Editor 70

“Unlike Lady Tanpete de Neige or the only daughter of Viscount Kishion, to the nobility you are as good as someone born yesterday. You’re a hero of the capital and have been granted knighthood, but you haven’t attended any social gatherings, and no one knows you personally.”

One prince has decorated a mage, the second prince is digging into his background, and the third prince considers him a companion in adventure.

Anyone sensitive to the flow of power will soon turn their attention to Cleio.

“His Majesty Philip’s condition is worsening by the day, and now that you’re positioned right at the center of the three princes’ rivalry, the attention coming your way will be enormous. Every eye and tongue will be ready to tear you apart.”

“I know.”

Cleio replied calmly, returning Gideon’s letter to its envelope.

He was prepared for this, but attention was never welcome. Still, he couldn’t stop acting just because he disliked attention.

No matter how much he tried to avoid it, the narrative that had already begun would never leave him alone.

In fact, raising his ‘narrative intervention level’ might be more beneficial to him—either for making Arthur king or for uncovering the author’s intentions or identity.

Cleio held his teacup as Dione also fell silent. Only the faint sound of sipping tea was heard.

Slurp

Dione looked at Cleio anew.

In her view, this young master was innately quiet and not the type to lead others.

He wasn’t the sort of person to desire power or attention. He had neither conviction nor political ambition.

And yet, as if it were simply what he had to do, he moved into the storm of political conflict without any enthusiasm or excitement.

Dione had no idea where his true intentions lay now. Even though their hearts were bound by each other’s ether, she couldn’t know.

Dione asked, affecting a light tone.

“So, how does it feel to be the eye of the storm among the three princes? Since jumping into this political strife was your decision, I suppose you don’t regret it?”

“I suppose I have no choice but to say I don’t. I should apologize in advance to you, Lady Dione. There will be… a lot more to come.”

“You won’t tell me what’s coming even if I ask, so I’ll just wait for the ‘time.’ But when you need to lean on someone, lean on me. We’re partners, aren’t we?”

Cleio only smiled faintly in response.

His still-damp brown hair lay calmly, catching the afternoon light with a dull reflection.

Even covered by a wool shirt and sweater, his sharply thin shoulders were pitiable.

Beneath darkened eyes, the tired, faint presence of the boy’s smile was delicate and worn.

‘But at times like this, he never seems like a seventeen-year-old boy.’

Dione admitted to herself that she was more interested in her young master and charge than was proper.

Just then, the mood was broken by someone flinging open the front door.

It was Arthur.

“Oh, you have a guest! It’s been a while, Lady Dione! Ray, you’re up properly today too! The dean said all your injuries were healed, but you kept dozing off the last couple of days, so I was worried!”

Arthur, clutching a large box at his waist, strode right in and flopped down on a single armchair.

It was hard to believe that only a week ago, this energetic, lively guy had been injured all over from fighting monsters.

“My, it’s been a long time, Prince Arthur. But I can’t greet you with a smile this time. Just look at the state you left my young master in!”

At Dione’s sharp scolding, Arthur exaggeratedly flinched his shoulders.

Arthur had been in Dione’s bad books ever since the assassination attempt last summer vacation.

“Lady Dione, I’m not trying to make excuses, but I was more injured than he was. Look, I still can’t lift my shoulder.”

“Prince, are you the same as my young master, who catches a cold if the wind blows?”

“Well, even if I had a thousand mouths, I’d have nothing to say, but let’s say I have a thousand and one. When you treat the scariest mage I know as so fragile, I feel like I have to object.”

“You only have one mouth, so that’s enough.”

Cleio, caught between Dione and Arthur, put a hand to his forehead.

‘Lady Dione… you’re the one who taught me about lèse-majesté, and now you’re like this?’

Arthur shrugged both arms, still wrapped in bandages.

His exposed hands and cheeks were still red and scarred.

Chel, Ishiel, and Arthur all had serious injuries. Especially Chel and Arthur, whose internal wounds were said to be severe.

Zebedee had said that, focusing on detoxification, treatment of the damaged skin had been postponed.

Arthur acted like nothing was wrong around campus, but Cleio was actually worried and debating whether to cast another healing spell as soon as he was better.

With Dione baring her fangs in front of him, Cleio felt awkward.

“Lady Dione, out of the four of us, my injuries were the mildest. I’m really fine. But if you’re worried, I’ll be more careful next time.”

“So you’re basically declaring you’ll run into danger again next time, not holding back. You never fail to shock me, young master.”

“That’s right, Lady Dione. Your young master always shocks people. He uses such terrifying magic, but whines when he’s cold, can’t even stay up one night, and though he has no visible wounds, he slept for three days… If he hadn’t woken up on the fourth day, Professor Zebedee might have quartered me.”

“Well, from Master Zebedee’s point of view, a promising young master is surely cuter and more precious than a prince who’s always getting into trouble.”

Cleio, putting down his teacup, sat there with his mouth open. Dione’s words were rather provocative.

But Arthur, for shamelessness, was Dione’s equal.

“Lady Dione, everything you said is exactly correct.”

