“Your Highness.”
“It seems I kept you from visiting your daughter, Lord Hopkins.”
“Not at all. It is an honor that Your Highness would visit my inadequate daughter. Please forgive her if she behaved discourteously in any way.”
“No. I enjoyed myself. If anyone was discourteous, it was me for injuring your daughter.”
After exchanging a few words with Duncan, Saul bid him farewell and left with Kastel and Gray.
Duncan watched Saul’s departing figure with a meaningful gaze before going to see his daughter.
On the way back to the guest room, Gray asked worriedly,
“Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
“Do you intend to continue associating closely with the lord’s daughter?”
“Is there some problem with that?”
“If it pleases Your Highness, then it is hardly my place to interfere, but.... I do not know what His Majesty or your elder brothers might think.”
Saul understood perfectly well what Gray meant.
He was worried that Saul might cross a line.
“Don’t worry. I know Father doesn’t view this place entirely favorably either.”
“You know that, and yet....”
“I have my reasons. I won’t do anything that harms Father or this kingdom. On the contrary, I intend to make what I do beneficial to both.”
“…….”
“Gray. I really am grateful that you always stand by me and speak your mind. But this time, I’d like you to trust me a little more.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Having failed to persuade Saul, Gray left the guest room empty-handed.
Even after leaving, he still wore a worried expression. He turned to Kastel, who had remained nearby.
“We need to talk.”
Kastel nodded, and the two moved somewhere deserted.
After making certain no one else was nearby, Gray spoke.
“I’m not sure this is truly all right.”
“Are you talking about His Highness?”
“Of course. Aren’t you and I the people closest to His Highness, the ones who know him best? Yet even I don’t know what His Highness is thinking right now. In fact, I don’t even understand why he came to a place like this in the first place.”
“…….”
“I hear all sorts of things as well. His Majesty did not become angry or seem particularly troubled by His Highness’s actions, but the other nobles are different.”
“Did you hear the rumors that something is wrong with His Highness’s head too?”
Gray’s eyes widened at Kastel’s words.
“His Highness’s head...? No, what kind of disrespectful nonsense is that?”
“When it was decided that His Highness would come here, I saw several attendants whispering among themselves. I became curious, so I listened in with magic. They said the nobles they serve believe the old injury to His Highness’s head must have worsened and driven him insane. Otherwise, why would he willingly go somewhere like this?”
“Good heavens. Rumors like that are already spreading?”
Kastel blinked as though wondering whether she had said something wrong.
Gray, who had dealt with Kastel for years, merely sighed.
“If rumors have gone that far, it means the nobles do not view His Highness’s behavior favorably. It seems they regard him as strange rather than hostile, but that is hardly a good thing either. And if His Highness crosses a line with the lord’s daughter in a situation like this....”
“Crosses... a line?”
Kastel was certainly old enough to understand what he meant, yet she plainly did not.
Gray sighed again before explaining.
“...Imagine rumors beginning to spread that His Highness and the lord’s daughter intend to marry.”
Only then did Kastel understand, and she waved a hand dismissively.
“That would be troublesome. His Highness still has a great deal left to learn.”
“...From the way he speaks, I don’t think His Highness has any such intentions yet. Nor does he seem likely to become so infatuated with the lord’s daughter that he loses his judgment. But others may see things differently.”
“So?”
“I think we should take His Highness back to the capital as soon as possible. Aren’t you and I the people he trusts most? If the two of us join forces and advise him, perhaps His Highness will reconsider.”
Kastel shook her head.
“No.”
“What?”
“His Highness came here because he wished to. I will follow his decision.”
“What kind of irresponsible—”
Kastel cut Gray off as he started raising his voice.
“Gray.”
Gray flinched.
The Black Witch.
The Black Star of Ill Omen.
An overwhelmingly powerful figure known by both names.
The look in Kastel’s eyes and the tone of her voice now brought that fearsome reputation vividly to mind.
There was no killing intent, nor any sign that she intended to use magic, yet the pressure in her gaze alone would have been difficult for an ordinary person to withstand.
Having silenced Gray, Kastel spoke.
“Do you truly believe you know that much about His Highness?”
“What? Of course I do!”
Kastel nodded at Gray’s confident answer.
“I suppose you do. You have known His Highness longer than I have, so there must be sides of him that you know and I do not. But Gray, I also see sides of His Highness that you cannot.”
“What in the world does that mean?”
“You know a little about me, don’t you? About what happened to me before I came to be called the Black Witch.”
“Well....”
Of course Gray knew.
He was well acquainted with the affairs of the royal family.
He knew Kastel’s past, a past difficult to speak of carelessly.
A past stained with blood, pain, and darkness beyond what most people could imagine.
And he knew the terrible things Kastel had done in order to wash away that past.
Reading the answer from Gray’s expression, Kastel continued.
“I sensed it from the moment I first met His Highness. His pain and anguish. A darkness hidden so deeply that only someone who has endured terrible pain and anguish can recognize it. I saw that darkness.”
