Chapter 72
Elna had come to visit Fifth Consort Zuzan, and now faced her across the room.
"I believe I asked you to bring Krista with you as well?"
Zuzan called it a request with feigned innocence, and Elna clenched her fist.
That had not been a request. It had been a threat.
Nevertheless, Elna answered while staring straight at Zuzan.
"Princess Krista is feeling unwell and is resting in her room. That is why I came alone."
"I see. She's feeling unwell... Well, never mind."
Saying that, Zuzan offered Elna a chair.
Unable to refuse, Elna sat down, but did not touch anything on the table.
In Elna's memory, Zuzan had been crying when the Second Consort died.
The tears had been real. That was precisely what had chilled Elna.
She was chilled by the woman named Zuzan, who could shed tears for someone she hated beyond all measure. If Zuzan could deceive even herself so completely, Elna felt certain she would have no qualms deceiving others as well.
Elna's father had described such a woman as a snake.
Elna understood those words anew.
"I called you here this time because I want your help."
As Zuzan said this with a friendly smile, she looked to Elna like a snake approaching with its tongue out. It crept closer, waiting for the moment to bite.
Before she knew it, Elna imagined herself being squeezed tight and unable to move. She briefly closed her eyes to shake off the illusion.
"If you're asking for my help in the struggle for the throne, I'm afraid I must decline."
"Oh...? Why?"
"The Amsberg family has never involved itself in struggles for the throne. Our stance has always been to keep our distance from politics."
"But you favor Leonart, don't you? In fact, you're serving as his mother's guard."
"We're childhood friends. I'll help within the limits of what I can do personally. My serving as their guard puts both of them at ease. Does that bother you?"
"No, it's a wonderful friendship. Would you extend that friendship to Zandra as well?"
Absolutely not.
That was what Elna thought, but she could not say it. She gave an ambiguous answer to evade the question.
"If we get a chance to become acquainted, I'll consider it."
"What a cold answer. Both that girl and I think highly of you, you know?"
"I see."
Though she responded curtly, Elna found it strange.
There was no way words like "think highly of" would carry any weight when spoken to a member of the Amsberg family. The Amsbergs' position was secure. There was no need for anyone to evaluate them at all.
And yet Zuzan had uttered those meaningless words. Elna's brow furrowed at the incongruity.
"If you help Zandra, you'll receive a substantial reward, you know? I promise I won't lay a hand on your childhood friends, either."
"That is a generous offer, Fifth Consort, but may I ask you one thing?"
Persistent solicitation.
It would be unwise to refuse too forcefully. The best course was to evade her skillfully, then end the conversation when the time was right by saying that she had to leave.
Elna understood that. Which was why this felt strange.
So Elna cut off the flow of the conversation and decided to ask a question herself.
"What is it?"
"Why did you summon Princess Krista?"
"She's Lieselotte's younger sister, and Lieselotte is at the border. I thought she'd side with us if it was that girl's request."
"Side with you...?"
Elna could not believe what Zuzan was saying.
There was no way that could happen.
There was no possibility that Lieselotte, the Second Consort's daughter, and Krista would side with Zuzan. Even if Zuzan was innocent, she was still under suspicion, and as long as she was suspected, there was no way to secure their cooperation.
Why, then, had Zuzan given such an answer?
"Krista isn't here right now. More importantly, I'd like to talk about you."
"Are you buying time...?"
Elna muttered, openly wary.
In response, Zuzan tilted her head, looking slightly surprised.
"What do you mean?"
"!!??"
Elna became certain from that reaction.
She had been lured away.
Elna rose and ran without saying a word.
Zuzan did not try to stop her.
The inner palace was vast, and the consorts' rooms were quite far apart. By the time Elna reached this room, enough time had passed for the diversion to serve its purpose.
Cursing her own carelessness, Elna climbed onto the inner palace roof and ran along the shortest route.
Zuzan had summoned Krista too because she knew Elna would leave her behind.
The goal had been to separate them from the start.
"Damn!"
By taking Krista's feelings into consideration, Elna had instead exposed her to danger.
She should have stayed by her side no matter what.
With that regret weighing on her, Elna reached the vicinity of Mitsuba's room.
The kidnappers would not be able to do anything inside the inner palace, either.
Believing that, Elna peered into the room, only to wear a pained expression when she saw that Krista was not there.
"Where's Her Highness?! Where is she?!"
"Y-yes, ma'am! I heard a report that Prince Arnold returned injured, and..."
"Then there would be far more commotion! Come with me!"
Taking the guards who were there with her, Elna pursued Krista.
She questioned people nearby and followed the trail of where Krista had gone.
When the possible direction narrowed to the carriage depot used by merchants, Elna left the guards behind and went on ahead.
Elna entered the carriage depot and swept her gaze over the merchants there.