“I don’t think that’s the kind of thing you say with the person sitting right here…”

“What’s inappropriate? I could praise Sir Cleio’s excellence ten or a hundred times! In the end, we couldn’t catch that mud worm thing. It was only thanks to your magic breaking the clock that we could escape. You’re my savior, and no amount of thanks is enough. I should repay you, too.”

“Speaking of which, Arthur, that repayment… Do you remember you said you could arrange an audience with the archbishop?”

“Huh, I was just about to bring that up… Are you reading my mind now?”

“No way. Just coincidence. But, I heard the archbishop still can’t speak even after waking up. Is it possible to meet her?”

“She actually recovered completely the very day we returned from the ‘Remembered World.’ She’ll receive audiences as soon as she’s better, but there are lots of people who want to see her and only one archbishop, so I ran around like crazy to get the chance. If all goes well, we can meet her before winter ends!”

Thinking of Archbishop Historia’s portrait in the gaslight, Cleio felt a knot of anxiety and tension in his stomach.

But he couldn’t pass up the chance to meet the only person who might be a clue to the author.

“Okay. Thanks for your effort.”

“What? I say you can meet her and you don’t even look happy. Why the long face?”

“I just realized that one sheet of mica magic stone and the price of my life is the cost of a single audience, and it made me feel empty.”

“That’s not all. There’s more… Um, can I bring it up here?”

Arthur glanced at Dione, gauging the mood.

“It’s fine. It’s late to introduce her now, but Lady Dione is my guardian and business partner, so there’s nothing I need to hide from her.”

Arthur immediately handed Cleio the pouch containing the magic stone amber and rose quartz. Then he opened the large box he’d brought and placed it on the table.

“Here, this is yours too. The research magicians from the Capital Guard checked it as quickly as they could and returned it. They were worried it might look like they were trying to snatch your loot. What was it called? In the ‘Remembered World’ it showed up, but I got kicked out right away so…”

‘Promise’ kindly displayed a message right above the box.

[Cape Coat of the Summer Greenhouse

—Relic

—Maintains a constant body temperature in all seasons when worn.]

“The Cape Coat of the Summer Greenhouse. Use it well.”

“Oh, is this the famous magic tool?”

Dione, who had politely stepped back during their conversation, poked her head in. She was clearly interested in magic tools.

“Is it already famous?”

“When it comes to social gossip, I’m not a bit behind the crown prince’s secret intelligence service. I already knew the item that came out of the gate this time was clothing.”

“Oh dear, the Capital Guard’s investigation staff are loose-lipped. So I guess the box full of invitations here was attracted like a magnet by the rumors too?”

“My, prince, you’re more perceptive than you look.”

“Well, if you become the hero who broke through the ‘Remembered World’ while dozens of knights and even your royal siblings are watching, it’s only natural. Our Sir Cleio has become the persona grata every party host in the capital is eagerly awaiting!”

“Arthur Leogunan. Would you please shut up now?”

“You dislike being called by your title even though you have one. Isn’t it time to get used to it?”

“Enough, and don’t call me ‘Sir’ ever again.”

At times like this, Cleio fleetingly wondered for a second if he should have just sided with Melchior. At least he would have shielded him from all the gossip.

“Hm. Young master, it’s only natural people are making a fuss. It’s the first magic tool from the ‘gate’ in a thousand years. Oh, may I take a look?”

Cleio nodded readily.

“It’s just temperature-regulating clothing. It doesn’t block magic or defend against swords and bullets, so the interest is a bit much.”

‘If something with that function is a magic tool, then a North Face windbreaker is a magic tool too.’

The outer layer was a bright gray, the lining navy, and the long coat was topped with a cape draping from the shoulders to the waist.

It had a gabardine-like texture, but was so light it didn’t feel heavy, and the touch was soft.

“You can block bullets and swords with magic anyway. The researchers said it keeps your body temperature perfect no matter the place. It’s perfect for you, Ray, who’s always shivering with cold.”

Dione, shaking out the coat, held it up to Cleio’s shoulders, tilting her head.

“If you pair this with that rabbit-fur scarf your cute friends gave you, it’ll be adorable. For something from a dungeon, the tailoring is awfully modern and stylish.”

“If Lady Dione says so, it must be a fine coat. Ishiel didn’t want to see Ray sick all the time, so when the ‘Remembered World’ collapsed, she made sure to bring that coat out for you. Ah! Ishiel is…”

“I know, prince. The young swordswoman from House Kishion, who visited last time, right? She didn’t come today?”

“Ishiel is still at the Capital Guard headquarters writing a report on breaking the ‘Remembered World.’ Ishiel has both writing skill and patience, so she’s having a rough time.”

Arthur rambled in a tone that didn’t sound the least bit sorry for escaping alone.

“Anyway, Ray is on sick leave for another week, so keep him warm in that and take him out for something nourishing.”

“Haha. What is that, a date? Well, young master is my type, so I don’t mind, but won’t the swordswoman who brought the cape feel bad if I’m the one to take him out first?”

“Anything that came out of the dungeon, we agreed to give to Ray. No reason for anyone to be upset.”

“Prince, you’re tall and all, but you’re still too innocent to notice how others feel.”

At Dione’s cryptic remark, both Arthur and Cleio looked puzzled.