Chapter 54
Ever since she had reached the age of reason, she had lived as a tool of the Castline family, possessing no sense of self. It was what she herself had wanted, and what she had strived to achieve.
Her claim that she liked beautiful and pretty things was sincere. Debbie loved admiring the radiance of shining things more than anything else. However, if ordered, she could destroy even the most beautiful thing in this world without a moment’s hesitation.
Yet, of all the people Debbie had seen in her life, this most beautiful girl…
“If I ordered you to assassinate Imperial Consort Cleo and Prince Brian tonight, would it be possible?”
“It is beyond my capabilities.”
“What if I told you to kill the Emperor?”
“…….”
“So that is forbidden. I suppose harming a direct descendant of the Castline family is also out of the question, at least directly.”
With cold, dispassionate eyes, the Princess merely gauged how much the tool she had borrowed could do.
Suddenly, Debbie became curious.
Titania seemed to know exactly how ruthless the Castline family could be toward their enemies. She also seemed to know the limits of the weapon she held in her hand.
Just how?
An Imperial Princess raised in luxury, who surely had never killed a person with her own hands.
Why would she have reason to internalize the mindset of a family that had to grow accustomed to the bloody stench of demon beasts and the death throes of men?
“You don’t need to protect me absolutely,” the Princess said calmly.
“As long as it’s not to the point of instant death… as long as it doesn’t seem like I’ll suffer an irreparable, permanent disability or injury. What I mean is, there’s no need to overreact to threats or crises directed at me. In fact, I’d hate to let the opponent know that I’m prepared for such things.”
“……Are you telling me to leave threats unattended?”
“Of course, you must inform me of the situation in a timely manner. Just don’t act first without saying a word.”
Debbie blinked.
Those words meant that unless it was a truly serious threat, she shouldn’t react immediately, but rather report it later….
Why?
Wasn’t the reason she requested a knight and a maid to prepare for threats and to go about her business comfortably?
“The Duchy of Castline isn’t going to protect me forever, right?”
As if sensing Debbie’s doubt, the Princess laughed lightly. It was a smile like a candle flickering inside an empty glass lantern.
“You only need to move in truly dangerous situations. I’ll be giving you plenty of small favors to do anyway.”
This attitude felt like a strategy of giving up one’s flesh to take the opponent’s bone.
Was there a reason to act so desperately?
“So, let’s not lie to each other.”
Suddenly, Debbie realized.
The Princess had likely wanted to say this from the very beginning.
“The most important thing to you is the Castline family, and I have simply borrowed you for a short time for a fair price. So, do not lie to me ‘for the sake of the Castline family.’ Specifically, things like: ‘Your Highness is my only master, so I will never go back. I will protect you no matter what happens!’”
Looking into the Princess’s glass-like green eyes, Debbie realized once more.
She did not trust the emotions of those… belonging to the Castline family.
I know you would never choose me.
So do not deceive me.
It was a cold, firm wall. Somehow, it felt desperately so.
“As long as you keep that, it’ll be easier to work together from now on. Right?”
Debbie nodded silently.
With the Emperor’s permission granted, preparations for the Dedication Festival were finished in no time.
In the first place, there was no one to bother an underage member of the Imperial family with various instructions.
No matter how much it had become a mere formality lately, the Dedication Festival was an event held every year.
Since the Imperial family members personally traveled to the southern and northern tips of the empire, there was naturally a pre-determined route to some extent.
Unless there was a major problem, they mostly stuck to that path.
A member of the Imperial family wouldn’t personally ride a horse for such a long journey, so we just had to follow a well-paved road suitable for carriages.
Of course, there were minor issues.
The coachman for the carriage I would be riding was someone planted by the Castline family.
However, the knight appointed as the overall head of the party heading to the Temple was a member of the Imperial Consort’s faction.
Gregory Temper.
On the surface, he was a very serious and pleasant-looking middle-aged knight, but he subtly interfered with the schedule.
The locations where Warp Tunnels connecting major cities were installed were very limited. Naturally, the routes to use those Warp Tunnels were also simple.
