Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

THE SMALL, ABANDONED CHURCH had all but vanished from people’s memories as soon as a larger one was built in the center of town. Its goddess statue had been removed, and there was a thin layer of dust over the pews in the empty hall.

Raul perched on the back of one pew, his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. Fabrannia’s lady knights did their work on their own, their backs to him. Raul watched them, ridiculing them languidly.

“Took you long enough to get together, don’t you think?”

The knights glared at him just like he expected. “Be quiet. Unlike you, we must follow His Majesty’s orders.”

“So tense! Guess that’s no surprise, though.” Raul smiled and peeked behind him. “You must do a good job killing Harriet or you won’t be able to pin the crime on Galkhein, will you?”

Harriet sat on the platform where the lectern was, her hands bound behind her back and her head hanging powerlessly.

“How insolent. Don’t forget that we only included you in our plans because you bowed your head to us and begged.”

“Oh yeah? You didn’t even realize I was a fake. It’s a good thing I’m on Fabrannia’s side, ’cause if I were here to save Harriet, yeesh…”

“I believe I told you to be quiet.”

Apparently, they were painfully aware that they’d failed to recognize Raul’s Curtis for a fake.

Raul laughed and looked around the abandoned church. “Well, whatever. Hurry up and get the rest of your knights down here.” There were just twenty of the Fabrannian knights present in the church. There should have been about ten still on their way. Raul cracked his neck and said jokingly, “I picked a little fight with the crown prince of Galkhein, after all. I’ll need the group of you to protect me until I can make my escape to Fabrannia!”

“Hmph. Just like a hunter to be a damn coward.”

“That’s a little out of line, don’t you think? Was I not integral to your abduction scheme?”

He knew not to take his harassment too far. Under their hateful gazes, Raul got down from the pew and ambled over to Harriet. He knelt in front of her. “Harriet. Are you crying?”

“Raul…why are you doing this?” Harriet looked up at him, trembling, and Raul was surprised to see that, while she was scared, she wasn’t crying.

Well, I’ll be. I thought for sure she’d be white as a sheet and bawling her eyes out.

He made sure his expression was cold and didn’t betray his surprise. “That’s my line. Why did you betray Fabrannia? Giving the coins King Walter entrusted you with to that girl… You thought she’d see just what they were and help you?” Even Raul had been surprised by that move. “What a bad girl you are. And you’re supposed to be a princess! You knew that if you did that, Fabrannia wouldn’t protect Siguel any longer and the whole country would be in danger, didn’t you?”

“Ugh…”

“I mean, all Siguel has going for it is its bookmaking. It needs help from its allies, which are headed by Fabrannia. So if Fabrannia turns on it, it’ll be all over for poor Siguel…and we ‘hunters’ are just a mercenary band. We’re not knights who’ve sworn fealty to you or anything.”

Fabrannia’s lady knights shot Harriet scornful looks. They were mere knights, yet they had not a shred of respect for Harriet, who was royalty. Fabrannia’s low opinion of Siguel was obvious with a single glance.

Harriet had lost weight since the last time Raul had seen her—when she departed for Fabrannia for her engagement—and she’d likely received all manner of ill treatment there. As he looked at her pale face, he said flatly, “I know you’re fainthearted, but it would’ve been easy to fool Galkhein. You should have just endured your guilt and done some shopping. That’s all it would have taken for you to become Fabrannia’s next queen.”

The princess held her breath, shaking her head left and right. “I…I won’t…” She spoke slowly, tripping over her words, and it sounded like she’d resigned herself to her fate. “I knew if I used the fake coins, I would get what I wanted… His Majesty would praise me, think I was worth making use of… But that’s not right.” Her voice quivered with fear, but she pressed on. “It’s all over as soon as one fake coin enters the marketplace. When that happens, every coin in circulation in that country can no longer be trusted. And when their money can’t be trusted, their economy collapses…”

Raul studied the top of Harriet’s head in silence.

“I…I didn’t give the coins to Lady Rishe for her to help me. I’m not worthy of her help!” Determined yet clumsy, Harriet stammered, “Y-yet Lady Rishe said she considered me a friend!”

Raul could certainly imagine the girl saying that. She had the contradictory traits of being a good judge of character and not knowing how to doubt people. He’d just met Rishe a few days ago, yet he was sure that he’d come to that same conclusion after a longer period of observation.

“Galkhein needs to know about Fabrannia… It’s not just Galkhein’s currency that Fabrannia is trying to make. There are many others too…”

I know. Raul was more or less aware of Fabrannia’s plot.

“If you’d just done what you were told, Fabrannia would’ve profited off of the counterfeit money, and Siguel would’ve benefited.”

“Any wealth obtained through another country’s suffering won’t last long! I’ve read so in plenty of books. It’s the people who shoulder that burden… So, to prevent Galkhein from suffering…to protect its innocent people…I can’t obey Fabrannia.”

The Fabrannian knights glared even harder at Harriet. She flinched, but she kept staring straight up at Raul.

“I know I can’t live the way I wish because I was born a princess.” Harriet summoned all her bravery to say, “But I will never do anything to make innocent citizens suffer, even under threat of death!”

Raul had expected Harriet to cower in fear. When had she become so determined? As soon as he thought the question, he could clearly picture in his mind the very person who had given Harriet confidence, allowed her to take back her pride, and set her facing forward rather than down.

“You stupid, senseless little princess.” Raul sighed from the bottom of his heart.

Trapped here, Harriet had no idea what had happened in the castle up on the hill. She didn’t know that that girl named Rishe had seen through the counterfeiting scheme or that she wanted to save Harriet. And she didn’t know that Raul had immobilized that girl with a drug.

Self-derision bubbling inside him, Raul sneered. “And look where that’s gotten you. Fabrannia’s knights found out about your treachery, and now they must kill you. Once they do, Fabrannia and the whole international community will blame Galkhein for your death.”

There were bound to be countries who saw the plot for what it was, but the incident was sure to disgrace Galkhein regardless. They certainly wouldn’t be able to hold a leisurely wedding after foreign royalty was killed on their soil. The crown prince’s wedding would be postponed, and rumors would fly that Galkhein couldn’t keep their foreign guests safe. As he pictured that future, Raul hazily remembered a scene from his past.

 

“You must learn to lie as naturally as you breathe.”

Raul had heard this often when he was young.

