Chapter 99 - 6
"Edward, please wake up, Edward…"
Shaken by a tentative, quiet voice, Edward opened his eyes.
Before him were eyes glowing red in the darkness. There was only one person he knew who had eyes that shone in the dark.
"What is it, Lef?"
As he sat up, Lef soundlessly retrieved Sara-chan's lamp from beside the deeply sleeping Franz and brought it closer to Edward.
As the lamp's light approached and brightened the space before him, he noticed that Lef wore a considerably troubled expression.
"Did something happen?"
He asked in a low voice so as not to wake the exhausted Franz. Lef nodded.
"I don't know if something happened, but… Anna's gone."
"What?"
Getting out of bed, he peered at the top bunk of the bunk bed where Anna had been sleeping. It was empty, the bedding neatly folded. When he touched it, it was already cold.
"I saw Anna leave. I thought she was just going to the lavatory, so I didn't say anything, but it's been an hour since she disappeared…"
"An hour…"
If she hadn't returned in that much time, there were two possibilities. First, he had to confirm the one he hoped wasn't true.
"Lef, you have sharp ears, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Did you hear a scream, like someone falling into the water?"
"No. If Anna had fallen, I would have definitely noticed."
"I see."
In that case, there was only one other possibility.
"She's probably with Ritz."
At his words, Lef's eyes widened in surprise.
"But Ritz is in the ship's hold, isn't he?"
"He is. But there's nowhere else Anna would go."
It had been a miscalculation. Watching their journey so far, he had thought Anna would believe whatever Ritz said without a second thought.
But she had grown through their various trials. It seemed Ritz's bluff alone was no longer enough to keep her in check.
Besides, Anna had seemed worried about Ritz lately. It was likely more than just Patricia asking her to look after him.
Edward, who Anna had confided in directly, knew this and should have been more careful.
"Edward, maybe she's sleepwalking and got lost. I'd like to go look for her…"
Lef, ever the good-natured person, said with a worried tone. It was likely a waste of time, but there was always the off chance of such a thing happening.
"Then I'm counting on you."
"Yes."
Lef, far larger and more robust than Ritz, slipped out the door into the darkness without making a single sound. Witnessing the agility of a Beastman firsthand was astonishing.
Edward stood up and opened the dinner basket. He checked it and found that the remaining sandwich, about one person's portion, and one bottle of water were gone.
She must have gone to deliver this.
"Honestly."
He muttered with a sigh and quietly closed the basket.
If it meant Anna would also end up locked in the cargo hold, it might have been more efficient to ask Lef from the start.
Though she was about the same age as Gerald, he had absolutely no intention of doing something as cruel as tossing a girl who looked so young into the ship's hold.
Once she was locked in there, there was nothing more Edward and the others could do.
If they tried to go rescue Anna in the hold, it would cause a huge commotion, and the Military Police Third Division, First Platoon's investigation into the drug trafficking route would become impossible.
That was the one thing they had to avoid.
If this operation failed, it could lead to the worst-case scenario in terms of trade relations—their country's narcotics flowing into a neighboring nation.
Taking a bottle of water and sipping from it as he thought, Franz, who should have been sound asleep, sat up.
"…What's wrong, Franz?"
When he asked, Franz looked around and let out a deep sigh.
"It's still the middle of the night…"
Franz muttered as he got out of bed. It seemed his lack of sleep hadn't been remedied at all.
"You can still go back to sleep, you know."
"…I can't. My head feels like it's swaying, and my sleep is too light. I want to get some fresh air."
Lightly rubbing his eyes, Franz spoke sleepily.
"I see."
He had heard that those unaccustomed to ships often felt unwell until their bodies adjusted to the rocking.
"What happened, Your Majesty?"
Franz, who dutifully addressed Edward with his title even on their journey, was met with a shrug.
"Anna has gone to Ritz's side."
"…Huh?"
The hand that had been rubbing his eyes froze.
"Anna… went to Ritz's side?"
His mind, still groggy, seemed to be trying to process what that meant.
"So, you mean Anna went to the ship's hold?"
