Chapter 55

"Is that so... What would you like to hear about?" the uncle asked in return, and the explanation began. When I asked a question, the uncle would kindly answer.

I was finally able to learn about the simultaneous capture of the troublemakers from two directions.

I was surprised by Sir Sil.

Sir Sil had disappeared from the pre-ball and was in the 'Sky Room,' and the uncle was also involved! No, it's not that the uncle was a troublemaker.

The uncle had a grasp on the movements of the troublemakers, including the 'Servant,' and knew they were after Sir Sil, so he asked for Sir Sil's cooperation.

As a result—Sir Sil went to the troublemakers who were after him as a decoy.

This is how I understood why Derek had been so angry at the uncle. When the uncle appeared in the 'Sky Room' with a flourish, he must have concluded that Sir Sil had been used as a decoy...

"Can't you blame me like you do your son?"

"...Wasn't it Sir Sil's decision?"

If so, there's nothing to say.

Sir Sil must have been aware of the danger. He must have wanted to know his true family... According to the uncle—though he couldn't investigate the details—the troublemakers had provided the information that Sir Sil's family would attend the pre-ball. Whether he got any leads or not...

'Servant' and Sir Sil... Did Sir Sil become the awakened Sil because the 'Servant' did something?

"Will they be interrogated next?"

The two 'Servants' and the troublemakers who were captured. The young 'Servant' who was conscious was being inspected by the soldiers. His hood had been pulled off.

His blue eyes, similar to the colors of the minerals in this room, looked at me with a piercing intensity. I almost flinched.

I quickly opened the black fan with fluffy Rev bird feathers to block the 'Servant's' gaze.

That's right! A little while after the uncle started explaining, the black fan came back!

One of the soldiers had picked up the black fan that had fallen in the 'Sky Room,' but since the uncle and I were talking, the soldier handed it to Clifford, who was standing by. Then, when the time was right, Clifford returned it to me.

"Yes. Fortunately, we were able to capture everyone alive, though some were slightly injured. After transferring them to the castle, we will conduct a thorough interrogation with the king's permission."

The young 'Servant' was called Emilio.

By the girl the uncle brought, who seemed to be his 'Master.' And the girl...

"The Lady of Taren? She seemed to know nothing."

"She was an insurance. That 'Servant' was one of the suspects. However, we couldn't determine if he was a troublemaker, and he was also someone whose position would be clear by how he acted tonight. To control a 'Servant' with a 'Master,' it's standard to control the 'Master.' ...Please rest assured. At present, not a single hair on the Lady of Taren's head will be harmed."

"He... at least wasn't after Sir Sil, right?"

"But he did draw a blade on you, Your Highness?"

...

"Details will be revealed through the interrogation, but could you tell me about tonight's events from your perspective, Your Highness?"

I hesitated for a moment. I'm not reluctant to tell the uncle, but how much about Sir Sil? Should I keep quiet about the awakened Sir Sil?

It's useless! I immediately realized the answer.

Even through the black fan, I could feel the strong gaze of the 'Servant' named Emilio, so I realized that the 'Servants' and troublemakers would tell what they saw! If I tried to cover it up, inconsistencies would arise!

Closing the black fan, I began to speak.

—About encountering the attack in the garden, and then coming to this 'Sky Room' with Rust's guidance, and Derek joining us. I told the uncle about the series of events in the 'Sky Room.'

"...Very helpful."

"I might have interfered with your plan."

So, I do wish I had been informed in advance. If the uncle was deceiving the enemy by first deceiving the allies, it couldn't be helped, but...

"There was no interference. However, I'm always surprised by your actions, Your Highness."

"...Did I act too freely?"

"I didn't expect you to search for Lord Burks and take action yourself. ...You've always preferred actions over words, haven't you, Your Highness?"

Narrowing his eyes, the uncle looked at me with a nostalgic expression.

"...Was that so?"

I was pretending! To me, that's black history, Uncle...

You see, Esphian was an unknown language to me! It took a considerable amount of time to fully master it... Even while making mistakes, the way I made them was unnatural!

So, I was a princess who spoke very little until I could confidently use Esphian.

