Chapter 215 - 3-19 Louis's Perspective
As usual, I was working alone in the Crown Prince's Office when a massive tremor shook the room.
"What? An earthquake?!"
I rushed to the window to check outside. The full moon shone brightly in the pitch-black sky, but at the edge of my vision, near the outskirts of the royal capital, the sky glowed a vibrant orange.
"Only that spot is bright?"
Why was the sky illuminated only there? A strange sense of dread gripped me. I threw open the office door to head outside, only to find Cyril standing right there.
Cyril’s expression was uncharacteristically frantic. I immediately knew it was an emergency.
"Cyril, report."
Cyril took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure.
"His Highness, the Detached Palace... the Detached Palace is burning."
"What! Which one?"
"...The Detached Palace of the Watchtower."
My heart hammered against my ribs at his reply. That was the place where, today—
Rachel is there!
Lately, Rachel had been taking the Princess to the Detached Palace of the Watchtower to cheer her up whenever she shut herself in her room. I pulled my pocket watch out. It was seven in the evening. They had left in the late afternoon, so they should have been on their way home by now.
Yet, the dread in my chest only intensified.
"Cyril, we're leaving. Now!"
"Yes, sir!"
We leaped onto our horses and took the shortest route toward the Detached Palace.
Even at a gallop, it would take an hour. If Rachel was in danger, every second counted.
"Good girl. Can you go faster?"
My horse sensed my desperation. She neighed as if to say she could give more and surged forward, increasing her pace yet again.
As we neared the palace, we noticed something was wrong. The orange glow that had been distant was now spreading across the entire sky. I furrowed my brows at the acrid smell of smoke. Embers drifted through the air with a distinct crackling sound.
My horse began to balk, terrified of the path ahead.
"The forest... it's burning."
Why? A forest fire?
Advancing further was impossible. I decided to double back to a fork in the road to take a detour along the river. There, I found Cyril, whom I had left behind in my haste. He was staring up at the sky, his face deathly pale.
"Cyril, we can't go this way. We'll circle around."
He didn't look at me. He remained frozen, staring upward in a daze.
"Cyril, did you hear me?"
"His Highness! Look up! Look at the sky!"
Cyril’s voice trembled as he pointed toward the heavens. I turned my gaze in the direction he indicated.
"That's... it can't be!"
Something white cut across the orange-stained sky. For the few seconds it took for the creature to clear the trees and reveal its full form, I couldn't believe my eyes.
A colossal, pure white dragon swam through the sky as if it owned it, spewing torrents of flame from its maw.
"His Highness, what is the meaning of this? That creature... could it be?"
"...Rachel is in danger! I'm going ahead. Cyril, find Theodore and bring him here."
"But His Highness, it's too dangerous for you to go alone!"
I understood his concern, but I had to push forward. I had to protect Rachel, and I had to protect this kingdom.
To steady Cyril, who was still visibly shaken, I forced my voice into a low, calm register.
"Cyril."
He gasped, snapping back to attention.
"I am well aware of the danger. That is why I need you and Theodore to back me up. Do you understand?"
"...Understood. Immediately!"
Cyril took a deep breath and looked at me with a firm gaze. "His Highness, please stay safe."
I nodded silently, signaled my horse, and galloped down the left fork. Behind me, the sound of Cyril’s horse faded into the distance. He surely understood what I needed from them without me having to spell it out. It wouldn't be long before he returned with Theodore.
♢
Riding along the river brought me to the Back Gate of the Detached Palace. There were fewer trees on this side, so the fire hadn't spread as much as I feared.
I headed straight from the Back Gate toward the tower.
The dragon was circling the tower aggressively. It thrashed in the air, occasionally slamming its tail into the structure as if trying to demolish it. Bricks crumbled and fell from above.
It's holding for now, but if I don't hurry, the tower will collapse.
However, a familiar figure blocked my path to the tower.
