Magic Gems Gourmet

Chapter 157

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 157 – Still in the Dark

From then on, both Elena and Tigre worked quickly.

Fortunately, there was a reason why they could act without arousing suspicion.

The first reason was Tigre’s obsession with Krone and Ishtalika.

His previous actions would work in his favor this time.

The people in the castle did not suspect Tigre’s actions because he was delivering a letter to Euro and also wanted to question Ishtalika strongly.

The second reason was that he was acting as a lookout.

If Elena was supposed to take this role, it was not strange considering her position.

If it was also meant to clearly show Heim’s position, the people around her would naturally recognize it as such.

Leaving her husband and son behind to go to Euro would make Elena feel uncomfortable.

However, if the whole Augusto family were to go, it would naturally cause an uproar.

Those who would stay in Heim and those who would go to Euro. Elena didn’t know which was more dangerous, but she thought she would do everything she could to make the security at the Augusto mansion even tighter.

And a few hours after leaving Heim, Tigre, who had been worrying about things, finally spoke up.

“Elena.”

Elena and Tigre were riding in a carriage built especially for Tigre, a carriage for royalty.

In addition to this carriage, there was another carriage with private soldiers and several servants, so they rode to Euro in two carriages.

Tigre took his seat and spoke to Elena, crossing his arms.

“I want to ask you for your opinion, or rather how you feel about things.”

“An opinion…?

“Yes. About the current situation, where it’s impossible to tell friend from foe.”

Hearing these words, Elena looked at Tigre with a serious expression.

“I’ve said it many times but don’t fully understand the situation. The Bruno family… and the relationship between Anon and Ed… but that’s exactly what left me with a creepy feeling about my father’s words.”

“…You’re right.”

“But there’s one more thing I don’t understand. Even if my father was planning something with the Bruno family, I don’t understand why they would have to kill my brother.”

Ralph’s behavior since last night did not seem like an act to him.

And Elena does not understand the need to assassinate the second prince either.

“From my point of view, it does not seem like my father is acting. …However, it is also true that the story is too strange to be dismissed as a coincidence or a mistake in word choice regarding the Anon incident.”

“――I have an idea about that.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Let’s say His Majesty conspired with the Bruno family. At the same time, let’s say His Majesty wasn’t acting. …If that’s the case, His Majesty should have summoned the Bruno family immediately after the Prince’s murder. But there was no sign that he did so.”

It was just an objective opinion, but if Ralph’s behavior was not acting, then the death of the second prince was not planned.

But that would be a contradiction.

“Isn’t that a clear contradiction?”

“Yes. Even though His Majesty has a relationship with Miss Anon, and he goes out of his way to add the honorific ‘dono’ to her name, there is a contradiction here. …When it comes down to it, there is only one thing that can be considered.”

In this story, the position of the Bruno family seemed to be higher.

When it comes down to it, there was only one thing that can be expected.

“Elena, you don’t think my father was used as a pawn, do you?”

“Yes. I think the situation is different, but I think it’s similar.”

“Don’t be stupid! That’s what I want to tell you, but I can’t say it in the current situation, which is frustrating…”

Elena told a story about the death of Tigre’s brother.

Even though he tried to act strong, Tigre’s spirit was quite exhausted.

He had a look of exhaustion that anyone could see at a glance.

“The more I think about it, the more I don’t know who our allies are, Elena.”

“…At least you don’t have to worry about that in this carriage.”

“Haha! What are you talking about? It’s just me and Elena here.”

Third in line to the throne and the wife of an archduke, a pillar of Heim.

Considering their influence and financial resources, one could say they were a perfect match, but right now, they felt like a naked king.

…For a moment, Tigre let out a self-deprecating laugh.

After a few seconds, he fell silent.

As expected, it’s hard.

Just as Elena was about to comfort Tigre, he began to speak.

“Even if Father conspired with the Bruno family, regardless of the outcome, Father is unfit to be King Heim.”

“That’s not…!”

That’s not true.

When she tried to answer, Tigre raised his hand to stop her.

