Volume 9 Chapter 2 (2/2)

”Because Mommy Hou Ran is scary.”

”Idiot.”

Ran chuckled and poked Orba in the chest. Orba, without opposing any resistance, fell backwards. ”Was there any other trouble?” he asked from behind the gap between his legs as he lay there, face up.

”Vileena asked all sorts of things about Orba. It was a bit troublesome but I soon got used to it. Have you seen the Princess?”

”Yeah.”

”Oh, so you saw the Princess first?”

”What?”

”Nothing. How long are you going to stay there like an idiot?”

”Help me up.”

Ran kicked Orba in the foot. He reluctantly stood up by himself. As he turned to look at her, she said -

”Anyway, you're still busy, right. Later, tell me what you've been doing until now.”

”Sure. In exchange, listen to what the doctor says.”

”Well, okay.”

Her reluctant att.i.tude made it sound strangely like she was being forced. Even though it was her own health, it was as though she intended to leave the problem to Orba.

After leaving Ran's room, it was s.h.i.+que's turn.

This was something he had also heard from Rogue but s.h.i.+que was said to have been bedridden ever since he had careened to Apta on his orders. While leaving Taúlia, he had apparently been shot.

Back then -

Orba had heard a gunshot.

I was too careless.

He had become sentimental and had neglected to be vigilant about his surroundings, and so had failed to realise that he and his subordinates were being watched by Taúlian soldiers. Because of that, he had unwittingly sent s.h.i.+que into trouble.

In order to remain hidden, s.h.i.+que, just like Ran, had not taken a step outside of the room in which he was being treated.

However, when he opened the door, s.h.i.+que was waiting for him, his appearance from tip to toe that of a gladiator.

”Yo, I've been waiting impatiently for you,” he swept back his shoulder-length hair and bowed, his entire face smiling.

Orba frowned at the gesture which was like that of an actor making a greeting on stage and said -

”I heard you were shot.”

”I'm completely fine already. I just shut myself away because I wanted to make you worry. You were a bit concerned, weren't you?”

”Your face is a terrible colour. You should get more sleep.”

”It's tedious,” s.h.i.+que gave a yawn. ”I've been locked up for more than three days. That's why my complexion is bad. Once I go out, I'll be just the same as before. More importantly...”

”More importantly?”

”There's a bigger priority than me, right? Have you sent out search parties for the Princess?”

”Every last one of you,” Orba said bitterly.

After that, he explained about how he had discovered Vileena in a village near the Taúlian border and about how, just a short while ago, she had held him up at gunpoint.

”That...” after a moment of utter astonishment, s.h.i.+que immediately burst loudly into laughter. He was laughing so hard that his body was bent double and he had to wipe the tears from his eyes. ”That must certainly have been quite a sight.”

”It's no joke. With that princess, I wouldn't be surprised if the bullets were fully loaded.”

”But of course they would have been. And thus, the chronicles of the hero would have come to a speedy end.”

Just like Hou Ran, s.h.i.+que was the same as always. Before coming to see him, Orba had been intending to apologise meekly, but by now he had already been completely caught up in s.h.i.+que's pace.

”You're no doubt busy right now but later, when you've got a bit more time, you should go and greet the Princess, but as...o...b.. the Imperial Guard.”

”What?”

”The one who saved the Princess wasn't Gil but the masked swordsman Orba. It would be unnatural if Orba didn't show up. Honestly, whenever it involves the Princess, your wits go wandering.”

”I don't want to hear that from you…”

”Weren't you the one who said that the injured needed to sleep? Ow, ow, talking makes my chest hurt.”

Really, I wonder what he will do about things like this in the future... - he added in a low voice while jokingly pretending to be in pain, but Orba didn't hear it.

”Did you say something?”

”I was saying that from now on, things are going to get tough.” s.h.i.+que smiled and abruptly changed the subject. ”There were difficulties in the west too, but they can't compare. At any rate, this isn't on any ordinary level since the reason the Crown Prince came back was to rise up against the current Emperor.”

