Arc 7, Chapter 103 "The Countdown of the Stars"
--The earth shook the world, the sky was divided into white and red, and the collision of lives caused a cataclysmic event, and Rem made a decision.
"If you want to move, now is the time."
In an imperial city where battles of unimaginable scale are probably taking place, Rem is still in the position of being held captive in Berstetz's mansion and forbidden to use her freedom.
She could not do anything effective, even though she was feeling the smell of burning getting more and more intense day by day. Ashamed of this, she had no choice but to remain silent and stand still.
After all, she has never met Berstetz, the owner of the pavilion and the one who is holding Rem captive, since their first encounter. Therefore, there was no way to find out how the old man, who had ousted Abel, the emperor of the empire, and who had been concerned about the future of the empire with his own philosophy, felt about the fact that a war involving the entire empire had been triggered in this way.
However, even if she had had the opportunity, Rem and he would never have understood each other.
"Because the side I'm standing on is different from that of Mr. Berstetz."
Call her cold, but ultimately that's the conclusion Rem can draw.
Only the strong or those who can afford to do so are able to take into account the circumstances of others who are in a different position. Rem is neither of these, so she has to choose.
Who are your enemies and who are your allies.
Without that, Rem was not hostile toward Berstetz or Madelyn. That is what makes Abel's lack of words and Priscilla's recklessness much more difficult.
So, what Rem is about to do was not because of hostility or rebellion against them, but only the result of Rem's choice of where she stood.
"----"
The siege of the Imperial City has begun, and although Berstetz's mansion is supposed to be built quite deep in the city, the aftermath of the epic battle can still be felt.
Naturally, the mansion is also on high alert, and Rem, who is in the position of a prisoner of war, has been ordered to stay in the room to which she has been assigned, and her freedom is more restricted than usual.
However, from the perspective of the mansion's security, Rem is just a girl with a limp, and she is not placed under such strict surveillance that she has to stand guard in front of her room at all hours of the day.
--Taking advantage of the guard's carelessness, Rem had quietly slipped out of the room.
Under her breath, Rem crawls through the skylight of her room to the roof of the mansion.
The guards were unaware of Rem's intrigue because they were careful not to make a sound. It would be harsh to blame this on their negligence, since the guards would never have thought that the girl with the cane would sneak out of the room in such a way.
Yes, if Rem really was a girl who could not walk freely without a cane.
"I thought I was prepared for any eventuality......"
Of course, it is not a lie that Rem has complained of a limp and used a cane in the past.
However, she had been practicing walking for a long time because he could not leave her crippled leg as it was, as she was causing trouble to those around her because of her inadequate "memories".
As her efforts bore fruit, and she began to gain some footing, it occurred to her. --She thought that if she let them think she had a bad leg, it might help.
In fact, she hadn't even thought about how to make it useful.
On the contrary, it is not always possible to avoid inadvertently alarming the other party if a useless concealment is discovered. However, as long as it is actually useful in this way, we can say that she has won the bet.
But she is on her guard. Only when this action leads to some kind of result can we say that she is finally getting the payoff for winning the bet.
If she has gone to the trouble of taking a gamble, it is meaningless if she does not win.
In the first place, Rem tried not to think about whose influence it was that made her take a gamble like this in the first place.
Anyway--,
"--If I can stay undetected until we get away..."
Rem is out on the roof, the purpose of which is not to escape from the mansion.
That is a hard choice to make, but there is Flop and the others trapped in the mansion besides Rem. There was no way she could get out alone, and to begin with, there was a high wall surrounding the building. Unlike the roof, it would be difficult to climb over it, and she didn't see the point in even considering it.
Therefore, Rem's purpose in escaping from her room was to make contact with the "Crown Prince", a group of people from all over the country who are being held captive in a separate room on the same grounds.
From what she has heard, the "black-haired crown prince" was in a position to be feted as the standard-bearer of the rebellion. It is hard to believe that he is actually Abel's biological son, but she must have some thoughts about the current state of the empire.
If she can make contact with them, she may be able to see hope for a way out of Rem's situation.
"It's not safe for me, Mr. Flop, and Miss Katya."
To achieve this, Rem believes that they need friends who can cooperate with each other.
Carefully making her way along the roof toward the separation, she took great care not to make a sound. No matter how hard she stepped on her feet, there was no guarantee that the guards would find her and she would be able to escape.
