Chapter 5. A Suspicious Scent

“Why on earth did it disappear?”

The Mana Heart was the pride of knights. It was the power that allowed them to display their history and achievements accumulated as a knight. It was everything to a knight. I couldn't comprehend why they would abandon such a thing and choose a Mana Circle.

“The difference in convenience and efficiency is huge. And it's also easy to mass-produce.”

“It's easy to create a Mana Circle?”

Mana Circles weren't something just anyone could create. Only those with an exceptional understanding of mana could make them. That's why mages were rare, and as rare as they were, they were treated well.

“Once you pass the knight exam, mages help you create one. There are people who do it on their own, but not many.”

Ah, that method. The one Alfred had proposed to introduce administratively. He said it would allow for the rapid supply of high-level troops. I had opposed it back then. It wasn't just me.

Most knights had opposed it. Knight aspirants had opposed it too. The reason was that they couldn't accept how a knight could use a Mana Circle instead of a Mana Heart.

-Why is that damn pride so important? The more of us there are, the higher the chances of survival! Don't treat life lightly with nonsense like honor!

Alfred had been furious. But nothing changed. We thought it was better to raise the level of a single knight rather than recklessly increasing their numbers. That was the thinking of most knights, including me. So Alfred's plan was scrapped, but I don't know why it has become the mainstream in this era.

“You still look like you have a lot of questions. You can find the details in a book. It's well-documented in the history of knights.”

Chris made it clear he wouldn't be taking any more questions. Then he announced, ‘I'm tired.

I'll be leaving for today,’ and left the mansion. Without me even giving an answer.

“How absurd.”

What kind of person was he to treat the prince of a nation so dismissively? I should call Rodrigo and ask about Chris.

Rodrigo brought a book and some medicine.

“This is the history of knights you mentioned. And this is a potion from Count Dorléans. He said it would help with recovering your energy.”

The fact that Chris gave it made me feel reluctant. Still, it probably wasn't just a simple energy recovery potion.

“Your Highness, what is bitter to the mouth is good for the body. I've prepared candy too, so please don't refuse and drink it.”

Rodrigo said, taking out a handful of colorful candies. Instead of answering, I picked up the bowl containing the potion. Then, I sent a little mana into it. Small, blue bubbles popped like soda. This was a phenomenon that occurred when high-purity mana was dissolved in it. It was a potion meant for both energy and mana replenishment.

“Don't hesitate, just drink it.”

Rodrigo urged. He seemed anxious that I wasn't drinking the potion even though I was holding the bowl. I'm not a child, yet he was worrying unnecessarily. Although, in Rodrigo's eyes, I was indeed a child.

I downed the potion in one gulp. Rodrigo wore a satisfied expression and repeated, ‘Well done.’ He even personally unwrapped a candy and gave it to me.

“Odrigo is a 2-thircle, ight?”

“Finish your candy before you speak.”

The candy was bigger than I thought. Or am I just small?

“Rodrigo, you're a 2-circle, right?”

“Yes, that's correct.”

“Then you could be a squad leader, couldn't you? In a knight order, you would have been a senior knight. Then you could even become a viscount, so why are you by my side? You could have died.”

“What? Phew, please don't say such things. Your Highness will not die. You've woken up like this. And this is the job of attending to Your Highness. It is by no means a trivial task.”

“I'm a prince in name only, practically abandoned.”

“No. Please don't think that way. Your Highness is an important person.”

Chris took my hand and said soothingly. I felt needlessly embarrassed.

“Alright, well… then what kind of person is Chris?”

“Count Dorléans is the one who guards the border.”

“He was a Margrave?”

I thought I understood why he had treated me, a prince, so dismissively.

A Margrave is like the shield of a nation. So even the king cannot handle him as he pleases.

‘Now I know why he had that raw feeling.’

It was because he was a man who lived close to battle. But what about his appearance? No matter how much of a mage he was, if he was on the border, it would be difficult to have such an appearance. And aren't Margraves supposed to be skilled knights with black hair and a rough appearance? Like a wolf of the battlefield standing against the invasion of an enemy nation. Chris didn't give off that kind of vibe at all…

“Chris' hair, you know. Is it dyed?”

Chris is a blond.

“Ha, ha, ha. No. He's always been a blond.”