Everyone was startled by Elna's sudden appearance, but she ignored them and looked around. Then she spotted a stain on the ground.
It was blood that had been wiped away. There were several stains.
The way it had been wiped was a common assassin's trick. Elna clicked her tongue and raised her head.
As she looked around for a clue, she spotted a stuffed rabbit a little farther ahead. It belonged to Krista.
"Your Highness...!"
Elna cried out involuntarily and rushed over to the stuffed animal.
The white stuffed rabbit was dirty, but it had no blood on it. Elna let out a relieved breath, thinking that at least Krista had not been hurt.
Just then, her hand touched something hard.
Something had been embedded in the stuffed animal. Looking there, she found a coin inside.
Though she feared the answer, Elna whispered hesitantly.
"... 'Bande.'"
A thin thread of magic extended from the coin.
It stretched out of the castle and far into the distance.
"Rita...!"
Elna called out the name before she could stop herself.
It was a call filled with both gratitude and worry.
If Rita had planted this, she must have followed Krista. But if Rita was with Krista, there was a high chance that the future Krista had seen would become reality.
"Inform His Majesty that there's an emergency! Princess Krista has been abducted! Recall every important person to the castle and seal it off! Hurry!!"
The captain commanding the Imperial Guard had the authority to issue such orders.
In an emergency, they were permitted a certain degree of independent action.
Elna gave further instructions.
"I'm going after them! Request that His Majesty dispatch Imperial Guard knights!"
Saying that, Elna leaped high into the air and began to float.
In the sprawling, labyrinthine Imperial Capital, this was faster than weaving through the crowds.
The reason she did not usually do this was that the Emperor prohibited unauthorized flight.
But she could not worry about that now.
Elna headed straight for the place indicated by the coin.
■■■
"All right, this should do for now."
Krista, who had been taken from the carriage, woke up, but she did not know where she was.
Her body would not obey her, and she was bound with ropes.
She vaguely remembered descending a staircase, but she could not say for certain.
She knew only that she had been taken into a dark, dreary room.
"Now then, Princess. I'll go get a collar just right for you, so wait here."
The bald man who had tied Krista up said this.
The man, who had been put in charge of managing the slaves as the merchant's aide, happily walked farther inside.
Krista felt utterly despairing at the thought of being fitted with a collar.
Collars placed on human beings were almost always magical devices that robbed the wearer of their freedom, and they were forbidden in the Empire. Slavery itself was forbidden, after all.
The thought of being captured by people who used such things made Krista's body tremble.
But then she heard the voice of a friend who should not have been there.
"Kuu-chan...!"
"Rita...?"
Rita called to Krista in a whisper and smiled when Krista responded.
But she immediately began cutting Krista's ropes with the dagger she was carrying.
"How did you...?"
"I found Kuu-chan's stuffed rabbit, so I followed you. Then I saw Kuu-chan being put into the carriage, so Rita got in too."
"But it was dangerous... Why...?"
"Rita isn't a coward who abandons her friends!"
Saying that, Rita cut Krista's ropes, then lent her a shoulder and helped her stand.
"No... We can't escape..."
"It's okay. Rita will protect you."
Saying that, Rita put on her usual bright smile and headed for the exit with Krista.
The two of them proceeded one careful step after another through the winding underground passage, but they were children after all. And one of them could barely walk.
The bald man from earlier soon caught up with them.
"A rat wandered in, huh? Well, no matter. I'll make you a product too."
"He's here?!"
"Rita, escape without me...!"
"I can't do that!"
Pursued by the bald man, Rita and Krista changed course.
It was not the way to the exit, but if they continued straight, he would catch them.
After taking several turns, Rita and Krista entered a room with its door open and closed it behind them.
"Phew... I think we managed to shake him?"
"No..."
While Rita was relieved, Krista wore an expression of despair.
The room housed the children who were to be sold as slaves. It was a separate structure that looked like a small shed at first glance.
Krista remembered that room clearly.
It was the room where she had seen Rita die in her precognition.
Rita would be pierced by something here and die.
"Rita!! Run away!!"
"Huh? We are running away, aren't we?"
"No! Please!"
As Krista begged, a voice came from the back of the room, as if trying to drown her out.
"Fouuund you~"
The low voice that seemed to clutch her heart belonged to the bald man from earlier.
The man entered the room from a place that looked like nothing more than a wall.
"There are hidden doors all over this place. Hiding is impossible."
"No..."
"Damn it!!"
Rita tried to open the door they had entered through, but it would not open, as though something were wedged against it.
The bald man had done something.
"Well then, the game of tag is over."
"D-don't come any closer!"
Rita hid Krista behind her and raised her dagger.
Seeing this, the bald man put on a mocking expression.
"Oh, my, how scary. Playing knight, are we?"
"Shut up!"
Rita wielded her dagger with skill far beyond a child's.