“There’s no need to say it. If I said something like that, you’d think I was unfit to be a member of the royal family, too.”

Tigre was thirsty after talking for a while.

He took a sip of tea, exhaled, and continued.

“I think I fell in love with Krone, not so much because of love at first sight, but because of her spirit.”

“…..”

“From the first time I met her, she was a woman who spoke without hesitation and with dignity. Even in front of me, she didn’t act flattering, which left a good impression.”

Tigre also expressed these feelings for the first time.

Perhaps because he was mentally weak, he also wanted to immerse himself in memories of the past.

“Of course, it’s true that she’s also beautiful. …But the other thing that caught my attention was when she refused my invitation.”

“…Well, my daughter was rude back then.”

“Don’t worry about it; it’s in the past. I think it was the first time that things didn’t go as planned. And then, strangely, I felt like I wanted to chase after her.”

Tigre laughed, looking down at himself.

He looked out of the window, his fragile eyes gazing into the distance.

“Then I also felt possessive and wanted to make her my wife at any cost. After that, I did some research in Birdland and found out that the clue was Euro, and that’s how I met the Crown Prince.”

“――Krone is also happy that you care so much about her.”

“There’s no need to say that. …In other words, I also used the treasury as I pleased and was unfit to be a member of the royal family. Warren probably pointed this out to you.”

This was not like Tigre.

Elena thought about Tigre and felt this way.

Maybe the prince named Tigre was just clumsy.

He went out of control to make his first love come true, but there was also a side to him that was so calm.

From the perspective of Elena, who was married, he seemed too innocent in the area of romance.

If you ignore the content and the outcome, he also had the energy to go to Euro on his own in the past.

Somehow, her impression of Tigre seemed to change.

“Forget it. Now is not the time for regrets.”

Tigre turned his face to Elena.

“Elena. Depending on the situation after we get to Euro, I’ll have to part with you there.”

Then he said something completely unexpected and surprised Elena.

“…Your Highness! How can we be separated in Euro…?”

“If I think the situation is too dangerous, I will bow down. So, Elena, you should consider going directly to Ishtalika and living with Krone.”

Tigre bowing?

Elena had never dreamed that such words would come from Tigre himself.

And the fact that he was bowing to Ishtalika was even more surprising.

“I can’t! Why, why am I the only one being sent to a safe place…”

“Because we can’t tell friends from foe. Right now, even my father, the king, doesn’t know what he’s doing. I don’t want to think about it, but the Roundheart family, who are friends with the Bruno family, are also suspected of being involved in the conspiracy.”

“T-then! Shouldn’t Your Highness go to a safe place…!”

She wanted to prioritize the royal family.

Tigre laughs at Elena’s feelings with a look of dismay.

“Don’t be stupid. Think about what’s happened so far. There’s no way I can be protected, right? Besides, I’m a member of the royal family. I have a duty to return to Heim.”

He had clashed with Ishtalika on many occasions.

Although he was not involved in the Roundheart family and Olivia’s case, he could not deny that he had a feud with Ain.

Once again, Elena thought that Tigre was probably just clumsy.

His single-mindedness in everything he did may not be a quality suitable for royalty.

However, he was not without qualities, and his strong sense of responsibility left a good impression.

In other words, except for the Krone incident, he was not a bad prince.

…However, the fact that he went too far with the Krone incident was his fatal flaw.

After all, he was the next king of a country that claims supremacy on the continent, and he was worthy of that title.

“I think I’m a little tired. Sorry, Elena, but I haven’t slept much… I think I’ll take another rest.”

Looking outside, the sun was slowly setting, and it would soon be evening.

Elena had also worked without sleeping, but Tigre seemed to be more exhausted than her, perhaps due to the effects of his family’s death.

For this reason, Elena answered Tigre immediately.

“I understand. Then I’ll rest as well. I think we’ll probably arrive in Euro between midnight and early morning.”

“…I understand. If something happens, wake me up. It’s an emergency, so don’t hold back.”

Having said that, Tigre got up with a heavy step.