"That's right. With a sandwich and water for Ritz. But if anyone were to deliver such things to a stowaway, they'd undoubtedly be seen as an accomplice, wouldn't they?"
"I see… So she was caught."
Franz muttered with a blank expression, then let out a long, deep sigh.
"…She's an idiot."
Edward couldn't help but smile wryly at the dismissive words. Franz showed no mercy, even to his allies.
"Don't say that. That's just Anna's kindness."
"That's not kindness, it's recklessness."
Franz certainly had a point.
"…Well, I won't deny that."
Edward took a sip of water next to Franz, who had fallen silent with his arms crossed.
They would just have to face the morning as if nothing had happened. After a period of silence, Lef, who had gone to search for Anna, returned.
"Well?"
Though he already knew the answer, he asked anyway. Lef shook his head with a dejected look. As expected, she couldn't be found.
"You couldn't see what was happening in the hold?"
Knowing Lef, he had likely checked there as well without being noticed.
"There was a guard, so I couldn't get a look. The hold is below the passenger cabins, so I put my ear to the hallway floor to see if I could hear anything, but it was no good."
"I see…"
"What should we do, Edward?"
Lef asked, his face as troubled as a scolded child's.
"…For now, we can only wait."
"But…"
Lef pouted, clearly dissatisfied with Edward's words. Ritz had said Lef was fifteen, but that gesture made him look every bit a child his age.
"We can't all become suspicious characters here. The operation is still underway. Besides, if Anna's with Ritz, there shouldn't be any problem."
He looked Lef straight in the eye, and Lef nodded deeply at his words.
"You're right. If she's with Ritz, she'll be fine."
As a Beastman, he held an unconditional respect for Ritz, a member of the Spirit Clan. To Lef, the very fact that Ritz was of the Spirit Clan was enough to earn his respect and trust.
"I'm going to get some fresh air."
Franz, who had been listening to their exchange and had apparently decided there was nothing more to be done, stood up.
"I'll go too. Staying cooped up in here is suffocating."
Edward called out to the departing Franz and stood up as well.
He grabbed his outerwear. Even in spring, it was cold on the sea. Since they were riding for free, he couldn't complain about the four-person cabin, but he really wanted some fresh air.
Franz, perhaps realizing it might be cold on deck, retrieved his outerwear from his bed.
"What should I do?"
Lef, left standing alone, asked.
"There's a slight chance Anna might come back. Could you stay here?"
Even if the possibility was remote, it was best to leave a countermeasure in place.
It would be too cruel if Anna returned to find no one there.
"Understood. Take care."
Sent off by Lef, they left the room. They walked down the dark corridor in silence. He could feel Franz's presence following slowly behind him.
As they climbed the stairs and stepped onto the deck, a cold wind brushed against his cheeks. The night air was indeed chilly. But perhaps because the moon and stars were out, the deck was brighter than the ship's corridors.
Looking back, he saw Franz putting on his outerwear. Edward fastened the front of his own.
He leaned against the ship's rail and looked up at the unobstructed night sky. The weather had been good ever since they set sail, and the sky was overflowing with a terrifying number of stars.
"It's like the stars are pouring down on us."
As he murmured this, Franz looked up at the sky without a word. There was a faint look of awe in his eyes.
According to Ritz and Anna, Franz had become 'much easier to read,' but with an expression like that, it would still be difficult for most people to understand him.
Even Edward himself had only just grown accustomed to reading emotions from Franz's impassive face.
Leaning against the rail next to Edward, Franz spoke.
"Will they be alright?"
There was no subject, but he knew he was talking about Ritz and the others. While feigning indifference, he was probably worried sick about them.
"They'll be fine. Those two are significantly stronger than you."
"Yes."
Not in protest, nor with reluctance, Franz simply nodded quietly. It seemed he himself had come to realize the strength of those two.
"Sometimes, I envy their strength."
Franz murmured and fell silent. Looking at his face, he saw that Franz had placed both elbows on the ship's rail and was resting his head on them.
