NOVEL NEXT chapter 107 - Summit Meeting (1)
"I have to wait out here."
In front of the council chamber, Felix spoke while yawning.
"The inner council chamber of the Imperial Palace only admits ‘imperials’ or ‘invited guests.’ No one else is allowed in."
"...So Your Eminence the Cardinal sent me on errands, but didn’t extend me an invitation?"
"They’ve always been inconsiderate bastards. I’m used to this sort of thing."
"..."
Hmph.
Even when Felix was subjected to such tyranny, she just let it slide without complaint.
It drove home again just how bizarrely immense the princes’ and princesses’ power really was.
That was the only reason someone would dare treat her this way.
"Carlyle Belfast."
"Yes?"
"Keep your head on straight."
Felix warned him with a serious face.
"They’re serpents who coil around and control the entire Empire. Nobody knows what cards they’ll have prepared."
"Yes. I am already being cautious—"
"No. Don’t just stop at being cautious."
"Excuse me?"
"Don’t let them sway you. No matter what those bastards say."
Her firm advice continued.
"Never make a choice you’ll regret. Do you understand?"
"..."
"Never lose yourself. Trust in who you are."
Carlyle looked at Felix.
Felix, as if she had already said all she needed to, simply gazed back at him.
Her eyes carried half worry, and half expectation.
...There was only one answer Carlyle could possibly give.
"That will never happen."
That must have been the right answer.
Felix smiled in satisfaction.
***
Theodor Alban Reinhardt. First Prince of the Empire.
Bellatrix Ordo Reinhardt. Second Princess of the Empire.
The two greatest powers of the Empire, who divided the succession between them.
And also the bitterest of rivals, each considering the other their greatest enemy.
"Brotherrrr! Your face has grown half its size since I last saw you! I told you to eat properly!"
"Sister, and your skin looks terribly rough. Have you been sleeping well?"
...And yet, their meeting looked on the surface like the warm reunion of two affectionate siblings.
Nothing at all like the serpents who ceaselessly plotted secret wars and backroom intrigues.
Inside the council chamber, the two had spent dozens of minutes already doing nothing but fussing over each other’s health.
And Carlyle’s expression must have betrayed his bewilderment.
"Do I look strange?"
Bellatrix asked with a smile.
"Your face looks odd, Carli-carli."
"...I can’t deny it."
"Oh really? Then what kind of image did you have of us in your head?"
"..."
...Mortal enemies who wanted nothing more than to kill each other?
Not that he could say that aloud.
"Weren’t you two the type dying to kill each other?"
Of course, the Hero said it.
"Well, that’s true."
"..."
And the fact that their answer was just as deranged as Gray was undeniable.
"It’s true that my brother and I are competing for the throne, but there’s no need for us to treat each other with spite."
"I agree, sister. If I must die in the struggle for the crown, I would rather it be at your hand."
"Wow, me too, brother!"
"..."
As Carlyle stared in shock, their conversation only spiraled deeper into madness.
"So, just as we promised before, whichever of us becomes Emperor, the other dies without resentment."
"Of course! We won’t limit the methods, but we’ll at least try to kill as few talented people as possible. If you die, that’s a loss of manpower."
"Fair and impartial, purely between you and me, until only one of us dies."
"I always said we communicate so well, brother."
...Correction.
These two were not ordinary lunatics.
What kind of family talks about slitting each other’s throats in the most pastoral and peaceful way possible, minimizing casualties as they go?
"Anyway, that’s ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) the reason we called you here."
As Carlyle thought that, Theodor turned to him and spoke.
"We promised to each other: if we both discover an outstanding talent, we’ll fairly try to recruit them."
Prince or Princess—it didn’t matter which he chose.
But neither would cut in line.
"Bellatrix and I agreed: if there’s someone we both covet, we’ll handle it this way."
"...And right now, I’m the one both of you are interested in."
"Exactly. That’s why this meeting was hastily arranged. Either way, we need to probe your intentions so you can at least begin to consider your choice."
Theodor spoke calmly.
"I promise. No matter whom you choose, neither you nor anyone close to you will ever be harmed."
"My brother and I both hold ‘the peace of the Empire’ as our highest priority!"
"..."
Carlyle slowly nodded.
