The Resolve to Live, the Resolve to Save

"Everyone... live... You have to live..."

Clinging to one of the small boats equipped on the ship, Julio shouted those words. His throat had begun to grow hoarse from repeating them so many times already. Even so, Julio continued to raise his voice. He believed it was his duty.

Several dozen crew members were around Julio. The injured had been given priority and placed in the small boat, while the others clung to the boat or to floating debris.

"P-Prince... You should get in the small boat too..."

"It's all right... I'm still fine..."

Despite saying that, Julio had no strength to spare. More than ten hours had already passed since the ship was destroyed and they were thrown into the sea. They had made it through the hellish night, trembling from fear and the cold of the sea, but there was still no sign of rescue.

No one had imagined things would turn out this way.

After being informed that the sea dragon might have revived, Eva and Julio had set out to investigate. They had taken three warships as escorts out of caution. No one had underestimated the sea dragon. They had simply failed to be cautious enough, despite taking every precaution they could.

Their father had told them they only needed to determine whether the sea dragon had revived. The reason the two of them had been chosen was that they were innately capable of using sound-based magic. Searching beneath the sea was child's play for them with that ability.

If there had been one miscalculation, it was that the sea dragon had detected the sound and come to them. They had touched its reverse scale.

The sea dragon had raised a storm, and the storm had severely damaged every ship. Fortunately, the sea dragon withdrew once the ships were wrecked, but that offered them no relief whatsoever.

"Aaaahhh!!?? A monster!? There's a monster on my leg!?"

"Calm down! It's only a fish!"

The surviving crew members were fighting against a great many fears.

The fear of death. The fear that no one would come to rescue them. The fear that they would die after being overcome by the cold sea. And the fear that a sea monster would eventually appear and devour them.

Those fears piled up, exhausting and wearing down the survivors, including Julio.

Even so, Julio continued to shout.

"Help is coming for sure...! Think of your families...! Live, everyone...!"

Julio continued encouraging the survivors with those words. They were also words he was saying to himself.

Ordinarily, Julio would never do anything like that. No, he couldn't.

That was because he was unable to assert himself. Being a prince did not make him capable of acting high and mighty, either.

Eva had always been the one to pull Julio along. But Eva was now lying unconscious in the small boat.

When they were thrown into the sea, she had shielded Julio and struck the water hard, losing consciousness.

Ever since then, Julio had continued to act as bravely as Eva. He was determined to live for the sake of his sister lying before him.

The sense of responsibility that had blossomed in the emergency had made Julio act like a proper prince.

Even so, no matter how much Julio encouraged them, it was all in vain.

"Help isn't coming... There's no way it is... Even if a ship set out during the night, it would take more than a day to reach us..."

One of the crew members voiced his despair.

It was something everyone there was thinking.

The Albatross Duchy's rescue ships probably would not arrive in time. But Julio still had hope.

"Considering the size of the storm, it wouldn't be strange if an Imperial ship had been caught up in it too... Surely Prince Leonart will come to save us..."

"The Empire will save us...? We've kept helping countries at war with the Empire, haven't we...? While they were shedding blood, our country was turning it into a business... They won't search for survivors in waters this dangerous..."

"Prince Leonart has a reputation for being extremely kind and never abandoning people in trouble... It'll be all right! He'll come to save us!"

"Will he really come when we're in a situation where even an ally might abandon a rescue effort...?"

"If it were me, I'd leave as soon as the storm passed... I don't want to stay in waters where a sea dragon might be lurking."

"Everyone..."

Everyone's spirits were on the verge of breaking.

The same was true of Julio. He had somehow kept his resolve by looking at Eva, but his physical and mental strength had already reached their limits.

In terms of physical strength alone, Julio was far inferior to the other crew members. He was the one most likely to drop first.

Even so, Julio had held on through sheer willpower. But that willpower was now withering, dragged down by the dejection surrounding him.

Maybe this was the end.

Just as that thought crossed his mind,

he saw something in the distance.

It was definitely a ship.

"A ship...! There's a ship...!!"

"Ah!! We're saved! Hey! Heeey!!"

Their fading spirits revived.

Everyone shouted and waved their hands, trying to make the ship notice them.

