It’s Ko-Fi’s Supporters’ chapter (124/130), enjoy~
ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 1 – The Fall of Euro
Part 1
Elena and Tigre left Heim.
They were riding in a carriage reserved for Tigre, a so-called royal carriage. They were headed for Euro in two other carriages, one with private soldiers and a few servants.
The road was dark, without a single streetlight.
It was around the same time that Ain was looking at the black sword in Ishtalika.
“Elena, I want to summarize the current situation in which it is difficult to distinguish between friend and foe. Shannon’s birth family, the Bruno family… and the relationship between Shannon and Edward, who was Duke Amour’s attendant in Euro, is still unclear, isn’t it? Naturally, there remains something eerie about my father’s words.”
“You are right.”
“There is one more mystery here. Even if my father had a plan with the Bruno family, I don’t see the need to assassinate my brother.”
Garland’s appearance at the loss of the second prince never looked like an act.
“Father doesn’t seem to be acting, but the story is too bizarre to dismiss Shannon’s case as a coincidence or a poor choice of words.”
“──I have an idea about that.”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Suppose that His Majesty was conspiring with the Bruno family in some way. At the same time, let’s say that we determine that His Majesty was acting. …Then, after the prince’s assassination, His Majesty would have immediately summoned the Bruno family. But there was no indication that he would do so.”
In other words, the second prince’s death was not scheduled.
“Then that would mean that although they were supposed to be related, my father was not informed that my brother was going to be killed. Hmm, it seems as if Shannon is in a better position than him.”
Tigre’s voice lacked conviction.
Elena’s story was superimposed on the death of Tigre’s older brother. Even though he thought he was acting stout-heartedly, Tigre’s spirit was quite worn.
“If my father had conspired with the Bruno family, then my father would be disqualified from being king of Heim, no matter what the outcome.”
“That’s…!”
“Say nothing. …I am also disqualified from the royal family because I have been wasting the treasury for the sake of love.”
Elena closed her mouth at the words being spoken.
“When I think back, Krone has been a woman who speaks without hesitation and with dignity from the moment she exchanged words with me. She was also beautiful in appearance, of course. Another time she turned down my invitation to join me was when I asked her out on a date.”
He then used his blood money to find her when she disappeared.
Eventually, he met Ain, and just recently, he went so far as to set the stage for a meeting with Ishtalika, but when asked if it was worth it, he didn’t think so himself.
“Their prime minister… Warren, was it? So he was right in his assessment of me.”
Perhaps the prince Tigre was just clumsy. He had gone off the rails to fulfill his first love, but there was also a side of him that could be as calm as he was now. Considering the content and the result, he had the ability to take action, having gone to Euro himself in the past.
He was by no means an ordinary fool; he may have just gone astray.
“Now, there is something I was going to say to you, Elena. When we get to Euro, circumstances may dictate that we part ways. You can stay with Krone in Ishtalika.”
He said something out of the blue, surprising Elena greatly.
“What are you talking about?”
“I am saying this given the situation in our homeland. I will bow down to the people of Ishtalika, and you will be taken into custody by them. No objection is allowed.”
“No! Do you think that I would run away without you, Your Highness?”
“At a time when the Roundhearts cannot be trusted, there is nothing more reliable than Elena’s loyalty.”
“If you say so, Your Highness will come with me to Ishtalika!”
She wants to give priority to the royal family. Elena’s feelings were met with a half-hearted smile from Tigre.
“Don’t be ridiculous. There is no way they will protect me. …That’s the end of the story. Elena, I’m sorry, but I haven’t slept much. I’ll rest while I can.”
“But,….. no, I understand. I’ll discuss this matter with you when we arrive at Euro.”
“Fuh, you’re a stubborn woman, aren’t you?”
When Tigre uttered this, he closed his eyes and immediately fell asleep.
Even in this emergency, he could still sleep because he had not had any restful time since he was in Heim castle, and his body was nearing its limits.
──I need to get some rest too, said Elena.
There is nothing better than having the energy to think about anything. Ignoring her faster-than-usual pulse and her restless emotions, Elena made a desperate effort to fall asleep.
Among the carriages of the Heim Kingdom, the one used by the royal family was head and shoulders above the rest.
One reason was that they were built differently, but another was that they used more selective horses than anywhere else. The carriages that the servants rode in were also special carriages. After all, even if the royal carriages were fast, it would be meaningless if the servants could not keep up with them.
“Elena-sama, we have just arrived.”
The carriage had stopped before she knew it.
So the servant stepped besides Elena and shook her shoulder to wake her up.
“…What time is it now?”
“It was around 3:00 a.m., only a few hours after midnight.”