Words over actions—because in Esphian, you can't speak without being confident in the correct grammar! There was a time when I only said "yes" and "no"... I often used "please speak slowly" and "one more time" because I couldn't understand...

"I remember it well."

Gah! The uncle's gentle smile is blinding!

"You no longer utter mysterious incantations."

"...It was just a child's play."

I learned Esphian like a foreign language. I was afraid I would forget Japanese if I didn't use it—though at first, I simply didn't understand Esphian and always thought in Japanese.

So, inevitably, while I didn't speak much, Japanese would slip out when I was unsure about Esphian.

The uncle is talking about this.

Mysterious incantations... They were actually Japanese! The pinky promise I recited in Esphian when Alex left was originally in Japanese.

The first time, I taught Alex in Japanese, and he memorized the Japanese version perfectly after just one time...! Even a short string of meaningless sounds is incredibly hard to remember! It was one of those moments when I glimpsed my brother's talent...

"I enjoyed hearing those incantations."

"Uncle..."

His gentle follow-up is deeply touching!

Still, it's rare for Japanese to come out of my mouth in daily life.

I can use Esphian without any trouble now! Effort is great! When pushed, humans can master a foreign language! Bilingual!

If this effort had been applied to English lessons in my previous life...! ...Probably not. In Japan, you can live with just Japanese. That's why...

But, I still think in Japanese when I speak Esphian. And I write my diary in Japanese! It's convenient because no one but me can read it! It's all in code! I can spread it out and my privacy is still protected!

When I get back to the castle, I'll write about today. So much happened, I need to take notes...

"Even then, many of Your Highness's guards have changed..."

The uncle, who had a nostalgic look, noticed Clifford standing by.

"The knight accompanying Your Highness this time seems to have your trust. And to manipulate a 'Servant' like that and win..."

Though Clifford was praised, I felt happy as if it were about me, because the uncle said it.

"He's my pride and joy."

"—I almost mistook him for a 'Servant.'"

I was taken aback. The uncle is sharp.

He must have heard my conversation with Clifford... No, he probably wouldn't say it like this if he had...

"Even without being a 'Servant,' there are strong people, Uncle."

"Yes. The 'Messenger of Ongarnu' is one of them."

"!"

—Ongarnu. In the Saza religion, it refers to hell.

And it's a keyword in the Taren arc of the original story.

But I had never heard the phrase 'Messenger of Ongarnu' to refer to a person.

I latched onto it.

"Uncle, I want to know more about the 'Messenger of Ongarnu.'"

Tell me, Uncle!

"If I am suitable."

The uncle, who had been looking at Clifford, turned his gaze back to me and smiled. I love Uncle!

"The 'Messenger of Ongarnu' is a title given to a certain man during the war with the Saza religion. When the war began, the situation was not in Esphian's favor. However, a man of extraordinary strength appeared and defeated the rebel leader Nathaniel, who led the Saza religion. However, this man also inflicted damage on Esphian. Therefore, he was feared by both sides in the conflict and was called the 'Messenger of Ongarnu'—the messenger of hell. The name likely originated from the Saza religion's soldiers."

The war with the Saza religion... Extraordinarily strong...

I was out of the loop regarding the war situation... More accurately, my position as a princess kept me out of it. Father told me to "live as usual." My role as a princess was focused on the post-war period, like smiling at the victory parade and consoling the people.

"In that case, Uncle, isn't it possible that the 'Messenger of Ongarnu' was a 'Servant'?"

No, the uncle denied it.

"That's unlikely."

"Why?"

"Because the 'Messenger of Ongarnu' did something that a 'Servant' should not be able to do, Your Highness."

"...What is it that a 'Servant' should not be able to do?"

"The 'Messenger of Ongarnu' defeated Nathaniel. However, according to the known facts, no 'Servant,' regardless of who they are, should be able to harm Nathaniel. Literally, a 'Servant' cannot disobey, with or without a 'Master.' ...Nathaniel was of such a lineage."

I desperately dug through my memory of what I learned about the Saza religion.

Ah, it's coming back!

When a plague spread in Esphian, Saza preached salvation from suffering and death. He gained many followers explosively but lost numbers as the plague subsided and continued to exist in a small scale.

It was during King Us's reign that it suddenly revived—Saza religion's leaders were hereditary...

