The Decision I Couldn't Make

"Your Highness. Far too many people are in unstable condition. There's only so much we can do here..."

An aging ship's doctor reported this to me.

We had somehow reached the outskirts of the capital, but many of the survivors who had drifted at sea for so long were in critical condition. Some had already been injured before they began drifting, and the ordeal at sea had only made matters worse.

I could use healing magic, but it could only treat injuries. Illnesses and internal disorders were outside my field.

"I understand. Keep them alive somehow."

"Of course. I'll do everything I can, but... I can't guarantee anything."

"I understand... Sorry to put you through this."

"Nothing compared to what you've been through, Your Highness."

The ship's doctor said that and left the room.

Watching him go, I clicked my tongue loudly.

Marc gave me a wry smile.

"This can't be helped. We'll have to leave them to the ship's doctor."

"Don't write this off as unavoidable. I told you, didn't I? I won't let anyone who's still alive die now."

"But... even we have our limits. It's impossible to save everyone."

"It's impossible if you give up, but if you don't, you can make it work somehow. The world is built so that most things can be worked out. When you consider the population of the entire human race, these are only a handful of lives. If the world wasn't made so that we could save them, then this world would be unjust. After all, we've already paid the price."

As I said that, I thought of the treasure we'd left behind.

Ah, what a waste. We could have done so many things with it.

It really was a terrible waste. I'd told Marc not to dwell on it, but it wasn't as though I didn't regret it.

Could the survivors possibly be worth the value of what we'd given up? No. I could say that with certainty. Saving them brought no benefit to the Empire, and if it didn't benefit the Empire, then they had no value to Leo either.

Even so, I saved them. I saved them knowing it would cost me. I'd bought their lives with a fortune in treasure. That meant their lives belonged to me. I wasn't about to let anyone take them away from me.

"It's almost time. Let's go up on deck."

"Yes. We should be about to run into the defensive perimeter."

The instant Marc said that, a voice came over to us.

It was a voice with the slight static characteristic of an amplified transmission.

"To the approaching Imperial ship. State your purpose. Our country has received no communication from your country. I repeat. State your purpose. We have not been informed of your ship's arrival."

It was a warship patrolling the capital.

They must have spotted an Imperial ship with no information on it and were asking us for details.

The Albatross Duchy's navy certainly knew its stuff; they hadn't opened fire right away. Their thorough training was a relief.

I went up on deck and picked up the receiver of a magic device.

"My name is Leonart Leaks Adler, the Empire's Eighth Prince. On our way to the Duchy of Rondine, we found one of your ships that had been involved in a maritime disaster and rescued approximately eighty survivors. The Grand Duke's daughter and son are among them. We request permission to enter port."

The warship, which was at the very edge of the magic cannons' range, visibly grew frantic.

They knew that the three warships that had set out had not returned, and they also knew that Eva and Julio had been aboard them.

Meanwhile, we continued toward the port.

The closer we got, the sooner the survivors could disembark and receive specialized treatment ashore.

"We understand your ship's purpose. For safety's sake, we must verify that there really are survivors aboard. Please bring your ship to a stop."

"Understood. Also, several survivors are in unstable condition and require immediate treatment. At the very least, please transfer them to your ship and take them to port at once."

"We would like to comply, but regulations prohibit us from bringing anyone aboard your ship into port without permission. You will have to wait for the Grand Duke's decision."

What a leisurely pace!

I couldn't help glaring at the approaching ship.

This was no time to worry about spies.

Julio and Eva were right here with us. Surely their presence was proof enough that we'd rescued the ship's crew!

"What about the Grand Duke's daughter and son?"

"They haven't regained consciousness yet..."

"Tch!"

If either of them had been conscious, we might have been able to use their authority to obtain permission to enter port. But with neither of them awake, there was nothing we could do.

Were we supposed to wait here for permission?

How long would it take to get from the castle to the harbor? How long would it take the Grand Duke to reach a decision? And once that happened, would there still be time to transfer them and save them?