“While you can, you must throw away your own hopes and wants. Do you understand me, Raul?” The white-haired old man speaking to him was the previous head of his hunting troop. “Your own heart will only get in your way. True sentiment will slow your feet. Perfect shadows bend lies to their will.”

“Yeah. I got it, Gramps.”

Raul had nodded, dutiful, because he did understand. After all, he’d lived on his own before the old man had taken him in.

Raul’s earliest memory was staring at the dirty fingertips of his mother’s corpse the night she’d died in an alley. To survive, he’d observed adults like his life depended on it. After all, there was no point in begging for food or money from those who wouldn’t give it to him. So Raul stayed still and watched all the people as they passed him by, like a hawk. Did they have anything to spare? What would garner their sympathy? How should he act to gain their help? He studied every day, learning through trial and error, and learned a lot: what different people wanted and desired, what sort of cajolery they would succumb to, and what they wouldn’t be able to refuse.

Smile even if you’re not happy. Break down crying even if you’re not sad.

The young Raul had told himself those things time and time again.

If you keep lying, you’ll at least have something to eat tomorrow.

That sort of lifestyle must have suited him. When he met the former chief one day, the man saw through his lies and even took him in, saying he’d raise Raul himself.

“Thank you. I’m glad you took a liking to me. I’ll do my best to repay you,” he’d said with a smile. In truth, he wasn’t happy in the least.

If I keep lying and smiling, I’ll be able to eat every day from now on, though.

Raul still remembered the relief he’d felt that day. If he ­deceived people and made them like him, he wouldn’t starve. That was the important thing, so even after the previous chief took Raul in against his will, he trained under the man. When he was praised, he acted pleased, and when he was scolded, he acted remorseful. And since he’d spent so much time and effort observing adults, he got better and better at serving as a body double for those he was assigned to protect.

As he grew taller, he sometimes had doubts.

But…what was it that made me happy again?

Around the time Raul became unable to answer that question, he was assigned to guard a princess. It was for a short time, just a year or so. Raul was eleven then, and he recalled that the princess had just turned sixteen.

“Raul, what makes you happy?”

He found the princess’s guileless smile bothersome.

A shadow doesn’t need happiness.

“Also, what sort of things do you like? I’ll have the chefs prepare anything you want to eat.”

I don’t need to like things either. If I figured out what I like, I’d figure out what I don’t like too.

“I must go to another country soon for a political marriage. My time here feels so short.” Sorrow played on her still-curved lips as she tucked her flowing blonde hair behind her ear. “I hope I get to see a real smile from you before then.”

“What a sweet princess you are. Why would you want that from someone like me?” he asked with a smirk.

She ruffled Raul’s hair. “Because I’d like to have at least a little happiness where I’m going to be living from now on.”

“Hm?”

“I want to believe that my marriage will allow kids like you to be happy in this country.” There was a slight shadow in her smile. “If I believe that, I’m sure I’ll be at least a little bit happier over there.”

Back then, Raul had had no idea why the princess would say something like that. It irked him to no end because that princess was the first person he couldn’t understand even after all the time he spent observing her. That was also the reason he started to feel like he wanted to understand her. That desire was the first ­emotion he’d identified as his own in a long time. It felt true to him, unlike when he wanted to understand people to get them on his side or when he had to pretend to be someone else. It was for that reason that he so desperately observed the princess, all the while putting more and more effort into his training so that he wasn’t removed from the position of her guard.

What does whether I smile or not have to do with her happiness? At the same time, he knew that he was in no position to even wish for her joy. Her future husband’s the one who’s going to make her happy. All I can do is protect her with my life.

Then, she went off to be married. The country she left for was a large one, and it was that country’s emperor who had decided on marrying her. If she was to be wed to someone who desired her, then she was sure to be happy. Even if it was a political ­marriage, Raul believed that he’d be able to smile for her just like she wished. But he would soon learn that that belief was a naive one.

“It seems she took her own life.”

News of her death came from the chief just a year later.

“I asked one of the hunters to investigate it. The country ­reported it as a death from illness, but that’s a lie.”

The hunters whispered among one another.

“Is it because of her stillborn child?”

“She was wasting away even before the birth. The lady must have been suffering for one reason or another…”

“The only reason this country wasn’t invaded was because she accepted that marriage and bore all the suffering herself.”

Apparently, the princess had been married as a hostage. It was nothing so fortunate as a marriage born out of desire. That was why she’d had such meager hopes, why she felt the need to feign courage in that foreign land.

“The poor thing… It must have been worse than death for her there in Galkhein,” the chief said, letting it slip.

Raul learned something right then and there: princesses who were pawns in political marriages would never be happy.

That princess’s family never even protested the fate that befell her. They said things like, “The emperor of Galkhein overlooked our country because we offered her up to him… We’re proud of her sacrifice.”

Apparently, royals lived for their country and at times had to die for them. To fulfill those duties, they smiled and accepted marriages they didn’t desire, and they weren’t allowed to weep over their misfortune.

Huh. They’re the same as us, then.

She had wished for him to show her a genuine smile, but all Raul ended up with was a new sense of determination. You shouldn’t have any emotions for yourself. It’s much easier to smile and cry when the situation requires it.

After that, Raul traveled to all sorts of countries with his foster family, the hunters. They were mercenaries for hire. They would go anywhere for money, serving whoever was currently paying them. It didn’t have to be a well-paying country because they could use the information they gained in smaller countries when larger countries hired them. In fact, the chief went after jobs in smaller countries for the benefit of Raul—his successor.

One of those countries was Siguel. There, Raul met Prince Curtis, who was fifteen—Raul’s age—and the ten-year-old Harriet. A mature smile on his face, Curtis had reached out immediately for a handshake upon meeting Raul, who was nothing more than a disposable guard.

“It’s nice to meet you, Raul. This is my sister, Harriet. She’s rather timid, I’m afraid.”

The girl staring up at Raul from behind her brother seemed anything but timid. She had quite a ferocious glare, but Raul, who was used to observing people, could tell that it was fear and bashfulness behind her gaze.

So Raul smiled, putting on a bright, gentle expression that wouldn’t scare the fainthearted girl. “Hello. It’s a pleasure to be working for you, Prince Curtis, Princess Harriet.”

