conducted himself almost made me question whether those eyes really were blind. Pretender or not, the man was dignified enough to silence anyone who might have mocked him for his handicap.

So this is the man slated to be the next king of Maldura, I thought as I scrutinized him, surprised.

The king and queen exchanged some formal conversation with him before Father turned to me. “During your stay here in Sauslind, my son will be the one keeping you entertained. I hope the two of you will be able to form a strong friendship, given that you will both be leading countries in the future. Chris?”

At his prompt, I stepped forward. All the eyes that had been gathered on the foreign prince now focused on me instead. I had an air of royalty about me, I could tell—whether Reglisse could see it or not. I had my family’s characteristic golden blonde hair and sky blue eyes. I was so used to being the center of attention that pride oozed from me, as was only fitting for someone of my position. It was something my mother had drilled into me since I was a child, and it was far too late to change it now.

I knew from experience the effect my presence and appearance had on other people. The other members of the foreign delegation, as well as the nobles from Sauslind, were either overwhelmed by my company or captivated enough to hide any hostility they may have otherwise felt.

A smile spread across my face. “I am Sauslind’s crown prince, Christopher Selkirk Ashelard. Your travels have brought you far. I heartily welcome you to my home. Considering how close we are in age, I hope we can use this opportunity to grow closer to one another.”

Despite his inability to see, Prince Reglisse turned his face directly toward me. Either his hearing was that keen or he had a knack for sensing a person’s presence.

He gave another fluttering bow and introduced himself once more. There was a trace of a smile on the edges of his lips. After stating his name again, he then said, “I hear you’re the pride of Sauslind. You’re even famous in other countries for being noble and wise. There have been rumors of you for quite some time now.” His voice carried a subtle barb that only a few people present reacted to.

I continued smiling, as I always did, and replied, “Yes, well, rumors do tend to take on a life of their own, but I will be careful not to betray people’s good impressions of me. That said, rumors often carry the biases of whoever speaks them. I am more intrigued by what they call you in Maldura: ‘God’s Beloved Prince.’ I’ll be sure to evaluate how accurate that name is with my own eyes.” I glanced over at him, but Prince Reglisse only gave a gentle smile. It was the nobles standing a few steps behind him who seemed taken aback.

Before Sauslind’s higher-ups could break out into whispers, Father uttered some platitudes and drew our formal welcome of the Malduran delegation to a close. Real diplomacy, where veteran aristocrats from both sides would mingle and do their secret maneuvering, was planned for later.

~.~.~.~

One obvious method for diplomacy was to socialize. With that in mind, I invited the Malduran delegation to an evening party. Spring was the real season for such mingling, but even though it was still winter, the special circumstances prompted an even larger turnout than I’d anticipated. Sauslind’s people still had a deep-seated aversion to Maldura—that hadn’t changed—but this was a rare and unusual occasion. People were prioritizing their curiosity over their caution.

I, of course, was the host for the evening’s festivities. I knew most of the nobility were less than fond of Maldura, so to entertain our foreign visitors, I invited a range of people from outside the aristocracy. There were young people who had just reached adulthood, mid-rank civil officials who had their hands deep in national politics, and middle-aged merchants who were the heads of their own companies.

The Malduran delegation was already fitting in well with the other attendees.

“The Epic of Elbara. It’s beloved by the people as a poem depicting the founding of our nation. It’s about as famous as Sauslind’s Hero King,” said Prince Reglisse. Out of concern for his disability, he had a special maid and guards attached to him. He was still unmarried and had made it apparent that he’d yet to settle on an engagement.

The person engaging him in conversation was Lady Anna Hayden, daughter of Earl Hayden. Said earl was also known as the Guardian God of the West, and he oversaw one of our border regions, the Edea Domain. Lady Anna was dressed in evening attire, and her eyes radiated with an inner strength that mirrored her father’s.

“The Epic of Elbara is said to be based on Ryzanity,” she said. “Elbara was the one who established Maldura. In other words, your founding king was a follower of Ryza. That’s why Ryzanity has become the national religion for Maldura, yes?”

Lady Anna displayed an extraordinary level of knowledge of history, which seemed oddly out of place at an evening party. Nonetheless, the man escorting her was no less knowledgeable as he smiled and cut in. “No, that’s not necessarily true. There are two theories about the Epic of Elbara. One is that it originated in the fallen empire, and the other is that it started as a folktale. It’s a bit too narrow-minded to discuss history solely from a religious perspective, Lady Anna.”