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Unable to find the right words, he gave a short reply, and they both fell silent, looking up at the sky.
Until now, Franz had traveled with Ritz and Anna. Perhaps being with those two long-lived individuals gave Franz much to think about.
Long ago, when Ritz was one of Edward's companions, he was the only one among many humans with a long lifespan, and he often brooded alone.
His friends' time, passing him by, was too heavy a burden for Ritz.
But the situation Franz was in now was the complete opposite of Ritz's. Among companions who didn't age, he alone was racing ahead.
On top of that, both of them had peculiar personalities. As an ordinary human, Franz must be doing his best just to keep up.
Had Franz ever spoken of these complicated feelings to those two?
Perhaps it was because he was in front of Edward, who was, racially speaking, the same as him, that he allowed himself to show this weakness…
"You as well, Your Majesty. You are a strong person, too."
"Me?"
"Yes. You have carried a burden that I could never bear."
Franz had never said anything like that before.
"Why do you think so?"
When he asked, Franz murmured without turning around.
"Watching the coronation, I just thought… it was so heavy."
"I see."
The coronation is when a king is most a king. For some, perhaps that's how it appeared.
"When I look at you, Ritz, or the Prime Minister, I realize my own weakness."
It seemed Franz was feeling a bit discouraged. He didn't know what was causing it.
Perhaps the fatigue of the past few days had loosened Franz's tongue, or perhaps he was anxious about what lay ahead.
To Franz, who was silently watching the waves created by the ship, he spoke quietly.
"Franz. To tell you the truth, I haven't carried that heavy a burden."
Franz turned to face him, a look of surprise on his face.
"Certainly, to others, I may have appeared to be a king who bore the sole responsibility of the kingdom. But I have never once thought of myself as a king."
"What?"
"I was only pretending to be a king. I was a rather good actor, don't you think? I wouldn't lose to Ritz's performance as a criminal."
"What nonsense are you talking about…"
"I'm not joking. It's the truth."
He had never told anyone before. But it would be fine to tell Franz.
This man, Ritz's companion, who would likely become Greig's right-hand man and support the kingdom after he himself was gone.
"What do you mean?"
"The people of this country believe that for over thirty years, there has been no Minister. But what if there was?"
"Huh?"
"It's something no one… not even Shasta knows. Of course, Ritz, who was a minister in name only, doesn't know either."
Franz frowned. He looked like he couldn't comprehend it. But from Edward's perspective, this was the truth.
"I was involved in the affairs of state with the feeling that I myself had been appointed to the post of minister. When the position of king was necessary, I played the part of a king. Naturally, I bear the responsibilities of a king. I have no intention of abandoning them."
"Then…"
"Even so, I felt being a minister suited me better than being a king. A king is perhaps a virtual image that I, Patty, Ritz, Shasta, and everyone else worked together to create. In a time of turmoil, a king, so to speak, just needs to be an ideal theory created by all who desire peace."
During the civil war, he fought as the crown prince. Naturally, he pushed that to the forefront, flaunted his existence, and used his position.
But as long as the country could regain its peace, he didn't have to be the king. However, because they only knew a world where a king existed, they tried to restore peace by choosing a better king.
"At the coronation, I returned the office of king to a new member of the royal family, raised as one. With that, everything is resolved."
"That's…"
He smiled wryly at the speechless Franz. No one would believe such a story. But it was true.
"I was always just Edward Baldia, an individual, a soldier, and a minister. In fact, I handled most of the ministerial paperwork myself. Edward IV is a virtual image. A virtual image, but one that was absolutely necessary."
"But… King Gerald is your…"
"He is certainly my son. But he carries the blood of the royal family, separated by a generation. To rebuild a disordered country and return the throne to someone raised as a proper royal… that was my hope."
In truth, there was another hope attached to that. To pass on the throne, return to being an individual, and reclaim his true dream.
He wanted to travel with his most trusted friend.
"So from the beginning, I never felt burdened by the thought of being king. All I needed was the title of king."
He looked at Franz beside him, who was staring at him with a furrowed brow. In Franz's eyes, he must have seemed like a magnificent king.