Not wanting to spoil the opportunity, she was determined to go on a death march that would not go unnoticed. She was not going to sit still.
That is--,
"--"
Suddenly, an anomaly that rolled up in the sky beyond caused Rem's body to jump dramatically.
At the edge of his vision, Rem gasped as she saw the battle taking place across the walls of the Imperial City and the sky overlooking them change into an extraordinary sight.
It was quite far away, and Rem had no way of knowing the details of the event, but just at this time, Mesoleia the "Cloud Dragon" descended at the top of the star-shaped walls protecting the Imperial City, and Arakiya the "Spirit Eater" consumed the clouds with flames, causing the walls, which were Mogro Hagane himself, to rise.
Even though she did not know what was going on, Rem instinctively sensed these dangers and stiffened. At the same moment, her legs on the roof relaxed.
A gasp escaped from Rem's mouth at the same time her body slid down the slope of the roof. She was almost thrown downstairs, and she quickly grabbed the edge of the roof with all her strength.
"That was, dangerous......"
If she had screamed or fallen downstairs, there would have been no excuse.
Hanging over the edge of the roof just in time, Rem takes a breath that it was a close call. Then, slowly trying to get herself back on the roof--,
"--? Is this place......?"
The target was still far away, a dangle that was only a missed way to go. A door installed at a dead end of the pavilion jumped into Rem's eyes as she held onto its edge.
This was the first time even Rem, who was allowed to come and go freely inside the mansion and looked around here and there, saw a door in a section that was forbidden to enter as well as a separate area. By going around the mansion along the roof, she had wandered into a section that is normally off-limits to visitors.
"Hidden Door......? What is this?"
The question arose in her mind, "Is there such a thing?" and Rem was caught in a moment of hesitation.
Her preliminary goal is to make contact with the "Crown Prince" at a distance. That way, she has a clearer picture and a better chance of getting a clue that will help her out of the situation.
On the other hand, the unscheduled hidden door, after all the pretense, could simply be a liquor cellar. Is it worth the trouble and risk to get in?
"----"
She doesn't even need to think about which is more rational. --And yet, Rem chose irrationality.
She lets go of the edge of the roof from her grip and descended to the passageway with the hidden door. She tried to descend as quietly as possible, but she still heard some footsteps. The sky was still strange, which had startled Rem earlier, and the guards in the pavilion were distracted by it.
Boldly relying on this, Rem put her hand on the hidden door and threw it open.
"The staircase leading to the basement......"
The door was not locked, probably because it was unnecessary rather than careless.
It is a place where uninvited guests are not supposed to visit. Since Rem arrived there as an invited guest, there was no reason for her to complain.
When Rem was greeted by a staircase to the basement, where the cool air was coming up, and a dimly lit space, she took a small gasp and headed downstairs with her hands on the wall.
There was also the possibility that something unbelievably terrible was waiting for her.
It is possible that there is something outrageously horrifying locked up that Berstetz has been able to contain.
It is--,
"--Is anyone there?"
With a kind of, mysterious certainty, Rem asks the basement she has reached in the dark.
It is dark with no light, but you can sense that it is a not so large basement. It is also clear that there is a large presence in the back of the place, which can only be seen vaguely.
It's big, but not in the meaning of monstrous.
Quite large as a human being, such a sign was chained and held captive on the back wall of the basement.
And that person, upon hearing Rem's question--,
"Your Excellency......"
"......You are..."
"Vincent Vollachia, we must protect and defend His Imperial Highness, the Emperor......"
A low, blood-colored voice shook the cracked air of the basement painfully.
The earnest sound in his voice is strong and powerful, filled with selfless loyalty.
"----"
With these words, Rem took one step, and then another, and closed the distance between herself and his opponent.
In doing so, in the darkness, the figure of a large man who was tethered vaguely emerges. It was a really big body, with white scars etched all over his face--,
"......Goz, Ralfon."
Rem realized after a beat that what was mumbled was probably a name.
And the fact that it sounded familiar.
It was, as she recalls, one of the "Nine Divine Generals", the most powerful and renowned beings in this Vollachia empire.
"We must protect you from the Great Calamity--"
The man was like a lion, roaring heroically, his scarred face contorted.
△▼△▼△▼△
"--You say Abel. You're the one who spread the rumor about the 'Crown Prince'?"