The man who refuted her was Elianna’s older brother, Alfred Bernstein. He was also an aide to the prime minister. As was characteristic of the Bernsteins, Alfred didn’t normally take part in social functions like this, but this time, he had gone out of his way to make his presence known. He was here as a sort of stand-in for his absent sister, lest the foreign delegation or the other Sauslind nobles forget her or her determination to establish peace between our nations.

Prince Reglisse smiled warmly. “I heard that Sauslind has a number of scholars who are knowledgeable about other countries and their histories, but I’m surprised you have female civil officials. My country could stand to learn from your example.”

Lady Anna hesitated to respond, embarrassed to be seen as a pioneer of female academics. “Even in Sauslind, there aren’t very many like me. The only reason I was able to obtain this position was thanks to Lady Elianna’s suggestion.”

“Aha.” The prince’s smile broadened. “The crown prince’s fiancée, yes. My country owes her a debt of gratitude as well. I would have loved to meet her. It’s a shame she couldn’t be here.”

Up until this point, I had only listened in on the conversation from the background, exchanging pleasantries with other guests, but Prince Reglisse’s voice was filled with so much emotion it drew my attention. My smile grew even wider hearing my beloved’s name.

“Elianna also had a deep desire to meet with you and your delegation,” I said, turning around to face him. “Unfortunately, since she will be crown princess soon, she is very busy. I am terribly sorry she couldn’t be here to speak with you, but please know, the rest of us here share her desire for peace.”

My confident declaration prompted a smile from Alfred, and Lady Anna blinked a few times before grinning as well. The two of them weren’t officially engaged as of yet, but the future looked promising for them.

Encouraged by my statement, Alfred led Prince Reglisse and the other civil officials into a discussion about history. When the chance presented itself, he casually shot questions at the foreign prince to fish for information regarding the state of their domestic affairs.

There were two other nobles from the Malduran delegation at the party as well.

“So, lovers here gaze at the stars together as they talk? Sauslind couples sure are romantic. Winters are so harsh in our country that if you went outside to stargaze at this time of year, you’d turn into a frozen statue.” One of them was Earl Gilhan, a handsome, vibrant man who was so cheerful and sincere it coaxed smiles out of everyone, drawing in young men and women alike. He was in his early forties, and though he had a playful, frivolous atmosphere about him, his conversational skills were perfectly suited to diplomacy.

“In that case, how do lovers in Maldura sneak around to meet each other?”

Earl Gilhan hummed, giving a meaningful grin to fan the inquirer’s curiosity. “In Maldura, we have what are called ‘Star Gems.’ The name refers to the vast number of gemstones found in Maldura’s underground springs that sparkle when the light hits them. They look like stars in the night sky. We have a lot of mines, and those gems hidden deep underground are more valuable than anything else in the world.”

“Wow!” The young men and women gathered around him leaned forward, intrigued by the idea of these shiny foreign stones.

Earl Gilhan turned his handsome smile on one of the girls who was staring dreamily at him. “I question how tactful it is to draw such a comparison to women, but even jewels are little more than useless stones until you polish them. There’s nothing more valuable than finding a diamond amidst all the rubble, is there? I’m sure that’s the same for every country. In Maldura, we call them ‘Star Gems.’ Because they’re like lights that illuminate our home in the frigid cold of winter.”

The way he said it implied that although Maldura’s winters were harsh, the country shone like a beacon in the dark. The evocative description was enough to make the girl picture it vividly in her mind. He continued his romantic tales, and not to be bested, the Sauslind youths joined in with their own stories.

I turned my attention away from him and his group, tuning my ears into another gathering of people.

“The western countries’ bronze and iron works are a surprising sight to behold. From the east, we are seeing more artistic imports. The west and their exceptional technology have Maldura to thank for providing such resources. I would love for Sauslind’s engineers to learn by the other western countries’ examples,” said Earl Ardolino, one of the most prominent tradesmen in Sauslind. His wife was Alexei’s younger sister, Therese.

The man he was speaking with looked to be in his mid-thirties and was rather frail. He was a relative of Prince Reglisse and had only recently succeeded his father’s title. His name was Earl Valmore. One might expect the power that came with his new appointment to go to his head, but neither the man’s clothes nor his appearance matched his status. He acted timid and restless, surveying his surroundings. It made him seem like a novice who had no place being involved with diplomacy, but...

“Western iron crafting is more suited to bridge and boat construction—b-basically any large objects. I have a keen interest in the east’s intricate craftsmanship a-and Sauslind’s refined techniques as well.”

Though he gave off the impression of being unmotivated and unconfident, he had a keen insight into what was necessary to make the best use of his country’s resources and what other nations were specializing in. He, Earl Ardolino, and the rest of the merchants launched into a deep conversation about Maldura’s iron manufacturing and trade circulation. Given how isolationist Maldura was, this was a key opportunity to develop good relations with them for commercial purposes, so many in the group were eager to discuss future opportunities.

