episode_0111

Charlotte heard what I said and looked at me in disbelief. He was looking at me with wide eyes, mouth slightly open, and frowning.

This is Charlotte, who always had a small smile or a grin with her eyes that couldn’t tell what was inside.

no… … . I was consumed by the spirit of suspicion, so I guess I only saw that side of Charlotte.

“Now… … . Are you saying you can’t go to save Seria?”

“Yes.”

I tried to calm my confused mind and, for the first time, avoided anyone’s gaze and answered briefly as if making an excuse.

“Why?”

There was a subtle anger in her voice. It felt like he was speaking while trying to suppress anger that seemed ready to explode at any moment.

‘why… … .’

I was speechless and couldn’t open my mouth to hear her short but meaningful question.

Being thoughtful and cautious. That was my strength and biggest weapon.

I doubted everything and prepared for anything. Instead of taking the first step, I observed the situation and made my move. There was no risk. Everything was going according to my plan or was going to benefit me without me having to worry about it.

But now… … . Everything I said was strangled by my throat. Everything I did was nothing more than clearing my footing with my own hands.

‘My position has been shaken because of the breakup of my engagement with you, so I can’t make any moves.’

If I make a reckless move now, it will prove that I don’t think anything of breaking off my engagement with you. That will soon lead to a weakening of political power.

In an aristocratic society that values relationships between people, if there is someone who mercilessly abandons his fiancée and thinks nothing of it… … . My already shaken position will be further shaken by the breakup of the engagement.

‘If I move the military based on my personal feelings of saving Ceria, my position will be narrowed.’

Moving the military brings great burden in many ways. Because it is military power that can be used as a political tool.

However, if such a soldier moves for no good reason and only to save one commoner――it is obvious that it will come back as a huge poison to me in the future.

And even if I were really crazy in love and went to save her, what happens after I save her is even more problematic. The number of assassins targeting her will increase. To put pressure on me.

Someone other than a gryphon might kidnap her. The chances of her dying become even greater. Even if it is not true, if she and I end up together, the legitimacy of the royal family will be damaged.

‘If I were to move from here–‘

A lot of thoughts poured out of my head that I had barely managed to organize.

Just as frost settles on the flowers of an apple tree and the flowers fall off without bearing fruit, countless thoughts poured out and blocked my mouth.

I had to choose the words I could say, but there were so many thoughts pouring out that I found it difficult to filter them out.

“That’s… … .”

These are certainly valid reasons. There is no reason for me to hesitate in saying this. Because I am the one who should be king. Because I have to become king.

Because we need to see the forest, not the trees. Because we cannot be shaken by something personal like a bug under our feet called emotions.

but… … . But I couldn’t open my mouth. Charlotte’s gaze was so painful that I couldn’t even make eye contact.

guilty.

okay. It was moving me.

“The Griffon’s nest is in the valley of the Bneron Mountains. Griffons are monsters that kill animals or people they hunt by throwing them into a valley and then chew on the corpses.”

“So… … . Since she would already be dead, it would be pointless to move the military. Is that what you mean?”

I looked at her, slowly spitting out the thoughts I had worked so hard to organize, with clear anger that I could clearly see now.

“If you move the military carelessly because of personal feelings, there will definitely be a negative impact――”

No, I tried to look.

match–!!

My vision suddenly returned as I felt a burning pain in my cheek.

‘what?’

What came before the feeling of pain was a small question about what had happened to me.

Eventually, I realized that it was a slap, and I looked at her, blinking at the tingling pain that started to feel half a beat later.

“ugh… … . Tsk… … .”

Charlotte was frowning, biting her lip so hard that it bled. anger? It wasn’t. petulance? That wasn’t it either.

She was desperately holding back her tears.

“Because of those personal feelings, you met with Seria and laughed and talked about me, but now… … . Now I’m saying it’s a personal feeling… … ?”

“I… … .”

She said that in a trembling voice. I couldn’t answer a single word to that.

