The Princeps's Visit
His face twisted, but he did not become agitated.
"Do not play innocent. The Imperial Princess could not have pulled off something like this alone."
"That is correct. I went to his estate."
"And?"
"He tried to make me drink tea laced with drugs, so I made him drink it instead. I became angry, called in some people to search the estate, and discovered that filthy place."
"Hm. Is that so?"
Valdemar let out an intrigued sound.
For someone who had just lost his right-hand man, he was far too calm.
"Did you trigger something in him? That could not have been easy."
"I know men like that—furtive, twisted perverts—quite well."
Mages tended to display one common trait.
Once they advanced to a higher Circle, they looked down on those beneath them.
They believed that since no one below their rank could surpass them in ability, the hierarchy between them had already been firmly established.
That sense of superiority always led to carelessness.
Ferda had exploited that weakness dozens of times.
"What a pity."
Valdemar stroked his chin as he muttered.
"The day would have come when I had to discard him, but he still had some use left."
Ferda had wondered why a man whose right hand had effectively been boiled alive showed so little reaction.
Now he understood.
"Would you like to hear what my plan was?"
"I am not interested."
"Originally, I intended to bring that magitech researcher from your territory over to my side."
Ferda already knew that, yet hearing him say it so brazenly still grated on his nerves.
The urge to wipe that confident expression from his face swelled within him.
"I would give him a place where he could conduct his research, provide him with money, and allow him to use rare materials as freely as he wished. And that would not be all. Nobles from across the Empire would beg him to take their daughters. I would give him a wife, and then he would have children. Does that not sound wonderful?"
"You would be creating things he could not abandon."
"Exactly. That is the purpose of giving them to him. One by one, I would hang things around his neck that no ordinary man could bring himself to throw away. At first, he would eagerly accept them all. Then one day, he would realize just how painfully heavy his neck had become."
Emotion would begin to take precedence.
His thoughts would grow dull, and he would lose the ability to make rational decisions.
The fact that Valdemar was explaining this meant he already knew he could no longer recruit Burnell by any means.
"And so he would become my new right hand. That was the plan."
"Is the reward for Marquis Dvelung's loyalty to be discarded like a boiled dog?"
Valdemar snorted.
"Loyalty to me is meaningless. What matters is what a person can do for this nation. Dvelung can no longer do anything for the Empire, while Burnell is a man who still has much to offer."
Akad might have deserved death, but that was only from Ferda's perspective.
Akad's father had stopped the Third Prince's ambitions.
And Akad himself had devoted his efforts to protecting the Empire from epidemics.
"Since we are discussing this, let me ask you something. Do you believe you are any different?"
Valdemar's eyes sharpened.
A tense atmosphere filled the room, as though one of them might draw a blade at any moment.
"How many people stand behind you? Perhaps the number is still manageable now. But judging from your accomplishments, your influence will continue to grow."
"One day, it will become too large for you to shelter them all."
"Eventually, you will have to abandon something. You will have to choose whether to live as a ruler or merely as an emotional human being."
"Are you a ruler?"
"I am."
"For a ruler, you do a poor job of concealing your ugliness."
Ferda mocked him, deliberately provoking him.
"The reason you are this furious is because you failed to obtain Olivia, is it not?"
Valdemar's expression wavered once again.
At that moment, he looked entirely like an emotional human being.
"Yes. If it were not for that… I doubt I would be this angry."
Valdemar admitted it without resistance.
"You have gone this far. If I simply allow you to walk away, my reputation will be ruined."
"And what do you intend to do about it?"
Ferda did not back down.
He wanted to know what other scenario Valdemar had devised and how he intended to proceed.
Come at me.
Just as I did with Akad, I will turn your attack against you and tighten the noose around your throat.
Valdemar was about to speak when the commotion outside suddenly intensified.
The sound of hurried footsteps rang out as people rushed somewhere.
Noticing it, Valdemar put their conversation aside and gestured to the attendant standing behind him.
"What is happening outside?"
"I will find out."
The attendant left the room.
"Let us wait a moment."
"Very well. Would you care for some tea?"
Valdemar did not answer.
A short while later, the attendant returned and whispered into his ear.
Ferda subtly strained his hearing and listened in.
"It seems that…"
Valdemar's gaze changed.
Within it remained both the greed of a man looking upon a precious jewel and the regret of knowing it could never belong to him.
"Take care on your way."
"I shall."