Even though this was a race against time, cumbersome procedures stood in our way.

"This is their problem now. There's nothing more we can do. The moment we brought them this far, responsibility for them shifted to the other side."

"That's not something that just started now...! It was their responsibility from the beginning! Since we got involved, we'll see it through to the end!"

I said that to Marc and gripped the receiver tightly.

If we forced our way forward, the Albatross warships would have no choice but to attack us.

It looked like we'd have to get them to act after all.

"Please hear me out. Some of them are on the verge of death. They survived a hellish ordeal at sea. You are the only ones who can save their lives. Please transport them without waiting for permission to enter port."

"...We cannot thank you enough for going so far for our people. But these are the rules. If we are to bring anyone aboard a ship without permission into port, we must seek the Grand Duke's judgment, even if they are members of the ducal family."

"And the captain of that ship...?"

"I am, Your Highness."

"Captain... I sacrificed a great many things to save them. I took risks, and I'm still taking them. I had one reason: I didn't want them to die. As someone who lives by the sea, you must understand how terrifying it is to drift helplessly at sea. Please make the right decision."

After hearing my words, the captain was slow to reply.

Their ship continued steadily onward, but he was probably struggling with the decision.

And then.

"...Your Highness. Two of my sons were aboard the three ships that set out. I fervently hope they are alive now. But... I am a soldier. No matter what happens, I cannot defy the rules. Please forgive me."

"You stubborn fool...!"

"Your Highness. This is as far as we can go. There is nothing more we can..."

Half furious, I hurled the receiver.

Just as Marc began to reason with me, the ship's doctor let out a cry that sounded almost like a scream.

"Your Highness! Their condition!"

Their condition had suddenly taken a turn for the worse.

The instant I realized what had happened, I made my decision.

"Captain! We're entering port!"

"What?! What are you saying!? We haven't been given permission to enter port!"

"I know. But unless we enter port and get them specialized treatment, they'll die."

"W-wait! You can't do that! The Duchy won't thank us for it! Those are their rules! This is the Duchy; it has its own laws!"

"If we follow them, people will die."

"They aren't the Grand Duke's daughter or son! They're crew members with no political value! You're going to ignore the Duchy's warning and enter port without permission for their sake!? If they sink us, we won't have any grounds to complain!"

"As long as the Grand Duke's son and daughter are aboard, they won't sink us. Right now, I'm going to focus everything I have on saving the lives in front of me. My order stands. Enter port."

Everyone fell silent at my decision.

Only Marc leaned close and tried to reason with me in a low voice.

"This is too much...! Prince Leonart would never go this far...! No, Prince Leonart couldn't take such a forceful measure...!"

"Yes, he probably wouldn't. So what...?"

"What do you mean, 'so what'...?"

"This is a good opportunity. I'll make sure people remember it in Leo's place. I'll show them that Leonart Leaks Adler can't be stopped once he makes a decision, that he's not just some naive softy. Even if this is a decision Leo himself couldn't make, giving him that reputation will change how people see him."

"If you do this, Prince Leonart will eventually be forced to make even more difficult decisions...!"

"He'll be fine. He's my little brother. There's nothing I can do that he can't."

I said it flatly, then fixed him with an intimidating stare.

I walked past the silent Marc and faced the captain.

The captain wore a troubled expression.

"Do you understand...? Your Highness. The enemy probably won't fire on us. But once we enter port, it's over. We won't be able to escape."

"I understand."

"You will be in the worst position of all! If you enter port, you could be imprisoned at worst for entering illegally! We should take on food and water offshore and head to Rondine! You don't need to put yourself in danger for the sake of a few lives!"

"We may see them as only a few lives, but to their families, each one is precious. Besides, I've made my decision. When I decided to save them, I decided not to abandon them. If we abandon them here, then putting every member of this ship's crew in danger will have been meaningless."