Thanks to that first impression, Harriet gradually came to trust Raul more and more. And as he smiled in front of the siblings, Raul thought to himself, I’m sure this princess is going to have to endure a miserable political marriage one day too.

On the siblings’ part, however, they tried to get closer to him without any ulterior motives.

“You’re amazing, Raul! You can walk without making any sound, and you’re a crack shot with a bow. Sometimes my ­parents can’t even tell when you’re disguised as me! Isn’t that right, Harriet?”

“Yeah!” Harriet nodded at Curtis’s words, her cheeks flushed.

These were all just skills he’d learned to stay alive, but Raul pretended he was happy to hear it. “I am honored you think so, Your Highnesses.”

“Hey, didn’t I say you don’t need to be so polite with us? We’re almost the same age, so I wish you’d treat us like we’re your friends.”

“Friends?” At times like these, Raul worried he might be making a strange face, but Curtis and Harriet just smiled, not commenting on it.

“That’s right. We’re friends, Raul.”

“Yeah! We love you, Raul.”

Raul was astounded by the two of them. There was no way royalty could be friends with someone who was whisked off the street and into a mercenary band. Still, what was required of him in the moment was to behave like a friend.

“Thanks. I’m happy you feel that way.”

Raul had only intended to lie like he always did, but for some reason, he felt something warm swelling in his chest when he said those words.

What is this? It made him restless and uncomfortable, but the sensation was familiar to him too. Am I…happy?

He couldn’t have that. He didn’t need it to survive. It would hinder his work.

Away with that. What would I do if I failed to protect these two because of how I’m feeling?

He had to do a better job protecting them.

But just as he resolved himself, Siguel began educating Harriet in earnest about the duties of a future queen, and she retreated into herself more and more. Concerned by Walter of Fabrannia’s words, she grew out her hair to hide her face and stopped looking people in the eye when she talked to them. She was a timid person from the start, so when her mother’s education turned harsh, she lost her sunny smile. Only when she read or talked about books did her face light up with joy.

Several years went by. Raul’s adoptive father died, ­making him the new chief of the hunters. It was right around then that Fabrannia requested that Harriet move there, to spend the ­remaining time up until her marriage in their country. The invitation was ostensibly so she could learn the ways of Fabrannia, but it didn’t sit right with Raul. He implored Curtis to allow him to accompany Harriet to Fabrannia as her guard. If it would cause problems for a man to guard her, he need only disguise himself as a woman. Yet Fabrannia allowed Harriet but a single maid to accompany her and denied her any guards to take with her.

“Raul, could you just make one trip there to see how Harriet’s doing?” Curtis asked him some time after Harriet left. “Something’s not right. It’s been six months, and she hasn’t so much as replied to one of my letters…”

Are you stupid? What are you even gonna do when you find out what’s happening there?

There was nothing Curtis could do.

Siguel has no resources to compete against another country. If they don’t rely on their allies, headed by Fabrannia, they have no way to protect themselves from larger countries. And if they go against Fabrannia, this country’s doomed.

Still, Raul patted Curtis on the shoulder to reassure him and smiled. “Leave it to me, Curtis. I’ll go see what’s up and help Harriet if she needs it.”

“Thanks, Raul!”

Thus, Raul went to Fabrannia and learned of Harriet’s fate—of the scorn, abuse, and ridicule she endured, and of the counterfeit money scheme she’d been swept up in. Her head maid seemed to be doing her best to protect the princess. By proactively scolding her for her faults, she created an atmosphere that made it difficult for other people to comment on them. But such petty tactics would amount to nothing.

“Oh, Raul! You’re back! How was Harriet?” a haggard Curtis asked him upon his return to Siguel.

He smiled at Curtis. “She’s busy, but she seemed happy. You really worry too much about your sister, don’t you?”

“Really?!”

Raul thought that this was the most perfect smile he’d ever put on as he added, “Harriet will be happy. I’m sure of it. So don’t blame yourself for sacrificing her.”

From then on, Raul put everything he had into his preparations. He gathered intelligence, found evidence of the ­counterfeiting, and trained his subordinates. He advised Curtis to form a platoon of lady knights and get them ready to be dispatched as soon as an opportunity presented itself. The problem was, that opportunity never came.

They could infiltrate Fabrannia, but they couldn’t get anywhere near Harriet. Because of the counterfeiting, not only was security in the castle ramped up, but the king was always hovering around Harriet as well. If she used the counterfeit money even once, it would all be over. And right when Raul was starting to panic, something unexpected occurred.

Galkhein’s crown prince got engaged and sent invitations out to every other country.

As he expected, Fabrannia latched on to this opportunity. They permitted Harriet to leave the country, something they had never done before, and ordered her to use the counterfeit money. At that exact moment, Curtis happened to be feeling unwell. Raul volunteered to go as his body double, but he headed to Fabrannia instead of Galkhein without telling Siguel’s royal family. He snuck onto Fabrannia’s ship and poisoned the drinks of the Fabrannian knights, intending to complete his mission after they arrived in Galkhein once Harriet was without her guards.

His plan’s first complication occurred when that beautiful girl Rishe appeared. The coral-haired lady stood at Harriet’s side with the imperiousness of a knight, even though the timid ­princess was supposed to be without any guards. Galkhein shouldn’t have had any female knights, so Raul thought her to be some hastily prepared stand-in, but her technique left nothing to be desired. She conducted herself like nothing less than a first-rate knight.

Raul had leapt from roof to roof, watching them from places he was sure no one could spot him—yet the girl had looked straight up at him. She had soft, pink lips and a nose with an elegant bridge. He could tell even looking through his ­monocular how long her eyelashes were and how big and round her eyes were. And those strong-willed emerald eyes stared right back at Raul. His breath almost caught at their beauty.

The moment she entered the alley, he understood that she was inviting him down. But even though he knew, he found himself following her on reflex. Her swordsmanship was delicate and graceful. The next time he saw her, she introduced herself as the fiancée of Galkhein’s crown prince.

 

Back in the present, Raul huffed a small sigh. I can’t believe she was the real thing, and she actually changed Harriet. How can she afford to care about other people when she’s a hostage in a political marriage with Galkhein? I’ve never seen someone more doomed to despair.

Raul had told her, “I’m thinking about snatching you up if you don’t want to marry the crown prince.” He’d said it like a joke, but he meant every word. No bride was ever happy in a political ­marriage. Harriet and the late princess he hadn’t been able to protect had both been miserable. The family this Rishe girl was marrying into was the same one that princess had gone to.