”Yeah.”

”Right, well since you're going to be walking a path of bloodshed from now on, let me act like an elder for once and give you a piece of advice.”

”There can't be that many things you can teach me.”

”It's not something you should be so quick to make fun of. Do you know about the 'flames of Laskeid'?”

There was a short pause. ”Yeah,” Orba nodded but s.h.i.+que's smile got broader. That's lie - his expression seemed to say.

Orba's face went red. ”I have heard of it!”

”Now, now. Don't get upset. It's an old legend. Older even than the Magic Dynasty apparently.”

It was a story about flames that burned blue.

Had the flames of a colour which should not exist in this world been created by magic, or had they come flying from the abyss of s.p.a.ce, guided by something towards this planet? Whatever the case, in a quiet corner of the world, they continued to burn blue.

There had been a time when it was a rumour widely taken as truth that whoever absorbed them into their body would obtain a power greater than that of the Dragon G.o.ds who had once dominated the world.

”At the northern edge of the world. The one who found them at the bottommost level of a cave ravaged by ice and snow was a carpenter's a.s.sistant named Laskeid. His family was poor, he had lost his job and had given up all hope for the future, so rather than saying that he believed in the legend, it was as a desperate gamble that he boldly took the flames into his own flesh. And when he did so, just as the legends had said, he obtained an immortal and ageless body.

However, the condition for having once absorbed the flames was that that body would forever more emit flames that would burn all those who approached him. In exchange for obtaining wealth, power and everything that he desired, he lost everything that he had until then. Family, lover, friends - and all the happiness that he might have had in the future.

Eventually, unable to bear his never-ending solitude, Laskeid increased the flames himself until his body was burned to nothing. Although he could have become a king that ruled over the world for all eternity, the one thing he could not endure was being alone in that world.”

”Oh,” Orba interjected to show that he was still listening, at which s.h.i.+que smirked even more.

”Do you remember now?”

”More or less.”

”Ha ha, when you're the prince, you're vigilantly cautious and choose your words, but when you're with someone you trust, you just become childish.”

”I don't remember trusting you.”

”Fine, fine. Now then, you're busy, right? Go on, hurry off.”

Having kept him in conversation for a long time, s.h.i.+que now drove him away. Orba stood up huffily, but it was true that he was pressed for time.

”Rest up for a while,” with those parting words, he left the room.

s.h.i.+que stared at the closed door for a while then suddenly collapsed back into the bed as though he had been attacked by dizziness. He coughed violently two or three times.

After his fit had quietened down, he wiped his lips.

”Well,” he said, gazing at the palm of his hand, ”Orba has reunited with the Princess. For now, it's the same as before. As for what comes after, well, let's see from here on.”

It was the evening of the day that Gil Mephius returned to Apta.

Having been informed that the preparations for his chambers were complete, Orba headed towards the largest room on the fortress' uppermost floor. It was an area that had collapsed at the time of his bombing raid and, since being restored to a barely usable shape, Nabarl had been using it these last few days. Nabarl had vacated it - be it of his own free will or digging his heels in all the way - and furnis.h.i.+ngs and artworks suitable for the lodgings of a prince had been moved into it.

When he saw the very first face that was there to greet him, Orba unintentionally called out in surprise, ”Dinn?”

He was the page who had taken care of his everyday necessities back in the time when Orba had been a body-double.

From what Orba had heard, ever since he had faked his death and left Apta, Dinn had been attending Gowen under the false name of ”Reeno”. He had not returned to Solon. Dinn had originally been the servant working for Fedom Aulin, the lord of Birac, who had been a.s.signed to Orba on Fedom's orders.

In other words, he was one of the few people to know that 'Gil' was a body-double.

Because of that, Gowen had been worried about the boy's safety. He was afraid that Fedom, having learned about Gil's death and dreading that the fact that he had installed a body-double and was planning to take over Mephius would come to light, might silence those who knew about it. And so, Gowen decided that Dinn's whereabouts would become 'unknown' and he refas.h.i.+oned him into his own chamberlain under a deliberate alias.

