Chapter 103 - Countdown of the Stars

――As tremors shook the world, the sky split into white and red, and the clashing of lives brought forth an event of calamitous proportions, Rem had made a decision.

Rem: [If I’m going to make a move, it’s now or never.]

In the Imperial Capital, where a battle of unimaginable scale was likely taking place, Rem was still imprisoned in Berstetz's mansion with her freedom greatly restricted.

Rem could not do anything effective, even as she felt the smell of burning getting stronger and stronger day by day. Feeling deeply ashamed of that, the choice of staying silently in place any longer was no longer acceptable to her.

In the end, Rem had not once come face to face with Berstetz, the lord of the mansion and the perpetrator behind her confinement, since their first chance meeting. For that reason, there was no way to examine what that old man, who had been concerned about the future of the Empire because of his own philosophy and deposing the then Emperor Abel, thought how all of this led to the great battle engulfing the entire Empire.

However, even supposing there had been an opportunity, he and Rem would probably not have understood each other.

Rem: [After all, Berstetz-san and I stand on entirely different sides.]

Even if it sounded cold, that was the conclusion Rem ultimately came up with.

Only the strong, or those with the leeway to do so, could sympathize with and take into account the circumstances of those in a different position. Since Rem was neither, she was forced to make a decision:

Who would she turn into an enemy, and who would she regard as an ally?

Without that, Rem bore no hostility towards Berstetz or Madelyn. That especially made Abel's inability to properly explain things and Priscilla's unreasonable requests much more difficult to deal with.

Therefore, what Rem would be trying to do from now on was not out of hostility or rebellious intent towards them, but nothing more than the result of having chosen where she would stand.

Rem: [――――]

With the battle for the Imperial Capital having begun, even though Berstetz’s mansion was surely constructed quite deep within the city, the ramifications of the fierce battle could still be felt there.

Naturally, the mansion was also placed on high alert, and being more or less a prisoner of war, Rem too was ordered to wait in the room provisioned for her so her freedom was even more restricted than usual.

However, from the perspective of the mansion's security, Rem was nothing more than a hobbling girl anyway, and the security system in place was not set up such as to leave a guard standing in front of her room day and night.

――Taking advantage of this negligence in security, Rem had silently slipped out of the room.

Holding her breath, Rem crawled from the skylight of her room to the roof of the mansion.

Since she was careful not to make a sound, the security did not notice Rem's secret maneuvers. It would be harsh to blame this on their negligence―― they probably would never have even thought that a girl with a cane would sneak out from a room in this kind of way.

That would be the case, if Rem really was a girl who could not walk freely without a cane.

Rem: [I expected to prepare for the worst, but...]

Of course, it was not a lie that Rem had complained of her handicap and used a cane up until now.

However, with her incomplete “memories” troubling those around her, she could not let her impaired leg stay as it was forever, and had been constantly practicing walking.

As her efforts bore fruit, and she began to be somewhat able to stand, it struck her. ――If she led them to believe she had a limp, it might come in handy.

In fact, she had not yet thought as far as to how exactly it would come in handy.

On the contrary, if her useless secret were discovered, she might inadvertently put everyone on alert. However, since her troubles actually proved useful, she could probably say that she had won the bet.

However, she could not let down her guard. Since she could only say that her winning the gamble paid off once these actions started leading to some kind of results.

If someone went out of their way to take a bet, it would become meaningless unless they win.

In the first place, Rem had been trying not to think about just whose influence made her take a bet like this.

In any case――,

Rem: [――If I can stay undetected until I get away,]

As she got on the roof, Rem's goal to escape from the mansion, was not that.

It was a difficult choice to make, but besides Rem, Flop was also held captive in the mansion. There was no way he could have gotten out alone, and the mansion was surrounded by a high wall to begin with. Unlike the roof, climbing over it would have been difficult, so there appeared to be no point in even considering it.

Rem had escaped from her room with the intention of making contact with all the Crown Princes that had been gathered somewhere within this plot of land.

The black-haired Crown Prince had been hailed as the leader behind the rebellion, according to what she had heard. Despite the doubts about whether he was Abel’s legitimate child, he probably had one or two things in his mind about the current state of the empire.

If Rem could make contact with them, a sliver of hope to get her out of the situation she had been put in might emerge.

Rem: [I need to ensure that myself and Flop-san, as well as Katya-san, are safe.]

Rem felt that she was in need of allies that could cooperate with each other.

She had been carefully making her way along the roof towards the edge, taking great care not to make a sound. Despite her effort to step softly, there was no guarantee that the guards would not find her and she could get away successfully.

In order to not let this opportunity go to waste, she was fully prepared to risk her life in the case she was spotted. This was also the reason she could not stand idly by.