And yet, Rishe had told him plainly, “No matter what disasters may befall me from marrying him, I’m not going to let it make me unhappy.”

There had been no doubt in her words at all.

“I’m going to be his bride. I’ve already chosen how I’m going to live this life.”

Hearing that, Raul had known in his bones that the girl was dangerous. He almost thought that she’d seen through what he really feared and hoped for at that moment. It had been only a few days since they’d met, but she had acted like she’d been at his side for years. If Raul was forced to realize that his performative emotions were fake, and he came to know what was really in his heart, he wouldn’t be able to go on.

It’s too late now. Fear is just another thing I don’t need. Isn’t that right?

Raul slowly opened his eyes. The door to the church opened, and several more Fabrannian knights entered.

There’s a few outside now too. I’d say fourteen. Fifteen inside… All twenty-nine are here.

The lady knights all glanced at him appraisingly.

They suck at this. You’re not hiding your aggression at all!

Of course, maybe they never intended to hide it in the first place. Raul cracked his neck and looked down at Harriet bound before him.

“Thanks, Harriet,” he said quietly, and she flinched. “You were always trying so hard to read the people around you, which made you so timid… You realized what I was trying to do and played along, didn’t you?”

“R-Raul, you really—”

Raul turned his back to her. “Kinda hurts my pride as a hunter, though. Can’t believe you and that Rishe girl saw through me so easily.”

“What are you two whispering about?” one of the female knights asked, stepping toward Raul.

“Nothing. Just exchanging a final farewell, that’s all.”

“Raul! Y-you can’t!”

“I suppose there’s no harm in that. After all, you’re both going to die here.”

Raul shrugged, appalled by the knight’s clichéd threat. “How terrible. Here I was all excited at the prospect of being hired by Fabrannia, only to find out that I was deceived! And now I’m going to be killed!”

“You can’t be serious. You came here from the start to rescue Harriet, didn’t you?”

“And what about you? You planned to kill the both of us from the start too.” It was a ridiculous farce. Raul stretched, tired of keeping up the act.

“Awfully confident, aren’t you? You think you can protect her and defeat almost thirty trained knights all by yourself?”

“You’ve got it all wrong. I’m not obsessed with ‘battle’ like you lot.”

The knights exchanged confused glances, but he paid it no mind.

“And I’m not concerned with both of us surviving either.”

“I see. So you’ll leave her behind and get away on your own.”

“Oh, and there’s one more thing.” Raul smiled and pointed straight up. “I’m not actually alone.”

Right then, the knights went on full alert—but it was too late. In the time it took them to blink, five of Raul’s men had descended from the ceiling to stand around him.

“Impossible! When could they have…?!”

“They were here from the start. Too bad you didn’t even notice.”

“Chief! We have Her Highness!”

Raul didn’t turn around, but he could sense Harriet being picked up behind him. She must have been still tied and struggling; her voice was pained as she called out, “Wait! L-Let me go! Raul’s going to…!”

“All right. Get going, guys. Follow the plan.”

“Chief, are you really gonna—”

“I said go.” He shooed them away, and they didn’t protest again.

One of them must have covered Harriet’s mouth, because her shouting was muffled. His men climbed back up the ropes they’d come down on.

No point putting up a fight. All we wanted was to get Harriet out of here.

Raul licked his lips, cocking his head and smiling blithely. The knights must not have liked that.

“They’re going up! Don’t let them! Grab the ropes and pull them—”

“Ah-ah-ah.” He threw a knife at one of the knights when she went for a rope. The moment she faltered, he leaped forward, closing the gap between them. He plunged his knee into her gut and used the momentum to spin and smack his heel into another one.

“You bastard!”

Raul stared straight at the knight, his eyes cold. “Don’t worry. I’ll go easy on you.”

“Does your arrogance never end?!”

“Mm… Must you be so hackneyed?” He wasn’t really trying to insult them. Knocking them out instead of killing them would wear down their morale more. Plus, there was no meaning in being victorious over them here.

“Mmph!” Harriet called for him even with her mouth ­covered. Raul’s men were on the roof of the church, pulling her up by rope. So as long as she made it to the top, she’d be safe. From the sound of her voice, he figured it should only be a few more meters now.

It’d be even simpler if all I had to do was let her get away.

He had plenty of chances to do so. In Fabrannia, on the way over, and in the last few days here in Galkhein too.

But there’s no meaning in that either. If Harriet disappears here, Fabrannia will just accuse her of some crime and hunt her down to keep her quiet.

If that happened, she would have no way out. Siguel would just end up paying for the crimes she’d allegedly committed.

“Chief! We’re at the upper window. We can get out from here!”

“Got it. Counting on you.”

“Don’t let Harriet get awa—gah!” The knight lost consciousness when a thrown knife stabbed her leg. Each knife had been coated with an undiluted paralysis drug.

Raul got up on the pews and used their backs as stepping stones, leaping from one to another. He jumped into the center aisle and turned his back to the door, blocking the knights’ path.

“Twelve more?”

“Augh! Kill him!”

The knights lunged at him as one. Raul dodged with the nimbleness of a cat and tossed five thin knives out in an arc around him. His aim was true; all five knights crumpled to the ground.

Then he knelt and put a hand on the floor. He swept the legs out from under the remaining knights charging at him, and they all toppled to the ground almost comically. No matter how dirty the methods of the Fabrannian knights, when it came to their swordplay, they were straightforward to a fault. Raul, on the other hand, found fighting fair and square boring.

Results are all that matters. No matter how you do it, if you fulfill your objective, you win.

He cut down their numbers in no time, until only three knights remained. Raul smiled and loosed a breath. “You know, I found a real detailed plan about the counterfeiting when I snuck into your country.”

“What?”

“It was written in King Walter’s own hand, and it even had his signature! I’d expect nothing less of His Majesty! He must have been so proud of his plan that he wanted to make sure everyone knew it was his idea!”

“Th-there’s no way you have something like that!”

The knight was right, of course. No matter how stupid the king was, he wouldn’t leave behind such hard evidence. But it didn’t matter that this document didn’t exist; Raul could simply fabricate it into being. He had learned King Walter’s hand­writing during his reconnaissance on Fabrannia. In fact, he’d already crafted such a document before he enacted his plan.