Abel slowly raised his devil-masked face as he was asked this question by Serena Dracroy, a woman of character who folded her arms at the main rebel camp during the siege of the Imperial Capital and turned her eyes skyward to the battle situation.
With the entry of Serena's flying dragon squadron, which appeared from far to the west as reinforcements, and first-rate flying dragon riders with "flying dragon reeling" skills, the airspace control of the battlefield was suddenly tilted to our side.
Of course, there are some battlefields where the flying dragon riders have a disadvantage because of the presence of "cloud dragons" and "spirit eaters," but it is not necessary to bring the entire battlefield under their control.
All it takes is a single hole, and even the walls of the Imperial City, which boasts of its solidity, will begin to collapse at the point of a single hole.
There are measures that can bring it about, at least Abel thinks so. Hence, knowing that the battlefield is in a state of inferiority and stalemate, he continues to issue instructions intermittently.
"Do I look like I have time for your chit-chat right now? This is a time when you should be keeping an eye on the movements of your men."
"Of course. But I am not pleased to be dismissed as a chit-chatter. I have come here because of your letter, and I have made up my mind to come here. If you had included my coming here in your strategy, you would not be punished if you took a little more care of me."
"Talk like a lowly commoner."
"I'm not a snob, but I'm also a lover of the mundane. I'm also curious to see how he reacts to what comes next."
Shrugging her shoulders and removing her gaze from the sky, Serena looks toward Abel.
The earlier reaction she mentioned was probably a reaction to the reinforcements in the west - a reaction that was probably related to forces other than Serena's flying dragon squadron.
Although he had an idea about the unscheduled reinforcements and who was leading them, he regretted his earlier words and actions for reacting so carelessly.
Hence, it would lead to Serena's opening words of chit-chat.
"About the 'black-haired crown prince', you are the one who spread that story. And by 'crown prince', don't you mean the one who leads that group in the midst of its acclaimed rampage?"
"You mean to tell me that you think those rowdies on the battlefield are the illegitimate offspring of the emperor?"
"No, no, no. It is a figure of speech. I do not believe that the 'black-haired crown prince' is really His Highness's son. Perhaps he has no son."
Shaking her head at Abel's words, Serena answered with a surprisingly confident tone. When Abel raised his eyebrows at her confident answer, she continued, "In any case."
"He never takes a queen, and there is no mention of him ever having had a woman. I have tried to seduce him before, but he completely ignored me. This must be strong evidence."
"--. Are you insane?"
"Of course I'm serious."
"I didn't ask if you were serious, I asked if you were insane."
Abel's eyes grew hard as he was given a somewhat unconvincing reason to use as a basis for his argument.
Serena is a High Countess in Vollachia, and because she highly values his ability and ambition, she counted him as one of the necessary forces in this decisive battle. However, if things are judged by a standard that Abel does not understand, that is also something to consider.
And, as Abel's eyes tried to see through her true intentions like that, Serena uncrossed her arms and raised one hand, saying, "Wait."
"I am not joking, but that is only the most significant rationale. The point that His Excellency was not seduced by me is both frustrating and implied at the same time."
"----"
"His Excellency has no interest in women. Or, to put it more bluntly, he has no intention of procreating."
Abel, silent, with his eyes on the scene, says, "Because isn't that right?" Serena continues.
"I don't mean to be a fishmonger, but Your Excellency has not fathered any children. At least, none at this time. But even if Your Excellency were a philanderer, it is possible for you to have children if you are willing to have them. There are two possibilities: seedlessness or......"
"I didn't intentionally procreate."
"It appears so. In any case, I don't think there is such a thing as a 'Crown Prince'. Therefore, the idea of an illegitimate son is a spit in the first place. The fact that such a spurious idea could cause such a civil war makes the state of our country all the more admirable."
With a small distortion of her cheeks, Serena elephants a smile of genuine amusement.
Abel made no mention of her attitude or the assumptions she made. Not that Serena needed Abel's opinion, either.
People like her are able to affirm their own ideas without affirmation from others.
In other words, she doesn't want affirmation from Abel--,
"What is your intention in making up the existence of the Crown Prince? After we win this battle, who will sit on the throne in the sky and what will you do with your empire?"
--She asks if he is going to leave the future of the Vollachia Empire in the hands of that "Crown Prince".
"----"
At Serena's quiet question, Abel quietly closed one eye.
Some may say that we are at the climax of the battle and that this is not the time to be asking and answering such questions. However, it would be foolish not to think about what happens after the battle is won.
