3
The city of Aldan was even more vast than I had imagined. It was divided into numerous districts, each showing a different face. And while on the surface it gave the impression of great prosperity, this massive city also held many dark corners where the light did not reach. The heavy, oppressive silence in those areas was completely undetectable if you only looked at Aldan’s public face. The difference in atmosphere was that stark.
I walked in silence down a dimly lit alley. I had split off from Princess Valtrune and was searching for someone at her request.
“Around here, huh…”
While Aldan was a city of remarkable development, the gap between rich and poor was also starkly apparent. Outside the city walls, shabby houses were dotted here and there. Even for commoners, one’s standard of living varied greatly depending on whether you lived inside or outside the walls. The citizens inside the walls lived relatively affluent lives. In contrast, the people living outside spent their days in a place that resembled an unkempt slum, so much so that it felt like a lawless zone.
“The disparity is… intense.”
There were few streetlights, and the area was dim. It was a difficult place to find someone. Still, I had to find the person she was looking for and make them our ally. Because this person was crucial to her.
“I need you to find a man named Fadi. He’s a commoner, but he can use powerful magic. In addition, he has an extremely high aptitude for territorial suppression and is also suited for espionage missions. If we can get him on our side, he’ll be more valuable than you can imagine. So I’m truly counting on you.”
The information she had given me was rather vague. And in truth, I still hadn’t found this Fadi. It would be easier if I had a few more details, like his facial features or his age. But I suppose it’s an important mission precisely because he isn’t easy to find.
“Excuse me, do you know someone named Fadi? I heard he lives around here.”
“Fadi? Nah, never heard of ‘im. Don’t think he’s in this district.”
“I see. Thank you.”
I searched for a long time, but I couldn’t find a single lead. It seemed like no one here even knew who Fadi was. It was already getting late. I was wondering what to do when…
“Hey, mister?”
Someone tapped me lightly on the shoulder from behind. I turned to see what it was, and a young man was standing there. He looked to be in his late teens; he seemed a bit younger than me. He was slender but reasonably well-built, and his complexion was good, considering the surrounding environment. He had red hair, strong features, and a gentle sort of air about him. But contrary to that gentle atmosphere, I felt an unexplainable sense of unease. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was a feeling that something was off. His clothes weren’t overly dirty, but he didn’t look like he was from a wealthy family, either. I raised my guard slightly, but I couldn’t see anything suspicious about him so far. He just seemed to be bothering me out of curiosity.
The young man suddenly leaned in close.
“Are you looking for someone named Fadi?”
“Yes, I am…”
The young man asked, his voice full of interest.
“What’s your business with Fadi?”
“Do you… know him?”
“More or less. So, why are you looking for him, mister?”
Asked so directly, I hesitated over how to answer. I couldn’t very well say, “I was ordered to find him by Princess Valtrune.” That would only increase the chances of getting dragged into unnecessary trouble. And he would likely be employed as a key asset in the war against the Kingdom. I didn’t want to just come out and say, “I want the person I’m looking for to be a soldier.” But if I didn’t explain in detail, he might not tell me where Fadi was. After careful thought, the answer I squeezed out was extremely vague.
“Actually… I’ve been ordered by the Imperial family to find talented people. Fadi’s name was on that list of talented individuals.”
It was an answer that obscured the details as much as possible, but it wasn’t a lie.
“Hoh, is that right.”
“So, I’d like to know where he is…”
As I said this, the young man gave me a piece of information with a smile.
“But, mister. Do you know about all the bad stuff Fadi’s done? He’s a real shady guy, makes his living in the assassination business, you know.”
—That was information I didn’t have. I watched his expression for any change and straightened my posture. I sensed that he was trying to tell me something, in his own way. Was he hesitant to let me meet Fadi? If so, his cheerful smile was a complete contradiction.
“So? So? Lost the will to look for him?”
The young man asked, as if to see if I was afraid of Fadi. However, my personal reaction was one of complete indifference.
“No, my desire to find him hasn’t changed at all.”