They continued for a while, but eventually someone muttered,

"I-It's an Imperial ship..."

That was enough information to make them stop waving.

The Imperial flag was fluttering from it.

Judging by its shape, it was probably one of the two Imperial ships they had encountered the previous day.

It was understandable that this ship was here if it too had been caught in the storm.

And the fact that it was here meant it had been pushed back from the usual route. Everyone there knew that the ship's destination was Rondine.

Would they really take the time to conduct a rescue when they were already delayed?

Moreover, a sea dragon lurked in these waters, and they could be attacked again at any moment.

There was every reason for them not to help.

Then, for an instant, the Imperial ship turned its bow.

Despair surged through Julio's chest.

However, a voice reached Julio's ears.

It was a voice amplified by a magic device.

'I am Leonart Lakes Adler, the Empire's Eighth Prince. Our ship is currently rescuing survivors from the Albatross Duchy. We will rescue you in turn, but those who still have the strength to do so should swim to the ship. Those without the strength, endure a little longer. We will save every one of you.'

Tears began to spill from Julio's eyes of their own accord when he heard that voice.

But he immediately brushed them away.

"Everyone, let's go! Get the injured treated right away!"

"Y-Yes!"

"Let's go! We're almost there!"

And so Julio and the others hurried toward the Imperial ship visible a short distance away.

■■■

Al, who was impersonating Leo, set down the receiver of the magic device that amplified his voice and let out a sigh.

"I hope this makes the work easier."

"I doubt it. Almost none of the survivors we've rescued so far have been able to climb aboard under their own power. They have been adrift for a long time, so it cannot be helped."

"I know that... Captain! Leave only the minimum number of men on watch and have everyone else take part in the rescue effort!"

"Again with this!? What will we do if the sea dragon comes!?"

"Once we spot it, we're finished. We would be better off completing the rescue quickly than maintaining a watch."

"What about the other monsters!?"

"There are no monsters nearby. No monster would approach so soon after the sea dragon has passed through."

With that, Al went to help with the rescue effort.

Leo would do the same. Al would have preferred to observe the situation from behind and issue instructions, but he was Leo now, so he told himself there was no helping it and joined the work.

They had just hauled aboard a group of four or five people. All of them were trembling from the cold, so Al draped the prepared blankets over the survivors.

"You did well. You're safe now."

"Thank you... Thank you so much..."

Seeing the crew members thanking him through their tears, Al could imagine how terrifying and painful their experience had been.

Amid all this, Al received new information.

"A large number of survivors to the left! There are fifty!"

"Fifty!? There's no room for that many people aboard!"

They had already rescued more than a dozen people, and this ship could not accommodate another fifty. Even the regular crew numbered fewer than a hundred. There was simply no way to take on fifty more people.

So Al was forced to make a decision.

He had to decide what to sacrifice.

"What are your orders? There are more survivors than we expected."

"I more or less expected this... They had three ships, while we have one. It was obvious this could happen if a lot of them happened to be lucky."

"Then you have a plan for dealing with it?"

The middle-aged knight asked expectantly.

Al responded with an expression as if he had bitten into something bitter.

It was the worst possible decision for Al. But it was necessary.

"Dump everything in the hold into the sea except the food."

"...Even the gifts for Rondine?"

"Of course. All of it."

Even the middle-aged knight was left speechless.

This was Leo's ship, and the cargo aboard it was all more valuable than what had been on the ship Al had been traveling on. The latest weapons, along with gold, silver, and other treasures, had been intended for Rondine.

Al had decided to dump everything that could have let him live in luxury for the rest of his life into the sea.

"Are you sure this is all right? After doing something like that?"

"It stopped being all right a while ago. We can't reach Rondine with that many survivors aboard. We won't have enough food or water. That means we'll absolutely have to head to Albatross for supplies. That puts us considerably behind schedule. And a sea dragon is lurking in these waters. Who knows when we'll reach Rondine? Even so, I decided to save them. The only thing I need to protect now is Leo's reputation. So I'll sacrifice anything to save the survivors. That's absolute. Don't spare the treasure; spare their lives. I won't let a single person who is alive now die. Understood?"

"Y-Yes, understood..."

The middle-aged knight faltered for an instant when he saw the resolve in Al's eyes.

