A few minutes ago.
Second Prince Elius, escorted by Schneider, arrived in front of Astra’s house.
“Is this Lord Astra’s mansion?”
“Yes, it is.”
“It doesn’t look very impressive.”
“He says he is satisfied with it, as it is spacious enough for him alone.”
“The surroundings aren’t good. Though it’s an outer sector, it’s quite a hidden corner.”
“It seems he prefers quiet places.”
He was draped in a large cloak.
Confirming no one was around, he took off the cloak, revealing his golden hair.
“It was a good idea to set up a double. Now I can come out without being watched.”
“You won’t be able to hold out for long, so it’s best to take care of things quickly.”
“I know. That’s why I came in disguise.”
Creak. Elius opened the door.
Inside, it looked like any ordinary house, with simple, unremarkable scenery.
He couldn’t sense anyone’s presence.
He was about to comment on the open door when—
“Who are you?”
A delicate voice echoed through the house.
A girl descended from the second floor.
Elius narrowed his eyes.
As he observed Epherna’s appearance, a thought came to his mind.
What an insolent look.
“Who are you people? What right do you have to enter someone else’s house without permission?”
And she was indeed insolent.
“Hmph, don’t you think about the door being open?”
“Even so, shouldn’t you at least knock before coming in? It’s a bad habit for a poorly mannered person to have, isn’t it?”
A vein popped on Elius’s forehead.
Schneider intervened in their conversation.
“Child, do you know someone named Ern Astra?”
“…Are you friends of Mister?”
“Yes. To be precise, we are his former superiors.”
“…Mister is out right now. He’ll be back soon.”
“Thank you.”
Epherna’s tone softened.
Schneider mentioning he was Ern’s former superior made her think she should be more respectful.
“Wait here. He’ll be back soon.”
*****
When was it? The last time something so significant happened that I couldn’t accept it in my right mind.
I recall it was when I was suddenly appointed commander.
Not a deputy or a unit leader, but a mere member, suddenly becoming the commander.
It felt like a bolt out of the blue. I suppose my feelings then were similar to now.
“Your Highness. Why did you come without any prior notice…”
“Sorry. I didn’t have the opportunity to inform you.”
I had thought there might be some contact, directly or indirectly, eventually.
Even though I was under surveillance, I didn’t survive this long by luck alone, so I expected some means would be found.
Still, I never imagined they would come to my house directly.
“Recently, I found a useful double. By now, he should be handling state affairs in my stead.”
“…Is the double capable of that?”
“That’s why it took me a long time to find you.”
So he did train him to some extent.
“Still, the chances of being caught aren’t low.”
I assessed it calmly as a former member of the secret force.
Using a double without being detected is practically impossible.
Unless it’s a Replican like the Obrang case, it’s certain to be discovered within a few days.
“Well, then there’s no helping it.”
Crazy guy. What if you actually get caught?
The Imperial Palace is not just called the Imperial Palace for no reason.
Its security and surveillance are strict in every aspect, making it the palace.
Still, his confidence must mean he has thoroughly prepared, so I won’t say more.
“Mister, that person is really annoying.”
The Little One beside me pouted and said.
That’s your brother, you fool.
Somehow, the Little One got involved in the conversation and was allowed to stay by the prince’s permission.
It’s uncomfortable for me, but what can I do?
The person in front of me holds the second highest position, second only to the Emperor.
“…”
“…”
A moment of silence fell.
The atmosphere turned serious in an instant.
Sensing that the Second Prince was about to get to the main point, I snapped my fingers to cast a barrier of silence.
“Come to think of it, I never fully explained everything to you before.”
The Second Prince glared arrogantly.
Seeing his eyes reminded me of the Little One.
They say you only notice things once you’re aware of them, and that saying proved true.
“First… Yes, I should start with that explanation. The essence of the Demon King. It was my damned brother who took it.”
I nodded.
This was something I also knew well.
The Demon King of Winter, who was vanquished by the united heroes of the continent.
The one who took his essence was the First Prince, the leader of the heroes.
“And it was I who killed my brother.”
Was that so?
I didn’t know the exact details since his death happened after I retired.
“I shouldn’t have killed him with my own hands. Who would have thought the Blizzard of Winter would leave a curse on me?”
The Second Prince chuckled.
He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his chest.
Something blue was embedded near his heart.
I immediately recognized it.
“The Blizzard of Winter… No, is that the curse?”
The curse of the blizzard, imbued with someone’s intense resentment.
The very winter that turned the northern lands into a frozen wasteland was now embedded in Elius’s heart, consuming his life.