“Really? That's strange.”

“Why? Do you find it strange that Count Dorléans is a Margrave?”

I nodded at Rodrigo's question.

“Count Dorléans' atmosphere doesn't really match the border. So when he first took charge of the border, there was a lot of talk. The border is a rough place, after all. But he is doing better than anyone.”

“Right. There's no rule that says a knight has to do it. Then… is this place close to the border?”

“No. This place is close to the capital. The border is about a week's ride on horseback.”

The lord of the border is away from his post for over a week? That was unimaginable in my time.

“Then is it okay for Chris to be here, away from the border?”

“I heard that the Second Queen summoned him. Since he came for that reason, there should be no problem.”

“The Second Queen? What's their relationship?”

“He is the Second Queen's younger brother.”

He wasn't an ordinary Margrave.

‘So that's why he said that.’

When I heard him say that I used to like him and didn't look down on him, I wondered why he was suddenly acting like that. But now I think I understand the reason.

“So the Second Queen asked him to look after me?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“That's strange.”

It was strange for her to do so when she wasn't the 5th Prince's birth mother. There were cases where the king would step in to take care of things, but I had never heard of a queen taking care of a prince she hadn't given birth to.

“But if the Second Queen tells him to take care of me, doesn't the 2nd Prince say anything?

Do they get along?”

“……”

“Why?”

“The 2nd Prince passed away a long time ago.”

“…R-really? The cause of death?”

“It is known to be from an illness.”

He couldn't have been that old, so for him to die of an illness, the Second Queen must be in a terrible state. Wait a minute? Known to be from an illness? Then that means there's something more.

“When you say 'known,' do you mean there was an official announcement, or is that the rumor?”

“The official announcement was indeed an illness.”

There was no clarity in Rodrigo's voice. He said there was an official announcement, but he didn't believe it.

“There's something else, isn't there? The investigation wasn't done properly?”

“Well…”

“Well?”

“An investigation was conducted. But there was interference.”

“Interference? Who? It's an investigation into the 2nd Prince, who could be crazy enough to do that?”

“It was never revealed who it was. The 2nd Prince's body was desecrated, but no one saw who did it.”

This is truly insane. A body was desecrated during a cause-of-death investigation, and the investigation into that was not properly conducted. Because the official announcement was illness. A suspicious scent hangs heavy in the air. Perhaps the 5th Prince's situation is related to this.

“Then.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“The Second Queen must be investigating separately?”

“I do not know about that. The Second Queen has been in seclusion since that incident. The only person she meets occasionally is Count Dorléans.”

The shock must have been considerable, so it's not unreasonable.

“Is there anyone you suspect?”

“That is…”

Rodrigo found it difficult to answer. It must be someone he felt burdened to mention. In that case…

“Are you suspecting the 1st Queen? When the fight for succession gets serious, the 2nd Prince is the biggest threat, right?”

“What? Oh my, no. The 1st Queen passed away a long time ago.”

No, why do dead people keep popping up?

Let's organize this. The 1st Queen is dead. The 2nd Prince is dead, the 5th Prince's birth mother is dead, and the 5th Prince almost died. When so many members of the royal family die, there should be a large-scale investigation. But it seems there wasn't one. Then I have no choice but to think about who benefits from their deaths.

“The 1st Prince, 3rd Prince, 4th Prince. Are they alive and well?”

“…Yes, that is correct. But why do you ask that?”

“Because something is strange. Look closely. The 1st Queen is dead, and the 2nd Prince is dead. My mother is dead, and I almost died. Probably, except for me, all the others were due to illness. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Has there ever been a proper investigation?”

Rodrigo pressed his forehead and began to think.

“There were investigations, but nothing was ever clearly resolved.”

“Right. Then what should we be thinking?”“…His Majesty is still strong. The 1st Prince is also in good health.”

“That may be so for now. But there's no guarantee it will stay that way, is there?”

“……”

Rodrigo continued to think, stroking his beard.

“What about the 3rd Queen?”

“As a matter of fact… the person the Second Queen is watching is the 3rd Queen.”

The person Rodrigo was reluctant to name has emerged.

“Really? What about the 4th Queen?”

“There is no 4th Queen. The 3rd Queen is the birth mother of both the 3rd Prince and the 4th Prince.”