Naturally, since they are fighting with the intention of winning, they need to plan for the postwar period as well.
"Why are you asking me?"
"It is not that the 'Crown Prince' is the illegitimate son of the real one......, but because we believe that he is your true love who will lead this huge civil war. If you and that 'Crown Prince' are going to be linked after the war, isn't it obvious who we should ask for the future of the empire?"
"--Huh"
Serena's thoughts continued, and a breath escaped Abel's mouth when he heard them.
At the same time, he is impressed, in spite of himself, by the sheer effectiveness of the mask that covers his face - even though it has the effect of "recognition obstruction".
He is impressed by the extent to which they are able to conceal their true identity and true feelings.
"What's funny? Did I say something wrong?"
"I am not laughing. Rather, I admire your insight. It's just that when the conclusion is different, the process is also very different. That's understandable."
"Muh......"
Serena's lips curl in frustration at Abel's comment.
But as the saying goes, he was impressed with her insight. It is a natural conception if one only considers that Abel's goal is to win this rebellion and take the throne of the emperor of the Vollachia Empire.
He would have an entity calling himself the "Crown Prince" and give him the throne and take control of the real power. If possible, he could even murder his puppet emperor at some point and take the throne himself.
But--,
"I have no intention of giving him the throne, even if you don't doubt me. You are wrong."
"So all my guesses were wrong?"
"Not all. You are right, the spreading of the existence of the 'black-haired crown prince' was the prospect of finding that thing rampaging on the battlefield. Only, the weight is different."
"The weight?"
"It's the ratio between bringing it out into the open and keeping it close at hand. The latter is not so important. --In any case, its naivete cannot tolerate the sacrifice of others."
Serena twists her head and is perplexed beyond comprehension.
However, Abel is not obligated to explain everything to her either. For the time being, he should have given her the answers she wants and resolved her concerns after the war.
In some cases, Serena could even end this rebellion by beheading Abel here and taking it with her to the Crystal Palace.
Nipped it in the bud. Some, at the expense of Abel's inner reservoir.
"Cast aside hesitation and mercy, and make the most of your naivete. That is your true nature. --Natsuki Subaru."
The person whom Serena called the 'Crown Prince' and who would still be tearing up the battlefields of the West.
The appearance of the Lord of the name on his lips is not every bit as stable as in Abel's memory. He is a handful, even in memory, in a flurry of appearances: bare-faced, dressed as a woman, and even as an infant.
Abel's lips twist at the sight of Subaru, scrambling right and left in the hectic, thrown-together situation, stripped of his sweetness and blueness. Strong, in disgust.
--No, it was hatred, or perhaps that is a better way to put it, a rage.
"--Who the hell is this?"
Abel, who hid his negative emotions behind his demonic mask, was about to continue his question when Serena moved in the camp curtain.
Several soldiers guarding the main camp draw their weapons and bare a strong guard. If you look, they are pointing their weapons at a slender figure who appears outside the camp.
The figure raised his hands, which held nothing, and chuckled as he looked around at the faces of the soldiers who were pointing their weapons at him.
"I never thought I would be so welcomed. Bokah, you are very popular."
"Screw you! Where the hell did you come from!"
"Guided by the stars, that's a little too poetic, don't you think?"
The soldiers' anger swells as they think they are being poked fun at the bluff answer.
However, the man's attitude did not change in response to his swashbuckling. He was a man who knew very well that such a thing would not change his attitude.
Therefore--,
"Put down your weapons. There is no danger in that."
"B-but......"
"Even if you put a knife in his hand, he can't do anything. He is a clown whose only skill is to play with words."
"I was told that that's a terrible thing to be told. Bokah, you hurt my feelings, didn't you?"
He called out to the soldiers, who were on the alert, to lower their weapons. The man who had been saved protested to Abel, his lips twitching, that he had a problem with his instructions.
Then Serena, who lined up next to Abel, also looked at her partner suspiciously.
"Why are you here? You're the 'stargazer' named--"
"--Ubilk, sir. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, High Countess Dracroy. Most certainly."
Ubilk, the kind man who called himself so, smiles bewitchingly with an unusually well-dressed face.
Ubilk, who is supposed to be in the Imperial Capital, the Crystal Palace, tells the end of his delimited words with the utmost pomposity, pomposity, pomposity.