After ensuring they were off to a good start, I left them behind and made my way around the event venue. There were two people tagging along behind me: Glen, who was acting as my bodyguard, and the civil official attending in Alexei’s place.

Ordinarily, since I was the crown prince, guests would go out of their way to come to me and pay their respects. However, since this was taking place in the palace’s reception hall and our primary objective was to conduct diplomacy, those invited were more enticed to approach Maldura’s delegation. That was only natural, of course. However...

“Prince Christopher, good evening.”

The moment I tried to wander the hall, the usual nuisances made their approach. Most were noblemen dragging their daughters along with them. It was always the same girls. When I first saw them years ago they were single and available, but they still chose to appear even now that they were engaged. This was primarily because up until this past spring, Elianna had rarely attended social functions.

Their objective was clear: they wanted to garner the attention of the crown prince. If they were lucky, they might be able to become a concubine and leverage their influence to push Elianna out, taking the position of crown princess for themselves. Since the date of our wedding was announced, most such women had given up. They only attempted it now because they saw Elianna’s absence as an opportunity.

No matter how much I tried to rebuff them, there was no end to it. Tonight would not be the first or last time I had to deal with this, either. Some of the girls were being forced into it by their fathers and couldn’t disobey if they wanted to. As I watched them try to flatter and cajole me, I recalled the doubt I’d held when I was younger. Why couldn’t the people wasting their time kissing up to me be more like the people whose eyes lit up with curiosity when speaking to the Maldurans?

As I smiled, mentally categorizing the crowd around me, a voice murmured behind me, “This is another consequence of Alex’s absence. Even without Lady Elianna present, Alex’s stone cold gaze drove off anyone reckless enough to approach. He basically froze them with one look and kept them at bay.”

“That makes sense,” Glen responded, nodding to himself. “Even the prince can’t beat the ice demon’s piercingly cold glare.”

I wasn’t sure if I should interpret that as a compliment or not, but either way, it was a stupid comment.

The civil official’s style of speech resembled Alex’s as he replied, “Indeed. According to Lord Alexei, it’s easy to squash families like House Dauner who are obvious in their approach. Those lords from a moment ago will be meeting the same fate, I’m sure.”

“No kidding. Get on the demon lord’s bad side and you won’t survive in this country. Either he’ll turn you to stone or your house will fall to ruin. Which would you pick if you had the option?”

“Oh, come now, you act as if they’re on a path of no return. Life is like a game of chess. If you can turn the tables in a single move, who wouldn’t take the risk of trying?”

“Now is a prime opportunity because the Goddess of Luck is absent.”

They continued flapping their lips in the background, and I tuned them out. As I scanned the venue, my eyes narrowed sharply.

We couldn’t allow the bodyguards who’d accompanied the Malduran delegation to attend the event. To guarantee the safety of their prince and keep up appearances, Ian and a few of the other Black Wing Knights were posted inside for security. However, seeing my uncle on my mother’s side conversing with the Black Wing Knight’s commander, I wasn’t confident they could be trusted. Maldura wasn’t the only issue we were dealing with here, hence my hackles raising.

I continued to field people’s warm wishes and greetings as they came to pay their respects, but my thoughts were running elsewhere. The father and daughter in front of me were speaking of matters entirely unrelated to the diplomatic nature of the party. The lord was making an unsubtle invitation for me to spend a night with his daughter. For her part, the girl in question meekly maintained her distance, but her furtive glances made it obvious she wasn’t opposed to the idea.

The temperature around me fell drastically as my annoyance mounted. “So that’s what you’re here for,” I whispered quietly, my gaze chilling enough to freeze the man, his daughter, and Glen in place. Nonetheless, I offered them a smile befitting my nickname as the kingdom’s handsome prince. “If I’m understanding you correctly, your daughter is knowledgeable about the history of our northwestern neighbors, and she wants to offer herself up in service of the country, yes? In that case, I will gladly take that into consideration.” I emphasized it in such a way as to imply I might use her as a pawn to perform reconnaissance with the Maldurans. That was enough to make the pair blanch in dismay.

“N-No, as much as we appreciate the consideration, we could never...” The man muttered incoherently before speeding off with his daughter in tow. Obviously he was willing to hand her over as a concubine, but he had no intention of letting her become a spy to investigate Maldura.

I inwardly clicked my tongue in annoyance.