That was――,

Rem [――Hk.]

Suddenly, a strange occurrence popping up in the distant sky caused Rem to jump out of her skin.

From the edge of her vision, Rem gasped at the sight of the battle taking place across the walls of the Imperial City, as the looming sky changed into a peculiar spectacle. 

Having been so distant from the event, Rem had no way of knowing the details, but at the very moment the Cloud Dragon Mezoreia had descended upon the top of the star-shaped walls protecting the Imperial City, "The Spirit Eater" Arakiya turned the clouds into flames, and Moguro Hagane rose up as the very rampart itself.

Without knowing the actual reality, Rem stiffened as she instinctively sensed those dangers. At the very same moment, she lost the strength to remain standing on the roof.

As an “Ah” escaped from Rem's mouth, her body slid down the slope of the roof at the same time. She almost tumbled all the way down, but, instead, she quickly grabbed the edge of the roof with all of her strength.

Rem: [That, was close…]

If she had screamed or fallen down below, there would have been no room for excuses.

Barely hanging over the edge of the roof, Rem exhaled a sigh of relief. Slowly, she tried to get herself back on the roof and then――,

Rem: [――? This is…?]

With her objective still being far away, she was hanging there on the way back from the mishap. A door set up at the very end of the pavilion caught the eyes of Rem as she held onto the edge.

Even though Rem was allowed to relatively freely come and go within the mansion and had looked around everywhere, this was the first time she spotted a door to a detached building that was forbidden to enter. By going around the mansion along the roof, she had wandered onto a conventionally inaccessible section.

Rem: [A hidden door...? What in the world?]

As questions about her discovery arose within her mind, Rem became briefly caught in hesitation.

Their preliminary goal was to make contact with the faraway "Crown Prince". This would have given them a clearer picture of the situation, as well as a better chance of finding a way out of it.

On the other hand, the unexpected hidden door may have ultimately turned out to be a mere liquor cellar. Was it really worth taking the risk to get in?

Rem: [――――]

She did not even need to think about what was more rational. ――And yet, Rem chose the irrational option.

Releasing her grip from the edge of the roof, she descended to the passageway with the hidden door. She paid attention, in an attempt to be as quiet as possible, yet her footsteps could still be heard. However, still, the sky that had startled her earlier remained unusual, so the mansion’s guards should be quite distracted.

Boldly relying on this, Rem put her hand on the hidden door and threw it open.

Rem: [Stairs leading to a basement…]

The door was not locked, probably because it was unnecessary, rather than careless.

This hardly seemed like a place uninvited guests were not supposed to visit. Since Rem more or less arrived at the mansion with an invitation, she had no reason to complain.

Greeted by stairs which emanated cold air, and a dim space with no light, Rem took a small gasp as she headed downstairs with her hands tracing the wall.

There was the possibility that an unbelievable dread waited for her.

It was also possible that Berstetz had trapped something outrageous and horrifying.

However――,

Rem: [――Is, someone there?]

With the seed of a mysterious uncertainty, Rem asked a question within the darkness of the basement she had reached.

It was poorly lit in darkness, but one could sense that the basement was not that spacious. There was also a large presence in the back of the room which could only be vaguely discerned.

Although large, it was by no means monstrous.

A human with quite a large physique; such a presence had been chained and held captive to the back wall of the basement.

That person had heard Rem's question and――,

???: [His Excellency...]

Rem: [...You are?]

???: [Vincent Vollachia, we must protect, His Excellency the Emperor…]

A low, blood-stained voice pitifully reverberated the stale air within the basement.

The sincere sound contained within the voice was strong and powerful, filled with selfless loyalty.

Rem: [――――]

With those words, Rem decided to take one step after another, as she closed the gap between her and her opponent.

In doing so, the figure of a tethered large man vaguely emerged in the darkness. His body was seriously huge, with white scars etched all across his face――,

???: [...Goz, Ralfon.]

Rem realized a beat later that it was probably a name that had been mumbled.

In fact, it sounded familiar.

If she recalled correctly, he was one of the "Nine Divine Generals"―― one of the most powerful and renowned beings in the Vollachian Empire.

Goz: [I must protect His Excellency from the Great Disaster――.]

The man was like a lion, roaring heroically as his scar-covered face contorted.

△▼△▼△▼△

Serena: [――You said it, right Abel? You're the one who spread the rumor about the Crown Prince, aren't you?]

Serena Dracroy, a woman of character who was overlooking the state of the siege of the Imperial City from the main rebel camp, standing there with her arms crossed, asked Abel this question. He slowly raised his face covered by the Oni mask.