The man approached carelessly, but when she counterattacked, he instinctively stepped back, taking only a slight cut to the leg.
"Tch... You little brat... Put that dagger down right now. Then I'll spare your life, at least."
"No!"
"Rita! Stop!"
"The princess is telling you to."
"Rita doesn't abandon her friends!"
Saying that, Rita readied her dagger.
When the bald man stepped into range again, she countered as before. But he had already gauged the dagger's reach, so he avoided it by stepping back and then counterattacked, kicking Rita—who had left herself open—away with all his strength.
"Ow!!"
"Ooh, that landed squarely."
"Cough, cough! Ugh..."
"Rita! Rita!"
Kicked away, Rita rolled and crashed into the wall.
Seeing Rita cough up blood, Krista rushed to her, but Rita rose with her face wet with tears. Then she stepped in front again, as if to shield Krista.
"You're barely standing, but aren't you a devoted little thing? Were you taught that knights are supposed to protect the imperial family?"
"N-no..."
"What's the difference? Those people grow up pampered in the castle and go through life without ever knowing hardship. You're obviously a commoner, aren't you? I'm telling you this for your own good, so lower the dagger. Even being a slave is better than dying, isn't it?"
"I refuse..."
"Oh, for crying out loud. Even a kid like you is going on about knightly pride?"
The man spat the words out, but Rita glared at him.
Then, unsteadily, she raised her dagger.
"Rita isn't a knight... Kuu-chan is my friend, so Rita will protect her... Rita never abandons her friends!!"
"Is that so?"
With that, the bald man picked up an iron rod lying nearby.
Its tip was sharpened to a point. It was probably used to torment slaves.
The bald man pointed it at Rita.
The scene overlapped with the future Krista had seen.
Ah, so this was how it was, resignation taking root in Krista's heart.
Since the day she saw the future in which the crown prince died, Krista had seen many different futures. There were even futures she had not told Al or Mitsuba about.
That was why Krista had somehow come to understand the difference between futures that changed and those that did not.
Futures in which she clearly saw someone die did not change. No matter what anyone did, they always led there.
She had tried many things, but the future of someone's death had never changed. Not the crown prince's, nor the future in which a military man who had long served as Lieselotte's retainer died, nor the future in which a maid died. Not one of them had changed.
Even so, she had struggled this time. She did not want Rita to die.
But in the end, her actions themselves had brought about that death.
No matter how hard she tried, it was useless. Leaving things alone was useless too.
The future would not change.
"Then die."
Saying that, the bald man slowly drew back the iron rod.
Krista despaired as she watched.
At her own powerlessness. At her accursed power.
And yet, some part of her heart still refused to give up.
She could not accept Rita's death.
So Krista clung to her last hope.
Believing the words her brother had left behind.
"ELNAAAAAA!!!"
"Screaming won't help."
Saying that, the bald man thrust out the iron rod.
At that instant.
The wall of the room shattered, and something lunged at the bald man.
For an instant, the bald man had no idea what was happening.
He understood only that something had struck him and slammed him against the wall.
"What..."
"I'm sorry I'm late, Your Highness, Rita. Are you all right?"
"Elna..."
It was then that the man understood.
Beyond the hole in the wall, a series of holes stretched endlessly through the walls.
The knight before him had broken through the walls in a straight line to get here.
He also understood that the knight's sword had pierced deep into his body.
The man finally understood.
The woman had sakura-pink hair and jade-green eyes.
"Ams...berg..."
"Yes... Were you the one who hurt my adorable junior?"
"So what if I was...?"
"You deserve to die a thousand deaths."
Saying that, Elna put more strength into the sword pinning the man to the wall.
That alone sent him flying even farther back, smashing through the wall and into the depths beyond.
Elna did not check where the man had gone. She had something more important to confirm.
"Rita...!"
"Big Sis El..."
"Oh, Rita..."
Elna supported Rita, who was barely able to stand, and checked her abdomen.
Judging by the purple discoloration, her bones were probably broken.
Elna cast a simple healing spell, but the fractures seemed complicated, and she could do little more than ease the pain. Rita needed to be seen by a specialized healing mage immediately.
"Elna...!"
"Your Highness...! I'm sorry. This is my fault..."
"No... I'm sorry... I broke my promise..."
Elna embraced Krista as she clung to her, sobbing.
Then Elna gently embraced Rita as well, careful not to aggravate her injuries.
"Thank you... It's all thanks to you, Rita..."
"Hehe... Was Rita good...?"
"Yes, you were very good. You did wonderfully."
With that, Elna hoisted Rita onto her back and stood up.
"Elna... The children..."
"I know."
Elna swung her sword lightly.
The collars around the slave children's necks were severed one after another.
"If you want to live, follow me."
With only those words, Elna left the room with Rita and Krista.
The children followed after her without hesitation.