Chapter 21

“…Zionis, fancy seeing you here.”

“Likewise.”

“……”

The Fourth Prince, Nebulo, glared with narrowed eyes and mumbled his lips.

It seemed he wanted to say something.

But he couldn't easily let it out.

Before, he would have poured out ridicule and contempt without a second thought.

It was because their positions had changed.

Zionis's standing was clearly different from before.

He had obtained one of the Ten Treasures and had even become an important figure in Secundus's faction.

It was a world of difference from Nebulo, who couldn't join any faction and was just killing time.

The fat Nebulo was displeased with the whole situation.

Among the eight princes and princesses, he had thought that at least Zionis was below him.

But now he couldn't even say that.

He had to mumble his lips for a long while and choose his words.

“…What were you doing to my handmaiden?”

“She fell, so I helped her up.”

“She fell?”

“Yes. Because of my imeprial guard. Since he's dressed like that.”

I gestured to Pies Roesti.

He was still in his creative attire.

Arms full of dolls, two capes, and seven hats!

Nebulo looked Pies up and down and then opened his mouth.

“Your imperial guard has good taste.”

“…That?”

“The arrangement of the seven hats in particular.”

Nebulo even crossed his arms and nodded, hmm, hmm.

Pies said in an emotional voice, ‘You recognize it!’

‘Professional spectators know each other when they see one.’

‘Indeed!’

A strange sense of camaraderie seemed to be blooming between the two.

But I didn't even want to care.

What in the world was a 'professional spectator'!

“Anyway, that was all.”

“…Really?”

Nebulo's eyes sank coldly.

His gaze was directed at the handmaiden, Hes.

Hes immediately nodded her head.

Her fingertips began to tremble slightly again.

I quietly clicked my tongue.

That fat Nebulo, his terrible possessiveness was no different from before the regression.

I thought it might be less now, 19 years in the past and younger, but.

If not for that greed, I might have disliked him a little less.

Nebulo asked again.

“You didn't do anything?”

“In the middle of the day, what would I do?”

“……”

As I answered nonchalantly, Nebulo's face contorted.

He looked quite uncomfortable.

I was starting to feel tired.

I knew a good method for times like these; to roughly praise him and end the conversation quickly.

“Ah, I was thinking of asking one thing.”

I gave a bright smile.

It was a fake smile, but with Nebulo's perceptiveness, there was no way he would notice.

Nebulo made a snorting sound, hnng.

“What did you want to ask?”

“Where did you get these sweets?”

“-Sweets?”

Hes was holding a metal cookie tin.

It was the one I had picked up for her.

It wasn't a Cordis product, so it was highly likely to be Nebulo's taste.

Praising the other's taste was one of the most effective compliments.

“I was thinking your taste in refreshments was quite refined, and it turns out she was your handmaiden, brother. Where on earth did you get them?”

“-Oh, really? Is that so?”

Nebulo's face twitched.

He looked as if he were trying to stop his mouth from reaching his ears.

Such a simple man.

“Heh, hehe. They're from Erta. Do you know about Shaebo Confectionery? My maternal uncle's trading company specially brought them over from beyond the great mountain range.”

“Ah, just as I thought!”

“Are you envious? I suppose it's something you, Zionis, could never get.”

At her master's gesture, Hes opened the cookie tin.

It was packed with splendid-looking cookies.

Nebulo grabbed a handful of them and munched on them ostentatiously.

“Hehehehe. I never knew you, Zionis, had an eye for refreshments. Hey, you!”

The green-eyed handmaiden, Hes, was startled and bowed her head.

“…Yes, yes! Your Highness!”

“How many boxes of these Erta cookies were left?”

“Seven boxes, Your Highness……”

“Then send two boxes, no, three boxes to Zionis's detached palace!”

Understood, Your Highness.

Hes answered with her head bowed.

Nebulo raised his chin as if to say, 'how about that'.

His desire to show off was clearly visible.

I smiled brightly.

“To think I would receive such a gift. You are very generous, brother.”

“Hihihihi. You're very polite, unlike the usual Zionis. I may have misunderstood you until now.”

Nebulo looked very pleased.

The look in his eyes as he looked at me was starting to contain something akin to brotherly affection.

It was more successful than intended.

‘A victory for light pride and brilliant eloquence!’

I stealthily backed away.

