Chapter 3 – The Imperial Princess’s Personal Knight and the Provisional Elite Corps
1
The meeting with Prince Ixion concluded without a hitch.
Just as Princess Valtrune had foreseen, he promised to side with the Empire.
Since it was only a verbal agreement, I had no idea how much we could trust him, but she was in very high spirits.
We left the royal castle and climbed into the carriage that had been prepared for us. We were to head directly to the Imperial capital, Aldan.
“Um, Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about Prince Ixion. Are you truly certain about this?”
I was referring to the promise she’d made to Prince Ixion—the one about making him the next king.
“I could certainly tell that he is as sincere and capable as you said, Your Highness.”
But he was a prince of the Kingdom.
Even if he wasn’t directly in the line of succession, it felt unnatural for things to have progressed so easily. He had been so calm and composed as he accepted our demands that I’d almost expected him to show a little more internal conflict or hesitation.
That, in turn, was now nagging at my mind as a source of anxiety.
“Aldia, what are you trying to say?”
“It just… felt too convenient. I can’t help but feel that he might betray us.”
When I told her that, she nodded in agreement.
“Yes, I suppose so.”
Her words, “I will make you the next king,” must have been incredibly appealing to Prince Ixion.
But would he really believe the words of a princess from another country so easily?
At first glance, Prince Ixion’s attitude seemed extremely favorable toward her. However, it was impossible to gauge his true feelings completely. This world is full of people who mask their true intentions with a pleasant facade. For royalty and nobility, one is forced to consider that possibility far more often.
“…You don’t need to worry.”
Despite my anxiety, she sat beside me and spoke in a soft tone.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I understand your concerns, Aldia, I truly do.”
The smile she gave me was so lovely, she looked exactly like the ideal princess.
She then gently placed her hand on the back of mine.
My heart skipped a beat.
Unable to grasp the intent behind her action, I simply straightened my posture, and she began to speak quietly.
“Of course, I am also considering the possibility that Prince Ixion will betray us. But I’ve already taken measures for that, so rest assured.”
“Yes, Your Highness…”
“It’s really all right. The future we desire is drawing steadily closer. We’ll manage somehow.”
If she said so, then laying the groundwork should be simple.
I will do everything I can for her.
“What will be our first move when we return to the Empire?”
“Let’s see… Just as I am corresponding with Prince Ixion, there are more than a few people within the Empire who are connected to the Kingdom’s leadership.”
“I see.”
If a war were to break out between the two nations, having so many dangerous elements lurking within our own territory would put us at a significant disadvantage.
So we have to drain the poison completely.
Traitors like that have existed in every era.
They rarely make overt moves. Traitors are, by nature, cautious in their actions.
“Finding them sounds like it will be a difficult task.”
“Not at all.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Even if the era is different, I, who know the ‘past world,’ can already guess the identities of most of the traitors within the Empire.”
“I understand.”
We have a strength that others do not; we have already experienced the future once. However, even if she can identify the traitors, her status makes it difficult for her to act directly.
“Your Highness, would you allow me to handle the investigation within the Empire?”
That is why I must take on that role.
To become her hands and feet, to be the foothold for the future she desires.
“Yes, thank you. But I don’t intend to leave it all to you. It’s too much work.”
She must understand that there is a limit to what I can accomplish alone.
“Then, you will be entrusting it to others as well?”
“Exactly. I have my eye on several capable and trustworthy individuals. If we can bring them to our side, it will make everything that follows much smoother.”
“I see.”
Gathering allies… That also sounds like it will depend on negotiations.
“Then let us begin by winning over those you trust.”
“May I ask you to do that?”
“Leave it to me.”
She intends to build a record of achievements worthy of an Emperor. To do that, she will need many hands. That is precisely why I will follow her and devote myself to making her ideal a reality.
2
The Valugan Empire. Capital City, Aldan.
It is the largest metropolis in the world, boasting a population of over 3.5 million, and is located in the northern part of the Empire.
Facing the sea, its trade is also prosperous, generating massive profits led by groups like the Crimea Company. It has truly achieved a level of development worthy of the Imperial capital.
It was a considerable distance from the Kingdom’s territory on the southern part of the continent, so the carriage ride took several days.
A wyvern might have gotten us here more quickly, but she seemed to think a carriage was sufficient, as we were in no particular hurry.
“Welcome back, Your Highness. That must have been tiring.”
“Thank you. You must be tired as well, Aldia.”
“No, I am quite all right.”
As I stepped down from the carriage, the cityscape of Aldan spread out before me.
Countless tall buildings. A unified, subdued color palette. They lined the path all the way to the Imperial Castle. The closer one got to the center of the country, the more such buildings there were. My impression upon seeing the city in one sweep was, in a single word, ‘overwhelming.’
“This place is incredible… It’s completely different from the Kingdom.”
In my first life, I never had the chance to slowly take in the Imperial capital’s scenery.
All I thought about was cutting down the enemy before me. I didn’t have even a speck of memory of this magnificent city.
“That’s true. The Empire’s architectural style is different from the Kingdom’s. The Kingdom emphasizes beauty. In contrast, the Empire places importance on functionality and the fortification of the city. Everyone who comes here from the Kingdom says the same thing—that it feels like they’ve wandered into another world.”
“Now that you mention it, I can certainly see that.”
Just as she said, the Imperial buildings looked to be made of very sturdy materials. Furthermore, the ramparts surrounding the city were high and thick.
“The houses on the city’s outskirts use metal for their outer walls, don’t they.”
“Yes, the homes on the outer edge are of particularly robust construction. They’re also highly resistant to fire.”
I could strongly agree with her words about emphasizing fortification.
“Aldan faces the sea, so its entrances from the land side are limited. …In the past, when the Imperial army was cornered by the allied forces led by the Kingdom, they fought with Aldan as their final stronghold. The reason they were able to withstand the allied army’s fierce assault for seven months, despite being at an overwhelming numerical disadvantage, was thanks to how easy this city was to defend…”
The road to the Empire’s complete defeat was a long one.
The Imperial army of the past fought bravely in this place, and here they fell. Princess Valtrune must have fought desperately to protect this place as well. Her profile seemed to carry a complex mix of nostalgia and sorrow.
“Your Highness.”
“Hm?”
“This time… we will absolutely protect it.”
The past where the Imperial capital fell does not exist in this world.
It is a blood-soaked history carved only into her heart and mine, from another world.
I will not allow a future that brings her sorrow to come again.
“You’re right. We will!”
Princess Valtrune squeezed my hand tightly.
Her hand was warm, slender, and elegant, yet at the same time, I could feel a strength within it. It pained my heart to think that this beautiful hand would be stained with blood and bear the sorrow of so many.
Surely, that is the destiny she has been given.
But I can lighten the burden she carries.
“I will support you. You—and only you, as long as I live.”
“Then I will rely on you, without reservation.”
“Please, leave it to me.”
Therefore, the day I let go of this hand will never come.
I swear that this city will never again be turned into a bloody battlefield.
“We’re ‘person-hunting,’ correct?”
“Yes, Aldia. I cannot move about freely… so I’m counting on you.”
“Yes. As you command.”
I prayed from the bottom of my heart that this peace might be maintained long into the future.
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