I made a mistake again. I regretted it later, but even that regret did not help my current situation at all.

“The army cannot be moved… … . yes. That is a wise statement. Me too, that’s not what I was expecting… … . Even if you can’t move the army, I thought you could persuade professors from other academies to make the move, or at the very least, you could move it personally… … .”

“Because I thought you loved Seria… … !! You abandoned me and went to Seria… … . Because I went… … . Because I wanted you to be happy! That’s why I stepped down… … . I avoided you so as not to block your path… … .”

Her shoulders, which had been putting a lot of effort into them, slumped.

“You… … . Hell, how miserable would you have to make me… … . Are you losing your senses? … .”

She started shaking as she said that. Thuk, thud. Every time her tears fall on the leaves. It felt like a heavy stone was falling on one side of my chest.

It’s been so long since I apologized to her, and I can’t believe I hurt her like this again… … . I was unable to say anything due to the extreme helplessness I felt for the first time in my life.

I couldn’t even utter an apology, let alone comfort.

“… … That’s Okay. Now.”

After saying that, she glared at me with reddened eyes.

Her gaze was so painful that I couldn’t look at her directly.

“To you… … . I won’t expect anything more.”

Her eyes were red, but she no longer shed tears.

She looked at me with eyes full of determination, then roughly wiped her eyes with her forearm and looked at me with wide eyes.

“If you won’t do it, I will. I won’t rely on you anymore.”

As she spoke, she turned her back on me and headed somewhere.

Every time she took a step and walked away from me, it felt like the healthy floor was collapsing and I was falling into an abyss.

She was walking quietly, but then stopped, slightly turned her head towards me and said.

“I hope you have fun and be happy while protecting that damn throne for the rest of your life. The person I once loved most in the world… … . no. That’s enough now.”

Okay then.

With those last words, she completely left my side.

“… … .”

Now I will never see her again. Your throne will be filled with regret and anguish all your life.

As if the sky was saying that, it started pouring rain.

I quietly raised my head and looked up at the sky. Hoping this feeling will be washed away with the rain.

The sky was so fucking clear.

* * *

After finishing my face-to-face encounter with the crown prince, I immediately started moving in search of Hermel.

Of course, the driver did not follow. By now, he must have been by the crown prince’s side or gone to look around the crime scene, which was his original purpose.

Either way, as long as it doesn’t get in the way, that’s fine.

I have put away from my mind the things about the crown prince, who I no longer need to worry about, and the knight who doesn’t really bother me. I ran towards the direction where the loudest noise came from.

“Take this!!”

I was able to find Hermel smashing the goblin’s head with the edge of his shield.

Hermel looked down at the shield with a bright smile, as if he was refreshed. Surprisingly, the shield is also useful――I guess they are thinking the same thing.

When I saw that, I deliberately made a noise and approached Hermel, and Hermel quickly turned to me.

“Charles?”

“Hello.”

I smiled slightly and waved my hand, and Hermel, who had been looking at me for a moment, opened his eyes wide and rushed towards me.

“What’s wrong!? Did you cry? Why are your eyes red?”

“Ahuhu… … . My eyes are naturally red.”

“That’s not what I meant! what’s the matter! What’s going on? Brother, what did that bastard say again!? Should I go and beat them up!?”

Hermel was angrier than me and fussed, and I smiled at her cute appearance and calmed her down.

“It’s okay. Really. Well, it’s true that it’s related to the crown prince… … . Now you won’t be shaken by that damn person.”

“Uh… … ? Charles, you just… … .”

Hermel looked at me with wide eyes, as if he was quite surprised that I was so harshly criticizing the crown prince.

I patted Hermel’s head and smiled slightly.

“I had some work to do this time, so I ran out of energy. anyway… … . I need some help now. Can you help me?”

Hermel blinked and looked up at me, then nodded vigorously and grinned.

“Of course! Just say anything!”

I feel reassured. I smiled faintly and stroked Hermel’s head.