Now that Nebulo's mood had improved, it was time to leave.

And the Erta cookies, well, if he's giving them, it's a welcome gift.

“Well then, brother, I shall be on my way……”

“No, watch from here. All the nearby special seats are mine.”

Nebulo grabbed my shoulder.

It was subtle, but the color drained from his face.

“Pardon?”

“I'll personally provide a commentary on the performance. You should consider it an honor to hear the commentary of a professional spectator like me!”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

‘I've lost!’

‘…My pride is wounded.’

I couldn't help it.

I had never expected the fat Nebulo to be this clingy.

Was it because he didn't usually have any friends?

To think he would latch on like this just from playing along for a moment.

In the end, I had no choice but to watch the five-hour-long performance with Nebulo.

‘His commentary is so genuinely interesting that my pride is deeply wounded!’

It was surprising, very surprising.

The Fourth Prince Nebulo had a talent for performance commentary.

All sorts of information, such as how to enjoy the performance, the intentions of the acrobat troupe, and the backstories of the individual performers, poured out of his mouth.

“Now, Zionis. Look at that wolf beastman. How did someone from the south come to master a perfect imperial accent……”

Moreover, he didn't just pour out information indiscriminately.

His usual stutter was nowhere to be found and he spoke in a very clear and gentlemanly voice, only opening his mouth when necessary.

There were several times I unconsciously nodded my head, thinking, 'Ah, so that's what it is,' at his explanation.

Especially when he cheered for a performer who made a mistake and heightened the atmosphere, something welled up inside me.

There was a certain discipline to his cheering and both the audience and the troupe members praised Nebulo.

It was a very strange feeling.

I was a regressor.

I had returned after crossing 19 years of time.

And yet, it was the first time I knew that the Fourth Prince, Nebulo Le Etier, had this side to him.

Despite being my half-brother, who shared my blood.

‘Still, I don't want to watch with him for a whole week!’

Thanks to Nebulo, I enjoyed the five-hour-long performance very much.

But I wasn't that interested in it in the first place.

Though Pies was crying and clapping.

The performers, such as the clown, the fire-breathing magician, and the bipedal wolf, all came up on stage and began to dance.

It was to signal the end of the performance.

Nebulo clapped and stood up from his seat.

“Let's go, Zionis. It's polite for those in the special seats to leave a little early.”

He said.

All audience members were equal, but commoners were inevitably uncomfortable around nobles.

So the nobles in the special seats had the manner of leaving before the performance ended.

I was almost dumbfounded.

‘He should try having this kind of discernment in the Imperial Palace……’

Outside the tent, it was already getting dark.

It was a strange feeling.

My mind was still set on when the sun was shining brightly.

Perhaps this strangeness was one of the reasons people were so enthusiastic about the acrobat troupe's tent.

“Did you have fun, Zionis?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

“Heh, hehe. Of course.”

Nebulo seemed excited.

I clicked my tongue softly, tch.

I had no words because I had genuinely enjoyed the performance.

With their handmaiden and imperial guard following, Nebulo and I walked down the orange-lit street.

“…How is brother Secundus's faction?”

“I'm benefiting a lot from it.”

“Hmph.”

Nebulo snorted and shook his fat face.

“They're all fools……”

There was resignation in his eyes, and deeper still, fear.

“…No matter how hard they try, they'll never be able to beat brother Ferbias in the end.”

It was undeniable.

The First Prince, Ferbias Caseptus, was still the closest to the Imperial Throne.

His individual ability, the strength of his faction, his legitimacy.

There was nothing that wasn't the best.

He had won even before the regression and became the master of the Empire.

“It's just getting on his bad side for no reason.”

“Hahaha… As a matter of fact, I've been avoiding brother Ferbias lately.”

“Do you think it will end with just that?”

Nebulo's eyes sank coldly.

“Today was fun, Zionis.”

“I enjoyed it too. Unexpectedly.”

“…Hmph.”

The orange-lit street split in two.

One was narrow and one was wide.

Nebulo stared blankly at the fork in the road before starting to walk towards the wide path.

Hes hurriedly followed behind him.

“I can't get on his bad side just by entering the palace with you. Pretending to be close once today is enough.”

Nebulo waved his hand dismissively.

He walked away without looking back.

“Take the other path, Zionis.”

***

“The week of performances is over.”

I went to see the Juet Acrobat Troupe's performance every day.