"It appears I was the arrogant one."
Valdemar rose and released Ferda from the confrontation.
A moment later, Ferda's own attendant entered, a beat too late.
"Regent, you must prepare immediately."
Ferda interrupted before he could finish.
"Is the Princeps coming here?"
"Yes, she is… How did you know?"
How could he not?
He had just overheard it himself.
***
Meanwhile, inside the Red Dragon's lair in the Princeps's territory.
"Lord Ferda… I understand."
Luri had received a message through the spirits.
Valdrova asked,
"Is it good news?"
"Yes. They say everything is proceeding smoothly according to plan."
"Mm. I see."
Valdrova's fingers fidgeted, and her cheeks reddened.
Luri disliked the impatient look on her face.
Ferda was supposed to be the one pining and courting her. Yet here was a ruler who could barely remain still.
She was so restless that the elegant handwriting she had been practicing had become crooked like a child's scribbles.
Ignoring that, Luri continued relaying what she had heard.
"Because the Far East frequently faces exceptional circumstances, its autonomy has been strengthened. Now that the Empire no longer has justification to interfere with the magitech research being conducted there, it should have no reason to interfere with Hestia Village either."
"Could they have interfered before?"
"The matter could have been resolved much more quickly if you had personally stepped forward and spoken."
"Mm…! S-so that was the case…"
Valdrova turned her head away in embarrassment.
"Of course, if you had intervened, the problem would have grown worse."
"I am not good at speaking, and I am not good at hearing unpleasant things either, so perhaps that is why."
"That is not what I meant. Lord Ferda's position would have been called into question."
"Why would Ferda's position be questioned?"
Luri answered,
"Lord Ferda is still an inexperienced regent who has held the position for only one year. Even though he has achieved a great deal within that year, some people still believe he has risen only through beginner's luck. If you had stepped in at a time like this, his authority would have been greatly diminished."
"Mm… To put it simply, did I succeed halfway merely by doing nothing?"
"No. It means that by choosing the more difficult path, Lord Ferda preserved both his own authority and yours."
Ferda might be Valdrova's fiancé, but he was also her subordinate.
If a subordinate resolved a matter without relying on his superior, it demonstrated that the superior was capable enough to have such a subordinate.
That was how dragon society viewed things.
"I am very glad Lord Ferda handles his responsibilities so well."
"Yes. Ferda has many people who like him, and now you like him too, Luri."
"That is—pardon?"
Thinking she had misheard, Luri asked again.
Valdrova's innocent golden eyes stared at her as she smiled brightly.
"You like Ferda now too, don't you?"
Luri's heart dropped.
She tried to conceal how wide her eyes had become by narrowing them into a frown.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Hm? Well… when you said Ferda had brought good news, it was obvious how happy you were."
"Of course I was happy. He brought good news."
"You looked far happier than that."
Luri disliked humans.
After the Third Prince, she had trusted no nobleman in particular.
"You were extremely wary of Ferda at first, so I was a little worried. But now it seems you are finally seeing him for who he is and opening your heart to him. That makes me happy."
"Urgh…"
Her face tightened from embarrassment.
The first reason was that she had initially mistaken Valdrova's words to mean that Luri liked Ferda romantically.
The second was that nothing Valdrova had said was actually wrong.
That was why she hated this.
That cheerful, smiling face.
Valdrova had seen straight through her with that expression, shattering the composed mask Luri had struggled to maintain.
This is the kind of person my master is.
Like an awl hidden inside a pouch that would eventually pierce through, Valdrova was still a sovereign.
Those eyes possessed an insight comparable to that of Silverwind, whom Luri had regarded as her father.
She merely seemed slow and empty-headed because she rarely spoke and quickly forgot things.
Master is right.
To be honest, Luri did feel affection for Ferda.
But it was not affection between a man and a woman.
If asked whether she loved Ferda romantically, she could shake her head without hesitation.
The best way to define what she felt would be familial affection.
Family…
Ferda was like family.
Whenever he was nearby, she found herself glancing at his face one more time for no reason.
Whenever she became anxious, his face was the first thing that came to mind.
And whenever he said things would work out, she somehow believed they truly would and felt reassured.
Until now, the only person who had ever made her feel that way was Silverwind, whom she had regarded as her father.
The same feeling I had with Lord Silverwind…
Luri found that fact unbearably embarrassing.