Yet, he led us on a circuitous path through that simple route, even making us camp out in the forest. The Imperial Consort’s spite was truly petty.
When I shouted out, acting as if I had no complaints, “Wow, this is my first time sleeping outside! I can hear the grass insects!” Gregory’s smile stiffened slightly. Was he hoping I’d scream, “How dare you make this precious person camp in the woods!”? Of course, that was what he was trying to provoke.
I endured it all, smiling brightly the entire time.
Naturally, there were other difficulties besides that.
For example, even though Lisianthus was technically my guard knight, he wasn’t allowed to ride in my carriage.
If it had ended there, it might have been fine.
Gregory stationed Lisianthus at the very rear. He claimed that since Lisianthus was skilled, he should be where the enemy was most likely to be monitored.
Lisianthus looked pissed, retorting, “What kind of nonsense is that? Titania’s carriage is in the middle, so why should I be at the very back?”
Gregory scratched Lisianthus’s nerves with a smiling face.
“Haha, Sir Lisianthus’s noble character is as famous as his skills. I’m sure your skills can make up for a slight lack of experience, but protecting a person of high status doesn’t always go as planned, does it?”
And that day, Lisianthus finally ended up singeing the tip of Gregory’s beard.
After a dogfight that wasn’t quite a dogfight broke out, I received unpleasant looks from the soldiers. I let out a deep sigh and sent Lisianthus to the very rear for the time being.
Only after such twists and turns were we finally able to enter a major city where a Warp Tunnel was installed. After smiling and waving to the commoners who had gathered in droves to see a rare Imperial procession, we were able to travel via the Warp Tunnel.
Warp Tunnels were extremely rare.
First of all, the Magic Stone that served as the core of the Warp Tunnel was special. It required a Magic Stone about the size of an adult man’s head.
Furthermore, it was said that the resonance between the land and the Magic Stone had to match. On top of that, the cost and manpower required to design, draft the formulas, and carry out the construction for a warp were unimaginable.
Most existing Warp Tunnels were installed during the era of the First Emperor, and since then, no one had dared to install a new one.
It takes an immense amount of money and manpower just to activate a Warp Tunnel once, but it was worth it. Once a Warp Tunnel existed, that place was undeniably a major city.
As soon as I stepped out of the tunnel and through the special gate, I marveled at the sight before me.
“Wasn’t this almost at the southern tip? It’s as grand as the Capital…….”
Titania rarely had a reason to leave the Imperial Palace, but it wasn’t never. Every year on the Emperor’s birthday, all members of the Imperial family would ride in carriages around the Capital, waving to the citizens and scattering gold coins or flowers.
Though it was a very limited experience, at least the image of the Capital remained in my mind.
Yet, even compared to the memories of the Capital, this place didn’t fall short at all. The sight of lively people, all sorts of luggage loaded onto carriages, and well-ordered streets.
However, our destination was the southernmost point of the Empire.
I kept a close eye on the surroundings while glancing at Gregory, who was talking to the Temple officials who seemed to have come out to meet us.
Barbara, who was touching up my clothes which had become quite wrinkled from enduring the carriage ride, spoke up.
“Well, since there’s a Warp Tunnel here, it’s practically the center of the South. There’s even a joke that there’s nothing you can’t find at the Artula auction house that isn’t in the Capital. Well…. I heard the Habilios territory is nearby, but they say that while it’s a good place to live, it’s a bit rustic.”
“If you’re interested, shall we look around for a bit before we go?” Debbie asked me. I shook my head.
“No, that’s fine.”
“But, Imperial Princess. I heard you’ve hardly ever been on an outing outside the Imperial Palace?”
Debbie observed my reaction. Barbara also looked at me with a slight hint of pity in her eyes.
“I’ve been stuffed in a carriage for over a week, do you think I’d want to go sightseeing? Let’s just get to the Temple quickly.”
“Your Highness really doesn’t act like a child at all….”
Debbie’s voice was peculiar. I shrugged my shoulders.
To be honest….
In the novel, the southernmost tip of the Empire is brutally destroyed in the mid-to-late stages.
The Northern Barrier, which the Castline family was in charge of, held its frame until the very, very end, but the South did not.