Dinn did not offer any long, drawn-out greetings. He simply bowed deeply and said, ”Welcome back, Prince Gil.”

Orba gave his head a light rap.

After which, he went to the table which had been prepared. Two wine cups had been set out. In a few hours time, Rogue and Odyne would be arriving there. The two generals would, of course, be coming in order to discuss what to do from now on; but before that, there was one other person that he would be talking to.

When it was time, a soldier standing on guard outside rang a bell to indicate that the visitor had arrived.

It was Gowen who entered.

He did not express any words of greeting either. He simply raised his hand then quickly sat in a chair.

After filling the wine cups and exchanging eye signals with Orba, Dinn withdrew.

The one-time gladiator and former overseer of slaves, who was also the commander of the Crown Prince's personal Imperial Guards, silently took a cup.

”Well then.” After draining its contents in a single gulp, Gowen began to talk. It wasn't exactly in order to rekindle an old friends.h.i.+p, but Orba had made up his mind to telling this long-time acquaintance most of what had happened in the west, but - ”have you set your mind to rest?”

He furrowed his brows at the unexpected words. ”What do you mean?”

”Thanks to you coming back as the prince, I, all of the men, and also Ran were saved. For that, I dutifully give you my thanks. But you shouldn't stay here for too long. We'll figure something out for what comes next. You wait for the right time and escape from Apta.”

”Gowen, I didn't come back just for the sake of saving you all.”

”Oh?” the former overseer of slaves made a face that seemed to be saying that he had heard something surprising. ”Then why? Was the luxurious life of a prince that unforgettable? Did you run out of spending money and came here to scrounge for it?”

”Don't be stupid.”

”You can't possibly be thinking,” while pouring himself a second cup of wine, Gowen turned his forceful gaze towards...o...b.., ”that you'll be playing at being the Crown Prince for a little while again?”

”And what's wrong with that?” Orba asked irritably, unable to understand why the other was suddenly becoming belligerent. Across from him, Gowen shook his grey head.

”There's something wrong with you. The Crown Prince is already dead. Even though you went to all that trouble to set up that 'death' and succeeded pretty well on the whole, why have you gone and raised the dead from under the grave? This time, you risk having your real ident.i.ty as a slave revealed and ending up hanged by the neck.”

”Gowen, you must know that Mephius has attacked Taúlia. It has to be stopped. If the emperor's tyranny goes beyond...”

”What's that got to do with you?”

”What?” Orba was finally provoked into open anger. ”What's that supposed to mean? You're the one who's got something wrong with you, Gramps. I'm the one who decided to negotiate peace with the west. You said it yourself, didn't you: I have a responsibility. I'm here to see it through.”

”You threw away that entire responsibility once before.”

”So I'll...”

”Yeah, it's fine. So you're saying you'll carry the weight of it once again. So you're saying you'll call yourself Gil Mephius once again. Then tell me, how long are you planning to do it for this time? Until you've stopped the invasion of Taúlia? Until you've had your wedding night with Princess Vileena? And when it's over, will you drop everything again and run away somewhere else?”

Gowen's tone also hardened. At that point, Orba realised what the other wanted to say and suddenly closed his mouth. In the short silence that arose from this, the commander of the Imperial Guards, regaining his composure a little, drained his second cup then gave a heavy sigh.

”... I won't say anything bad. Get out of Apta quickly. Out of Mephius too. I heard about it from s.h.i.+que earlier but it seems you've become known in the west as well. If you don't like that, go to the north, or the south, or wherever you want. There's no place for the gladiator Orba here.”

”Gowen, listen to me! I didn't march back without thinking it through.” Orba's fist slammed against the table. The wine in his untouched cup spilled out. ”I saw all sorts of things, met various people and thought a lot. And I came to a conclusion. I... I won't run away anymore.”

”You were playing at the Crown Prince because of revenge, weren't you?”

”I've already gotten my revenge.”