"The Young Lord? Step aside."
The man was Lute Calria, the son of the Grand Duke of the Tratia Empire. He stood there with perfect posture, wearing a smile that was entirely out of place in this catastrophe.
I had always found his chilly smile irritating, but today it was downright nauseating.
"I'll say it again. Move."
I couldn't hide my irritation as he stood directly in front of the small gate leading to the tower. Instead of moving, the Young Lord widened his smile and turned his sparkling eyes toward the sky.
"Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, do you see that?"
He looked at me for the first time today, as if gauging my reaction.
"...What of it?"
"Ah, so it isn't an illusion. A dragon has truly been resurrected..."
The Young Lord nodded, seemingly satisfied with my response.
"So there really was something done to the Bangle Rachel-sama was wearing. I thought I recognized it from somewhere."
He crossed his arms and muttered to himself, "I wonder if it was sealed?"
So he was the one to watch out for, not the Princess.
I didn't know how long he had been suspicious, but I hadn't expected him to notice the Bangle.
"...Neither I nor Rachel know anything about a dragon."
"Ah, I see. If that's the story you're sticking to, then so be it."
The Young Lord blinked at my reply, then rested his chin on his hand and began to chuckle as if he’d heard something hilarious.
"By the way, do you know how a Combat Dragon chooses its master?"
"...No, I don't."
"That dragon has just awakened and is rampaging. And yet, it won't leave the vicinity of that tower, will it?"
"What is your point?"
My irritation grew at his roundabout way of speaking, but his leisurely pace didn't change.
"It means the dragon's master... Rachel-sama, is in that tower. Ah, so that's why the Crown Prince rushed here from the palace."
A growl escaped my throat.
"The reputation I've heard of you in this country is very high. Everyone says the Crown Prince of Dutoit is a calm and brilliant man. But even such a brilliant man has an exception... and that is his doted-upon fiancée."
"What is wrong with treasuring my fiancée?"
"Nothing at all. I simply find it interesting. A fiancée who becomes the master of an extinct dragon, and who causes the unflappable Crown Prince to lose his cool and forget himself. Rachel-sama is truly a fascinating person."
"If you lay a hand on Rachel, you won't leave here in one piece."
My voice was icy, fueled by cold fury and disgust that he thought he understood anything about her.
"I don't know what you've misunderstood, but Rachel isn't in that tower. A dragon has appeared in my country. Any Crown Prince who cares for his land would hurry here to assess the situation."
"...A misunderstanding, you say?"
"The master of a dragon? Ridiculous."
The Young Lord blinked at my dismissive words, then his smile deepened meaningfully.
"Is that so? In that case, I certainly cannot step aside."
"What?"
"If the Crown Prince won't tell me, it will be faster to see for myself."
"Then I'll just have to force my way through."
"Do you think you can? I do carry the blood of the Imperial family. You are no match for me."
Without hesitation, the Young Lord drew his sword with practiced ease. His smile vanished, replaced by the predatory eyes of a warrior. His grey eyes locked onto me.
A chill ran down my spine. Just from his stance, I could tell he was a master swordsman.
Still, I wouldn't back down. I dismounted, drew my own sword, and leveled it at him.
"Pointing a blade at me... I assume you're prepared for the consequences?"
"You still don't seem to understand your position. Now that the dragon has returned, the unification of the continent—which was once impossible—is within reach."
"...This country is protected by spirits. Do you intend to start a war with them?!"
Blood rushed to my head. I channeled magic into my blade. The Young Lord, as if waiting for this, charged toward me with his sword raised.
Clang!
The sound of clashing steel echoed through the silent grounds. The moment our blades met, I realized his words weren't a bluff. It felt like blocking a strike from the Knight Commander during our training sessions.
He's heavy! If I lose focus for even a second, he'll blow me away.
I poured all the magic I could muster into my sword and shoved him back. The Young Lord’s eyebrows twitched in slight surprise.