"...You're involved in a struggle for the throne, aren't you? If they use this as political ammunition, the imperial throne will slip even farther from your grasp."

"I'll think about that when the time comes. Please obey my order, Captain. This is your ship. Every crew member has entrusted their life to you. Don't force me to take the helm from you and operate the ship against your will."

The captain fell into thought for a while.

But then he gave a brief laugh and showed me a refreshed smile.

"I thought you were just a naive, soft-hearted prince. But... it seems there's more to you than that. I'm starting to like you a little. All hands! Prepare to enter port! We're going in!"

The crew responded to the captain's decision.

We set our sails and began moving, and the Duchy's ship called out to us.

"Please wait, Your Highness! What are you doing!?"

"We're entering port. We don't have another moment to spare."

"We cannot overlook such an act! If you intend to enter port illegally, then even if the Grand Duke's daughter and son are aboard, we will sink your ship!"

Having said that, the Duchy's ship moved into formation alongside us.

Its magic cannon swung toward us. At the same time, sirens sounded throughout the harbor. They were probably warning of an emergency.

More and more warships were heading toward us from the harbor.

Amid all this, the captain made a suggestion while taking the helm.

"Your Highness! I have a clever plan!"

"What kind of plan?"

"We'll raise a white flag."

The crew all looked aghast the instant they heard that. The captain, however, looked delighted.

I gave his proposal a wry smile. I never expected the navy itself to be the one to suggest it.

"You do realize that the Imperial Navy has never raised a white flag before, don't you?"

"Of course. Our ship will be the historic first."

"They probably won't fire on a ship that's raised a white flag, but is it really necessary?"

"With that many ships, there are bound to be some absurdly stubborn captains. It's a precaution, and it'll give them an excuse as well. As fellow captains, we understand how difficult this is for them."

"I see... Then raise it. I'll do what I can."

The crew, understanding at once, smoothly raised the white flag.

The Duchy's ship was the one taken aback.

The Empire was a great power. For that Empire to raise a white flag against the Duchy, even if it was only one ship, was a major event.

To pile on, I turned the volume up to its maximum and addressed the entire harbor.

"To everyone in the harbor. I am Leonart Leaks Adler, the Empire's Eighth Prince. My ship is currently carrying survivors from one of your ships that had been drifting at sea. Because some of the survivors have taken a turn for the worse, we will be entering port without authorization, but my ship has no intention of attacking. If there are any doctors in or around the harbor, please lend us your assistance. If possible, I ask everyone else to prepare warm drinks and food. They survived hell. Please reach out and help them. And—to all Albatross naval captains in the vicinity. The lives of your countrymen, who are in danger right now, rest on your judgment. I trust in the wisdom of the proud captains of the Albatross navy."

Hearing my call, the harbor erupted in commotion.

At the same time, the ships that had been trying to block our way came to a stop.

Then, slowly passing several Duchy ships, we entered the capital's harbor.

"Prioritize getting the wounded off the ship! Hurry!"

When I gave the order, the crew began carrying the wounded ashore.

Many people had gathered in the harbor to help them.

Naturally. Their families were here.

"Hurry! We need somewhere with all the necessary equipment!"

"My clinic has everything we need! This way!"

"Warm drinks! And food!"

Once the survivors had disembarked, they were finally able to eat a hot meal. We had given them food aboard the ship as well, but perhaps the warmth of a meal on land reached their hearts too.

Everyone ate while crying.

"This settles one matter, but... we're prisoners now, aren't we?"

"Yeah. We raised the white flag, after all."

Listening to the distant sound of approaching hoofbeats, I looked up at the sky.

Being a prisoner despite serving as a plenipotentiary ambassador was unprecedented. But whether this became a scandal or a heroic tale would depend on what I did from then on.

"Let's go. I need to discuss the sea dragon with the Grand Duke. I'm sure he wants to discuss it as well."

With that, I led Marc ashore and set foot on the soil of the Albatross Duchy.