“The thing about people is that they much prefer an interesting lie to the boring truth.”

“You bastard!”

“I know all about that, since lying is my job and whatnot. If I spin a fascinating tale and add some shocking evidence to back it up, plenty of people will gobble it up as the truth.”

He was sure Fabrannia understood. They were using the same psychology in their attempts to pin crimes on Harriet and sully Galkhein’s reputation.

“People will treat even baseless rumors as the truth if they really want to, so…” Raul grinned and unsheathed another knife. “Let me give you the corpse of someone who opposed Fabrannia.”

“What?!” The knights all went pale with disbelief.

“To be precise, the body of a Siguelian mercenary carrying a stolen document bearing Walter’s signature. What do you think will happen if such a corpse is discovered in Galkhein, where Fabrannia has no influence?”

“Y-you can’t be serious…”

“Oh, but I am! Rumors will spread, eventually reaching official channels! Once the international community begins to suspect Fabrannia, they’ll have no way out, will they?”

The knights recoiled from Raul. “Are you insane?! All for that, you would—”

“Die? Yes, I would. It’s the fastest way to get what I want, with the fewest casualties.” Raul held up the knife and waved it back and forth. “There’s poison on this blade. A deadly poison that will cause me to go out suffering. If I’m found dead, by this poison, it’ll just add momentum to the rumors.”

“Try it. If you kill yourself, all we must do is dispose of your corpse.”

“Unfortunately, some of my subordinates are still here watching. As soon as I die, they’ll cause a commotion that will draw civilians to the scene.”

Once that happened, not only would they be unable to hide his corpse, but they would also be spotted by a great number of witnesses.

Well, this is about all I can do, I suppose. Raul smiled wanly, watching the knights. I made sure to paralyze that Rishe girl… Now Galkhein will be able to prove that they were just a victim caught up in all this.

He almost felt bad for the trouble he was causing them. His smile twisted with the irony. If anything, he should have had a grudge against this country. I told my men to slow down Galkhein’s crown prince without killing him if he came after me too.

If he knocked out all the knights, then it wouldn’t make sense that they’d killed him. Even if the three knights still standing went after Harriet, he knew his subordinates would be able to fight them off.

“Thanks for playing along, girls. Guess it’s time to finish this.” Raul spun the knife around and pointed the blade at himself.

“Wait! Don’t make another move!”

“I don’t think so. I’m gonna have to ask you to stay put.”

Now he could at least protect Harriet. It had been a long time since he was able to smile with such genuine happiness. Light shone through a stained-glass window like the clouds had parted. But right as he held the blade to his throat under that light’s blessing, he sensed something strange.

“Huh?” Raul’s head shot up. He saw a painting of the goddess that spanned the whole ceiling—but there was no time to ­admire it, as the stained glass in one of the church’s upper windows shattered.

“Wh…”

The stained glass twinkled in the air as it fell, its kaleidoscopic fragments glittering in the sunlight. A figure followed their trajectory, shielding herself from the hail of glass. To Raul’s shock, her coral hair fluttered in the wind.

A girl in a brown cloak fell toward him, her skirt billowing around her. No, she was so graceful, it was less like she was falling and more like she was descending from on high. The black sword in her hand didn’t match her slight build.

In midair, she yanked her hood down on her head, curled up, and rolled upon impact with the floor. The cloak she wore was made of the same fabric the hunters donned when they went into the forest. Protected from the glass shards by the sturdy fabric, she shot to her feet and drew her sword. Then she struck the knife from Raul’s hand.

“Ah!”

Surprise had slackened his grip, so his knife went clattering halfway across the church floor. The girl spun around, whipped her sword as if dancing, and charged at the Fabrannian knights. With all-too-abrupt cries, the remaining three knights fell to the floor. Raul watched all this happen, dumbfounded to the core.

“Raul!”

He snapped out of it when Rishe called his name. But this wasn’t possible. She couldn’t be here. He’d seen her drink the laced tea himself just a short while ago. And he didn’t understand why she hadn’t come charging through the door but crashing through the window instead.

“Didn’t I tell you that if you were going to save Lady Harriet, I wanted to help you? I can’t let you sacrifice yourself just because you want to rescue her!” As though it were the most natural thing in the world, she said, “That’s why I’m here to save you.”

The words rendered him dizzy.

“Are you all right? You haven’t gotten hurt or taken poison too hastily, have you? Just get away from here for now, and we can talk about this later.”

“Wait a second… This is no time to be worrying about me. That’s not all the Fabrannian knights.” He was sure his subordinates wouldn’t screw up and get caught, which meant that the remaining dozen or so knights were still watching outside the church. “The church is surrounded. If you don’t get out of here, you won’t be safe eith—”

Suddenly, the church doors swung open, silencing Raul. He drew a knife and ran in front of Rishe, but the interloper was no Fabrannian enemy.

You’ve gotta be kidding me!

“Prince Arnold!” Rishe cried. A broad and dazzling smile bloomed on her face, her emerald, gemlike eyes sparkling as if she were looking at precious treasure.

The target of her tender gaze was a stoic lady-killer wearing an almost bored expression.

“What are you doing here?” Raul asked. “And what about the knights?”

“Already taken care of.” Arnold Hein strolled toward him. Beyond the open doors was exactly the implied spectacle: All of Fabrannia’s remaining knights were sprawled out on the ground, unconscious.

This can’t be happening. I told my men in town to stop Arnold Hein if they saw him!

“I’m sorry, Raul. I borrowed your bow and arrows and knocked out the rest of your men.”

“Bwuh?” Raul was speechless.

Arnold Hein walked past him and pulled back the girl’s hood. “Are you hurt, Rishe?”

“Nope. As you can see, there’s not a scratch on me.”

You took a powerful drug, made special by an expert hunter…

If Rishe was telling the truth, she had breezed through a town with expert archers stationed throughout, crashed through a stained-glass window, rolled when she hit the ground, and fought off several knights. Yet there really wasn’t a mark on her.

As for Arnold Hein, he’d fought over ten knights without even making a sound detectable to Raul’s ears.

“Hold on a second… Seriously, give me a break!” Raul clutched his forehead. If Rishe had at least entered through the door normally, he wouldn’t have been so stunned that he botched his suicide. But he hadn’t expected her to drop in from above. As a result, he had completely lost the will to carry out his plan.