"--If you had survived after the 'Great Calamity'?"
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--The earth shook the world, the sky was divided into white and red, and the collision of lives caused a cataclysmic event, and Rem made a decision.
"If you want to move, now is the time."
In an imperial city where battles of unimaginable scale are probably taking place, Rem is still in the position of being held captive in Berstetz's mansion and forbidden to use her freedom.
She could not do anything effective, even though she was feeling the smell of burning getting more and more intense day by day. Ashamed of this, she had no choice but to remain silent and stand still.
After all, she has never met Berstetz, the owner of the pavilion and the one who is holding Rem captive, since their first encounter. Therefore, there was no way to find out how the old man, who had ousted Abel, the emperor of the empire, and who had been concerned about the future of the empire with his own philosophy, felt about the fact that a war involving the entire empire had been triggered in this way.
However, even if she had had the opportunity, Rem and he would never have understood each other.
"Because the side I'm standing on is different from that of Mr. Berstetz."
Call her cold, but ultimately that's the conclusion Rem can draw.
Only the strong or those who can afford to do so are able to take into account the circumstances of others who are in a different position. Rem is neither of these, so she has to choose.
Who are your enemies and who are your allies.
Without that, Rem was not hostile toward Berstetz or Madelyn. That is what makes Abel's lack of words and Priscilla's recklessness much more difficult.
So, what Rem is about to do was not because of hostility or rebellion against them, but only the result of Rem's choice of where she stood.
"----"
The siege of the Imperial City has begun, and although Berstetz's mansion is supposed to be built quite deep in the city, the aftermath of the epic battle can still be felt.
Naturally, the mansion is also on high alert, and Rem, who is in the position of a prisoner of war, has been ordered to stay in the room to which she has been assigned, and her freedom is more restricted than usual.
However, from the perspective of the mansion's security, Rem is just a girl with a limp, and she is not placed under such strict surveillance that she has to stand guard in front of her room at all hours of the day.
--Taking advantage of the guard's carelessness, Rem had quietly slipped out of the room.
Under her breath, Rem crawls through the skylight of her room to the roof of the mansion.
The guards were unaware of Rem's intrigue because they were careful not to make a sound. It would be harsh to blame this on their negligence, since the guards would never have thought that the girl with the cane would sneak out of the room in such a way.
Yes, if Rem really was a girl who could not walk freely without a cane.
"I thought I was prepared for any eventuality......"
Of course, it is not a lie that Rem has complained of a limp and used a cane in the past.
However, she had been practicing walking for a long time because he could not leave her crippled leg as it was, as she was causing trouble to those around her because of her inadequate "memories".
As her efforts bore fruit, and she began to gain some footing, it occurred to her. --She thought that if she let them think she had a bad leg, it might help.
In fact, she hadn't even thought about how to make it useful.
On the contrary, it is not always possible to avoid inadvertently alarming the other party if a useless concealment is discovered. However, as long as it is actually useful in this way, we can say that she has won the bet.
But she is on her guard. Only when this action leads to some kind of result can we say that she is finally getting the payoff for winning the bet.
If she has gone to the trouble of taking a gamble, it is meaningless if she does not win.
In the first place, Rem tried not to think about whose influence it was that made her take a gamble like this in the first place.
Anyway--,
"--If I can stay undetected until we get away..."
Rem is out on the roof, the purpose of which is not to escape from the mansion.
That is a hard choice to make, but there is Flop and the others trapped in the mansion besides Rem. There was no way she could get out alone, and to begin with, there was a high wall surrounding the building. Unlike the roof, it would be difficult to climb over it, and she didn't see the point in even considering it.
Therefore, Rem's purpose in escaping from her room was to make contact with the "Crown Prince", a group of people from all over the country who are being held captive in a separate room on the same grounds.
From what she has heard, the "black-haired crown prince" was in a position to be feted as the standard-bearer of the rebellion. It is hard to believe that he is actually Abel's biological son, but she must have some thoughts about the current state of the empire.
If she can make contact with them, she may be able to see hope for a way out of Rem's situation.
"It's not safe for me, Mr. Flop, and Miss Katya."
To achieve this, Rem believes that they need friends who can cooperate with each other.
Carefully making her way along the roof toward the separation, she took great care not to make a sound. No matter how hard she stepped on her feet, there was no guarantee that the guards would find her and she would be able to escape.