Up until now, their words at least had a ring of credibility.
When he had seen them before, the trust shown by the people around them had been genuine.
Even the aura of respect—which only those consistent in action could inspire—surrounded them.
He couldn’t say how far to trust them, but for now it was certain they had no intention of wrecking the Empire.
Still...
"...Then, may I ask one question?"
"Yes! What is it?"
"Why didn’t you take measures a little sooner, when Black Omen tried to invade the Empire?"
He still remembered.
Before suppressing Black Omen, they had deliberately let the threat grow more dangerous, in order to raise the ‘stakes’ and increase the benefit of defeating it.
What kind of peace of the Empire was that?
"Car-ly."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Do you remember the route Black Omen took to reach Yoram?"
"...Yes?"
"Did you see any civilians harmed by it? No—did you even hear any news of such?"
"...?"
No, he hadn’t.
He had simply assumed it to be true. He had never confirmed it himself.
That made their answer all the more absurd.
"Probably not a single one. We dispatched imperial special forces in advance and evacuated every civilian in its path. All property damage was compensated. Oh, this is technically secret—but even if you say it, no one will believe you under the current information lockdown."
"..."
What...?
So the truth was the exact opposite of what he had believed...?
"A rumor... you say?"
"Yes. Letting people think we’d resort to such horrifying methods—it helps show how desperately we want the throne."
Theodor nodded and continued.
"Simply by spreading the rumor that Bellatrix and I are mad enough to go that far, we’ve already cowed some into submission. So far, the impression has been quite successful."
"Sure—we get cursed for it. But having that image cuts down the number of troublemaking minnows. That alone reduces pointless deaths by more than half."
"..."
The more Carlyle listened,
the higher his disbelief soared.
...Hero.
[Hm.]
...Why the hell are these bastards actually sane...?
Every word, every act kept distorting the image he had of the Prince and Princess.
Could it be they had always thought and acted with this much foresight...?
Their very intent seemed too damn righteous.
Were these really the notorious lunatics who eventually destroyed their nation?
[...So what will you do? Will you really swear loyalty to one of them here?]
...That’s the thing.
But still—
I don’t want to choose either of them.
That was all he could think.
Even if their atmosphere consistently felt ‘reasonable’ right now—
Considering how their schemes always escalated into grand-scale ruin,
that much is a fixed fact.
Across every cycle Carlyle had lived, not once had these two failed to ruin their country.
How to put it—
...Even if not now, sooner or later that’s the future awaiting them.
No matter how fine they seemed at the moment, they could snap at any time.
Even now, Carlyle felt his guard softening—but unless he saw the decisive trigger that would push them over the edge, he couldn’t feel truly at ease.
Still, I can’t exactly run away right now...
And besides, he doubted they’d let him go so easily.
Hadn’t they already been showing him baffling levels of goodwill? If he refused both of them and insisted on staying at the Hero’s side—what kind of reaction would they have—
"Even if you choose neither of us and remain with the Hero, we would accept that."
"..."
Carlyle blinked at Theodor.
"If you wish, I can even bring out a magical device from the Tower, used to place Binding Seals. That is my promise, sworn on my honor and trust. Bellatrix feels the same."
"Everything said inside this council chamber is recorded anyway, so you don’t have to worry about credibility!"
What the hell.
Were these two practicing ways to shatter expectations?
Every word and deed they showed was galaxies away from the tyrannical, scheming image Carlyle had of them.
...I can’t make sense of these people.
[Agreed.]
He couldn’t fathom their true intent.
If they only meant to offer such soft, pliant proposals, why summon him so urgently here?
Above all—why was Illia even here?
Had they brought her just to spectate?
...These two have been strangely fixated on the Princess for some time.
They had insisted repeatedly that Illia must be brought to the palace.
And now they had dragged her into this chamber as well.
But the reason for it was still entirely unclear.
"Of course, any such offer requires one small test before it holds validity."
"...A test?"
"If you do just one thing for us, everything we’ve said here will be honored. We only need the minimum safeguard."
Fortunately, an answer to his doubts seemed close at hand.
"What is it you wish of me...?"
"From this moment, you must kill the Princess Illia sitting beside you."
...In a form beyond all imagination.