Chapter 127
Not all logic is black-and-white thinking, a simple matter of right or wrong. But in a battle where lives were at stake, it was crucial to have a clear standard for distinguishing Ally from foe.
That's why, before I carried out the Imperial Palace Terror, I had no choice but to ask Pria whether she could betray the Imperial Palace or not.
Of course, given the bond and affection we'd built, I wouldn't kill Pria. Still, I needed to decide how I would treat her going forward.
*And with time running out...*
I had no choice but to ask an overly aggressive, yet definitive, question. So I watched Pria, who was clearly flustered, and waited for her answer. Pria looked at me, a playful smile gracing her lips, and spoke.
"What, are you playing games the moment we meet? Fine, I like games too..., so I can play along, right?"
I had asked to distinguish ally from foe. But Pria seemed to think my question was a joke, and she smiled playfully as she spoke to me.
"I really missed you. Truly, *truly*."
"...?"
It felt too sincere to be a joke. The moment I heard it, I tried to answer, but Pria seemed uninterested in my reply, quickly cutting me off and continuing.
"Anyway, you asked if I wanted to blow up the Imperial Palace, right? Hmm, it's a bit strange for a Princess to say this, but... if possible, I'd like to. It's truly suffocatingly stuffy in here."
Even though I wasn't particularly good at analyzing people's psychology, I could easily tell that what Pria was saying wasn't a lie, but the truth.
*Wanting to blow it up is a joke, but feeling suffocated by the stuffiness is genuine.*
Still, one thing was certain: depending on what I said, Pria could either be on my side or not. Just as I was about to try and persuade Pria, she playfully poked my stomach and spoke.
"By the way, not only did you propose marriage, but after boldly dumping the woman you stayed with in the same hotel, isn't it a bit much to subtly approach me and act friendly?"
Although it was a bit distorted, there was nothing technically wrong with what she said, so I just gave an awkward laugh. Pria giggled and said to me.
"Just kidding. You were playing games, so I thought I'd play one too."
Pria seemed to find this game quite amusing, unable to stop laughing as she looked at me. Soon, she flopped onto the nearby bed and spoke to me.
"So why did you come? Is it still because you want to marry me?"
Although she spoke playfully, I could tell she was asking seriously this time. So I decided to continue with what Pria insisted was a joke.
"Not bad."
"...Huh?"
"I like it."
At my words saying I liked it, Pria froze, then spoke to me in a very awkward voice.
"...Are you serious right now?"
Her expression was utterly sincere, devoid of any playfulness. I nodded at Pria and continued.
"Why don't you like it?"
"It's, it's not that. It's just so sudden. No, you clearly said you didn't want it last time, so why now... all of a sudden."
Her voice was filled with such profound confusion that I almost laughed. I managed to hold it in, then approached Pria and continued.
"So, what do *you* want to do?"
"...Well."
Pria, her mind clearly troubled, covered her face with both hands, pondered for a moment, then calmly spoke.
"It's a bit late to say this, but there's a problem..."
"A problem?"
"You don't seem to care at all, but I have the position of a Princess."
I gave a slight nod, and Pria covered her forehead with a pillow before continuing.
"This in itself isn't a huge problem, considering your House... but the real issue is that my Father and Older Brother have disappeared at some point."
It seemed best to just listen quietly in this situation, so I simply nodded without a word. Pria fidgeted with her hands and calmly continued.
"...And to put it another way, it means I'm the only one left in the Imperial House who can fulfill my role."
She was the only Princess of the Imperial Bloodline capable of fulfilling her role. This implied one thing: she was the only one who could legitimately contend for the Emperor's throne.
That's why Pria said she had become entangled in such a political struggle, whether she wanted to or not.
"Honestly, I want to run away right now... but if I did, countless people who followed me would surely be purged, so escaping is impossible."
However, if she were to marry me, it wouldn't be considered running away, and furthermore,
"With the power of the Karsaril Family backing me, I could protect them. All the problems would disappear. ...That's why I made that proposal to you."
