Chapter 150

The Princess

I had felt it before when the Imperial Capital had been swept away by demonkind, but there was no doubt that the aftermath recovery capability of a properly established great power was truly astounding.

The most symbolic Grand Sanctuary in the nation had been shattered to that extent, yet they had completely restored it in just a few days.

Well, perhaps it had only been possible because the high-ranking demon who had caused this entire incident no longer exerted any influence.

“……”

As I thought of Bailey Varga and Elisha Gillias Craven, I let out a sigh and ran a hand through my hair.

They would definitely make contact with me again.

Wasn’t the reason they had approached me this time in the first place to verify whether I was a suitable person to carry out what they wanted from me?

I was certain of that. Unless I was a fool, there was no way I wouldn’t realize it.

When they contacted me again, I had the feeling that something might truly be brought to its ultimate conclusion.

‘……They were originally characters who only appeared in the very final part of the story.’

The Storyteller— the demon Varga— was someone I would normally only meet around Act IV, the final act, during [Subjugation of the Evil God].

He was not an existence that could simply pop out so freely starting from Act II.

♣ Life is Beautiful (2) [ Individual Quest ]

* Katya Heinkel Craven harbored nothing but terribly unpleasant experiences regarding all memories of the Holy Crown Kingdom. Please help this individual overcome such trauma!

* Upon clear, the target’s ‘Remnant’ will be granted as a reward.

▶ You have cleared the relevant quest.

▶ The Remnant of the target ‘Abigail III’ is granted.

……Honestly, from my perspective, now that these windows had already begun popping up one after another, it hardly mattered who it was.

The biggest concern had been blocking Act II without any casualties, and now that that worry had disappeared, the Holy Crown Kingdom was no longer a place that would be swept up in some major catastrophe. No matter which royal succeeded, they would manage things well enough.

As I mulled over that thought, Alester suddenly spoke.

“Aiden Kellermain.”

“Yes.”

“Take good care of my sister.”

“…….”

As I quietly nodded, Alester continued in a serious tone.

“If necessary, the Holy Crown Kingdom will provide any support—”

“No. I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

Even as he spoke, I abruptly cut him off.

Alester tilted his head, clearly puzzled at having his sentence cleanly snipped in half, and I continued.

“Why do you think His Holiness deliberately left Katya to be disregarded?”

“Hmm?”

“Of course, once her support was cut off, she was bound to be ignored. I’m asking about the intention behind doing such a thing in the first place.”

“…….”

At my words, Alester blinked blankly at me.

“Wasn’t it to reduce the situations in which she would have to use that power as much as possible?”

It would be difficult to believe that the Pontiff had not anticipated that the moment he reduced his influence over Katya, she would become a public enemy.

And most likely.

In the Pontiff’s mind.

He must have long thought that it would be better, even if it meant going that far, not to place shackles upon her.

Treating her like a discarded princess and expecting nothing from her could also be interpreted as a declaration that he would impose no obligations upon her.

“Katya will live doing what she herself desires. I will make sure of it.”

“…….”

“So let’s put some distance between her and the Holy Crown Kingdom, Your Highness. It’s something Katya herself should choose. I’ll help her.”

“……Very well.”

Alester, who had been listening quietly, nodded in agreement without resistance.

With an awkward smile, he asked me another question.

“Then when’s the ceremony?”

“…….”

This time, it was my turn to be at a loss for words.

“……Pardon?”

As I asked blankly, Alester instead tilted his head, as if my reaction was what he hadn’t expected.

“……Wasn’t it His Holiness’s last wish that you take responsibility for Katya until the end?”

“……That’s right?”

“……Then doesn’t that mean you’re getting married?”

“…….”

Uh.

That.

Uh.

“…….”

……He was right?

Honestly, I couldn’t even deny it.

At this point, trying to make excuses like, ‘No, that’s not what I meant……,’ would amount to nothing more than trashy evasion of responsibility.

I had declared to the Pontiff that I would stake my life and take responsibility until the very end.

“…….”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

After taking a deep breath, I forced the corners of my mouth upward into a smile.

“……I will contact you as soon as the preparations are complete.”

“Good. I’ll help too, so we can make it as grand as possible!”

With a radiant smile that felt as though it washed away all my sins at once, Alester extended his hand for a handshake.