He walked to the back of the carriage and went to the bed that was placed in the shaded area.

After seeing his figure, Elena went to the resting place set up for the servants and lay down, just like Tigre.

“…I wonder what will happen.”

She understood that the situation was strange, but even Elena didn’t know what would happen next.

Or rather, there were so many things she didn’t understand that she couldn’t even think about what to do.

“For now… I’ll rest too.”

No matter what you think, it’s better to have physical strength.

…Ignoring her heartbeat, which was faster than usual, and her restless emotions, Elena desperately tried to fall asleep.

＊＊＊

Even among the carriages of the Kingdom of Heim, the one used by the royal family stood out from the rest.

One reason for this was the difference in construction, but another reason was that it used horses that had been more carefully selected than anywhere else.

For this reason, it was able to arrive earlier than the carriage used by Grint.

The carriage in which the servants arrived was also a special one.

After all, even if only the royal carriage arrived early, it would be useless if the servants couldn’t catch up.

“Elena-sama, we have arrived.”

“…Mm.”

The servant who came with her tells Elena that they’ve arrived.

“W-what time is it?”

“Just a little while ago, a little after three in the morning.”

“Thanks. Yeah, not a bad time.”

Considering the dangers of the journey, it was better to arrive early.

However, it would be impolite to visit Duke Amour or Ishtalika’s ship at this time of night.

For this reason, Elena planned to spend the night in the carriage until the morning after their arrival.

“I’m going outside for a while.”

As Elena spoke, the servant returned to the carriage where the private soldiers had arrived.

Elena stood up, stretched her stiff body, and put her hand on the carriage door.

“Ha… It really is Euro.”

The carriage stopped just outside the castle town of Euro, and they had not yet entered the town itself.

Still, Elena sensed a different atmosphere than in Heim.

Even though they had just been in the capital of Heim, they were suddenly visiting Euro, and she felt a new sensation.

Euro was a country surrounded by capes, and the wind blew stronger there than in Heim.

But at least there was no wind that penetrates the body to cool a feverish brain like this one.

Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the sky while letting the wind wash over her entire body.

“Suuuu… Hah…――”

The cool night breeze mixed with the scent of the sea in Euro.

The fresh air moved from the throat to the lungs and then to the whole body.

What shall I tell Duke Amour? Elena thought.

Although he had approved the letter, since Tigre and Elena were here, the meaning of the letter was not very important.

That was why it seemed important to think about what to say to Duke Amour.

――Where is Ed-dono now?

No. There aren’t enough words.

――By the way, we saw Ed-dono at Heim the other day.

…These were words that made you think a little.

If Duke Amour was involved, they would definitely be arrested on the spot, or it would be made to look like the two of them “did not come” to Euro.

Elena agonized over her choice of words.

“…At a time like this, I wish I had the strength of someone like Warren-dono.”

The people of Ishtalika must also believe in the reliability of the man named Warren more than anyone else.

Elena also had a certain amount of confidence, but when it came to dealing with that man, that confidence seemed like nothing more than overconfidence.

At times like this, she wondered what he would think.

She thinks of the man named Warren, whom she was reminded of during the meeting.

――We want to ask Ed-dono for his cooperation in the investigation.

Ah, this is it.

With this, she can find out if Ed was in Euro, and she could go along the ambiguous line.

Let’s think about how to talk about it with the current idea as the main axis. Elena smiled slightly at the one thing that has finally been decided and took another deep breath.

“Hey, is something burning?”

She could just make out the smell of burning wood.

Was there a campfire somewhere? Elena didn’t pay much attention to it but turned her attention to the castle town of Euro.

“――That’s smoke, right?”

It was late at night, so there were no lights in the castle town.

But even in that darkness, the smoke could be seen rising into the sky, illuminated by the moonlight.

However, it rose in places that could not be counted on both hands.

“I have to wake up His Highness…”

When she thought about the reason why they went to Euro, she wanted to be vigilant about even the smallest things.

She muttered to herself and turned around, hurrying to wake Tigre.

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