Chapter 154
TN: Please read my translations only on my website since I never give my permission to any site to host my translations. And if you like my translations, please support this site on Ko-fi and Patreon to read several chapters ahead!
Sponsored chapter by our Patreon. Enjoy~
ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 154 – Explain the Situation, and Take a Break at the End
Hearing these words, Silverado and Warren both froze as if time had stopped.
Then, it was Sylvird who moved first.
“…The means of assassination that will engulf the entire continent in war. I don’t want to believe it, but it’s a story that makes sense.”
Sylvird said this and then looked at Warren beside him.
“Y-yeah… That’s right, there’s no conclusive evidence, but it’s a hypothesis that’s certainly possible.”
Warren replied with a worried look on his face.
Let’s think back to the past disturbances.
The Red Fox used the Demon King to start a war that engulfed the entire continent.
If you compared it to the current situation in Heim, the methods were eerily similar.
In other words, the setting had just changed from Ishtalika to Heim.
However, the purpose of this was completely incomprehensible.
It was sometimes said that they were hedonists, but this was not a fact that Ain had confirmed for himself and was merely an old tale.
If they really were hedonists, then it would be understandable for them to cause such a commotion, but if you assumed that they had other intentions, then the feeling of incomprehensibility only increases.
…However, there was nothing that could be done about the current situation.
“Grandfather, assuming that they are hiding, what would be the best thing for us to do?
“It’s obvious. If necessary, we should destroy them, but the location is bad.”
“As you say, Your Majesty. If it were a situation on the Ishtar Continent, it would be easy for us to act. But if it were in another country, it would be difficult to act.”
Even if the culprit was the Red Fox or someone related to the Red Fox, there was no information about where they were.
And it’s another continent, and it’s a region that would be difficult to investigate.
At the moment, no matter what they thought, it didn’t seem realistic.
“It’s frustrating. I felt like we were getting close to the core of the problem, but now there’s nothing we can do.”
“Ain, I feel the same way. For now, we should just wait for more information.
In his heart, he also wanted to go and investigate for himself.
But he couldn’t. Unlike the case within Ishtalika, if he were to cross the sea and investigate abroad, Ain’s status would not allow it.
Ain also understood that this was a different kind of investigation than the ones he had done before.
“Until now, you were the one who did the investigation, but this time, you can’t be the one to do it.”
“Yes, I know. I can’t go to that continent either.”
“That’s right. And I don’t want to send too many people either. Even if I did, it would only be Euro.”
While it was necessary to understand the situation, there was no need to put people at risk for their lives.
Since it was ultimately a problem for another country, it was not too late to gather more information before talking about the Red Fox.
Ain and Sylvird agreed.
“Actually, I wanted to send Lili, but let’s not. If something happens, we don’t want to lose Lili. I’ll send someone else to contact Elena-dono and the others. Or we could let Elena-dono come when we sign the treaty in Euro.”
“Yes, that would be best. And what if Heim decides that Ishtalika is responsible for the crime?”
“That is unlikely. I think you understand. After all, we were able to deal with King Heim during our last meeting. So I don’t think they would take such a troublesome approach.”
Even if they were Heim’s people, they wouldn’t make such a foolish decision.
Warren made this judgment.
“It would be a foolish move to make trouble with us at this time. Even Heim would not provoke us now.”
Considering Heim’s past actions, there were parts of what Warren said that were hard to believe, but for the moment, it was the only way to think about it.
“Whatever happens, we will investigate the matter of the red fox that Ain-sama mentioned, and based on that, we will think about what to do next. It will be okay if we take action after that.”
“Yes. I understand.”
The only thing that had been decided for now was that they would protect the people of the Augusto family, including Elena.
This was probably the limit of what they could do at the moment, as it was a sudden request for Warren and Sylvird as well.
“――I-I apologize. I’m late…”
…And while Ain and the others were having this conversation, Krone came running out of breath.
She must have rushed over from the August family mansion, and probably even after arriving at the castle, she ran to the meeting room.
The fact that her hair was a bit disheveled showed that she had come in a hurry.
“Oh, Krone-dono. I apologize for calling you so late at night.”
“No, thank you for contacting me.”
Krone must have been worried, too.
Heim was where Krone’s family, including Elena, lived.
It was only natural to want them to live in peace and harmony without any problems, except for the conflict between the countries.
“Ain, explain the situation to Krone. Warren and I need to confirm some things.”
“G-grandfather? Then me and Krone…”
“That’s fine. Just go to the office and talk to her there.”
…Maybe it was Sylvird’s way of showing concern.
When Ain noticed this, he bowed to Sylvird and then spoke to Krone.
“Well then, Krone. Let’s go to the office.”
“Uh…? N-no, but…”
――Is this an inappropriate time?
