“Young master, it doesn't look like there's anything more to be learned.”
“...So it seems. Thank you, Sir Ame. Tell Leo I'm grateful too. No, never mind, I'll tell him myself when I see him, so don't worry about it. Well then, I'd best be getting back.”
Lloyd answered in a sunken voice, then walked out of the dungeon without so much as a backward glance. Ame stared intently at his retreating figure.
He never could have imagined that House Acker would produce a fool who dared to try and kill his own brother. Naturally, per Leopold's orders, he intended to keep this matter sealed behind his lips until the day he died, but there was no helping how absurd it was.
Emerging from the dungeon, Lloyd stepped into the room Leopold had arranged for him and slumped straight to the floor.
The strength had drained from his legs, and he couldn't move at all. His hands trembled without his willing them to, and on top of that, his mind kept going blank.
Lloyd had five siblings. Two of them were full siblings born to the duchess. The younger brother, Ibn, was a year younger than him, and the younger sister, Catherine, was still just a child of ten.
Ibn had been frail from birth and couldn't even attend the Royal Academy. Yet far from showing any sign of regret, he was a boy who said he was glad he could live freely.
Whenever Lloyd returned to the estate during breaks, they'd always trade jokes and go riding together. So why? Why would a boy like that go so far as to hire an assassin and want him dead?
Lloyd sank quietly to the floor beside the bed. He buried his face in his knees and stayed perfectly still. After a long while, there came a knock, and the door opened. It was Leopold.
Leopold, who'd said he was going to see His Majesty the King for the first time in ages, had vanished all day claiming he had things to do, and only now appeared. When he saw Lloyd lift his head, he startled and rushed over. Lloyd's eyes were rimmed red.
“Leo, what am I supposed to do.”
Leopold quietly waited for him to speak.
“They said it was my brother. The one who tried to kill me.”
“...Ibn?”
“Yeah. Ibn, the one who's gone riding with you a few times. I think I need to get to the estate as fast as I can. I have no idea what the hell is happening back in my house...”
“Lloyd, calm down. Think it through slowly. Of course it's hard, but first let's sort out your thoughts here.”
“What do I do.”
“...It'll be all right. Don't worry.”
Lloyd only stared blankly into empty air. Leopold kept watch at his side.
By the time the sun had set and a great deal of time had passed, Lloyd opened his mouth again. The redness around his eyes had vanished without a trace, leaving only a cold gaze that held a sneer.
“Well. What else would you expect from the Ackers. A foreigner who parked himself in this kingdom and seized a dukedom for himself, his roots aren't going anywhere. Come to think of it, they said Grandfather killed his own brother to become duke, too. What's this seat even worth...”
He looked all right now. Only a clear enmity flickered within him.
Leopold chewed a cookie and let slip a small joke. To a friend in a situation like this, the only thing to say was comfort dressed up as a jest.
“So the Ackers are the odd ones. They're all just imitating Deluah.”
“Whatever it is, I won't let it stand. I'll make them pay dearly for betraying me.”
“You shook it off faster than I thought. I figured you'd be like this at least until tomorrow.”
“Aren't you even surprised? Even if it's not your problem...”
“I've never once thought my siblings were so kindhearted. There's no track record yet, but there's no telling when they might turn.”
“Ha ha... it's damned laughable, really.”
Leopold smiled faintly and handed Lloyd a cookie. He chewed it and asked,
“What were you doing all day?”
“Just, you know, this and that... I saw Mother and Rhea, talked a bit with Count Mahel, and I also went digging through the Grand Library for a book Teron was looking for.”
“What was that last one? Don't even bother, I'm not curious.”
Leopold let out a soft chuckle.
“You're still like that. Not a shred of gratitude for the fact that Teron saved your life. What does status matter so much that you'd discriminate against a person? When you get right down to it, the more laughable place is the nobility.”
Lloyd frowned and shot back.
“It's not about that bastard's status. Don't misunderstand. I'd have loathed him just as horribly even if he'd been born the son of a noble house.”
“Don't lie.”
“It's true! I've never met anyone in my life with as horrible a character as that bastard. And the filthy, commoner way he talks.”
