Vol 2 Chapter 9 (1/2)
Chapter 9
Chapter 2, Episode 9: The Black Imperial Prince
Imperial Year 1023, July 20
Hiro is in a room in a certain section of duchess Kelheit’s mansion
There is a large bed and a chair for one Nothing more
Hiro, as asleep on the bed, awoke fro down on his face
He sits hih the
After stifling a yawn, he crawled to the edge of the bed, placed his feet on the ground, and looked around the room
It seems the master of the room woke up before the sun even came up and went out somewhere
(I wonder where I can wash my face…)
As he approached the door to head into the hallway and look for a place to wash up, it opens from the other side
Rosa caht around her chest There was a bewitching air about her
「Hmm, so you’re up」
「I just woke up I wanted to wash my face a bit—」
As Hiro was about to ask where he could do so, Rosa pointed her thumb behind her
「Before that, you have a visitor here for you」
Although Hiro tilts his head in confusion at the woaze to the space behind Rosa
Standing in front of the door was a neatly dressedand narrow face— It was Prime Minister Gillish
「I apologize for visiting so early in the 」
Hiro looks at him puzzled as he bows
「What are you doing here, Prime Minister Gillish?」
「I have come to deliver a letter from his Majesty the emperor I didn’t think I could possibly entrust this to anyone else, so I brought it here while knowing it would be an inconvenience」
「A letter from his Majesty?」
「Here it is Please read it alone」
Prilance at Hiro who looks puzzled, bows, then takes his leave
After watching hi at the letter
「You want to see it?」
「If you dee I can see」
Rosa shrugs her shoulders and begins to walk the hallway, then soon looks back
「Can you co it? Breakfast is ready Also, if you want to wash your face, the well is in the garden」
She waves her hand behind her saying 「I’ll be waiting in the dining hall,」 before she turns a corner in the hallway and goes off
Hiro looks down at the letter and yawns
He already guessed what the contents of the letter basically are
(… I’ll wash my face first)
Hiro goes out into the arden, arrives at the well, and washes his face
However, he realizes he doesn’t have a towel
While thinking how annoying it would be to have water get in his eyes, he wonders what he should do
(I guess I’ll be fine…)
As he gave up and started heading for the dining hall, so soft plopped onto his head
He grabs it and it turns out to be a towel Before checking to see who gave it to him, he wipes off the drops of water on his face
「Thanks, you really helped—」
He tried to give his thanks, but he couldn’t finish saying it
This was because Aura was standing there with an ie
「… Did you enjoy yourself last night, Black Imperial Prince?」
Each syllable she spoke was oozing with disgust
He had a lot of questions for Aura, such as why she was here, but he decided to ask her about a terht his attention
「—What do you mean, Black Imperial Prince?」
「That’s whatyou」
「Calling me?」
「Yes, and that the Black Iand took her to her mansion」
「Th-That’s nonsense…」
「Don’t worry, I just ht now」
「… Don’t scare me like that」
「The truth is, they are calling you the Black Imperial Prince on the heart of the woman of steel」
「Th-The woman of steel?」
「That is duchess Kelheit’s “nickname” She is called that because she has continued to refusevarious means」
Aura looks at him disdainfully
「I suppose it’s a given that word spread because you won her heart in a short time and disappeared to her mansion There are more than just a few nobles ish to learn your ords」
「So that’s what it’s come to…」
Well, they did soathered, so it’s not like he didn’t predict that would happen
But he didn’t think it would get to a point where people wanted to be taught his ords
Hiro buries his head into his hands thinking about what a otten into
At that moment, Aura approached Hiro and looked up at him with her lead colored eyes
「Didn’t I stress that you should be careful of women yesterday?」
「That’s right, you did… I’m sorry」
「It’s probably thanks to the Kelheit house that the rus to praise you If it were me, I would have spread rumors that you were a foolish Imperial prince as seduced by ato lower your standing」
「I think I would’ve done that, too」
「But she did the opposite and spread ru I aloing to be on the receiving end of contempt」
「… I can’t help it if I am」
「Please really be careful from here on out」
Aura sighed and looked at 「Black Camellia」
「Also, as 「Black Ca? Does it not take action when its master’s virtue is in jeopardy?」
「H to listen to me for a while」