Ain took Krone’s hand in a flash when he saw her hesitating, thinking this.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
If he was told to be more tense, Ain would have no objections.
But when he thought of Krone, he felt this was the best thing to do.
＊＊＊
Half forcibly dragging Krone out of the meeting room, Ain headed straight for his own office.
…Considering that they were being watched by many servants and knights on the way, was it a foolish move to back out and escape?
The sight of them slipping out of the tense castle like a secret rendezvous might have been a bit thought-provoking.
“…I think it’s terrible to just take me away like that.”
She looked nervous and unhappy.
And this feeling of not knowing what to do.
Krone was in the same situation, and she looked at Ain with a reproachful look.
“I’m sorry, but I had to do it fast.”
When they reached the office, Ain finally let go of her hand.
Then, as they sat on the sofa facing each other, Krone spoke up with her dissatisfaction.
“If you had told me properly, I would have understood right away…”
“I know, but… Grandfather was being considerate, so it would be rude to be too reserved.”
“I see…”
After all, the fact that Sylvird was so considerate of them was significant.
When Ain said this, Krone sighed as if she had given up.
“So you’ll explain it to me, right? I think you know, but I’m not in a very calm state right now. So please tell me what’s going on…”
“Of course. That’s why I brought you here. Well, let’s get right to it…”
He thought back to what they had just talked about and explained it in order.
Not only Ain but also Sylvird and the others had not received much information.
So, even though they still lacked information, he explained the situation to a certain extent and told Krone how to deal with Elena and the others.
It seemed that Krone had only heard about the second prince, and when she heard about Isis and the others, she showed a clear sign of tension.
While she was relieved that there had been no incident involving the Augusto family, she was also surprised by the seriousness of the situation.
Finally, Ain mentioned the Red Fox.
“Warren-san said he’d take action today, so I think he’ll start working on protection right away.”
“I understand. I’m sorry I caused trouble for Ishtalika.”
She was grateful that Warren would take care of the matter, but at the same time, she felt guilty for causing trouble for the country.
Also, the people involved were from another country, so the fact that they were getting special treatment made her feel even more uncomfortable.
“No one thinks you’re a burden. We’re just worried about you.”
“You’re always so kind, Ain.”
Krone, exhausted, managed to force a smile.
If something happened to her family… When you thought about it, it was not surprising that Krone had this expression on her face.
If she had left Heim in a situation like Ain’s, things would be different for Krone.
However, in Krone’s case, she had followed Ain, and there was no such thing as a bad relationship with her family.
In that case, it was only natural that she’d be worried about their safety.
“I’m sorry…! Even though Ain lost your grandmother, I’m acting like I’m the only one affected…”
“Ah, well… I’m sorry that she died, but she didn’t really seem like my grandmother, so it’s hard for me…”
Krone spoke with a sincere tone of apology, but Ain smiled in a troubled way.
He was a little sorry that she was dead.
But even though he held a grudge, he never wanted Isis to die that way.
Besides, as he told Sylvird, he had no feelings of affection for her as a grandmother, so if he was asked if he was sad, he couldn’t really say anything.
“I know it might sound cold, but the only grandmother I know is the one here.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Hahaha… Krone is apologizing too much today. You don’t need to apologize so much, okay?”
If a third party were to see this, there was a possibility that someone would criticize Ain’s actions.
However, since it was just the two of them, Ain and Krone, he didn’t worry about such things, and Ain approached Krone.
Then, Ain gently stroked Krone’s head, which kept apologizing.
“I wonder if it’s appropriate for an assistant to be comforted by the Crown Prince at a time like this.”
“On the contrary, I think it’s normal to panic at a time like this, so don’t worry about it.”
At the very least, if the people in danger had been Olivia and the others, Ain would have rushed to their aid no matter what.
Considering that, Krone seemed calm from Ain’s point of view.
“As I said, we’ll have to wait for more information. I don’t know if the culprit has anything to do with the Red Fox, but in any case, this continent will be in trouble…”
“…I think it’s more than likely that the Red Fox is involved if this continent is going to be in trouble.”
When Ain heard what she said, Krone chimed in with her own thoughts.
“Because even if it’s a little crooked, Heim is a strong country. It’s inferior to Ishtalika, but it has a strength that no other country on this continent can match. That’s why Rockdam and, well, even Euro have no advantage in getting involved. So if it wasn’t the work of someone from Heim, I think it’s definitely connected.”
Ain nodded several times after hearing Krone’s opinion.
She was right, and Heim was a powerful country that ruled over that continent.
For Rockdam and Euro, there was no point in taking the risk of causing trouble.
“Can you tell Warren-san about this later?”
When Ain said this, Krone nodded quietly.
What should have been a strong hypothesis became a definite hypothesis thanks to Krone’s opinion.