“Huh…!”
Such trivial details didn’t bother me. The assassination business was certainly the act of killing people, and not something to be praised. But that alone was not reason enough to give up on a person we needed.
“I didn’t know that information, but knowing it doesn’t give me a reason to stop looking for him.”
The young man looked surprised. Did he think I would tremble in fear and run away? He shouldn’t underestimate me. I may not look it, but I have experienced the life-and-death struggles of the battlefield time and time again. I’ve even experienced things that aren’t normally possible—like dying once already. Being told someone is an assassin isn’t enough to make me flinch. If that person were to thrust a blade at my throat, I would simply silence them with force. I can judge whether he’s a threat or not after I’ve actually met him.
“Wow, mister. You’re pretty fearless, huh.”
The young man’s eyes lit up, his face showing an even stronger interest in me.
“It’s not that I’m fearless. I just want to complete my orders from the Imperial family. That is my only focus.”
“Ah, orders?”
“Yes, to find talented people. Time is limited, and I can’t afford to waste a single second.”
Princess Valtrune will become the Empress and lead the Empire. The personnel for that purpose must be gathered quickly. If they flow to another country or organization, the loss would be twofold, factoring in the fact that we failed to acquire them. I don’t have time to hesitate.
“Well then… mister.”
“Hm?”
“Let’s say you get this Fadi you’re looking for on your side… and in doing so, you make an enemy of a certain high-ranking noble… could you still say the same thing?”
—A difficult question. He was asking if the existence of Fadi was worth acquiring, even if it meant making an enemy of a noble. In this case, he must mean an Imperial noble. Was this noble hostile to Fadi, or would they suffer a disadvantage from Fadi’s recruitment? I thought for a moment, then immediately returned my gaze to the young man.
“It might… depend on the person.”
“Huh?”
Apparently, my answer was unexpected.
“Why… he’s a high-ranking noble, you know? Normally, you’d back off, right?”
He was right, that would be the normal reaction. But she and I are the exception. While it’s important to respect status, we, of all people, cannot be too bound by it. Why? Because we have actually seen the future where the Empire, by prioritizing its aristocracy, was defeated in the war with the Kingdom. It’s not as simple as ‘all the Imperial nobles are allies of Princess Valtrune.’ Naturally, there are nobles who are obstacles to her, and they must all be purged within the two years before the war breaks out.
“It doesn’t matter if they are a noble. We will reach for the talent we need, and we will crush those who get in our way. That’s all there is to it.”
“Are you really okay with that?”
“Yes. Otherwise, we will never obtain what we desire. If you bend your convictions, you’ll never be able to grasp anything.”
To achieve our goal, we must not mistake our priorities. That is exactly why I must meet this person, Fadi, and judge him for myself. To see if he is, or is not, a man worthy of being her vassal.
“Wow… mister… you’re pretty cool, you know that?”
“I don’t think so.”
The young man grinned broadly and nodded several times.
“So, will you finally tell me where he is? I don’t have much time.”
“Heh heh, yeah! You’re great, mister!”
What has been up with this kid from the start?
“Um…”
“Geez, you’re so impatient.”
I couldn’t grasp the young man’s intentions. I had no idea what he was trying to do. —This is getting to be a waste of time. Whether he knew where Fadi was or not, I didn’t have time to play along with his games. It seemed faster to just search for him directly.
“If you’re not going to tell me where Fadi is, I’ll be on my way…”
As I turned to leave, he grabbed my arm with considerable strength.
“Ah, I’ll tell you! Don’t try to go.”
“Are you in the mood to tell me now?”
“Yeah, very.”
“In that case, please tell me where he is.”
I just stared at him in silence. The young man circled around me, then drew a long knife from his waist.
“——!?”
I immediately put my hand on the hilt of my sword, but he just laughed innocently and took a step back.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“You’re looking for Fadi, right?”
“And that’s a reason to pull a knife?”
“Yeah… it is. Fadi is an assassin. And he’s already standing right in front of you, mister.”