“Uh, Your Highness?” Glen said hesitantly, speaking respectfully to me since we were in public. “I realize it’s out of character for me to say this, but uh...I think I’m the only one here who can...”

He was right; it was odd for him to admonish me like this. “I know. You don’t need to say it,” I said, suppressing my annoyance.

What I suspected he wanted to say was, “We have gone to all this trouble to work toward diplomacy with Maldura. As the host of the event and the crown prince, it only undermines people’s faith in this going well if you’re in a bad mood.” If Alex were here, he would probably have even more scathing criticism for me than that. While I understood I needed to remain calm, my irritation only continued to swell past the point of restraint.

Glen tried and failed to hide his mirth as he chuckled. “Seriously, you know you’re way too easy to read. I can tell you’re even more pissed now than you were a minute ago. It’s so clear you’re trying to pretend to be calm even though you’re actually annoyed, and your replies all tend to sound the same. Pfft...” He was desperately trying to keep himself from bursting into laughter.

A smile teased at my lips—a genuine one this time.

Before I could turn my back on him, Glen muttered something he never should have never said. “You’re way too on edge when Lady Elianna’s not here. You need to learn to calm down more.”

Ah, yes, it seems you not only want me to turn you into an ice statue, but you also want me to chase off all the women around you so you can live a life of complete abstinence. Don’t worry, I’m more than happy to oblige such a request.

A maniacal grin spread across my face. Having sensed the change, Alexei’s subordinate retreated a few steps. Even Glen flinched when he realized what he’d done.

Fortunately for his sake, another lamb volunteered themselves for the slaughter by calling out to me. “Oh, if it isn’t Prince Christopher.” It was a group of middle-status nobles who came happily scurrying over.

Again, I inwardly clicked my tongue. I recited my usual greetings and kept the same mask on my face I always did as I responded to them.

One of them immediately began praising the event. “This evening party has been quite lively. You invited a lot of young people, from nobles, to officials, to merchants... The latter was especially surprising. Instead of inviting leaders of large companies, you chose average tradesmen. My, my, Your Highness. You sure have connections with a vast number of people. I’m even more impressed with you than I was before.” This cunning, shrewd man was a noble involved in overseas commerce.

“Indeed,” agreed another man in his mid-fifties who acted as a representative for their group. His name was Earl Brandt. Incidentally, he was at the top of a list of aristocrats who had taken advantage of Alex’s absence just days earlier to come marching into my office. “Having so many youths does bring an evening party to life. I suppose that’s an indication of their reckless enthusiasm and passion. Oh, no, forgive me. For an old man such as myself, their light is a bit blinding—almost like the sun.”

If only it could truly blind you. That would be a blessing. I smiled and let his words go in one ear and out the other, summoning what little dignity and composure I could to bite back the urge to cringe at these insignificant fools.

In a shamelessly obvious display, Earl Brandt turned his gaze to the empty spot beside me. “Still, it must be lonely for you to be unoccupied at such an animated party. This is a landmark event in our step toward diplomacy with Maldura. You should have a fitting lady to accompany you.” He then shot a look across the dance hall.

Standing there in a gown that glimmered in the light was a young lady with reddish-brown hair. She was dancing with one of the delegation members. Along with Therese and my betrothed, Elianna, she was considered to be one of the top female representatives of her generation. Her name was Pharmia, and since she was the daughter of Duke Odin, that made her my cousin. She lacked the haughty attitude one might expect from the niece of the queen, and she didn’t share Therese’s ambition to be a driving force in high society, either. Pharmia was meek, keeping several steps behind everyone with a smile on her face.

We were well enough acquainted, at least in the past, for me to know she wasn’t like her father, either.

I ignored the implication of Earl Brandt’s comment and paid my usual lip service. “I realize you must be speaking out of concern for me since my betrothed is off on another errand and couldn’t attend. However, since our wedding date has already been arranged, I have no intention of making a reputation for myself as a man who’s unfaithful to his bride.” I narrowed my eyes at him, lips thinning in an even wider smile. “Or do you think our country desires a crown prince who would tarnish his kingdom’s reputation like that?”

The unspoken implication of my words was, “You would dare make such a suggestion as a noble who professes his loyalty to the kingdom?”

Earl Brandt flinched.

I kept my gaze fixed on him. “My mother has her eyes on Lady Pharmia as well. But whatever engagement she settles on, whether by my mother’s recommendation or not, I will pray for her happiness as I would any other citizen of Sauslind.” The warning in my voice was clear; I had no intention of involving myself with Pharmia beyond that.

Earl Brandt’s face grew tense. His lips twitched as if he wanted to say something.