Ferda was far younger than she was, yet she saw him as mature, admired him, found comfort in him, and had even begun to want to rely on him.
The more she felt that way, the stricter she believed she had to be as Valdrova's attendant.
But it was not easy.
This fact…
At the very least, Valdrova could never find out.
It was a shameful secret that must never be spoken, something that could shatter the image of the loyal attendant Luri had maintained all this time.
"I will inspect your handwriting practice now."
She abruptly changed the subject and examined Valdrova's writing.
The page was filled with the elegant handwriting of a noble lady.
It became slightly crooked near the end, but that was understandable, considering Valdrova had become agitated after hearing about Ferda.
"You have become quite skilled."
"Have I?"
"See? You can do it when you try."
"Mm. I suppose so…"
Even Valdrova could not hide her surprise.
"I never knew learning could be this enjoyable."
She looked down at the writing Luri handed back to her and smiled with satisfaction.
"I want to show Ferda my handwriting. I hope he returns soon."
"Isn't he the sort of person who would praise anything you did?"
"He would, wouldn't he? Hmm… Then perhaps I should try to receive his approval while disguised as the armored knight."
From an objective standpoint, unlike Valdrova, it was an excellent idea.
There was only one problem.
"I will not stop you if that is what you wish, Master, but it would not be advisable."
"Think about it. What if you and that armored knight used exactly the same handwriting?"
"Hmm… Would he really notice?"
"Wouldn't he?"
"Perhaps… not?"
"You mean the man who has kept count of every monster you have killed since becoming your fiancé?"
"R-really?"
Luri found that behavior rather unsettling.
Valdrova, on the other hand, smiled shyly at the thought that Ferda had been watching her so carefully.
Luri could not understand the sentiment, but she let it pass.
"Besides, the handwriting you have practiced is the style used by noblewomen. If a huge man wrote in a woman's hand, that would be strange in its own way. You should practice a separate masculine style before using it in disguise."
"Hmm… Then I should keep this style and learn a second one."
The thought of having to learn everything again bothered her slightly, but the possibility of receiving another compliment made her smile.
And since something good happened to Ferda, we can talk about that too, can't we?
She had a feeling they might finally have a proper conversation as a man and a woman.
When he returned, they would hold a tea party.
They would talk about many things.
"Hmm…"
Valdrova closed her eyes and thought quietly before speaking.
"Luri."
"Yes, Master?"
"Do you think Ferda… is satisfied?"
Luri tilted her head.
"When you say satisfied… what do you mean?"
"We have always lived apart like this. I am never beside him."
"You are still only engaged. To put it in human terms, Lord Ferda is something like a live-in son-in-law. It is common for people not to have physical contact with their partners even when they share the same room."
"I-is that so?"
"Of course, you have no need to follow such customs, Master. If there is anything you wish to do, please say so without hesitation."
At Luri's words, Valdrova hesitated and struggled to open her mouth.
"That is why…"
She asked,
"What would you think if I went to the Empire to welcome Ferda home?"
***
The grand avenue stretching from the outer walls of the Arken Empire's capital to the Imperial Palace was famous for being the widest road on the continent.
Even eight carriages could travel side by side with room to spare, and the avenue remained crowded from sunrise until sunset.
It led to the Imperial Palace, but it was also the great root from which roads spread in every direction.
The avenue was cleared only when members of the Arken bloodline—the Imperial Family—were passing through.
Not even Valdemar possessed the authority to close it.
Yet that avenue had now been emptied for someone who was not a member of the Imperial Family.
On the Cerdes Continent, there was only one kind of being acknowledged as standing above even an emperor.
"The Red Dragon, Lady Valdrova, is arriving!"
"Isn't she supposed to be in the Far East? Why has she come to the Empire…?"
The capital was already in turmoil over the discovery of demon followers.
For the infamous Red Tyrant of the Far East to arrive at such a time could not possibly be an ordinary matter.
People eventually abandoned their work and rushed toward the avenue.
A dragon.
Ever since interaction with dragons had diminished following the Dragon-Horse War, entire generations had grown up without ever seeing one.
Even if dragons were terrifying creatures, no one could suppress the desire to witness one with their own eyes.
Who knew?
Perhaps someone might offer free beer in exchange for hearing the tale of meeting a dragon.
Tens of thousands gathered along the cleared avenue.
"Show proper respect!"
Luri's voice thundered across the sky.
Every citizen of the Empire placed both hands on the ground and pressed their forehead against the earth.