“His Highness’s pain...? Do you mean losing his mother at such a young age?”
“That must be one source of pain. But I do not think that is all. His Highness carries immense pain and anguish that neither I nor you know about. Of that, I am certain. It is one of the reasons I remain beside him.”
“...And what does that have to do with the present situation?”
“Someone crushed beneath pain and anguish will inevitably seek some way to release it. Perhaps His Highness being here now is his way of doing exactly that.”
“I don’t understand. What pain and anguish could His Highness possibly be carrying?”
“I do not know either. Nor do you. Only His Highness himself knows. So I will simply help him.”
“Hmm....”
Gray could not understand Kastel’s reasoning.
Had he not watched Saul from the moment of his birth until now?
Aside from losing his mother at an early age, Saul had lived a relatively peaceful life.
Could such a boy truly harbor enough pain and anguish for even the ‘Black Witch’ to sympathize with him?
In any case, Kastel showed absolutely no intention of cooperating.
That left Gray with no choice but to concede.
“I do not understand, but if that is how you feel, then there is nothing I can do. We will have to watch a little longer.”
“…….”
“But remember this. The late lady personally entrusted Prince Saul to me. His safety is the purpose of my life. I want His Highness to succeed, but I do not want him to make some terrible mistake in pursuit of success and bring ruin upon himself. You are one of His Highness’s closest retainers now as well, are you not? If you have even the slightest loyalty toward him, then help ensure that he does not stray down the wrong path.”
The corners of Kastel’s lips rose.
Even Gray, who had spent years around her, could barely remember seeing such a smile.
“I trust His Highness. He is an intelligent person.”
“...I can only hope your trust is not misplaced.”
Gray shook his head and returned to his quarters.
Left alone, Kastel checked the Alarm Magic once more before returning to her own room.
It was a spell she had cast in case anyone inside or outside the estate tried anything unnecessary against Saul.
If there was any ‘unexpected approach’ around Saul anywhere in the estate, Kastel would be alerted.
After completing her inspection, Kastel dismissed the magic.
Then she recalled what she herself had said.
“Pain and anguish.”
Prince Saul had certainly lived a far more peaceful life than Kastel ever had and had only just undergone his coming-of-age ceremony.
What extraordinary pain or anguish could someone like him possibly possess?
Yet Kastel was certain that her eyes had not deceived her.
There was definitely something within Saul.
“I suppose I’ll learn someday.”
Muttering quietly, Kastel returned to her room.
***
When Duncan met Aina, he exchanged a brief greeting and asked after her condition before immediately getting to the point.
“So, you lost the spar?”
“I’m sorry, Father.”
“There is nothing to apologize for. Prince Saul is the Black Witch’s disciple, is he not? Of course he would be skilled. There is no reason to blame yourself.”
Aina pretended not to care, but Duncan could read his daughter well.
She was frustrated at losing the spar, yet at the same time, she seemed to have developed a curious fondness for Saul.
“How do you want to get along with Prince Saul from now on?”
“I want to avenge today’s defeat.”
Aina blurted out her true feelings without thinking, then belatedly covered her mouth.
Duncan sighed softly.
“Do not behave too disrespectfully toward a prince.”
“I’m sorry, Father.”
“So, did you like Prince Saul?”
“He did not seem like a bad person. Nor did he seem to have any intention of harming me or our house.”
“Then continue getting along with Prince Saul for the time being. And behave with the courtesy expected of a young lady of House Hopkins. If the prince asks something of you, unless it is particularly difficult, accommodate him whenever possible.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Then get some rest.”
At that point, Aina had no idea what Saul would say to her the next day.
“I want to conceal my identity and gain a wider variety of real combat experience. I’d like your help.”
“...What did you just say, Your Highness?”
***
Saul reconsidered everything he could accomplish within House Hopkins’s territory.
There was much he could do here.
He could gain practical combat experience, learn more about the world, and, if things went well, perhaps even begin building a small power base of his own.
But it was still too early to go that far.
For now, he needed to focus on becoming stronger through real combat.
Having made up his mind, Saul decided to act on his teacher’s advice.
The day after his spar, Saul went to see Aina.
“Your Highness.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Thanks to your concern, I’m much better.”
“That’s good.”
Saul came to the point.
“There’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
“Please tell me.”
“As I’ve already said, I came here to gain real combat experience. But being a prince places certain limits on what I can do. Monsters are one thing, but humans will be afraid to fight a prince.”
Aina immediately understood his point.
“That is true. There probably aren’t many criminals reckless enough to risk becoming traitors merely to lay a hand on Your Highness.”
“Exactly. On the other hand, if I openly reveal my identity everywhere I go, rebels or assassins from an enemy nation might try to kill me.”
“That is a reasonable concern.”
“That’s why I want your help.”
“What kind of help?”
“I want to conceal my identity and gain a wider variety of real combat experience. I’d like your help.”
“...What did you just say, Your Highness?”