Chapter 119: Each of Their Movements

“Looks like it won’t work for me. But Brother is objectively handsome and well-born, so if he really likes men, it won’t be hard to win him over.”

“……Do we really have to go this far?”

“The war with the Demon Realm is coming soon. And Deon Hart is still the Empire’s most dangerous and unstable hero. My gut tells me so.”

There’s no real basis for this.

The Princess doesn’t even know that Deon Hart travels to and from the Demon Realm.

The Crown Prince, who only had limited information about Deon Hart, looked at the Princess with fresh eyes as she pinpointed him based on nothing but a feeling, and sighed.

“Certainly… now is the right time to tie him to the Imperial Family.”

If they miss this timing, they might not get another chance.

The Crown Prince, who had been silent with his arms crossed, considering, glanced at the Princess’s sparkling eyes, then squeezed his eyes shut, opened them, and stood up.

“Please don’t forget that I have a duty to produce an heir.”

“Oh my, of course. After he’s securely tied down, that is.”

Brother can meet as many women as he wants then.

The Princess waves her hand with a smile.

Enough to heed the Princess’s claim, which others would dismiss with a laugh.

The Crown Prince was just as open-minded as the Princess.

***

“I’ve come regarding your becoming a Honorary Marquis.”

“……I’ve already received the letter of appointment.”

And what’s with the bouquet in your hand…?

Now that I see it, your hair too, you put effort into your appearance. Are you planning to meet a woman after meeting me?

The Crown Prince, dressed more lavishly than usual, with one side of his hair that he usually let down casually styled back, smiled nonchalantly as he spoke.

“We didn’t just send the letter of appointment and leave it at that. His Majesty was busy, so he sent the appointment letter first in haste, but you’re not planning to just receive the title and wipe your mouth clean without the oath-taking ceremony to the Emperor, are you?”

“Of course not.”

Why are you saying it like that? Like you’re going to kill someone.

Feeling a threat to my life, I shook my head hastily, and he laughed as if it was a joke, holding out the bouquet he was holding.

“It was a jest, so you can relax. I did come as His Majesty’s proxy to receive the oath, but in fact, His Majesty said that such formalities weren’t necessary. He said that oaths not made from the heart are unnecessary. The reason I came today is just because I wanted to see the Marquis.”

What is this? It feels ominous in a different way.

I pointed at the outstretched bouquet and stammered.

“……Th-the flowers are… ?”

“This is a gift to celebrate your becoming an Honorary Marquis and your first-place finish in the hunting competition.”

“Oh… thank you.”

“And there are some gemstones and money… that’s the prize money and compensation from His Majesty for what you suffered during the hunting competition.”

It seems he isn’t upset about me taking first place in the hunting competition. That’s a relief.

Considering the sincerity of the giver, I touched the bouquet a few times, then hugged it and turned my head to look out the window. People who appeared to be from the Imperial Palace were busily carrying something.

Even from a rough glance, they were carrying several chests. And that’s ‘some’…?

“So, um… you.”

“Ah, yes. Please speak.”

I turned my gaze back to face the Crown Prince.

The man with looks so dazzling they almost seemed to make the surroundings sparkle was unusually hesitant, unable to speak easily.

Just what is that snake-like man hesitating to say?

The Crown Prince, narrowing his brow as he pondered how to start, finally spoke in a highly refined tone, having carefully chosen his words.

“What do you think about same-sex marriage becoming possible if the law changes?”

“……Excuse me?”

Why are you asking me that? No, more than that, it’s too out of the blue. It’s not related to the war, why are we talking about marriage at a time like this?

But since the Crown Prince asked, I have to answer. Suppressing the absurdity that was about to burst out, I racked my brain to come up with the most innocuous answer possible.

“I’m not sure, but I think there might be people who would be happy about it.”

Is there a noble among the influential nobles who likes the same sex? Are they trying to attract that noble by using the change in law as bait?

It’s certainly a peaceful method. Although it’s not exactly the right time to be talking about this.

“You’re not sure… does that mean you don’t like men?”

“No, I don’t.”

To be precise, I don’t have the余裕 to like anyone.

I’m too busy taking care of myself, how can I care about others? For me, other people are just two-dimensional figures.

There’s no need to bother with them or delve into their stories. It’s enough to treat them as they appear on the surface.

To take it to the extreme, they’re like the background… Ah, they can talk, so maybe not the background. Then extras. Or characters in a book who move according to a set theme.

“Is that so…”

A strangely empty voice brushed against my eardrums.

Suspicion arose there. Could it be.

‘Was I the target?!’

The same-sex marriage bait, and dressing up nicely to come here, it was all aimed at me?

Since the Princess didn’t work, the Crown Prince himself stepped up, is that it? I roughly understood the situation. But…

‘I understand everything, but why are you trying to change my sexual orientation…’

If the Princess didn’t work, you could just think, ‘The Princess isn’t his type,’ and find him another woman. Why is His Highness the Crown Prince taking it upon himself?

……Could it be that the Crown Prince’s preference is…?

I must have instinctively taken a step back. The Crown Prince waved his hand with a flustered expression.

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

The Crown Prince likes men.

Of course, whether he likes women or men is none of my business. Even if he likes men, I’d only think ‘What about an heir?’ for a moment, with no further interest… but if I become the target, the story changes.

I fumbled for the cord next to me and pulled it. No response. I pulled it again. Still no one came.

I pulled the cord like crazy.

“……The cord you’re pulling isn’t for summoning someone, it’s the light cord.”

