Life is like gambling.
Time doesn’t look back, so the moment of choice always comes one step ahead of the result.
Whether the outcome of playing your cards will be regret or joy.
No one can know until the cards are revealed.
So, at least, it’s better to make the decision yourself.
If a choice made under pressure ends in failure, the regret would be indescribable.
…Was my decision truly the path I chose for myself?
The only thing I can say now is this:
Leopold chose a safety net, and I agreed with it.
That alone was the undeniable truth.
—
The day before Ferdinand II’s funeral, Isabella, after days of seclusion, stepped into the court meeting.
Her limbs, seemingly not properly nourished, looked slightly emaciated, and dark shadows hung under her bloodshot eyes like clouds.
Her downcast eyebrows, trembling fingertips, and slightly bowed head all painted a picture reminiscent of a sick patient.
Gone was the seductive charm she once exuded, replaced by a pitiful and haggard appearance that made those unaware of the truth worry and sympathize with her.
Though she had remained strong and composed after losing her husband and child… it was clear that the repeated shocks had finally taken their toll on her both mentally and physically.
From my perspective, knowing the truth, it was nothing but laughable nonsense.
Psychological shock? Please.
That woman is just tired from staying up all night for several days.
No doubt she’s been busy day and night transforming Ernst and rolling around with him.
I turned my gaze from Isabella to Ernst, who was standing beside her.
“Yes, thank you for your concern. Mother is just a bit tired, but there’s no problem now. The identity of the assassin…? That’s still under investigation, so it’s difficult to discuss here.”
Ernst calmly responded to the nobles inquiring about his well-being.
He was covered in a thicker-than-usual uniform, revealing only his neck and above.
His appearance and demeanor were no different from before… but below the neck was a completely different story.
Even without seeing, I could feel it.
My hearing, sense of smell, and intuition told me what was squirming inside that uniform.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of insects were wriggling and moving his body.
At least Isabella was controlling the bugs around his face, making him appear normal, but he was no longer a person—just a cluster of bugs.
His words, his reassuring smile, were all just the bugs mimicking muscle movements.
If I were to cut him down now, instead of blood and guts, a fountain of bugs would gush out.
Wait a minute.
…Should I try it?
Cutting down Ernst right here. It was an impulsive thought, but it had its reasons.
What better evidence than a swarm of bugs bursting out of the prince’s body?
The nobles and knights would try to stop me… but once they saw that, they’d be too busy screaming.
Like a child finding a chopped cockroach in their stew.
Once the shock subsided, they’d look at Ernst, who had evolved from a mammal to an arthropod, and Isabella, who had been secluded with him, with suspicion.
At that point, no one would deny calling Isabella a witch.
It was a Gordian knot situation—one slash, and all problems would be solved.
I reached for Durandal’s hilt.
The distance between me and Ernst was seventeen meters.
The number of people likely to block me was seven.
I needed to break through without causing injury, so the time required would be roughly…
“Princess, what are you planning to do now…?”
Had he noticed my hand reaching for the hilt? Leopold urgently whispered.
“Your Highness, that Ernst is no longer human. If I just cut him down, his true nature will be revealed…”
“…I forbid it. What if your sword is blocked before it reaches Ernst?”
“Even though Ernst’s guards are skilled… if I endure some injuries, breaking through should be possible.”
“Can you really guarantee that after seeing him?”
Leopold gestured with his eyes toward a corner.
About ten meters away from Ernst, against the wall.
A middle-aged knight in the Empire’s knight uniform stood with his hand on his hilt, staring sharply in my direction.
“……!”
A chill ran down my spine.
At such a close distance, he was clearly hostile, yet I hadn’t noticed him at all.
The man stood as quietly as a statue or still life, blending seamlessly into the background.
If Leopold hadn’t pointed him out, I wouldn’t have even noticed.
“…Who is that knight?”
“Marquis Valenstein. He rarely attends such gatherings, but today, for some reason… If I hadn’t accidentally made eye contact, I wouldn’t have noticed him either.”
The Empire’s greatest swordsman. This was my first time seeing him in person.
Contrary to his reputation, he wasn’t a towering figure.
He was of similar height to the other knights, with a slightly lean build.
He could pass for a civil servant rather than a knight.
His appearance was completely different from what I had imagined, which left me a bit bewildered.
Not just his build, but his face as well.
“I heard the Empire’s greatest swordsman is nearly seventy years old…?”
I had imagined a white-haired old man.
In the original story, he was supposed to die of old age in a few years.