I smiled at him and promptly left. Once there was some distance between us, I glanced at Alexei’s subordinate and asked him whether he’d confirmed the faces of those present during our conversation.

Realizing it was safe again, he quickened his pace to bridge the gap between us and answered calmly. “All of the nobles who approached with their daughters were from Duke Odin’s faction or some branch thereof.”

“Oh, huh, interesting,” Glen mumbled as if he only got the gist of what was going on.

I masked my dismay at him and nodded at Alex’s subordinate. “I suspected as much.” When those around us called out to me in greeting, I flashed them a smile.

The response to Elianna’s absence wasn’t entirely surprising, but the boldness of those approaching left me suspicious. Their objective was clear. However, we had spent years building up Elianna’s reputation. Did the opposition really possess a trump card that could turn the tides of battle instantly? If they did, what exactly was it? And what were they really after?

As I pondered, music began playing behind me. I sighed inwardly. There was far too much for me to contemplate. First we had the militaristic faction who viewed Maldura as an enemy. I had spotted a few of them present at the evening party, but unsurprisingly, none of them dared make a move out in the open here.

Those who clamored for power were restless in their pursuit, trying to aim for the crown princess’s seat. By using Elianna as an excuse to rebuff them, I was only making her a target. Our wedding day was now set at least, so trying to intervene would mean going against the will of the kingdom. Nonetheless, there were still reckless individuals who thought they might stand a chance with Elianna out of the picture. But would they really be so foolish as to act on that? She had the support of the people. I was fairly certain none of them could act too carelessly.

Before I knew it, my hand was curled into a tight fist. My lips moved to the sound of her name without ever speaking it. Eli. At this rate, I might have to pass judgment on Elianna’s friend during her absence. When she learned about it afterward, would it strain our relationship? Would she be disgusted with me?

My knuckles turned white as I clenched my fist even harder. I had already come too far to turn back now.

It wasn’t as if Pharmia hadn’t had plenty of time. Five whole years and numerous opportunities. During that time, she had refused to tie herself to anyone and remained unmarried. Was that of her own volition? Or was it because of her father’s thirst for power?

There was no more time for debating. I had to make my move. The political game was already in motion.

~.~.~.~

When I called out to Prince Reglisse, who was sitting in the rest area facing the event venue, he peered up from his sofa. He tried to stand out of respect, but I stopped him. “Please, stay seated.” I also shot a look over at his maid.

He gave a bitter sigh as he leaned back against the couch, turning a smile my way. “My apologies for calling you out here, Prince Christopher.”

“Not at all.” As I slipped inside, Glen and Alex’s subordinate tried to follow me in, but I motioned for them to wait at the entrance.

While I was making my rounds at the party earlier, a chamberlain had approached me to inform me that Prince Reglisse was exhausted and taking a break here.

“I should be the one apologizing for not showing more consideration. I do hope you will forgive me for my rudeness,” I said. Being blind, it must have exhausted him mentally and physically to stand around on such a crowded floor for so long.

The prince chuckled. “Sauslind’s crown prince is far more straightforward than I’ve been led to believe. The stories I heard of you painted you in an entirely different light.” He spoke frankly and laughed once more.

“Mind if I sit beside you?” I asked. After he nodded, I settled down next to him.

There were only two other people in the room: his maid and a bodyguard. Since this lounge faced the party floor, it was just another area for people to socialize. There was nothing to keep it hidden from prying eyes. It wasn’t the kind of place you could confer without other ears listening in. The fact that he’d called me here despite all of that was proof the foreign prince was impatient. He didn’t have the luxury of indulging in social overtures.

“Prince Christopher, you are already well aware of our reason for coming to visit, are you not?” He was blunt with his question, not wasting a moment beating around the bush.

On reflex, I offered him the same smile I gave all the other nobles. He couldn’t see my expression, but he seemed to sense my reaction and sighed quietly.

“I see your reputation holds true. My younger brother was correct. The only person we can hope to negotiate with is Lady Elianna.”

My brow twitched.

Prince Reglisse smiled, but his expression was unreadable. “Tell me, did you send Lady Elianna away from the palace because you knew what our objective was?” He was unashamedly confessing their true purpose: a face-to-face meeting with Elianna.

Of course. The older brother is no different from the younger one.

“There seems to be some kind of misunderstanding here,” I said, my voice more deep and intimidating this time. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the Malduran maid and bodyguard flinch. Even Glen was sending me a chastising look. I ignored them all and continued. “As I already informed you, our future crown princess is currently away on official business. It’s entirely unrelated to the Malduran delegation’s visit. If you have a message for her, I will gladly receive it in her place.” My underlying message was, “Don’t try to use her as a bargaining chip here.”

