Chapter 53: Even Trash Can Be Recycled 4

The individual who appeared before me, Prince Friedrich. I promptly ushered him into my chambers.

Seemingly bearing some important matter to discuss, he had brought along a servant, who waited outside the door. Inside were only Friedrich, myself, and Polena, standing slightly behind us with an uncharacteristically meek expression, silently maintaining her position.

‘Ordinarily, Polena would excuse herself, but since the Prince seems unconcerned, I shall leave her be.’

With this thought, I observed Friedrich quietly sipping his tea. After setting down his cup, he addressed me with cautious words.

“My apologies for this unannounced intrusion.”

“Not at all. As a busy individual, such occurrences are understandable. Rather, I am delighted that Your Highness has graced me with a personal visit.”

I responded with a smile, though inwardly, my true sentiments were closer to, ‘If you knew it was rude, why bother coming at all?’

Naturally, I could not voice such impudence before a Prince-Elector.

Moreover, I found myself genuinely curious about this situation.

In the original work, Friedrich had merely trailed behind Anhalt, serving as his mindless puppet.

That he had undertaken this independent action upon arriving in Bohemia – to seek me out, without Anhalt’s company – was quite intriguing from my perspective, being familiar with his character.

‘Could this be Anhalt’s doing as well?… No, it’s highly unlikely. Knowing Friedrich’s limitations, he would never allow him to act alone.’

While Anhalt was arrogant and ambitious, this matter concerned Friedrich himself – a man who, despite his privileged upbringing as a Prince-Elector, lacked the necessary qualities of a ruler.

He was not unintelligent, but he severely lacked decisiveness, self-confidence, and a clear sense of purpose.

Such individuals could maintain a decent facade when accompanied by capable individuals, but their lack of a distinct personality made them susceptible to being easily swayed by those around them. Left alone or with the wrong company, they would either stumble down unsavory paths or remain indecisive until their eventual ruin.

Friedrich himself was keenly aware of this, as was Anhalt, his chancellor and tutor.

Consequently, the two were virtually inseparable when handling important matters, which is why Friedrich rarely made independent decisions in the original narrative.

This behavior was consistent with my observations of him thus far.

‘Yet this very person has now come to seek me out alone, without Anhalt? What could possibly be the reason for this unexpected event?’

Perplexed by this unnatural situation, I cautiously probed the visibly hesitant Friedrich before me.

“Well then, Your Highness. Might you share the reason for this visit to my humble quarters? Is there some important task for me to undertake?”

My inquiry, subtly testing the waters.

In response, Friedrich’s expression tensed slightly as he seemed momentarily flustered.

“Ah… No… That is… I… Well, you see…”

His halting speech became somewhat frustrating to follow.

However, I patiently refrained from further prompting, maintaining a relaxed demeanor as I awaited his reply – there was no need to rush, nor would doing so achieve anything.

“Umm… Umm… My apologies.”

After a brief pause, seemingly regaining his composure in the face of my calm attitude, Friedrich cleared his throat before speaking.

“In any case… Yes. The reason for my visit, you see… It’s about…”

Of course, a long-winded preamble tinged with self-consciousness followed.

Finally, the words that emerged from his lips were…

“How was… it? The… running away…”

“…Pardon?”

Not only was his unaccompanied visit unexpected, but his question caught me entirely off guard.

Momentarily stunned, I could only gaze at him in bewilderment… prompting Friedrich to hastily explain in a tone bordering on apologetic.

“Ah… No… I meant no offense. I was simply… curious. You see, I too had attempted to run away in my youth, though I ultimately failed… I merely wondered what it might have been like, had I succeeded…”

Friedrich’s flustered rambling.

Yet…

His demeanor unexpectedly stirred a sense of familiarity within me.

And…

“Pfft…”

“?”

“Phuhahahahaha!”

Before I realized it, I had burst into uncontrollable laughter, prompting a mixture of confusion and apparent embarrassment from Friedrich.

For a Prince-Elector to seek out a Count’s son merely to inquire about running away must have seemed utterly absurd, even to Friedrich himself.

And yet, driven by pure, simple curiosity and yearning, he had posed this peculiar question.

Furthermore, judging by the circumstances, he had likely done so behind Anhalt’s back, evading the machinations the chancellor was undoubtedly preoccupied with.

It was a display of childlike innocence, coupled with a distinct naivety – or, to put it more charitably, a refreshing sincerity – that was not entirely unpleasant.

‘In the original work, he was merely portrayed as a useless figurehead. But seeing him like this, he’s not entirely detestable.’

Unexpectedly endeared by this facet of Friedrich, I found myself overcome with amusement and an odd sense of fondness.

Regaining my composure after the sudden outburst, I addressed him.

“Hahaha… Ah… My apologies. I did not mean to mock you, Your Highness. The situation merely took an unanticipated turn.”

“Umm… It’s quite alright. Truthfully, even I find my own question rather absurd. In any case… Could you indulge me with an answer?”

Despite flushing slightly, Friedrich did not conceal his curiosity.

Regarding his youthful peer, I replied with a smile.

“Of course, Your Highness. Gladly.”

Truthfully, I possessed no vivid recollections of my supposed runaway experience.

However, having spent considerable time as Count Turen’s son in Bohemia, I could surmise the reasons behind my younger self’s actions and the circumstances surrounding them without much difficulty.

It was hardly a secret within Bohemia and was largely regarded as a minor youthful indiscretion of the Lord’s son, prompting wry smiles from those recounting the tale.

Thanks to these accounts, I had become well-acquainted with the details of my past self’s escapades.

Drawing upon this knowledge, I could embellish the story to satisfy Friedrich’s curiosity.

“So you, too, for similar reasons…”

“Yes, that’s right. At the time, I was more eager to explore the wider world than to concern myself with being the Lord’s son. Additionally, I harbored a desire to gain deeper insights into matters of faith, the Aura, and the Church’s influence.”

“I see… In truth, I had attempted to run away for comparable reasons. Though, in the end, my mother caught me, and it concluded with a mere scolding.”

“Hahaha… I can relate. As a timid child, my parents never expected me to actually go through with it, allowing me to fortuitously make my way to Milan.”

“Is that so… Umm… Indeed. I should have succeeded back then…”

Friedrich’s voice carried a palpable tinge of regret as a wistful smile formed on his lips.

Observing his demeanor, I continued in a lighter tone.

“However, there is no need to dwell on such sentiments. Even I, who had succeeded in leaving, ultimately found my way back to my rightful place. Now, I only lament having taken such a needlessly circuitous path.”

While ostensibly words of consolation, I spoke with a degree of sincerity.

Had my past self failed to run away, the chances were high that I would currently possess formidable mana reserves of at least Grade Four, instead of the useless Aura lingering within me.

On the other hand…

Reflecting upon my regret over such wasted potential, Friedrich responded with a hint of melancholy in his voice.

“But… Taking the long way around might not have been entirely unfavorable, it seems, judging by your present self…”