Chapter 29
The ships from the Albatross Duchy approaching us were warships. There were three of them.
They were sailing ships equipped with magic cannons that fired projectiles using magic power. They were the latest in warship technology. We might manage if they engaged us in close-quarters combat, but if they kept their distance, there wouldn't be a thing we could do.
"Surely they aren't going to attack us."
"If they did, it would mean war with our country."
"Good work bringing them here. What about the other two?"
"They're in a groggy state. If this were a match, the referee would have called an immediate stoppage."
The middle-aged knight who had escorted Leo returned to my side. He was the only one who knew about our switch, so it was a relief to have him nearby.
"So does that mean I'm disqualified for using a substitute?"
"As long as no one finds out. As long as no one finds out."
He replied to my remark that way.
He was surprisingly flexible for someone who served under Elna. Frankly, I wanted him working for me.
"I see. Then let's play our roles to the hilt."
"I'll accompany you."
With that, the knight and I went out to welcome the approaching Albatross ships.
■■■
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Ambassador."
A girl with pale brown hair came aboard our ship. Her hair, cut level with her shoulders, swayed slightly in the wind.
She looked about fourteen or fifteen. Her green eyes peered at me with interest.
I had not expected someone who appeared younger than me to show up, and I was a little surprised.
Perhaps sensing that, the girl immediately lowered her head.
"Please forgive my rudeness. I am Evangelina di Albatross, the princess of the Albatross Duchy. It's a long name, so please call me Eva."
"S-Sis, wait for meee..."
"And this slowpoke is Julio di Albatross, my younger brother."
When Julio appeared, he looked exactly like Eva. It wasn't that Eva was masculine; Julio was simply more feminine.
If I saw them standing side by side, I would have believed they were sisters.
Eva was a beautiful girl, but there was a strong will in her eyes. Julio, on the other hand, looked timid and fidgety. It would be rude to say which of them was more feminine, but Julio was the more girlish of the two.
I never expected the princess and prince of Albatross to be twins. And what was going on with them coming aboard our ship?
While thinking how glad I was that I hadn't forced the ailing Leo to participate, I gave an elegant bow, as Leo would have.
"My name is Leonart Lakes Adler. I am the Empire's eighth prince. I have been appointed plenipotentiary ambassador to the Rondine Duchy, and am currently on my way there. It is an honor to meet Her Highness the Princess and His Highness the Prince of the Albatross Duchy, as well as to see the warships of the famed maritime nation of Albatross."
We had already informed Albatross before departing that Leo would be sent to Rondine as a plenipotentiary ambassador.
Naturally, they should have known that as well.
So their purpose was not to stop us. If they wanted to prevent us from going, all they had to do was forbid us from passing through Albatross waters. If they permitted us to pass through their waters only to tell us, once we entered, that we could not proceed, Albatross would lose the trust of every other country.
So Eva and Julio must have come for some other purpose.
"I have heard rumors about Prince Leonart as well. I hear that when a tsunami struck eastern Imperial territory, you led many knights in a charge. As expected of an imperial prince, you are brave and possess military talent."
"It was nothing of the sort. The knights were the ones who fought so valiantly. And if we're talking about military talent, surely the two of you possess some as well? You wouldn't have come aboard a warship to meet me for no reason, would you?"
At that retort, Eva's eyes narrowed slightly, while Julio looked startled.
There really was some other purpose.
They had another objective, and we had merely happened to pass by.
The question was, what purpose could require the princess and prince to appear? Judging by the way they carried themselves, they did not look skilled at combat.
Eva seemed to have at least some training, but Julio gave off no such impression at all. If he were handed a sword, he would probably be even worse than me. Why bring someone like that along?
Just as I was considering sounding them out, Eva revealed the answer herself.
"It's written all over your face! You idiot! Honestly..."
"S-Sorry, Sis..."
"Ahem... Prince Leonart. At this point, I will speak frankly. We would like you to change course. We will not stop you from going to Rondine, but please take as much of a detour as possible."
"Would you tell me why?"