"I see. You're not just a reckless fool. I'm relieved to know this might actually be fun."
Unlike me, who was starting to breathe heavily, the Young Lord wasn't winded at all. He swung his sword a few times to test its weight. My hands were still tingling from that single exchange. I bit my lip in frustration.
A long battle would favor him. He had likely just been testing my strength and hadn't even begun to fight seriously.
So this is the power of Dragonewt blood. Terrifying.
"Now, it's my turn."
The moment he gripped his sword, the Young Lord stopped smiling. His expressionless face felt far more like his true self.
He moved without a sound, closing the distance in an instant as if he had teleported. I barely managed to parry his strike. Every swing was heavy and incredibly fast.
"Your Royal Highness, are you just going to keep defending? Let's enjoy ourselves more."
Despite his large, beautiful movements that looked almost like a sword dance, there was no waste in his technique. To possess such bloodlust and focus at his age... what kind of life had he led?
"You have talent, but unfortunately, you lack real combat experience."
"What do you know?"
"I know plenty. As His Majesty Alec's right hand, I practically grew up on the battlefield."
A beautiful face and a soft-spoken smile. Those had clearly been a complete fabrication. Though his face remained blank, his eyes burned with intensity, and his cheeks were flushed with the thrill of combat.
I had no time to recover. I dodged one strike only for another to rain down immediately. Even when I found an opening to counter, he parried it with ease.
"I was worried I’d gotten rusty being away from the front lines. Having the Crown Prince himself as an opponent is perfect for getting my edge back."
"You're awfully relaxed. Stop talking and fight."
"If I got serious, the match would be over in an instant. It's been a while since I've had this much fun, so play with me a little longer."
He's still not serious?
He was likely right. In terms of raw experience, I was completely outmatched.
"Oh? Are you slowing down? Do you need a break? That's fine."
"I don't need a rest."
I spoke defiantly, but the numbness in my hands was getting worse. I took advantage of his pause to step back and create some distance.
Sweat dripped into my eyes. I shook my head and wiped my brow with the back of my left hand, but the perspiration wouldn't stop.
"I personally enjoy slowly cornering my opponents, but His Majesty dislikes that method. I prefer to make the fun times last."
"...You certainly become talkative when the subject is the Tratian Emperor."
I wanted to get to the tower and check on Rachel as soon as possible. His leisurely, arrogant attitude made my words sharp.
However, the Young Lord seemed to take it differently. His eyes lit up slightly as he nodded firmly. "Of course!"
"Because there is no one in this world stronger than him."
"That's quite a bold claim."
The Young Lord frowned at my scoffing tone. He likely felt I was insulting his Emperor.
"You worship the Spirit King, don't you? I don't know how powerful that being is. But I know this for certain: His Majesty Alec will not lose, even to a Spirit King."
Not lose to the Spirit King?
"You've never even met the Spirit King. Where does that confidence come from?"
"It's obvious. His Majesty Alec is not just the Emperor of the Tratia Empire. He is the Reincarnation of the Progenitor Dragon."
"What? ...Reincarnation?"
What was he talking about? The Emperor was the reincarnation of who?
I stared at him in shock, but the Young Lord suddenly turned toward the tower as if noticing something.
"It seems our time is up."
He sheathed his sword with a bored sigh.
"What? ...The tower... at this rate, it's going to fall."
I looked toward the tower. Debris was already raining down from the crumbling upper floors.
Then, with a deafening roar, the tower collapsed in an instant.
No... No! This can't be happening!
"Rachel!"
My vision blurred, and my legs felt weak, but I ran. I ran with everything I had, praying I wasn't too late.
I screamed her name over and over as I reached the pile of rubble. The door was gone; it was impossible to tell where the entrance had even been.
"Rachel! Answer me! Rachel!"
I began frantically throwing stones aside, my heart pounding painfully against my ribs as I searched for any sign of her.