Prince Reglisse fell silent for a few moments. “I see,” he whispered after a long pause. The atmosphere around him suddenly changed. No longer was he calm and relaxed. There was now a subtle chill in the air. “I understand. It’s impolite to make demands without showing one’s hand. Allow me to ask you, then, Prince Christopher, what is it that you desire?” His eyes were closed, and yet I could feel his gaze pierce me as if he were staring directly into my soul.

So this is the kind of person you are.

My impression of him changed. He was more capable than I thought.

He said they only stood a chance of negotiating with Elianna. They owed her a debt of gratitude, which was why they wanted to meet her directly. I had no doubt they wanted to manipulate her for their own gain. Knowing Elianna, she would never abandon anyone who came to ask her for help. Especially when it involved the illness that had stolen her mother from her. She would probably take into account the possibility of it spreading to Sauslind as well and insist on helping the Maldurans. However, without her here to appeal to, what would they do instead?

I remained silent, carefully planning what I would say so my words didn’t betray what I was thinking. Slowly, I leaned my back against the couch and casually glanced out at the party floor. For a split second, I caught a glimpse of auburn eyes amidst the crowd.

I’m going to choose a different path than you walked. Even if that goes against what you want, I thought.

After a short exhale, I composed myself and crossed my legs. “You said you want to know what I desire, but that would require you to have someone on your side capable of granting my wish. Otherwise there’s no negotiating, is there?”

His lips pulled into a leisurely smile. “I can tell from tonight’s party that your wish aligns with another one of our objectives in coming here. You’re the type who can throw a net and pull in a vast number of fish—your abilities are impressive. That is why I felt inclined to ask you what it is you desire from our country.” His eyes, though still closed, seemed to be scrutinizing me. “Prince Christopher, what would you say if I told you it won’t be long before your treasure falls into our hands?”

My eyes turned hard, radiating murderous intent. The tense shift in the atmosphere had the other two Maldurans recoiling. Glen was now not only staring at me but had his entire torso turned my way.

Calm down, I told myself over and over again. It was my own inexperience that had led me to react out of instinct. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I did feel impatient and uneasy not having Elianna within my reach. The more the days passed, the more I lost my composure.

While I tried to soothe myself, Prince Reglisse continued to sit there, entirely unaffected. He showed no emotion at all—neither pitying nor mocking me.

A small breath slipped past my lips. It was clear what he was referring to when he spoke of my treasure. People had pointed out to me before that I had a dangerous habit of losing all control when it came to Elianna. Those rotten tanuki had been especially snide as they pointed it out.

“That level of obsession in a ruler is just a weakness,” they had said. As well as, “Some people are big enough birdbrains to willingly entrust their daughters to young men who can’t fully protect them. Can’t say I understand where they’re coming from.”

At the time, Alexei had looked utterly confused, like a dog who’d been one-upped by a cat. Similarly, Glen looked as dumbfounded as a doe caught in a hunter’s trap. Recalling how ridiculous their faces were helped calm my nerves. The palace truly did resemble the animal menagerie Eli had fondly read about in her books.

I offered the same practiced smile I always used. “In that case,” I said, voice low and threatening, “we will just have to respond in kind. It seems what your younger brother told me about you can’t be trusted after all.”

Or rather, the country you represent can’t be trusted.

The implied meaning made his lips twitch with amusement. “Ah, you have found my weak spot, I’m afraid.” Despite his unassuming appearance, this man was not to be underestimated.

I resisted the urge to scoff. The way he played the situation made it seem as if he was impatient, but just as quickly he shrouded his true intentions in a cloud of smoke. He reminded me of the tanukis. Clearly, the burdens we bore were entirely different. His younger brother had insisted the second prince didn’t want to go to war with Sauslind. But if it meant protecting what was important to them, they had no compunction about using Elianna as a hostage to see that their demands were met.

Is he really prepared to go that far? Or is he purposely pushing me to see how I’ll react?

As I pondered his true intentions, I glanced at the maid he had with him. She had black hair, her bangs pulled over her face to hide part of it. What makeup she wore was subdued enough to make sure she didn’t stand out, but scrutinizing her closely, I recognized those facial features. She resembled Irvin’s handsome servant, but they weren’t the same person.

“Prince Reglisse, where are your eyes?” I asked, frank in my approach.

His grin widened. “My eyes, you ask?” He echoed my question almost mischievously, reading the implied meaning and laughing. “I’m afraid my eyes don’t like to settle down anywhere. They’re rather fickle that way. If you try to tie them down, they tend to run. Better to let them move freely. Oddly, in spite of their capricious nature, they have a great inner strength and a talent for pushing people into action.”