"...If possible, I would rather not say. We do not trust you or the Empire."
"I see."
It took some nerve to openly declare that she did not trust the Empire.
The Albatross Duchy was a minor power compared with the Empire. It thrived on maritime trade, and the Empire left it alone because attacking it would turn other nations against the Empire. Still, the Empire had enough power to crush it if it chose.
The Albatross Duchy surely knew that.
Even so, the fact that she was speaking like this meant it must be a problem they could not afford to let anyone know about.
I looked around us.
And then.
"Change course. We'll enter Rondine by a route more circuitous than planned."
"Y-Your Highness!? That will take more days than we planned!"
"I don't mind. We have ample food and water, and I'm sure Rondine will overlook a slight delay."
"But!"
"I've made up my mind. Is this acceptable, Princess Eva?"
Seeing Eva's stunned expression, I laughed inwardly.
So this was the reaction you got when you acted like Leo. Could it be that Leo acted this way because he wanted to see this stunned look on his opponent's face?
Eva's reaction was that amusing.
"...As expected of someone contending for the imperial throne. You are truly magnanimous. Thank you for making such a wise decision, Prince Leonart."
"T-Thank you."
"Then we will take our leave."
"W-We will take our leave."
With that, Eva and Julio left, their business concluded.
We began preparing to depart as well. I wanted to stop pretending to be Leo as soon as possible, but they were watching closely to see whether we would truly change course, so I could not make any suspicious moves.
In the end, we had to set sail without switching back.
It wasn't really a problem. As long as I stayed in my room, I wouldn't stand out, and frankly, neither Leo nor I had any work to do until we reached land.
The problem was what Albatross was really after.
"What do you suppose is going on?"
"Who knows?"
I tilted my head at the middle-aged knight's question.
To be honest, I had no idea. They had gone so far as to bring three warships, yet the princess and prince were aboard. If they intended to fight, the princess and prince were unnecessary; if they did not, three warships were excessive.
The only possibility I could think of was a reconnaissance in force. If those two had abilities suited to scouting, it would make sense.
But what were they scouting?
This was Albatross's own waters, and I had not heard of any major pirate groups in the area.
I had been thinking it over for a while when the ship suddenly lurched violently.
"What was that!?"
"Report! It's a storm!"
"What!?"
That was impossible.
It had been clear just moments ago, so how could a storm have appeared out of nowhere?
Even so, I hurried up to the deck.
There, violent winds and high waves were battering the ship.
Looking to the side, I saw that something even more troublesome had happened.
"Captain! We're separated from my brother's ship!"
"Please forgive me! All we can do is keep this ship from capsizing! There's no way we can catch up with the other ship!"
"Can't you do something!?"
"It's impossible! This isn't a natural storm! It appeared without warning or any preceding signs! There is no doubt that a sea monster is involved!"
Hearing the captain shout that, I remembered what I had told Elna.
I had told Elna about sea dragons.
The sea dragon stories one often heard said that they suddenly caused storms and sank ships. This was exactly the situation we were in.
And the Albatross Duchy's behavior just now supported that theory.
The princess and prince had brought three warships with them. Then they had told us to change course.
What if the Albatross Duchy knew there was a sea dragon near its waters and had come to investigate?
They couldn't tell us about it. The Albatross Duchy depended on maritime trade. But if sailors from any country heard that there was a sea dragon, they would not send ships to the Albatross Duchy. It would be suicide.
With that in mind, I hurriedly cast detection magic, using it to gauge the storm's size.
When I checked how far the strong winds extended, I couldn't help clicking my tongue.
The storm was enormous, and we were at its edge. In other words, it had not originated here.
The center of the storm was probably in Albatross waters.
To make matters worse, the ship was steadily being swept toward the point where the storm had begun.
At this rate, in the worst case, we would be forced to fight a sea dragon in the middle of the ocean.
I wanted no part of that.
"Captain! Somehow get us out of the storm!"
"I'm working on it!"
And so I was caught in the storm while still posing as Leo.