Chapter 122
"What? That's a pretty lukewarm reaction."
Seeing that my reaction to Lufa joining us was less than enthusiastic, Lapiria-sama looked dissatisfied.
"Even if you say that, I'd figured it would probably turn out this way."
Lufa had once lived with Lururia and us for a while. But Lufa alone hadn't been able to go as far as the Empire to see Lururia off.
And now, this time, we were passing through Yoros Corridor to the Imperial territory to pick up Prince Tsetsedora. This had been a proposal from the Empire; by entrusting the prince's safety to us, they apparently meant to demonstrate that they had no ulterior motives.
If we were going all the way to Imperial territory instead of receiving him in Rudek territory, Lururia would naturally be there to see him off as well. Lufa might even have a chance to talk with her.
"I figured that was probably it, anyway. Am I right?"
"...Correct." Lapiria-sama looked slightly frustrated. Lufa was looking at us with a beaming smile. It was hardly the sort of atmosphere in which I could now say, "No, it's too dangerous; you can't come."
"Did you make sure to get permission from Raiz-sama?"
When I asked Lufa, she answered energetically, "Yep!" Then I suppose it's fine.
"Well then, shall we get going?" Just as I was about to give the order to depart, some figures came running toward us. I wondered who they were, then saw that it was Sazaby, along with Saifa-sama, who oversaw the diplomats.
"Wait up!" We came to a halt at Sazaby's shout.
"What's up? Are you coming along too, Sazaby?"
"I'm coming along for now. It's an order from the king."
"I see. That's nothing out of the ordinary, so I don't mind. ...Saifa-sama, are you coming too?"
When I looked at him, Saifa-sama wore an unusually troubled expression. The Saifa-sama I knew was always smiling with an air of composure.
"Roa, there is something I would like to ask of you..."
"What is it?"
"I would like you to take one person with you."
"You mean Sazaby? Like I said, that's fine."
"No, the person I'd like you to take along is someone else... This way."
Several subordinates followed behind Sazaby and Saifa-sama, and one of them stepped forward. The figure wore a hood and seemed quite small, I thought, until...
"Zel!?"
Saifa immediately made a gesture telling me to keep quiet. That was all well and good, but there were around four thousand troops from the Roa and Lapiria Units here. There was no way we could keep this hidden.
"Um..."
"It's all right, Saifa-dono. It is I. Zelando."
Prince Zelando flipped back his hood. I know.
"Hmm...? The person you wanted me to take along wouldn't happen to be..."
Saifa-sama looked utterly troubled.
"No, no, no, no. This is obviously a terrible idea, isn't it? What? I don't understand the situation at all."
"Actually, I was the one who asked the king to let me accompany you," Prince Zelando said, speaking up before Saifa-sama could.
"Prince Zelando argued to the king that, if the Empire was sending a prince, we ought to show them the proper courtesy by sending one of our own as well," Saifa-sama added.
"I understand the reasoning, but isn't it a bad idea to send Prince Zelando, who is first in line to inherit the Rudek throne? Surely a royal relative would have been enough."
"I told the king and prince the same thing, but... the king became enthusiastic as well, saying things like, 'It might be good for Zelando to gain some experience,' and..."
No wonder even Saifa-sama was at a loss.
"Then we'd better arrange another unit to protect Prince Zelando..." Just as I began to say that, Zelando cut in.
"No. The Empire's Fourth Prince is coming to Rudek with only a small force, correct? Then this many people will be more than enough. There is no need to wastefully increase the number of soldiers just because of my selfishness."
Even so, Prince Tsetsedora was already at an age where he could be called a young man. I figured he was only a little younger than me. Prince Zelando, by contrast, was younger than Lufa. He was still a boy.
But before I could speak, Zelando continued.
"Father also told me, 'Prove yourself a fine guide.' I've been practicing riding lately, too. I won't be a burden, so please take me with you!"
There wasn't the slightest trace in his eyes of the timid air he had once possessed.
Faced with that look, even the king may have found it difficult to refuse him.
"Why not? Let's take him with us," Frein was the first to say. That was a little unexpected. Since Frein was a noble, I had thought he would react more like Saifa-sama, if anything.
When I told him as much, he replied, "Prince Zelando is trying to fulfill his duty as one of the high-born himself. If so, we ought to help him."
The other unit commanders, along with Lapiria-sama, agreed to let him come along. Finally, Lufa said, "If you think it's dangerous, run away right away!" in a somewhat big-sisterly tone, and, unexpectedly, it was decided that Prince Zelando would accompany us.
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King Zeurasia and Raiz watched the members of the Tenth Knight Order leave the royal capital from the top floor of the royal palace.
"Are you really sure this is all right?"
Raiz was asking about Prince Zelando. Even Raiz had voiced reservations this time, but the king had overruled him.
"Zelando seems to have changed considerably after that victory in the recent exercise."
"Indeed. He gained confidence, and it has changed his expression as well."
"I was pleased to hear this proposal of his, both as a father and, of course, as a king. He spoke of his duty as a member of the royal family. Therefore, I thought this was the time for him to grow."
"I cannot disagree."
"Besides, he is accompanying the Roa Unit—the very unit that gave Zelando confidence. The timing is perfect. Looking ten years ahead, Roa and those around him may well become good advisers to Zelando."
"Indeed..."
As they continued that conversation, the two watched until Roa and the others had completely disappeared from sight.