Chapter 116 - Disappearance (2)

“What do you mean, Brother?”

Julius addressed Alester in disbelief.

“... Are you seriously suggesting we put her in the running for the throne? That we ask her, when she doesn't even want it herself?”

“...”

“We absolutely cannot give Princess Katya that sort of authority. That cursed child shouldn't even—”

“... Watch your mouth, Julius.”

Alester cut him off with a wry smile.

Yet he offered no particular objection to the substance of the remark.

Most people who knew the circumstances of Katya Heinkel Craven's birth would undoubtedly react much as Julius had.

Alester might pity her himself, but he couldn't dispute the plain facts.

“But think about it.”

Alester sighed, propping his chin on his hand at the table.

“She might be the better alternative.”

“... Alternative?”

There was something telling about that choice of words.

When Julius considered what had prompted it, the answer came quickly.

'... Ah, I see.'

Alester clearly already considered it quite likely that the man would win this race.

Aiden Kellermain. The outsider the Pontiff had brought in.

Honestly, after his performance in the recent team competition, even royals with firmly established power bases had every reason to feel nervous.

'...'

No, on reflection, it was absurd.

No matter how talented he was, how could one outstanding performance during the succession ceremony possibly be enough to hand him leadership of an entire nation?

Just how highly did Alester rate this Aiden fellow?

On that note...

“Brother. With all due respect.”

“Yes?”

“... Have you genuinely lost your mind?”

Julius had absolutely no intention of agreeing to such an idea.

“The reason everyone risks their life in the succession ceremony is that the Pontiff wields that much authority. That's why I'm participating too, but I've never believed there was a real alternative to you, Brother.”

“...”

“I'd sooner support that dimwit Mylène as Pontiff than put that walking disaster in the seat. This isn't simply about wielding divinity well. When it comes to being a good leader, there's no substitute for you.”

... Well, yes.

That was true enough.

But had the fellow always supported him this strongly?

Somewhat nonplussed, Alester watched Julius deliver his impassioned speech.

How should he put it?

Perhaps this reflected less a genuine fondness for him than a determination to stop that Aiden fellow at all costs...

As he entertained that thought, someone flung open the door to the room where they were speaking alone.

No one would even dream of such an intrusion while two royals were having a private conversation unless they were royalty of comparable standing.

The person who had entered certainly met that requirement, at least.

Mylène glanced casually around and spoke.

It was quite a novelty to see someone who normally considered conversation itself a nuisance attempting it.

“Have you two seen that Aiden person?”

“...”

That Aiden fellow again?

He really did seem to be the hottest topic around.

With that thought, Alester gave a wry smile.

“No, Mylène. What's the matter?”

“We made plans to do something together, but I can't find him.”

“Well, perhaps he'll turn up if you give it a little time.”

“Everyone says they haven't seen him.”

Mylène absently added how long it had been.

“For about two days.”

“...?”

... That long an absence was certainly strange.

Alester's and Julius's expressions changed simultaneously.

▣

Noel Astria Seamus had been out of her mind the entire time.

Really, it was a perfectly adequate description of someone lying on the bed in her private room, doing nothing but staring at the ceiling for hours.

What had happened with Aiden the other day kept replaying endlessly in her head.

She touched her lips absently.

After all...

Not so long ago, Aiden had touched this very spot with—

“Aaah!!!”

With a shout, she smacked herself on the crown of her head.

Anyone watching might well have wondered whether she had suddenly gone mad, but at least the sensation of steam escaping through both ears suggested it had helped her regain her senses.

'... Why did he do that?'

Even that did nothing to dispel the question that had been circling endlessly in her head.

And once she let her overheated head cool down, there was only one conclusion she could reach.

'It came out of nowhere.'

Given Aiden's behavior up to that point, it was only natural that something felt off.

Anyone would find it strange if someone who had always kept his feelings tightly in check suddenly did something that would leave an ordinary person writhing in embarrassment and shame, without a moment's hesitation.

Of course, if asked whether she had liked it, Noel had absolutely no grounds to say she hadn't...

'Wait.'

A peculiar realization suddenly flashed through her mind.

Lately... well...

This wasn't the first or second time Aiden had started making advances toward her.