Serena's Flying Dragon Squadron appeared from the far west as reinforcements. With the participation of first-class flying dragon riders who possessed the skills of "flying dragon taming," the battlefield's air superiority suddenly tilted towards their side.

Of course, there were some battlefields where the flying dragon riders were at a disadvantage because of the presence of the Cloud Dragon and the Spirit Eater, but it was not necessary to have the entire battlefield under their control.

All it took was a single breach and even the walls of the Imperial City, which were renowned for their solidity, would begin to collapse from that point onwards.

There were measures in place to achieve this; at least, Abel thought so. Hence, knowing that there were situations of weakness and stalemate on the battlefield, he continued to intermittently issue orders.

Abel: [Does it look like I have time for your idle chit-chat now? If anything, should you not be keeping an eye on the movements of your subordinates?]

Serena: [Yes, of course. But it's disheartening that you dismiss this as chit-chat. I took a stance because of your letter and swiftly joined your side. Since me coming was so vital to your strategy, treating me with a little more care wouldn’t make you lose your face.]

Abel: [Spoken like a good-for-nothing​ commoner.]

Serena: [Even if I spoke like a philistine, I would rather not act like one. I’m just too curious about the response from before.]

Shrugging her shoulders, Serena took her gaze away from the sky and looked towards Abel.

The response she referred to was probably the reinforcements from the west―― as well as the response to the war potential outside of Serena’s Flying Dragon Squadron.

Although she had an idea about the unforeseen reinforcements and who was leading them, she regretted the carelessness of her earlier words and actions.

Hence, it led to the words Serena started her idle chit-chat with.

Serena: [The black-haired Crown Prince, you are the one who spread that story. And isn't this Crown Prince the one who is leading that group in the midst of their glorious rampage?]

Abel: [In short, you believe that this turmoil spreading across on the battlefield was orchestrated by the illegitimate offspring of the Emperor?]

Serena: [No, my apologies. It’s a figure of speech. I don’t believe that the black-haired Crown Prince is really His Excellency's son. In all likelihood, His Excellency has no children.]

Shaking her head at Abel's words, Serena replied with a rather confident tone. When Abel raised an eyebrow at her confident answer, she continued, "In any case,”

Serena: [His Excellency never took a queen, and there is no mention of him ever getting intimate with a woman. I’ve tried to seduce him before, but he completely ignored me. This should serve as strong evidence.]

Abel: [――. Are you sane?]

Serena: [Of course, I’m entirely serious.]

Abel: [I did not ask if you were serious, I asked if you were sane.]

Abel's gaze grew stern as he was presented with a rather unconvincing reason to base her argument on.

Serena was one of the more prominent High Counts in Vollachia, and because Abel held her abilities and ambition in such a high regard, he counted her as one of the necessary forces in this decisive battle. However, if Abel judged matters based on incomprehensible standards, that in itself meant there was room for consideration.

Serena, who was trying to see matters through Abel's eyes, said, "Wait," as she uncrossed her arms and raised one hand,

Serena: [I'm not kidding, that's just the most significant reason. The point that His Excellency was not seduced by me is frustrating, but that also hints at something at the same time.]

Abel: [――――]

Serena: [That His Excellency has no interest in women. To put it more bluntly, he has no intention to bring forth an offspring.]

The speechless Abel looked at Serena, who continued with, "That has to be it, right?"

Serena: [I’m not saying he is a philanderer, but His Excellency hasn’t begotten a son. At the very least, not at this point in time. But even if His Excellency were a philanderer, he could still have children as long as he has the inclination. There’s two possibilities: he’s sterile, or…]

Abel: [He is intentionally not procreating.]

Serena: [Exactly. In any case, I don't think there is such a person as a Crown Prince. That's why the story of an illegitimate child is dubious in the first place. But if mere dubiousness can spark such a civil war, our country splendidly lives up to its name.]

With a small twist of her cheeks, Serena's smile was genuine and joyful.

Abel made no mention of her attitude nor of the speculation she made. Notably, Serena did not need Abel's opinion either.

People like her are capable of confirming their own ideas without the affirmation from others.

In other words, it was not affirmation that she sought from Abel――,

Serena: [For what purpose have you made up the existence of the Crown Prince? After our side is victorious in this battle, who will sit on the vacant throne, and what will you do with your Empire?]

――She asked if they were going to leave the future of the Vollachian Empire in the hands of the Crown Prince.

Abel: [――――]

At Serena's quiet question, Abel softly closed one eye.

Some people might wonder if this was the right time to be asking and answering such questions, as the battle was just about to reach its climax. But as they fought, it would be too foolish not to think about what would happen after they won.