“You two are monsters, husband and wife both…”

Rishe’s cheeks flared. “W-we’re not married yet!”

Raul was utterly baffled that that was what offended her. After all that, you’re blushing like a shy little maiden!

Rishe fixed him with a petulant glare. Raul had no idea what to make of her, truly.

Dammit. She’s adorable.

Unfortunately, that was the only poisoned knife he had. He felt as if his own immaturity had been thrown back in his face. His pride for thinking there was not a chance he could fail was shaken.

It didn’t even matter how well I lied.

 

---

 

I’m so glad I made it in time!

Rishe sighed as she sheathed the black sword. The blade she’d knocked from Raul’s hands had been coated with poison. She could just imagine the sort of terrible plan he’d been trying to enact.

That bad feeling I had was spot-on. If Raul was really trying to get away, even Prince Arnold’s Imperial Guards wouldn’t have been able to find him so easily.

Raul had been too unguarded throughout this whole incident. Rishe knew there was no way he’d tell her his whole plot even if she’d uncovered part of it. And if he wanted to drug someone, he’d find a way to drug everyone even if they turned down the drink he offered.

If he just wanted to abduct and kill Lady Harriet, he wouldn’t have done it in a conspicuous place like an abandoned church. The reason he picked it was to make use of the high ceilings… He chose a battlefield that would be advantageous to his hunters.

When she’d arrived with Arnold, the Fabrannian knights had been guarding the church entrances. Rishe had predicted that, so she’d asked Arnold to handle them and climbed up to the roof to enter from there. She had thought it was the best option, but for some reason, Arnold was standing in front of her now looking dour.

“Did you really have to break the stained glass?”

“I thought it would draw everyone’s attention if I made a racket.”

There were normal windows too, which the hunters had no doubt used to extricate Harriet, but she didn’t think she could have stopped Raul if she’d used one of them. However, it did pain her to have broken the stained glass.

“I’m sorry about the damage. I must write a letter to Bishop Schneider and apologize.”

“The church was going to be demolished anyway. As long as you’re not hurt, you can ignore the rest.”

“That won’t do. What if there’s a problem during the demolition now?”

This was hardly the most important matter at hand, of course. Perched up on the back of one of the pews, with a hand cradling his forehead, Raul gave off an aura that Rishe had never once seen around him in her fifth loop. Just when she was about to call out to him, there was a pained shout from the direction of the door.

“Raul!”

“Lady Harriet?!”

Harriet burst into the church, breath shallow. She must have run straight here without resting.

“Y-you’re alive!” Her voice was faint, verging on sobs, but Harriet didn’t collapse. She pressed her lips into a thin line and shifted her eyes from Raul to Rishe. She then plummeted to her knees and bowed so low, she was practically pressing her forehead into the floor.

“Y-Your Highness Prince Arnold, Lady Rishe! I’m…terribly sorry!”

“Ack! Lady Harriet! Please raise your head! It’s all right…”

There were ugly welts on Harriet’s pale wrists. She must have tried desperately to escape her bonds. The blood oozing from the wounds made it clear just how much she’d struggled.

Her head still bowed, Harriet pleaded through ragged pants. “I know I caused a great deal of trouble to Galkhein… I take full responsibility for all of Raul’s actions!”

“Stop, Harriet.” Raul suddenly stood and dropped on one knee next to her. “You weren’t involved in any of this. You know it doesn’t mean anything if you apologize.”

“No! How could I be uninvolved when you did all this to save me? I—ghk!” Harriet started coughing uncontrollably. She must have really been having trouble breathing. Rishe couldn’t bear to watch and tried to run to her, but Arnold caught her by the arm.

“Prince Arnold, she…”

Instead, Arnold stepped forward. Harriet winced at the sound of his footsteps.

Raul frowned, then looked up at Arnold and offered him a flippant smile. “Your Highness, I assure you Harriet had nothing to do with my plans.”

The prince said nothing. He just stared at Raul. Rishe couldn’t see his expression, but it was probably his familiar cold look.

“I’ll tell you everything I had planned, all right? I don’t care what you do with me after that. You can chop my head off or use me as a punching bag or whatever else you’d prefer to do.”

“Raul! St-stop…please!”

Before Harriet could say anything more, Arnold asked Raul, “What do you plan to do after that?”

“What a cruel question.” Raul winced and put on a grim, self-deprecating smile. “I denigrated the great country of Galkhein. The only way I can atone is with my life, right?” He still spoke with nonchalance, as if his apology couldn’t possibly be genuine, but Rishe knew that he did everything for a reason.

Raul’s being insolent on purpose. He wants Prince Arnold’s anger to fall on him instead of Lady Harriet.

“Taking responsibility only means something if someone capable says it,” Arnold said, indifferent.

Harriet shrank in on herself.

“The same goes for inane offers to give up one’s life,” he continued. “Your life is worthless to me.”

Raul smiled and cocked his head. “I wish you would have let me die like I intended, then. My whole plan was ruined thanks to your unexpected intrusion.”

“Raul, you really were planning on dying to save Lady Harriet from Fabrannia, weren’t you?” Rishe put the pieces together on Raul’s plan. She knew what his true feelings were. He’d told her in her fifth loop.

“I know I don’t look it, but I’m very loyal to the Siguel royal ­family.” He’d said that in a future where he hadn’t been able to save Harriet. As his former companion, Rishe could tell when he was passing his true feelings off as a joke.

Lips still quirked upward, Raul said, “Well, what else was I supposed to do? If I accused Fabrannia of counterfeiting openly, they’d just make Harriet their scapegoat. I had to scheme if I wanted to protect both Siguel and Harriet.”

He was right about that. Even if the accusation came from Galkhein, Fabrannia would refuse to be held accountable for their crimes. They would fight the accusation, and there were sure to be countries who allied themselves with Fabrannia. There might even be countries who declared war in the resulting confusion. It wouldn’t be strange if the accusation caused a whole new war apart from the one Arnold himself would start. And no one could say how Galkhein’s current emperor would react to all this. Arnold knew that better than anyone else.

That’s why Raul almost poisoned himself. With Raul’s death, Siguel would have more credibility and Fabrannia would be at a disadvantage.

Maybe he had even forged some evidence that would accelerate the process. Rishe could imagine just the sort of plot Raul had cooked up.