He paused, humming to himself. “Ah, I see. Yes, a girl who has only ever immersed herself in the world of books might be captivated by someone from an unfamiliar, foreign country. Let’s hope that’s not that case.”

The blind prince’s gentle expression was enough to solidify my evaluation of him.

This man is an enemy.

I also kept a smile plastered on my face, and the two of us exchanged pleasantries without ever really touching upon our true motives.

Two days later, before the sun had even risen, one of the royal family’s chamberlains came bursting into my room. “His Majesty has collapsed!”

That, coupled with the successive incidents that followed, had the blood draining from my face.

Now I see. Father was their target.

I gritted my teeth, vexed at how foolish I had been not to anticipate this. As my regret culminated, I muttered, “So that’s how far they’re willing to go...”

The anger I felt was directed more at my own naivety than at the culprit behind all of this.

~.~.~.~

“...and this is exactly why I was opposed to it!”

A very limited number of senior officials were gathered in the palace’s assembly room, where one of them was bellowing their opinion to the rest of us.

“Welcoming Maldura’s delegation here was unfathomable! They’re a bunch of brainless barbarians after Sauslind’s wealth. In fact, look at them—they’re already spreading the plague in our country. How do you plan to take responsibility for this scandal, Prince Christopher?!”

The man was, for all intents and purposes, a noble within the military aligned with the militaristic faction—or, more simply put, the pro-war faction.

It was still early morning here in the capital, but already the palace was in an uproar after the king’s condition was discovered. When he retired the night before, one of the chamberlains noticed something was amiss and tried to talk to His Majesty. That was when they discovered he had a high fever and was covered in a rash. As of now, he remained unconscious. The palace immediately sent for a court physician, who delivered a chilling diagnosis: the king had the Ashen Nightmare.

This plague had instilled the fear of death in the hearts of many the first time it appeared, and after sixteen years, it was back. Worse yet, the king was infected. The pro-war faction seemed to almost anticipate the news, because as soon as word broke, they immediately detained Maldura’s delegation. It was almost suspicious how well prepared they were. They managed to disarm the Malduran nobles and their bodyguards without coming to blows then promptly confined them.

Why had they done this? Because, as they were just now reporting, they had information that the strange illness spreading throughout Maldura was in fact the Ashen Nightmare. The pro-war faction claimed Maldura was targeting Sauslind and trying to spread the disease here. Another noble had also sent word that they’d been diagnosed with the plague as well, but that was only the beginning. Additional reports had since come in from the capital of other people who had caught the disease.

After sixteen years, the Ashen Nightmare was again resurfacing to devastate not only Sauslind but the entire Ars Continent.

“Prince Christopher! Do you even understand how grave this is?!”

His spit came flying at me despite how much distance separated us, and I drew my brows in displeasure. Personally, I found his blustering annoying. My mother, who sat beside me, seemed to have a different impression. Although she had taken the helm in my father’s place since he was unconscious, the criticism I was facing concerned her.

There’s no point in worrying, I thought, inwardly sighing to myself.

“His Majesty wasn’t infected by the Malduran delegation,” I said.

Surprised murmurs erupted in the room.

“What are you saying?!” bellowed one of the pro-war faction members.

I shot a glare at the man and silenced him, then I turned my gaze to another, prompting them to speak. “Court Physician Harvey, it seems there are still many here ignorant of how the Ashen Plague is transmitted. Please enlighten them.”

The old, gray-haired doctor spoke more gravely than he usually did. “The Ashen Nightmare’s symptoms don’t appear within a mere two- to three-day period. At first, it starts off as a normal cold before taking a sudden turn for the worst. The time it takes for the normal, cold-like symptoms to transition into the Ashen Nightmare differs from person to person. However, even if the incubation period were only one or two days, it would still take several days more for the rash to develop and the person affected to go into a coma.” After speaking those heavy words, he paused briefly to sigh, expression still grim. “His Majesty has been ill for the past ten days or so. We were deeply concerned about it, but conditions being what they were, there wasn’t much we could do.”

In other words, since Maldura’s delegation was already set to enter Sauslind, our border regions and subsequently our neighboring countries were restless. His Majesty was too preoccupied dealing with those matters to be able to adequately rest.

Hearing all of this was so vexing, but I couldn’t let it show, so I discreetly bit my lip instead. If this had happened within the inner palace, where my mother was in charge, information on my father’s condition wouldn’t have spread so rapidly and the situation wouldn’t have deteriorated as it had. Alas, nothing could be done about that now.