Naturally, since they were fighting with the intention of winning, they needed to plan for the postwar period as well.

Abel: [Why are you asking me?]

Serena: [I don’t mean that the Crown Prince is the… illegitimate son of His Excellency, but I believe that he is your truest representative to lead this great civil war. After the war, if you and the Crown Prince are going to join forces, isn't it obvious who we should ask regarding the future of the Empire?]

Abel: [――Ha]

As Serena continued her thoughts, a breath escaped Abel's mouth after hearing them.
 
Meanwhile, he himself was impressed by the effectiveness of the recognition blocking effect of the mask covering his face.
 
It was impressive how well it could conceal his identity and true feelings.

Serena: [What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?]

Abel: [I am not laughing at you. Rather, I admire your insight. It is just that when the conclusions differ, the process is simply even more disconnected. Not unreasonable, mind you.]

Serena: [Mu…]

Serena's lips curled in frustration at Abel's comment.
 
But as stated, her insights were impressive. It was only natural to think that Abel's goal was to win this rebellion and seize the Imperial throne of the Vollachian Empire.

He put a person calling themselves the Crown Prince in place who would seize control over the throne. If possible, the Emperor might even murder his puppet at some point and take the throne for himself.
 
But――,

Abel: [No doubt, I have no intention of handing over the throne. Your assessment is misguided.]

Serena: [So you're saying all my conjectures are completely off?]

Abel: [Not all. You are right, I spread the word about the existence of the black-haired Crown Prince with the intention of finding him rampaging on the battlefield. But the gravity of the matter is different.]

Serena: [The gravity?]

Abel: [It is the gravity of raising him up to stage and keeping him in line. The latter is of little importance. ――In any case, that naiveté of his cannot condone the sacrifices of others.]

 Serena twisted her head and was perplexed beyond comprehension.

However, Abel was not obligated to explain everything to her either. For the time being, he should have provided her the answers she wanted and resolved her post-war concerns.

In some cases, Serena could even end this rebellion by beheading Abel here and now and taking his head with her to the Crystal Palace.

Everything would be nipped in the bud, but to a certain extent, at the expense of Abel's gratifying sacrifice.

Abel: [Cast aside hesitation and mercy, and make the most of your naiveté. That is what makes you truly special. ――Natsuki Subaru.]

Serena had called him the Crown Prince, and he was probably still ravaging the battlefields of the west.

Even Abel did not have a completely consistent image of the person in mind whose name he just uttered. Even in his memory, he was a hectic handful to deal with as an unvarnished crossdresser, and even with a child’s appearance.

Abel's lips twisted at the vision of Subaru, his hectic scrambling right and left when he was thrown into a situation, openly displaying his naiveté and inexperience. With firm disgust.

――No, it was hatred, or perhaps a more appropriate way of putting it was rage.

???: [――Who is this man!?]

Abel, concealing his negative emotions behind the Oni mask, was about to respond to Serena's question, when the tent suddenly flapped.
 
Several soldiers guarding the main camp drew their weapons and displayed a strong sense of caution. From the look of it, they were pointing their weapons at a slender figure who had appeared from outside the encampment.

The figure raised his empty hands and chuckled as he looked around at the faces of the soldiers pointing their weapons at him.

Slender man: [Well, I was not expecting to be so welcomed. I'm a popular guy, aren't I?]

Soldier: [Screw you! Where did you even come from?!]

Slender man: [Guided by the stars… doesn't that sound a little too poetic, though?]

The soldiers' anger swelled when they thought that they were being teased by the ambiguous answer.
 
However, the man's attitude did not change in response to their threatening demeanour. He knew very well that his attitude would not be swayed by this.
 
And that was why――,

Abel: [――Lower your weapons. That thing does not pose a threat.]

Soldier: [Bu, But…]

Abel: [Even if you were to give him a knife, he would still not be able to do anything. He is a clown whose only skill is to play with words.]

Slender man: [Whaat~, that's a nasty thing to say. I am hurt, you know?]

He called out to the cautious soldiers to lower their weapons. The gentle-looking man he had spared expressed his protest to Abel with a pout of his lips.
 
Then Serena, who was standing next to Abel, also looked at him suspiciously.

Serena: [Why are you here? Aren’t you the Stargazer――?]

Slender man: [――Ubilk, if you would be so kind. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, High Countess Dracroy. Then again.]

As the gentle-looking man―― Ubilk introduced himself, he smiled bewitchingly with an oddly refined face.
 
Ubilk, who was supposed to be at the Crystal Palace in the Imperial Capital, pompously, pompously, pompously declared the point of his words, to the maximum extent possible.

Ubilk: [――It all depends on whether you survive the Great Disaster, right?]