Not wanting to spoil the opportunity, she was determined to go on a death march that would not go unnoticed. She was not going to sit still.
That is--,
"--"
Suddenly, an anomaly that rolled up in the sky beyond caused Rem's body to jump dramatically.
At the edge of his vision, Rem gasped as she saw the battle taking place across the walls of the Imperial City and the sky overlooking them change into an extraordinary sight.
It was quite far away, and Rem had no way of knowing the details of the event, but just at this time, Mesoleia the "Cloud Dragon" descended at the top of the star-shaped walls protecting the Imperial City, and Arakiya the "Spirit Eater" consumed the clouds with flames, causing the walls, which were Mogro Hagane himself, to rise.
Even though she did not know what was going on, Rem instinctively sensed these dangers and stiffened. At the same moment, her legs on the roof relaxed.
A gasp escaped from Rem's mouth at the same time her body slid down the slope of the roof. She was almost thrown downstairs, and she quickly grabbed the edge of the roof with all her strength.
"That was, dangerous......"
If she had screamed or fallen downstairs, there would have been no excuse.
Hanging over the edge of the roof just in time, Rem takes a breath that it was a close call. Then, slowly trying to get herself back on the roof--,
"--? Is this place......?"
The target was still far away, a dangle that was only a missed way to go. A door installed at a dead end of the pavilion jumped into Rem's eyes as she held onto its edge.
This was the first time even Rem, who was allowed to come and go freely inside the mansion and looked around here and there, saw a door in a section that was forbidden to enter as well as a separate area. By going around the mansion along the roof, she had wandered into a section that is normally off-limits to visitors.
"Hidden Door......? What is this?"
The question arose in her mind, "Is there such a thing?" and Rem was caught in a moment of hesitation.
Her preliminary goal is to make contact with the "Crown Prince" at a distance. That way, she has a clearer picture and a better chance of getting a clue that will help her out of the situation.
On the other hand, the unscheduled hidden door, after all the pretense, could simply be a liquor cellar. Is it worth the trouble and risk to get in?
"----"
She doesn't even need to think about which is more rational. --And yet, Rem chose irrationality.
She lets go of the edge of the roof from her grip and descended to the passageway with the hidden door. She tried to descend as quietly as possible, but she still heard some footsteps. The sky was still strange, which had startled Rem earlier, and the guards in the pavilion were distracted by it.
Boldly relying on this, Rem put her hand on the hidden door and threw it open.
"The staircase leading to the basement......"
The door was not locked, probably because it was unnecessary rather than careless.
It is a place where uninvited guests are not supposed to visit. Since Rem arrived there as an invited guest, there was no reason for her to complain.
When Rem was greeted by a staircase to the basement, where the cool air was coming up, and a dimly lit space, she took a small gasp and headed downstairs with her hands on the wall.
There was also the possibility that something unbelievably terrible was waiting for her.
It is possible that there is something outrageously horrifying locked up that Berstetz has been able to contain.
It is--,
"--Is anyone there?"
With a kind of, mysterious certainty, Rem asks the basement she has reached in the dark.
It is dark with no light, but you can sense that it is a not so large basement. It is also clear that there is a large presence in the back of the place, which can only be seen vaguely.
It's big, but not in the meaning of monstrous.
Quite large as a human being, such a sign was chained and held captive on the back wall of the basement.
And that person, upon hearing Rem's question--,
"Your Excellency......"
"......You are..."
"Vincent Vollachia, we must protect and defend His Imperial Highness, the Emperor......"
A low, blood-colored voice shook the cracked air of the basement painfully.
The earnest sound in his voice is strong and powerful, filled with selfless loyalty.
"----"
With these words, Rem took one step, and then another, and closed the distance between herself and his opponent.
In doing so, in the darkness, the figure of a large man who was tethered vaguely emerges. It was a really big body, with white scars etched all over his face--,
"......Goz, Ralfon."
Rem realized after a beat that what was mumbled was probably a name.
And the fact that it sounded familiar.
It was, as she recalls, one of the "Nine Divine Generals", the most powerful and renowned beings in this Vollachia empire.
"We must protect you from the Great Calamity--"
The man was like a lion, roaring heroically, his scarred face contorted.
△▼△▼△▼△
"--You say Abel. You're the one who spread the rumor about the 'Crown Prince'?"
Abel slowly raised his devil-masked face as he was asked this question by Serena Dracroy, a woman of character who folded her arms at the main rebel camp during the siege of the Imperial Capital and turned her eyes skyward to the battle situation.