Oh, is that so?

“Could I meet the 3rd Queen?”

“What? You cannot.”

“No, it's not that it's difficult, but that I can't?”

“The 3rd Queen… Your Highness… how should I put it…”

“What, ‘how should I put it’? She hates me, that's what.”

Rodrigo's face turned red as he just scratched his forehead.

It seems it would be difficult to go and meet the 3rd Queen directly right away. To judge a person, you have to meet them, see their face, and exchange words. What a shame.

“Is there a royal event in the near future?”

If we meet in a crowded place, detailed observation would be difficult, but I could get a general sense of her character.

“Um… there is not.”

There isn't. Why is there nothing.

“No, there is. But it's not in the near future.”

“Really? What is it?”

“There is a martial arts tournament held at the military academy. His Majesty the King will be in attendance then.”

“The 3rd Queen too?”

“Yes, she will be there with him. The martial arts tournament is a rather important event.”

It must be because it's an institution that trains the nation's key personnel. Then that means the day I can meet the 3rd Queen is about 8 months away? I'll have to remember the martial arts tournament.

* * *

Thump!

A heavy door opened. Chris walked in with a relaxed smile.

“Has my brother arrived?”

A beautiful woman with dark circles under her eyes said as she looked at Chris. She was Isabelle, the birth mother of the deceased 2nd Prince.

“I have come at the summons of the Second Queen.”

“When it's just the two of us, please speak comfortably. If you don't, I will be very upset.”

“I will do so. Sister.”

Isabelle wore a satisfied expression at Chris' reply.

“Yes. Have you seen him?”

Isabelle gestured for Chris to sit and asked.

“Yes, I have.”

“How was he?”

“Exactly as Rodrigo described.”

“Ha!”

Isabelle let out a sigh.

“So it was true that he lost his memory.”

“Yes, it is. But his physical condition was fine.”

“Is that so? They said he was a living corpse. That's a relief, at least. So, in your opinion, what do you think? Do you think he'll be a suitable sword?”

At the word 'sword,' Chris fell into thought. He recalled the day he first saw the boy he called Maxim, Maximilian Caesar. His striking beauty, inherited from his mother, caught the eye. His words and actions were polite, and he was kind to everyone he met. His red eyes were full of intelligence, and he never went astray. He was always cheerful, a child who brought happiness just by being looked at.

That child, before he was even 10, had lost his mother and come to him. To be precise, he had come to Isabelle, not him.

-I want to find the one who killed my mother. Please help me.

He had pleaded while crying. Seeing this, Chris' own heart ached quite a bit. Instead of intelligence, the child's eyes were filled with anger, and his kindness, brightness, and cheerfulness had disappeared. In their place, only a desire for revenge remained.

-Will you become my sword?

-I will do anything.

-Yes, if that's the case, I will become your mother.

Isabelle decided to use Maxim for her son's revenge. Her smile and touch contained not affection, but cruelty.

“Chris?”

Isabelle called out. She was frustrated that he was just thinking without answering her question.

“He can't be called good, but he's not bad for tripping them up.”

“He used to be. But he was very sick and lost his memory, so there's no guarantee he's like he used to be, right?”

At Isabelle's question, Chris just swallowed his breath. His sister's desire for revenge was too fiery. He was worried it would cause harm in many places. But he couldn't stop her.

Because it was what his only remaining blood relative desperately wanted.

“Usually, the body remembers. But we don't know for sure, so I will check.”

“Please check quickly. The martial arts tournament is not far off.”

A madness appeared in Isabelle's eyes. Her anger rose, and she clenched her fists, trembling.

“The day that venomous snake of a woman gets her punishment is not far off.”

“Your Highness, please compose yourself.”

Chris, who had told Isabelle to calm down, swallowed his bitterness. Because the pain, sorrow, and anger of losing her son were not being washed away by time, but were growing deeper.

“Yes. I must be calm. I need to be calm to handle things well. Hah.”

“A wise thought.”

“Don't forget that this time, it must be done. This martial arts tournament is the last for the trash that venomous bitch created. So we must move quickly. If we can't use the 5th Prince, we have to find another sword.”

Chris nodded. And he thought of Maxim. The bright and kind Maxim whom he had cherished.