Even before the attack on the capital, he had quite often said and done things that felt rather like flirting...

'... Wait?'

Noel frowned slightly.

Come to think of it...

She and Aiden were still only engaged. Things hadn't progressed much beyond that yet.

He had been the one to bring up marriage, but they hadn't discussed it in detail.

In that light, the way he was now so actively making advances...

Perhaps it wasn't so strange to think his feelings had changed when he seriously proposed marriage.

'... Wait...?'

Turning all this information over in her mind, Noel sank deep into thought, as though retreating within herself.

Every possible permutation rose and fell in her head.

Surely even all the thought she had devoted to combat, strategy, and tactics throughout her life had demanded less concentration than this...

Navigating familiar territory and contemplating the wholly unknown required entirely different levels of mental effort.

“...”

At last, Noel's eyes widened.

A shocking possibility she had never once considered took shape in words.

Maybe.

Just maybe...

'... Does Aiden like me too?'

... It was such a painfully belated conclusion that, had the Emperor heard it wherever he was, he might well have clutched the back of his neck and fainted.

Right now, though, Noel was all but seeing a vision of brilliant light flooding her mind.

Oh.

Oh.

Could this... perhaps...

Was this really a sign?

Was this really a green light?

Had Aiden finally succumbed to her irresistible charms, just as her friend had once told her he would...?

“...”

... Setting aside the question of what such charms she could possibly possess, his consistent behavior certainly pointed in that direction.

Noel sprang up, her expression serious, and began pacing the room.

In that case...

If he truly liked her...

'... Can I do all sorts of things with Aiden?'

Things like... well, you know.

Going to the movies together.

Dining somewhere nice.

Visiting Kenneth and Siscella, whom she had met before, to say hello and proudly announce that she was going to be part of their family.

And perhaps afterward...

“...”

Noel lightly touched her lips.

Not so long ago...

This was where Aiden had done that to her.

They could do it again.

Hmm.

“... Heh.”

And once her thoughts reached that point...

... She couldn't help reacting in a way some might find a little unsettling.

“Hehe, hehehe, hehehehe—”

A sly chuckle slipped from Noel's lips. Had anyone been told this was the laugh of the lion famed for never retreating on the battlefield, most would have shaken their heads and backed away.

But even if others reacted that way, Noel had no confidence she could restrain herself.

What was she supposed to do when merely imagining such scenes brought it out of her naturally...?

“Dame Noel.”

“... Heh, hehehe, hehehehe.”

“... Dame Noel?”

So absorbed was she that even as Morrigan kept calling to her right in front of her, Noel merely lay wriggling on the bed, chuckling away.

She did jolt upright in alarm once she noticed Morrigan looking down at her, head tilted in incomprehension.

“M-M-Morrigan?! Did you even knock befo—”

“... For about five minutes.”

“...”

Noticing her slightly reddened fingers, Noel shut her mouth.

“S-so, what brings you here?”

“It's an emergency.”

Granted, her pitch didn't change even when saying that, which robbed the statement of much of its impact.

But the information Morrigan delivered certainly warranted those words.

“Aiden has gone missing.”

“...”

Noel froze.

“Her Highness Katya is missing as well.”

... At that point, it was only natural for her face to turn deathly pale too.

▣

... He had no idea how long he'd been unconscious.

That was Aiden's first thought when he opened his eyes.

'... Where am I?'

The last thing he remembered was sitting on the cliff with Katya, only for something to shoot up from below and drag them both down.

In short, that ought to put him underwater...

“...”

But no matter how he looked at his surroundings, this was no underwater landscape.

It was more like a dark coastal cave.

'... I should gather information first.'

His priority was to find out where he was, what had dragged him here, and why.

To do that, he first had to get moving.

With that thought, he tried to get up, only to feel a weight across his lower body.

It was Katya, fast asleep and breathing softly despite their circumstances.

“...”

Looking at her sleeping soundly with her head in his lap, Aiden began calmly taking stock of his situation.

He had to find some way through this.

In a place where he had no idea what awaited him, alone with Katya.

“...”

Hmm.

Perhaps it was just his imagination that the latter sounded more threatening than the former.