But the Valenstein I faced looked no older than late fifties.
“You’re right, Princess. The Marquis is sixty-nine this year. It’s hard to believe, given how youthful he looks.”
Sixty-nine years old with that face? It’s like he’s cheating time.
Did he pass away?
No, then what was the original story about him dying of old age?
He doesn’t look like he’s going to die of old age anytime soon; he seems like he could stay healthy for another twenty years.
“So, what do you think after seeing him in person? Do you still think you can take down Ernst?”
“…It would be difficult.”
Even though you never know until you try, even I wouldn’t dare take such a risk. An enemy you can’t sense is just too unsettling.
If they step out of sight, it’s as if they’ve suddenly disappeared from my perspective. Even if I could win, it’s not a fight worth having.
If the battle drags on even a little, Ernst and Isabella would retreat, and the Royal Guard would swarm in. I’d end up caught as an assassin with nothing to show for it.
Reluctantly, I let go of the hilt of my sword.
“You made the right call. The heavens are on my side. If you had been just a little slower to notice…”
Leopold let out a sigh of relief.
“If the heavens were truly on your side, that guy wouldn’t have shown up today, would he?”
I was boiling inside.
It was the perfect opportunity.
That guy never shows up normally… Why, of all times, did he have to appear now and ruin everything?
—
The court meeting, which almost turned into an insect exhibition, ended without any major incidents thanks to Marquis Valenstein.
After the meeting, Ernst immediately returned to his quarters. Valenstein also disappeared without a trace.
In the end, I spent the day waiting for another chance.
As the evening sun began to set, I returned to the Prince’s Palace and discussed the day’s events and tomorrow’s plans with Leopold.
After hearing about Ernst’s condition in detail, Leopold made the sign of the cross and muttered Elpinel’s name softly. Even though he was the child of a rival and enemy, seeing him in such a state made me feel a bit sorry for him.
“Only one day left. Since Duke Landenburg and Duke Pailoon are arriving later than expected, we’ll have to rely on the agents from the Holy Kingdom for now.”
As Leopold said, Ludwig and Duke Pailoon still hadn’t arrived. If they had come just two days earlier, we could have ambushed Isabella while she was in seclusion. It was a missed opportunity.
“Since tomorrow is my father’s funeral, I thought they would at least arrive by today…”
“Like I said before, don’t you think Isabella might have done something? Assassinating the electors might be too much, but delaying their arrival seems entirely possible.”
“Buying time? Hmm… If the princess’s prediction is correct, then she must be planning something in that time… But what could she possibly do in just a day or two?”
Leopold remained skeptical. To me, his optimism—or rationality—was hard to trust.
“Anyway, under these circumstances, shouldn’t we at least offer a prayer to Elpinel for success?”
“If it’s prayers, Lacey is probably already on it.”
Elpinel would likely favor the prayers of her chosen agent over those of a prince who rarely sought her out. Whether this succeeds or fails ultimately depends on the abilities of the spies sent by the Church Order.
“More importantly, isn’t Marquis Valenstein acting suspicious? If he had just cut Ernst in half there, it would have been over. Why did he show up and interfere?”
It was too coincidental, but Leopold just shook his head.
“Hmm… I don’t think so. Marquis Valenstein has lived his life with no interest in anything but swordsmanship. Even his loyalty to the Emperor is just a formality. He’s never shown interest in power or women. I doubt Isabella could have swayed him. He probably just showed up to maintain some semblance of dignity as a guard knight, especially since tomorrow is my father’s funeral.”
A man obsessed with the sword wouldn’t have any connection with Isabella, who’s obsessed with seduction. Since I don’t know much about Valenstein, I couldn’t argue.
—
Looking back, Leopold always chose textbook strategies. And since textbook strategies always sound plausible, I went along with them.
If you don’t know the enemy’s strength, don’t recklessly push forward. Don’t attack until you’ve gathered enough troops, and respond to enemy attacks with quick, defensive maneuvers.
Create a situation where you can win without fighting, and wait for the enemy to collapse. Wait for the enemy to show a weakness, then exploit it.
It was a flawless strategy.
The only miscalculation… was perhaps overlooking the fact that the enemy also knew these textbook strategies.
—
That night.
A deafening roar shook the heavens and woke the capital at dawn.
People, startled awake, all looked in the same direction and held their breath. Following the great fire half a year ago, a scene no one had imagined in 800 years unfolded before their eyes.
The heart of the Empire, Magnus Kaelum’s Main Palace, was collapsing as if it were a lie.