With that one sentence, I understood everything.
“The Fadi you’re looking for… that’s me.”
4
The interior of the Imperial Castle was decorated in a calm color palette, with black as its base. People passing by shot me sideways glances, but I paid them no mind and continued walking. Two people, a man and a woman, followed behind me. They were the ones Princess Valtrune had asked me to find and bring back. After meeting Fadi, I had gone to find one more person she sought, and had thus succeeded in summoning them here. Unlike Fadi, this was someone I had known in my first life. I had also been told where she was, so finding her didn’t take much effort.
“Um, is it really okay for me to be here, too?”
The woman whispered anxiously in my ear.
“It was Her Highness’s wish to summon you. You don’t need to worry.”
“Oh, is that… so…”
The woman still looked uneasy. But there was no more time to brace herself. The door to the room where Princess Valtrune was waiting was right in front of us.
“Your Highness, may I have a moment?”
I knocked on the door to her private chambers, and a voice came from within.
“Enter.”
The tone was a command, but the voice was gentle, and I felt a sense of relief. I glanced back at the two behind me for a moment, then opened the door.
“Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness. I have brought the two as requested.”
When I entered, she greeted me with a smiling face.
“Thank you for bringing them in my stead.”
“No, not at all.”
Her thanks made my cheeks soften. The two behind me were beckoned by her, and they slowly moved forward from behind my back.
“Fadi and Ritziareite. I have been waiting for you. Welcome.”
Receiving her words of welcome, the two of them froze. For them, this was their first meeting. They seemed perplexed by the one-sided goodwill from Princess Valtrune. She then turned her gaze to me and handed me a single document.
“What is this?”
“It’s a contract. With you.”
“A contract…?”
“Yes. Would you be willing to sign it?”
What kind of contract did Princess Valtrune want with me? I have already sworn my absolute loyalty, and I would never betray her. Still, if she was worried, I was willing to put my vow of absolute loyalty in writing. I read the document.
“I, Valtrune von Felsdorf, do hereby appoint Aldia Graetz as my Personal Knight.”
—Personal Knight!?
…We had spoken of it briefly before, but a Personal Knight… that meant vowing to offer your body and soul to Princess Valtrune. It meant preparing to give your life for her, and not hesitating to kill if she commanded it. It meant always being her ally, a relationship that could not be severed until one of them died. And royalty may only have one Personal Knight in their entire lifetime. She was trying to give that single, exclusive position to me.
“…!”
“Are you… dissatisfied?”
This was far beyond dissatisfaction. I couldn’t believe her unwavering expression.
“Am I… really good enough? Am I truly capable of meeting your expectations… Do I even have the right to bear the weight of being appointed your Personal Knight…?”
“Aldia. That is not a problem.”
“…Your Highness.”
“I have wanted you to be my Personal Knight for a very long time… Ever since that time.”
I wasn’t completely sure which ‘time’ she was referring to, but it was probably a moment from our first life.
“Just as you chose to walk with me, I have also chosen to walk with you. This is my declaration of intent. Just as you devote yourself to me, I want to do many things for you in return. This contract is for that purpose. …You are stronger than anyone. If I am to have a Personal Knight, I can think of no one but you.”
Princess Valtrune took a breath and gripped my hand tightly.
“In short, I want you closest to me.”
After being told all that, I couldn’t possibly refuse. For a final confirmation, I placed a hand on my chest and stared into her blue eyes.
“Are you truly… sure that I am the one you want?”
“Yes. I want you.”
The matter of Personal Knight… I would gratefully accept the appointment. I swiftly signed my name on the paper. There was no hesitation. Accepting her wish was my highest priority.
“From this day forward, I am your Personal Knight. I pledge anew my resolve to risk my life for you, Your Highness.”
“Thank you.”
My will had been firm for a long time. But, by becoming her Personal Knight, I felt I had given that resolve a clearer shape.
“Now then, Fadi, Ritziareite. You have gathered under me, so I must show my sincerity to you as well.”