But for that very person to shatter that image by calling it a fabrication might be painful.
"In the end, I am the son of a farmer, Franz. Just being appointed as a minister is a great success."
Franz let out a deep sigh.
"If the Prime Minister heard this, he would be devastated."
"He would."
"Even Ritz would be angry."
"You think so? But Franz, think about it. Even if there were a king who neglected the country and lived a life of debauchery, as long as the Minister and Prime Minister supported the nation, it would function."
"…"
"It would be good to remember. If you, Franz, are ever in a position to move the country, and the king you serve is incompetent, you should consider that position vacant and rebuild the country with another person. The king is an ideal theory. It is enough for them to exist as a symbol."
He knew Greig was always saying he would make Franz a minister. But Franz was not really a military man.
He was suited for civil service… meaning, if they were to entrust him with the heart of the nation, Prime Minister would be a better fit.
"…You knew Greig was saying he'd make me a minister, didn't you?"
Franz said resentfully, looking up at Edward with tired eyes.
"Yes. I knew."
"That's just a child's joke."
Edward looked straight into the eyes of Franz, who had spat out the words dismissively.
"Do you think it will end as a joke?"
Franz flinched.
"Well, Franz?"
"I don't. But… it's beyond my station."
His words sounded humble, but one look at his face revealed the truth. Franz found it troublesome, getting involved with so many people.
"So, Franz, even if you achieve the purpose of your journey, you have no intention of returning to the Royal Capital? Just like Ritz…"
He asked, probing slightly. Franz fell silent in thought for a moment before looking up.
"…I intend to return."
"Oh? Is there a reason?"
"Yes. Because if I don't return… Greig will probably use any means necessary to find me and have me escorted back. Unlike you, Your Majesty, Greig doesn't seem like the type to let his friends go free."
He could only smile wryly at this.
"My apologies. I'm afraid I've raised him to be selfish."
Franz didn't reply to this, instead responding with a heavy sigh. Just as Franz said, his own grandson, Greig, was capable of doing just that.
Selfish and arrogant, yet desperately wanting to be understood, Greig would never let go of the first friend he had ever made.
Greig was probably far more serious than Franz thought about his hope for Franz to support the future kingdom alongside him.
"I'm grateful for you looking after my foolish grandson."
"Yes."
"And for your continued support in the future."
"…Can I refuse?"
"Why don't you refuse him directly when you return to the Royal Capital?"
"…So that's a 'no,' then."
Franz sighed deeply and rested his cheek in his hand. Just by being with Ritz, Franz seemed destined for hardship. The thought of it made Edward want to laugh.
Originally, Ritz himself had gone through a lot because he was with Edward. If not for that, he would never have had to become a mercenary. He was quite skillful, so he could have become some kind of artisan.
Even if he had become an artisan, with that personality and the problem of his long lifespan, it was hard to imagine him staying in one place, but he was certainly dexterous.
He amusingly imagined that Ritz might have become a legendary furniture maker, or perhaps a chef.
Even so, fate weaves a complex web and brings along similar victims, he thought deeply.
Ritz, who had collapsed from exhaustion and was picked up by Edward.
Franz, who had lost his home after it burned down.
Somehow, both of them had become involved with the royal family through him. And what was more, one was a former minister and the other a future prime minister, which was truly strange.
"Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
"About what you said earlier, how much of it was true?"
Franz was looking at him with a suspicious expression.
"What about?"
"About you thinking of yourself as a minister and not a king. Was that all a fabrication you came up with because it looks like I'm going to be dragged around by Greig?"
To the distrustful Franz, Edward replied with a smile.
"Who knows? I wonder."
"…You have no intention of answering, do you…"
Ignoring the resentful Franz, he lightly brushed his outerwear.
"It's getting cold. What will you do?"
He asked Franz, who was still looking out at the sea. Franz shook his head slightly.
"I'll stay a little longer."
"I see. Well then, I'll go on ahead."
Leaving the melancholic Franz behind, Edward leisurely descended the stairs leading back to the cabins.