Alois

A month had passed since the battle with Duke Krueger. The troops and governors Father had dispatched had entered the south, and the region was finally beginning to settle down.

With things settling down, the next problem emerged.

The main gate of the Imperial Capital.

A gray-clad group on horseback passed through it. I approached them in my guise as Grau.

"Keep walking."

"Yes... It's been a long time, Grau."

"Long time no see, Alois."

The gray-clad group was Alois and his companions.

His mother, who had been a hostage, had returned to his domain, so he had come to apologize to Father. He was traveling incognito to protect his safety.

Alois had shattered the schemes of Gordon and Duke Krueger, two immense powers. Even without that, he had drawn attention as the young lord who had repelled ten thousand Imperial soldiers with only one thousand. There were countless reasons for someone to target him.

"Was your mother well?"

"Yes, thanks to you."

"I did nothing. It was Prince Leonart and the others who rescued your mother."

"I was able to see her safely thanks to Grau."

Saying that, Alois gave a friendly smile beneath his hood. I gave him a wry smile and got to the main point. Though it wouldn't take long.

"Alois. Your position is precarious. You won't be punished, but you could be used for political purposes."

"Yes... But I knew that when I came. I protected my domain and the south. I would deserve punishment if I wanted anything more."

Alois's eyes were filled with resolve as he said that. Had he steeled himself on the way here? Even if they said there would be no punishment, it was not certain. He might be sentenced to death. If he had come prepared even for that, nothing that happened would shake him.

He was impressive. At the same age, would I have been ready to face my own death?

No—not even now. In that sense, Alois was far more admirable than I was. And that was precisely why he was worth helping.

"I have a little present for you."

"A present?"

"It all depends on you. If you remain true to yourself, things will surely turn out for the better."

"I see... Then I'll live as my heart tells me."

"Do that."

With that, I left.

By then, many people were already watching Alois. Some were Imperial Guard knights assigned as his escort, while others were assassins watching for an opening. Some of them followed me, but I slipped into an alley and shook them off with teleportation.

I teleported to a room in an inn facing the main street. Sebas was waiting there.

"Welcome back."

"Yeah. How is the target?"

"He's proceeding as planned."

I said that as I looked out the window.

Many carriages and horses were moving along the main street. Beside them stood a plain but sturdy carriage.

"The Chancellor still hates attracting attention."

"It must be in his nature."

The one riding in that carriage was Chancellor Franz. Franz was known as a devoted husband, and whenever work got busy, he would buy his wife a gift as an apology. Right now, he had sent a retainer to purchase one. Going himself would attract attention, after all.

While apologizing to Franz in my heart, I lightly snapped my fingers. The horse pulling Franz's carriage began to panic.

Then the tether snapped, and the carriage began to run wild.

"I'm sorry, Chancellor..."

"It can't be helped. This is the best way to get the Chancellor on Lord Alois's side."

"I know, but I feel sorry for him. It's strange to say that when I'm the one doing this, though."

Being left alone in a runaway carriage would be terrifying, to say the least. The runaway was deliberate, and I was using a barrier to guide the horse's path so no one nearby would be harmed. No one would be injured in this incident. Franz might come to hate carriages, but he would probably be fine.

The runaway carriage accelerated faster and faster. The horse was agitated, and there was no attendant to control it. Franz had no way to stop it.

I could protect him with magic no matter what happened, but there was no need to do so.

"He is impressive for his age."

Sebas said admiringly. Alois was riding alongside Franz's carriage, right where Sebas was looking.

"How do you think he plans to save him?"

"The surest way would be to rescue only the Chancellor. With the knights following behind him, it wouldn't be difficult. But—"

"The runaway horse could injure people nearby."

"Yes. The best thing would be to calm the horse. But approaching an already agitated horse on another horse is dangerous. In the worst case, his own horse might panic and throw him off."

"It is dangerous, but... he was the one who took up a sword against ten thousand Imperial soldiers. He'll make a decision like that without hesitation."

Silver had certainly helped him, and there was no doubt that it had given him the push he needed. Even so, Alois had chosen to point his sword at a force ten times larger than his own. He had chosen to protect his people as their lord instead of fleeing—and to protect all the Empire's people as an Imperial noble.

A mere twelve-year-old child had made that choice.

"When Leo becomes Emperor, that boy will surely make a fine retainer."

"The Empire is vast, after all. The Emperor cannot govern it alone. He needs nobles he can trust."

I nodded in agreement. The south had lost a powerful noble. His domain would surely be redistributed. But there was no doubt that the south had lost the noble who served as its center.

Alois, however, was an exceptional talent who could become the center of the south. He had already accomplished enough to merit that. There was still much he needed to learn, but I looked forward to seeing what he would do in the future.

It seemed Alois had chosen to calm the horse. He was riding desperately alongside it, trying to soothe the animal pulling the carriage.

After a while, the horse pulling Franz's carriage slowly came to a stop.

Animals are sensitive to those who feel fear. The fact that it had properly calmed down meant that Alois must have remained calm as well.

"Alois should be all right now. The Chancellor isn't a man who lets his emotions sway him, but he can see the road ahead. If he sees promise in Alois's future, he'll stop Father even if Father tries to punish him."

"His Majesty the Emperor will not punish him."

"That's true, but if Alois were punished in this situation, the south would fall into chaos again. To be frank, there was another reason I wanted him to make contact with the Chancellor."

"What purpose?"

"If the Chancellor comes to have hopes for Alois's future, he'll surely try to keep him at the Emperor's side. In other words, he'll try to keep him in the castle so he can study. Then he'll have a connection with Leo, and Alois will be able to learn all sorts of things. Everyone wins."

"More nobles will flock to Alois, thinking that he has won the Emperor's favor. Shouldn't you add your ulterior motive of bringing them into our fold?"

"You really are a devious man, thinking of things like that."

"A butler can't do his job without a devious mind. That aside, if you can't even come up with schemes this minor, I'll have to start giving you more lectures."

"..."

I glared at Sebas in silence. But he was completely unfazed.

Honestly, did this man not know how to show his master proper respect?

"My ability to think up bad schemes is all thanks to your influence. It has to be."

"I am honored."

I glared at Sebas again, then gave up when it had no effect.

There was no point trying to outdo Sebas.

"Let's go. We're done here. These days, Father has made me too conspicuous to move around freely."

"What a fitting name, 'The Twin Black Princes.' Calling you that raises your standing. His Majesty made a fine move."

"It's been nothing but a nuisance."

As we talked, we left the inn. Alois's arrival was proof that the south had settled down. I had been occupied with the aftermath until now, but from here on, I would be busy again.