Doctor Harvey proceeded to talk about cold symptoms, warning those in power not to hold biases or mistaken beliefs about how the Ashen Nightmare is transferred from person to person.

“The Ashen Nightmare’s initial symptoms resemble a cold that simply won’t go away. Before the infected person realizes what is happening, the red rash covering their body will begin to change color. Their skin becomes pallid and ashen. It takes about ten to twelve days after the initial symptoms for this to begin, based on the cases we’ve seen up until now.”

Again, an uproar broke out. Maldura’s delegation had only entered the country a mere six days ago. They didn’t make it to the capital to meet with His Majesty until four days thereafter. The timeline for them to infect the king didn’t add up.

Consensus in the room suddenly changed as the other nobles began to criticize the pro-war faction, blaming them for the situation instead.

“In that case, the military’s claim that the Malduran delegation came here to infect the king and declare war on us is entirely unsubstantiated. Worse, their recklessness has brought tension to our borders. Apprehending the delegation only gives Maldura an excuse to make a move on us. How does the military intend to take responsibility for this?” Earl Casull pressed the opposition for answers, his voice solemn and dignified. His house was one of those most loyal to the royal family, putting him in direct opposition to the pro-war faction, which was originally established by Queen Amalia.

“But!” one of the pro-war members began to fiercely protest.

Their faction supported Prince Theodore, the current king’s younger brother (and my uncle). No doubt they viewed Maldura’s arrival as a golden opportunity. After Queen Amalia died, their faction lost the cohesive power that had held them together. Nonetheless, they opposed me for my lack of interest in using the military to subjugate our enemies and instead wanted to install Theodore as their puppet king. They thought they could blame Maldura’s delegation for the spread of the plague and thereby insist the royal faction and I take responsibility for welcoming them here. That would give them the opportunity to wrest the title of crown prince from me and bestow it on my uncle instead. Then they could use that as an excuse to start a war with Maldura, beat them, and proclaim Theodore a hero of the people.

That’s my guess, anyway.

Unfortunately for them, my uncle had left the capital at the same time as Elianna, under secret orders from the king. It was a bit exasperating to think they’d rushed headlong into this when the man they were supporting wasn’t even present. I sighed inwardly at whoever was responsible for pulling the strings here.

The voices of the pro-war members boomed throughout the room.

“They still entered Sauslind without disclosing the truth about how their country is infested with the plague! Obviously they want to spread it to our lands as well because they’re after our wealth!”

“And,” one of them continued, a hidden barb carried in their voice as they broached a forbidden topic, “if you claim he wasn’t infected by the Maldurans, then...” He turned his gaze toward Her Majesty, wearing a smug, malicious grin that was most unbecoming of a noble. “That means we should perhaps turn our suspicions toward those closest to him.”

The implication, albeit unspoken, was clear: Because he has someone right beside him who was previously infected by the plague.

Again, chaos erupted.

“Earl Evan! We should have you charged for slander, making such a remark of Her Majesty!” one of the royal faction members shrieked in protest, but there were few others who joined him. Most remembered the darkness that was the Ashen Nightmare, and having someone who’d once been infected by it represent the country was unsettling for them.

I let out a small sigh. This is exactly why old codgers like you are such a problem. I opened my mouth to say as much, but my mother intercepted me.

“True enough. If it wasn’t Maldura’s delegation who infected His Majesty, then...” Her voice trailed off into a profound silence as her auburn eyes quietly scanned the room. Even though she said nothing, her solemn gaze still seemed to admonish those critical of her. After a long pause, she broached the delicate topic. “Perhaps, after being infected myself sixteen years ago, I carried it with me and somehow managed to infect the king. No doubt that is what some of you suspect. Even though I managed to beat the disease and recover, there will still be some of you who feel apprehensive. Will His Majesty also follow the same route and recover from the illness? Or will the Ashen Nightmare take him from us and proceed to ravage our country once more?”

Her presence was so commanding that it demanded the attention of all those in the room, many of whom swallowed audibly, awed by the queen.

She paused, letting her words sink in, acting every part the monarch she was. “Or perhaps a different path exists for us. Right now, Sauslind has three options before it. Is there anyone who disagrees with my assessment?”

Queen Henrietta’s intensity overpowered them all. Whatever protest they had, they could only swallow it back and keep silent.

She surveyed them briefly, ensuring none would oppose her before she said, “If I were to lead you when there is still doubt amongst you, it would cause unnecessary anxiety not only for you but for the people of Sauslind as well. Thus, I would like to pass the right to lead...”

Everyone’s eyes simultaneously turned to me, just before my mother said my name.

“To Prince Christopher.”