Princess Valtrune next turned her gaze to the two of them. Hearing her voice, Fadi and Ritziareite straightened their backs. For commoners, just being spoken to by an Imperial Princess was an honor. To think they might receive an even greater boon, it was only natural for their faces to stiffen.
“First, Fadi.”
“Yes! I am extremely honored to meet you, Lady Valtrune.”
“Fufu, you don’t have to be so formal. …I know you hate royalty and nobles, after all.”
“——!”
It was plain for anyone to see the color drain from Fadi’s face. The sweat trickling down his forehead was likely due to his wariness at having his innermost thoughts seen through. He pressed his lips together tightly and his gaze darted around. Watching him, Princess Valtrune continued without losing her smile.
“Rest assured, I have no intention of complaining about your beliefs. In fact, I am thinking I would like to grant your wish.”
“Wh-what do you mean by that?”
“You… you’re being forced to carry an unjust debt by Marquis Rigel, are you not?”
“What…?! How…”
His eyes flew open, and he took a step back as if scraping the floor. He seemed genuinely shocked that she had correctly stated something only he could have known. From my perspective, it wasn’t surprising, no matter what information she knew about the Empire. I, too, was a person living a second life. But Fadi was different.
“No one is supposed to know that…!”
“That doesn’t matter right now. What’s important is whether or not I can grant your wish. Am I wrong?”
In the end, that’s what this conversation boiled down to.
“I will make your wish a reality. You will lend me your strength… It’s a simple arrangement, isn’t it? Needless prying will only be your ruin.”
He couldn’t talk back to the words of Princess Valtrune, who had seen through everything. He closed his eyes and bowed his head deeply to her.
“You are correct… I understand. I promise to devote myself to you, Lady Valtrune.”
Fadi had no choice but to accept her words.
“Thank you. We will make Marquis Rigel’s crimes public. To that end, I want you to fully demonstrate your skills.”
Fadi had called himself an assassin. As an assassin skilled in covert operations, he would surely be able to gather a great deal of valuable information.
“If you will truly bring judgment upon that Marquis Rigel, I will not spare any effort.”
A look of determination lit Fadi’s eyes.
“I know what he has been doing. But to prosecute him, we need tangible proof… You understand the rest, don’t you?”
‘Gather that proof,’ she was indicating. Fadi likely had connections to Marquis Rigel, so it shouldn’t be a difficult task. Above all, now that he had the backing of an Imperial Princess, there was no need to fear the Marquis.
“I promise to seize the evidence without fail and deliver it to you, Lady Valtrune.”
“A fine answer. I’m counting on you.”
From this day forward, one assassin’s gray life would slowly begin to take on color. What sort of change this would bring to the Empire’s path… no one yet knew. And so, the negotiations with Fadi concluded safely. From his attitude, it was clear he would not be sparing in his cooperation.
Princess Valtrune turned her gaze from Fadi to Ritziareite.
“Next is you.”
“Y-Yes!”
She had brown hair and was a bit tall for a woman. Despite that, her posture was surprisingly beautiful. The sight of her standing there with a dignified expression gave off the air of a typical honor student. It fully expressed her serious personality.
“Fufu, you don’t need to be so tense.”
“N-No… not at all!”
Princess Valtrune tried to calm her, but her expression remained rigid. She seemed a little wary, having watched the exchange that just took place. She must have felt firsthand how Fadi had been overwhelmed in his discussion with the Princess. But I didn’t think she needed to worry. Just as I predicted, Princess Valtrune spoke in a calm tone.
“Now, Ritziareite… I want you to become the commander of a new army I am establishing.”
Ritziareite’s eyes widened at her words.
“Me…? The commander… of an army you are creating, Your Highness!?”
“That’s right. I’ve been wanting to ask you for a long time.”
“Ehh!?”
It wasn’t strange at all that Princess Valtrune favored her. Why? Because in the first life—she was the one who had served as Princess Valtrune’s Personal Knight.