"Was there a reason for that?"

The uncle shook his head slightly.

"I don't know that much."

"...Even you, Uncle?"

"Oh. You overestimate me, Your Highness."

"But you know so much that I suspected you might be a 'Servant.'"

A short silence fell.

"...I kept it from you for a reason, but I am actually a 'Servant.'"

"!"

I was speechless, shocked.

"—That was a joke."

The uncle added playfully.

"Uncle!"

Too playful! I believed it seriously!

A cheerful laugh came from the uncle.

"I am only somewhat knowledgeable about 'Servants' as the head of the Knight Fellow Duke's family."

Information gathers, Derek also said.

"So, I concluded that the 'Messenger of Ongarnu' was just a naturally talented person. I never considered him a 'Servant' from the start."

"...That's true."

My statement was due to ignorance...

"However, the idea that the 'Messenger of Ongarnu' was a 'Servant' is interesting. —If there was a 'Servant' who made the impossible possible..."

This time, the uncle smiled warmly.

I smiled along, but a yawn almost escaped, and I quickly opened the black fan. But I couldn't fool the uncle's eyes.

"You seem tired. I shouldn't have pushed you."

"I'm fine, Uncle."

I suggested staying.

I'm just a little sleepy. ...Of all times, now! I slept soundly in the carriage on the way here.

"No, it's better to leave here and rest."

He urged me.

In the 'Sky Room,' soldiers were busy moving around.

If I stayed, I would only make them uncomfortable... I'll follow Uncle's advice. But...

"Uncle, about what we talked about here..."

I think Uncle probably doesn't know that Clifford is a 'Servant'... But there might have been soldiers who heard, and we talked about things that shouldn't be said publicly... I got carried away because I felt at ease with Uncle!

"—Except for Your Highness, the knight, and the troublemakers, everyone here is my subordinate. Even if they saw or heard something, they won't leak it to the outside. They know the consequences. But if you want me to spread the word among my subordinates..."

I shook my head frantically.

I won't say it!

When Uncle and the soldiers rushed to the 'Sky Room.'

If the red-haired young man ran to inform them, even if there were other messengers, considering the distance we walked after activating the throne's mechanism, they arrived too early.

Why? The answer. Uncle and the others used a shortcut!

"Only those who know the correct path would not know of its existence. It's unnecessary for them. —In the past, someone thought it would be better to create a new entrance. They dug a hole in the mountains and created a path leading to the passage. It was a rough job. They struggled from there, but..."

"If you take the wrong path, you'll get lost and be blocked by traps, right?"

"Yes. Thanks to the efforts of our predecessors, I was able to rush here."

We were walking through the tunnel of that passage.

The uncle and a few soldiers with torches were also with us.

It would save a considerable amount of time compared to the official route we came through with Rust's guidance.

When asked, I decided to take the shortcut.

But this tunnel. It's not maintained. The path? As long as it's passable! I can strongly feel that attitude! There are boulders scattered everywhere.

...And the shoes slip on the wet soil!

I almost fell a few times. Each time, Clifford helped me—eventually, I was carried princess-style.

Princess-style again. Well, if you count the trip from the tombstone to leaving the 'Sky Room,' it was the third time...

I was holding onto Clifford's neck with both hands, and I was incredibly relaxed.

And yet, or because of that?

Like in the carriage, my drowsiness was getting worse...

The conversation with Uncle stopped, and only the sound of footsteps echoed in the tunnel.

My drowsiness only grew stronger. The relief of it finally being over might be a big factor. (The fake) love search didn't progress, but so much happened at the pre-ball that I'm already full.

Ugh. I can't...

"...Your Highness?"

Leaning my face against Clifford's chest and closing my eyes, I fell asleep immediately.

My body swayed gently. The place where my face was resting was warm, and I could hear the heartbeat.

It felt like a place where I could rest safely.

—But before that.

I remembered.

In the half-dream state, just before falling asleep completely, I moved my lips. I called out a name.

"Clifford..."

I had to say it.

Listen, Clifford.

"I'm sorry for worrying you."

I had to apologize for this.

"...Yes."

I felt like he smiled.

"—Good night."

...Yeah.

I won't have that nightmare again, I'm sure.