Chapter 50

"Concluding, the investigation is far from over, that's the current situation, I suppose."

Bald held a warm cup of tea in his hand and spoke leisurely. Why did things turn out this way? Rabi laughed wryly as she faced her ex-fiancé. Inside the greenhouse of the Heathfen family, they sat across from each other at a white table. In the past, as his fiancée, she used to meet him regularly, but now it had been a long time since then. It was a rather strange feeling.

***

The letter from Bald, stating his intention to visit the Heathfen family, arrived a few days after Yuman was captured. If it were the old Rabi, she would have been flustered about what to do when he came, but now it didn't matter to her. She just wanted him to leave as soon as possible. Besides, there was no need to hide her true feelings anymore, so she decided to be straightforward with the prince.

When Bald finally arrived, he looked as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, though it might have been just Rabi's imagination. For now, she guided him to the greenhouse, and they were sipping tea. At his request, there was no one else around, which was unusual. Bald had brought guards other than Sai, but now even they were standing guard at the door of the greenhouse.

It seemed he intended to have a serious conversation. She wished he wouldn't. She didn't want to get involved in any more trouble.

However, she couldn't say she wasn't curious. Rabi decided to listen to Bald's report. Bald then began to recount the fates of those who had ensnared her or tried to.

"Right now, the country is mobilizing all its scholars and wise men to unravel the mystery of the Holy Maiden. Rabi, the existence of the third Holy Maiden, whom you told me about, has indeed disposed of many documents, but it seems there are still gaps. The investigation is gradually making progress."

Rabi had expected as much. She had learned about the existence of the enslaving magic from a book she found while sneaking into the castle. She had thought that while it might be hard to see, everything hadn't disappeared. Seeing Rabi's reaction, Bald continued his explanation.

"The boy Yuman, whom you and Sai captured, has lost all his memories."

"…Memories?"

"It might be due to the removal of the gem. He apparently has no idea what he has been doing or where he has been. He doesn't even remember his original name. We are still interrogating him, considering the possibility of acting, but personally, I don't think he is lying."

It was a terrible story. The boy, now just a collection of memories in a gem, might have been creating various tragedies. Rabi felt so angry. "And about Nella's future treatment…" Upon hearing these words, Rabi's breath caught, and her heart made an unpleasant thud.

"She has been decided to be confined to the tower for the rest of her life. Nella will never appear before you again, nor will she see the outside world."

Rabi didn't know how to react. The only thing she could do was take a deep breath. Joy or sorrow—such simple words couldn't describe her ten years. As an individual, she felt pity for Nella's future, but that was all.

"Nella seems to have been instilled with strange ideas by Yuman since childhood. There are points to be sympathetic about. However, Nella was driven by her own malicious feelings and continued to attack you. That is not something that can be forgiven with an apology. …But, given that she was born with the cursed power of a Holy Maiden, confinement was inevitable."

Rabi found Bald's matter-of-fact statement somewhat surprising. He had certainly loved her, sending affectionate glances her way. Noticing Rabi's puzzled expression, Bald smiled wryly. "I'm surprised too."

The tea on the table had long since cooled.

"When you used that magic, the feeling of affection for Nella had already disappeared. I confirmed this with others who were devoted to her. Those with royal blood, with varying degrees of individual differences, all experienced the same sensation. It was as if it were a real curse."

Bald called it a curse, but Rabi had a slightly different view. The third Holy Maiden and the boy who resembled Bald's ancestor had loved her. Even if his memory was erased, his blood might have sought her out. Perhaps Bald, who resembled him, was more strongly affected by this.

"…But, this is just an excuse."

Bald was aware of the lightness of his own words. He had used his engagement to Rabi as a cover for his "affair" with Nella. While he might have considered it true love, it deserved criticism. In fact, the past Rabi had been hurt and cried many times. But now, it really didn't matter to her. She couldn't say such things, of course.

"I truly, deeply apologize to you."

Bald's face contorted in pain. Reflecting on his various actions and putting them into words was extremely painful and shameful. "…I am incompetent," he said in a strained voice.

"I am neither as cautious as Sai nor as decisive as Fehr. I only have the magic I was born with, and even that was defeated by Fehr."

He was referring to the battle during the exchange tournament. In the game, Bald had a string of victories, but he didn't know that, and this world wasn't a game. It was a one-time reality with no save and load.

Bald was just a weather-vane kind of boy. Being kind might be a compliment, but not being able to let go of one side ultimately led to both sides breaking. As a person, it might not be wrong, but as a king, it was entirely unsuitable. He was aware of this.

The old Rabi might have denied it, saying, "That's not true," but "Well, if you're saying that to me, I guess it is," she said honestly. For a king to call himself incompetent was too shallow. Bald took Rabi's rude words lightly and dropped a heavy statement.

"So, I am thinking of declining the throne."

"…Huh? Huh!?"

After a few seconds, she realized this was a conversation she shouldn't be hearing. So Rabi immediately put her hands over her ears. I can't hear it. I can't hear it. It was just a pretense. She didn't want to get involved.

"To be honest, I think Fehr is more suitable to be king. He was also ensnared by Nella, but he overcame it with reason. He can sacrifice his own feelings to protect the name of Heathfen while cherishing you."

But Fehr was already involved.

(Here, the Fehr ending's foreshadowing comes back!?)

Fehr's ending was about plotting to overthrow the state for Nella, ending with a meaningful statement. It was just a fan theory about Fehr, who had a claim to the throne as Bald's cousin, but it might have been spot on.

Fehr is a person who can "let go." This is a necessary quality for a king. Moreover, he showed his young talent during the exchange tournament. Bald must have had his thoughts at that time.

"However, it won't happen immediately. There will be various objections from the nobles who support me. Besides, there are still many things I need to do using this position."

Unable to pretend not to hear anymore, Rabi finally took her hands off her ears. Bald smiled slightly at Rabi and, with determined eyes, clenched his fist and made a vow.

"I want to give names to all the people in this country."

Rabi didn't understand what he meant. But as a noble who had the memory of another world, she could grasp the meaning.

It means giving the protective power of names to everyone, regardless of whether they are commoners or nobles. That's what Bald was saying.

"…Can you really do that?"

For Rabi, who knew about Japan, where everyone has a last name, it was a normal thing. But in this world, it was a completely new idea. In a country where magic is a complex element, it was unthinkable. The nobles around him wouldn't even understand what the prince was saying.

"If the power of the Holy Maiden is a being that has fallen from the protection of names, then expanding that protection is the solution. Now that half of the gem has returned, it is not impossible. Of course, there will be many other problems, but I don't want to create another Nella."

It was a statement of resolve.

It was clear that this was not a decision made lightly. So Rabi, just Rabi, honestly expressed what she felt.

"…That will be very, very difficult."

It would take a long time. She might even be remembered as a "mad prince" in the future, like the old Rabi. "I know," he said, with a depth of emotion that Rabi couldn't fathom.

At the very least, he had decided to give up his glorious life as a prince and live on. He was a man who couldn't abandon anything. But in the midst of all this, the one thing he finally found he could let go of was himself. He might not even be able to fulfill his life, and he might disappear halfway through.

But Bald would spend his life walking his own path.

***

Thus, for the first time in ten years, Rabi ate a full meal without any stress or worry. She stretched out her arms and snuggled into bed. It had been a long time since she slept through the night. The days that followed felt almost unreal. She was initially nervous that everything might fall apart, but after a month, she realized this was her new normal.

She was so happy that even the smallest things brought her joy. Soon after, she decided to remake her uniform.

***