“Look who's talking.”
“You're insane, Leopold. Why do you like that bastard so much?”
It's not that I particularly like him, though. Leopold retorted inwardly.
Teron's verbal abuse spared no one, so Leopold was on the receiving end of the same tongue-lashings Lloyd suffered.
But it was also true that there was enough enjoyment to offset it. Teron was cleverer than Leopold, and the more they talked, the more Leopold felt he was learning something. Conversations with him tended to be fun, too. And when he occasionally behaved meekly, he even looked rather cute.
Leopold said,
“Still, he saved you. Do you have any idea how hard it is to risk your life to save another? I think he's several times better than the fellows who are all talk and polish.”
“...I suppose. My own blood brother, born of the same womb, sent an assassin after me, and some lowly commoner saved me. It's laughable, really.”
It truly was a laughable spectacle. Lloyd had kept thinking so ever since the day Teron saved his life. As much as he hated to admit it, Leopold might have been right. For a brief moment, the thought crossed his mind: hadn't he been behaving like a fool all this time?
“Make sure you thank him.”
Leopold added the one line and rose from his chair.
“Where are you off to now?”
“I think I need to finish my talk with the count. You rest here, sleep the night, and head back to the Academy with me, why don't you.”
“You've got a lot on your plate. What are you talking about that takes so long?”
“...They say people keep dying in droves in Count Mahel's territory. And it's not just there, it's the same in the Luden estate and the Rappel region down south.”
“Does that even make sense? Are monsters roaming around or something?”
“I don't know. But if word's reached the count's ears, one thing's for certain: something big is happening. You be careful too. The ducal territory is just so vast that you don't know yet, but the truth is it's every bit as dangerous.”
“...Right. Thanks for telling me. Once I'm back, I'll look into it myself.”
Leopold nodded and walked toward the door. Just before he stepped out, Lloyd called to him.
“What about that commoner bastard?”
“...Teron?”
When he asked back, puzzled, Lloyd answered in an irritated tone.
“Yeah. That bastard. Isn't he going back to his hometown for the break?”
Leopold spent a moment interpreting the meaning, then abruptly let out a startled laugh. That was concern for Teron.
“Lloyd, the shock must have made you ill somewhere. I think I just heard something strange.”
“He's from Luden, isn't he. And a commoner on top of that. If he goes back and turns up dead...”
“Are you worried right now?”
“Worried, my ass! I'm saying I hope he drops dead. Ah, just get out. Forget it.”
Leopold braced an arm against the wall and lowered his head. As he laughed like a madman, Lloyd, his face flushed crimson, shouted.
“I said get out!”
“How admirable of you. If Teron saw this, he'd weep tears of pure emotion.”
“Not tears, he'd throw a knife.”
After laughing for a good while, Leopold stared at Lloyd as if relieved. Lloyd shuddered and issued his order for the guest to leave.
“Get out. Now.”
“All right. All right, so calm down. Don't take today too hard.”
“I'm already perfectly fine. What did I ever expect from the Ackers in the first place, as if they were some paragons of justice?”
“Don't worry about Teron.”
“What's this all of a sudden! I'm not curious, so don't tell me.”
Leopold smiled brightly. There was a peculiar satisfaction settled on his face. It was, unmistakably, directed at Teron.
“I'm going to bring him to the royal palace. By whatever means it takes.”
“Oh dear... that's certainly going to come true.”
Lloyd clicked his tongue. Even he knew perfectly well that his friend's affection for Teron was Leopold's one-sided crush.
And what good did knowing do? The prince before him, contrary to his looks, was a thoroughly nasty boy who couldn't rest until he got what he wanted. Lloyd offered Teron a small measure of mourning.
Teron, back from the Precipice, lay sprawled flat on the library floor.
The spot where the black magic had struck still throbbed. His master, apparently furious that the supply of sacrifices had run dry, had cast black magic on every black mage present. Unfortunately, Teron had been the closest.
Too much trouble to even treat it, he'd simply covered the wound with his clothes and lain still for a long time, when that damned golden hair appeared before his eyes yet again.
The blasted blond sneered at Teron's posture, then grabbed his arm to make him get up.