With the entry of Serena's flying dragon squadron, which appeared from far to the west as reinforcements, and first-rate flying dragon riders with "flying dragon reeling" skills, the airspace control of the battlefield was suddenly tilted to our side.
Of course, there are some battlefields where the flying dragon riders have a disadvantage because of the presence of "cloud dragons" and "spirit eaters," but it is not necessary to bring the entire battlefield under their control.
All it takes is a single hole, and even the walls of the Imperial City, which boasts of its solidity, will begin to collapse at the point of a single hole.
There are measures that can bring it about, at least Abel thinks so. Hence, knowing that the battlefield is in a state of inferiority and stalemate, he continues to issue instructions intermittently.
"Do I look like I have time for your chit-chat right now? This is a time when you should be keeping an eye on the movements of your men."
"Of course. But I am not pleased to be dismissed as a chit-chatter. I have come here because of your letter, and I have made up my mind to come here. If you had included my coming here in your strategy, you would not be punished if you took a little more care of me."
"Talk like a lowly commoner."
"I'm not a snob, but I'm also a lover of the mundane. I'm also curious to see how he reacts to what comes next."
Shrugging her shoulders and removing her gaze from the sky, Serena looks toward Abel.
The earlier reaction she mentioned was probably a reaction to the reinforcements in the west - a reaction that was probably related to forces other than Serena's flying dragon squadron.
Although he had an idea about the unscheduled reinforcements and who was leading them, he regretted his earlier words and actions for reacting so carelessly.
Hence, it would lead to Serena's opening words of chit-chat.
"About the 'black-haired crown prince', you are the one who spread that story. And by 'crown prince', don't you mean the one who leads that group in the midst of its acclaimed rampage?"
"You mean to tell me that you think those rowdies on the battlefield are the illegitimate offspring of the emperor?"
"No, no, no. It is a figure of speech. I do not believe that the 'black-haired crown prince' is really His Highness's son. Perhaps he has no son."
Shaking her head at Abel's words, Serena answered with a surprisingly confident tone. When Abel raised his eyebrows at her confident answer, she continued, "In any case."
"He never takes a queen, and there is no mention of him ever having had a woman. I have tried to seduce him before, but he completely ignored me. This must be strong evidence."
"--. Are you insane?"
"Of course I'm serious."
"I didn't ask if you were serious, I asked if you were insane."
Abel's eyes grew hard as he was given a somewhat unconvincing reason to use as a basis for his argument.
Serena is a High Countess in Vollachia, and because she highly values his ability and ambition, she counted him as one of the necessary forces in this decisive battle. However, if things are judged by a standard that Abel does not understand, that is also something to consider.
And, as Abel's eyes tried to see through her true intentions like that, Serena uncrossed her arms and raised one hand, saying, "Wait."
"I am not joking, but that is only the most significant rationale. The point that His Excellency was not seduced by me is both frustrating and implied at the same time."
"----"
"His Excellency has no interest in women. Or, to put it more bluntly, he has no intention of procreating."
Abel, silent, with his eyes on the scene, says, "Because isn't that right?" Serena continues.
"I don't mean to be a fishmonger, but Your Excellency has not fathered any children. At least, none at this time. But even if Your Excellency were a philanderer, it is possible for you to have children if you are willing to have them. There are two possibilities: seedlessness or......"
"I didn't intentionally procreate."
"It appears so. In any case, I don't think there is such a thing as a 'Crown Prince'. Therefore, the idea of an illegitimate son is a spit in the first place. The fact that such a spurious idea could cause such a civil war makes the state of our country all the more admirable."
With a small distortion of her cheeks, Serena elephants a smile of genuine amusement.
Abel made no mention of her attitude or the assumptions she made. Not that Serena needed Abel's opinion, either.
People like her are able to affirm their own ideas without affirmation from others.
In other words, she doesn't want affirmation from Abel--,
"What is your intention in making up the existence of the Crown Prince? After we win this battle, who will sit on the throne in the sky and what will you do with your empire?"
--She asks if he is going to leave the future of the Vollachia Empire in the hands of that "Crown Prince".
"----"
At Serena's quiet question, Abel quietly closed one eye.
Some may say that we are at the climax of the battle and that this is not the time to be asking and answering such questions. However, it would be foolish not to think about what happens after the battle is won.