”No,” there was no trace of a smile on Gowen's tanned face, ”Oubary is alive.”

”What!”

”Not only that but he's only just been released from prison. Yeah, he wasn't executed. On top of that, do you know what excuse the emperor used to violate Taúlia's border? That the Crown Prince's a.s.sa.s.sination was the west's doing. In other words, it was revealed that Oubary had no part in the crime and he was acquitted.”

Orba's fist which had been resting on the table clenched tightly. He did not even realise he was doing it. He heard then about how Mephius' army had reorganized its troops under the pretext of a war of retaliation for the Crown Prince.

His mind revived once more the gruesome scenes from the past. The figures of his brother, of Alice, of his mother whirled before his eyes and terrific speed.

”Can you leave that man be? Or will you find some reason to strike him down again? Becoming the prince means having enough resolve to forget about revenge.”

”Let's hear it. If it's not for the sake of revenge this time, then what is it for? For the people, for Mephius, for the princess? Do you feel like being praised to the skies as a hero? You're just a former gladiator, don't get c.o.c.ky.”

”Gramps”

As...o...b.. leaned forward and seized him by the scruff of the neck without thinking, Gowen sneered at him.

”Humph. If you take up the t.i.tle of Crown Prince, then the people of the Imperial Dynasty, no forget the Imperial Dynasty, you'll have to deceive the people of all the surrounding countries. If you get upset just from hearing that Oubary is alive and fly off the handle with only this level of provocation, you won't be able to do it. Your true colours will show within two or three days and your head is bound to be cut off. And the Oubary that you hate so much will be laughing as he watches,” he coldly a.s.serted.

Still leaning forward, Orba went rigid. He stayed that way for a long while, having lost all notion of time.

After a while, the soldier outside the door announced visitors again. Rogue Saian and Odyne Lorgo had arrived.

Gowen calmly rose from his chair.

”You've driven those two men into a corner too,” he added. ”On the Emperor's orders, their families are being forced to remain in Solon. Don't know why… They haven't tangled with Mephius' forces yet, so for now, there's still just barely time. Including Nabarl, the combined forces of the three generals can still invade Taúlia and get the capital to surrender.”

”… I won't let that happen. I've decided I won't let that happen.”

”Then forget about Oubary. Forget about the family you lost and about the name 'Orba'. Don't casually call me Gramps. And me, from now on I'll… I will henceforth serve you as though you were Crown Prince Gil.”

And then, crossing by Gowen as he left, Rogue Saian, general of the Dawnlight Wings Division, and Odyne Lorgo, general of the Silver Axe Division, entered the room.

”You were talking with Sir Gowen?”

”Oh, it looks different from when it was Sir Nabarl's room. Your Highness… Your Highness?”

Orba was still in the same position.

”… Thank you for coming.” He turned towards the two generals, his face pale even as he smiled.

He clapped his hands to summon the page, Dinn, and had him prepare more alcohol.

”Thank you for believing me and waiting,” Orba then said, plastering an expression suitable for Gil Mephius onto his face. ”I heard about your families. I've gotten the two of you involved in trouble.”

”As for that…”

”We were brought to our senses by the Crown Prince's words. If - I mean no disrespect - but if Your Highness had not come, we would still have taken action. For ourselves, for Mephius, and to show the true meaning of pride to our families.”

Both of them had clear gazes.

Orba remembered Rogue's family. When he had still been a body-double, right after the end of his first campaign, he had been invited as the Crown Prince to Rogue's house. Rogue's young wife and very young son had been there.

Once more he tightly clenched the fist that he had lowered to his waist.

I get it, Gramps.

Even now, when he closed his eyes, images of flames and blood were still whirling around. Within the s.p.a.ce of a heartbeat, they merged together and turned into a dark red wave that threatened to pierce through his eyelids and overspill beyond them. But unlike before, these scenes were not only of when Orba's birthplace had been torn apart.

For now, I'll forget about Oubary Bilan. This isn't just anyone's war anymore. This is Gil's - 'my' - war.

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