「If I re in 「Black Camellia」, wasn’t there?」
「Yeah I’m sure it would protect h…」
「That’s quite a twisted spirit」
「… It is」
A 1,000 years ago— up until the ti of 「Excalibur」, it listened to him pretty well
However, starting around the time 「Excalibur」 appeared before Hiro, he feels 「Black Camellia」 became disobedient
(And I left it alone for a 1,000 years on top of that)
Considering all that, it wouldn’t be strange for it to strangle hiht be able to say that it’s a ht now
As Hiro looked down at Aura’s military uniform, she noticed the letter in his hand
「What is that?」
「Ahh, it’s a letter from his Majesty the emperor」
「Have you not read it yet?」
「I wanted to wake up, so I thought I’d read it after I washed uess what’s in the letter」
Aura nodded at Hiro’s words
「It probably says so the Lichtein Dukedom」
「The citizens will call us weak if we don’t get revenge, and the nobles ht express discontent, too The worst case scenario would be countries co with the Lichtein Dukedom」
Hiro finished speaking Aura’s thoughts for her, then took out the letter from the envelope
What he predicted ritten on a single sheet of parchment
「… Hmm…」
「Was it as we suspected after all?」
「Yeah It’s probably his way of telling h」
「I believe they’re an adequate opponent for your first battle」
After the Lichtein Dukedom’s loss the other day, you could say they were at death’s door steps
While having mobilized 15,000 soldiers, they were unable to acco
As a result, Duke Lichtein’s ability to keep his nation united has no doubt declined
The Dukedom’s nobles will surely choose the path of surrender if threatened even slightly
「Apparently, General Kielo, the new co 10,000on the Lichtein Dukedom It seems Liz is with them, too」
Due to an error in judgment the other day, as with First I was placed under house arrest and a different co officer replaced him
「And you?」
「It says to hurry and return so I can uess it’s ain merits froeneral」
「So that means the preparations are set」
「Guess so It also says to take control of the northern region of Lichtein’s territory and use that as a bargaining chip to create a peace treaty with them」
「That sounds about right If we destroy the Lichtein Dukedo in slave trade」
「I pity the Lichtein Dukedo kept alive for such a reason」
Hiro shrugs his shoulders and looks over the letter one more time
What bothers him, are the final words which he didn’t tell Aura about
(That’s probably why Prime Minister Gillish told me to read it alone)
He doesn’t think Aura would tell anyone, but you never kno information may leak out
Hiro puts the letter ahile trying not to give off any signs of his inner thoughts
Then, he looked at Aura and asked what he’d been wondering this whole time
「By the hy are you here, Aura?」
She is the chief of staff for Third Imperial Prince Brutar
For her to coroundless rumors
「What you’re thinking of will not happen」
「Did you co?」
「Such tricks were not necessary either」
Aura replies to Hiro who tilted his head confused
「It’s because you are the hot topic in the I fro duchess Kelheit’s mansion」
「So you’re telling s」
「You could say that as well, but even if there were rumors that I moved to your side, everyone would have no choice but to defend me and say that that’s impossible, at least inover to the Kelheit house」
Aura’s clout is strong
EvenFerzen, her military career as a whole dazzles brilliantly in the eyes of the nobles
And so, they can not ht now, because that e of heart for the nobles who are carefully watching for a shi+ft in the current situation
「It’s a delicate tiht now, so no one will try to stir up any trouble」
「Yeah, you’re right So… what business do you have here, Aura?」
「I will be departing in half an hour, so I thought I would cooodbye」
「… To the west?」
「Yes, there are survivors causing riots in various provinces of Ferzen I have received orders from his Majesty to suppress them」
「I see I wanted to have you show me around the Imperial capital, but it looks like we’re both too busy for that」
「Unfortunately, you will have to allow me to do that another time」
Aura bowed, saying 「I rite to you at a future date,」 and took her leave
He wanted to say goodbye to Alfred too, but he probably had his own preparations to take care of before departing Besides, Hiro had to head for Fort Belk right away, too
Hiro returned inside thehall was and started walking in that direction
There is a servant standing before a large door He bows and opens the door
「Sorry, I ended upyou wait」
「I don’t mind Sit here」
Rosa tilted her head to the side and pointed her hand to the chair beside her