It was the etiquette used for an imperial procession.
After all, someone who stood above the emperor had entered the capital.
People expected a carriage drawn by six white horses.
Instead, two small, slender legs stepped onto the avenue.
A wide-brimmed conical hat covered her head, with thin red veils hanging from its brim.
The faint silhouette created by the sunlight filtering through revealed the figure of a woman.
Dressed in red, she walked forward with regal dignity.
Those who had come merely hoping for a story to tell at a tavern could not raise their heads.
It was as though their instincts had become tyrants ruling over their bodies, pressing their heads down beneath iron boots.
The Princeps walked down the center of the long avenue with only one attendant beside her.
Their destination soon came into view.
Ferda, the regent and her fiancé, was waiting with knights and a carriage.
Ferda had composed himself more carefully than ever before.
Within that veiled silhouette was the Red Dragon, Valdrova.
The person who made his heart race more than anyone else.
Contrary to his expectation that he would tremble, his body remained calm.
As she drew near, Ferda knelt respectfully and bowed his head.
"I greet the great Princeps."
Valdrova answered his greeting.
"Raise your head."
Her tone was subdued, unlike her usual manner.
She carried the dignity of a true sovereign.
"You are the man who shall become my companion."
"…Yes."
"I received word that you would return bearing joyful news."
"You honor me too greatly."
A hand extended toward Ferda through the red veil.
"Come. Let us return together."
Ferda stared at that hand for a long moment before carefully taking it.
"Yes, my sovereign."
Guided by her hand, he rose and escorted her.
Valdrova walked gracefully and entered the carriage.
Reporters throughout the Empire hurriedly sketched the picturesque scene, unwilling to miss even a moment of Ferda and Valdrova together.
The door of the Princeps's carriage closed, and it began to move.
The moment it passed beyond the city gates, the space that had been dominated by her presence regained its freedom.
The commoners who had bowed low could finally breathe again and slowly rise to their feet.
They all shared the same thought.
Would anyone believe them if they tried to describe the terror they had just experienced?
***
The Princeps's carriage traveled beyond the city gates.
Ferda looked at Valdrova's face.
She had already removed the wide-brimmed hat, allowing him to see her clearly.
Noticing his gaze, Valdrova smiled.
"Hehe. Why do you look as though—Ghk!"
Her words were abruptly cut off.
Ferda had lunged across the carriage and seized her by the throat.
"Shut your mouth."
His voice trembled.
The trembling came from rage.
"Tell me. Who are you?"
"I-it is I, is it not? Your fiancée—"
"There will not be a second warning."
Ferda's eyes glowed a chilling blue.
"Her face is still vivid in my mind. A wench like you cannot confuse me by wearing her form."
She was a sovereign, yet also someone entirely unlike a sovereign.
She did not possess the sharp eyes or slender figure of the Valdrova sitting before him.
The woman in front of him might have suited titles such as Sovereign Dragon or Tyrant, but she was not Valdrova.
"Who are you?"
One wrong answer, and she would truly die.
The false Valdrova screamed,
"Hieeeek! I'm Penelope! Please don't kill me!"
Her red hair returned to pink, and the two pairs of horns reverted to those of a demon.
It was Penelope.
Ferda had expected his anger to subside once he saw her real face.
Instead, it only grew stronger.
"You insolent demon bitch."
Ferda ground his teeth.
"Know your place. How dare you impersonate her?"
The impersonation itself was not the only reason Ferda was furious.
As her figure had drawn closer, he had genuinely mistaken her for Valdrova.
Only later had he begun to suspect that none of her behavior resembled Valdrova, and when Penelope finally spoke, his suspicion became certainty.
The fact that it had taken him that long enraged him beyond measure.
"Th-that's not my fault! I was asked to do this!"
"Who asked you? There is no chance she would ever make such a request of you."
"Surprisingly, she did!"
Ferda could not believe it.
He raised his head and stared at Penelope.
She closed her mouth and exhaled through her nose.
Ferda could not understand.
"Why…"
He asked like a man watching his world collapse.
"Why would she ask someone like you to do this?"
"Uh, well… about that…"
Penelope scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"Because the Princeps and I are friends?"
It sounded like utter nonsense.
"Well… it may be a rather long story, and I'm not sure I really need to explain—"
"Tell me everything."
Blue flames burned in Ferda's eyes.
"Leave out nothing that happened between you and her."
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