“Naturally, I have no intention of letting Fabrannia’s counterfeiting attempts stand,” Arnold said.

“Prince Arnold!” Rishe looked up at him from his side. “I beg of you, give me some time! Just like with Coyolles, I’ll think of a way for Galkhein to form an alliance with Siguel.”

Before, Arnold said that there was a way for Rishe to save Harriet as the crown princess rather than a knight. If she could think of a reason for Galkhein to ally with Siguel that wouldn’t provoke the current emperor’s suspicions, then their relationship with Siguel would aid them immensely in a conflict with Fabrannia. Even if Fabrannia tried to pin the counterfeiting on Siguel, with Galkhein as their allies, they would be safe from any military action from Fabrannia. Rishe vowed to find a path to that future. But Arnold wasn’t even looking at her.

“Listen to me, Your Highness!”

“There’s no need for that.” His words were cold, and Rishe’s breath hitched when she heard them. But Arnold was quick to add, “Our country is planning to overhaul the currency soon.”

Rishe blinked, not expecting him to bring that up now.

“I’ve thought for some time now that our current system of currency is naturally limited. Gold and silver are finite resources—we’ll run out of them one day.”

Both Raul and Harriet struggled to grasp what Arnold was getting at.

“If you make your currency more complex to prevent counterfeiting, it becomes more expensive to produce. More advanced technology is required to mint it, and mass production becomes very difficult. To solve this problem, we must come at it from a new direction.”

“What do you mean by that?” Rishe asked.

“I mean money that’s cheaper to produce than gold and silver coins, using resources we mustn’t worry will run out. The new currency must be possible to mass-produce while being difficult to counterfeit.” Arnold regarded Harriet and Raul and told them plainly, “Our best possible option right now is paper currency.”

Harriet gaped at Arnold. Even Raul was incredulous. The cogs of Rishe’s mind, however, were already turning.

Is this what Prince Arnold meant by what he said yesterday?

Arnold evidently had a different idea when the topic of reminting came up. Yet when Rishe and Oliver had asked him about it, he had rejected it himself.

“It’s a completely unrealistic plan.”

“It’s stupid. Practically fantasy. My ‘other idea’ is something I’ve already tossed out without consideration.”

And in response, Rishe had asked him, “If you put your mind to it, don’t you think you could really achieve it?” and Arnold had rejected that as well.

“Who’s going to believe in something that’s intangible?” he’d admonished, but he wasn’t talking to Rishe. He was saying it to himself.

Something had changed Arnold’s mind.

“Paper money…” Rishe murmured, and Arnold answered her.

“Of course, paper has no inherent value. These sheets of ­paper—these notes—would be worth an amount of gold or silver written on them that they could be exchanged for.”

Rishe understood Arnold’s vision at last. “So you would use that paper in place of coins for transactions? And when you need actual gold and silver, you could exchange it at a currency exchange just like now?”

“Right. It wouldn’t be as difficult to carry an equivalent amount of money because paper is so much more portable. And even if a country’s supply of gold and silver ran out, as long as they could reliably issue currency, there would be no damage to their economy as a result.”

The value of gold coins was guaranteed by the actual gold content in the coins. Arnold’s plan removed that notion entirely. Day-to-day transactions would take place not with currency that was worth its inherent value but with notes that could be exchanged for that amount.

There’s not a single country in the world doing things that way. Rishe’s heart hammered at the possibilities. Prince Arnold is creating a new system here and now! He’s doing something no one’s ever tried before!

“Coyolles’s artisans will create the metal sheets used to print the notes.” Arnold’s words intensified the sparkle in Rishe’s eyes. “One of Michel Hévin’s inventions included a paper and ink that were highly resistant to water—isn’t that right, Rishe?”

“Er, yes. Not just water—it was resistant to friction as well, if I recall correctly.”

“A new invention by an alchemist should be difficult for seedier types to get their hands on and forge, which means it will fulfill our original objective of preventing counterfeiting as well.”

Rishe’s head bobbed in excitement.

“We’ll need to utilize the Aria Trading Company’s connections to facilitate the circulation of the notes. I’m sure they’re capable of that, given their data-gathering skills. That being said…” Arnold lowered his gaze. “Even if we have the ink and paper and craft a detailed metal sheet, we won’t be able to realize this plan without the ability to mass-produce printed material.”

Just then, the last piece of the puzzle slid into place. Rishe and Arnold had read books they’d received from Siguel the night Harriet and Raul arrived. Books with intricate cover designs and finely printed details.

“Siguel has advanced printing technology, does it not?”

“Oh!” Harriet exclaimed.

“Galkhein finds itself in a position to ask for Siguel’s assistance. Siguel’s printing technology will be indispensable for my country’s future currency minting enterprises. For that reason, I’d like to propose an alliance with Siguel,” Arnold finished.

To think Arnold had requested an alliance with another country himself! Rishe had never imagined such a thing. When Coyolles had proposed an alliance, Arnold had answered by saying, “I’d much rather conquer a country than ally with one,” but things were different this time. Rishe’s heart thumped with exhilaration.

Raul, meanwhile, couldn’t hide his confusion. “Wait a second. This is a fantasy. Paper money? You really think your country’s economy will run on that?”

The prince’s gaze turned on him.

Standing at Harriet’s side, Raul said, “For this ridiculous notion to come from Galkhein’s crown prince of all people… Who’s going to believe in something so far-fetched?”

Arnold knew precisely what Raul meant. In fact, he’d once felt the same way. He had dismissed his own idea before, not even letting Oliver hear of it.

“You’re right,” Arnold said simply. “Who’s going to believe in something intangible?” He looked at Rishe by his side. “I thought that way at first as well.” After meeting her eyes, Arnold smirked a little and continued in a softer voice, “But there are people in this world who fear ghosts.”

Rishe flushed, not expecting Arnold to shine a light on her anxieties. She knew he wasn’t teasing her, though.

“Those affiliated with the Church believe in the existence of the goddess, but whether She’s real or not isn’t what’s important to them. It’s simply a matter of faith.”

She knew what Arnold was trying to say. It was the same thing they’d spoken about in bed the previous night. Rishe’s belief in ghosts and the Church’s faith in the goddess were unshakable convictions. Some things existed whether they had a tangible form or not. Like Arnold’s desire to show Rishe the ocean, which he’d only just revealed to her.