“Well, it looks like we arrived in good time. I’m going to get some air.”
The servant returned to the carriage where the knights had boarded after hearing Elena’s words. Elena, after seeing them, stood up quickly, stretched out her stiff body, and put her hand on the door of the carriage.
She stepped outside and looked at Euro, who was just a stone’s throw away.
“Hah… it really is Euro.”
The carriage stopped just before the castle town of Euro.
Euro is a country surrounded by capes, where the wind blows stronger than in Heim. This is the perfect place to cool down a hot head like now.
──What should I say to Amour-dono? Elena thought.
The letter was approved, but it doesn’t make much sense since Tigre and Elena are here.
──Where is Edward-dono now?
No. This is too short for words.
──By the way, I saw Edward-dono in Heim the other day.
If Duke Amour were involved in this disturbance, they would definitely be detained on the spot or even join the victims on the spot.
“At a time like this, I envy the strength of a man like Warren-dono.”
The people of Ishtalika would believe more than anyone else in the dependability of the man called Warren.
Elena also had a certain amount of confidence, but when she was dealing with that man, that confidence seemed to be just overconfidence.
What would he think in such a situation?
She recalled the greatness of the man called Warren, which she had been reminded of during the meeting.
──I would like to ask for Edward-dono’s cooperation in the investigation.
Ah, that’s it. This way, she could find out if Edward was even in Euro, she thought to herself in delight, when suddenly, tickling her nostrils, was the smell of something burning.
Is there a bonfire somewhere? Elena didn’t pay much attention, but then she turned her attention to the castle town of Euro.
A moment later, a huge pillar of fire rose up in the town.
“…I have to wake His Highness up!”
Thinking of the worst that could happen, she ran to Tigre, who was still sleeping.
This situation was not good.
The knights, noticing the anomaly, moved to the side, then she stepped into the carriage and shook Tigre’s shoulder.
“Your Highness! Your Highness!”
Tigre’s shoulder was shaken vigorously.
“…What’s the matter? You’re making quite a racket?”
“I know I’m being rude! We’ve arrived at Euro, but something is not right!”
She urged Tigre out of the carriage.
Tigre understood that this was no ordinary matter and followed her out of the carriage.
Looking toward the town of Euro, he saw smoke filled with flames rising from everywhere, replacing the pillars of fire that had just risen.
“What is this? What in the world has happened to Euro───?”
In a state of extreme nervousness, Tigre tried desperately to wrap his brain around what the best course of action would be in this situation.
“We shouldn’t go to the castle town.”
“I think that would be wise. We are going to evacuate.”
Tigre continued to look around, unsure that this was the right thing to do.
Soon after, Tigre found the presence he had been looking for and smiled.
“The other day, I was afraid of it, but now I feel reassured! Everyone, take the least amount of luggage you can carry! We’re going for that thing!”
“Your Highness! No way…!”
“That’s not possible! That’s all we can rely on now!”
Elena, the knights, and the servants were all surprised by his declaration once again.
But in their hearts, they understood. None of them objected because they knew there was no one else they could rely on.
Tigre took a vigorous breath of air that was laced with a burning smell.
“Let’s go! We’re going to that Ishtalika battleship!”
He said the words he never thought he would say, and for the sake of his companions who had followed him, he set his feet forward, abandoning his trivial pride.
───Tigre’s knights led the way, but it was Tigre himself who walked right behind them.
They descended the near precipitous cape and followed the slightly widening flat road, avoiding the castle town and making their way toward Ishtalika’s ship. As they crossed the footholds that seemed to be about to give way, they were under the illusion that even the occasional gentle sea breeze was trying to push them back and drop them into the sea.
“──Kuh…!”
As Tigre almost lost his footing, a pebble fell far below.
It turned into pieces when it hit the reef and sank into the sea. Because of the darkness, such an appearance was not visible, but this made Tigre even more terrified.
──Hah, hah.
Still, he wanted to pat himself on the back for making an effort to keep breathing.
“Everyone, we’re almost there! Don’t give up!”
The third prince’s inspirational words resonated in the hearts of the fear-stricken servants and led to the support that they could still hold on to.
But the knight in front of them suddenly stopped with a look of frustration on their faces.
“…It’s a dead end. From here, we have no choice but to continue on toward the castle town.”
The road ahead was not a place to proceed on foot. If it had been just the knights, they would have been able to get by, but now they also have Tigre, and in addition to Elena, they also have a few servants with them.
To the point where we almost gave up on proceeding.
──Kikii.
It wasn’t long after that that they noticed an eerie squeak approaching from behind them.
Thanks for the chapter
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