……It felt like all the moisture in my body was being drained away, but I still managed to grasp his hand in return.

▣

Polygamy.

Polygamy, huh.

Some might call it someone’s dream, while others would call it an unfair scam contract— shouldering twice the weight of marriage, which was already the grave of one’s life.

As for my own mindset toward it, it was closer to, it didn’t matter what anyone said, I just had to do it.

Noel and Katya were practically like water and oil, and from Noel’s perspective— having once been my fiancée— it wouldn’t have been strange at all if she flew into a rage and tried to tear me in half. And if that happened, what would become of the political backlash, and what kind of aftereffects would there be externally—

It was a word that brought with it all kinds of difficult and towering obstacles. Even so.

‘……No. I made a promise to His Holiness.’

I didn’t want to become a pathetic man who only made promises with his mouth.

At the very least, if someone had placed their life— and the life of the person they wished to entrust— in my hands, and I had sworn to it, then it was my duty to uphold that oath with all my heart and strength.

……Though it was a little frightening.

This wasn’t something that would simply end at the level of, this will be hard.

Every time I faced the gods, it kept being revealed that they were deeply connected to the people involved in the main scenario.

And in the midst of that, Noel— who had received Karva’s power— had practically stamped a seal of certification that I would be swept up in every possible kind of romantic trouble in the future. She had even said that it would change her personality later on because of it.

“…….”

Hmm.

Come to think of it.

If the Noel from that time had described it as ‘romantic trouble,’ didn’t that mean there might be more than just these two in the future……? 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

‘……I’ll think about that later.’

Right now, just Noel and Katya alone were more than enough to make my head spin.

……And one of them was sitting right in front of me.

“…….”

“…….”

Inside the passenger cabin, Noel Astrea Simus and I sat in silence, not exchanging a single word, listening only to the rattling sound of the train.

If Katya had been here too, it would have been nothing short of hell, but she was still struggling to adjust after regaining senses she had long lost. She preferred lying down quietly by herself for the time being.

Since we were returning to the Empire after wrapping everything up properly, it would have made sense to at least create a brighter atmosphere. Yet Noel’s expression had remained stiff the entire time.

“……Dame Noel.”

In the end, unable to endure the crushing silence any longer, I barely managed to speak first.

I had been prepared to take the hit first if I was going to be struck anyway.

“H-huhk, y-yes, w-what is it?!”

“…….”

There was something strange about Noel’s response.

Rather than reacting sharply out of anger, it felt more like the words she had been desperately suppressing out of embarrassment burst out all at once……

“……Dame?”

“………….”

When I called out to her again, the feeling became clearer.

Noel, who had been twisting her body this way and that, finally managed to open her mouth.

“……W-well, yes.”

She fidgeted and stammered as she forced out her sentence.

“……Didn’t I kiss you in front of everyone, Sir Aiden?”

“……Ah.”

So.

It seemed that she retained faint memories from when Karva had entered her body. Even if she couldn’t remember every word she had said, she could recall the scenes in fragments.

And it appeared that the way she had fiercely, almost predatorily, pressed me had left an impression on her as well.

“…….”

No.

She had been too embarrassed to speak because of that.

The suffocating silence until now hadn’t been her trying to pressure me— it meant she had been unable to speak out of sheer humiliation.

……Hmm.

‘……Just what happened to turn someone like this into that?’

What kind of incident would have to occur for someone who was now twisting in embarrassment before me to transform into a person with such a fierce temperament, caring nothing for the eyes of others?

More precisely, just what kind of catastrophe would I have to cause in between to push her that far……

And most likely, the clue that would provide an answer to that question was nearby.

A laugh echoed.

Inside a passenger cabin that was clearly occupied by only Noel and me.

“……?”

“……??”

The two of us, goosebumps rising instantly, turned toward the source of the sound.

The cabin floor.

It was usually where luggage was stored.

When I yanked it open, an immediate headache-inducing sight struck my vision.

“Oh dear.”

As I rubbed my throbbing temple and stared at the ‘person’ hiding there, a casual remark followed.

“Caught.”

Beneath a suit of heavy armor, tucked into the space normally meant for baggage, Milene Lazuli Craven— the Second Princess of the Holy Crown Kingdom— shamelessly spoke.

“As expected, you can’t fool the instincts of a man who’s about to marry two women at the same—”

“—First of all, be quiet and come out.”