He had been overwhelmed before he knew it.

Though surprised by that, the middle-aged knight remembered that day.

The sight of Al removing his bracelet for Elna's sake.

Elna had entered the Knight Hunting Festival for Al's sake. To her, disqualifying Al was unacceptable. So Al had disqualified himself first, allowing her to move freely.

It had been a fine thing to do.

It was not an action one would ever expect from someone commonly called the spent prince.

And even now, he was playing Leo to perfection and beyond.

His instructions were precise, too.

"You really do hide your talons."

"Did you say something?"

"No. Leave the disposal of the supplies to the Imperial Guard."

"Yes, do so. Everyone, continue the rescue! Save everyone we can! I'll take responsibility!"

As he issued orders, Al looked toward a group approaching them.

There were injured people aboard the small boat, and Eva was among them. Julio was nearby as well.

"The princess and prince are safe... That gives us more leverage in negotiations with the Grand Duke."

Thinking that, Al threw a rope ladder toward Julio as he and the others approached. But Julio made no attempt to grab it.

"Prince Julio! Climb up quickly!"

"Please help the injured first!"

Saying that, Julio pointed to the injured people in the small boat.

Rescuing those who could not climb aboard under their own power would take time.

That meant Julio and the others would have to wait even longer, but everyone, including Julio, wanted the injured to be given priority.

"Understood! Just wait a little longer!"

The rescue of the injured proceeded at full speed.

Crew members climbed down into the small boat, carried the injured, and brought them to the ship.

Meanwhile, survivors continued to be rescued from other locations.

Once the injured, including Eva, had been brought aboard, Al threw an available rope to Julio.

Julio grabbed it, but the instant he did, the relief apparently caused the strength to drain from his body.

His willpower had given out.

"Prince Julio!?"

Seeing Julio lose consciousness and slowly sink, Al moved without thinking.

Just as he had when he saved Fine in the past, instinct rather than calculation moved his body.

Al jumped into the sea, where a sea dragon might be lurking, and somehow hauled up the sinking Julio.

The Imperial crew panicked at that.

"Your Highness!?"

"The prince has jumped in!"

Although people sometimes moved into the small boats, no one had jumped into the sea. Even if they were told there were no monsters and no sea dragon, fear was fear.

And now the prince who was supposed to be protected above all others had jumped in.

Seeing that, the Imperial crew steeled themselves, jumped into the sea, and began helping with the rescue.

"Give me a rope!!"

"Here you go!!"

The middle-aged knight was the one who threw down the rope.

They wrapped it around Julio's unconscious body and had him pulled aboard.

Al then belatedly began climbing up the rope ladder.

A hand was extended toward him.

When he grabbed it, he found the middle-aged knight waiting with an exasperated look.

"Thank you."

"Not at all. I'm used to hauling you up when you're soaking wet."

"? What do you mean?"

"It's no wonder you don't remember. You were unconscious then."

"What are you talking about?"

"When you nearly drowned in the bath at the House of the Valiant Duke, I was the one who pulled you out. I was originally a knight in service to that house."

"...Seriously?"

"Yes. When my captain became an Imperial Guard, I became one as well. But I never imagined that even after becoming an Imperial Guard, I would still end up dealing with you while you were soaking wet."

"Don't put it like I did something wrong. The first time, I was forced underwater, and the second time, I was helping someone. I don't think I've caused you that much trouble, have I?"

"That is certainly true."

Al sighed as he watched the middle-aged knight give a wry smile.

He could not bring himself to honestly thank the knight for the favor he had once done him now that he knew he was connected to the House of the Valiant Duke.

After thinking for a while, Al realized something.

"Come to think of it, I never asked your name. What is it?"

"I am Marc Tiber, deputy commander of the Third Knight Order. I hope you will remember me, Your Highness."

"I see... If possible, I hope this remains a brief acquaintance, Marc."

"Indeed. I hope so as well."

Both of them voiced an optimistic hope.

The situation could not possibly end anytime soon.

After that, Al did not miss a single survivor, repeatedly stopping the ship to conduct rescue operations.

Once they had rescued more than eighty survivors in total, he ordered the ship toward the ducal capital, Albatross's largest port city.