“Ah.”

No wonder one side of my vision was sparkling.

“I’m telling you, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“Yes, I believe you. Just a moment…”

I cautiously stood up and backed away towards the door.

I glanced at the Crown Prince with a dumbfounded expression, then quickly turned my back, opened the door, and shouted towards the hallway.

“……Rememver! Rememver!”

“No, Marquis. Calm down for a moment…”

“When will the preparations be finished?!”

“Marquis?”

The Crown Prince grabbed my shoulder!

A voice close by, as if he had come up behind me, sent shivers down my spine, and I shouted one last time towards the door.

“You can use the Elephant 3 seconds thing, just finish it quickly!!”

“Elephant 3 seconds…?”

Forget it, I’m escaping to the Demon Realm.

I should have been loud enough for Rememver to hear. Even if he didn’t, other servants would have heard and would tell him.

So, let’s just buy some time. I turned back to face the Crown Prince as if nothing had happened and spoke nonchalantly.

“I believe Your Highness. Of course, it’s a misunderstanding.”

“…Then why are you standing so close to the door?”

“Ah.”

“……”

After that, I had to listen to explanations from the Crown Prince until Rememver arrived, until the misunderstanding was cleared up.

Well, the misunderstanding was resolved in the end.

The Crown Prince was half-spirited, his carefully groomed appearance looking disheveled, as if he had been under considerable stress during that brief time, but I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt.

Serves him right for doing something like that. Hmph.

***

“Let’s eat!”

“You crazy bastard! Don’t cut in line!”

“…But hasn’t the Revolutionary Army been quiet lately?”

“It does seem that way… like hell it does. We handled another one today. How long is His Majesty going to keep using us?”

“We have to pay for the buildings… how many buildings have we destroyed?”

“Honestly, it was all because of the bombs the Revolutionary Army had. We’re busy enough dealing with them, how are we supposed to handle the bombs one by one? We have no choice but to throw them into the sky.”

“Anyway, the frequency has really decreased lately. Even the ones who show up are small fry. Why? Is it because of the war?”

“Hey, why are your hands shaking?”

“Mind your own business. It’s aftereffects. I was in charge of handling the Revolutionary Army today, so I took some drugs…”

“Pfft! Hey, everyone! There’s still a guy here who can’t handle the aftereffects!”

“Really? How many years has it been since we started using drugs!”

“Ugh, you weakling. You need to put in the effort. Huh? You lack willpower, will-powerrr.”

“Damn it, shut up!”

Thud!

“…I told you to shut up, not to bury your head in the food tray.”

“Is this a new way of eating? Eating like a dog without using your hands?”

“He’s not getting up, isn’t he going to suffocate and die like that… *snores*.”

“Hey, he’s asleep. He has hypersomnia… *snoooores*.”

“What’s going on, every…”

Thud! Thump!

……

……*cough*.

“……To fall asleep after talking for more than 10 minutes even after taking drugs that can knock out a beast.”

How did the Marquis manage to gather and lead only these crazy bastards? If this is a talent, then it’s a talent.

Anyway, next time, I should make the drugs stronger.

“Inform the Marquis that the departure preparations are complete.”

***

Escape!

***

Deon Hart, as always, expertly steered his horse to the entrance of a mountain range untouched by human feet.

The Emperor and the Demon King both know that there is a border here, but neither sends troops to garrison it. The small border, barely wide enough for one person to pass through, exists solely for Deon’s sake.

Until Deon Hart definitively decides on his allegiance, the two rulers, different yet alike, made an unspoken agreement not to send anyone to the border in the mountain range and risk exposing its location.

That’s why those who see him off don’t follow him into the mountain range, to avoid being tracked.

‘Until I definitively decide on my allegiance…’

Clearly, his life wasn’t food, but it had developed an expiration date. He had resigned himself to it, but his heart rotting away was a separate matter.

If the Demon King knew that the Emperor had played his trump card, would he remain still? Of course not.

He chuckled as he traced the mark with his fingertip.

‘A guy who engraves something like this can’t be normal.’

The initiative is still on this side, so he won’t come on too strong, but it’s better to be prepared. The Demon King isn’t the Demon King for nothing.

He sent the horse he rode back and stepped into the mountain range. He continued up the rugged mountain path without looking back, and when he was about halfway, he heard a sound that shouldn’t have been audible.

“Gurgle-“.

The sound of blood boiling. In other words, the sound of someone dying.

He turned his head. A little ways off, a man was pulling a dagger he had plunged into someone’s neck, his hand still covering the victim’s mouth.

Green eyes, black hair. How annoyingly persistent. Why are you everywhere I go?

“Cruel Hart.”

He murmured to himself, drawing his dagger.

Cruel, who had been looking down at the fallen corpse, raised his gaze to look at Deon. Their eyes met, and silence flowed.

Witnesses must be killed. Although he couldn’t have seen the border due to the location, the reason for following him was too clear, so killing him was the right thing to do. Especially since the other party was a subordinate of the Duke, the leader of the noble faction.

But even though he knew it, Deon didn’t move. He didn’t want to move. Deon was currently too exhausted to show hostility towards him.

……

……

In the strange silence, Cruel, who had been quietly observing Deon’s mentally drained eyes, soon turned his head.

Regardless of whether Deon’s eyes widened at the unexpected action, Cruel pretended not to see anything, showed no sign of recognition, and started walking back the way he came, leaving the corpse behind.

Deon, unable to understand Cruel’s thoughts, could only narrow his brow and glare at his retreating back.