While a part of him hoped it was a mistake, Ain was also overcome by complex emotions.
“Even though there’s a sign of a red fox, the couple inside me is so quiet…”
“You mean Dullahan and Elder Lich?”
“Yes, that’s right. By the way, their names are Cain and Sylvia.”
“Huh… They’re like Ain and Olivia-sama.”
“Yes, our names are similar.”
It was the first time she had heard the names of Dullahan and Elder Lich.
Cain had also said that their names sounded similar, but he remembered telling him not to worry about it.
It wasn’t a big deal, but somehow, it made them both feel more relaxed.
“But since it’s a time like this, they could at least lend me some of their wisdom.”
He especially wanted Elder Lich’s Sylvia to lend him her wisdom.
“About the magic stone. I wonder if it’s a good idea to ask the people who were absorbed by Ain for their opinion…”
“But they were good people. Or rather good monsters…?”
“Gosh… It doesn’t matter which it is anymore…”
Ain’s hesitation over such a trivial matter makes Krone laugh.
“The fact that the monster who was the owner of the magic stone lives in Ain is an abnormal thing in itself, so you can’t count on it, right?”
“Hmm. Well, that’s true.”
There was no way to understand the reasons or principles behind how this came to be.
There was no way for Ain to find out why the two have been silent for so long, so did he just have to hope that they would suddenly reappear?
“But there is one thing that bothers me.”
“Hmm? Is it about the Dullahan and the Elder Lich?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Krone seems to regain some of her energy and looks at Ain with a puzzled expression.
“I wonder why the Dullahan and Elder Lich didn’t end up in the same situation as the Demon King during the Demon King incident long ago, being manipulated like they were.”
The Curse of Loneliness was a curse that can only be used by the leader of the Red Foxes.
It was used to control the Demon King Arche.
But if they could control the Demon King Arche, why could they not control the Dullahan and the Elder Lich? Krone had such questions.
“I think there are a lot of things that are unclear. If they wanted to destroy the people of Ishtalika, they would have controlled those two, right? But they weren’t controlled. As a result, the Demon King was defeated and the monsters were defeated. I don’t understand what they were trying to do.”
If you had to sum it up in a single word, you could call it hedonism, but Krone’s words raised questions in Ain’s mind.
It was about Marco, the Black Knights’ vice-captain.
“…Is there a difference in effectiveness between individuals?”
“But if you say that, then it seems strange that the effect was seen in the Demon King, but not in the other monsters. After all, the Demon King is supposed to be at the top of the monster hierarchy, right?”
“Yes… that should be the case.”
Was it a difference in willpower?
Even though Ain didn’t know Demon King Arche’s personality, since she was the Demon King, she must at least have a certain level of resistance.
On the other hand, there is a knight named Marco who has resisted the curse for hundreds of years.
The Demon King Arche was completely cursed, but Marco resisted for hundreds of years.
And finally, the magic stone couple did not seem to have been affected by the curse.
“This is not good. Maybe the curse was weakened, or maybe they didn’t curse them on purpose. But no matter how I think about it, I can’t understand it.”
But no matter what he thought, he couldn’t come to a conclusion.
There were too many contradictions in what the Red Fox was doing, and he couldn’t find the place or the reason he should be targeting.
“…That’s right. If we could understand it right away, someone like Katima-sama would have already figured out the reason.”
The useless cat was clever.
Ain agreed.
It was then.
“Ain-sama! Ain-sama! Are you okay?!”
The sound of someone pounding on Ain’s office door and a worried voice calling out to Ain.
The voice was familiar to both Ain and Krone.
“…Eh? Me?”
“Yes, I think it’s about Ain… but I think you should at least answer.”
When asked if he was okay, Ain could only reply, “Eh?”
However, he did what Krone said and called out to the person outside the door.
“…Um, Chris? You can come in.”
As soon as she heard Ain’s answer, Chris burst into the room with great force.
“Ain-sama! Are you okay…? I heard that there was a big incident in Heim, so I rushed here as fast as I could… but, huh?”
It seems that she also realized the contradiction in her words.
When she said that there was an incident at Heim, she began to ask herself questions.
“Yes, there was an incident at Heim…but wait a minute. Why am I asking if Ain-sama is okay?”
After thinking about it for a few tens of seconds, she finally came up with an answer.
Her face slowly turned red, and Chris covered her face with her hands.
“I’m sorry. I guess I jumped to the wrong conclusion…”
Maybe she misunderstood that Ain had been attacked.
It might be inappropriate to laugh at Chris for that.
But both Ain and Krone smiled, grateful that the atmosphere had lightened thanks to Chris.
If you like my translations, please support me on Ko-Fi and subscribe my Patreon to read several chapters ahead!