I stared intently at Pria's face, lost in thought. The image of her wanting to leave immediately but unable to due to immense responsibility was vivid. Seeing her like that, I pondered for a moment, then slowly approached Pria.
What should I say, and how should I convey it? I'd rather commit an act of terror than offer comfort or persuasion like this, so I hesitated, unfamiliar with such things. But in the end, there was only one thing I could do for her, so I spoke to Pria.
"I'm not joking, I'm serious. Want to burn down the Imperial Palace together?"
"...You're really an idiot, aren't you?"
"I'm being serious, though?"
"..."
Pria glared at me sharply, then closed her mouth and fell into thought.
"Burn it down, huh... What kind of changes would that bring, and what would happen to me? The Imperial Family's authority is already weakened, so the Noble Faction would probably get out of hand and try to climb over me. If that happens, it won't be long before those Nobles try to seize my authority..."
She seemed to have a lot bottled up, as she quickly continued speaking.
"Right now, it's “Oh, Your Imperial Highness,” but the moment I lose power, they'll try to attack me. Of course, since those guys have a lot to lose and have become cowards, they won't directly touch me. Instead, they'll attack those who are my greatest support, trying to bring me down..."
Towards the end, Pria, who had been rapidly outlining the potential developments if the Imperial Palace Terror were unleashed here, let out a small laugh and spoke to me.
"Then, for better or worse, I'd be free. I could die, or be exiled. Oh, is that too hopeful a conclusion? There's also the possibility of becoming a Slave, a mere ornament for those greedy Nobles."
"..."
"Or maybe you'd take me away? No, you only need me as a Princess, not Pria herself. You'd probably think I'm useless once I'm no longer a Princess, wouldn't you?"
Given the long, rambling talk mixed with self-deprecation and self-mockery, it seemed highly likely she had been under a lot of stress about this for a long time. I listened to her words, pondered for a moment, then calmly opened my mouth.
"If I were going to abandon you just because you weren't a Princess, I wouldn't have refused your marriage proposal in the first place."
I said this, implying that if power had been my goal, I wouldn't have refused an offer that would have given me power immediately. Pria let out a small laugh and said to me.
"That's true too."
Her anger seemed to have subsided a bit, and her expression softened. As I watched her, Pria calmly sat up and looked at me.
"...Then, would you still be okay with me even if I weren't a Princess? Can you promise to treat me the same as before? Ah, I mean, our relationship... well, calling it a relationship is funny, but can you maintain this bond? *Really*?"
Pria's eyes sparkled as she showered me with questions, like a child making a friend for the first time. I replied to her words, saying, "Of course."
"Well, as I said, I'm not friendly with you just because you're a Princess."
"What are you talking about? We haven't known each other long. And when did you start speaking informally to me?"
"You told me not to treat you like a Princess, Your Imperial Highness."
"Pfft."
Perhaps Pria had wanted to hear these words. Words that said I would accept her even if she became nothing. Seeing Pria like that, I made another proposal.
"So, I'm proposing again: I'm going to carry out the Imperial Palace Terror. Can you help me? If you do, I'll take responsibility for you for life."
"Why don't you just propose? Though I know you don't mean it that way."
Just as Pria was about to reply with a gentle smile, loud screams began to erupt from all directions. At the unfamiliar sound, I realized something was going wrong and closed my eyes.
*Considering the Shadow Bombs I'd placed haven't gone off, it doesn't seem to be my fault.*
Wondering why such a commotion had broken out, I decided to investigate.
"Then let's part ways here for a moment. I need to go check things out separately."
At her words, I nodded, about to let her go. Just in case, I attached a Shadow to Pria then slipped outside.
*
As I stepped outside, I saw Knights and Mages bustling about. Since I shouldn't be discovered by them, I quickly hid myself in the Shadow and observed the situation.
I could feel the Lingering Scent of Black Magic emanating from various places.
*Black Magic...*
Considering I hadn't felt it when I first entered, it was likely these lingering scents had appeared while I was talking with Pria. The strange thing, however, was why an attack had occurred when the Imperial Family and the Dark Mages were in collusion. I decided to investigate this first and moved quickly.