And every time, I ran into Nebulo.

They did not acknowledge each other.

In reality, they were no different from strangers.

I clearly remembered what kind of person the fat Nebulo from before the regression was.

‘A month since the Succession War began. Has it already been that long since my regression?’

It wasn't a lot, but various things had happened.

From the Great Emperor Continua declaring the Succession War, to obtaining Mana Armor Valziart and joining Secundus's faction until now.

‘The Grand Convergence must be soon. The timing will be earlier than before the regression.’

No one would know yet.

Only I knew.

It was because I had come from 19 years in the future.

I held countless secrets deep in my soul that no one in this world knew or could even guess.

‘For now, I can only wait.’

I lay still and closed my eyes.

On the outside, no one would know.

I was in the middle of a struggle with my own soul.

The first Ars, ‘Fantasy Finger’, was not enough.

I wanted to surely unlock the second secret before the Succession War ended.

‘It’s going smoothly, but I want to pick up the pace a bit……’

There had to be a price to unlocking the secrets of the soul and regaining the Ars.

Since I couldn't take a long time, I needed even more power.

I was drawing on Valziart's power, so there was no shortage, but I was greedy.

A clang sound was heard.

That faint bell sound announced the presence of a guest.

Pies Roesti opened his mouth.

“Someone's here, Your Highness.”

“I'll get it.”

“Even so, I can't let Your Highness the Prince do such a thing……”

“Say that after you get up from the sofa, Pies.”

Ugh.

I stood up without hesitation.

I wasn't making any progress in unlocking the second secret anyway.

When I opened the door, there was a small girl.

A handmaiden's uniform in the northern style, but her eyes were not green.

“Who is it?”

“A pleasure to meet you for the first time, Your Highness. I am a handmaiden who serves His Highness Nebulo.”

“Hmm.”

I stroked my chin.

It was a different girl from the handmaiden Hes, whom I had met when I went to see the Juet Acrobat Troupe.

“What is it?”

“His Highness Nebulo, the promised cookies.”

“Oh. You mean those Erta cookies.”

I accepted the three cookie tins.

My mouth smiled, but my eyes did not.

My blue eyes held a sharp glint.

‘That Nebulo brat, he must want a favor. After telling me not to acknowledge him.’

Otherwise, there was no reason for him to send the cookies after a whole week.

There must have been some change of heart.

I wore an even deeper smile.

“Tell him I'm grateful. Is there anything else?”

“He asked me to deliver a letter.”

The handmaiden held out a small note.

‘I knew it.’

I let out a soft laugh and read it.

[Zionis, I am writing this because I was concerned about what you said about being interested in refreshments the other day. There is a very good tea, but it spoils quickly. So hurry and have refreshments with me at my detached palace…….]

‘He wrote a lot.’

Neither the handwriting nor the style was Nebulo's own.

A servant or secretary must have helped him.

Though the sentence was long, the meaning was simple.

‘He wants to have a secret conversation that can't be had through a letter.’

I couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh.

‘And to think he told me to enter the palace separately because he didn't want to be marked.’

I looked down at the small handmaiden.

She darted her eyes around and then bowed her head deeply when our eyes met.

Like Hes, she seemed to be hiding some anxiety.

‘Nebulo's detached palace……. I did have to go there at least once.’

Nebulo's maternal family was the Etier Trading Company.

A major trading company that mainly dealt with trade beyond the great mountain range.

I remembered that Nebulo's detached palace was excessively luxurious, as they were overflowing with money even if they lacked power.

I might be able to obtain some necessary items.

“Alright. Would it be alright to go right now?”

“Yes, he said the sooner, the better.”

Oh dear, my rest is over.

It was Pies Roesti who let out a small sigh.

He stood up abruptly and began to look for his sword, so I stopped him with a gesture.

“You stay put, Pies. I'll go to brother Nebulo's detached palace alone.”

“Pardon? That's ridiculous! No matter how lazy I am, I am a imperial guard!”

“I'm glad you know.”

I continued to wave my hand.

“But really, it's fine for today.”

“…Understood, Your Highness.”

My tone was firm.

Pies couldn't say any more.

I sometimes showed an unassailable force and at those times, Pies couldn't stop me.

He had no choice but to sit down again.

My eyes deepened to a blue.

‘I have something to personally check in that detached palace.’

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