Naturally, since they are fighting with the intention of winning, they need to plan for the postwar period as well.
"Why are you asking me?"
"It is not that the 'Crown Prince' is the illegitimate son of the real one......, but because we believe that he is your true love who will lead this huge civil war. If you and that 'Crown Prince' are going to be linked after the war, isn't it obvious who we should ask for the future of the empire?"
"--Huh"
Serena's thoughts continued, and a breath escaped Abel's mouth when he heard them.
At the same time, he is impressed, in spite of himself, by the sheer effectiveness of the mask that covers his face - even though it has the effect of "recognition obstruction".
He is impressed by the extent to which they are able to conceal their true identity and true feelings.
"What's funny? Did I say something wrong?"
"I am not laughing. Rather, I admire your insight. It's just that when the conclusion is different, the process is also very different. That's understandable."
"Muh......"
Serena's lips curl in frustration at Abel's comment.
But as the saying goes, he was impressed with her insight. It is a natural conception if one only considers that Abel's goal is to win this rebellion and take the throne of the emperor of the Vollachia Empire.
He would have an entity calling himself the "Crown Prince" and give him the throne and take control of the real power. If possible, he could even murder his puppet emperor at some point and take the throne himself.
But--,
"I have no intention of giving him the throne, even if you don't doubt me. You are wrong."
"So all my guesses were wrong?"
"Not all. You are right, the spreading of the existence of the 'black-haired crown prince' was the prospect of finding that thing rampaging on the battlefield. Only, the weight is different."
"The weight?"
"It's the ratio between bringing it out into the open and keeping it close at hand. The latter is not so important. --In any case, its naivete cannot tolerate the sacrifice of others."
Serena twists her head and is perplexed beyond comprehension.
However, Abel is not obligated to explain everything to her either. For the time being, he should have given her the answers she wants and resolved her concerns after the war.
In some cases, Serena could even end this rebellion by beheading Abel here and taking it with her to the Crystal Palace.
Nipped it in the bud. Some, at the expense of Abel's inner reservoir.
"Cast aside hesitation and mercy, and make the most of your naivete. That is your true nature. --Natsuki Subaru."
The person whom Serena called the 'Crown Prince' and who would still be tearing up the battlefields of the West.
The appearance of the Lord of the name on his lips is not every bit as stable as in Abel's memory. He is a handful, even in memory, in a flurry of appearances: bare-faced, dressed as a woman, and even as an infant.
Abel's lips twist at the sight of Subaru, scrambling right and left in the hectic, thrown-together situation, stripped of his sweetness and blueness. Strong, in disgust.
--No, it was hatred, or perhaps that is a better way to put it, a rage.
"--Who the hell is this?"
Abel, who hid his negative emotions behind his demonic mask, was about to continue his question when Serena moved in the camp curtain.
Several soldiers guarding the main camp draw their weapons and bare a strong guard. If you look, they are pointing their weapons at a slender figure who appears outside the camp.
The figure raised his hands, which held nothing, and chuckled as he looked around at the faces of the soldiers who were pointing their weapons at him.
"I never thought I would be so welcomed. Bokah, you are very popular."
"Screw you! Where the hell did you come from!"
"Guided by the stars, that's a little too poetic, don't you think?"
The soldiers' anger swells as they think they are being poked fun at the bluff answer.
However, the man's attitude did not change in response to his swashbuckling. He was a man who knew very well that such a thing would not change his attitude.
Therefore--,
"Put down your weapons. There is no danger in that."
"B-but......"
"Even if you put a knife in his hand, he can't do anything. He is a clown whose only skill is to play with words."
"I was told that that's a terrible thing to be told. Bokah, you hurt my feelings, didn't you?"
He called out to the soldiers, who were on the alert, to lower their weapons. The man who had been saved protested to Abel, his lips twitching, that he had a problem with his instructions.
Then Serena, who lined up next to Abel, also looked at her partner suspiciously.
"Why are you here? You're the 'stargazer' named--"
"--Ubilk, sir. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, High Countess Dracroy. Most certainly."
Ubilk, the kind man who called himself so, smiles bewitchingly with an unusually well-dressed face.
Ubilk, who is supposed to be in the Imperial Capital, the Crystal Palace, tells the end of his delimited words with the utmost pomposity, pomposity, pomposity.
"--If you had survived after the 'Great Calamity'?"