*****

A subterranean tavern in the Barten Empire.

On the surface, it appeared to be a common pub, but in reality, it served as the front desk for an assassination guild. Looking toward the end of the counter, I saw Ash drinking and shouting. His dark brown hair was tied back, and he was dressed in noble finery.

Clad in the attire of a major power’s aristocracy while in an imperial underground bar—it was incredibly conspicuous. I had expected a struggle to find him, but he was surprisingly careless. Or perhaps he had some new scheme up his sleeve?

「I am the one who will make Franca happy! I am the only one who can save her from being that monster’s wife even now! Why does nothing go right?! Ha, that’s it! I’ve been working from the shadows, but now I shall go save Franca from the front—」

「There is no need for that.」

「!?」

The moment Ash spun around, his eyes widened in panic at the sight of me, but his brow quickly furrowed in defiance. Ah, it seems this man is not particularly bright. The realization that such a pathetic creature had wasted three years of my time with Franca only intensified my murderous intent.

「Dominic Ångström! If only you didn't exist!!」

「That is my line. If you hadn't overstepped your bounds, those three years for Franca and me would have been far more wonderful.」

「Shut up, you freak! Hey, you lot! (The assassination guild!) I'll pay an extra fifty gold coins. Get rid of this man!」

The men in black who had been observing us closed the distance to the edge of my reach. Twenty of them, perhaps. They exuded bloodlust, but was this the best they could do?

「There is a reason why Divine Beasts are considered omens of good fortune in our country. Those who awaken as Divine Beasts are destined to protect the Royal Family, serving as guardians from the shadows. That truth has been passed down through generations only to a select few nobles, the Duke of Ångström chief among them.」

「And what of it? You're still nothing but a monster.」

「Why do you think this form is specialized for combat? It is so that in times of crisis, I may tear limb from limb anyone who dares raise a blade against the Crown. In this matter, you did not merely corner me; you harmed the Third Prince. I cannot allow you to live.」

「The Third Prince? What does Prince Roosevelt have to do with anything?」

「It appears that the one who gave the orders to kill Prince Roosevelt and take his place... was not you.」

「Whaaaaaat?」

Indeed, this entire incident had been far too well-prepared for someone like Ash to have drawn the blueprints. And I recognized this circuitous, persistent method of operation.

「Crown Prince Durandel of the Barten Empire—is this your handiwork?」

「It's been a long time, Dominic.」

「I suppose you were betting against the Crown Prince again this time.」

「A keen insight.」

「Wait, what?」

I had noticed one peculiar figure among the assassins, and as expected, it was the Crown Prince himself. He shed his cloak, revealing a young man in noble attire. With short jet-black hair, golden eyes, and refined features, he possessed a dignity befitting royalty.

Ash remained frozen, his face a mask of disbelief.

「How everyone would move on the board... playing this game with our respective pawns was quite entertaining.」

「You have terrible taste. Have you grown even more vicious since our school days?」

「I was merely playing the honor student as best I could during my time abroad.」

Durandel Esposito Fantinilla Valle. He was one of the "bad influences" I had befriended while he was studying in our country. I, Prince Durandel, and Crown Prince Alfred had gotten along strangely well, often acting as a trio during their stay.

「The Third Prince was an obstacle for both me and Alfred, so I had him replaced. Smuggling narcotics is illegal in both the Empire and the Kingdom. It was a necessary measure.」

「Prince Roosevelt did such a thing—wait, those numerous small vials...」

「It seems he purchased them in bulk to seduce young ladies. Since the money for those payments was embezzled from the national treasury, I decided to use the fool over there as well.」

「And I suppose it was also to seal my movements.」

Prince Durandel’s handsome face twisted into a smirk.

「Yes. A gift for you, who are always so composed. If Alfred’s blade were to break over something so trivial, it would be more beautiful if it just broke entirely.」

「Your remarks are as demonic as ever. Shall I simply sever your head from your torso right now?」

「Heh... as if you aren't just as dangerous.」

The moment my lips quirked into a thin smile, both Prince Durandel and I drew our swords—plunging into a fierce exchange of steel. We cut through the surrounding men in black, our blades clashing and sending sparks flying.

In the ensuing storm of slashes, the men in black collapsed, spraying fresh blood. Yet, the duel between Durandel and me did not waver as we continued to trade blows.

「For someone who has awakened, your physical strength and speed are in a different league.」

「You, who can keep up by utilizing magic tools, are far more terrifying.」

He remained a man who loved trouble and violence. He, too, had been living a gray existence, bored out of his mind—my kindred spirit. Crown Prince Alfred and I had learned how to breathe in this world by finding our "one and only." Left behind, Durandel was likely lashing out, or perhaps testing to see if what we found was truly love. I recalled how much he had acted out during Prince Alfred's engagement as well.

「You will change too, once you meet your 'only one.'」

「Hah! Then until that day, I shall look forward to our next game on the board.」

With those words, Prince Durandel vanished using a teleportation magic tool. As usual, he said what he wanted and left. His side likely needed a reason to purge the assassination guild as well. While I didn't appreciate being used so conveniently, I would take it as a fair trade since it allowed me to dispose of Ash.

「Ah... ahh... this is... a dream... no...」

「Give my regards to Prince Roosevelt in the afterlife.」

Ash breathed his last, remaining delusional until the very end. For three years—even with Prince Durandel's intervention—he had certainly led us on a chase. When I get back, would it be alright to punch Alfred once for knowing about this beforehand? Yes, I think it would.

*****

Thank you for reading. If you want to help my hobby please download and install LDP9 with my link down below. Just Click the small yellow LDPlayer Banner.