“Yes. Because of this curse, my heart is filled with endless cold, leaving me with only five more years to live.”
“Is treatment impossible?”
“I have searched the entire world. Even the ancient secrets of the imperial family were examined, but no one in history has ever survived the curse of the essence.”
So he had made a decision.
“Since it’s come to this, I plan to resolve the issue of the princess that my father regretted deeply, and as a bonus, settle the matter of the throne. How efficient and convenient, isn’t it?”
He had already given up on his life.
It was obviously a joke, but it didn’t sound like one to me.
Schneider wore a sad expression.
There was a hint of resignation on his face.
‘…Hah.’
I sighed inwardly.
Though I had known, seeing and hearing it directly made me wonder how this guy had survived until now.
Second Prince Elius Grandeum.
A man who, from a young age, fought to obtain the throne and lost everyone he loved in the process.
He had a fiancée who died long ago.
She was both the reason for his life and his shackle.
‘It’s always about that love.’
After losing his fiancée, the Second Prince’s behavior became extreme.
Throwing away his life carelessly and using any means to survive.
Schneider probably didn’t even know how deeply unstable Elius’s mind had become.
“Anyway, I wanted to show you this directly. I also wanted to ask you something.”
“Ask me?”
“That you can’t hide or lie to me.”
His golden eyes shone brightly.
I could tell he was using some ability, but even with my azure eyes’ power, I couldn’t discern more.
It was one of the absolute abilities passed down in the imperial family.
Even after knowing him for five years, I couldn’t figure out the true nature of those eyes.
“You. Are you doing something strange?”
The Little One responded with her arms crossed.
At that time, I was wondering if I should really cover her mouth.
“My little sister is doing something cute.”
I doubted my ears.
*****
Sorry, Mister.
But I think I need to handle this myself.
“Aren’t you uncomfortable?”
“Not at all. I actually prefer it this way.”
“Hm. As expected, royal blood is indeed remarkable.”
“Bloodline is irrelevant. It’s because my brother has always lived in comfort.”
Having my first conversation with my brother felt unfamiliar.
However, if I thought of him as someone like me, reading his thoughts wasn’t difficult.
“How long do you think it will take to break the shackles?
“If my brother supports me, we can break it within a year. You know Mister’s abilities better than I do.”
“That’s true.”
My brother smiled proudly.
Knowing that others recognized how great Mister was filled me with inexplicable joy.
“I’ll have your room ready in advance.”
“Well, I appreciate that.”
“I’ll come to get you soon. In the meantime, enjoy your time with Lord Astra.”
“Thanks, brother. You’ll wait for me, right?”
“Of course. I can at least do that much.”
My brother readily accepted my opinion and stood up.
He waved his hand.
Reuniting with my brother, whom I met for the first time, wasn’t too bad.
“Goodbye, brother.”
Now then.
How should I explain this?
The expression on Mister’s face seemed to ask what was going on.
*****
For a brief moment, Ern couldn’t understand their conversation.
How did the Second Prince know Epherna’s identity, and how could Epherna converse so calmly?
It almost seemed like everyone knew everything except for him.
However, Ern had experienced countless similar situations before.
His ingrained instincts assessed the situation calmly.
The Second Prince’s ability was likely related to the mind.
Perhaps it allowed him to read thoughts or foresee future events.
If that were true, it made sense that the Second Prince knew Epherna’s identity.
With that thought, Ern felt a bit more at ease and asked Epherna after the Second Prince left.
“Little One, aren’t you a bit too calm?”
“…Do I seem strange?”
Her expression was stiff as she asked in return.
This time, she couldn’t manage to “act” like a normal girl.
Epherna feared that Ern might see her differently.
“…Well, I’ve seen all sorts of things.”
What Epherna hadn’t anticipated was that Ern was older than her and had experienced many unusual situations under the Second Prince.
If Epherna wasn’t normal, then neither was he, and Ern was well aware of that himself.
“Little One.”
Ern spoke calmly.
“As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters. Everyone in the world has a unique personality.”
Even if royalty were a bit more special, Ern had seen far more peculiar and strange people than that.
“Mister. Then will you tolerate me if I lied?”
“Of course not. I’d scold you harshly.”
“What if I didn’t reflect on it?”
“I wouldn’t even react to your words. I’d be extremely disappointed in you.”
Flinch. Epherna’s body and mind froze.
But she liked his answer, and with a relaxed expression, she said.
“Thank you, Mister.”
Epherna spoke.
This time, she truly meant it.
“For now, I want to rest for a while.”
“Alright. How about we go to the lake tomorrow?”
“Okay!”