“Currency is issued by the nation. It can be guaranteed not by the value inherent in the physical coins but by the faith people have in the country that issues it. That faith is the same whether the money is coins or notes.”

It’s just as His Highness says. After all, foreign money may have the same gold in it, but you don’t use it every day.

Rishe understood that wasn’t the same thing as Arnold’s ­paper money plan, but she believed it was the same idea.

“Incremental adjustments will be made to build trust in this new money. I believe that it is our actions as a nation that will determine whether we earn that trust.”

“Didn’t expect that coming from you. So the lofty royal will just tell all the people below him to believe in him?”

“Faith in the political system is not gained with words. It’s a matter of whether my actions have answered the needs of the people up to this point and whether I’ll be able to create a system that they think merits their trust.” Arnold regarded Rishe again. “And if faith in the nation isn’t yet strong enough, I need simply borrow the name of something people do believe in. Even if that something is the goddess.”

“Prince Arnold…are you saying you’ll request assistance from the Crusade?”

This was yet another suggestion Rishe could never have envisioned the Arnold of even a few days ago making. Arnold ­despised the Church. She had never even considered that he might try to borrow their good name.

“Even if we use new materials, there are bound to be counterfeiting attempts. To thwart those, I intend to have Theodore use his network to keep an eye on the underworld.”

“My, Prince Arnold!” Rishe was ecstatic from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. “I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to help! Prince Theodore, the Aria Trading Company, Coyolles…Professor Michel and the Crusade too!” She grabbed Arnold’s sleeve, trying to convey her happiness in that small action. “With your political skills and Siguel’s printing technology, this plan is by no means a fantasy! It’s very much realistic!”

Arnold’s expression softened ever so slightly as he gazed at Rishe. “It’s because you’re here that this fantasy is becoming a ­reality. These connections are only possible because of your ­coming to Galkhein.”

Rishe tilted her head to the side and corrected Arnold. “That’s not true, Prince Arnold.”

“What?”

“It was you who allowed me to trade freely with the Aria Trading Company after coming to this country.”

Normally, a hostage like Rishe would never be allowed such a freedom. Arnold’s generosity allowed her to engage in not just shopping but also real business dealings.

“The same goes for you reconciling with your brother and ­pardoning Professor Michel for setting off fireworks in the middle of town. Forming a technological alliance with Coyolles because of their metalworking capabilities and a partnership with the Crusade Church were both things that you did as well, Prince Arnold.”

These were not connections that Rishe made. They were decisions made by Arnold himself, bonds formed due to his interactions with people.

“You once said that you preferred conquering other countries to allying yourself with them.” She knew that wasn’t true. “Our connections to other countries are all things you forged through your choices, Prince Arnold.”

Arnold widened his eyes in surprise, and then they crinkled as he smiled. “No…these are without a doubt your doing.”

That didn’t quite sit right with Rishe, but Arnold seemed happy about it, so she didn’t argue. Raul and Harriet, meanwhile, gawked at Rishe and Arnold as they complimented each other.

“Who are you two, really? The Crusade’s going to help Galkhein?”

“Ugh, I-I can’t quite keep up with all of this… Now, Raul!” Harriet took a shaky breath, then steeled herself. “F-Father and my brother might be surprised, but I want to try to convince them. Siguel’s been at the mercy of Fabrannia all this time, but…”

“…Harriet.”

“If we’re going to have a relationship with a country other than Fabrannia, then we can’t just let them protect us for nothing in return anymore. We must move forward using the technology we’ve cultivated.”

Harriet knew what she was proposing was no easy task. Sure enough, her voice quivered—but the fear had vanished from her eyes.

“I-I’ve always been proud of the beautiful books Siguel produces. It’s something we do all on our own, without support from anyone else. So if we’re going to have a reciprocal relationship with another country, then…” She clenched her small hands into fists. “No matter how weak and small we are…I want us to change, so that we can be proud of what we’ve done all by ourselves.”

Raul frowned, a truly rare expression for him. “That’s big talk, Harriet. It’s not so easy to change the way a whole country works.”

“B-but, if you don’t resolve yourself to change, then nothing ever will!” Despite her shaking, there was strength behind her words.

His frown slid into a grimace. “I can’t believe you…” He put a hand to his forehead and sighed a long, long sigh. “I’m a complete failure as a hunter. The princess looks at me like this, and I can’t even bring myself to abscond with her.”

Rishe was pleased to hear it. I never saw Raul that exasperated in my entire fifth loop.

The whole time she had been with him, he had worn false smiles, hidden his true feelings, and lied as easily as he breathed. I feel like he’ll be all right now, though.

Harriet, whom he wasn’t able to save in that life, was right here. She would never dirty her hands with crimes she didn’t wish to commit. And Raul, determined to protect her with his life, didn’t need to die. Furthermore, true emotion shone naked on his face.

Rishe sighed in relief and looked up at Arnold. Prince Arnold really is amazing, she thought with a smile.

Arnold studied her with wide eyes. Then he frowned and asked, “Why do you look so happy just seeing my face?”

“What?!” Rishe yelped, covering her cheeks with her hands. “Did I look happy just now?!”

“You looked the same way when I entered the church earlier too.”

Rishe couldn’t recall the face she’d made when she saw him. It must have been an unconscious reaction.

Well, he took control of the church so quickly! Any swordsman would be impressed even if they didn’t see it for themselves…

“Also, are you satisfied with that fight we were supposed to be having?”

That’s right! We’re supposed to be in the middle of a very important fight! Rishe recalled with a start.

Arnold taunted her with his smile. “Hmm?”

“N-not yet!” Rishe stammered. “There’s plenty more that I must say on that subject!”

“I see. Well, I’ll reserve my comments on you saying I could ‘simply cut ties with you’ to save myself outside my earshot for later, then.”

“Ugh!”

Oliver had reported the whole thing to Arnold, just as Rishe expected he might. Rishe was ready to tear her hair out as Arnold grinned at her combatively.

“You’d better brace yourself.”

“Hmph! Same to you, Your Highness!” Rishe leveled a glare at him, her declaration of war. Then she ran to Harriet and embraced her.

Finally, she looked to Raul, who had taken a roundabout way to get what he wanted. The man had a self-conscious look on his face. That, too, was likely true emotion.

Rishe found that so funny…and a little nostalgic to boot.