Side Story.2

“So, where should I begin?”  

After Ravina and the maids left, only Maia and Grand Duke Aeterna remained in the quiet parlor.  

“……What is it you wish to say to me?”  

Maia asked, not hiding her discomfort.  

The Grand Duke tapped his teacup, then set it down with a clink and spoke.  

“My father, the late Grand Duke Aeterna, and Her Highness Princess Lucabia, mother of the current Emperor, were sworn siblings.”  

“……Excuse me?”  

What was he talking about……?  

“And my name is Lukalis de Agnolia Aeterna.”  

It seemed to be the first time Maia had heard his name.  

“Doesn’t it sound similar to His Majesty the Emperor’s name?”  

The young Grand Duke leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, and continued.  

“……Ah.”  

Suddenly, Maia realized something she hadn’t noticed before and let out a small gasp.  

Yes, Lucas and this man’s names were indeed similar.  

“It’s only natural. My late father cherished Princess Lucabia, his sworn sister, and they often promised to name their children after each other.”  

Grand Duke Lukalis erased his previously well-crafted smile and stared into space with a hollow look.  

“And every story ended with him blaming himself for not bringing His Majesty, the last blood of the late Princess, to himself by any means. Even as a Grand Duke, he could do nothing before the Emperor’s authority. He blamed himself for being bedridden when the tragedy happened, for hearing the news late because of it.”  

“……Your Grace.”  

“So I always wondered. After my grandfather’s death, the Aeterna Grand Ducal House could no longer freely enter the palace, so I never met His Majesty—the Duke of Western.”  

Why was he telling Maia this?  

She wondered, but couldn’t interrupt, so she stopped herself and relaxed.  

It seemed the story would be long.  

“What happened when I finally met the Duke of Western, whom I’d waited so long to see…… Ah, you must know.”  

“……Only the general story.”  

“That’s enough.”  

Grand Duke Aeterna smiled faintly.  

“Anyway, my first impression of him was utterly ruined. Ah, I’ve never met such a rude fellow. Even though I was older and higher in status. But the grudge didn’t last long. I learned how insanely crazy Princess Rivka was.”  

……That was—  

As shocking memories surfaced, Maia bit her lips.  

“Should I call it a nervous breakdown? Anyway, having lived under the domination of such a madwoman, it made sense he grew up so cold. So I wanted to free him, as it was my father’s wish.”  

Grand Duke Aeterna fell silent, lost in the past.  

“Anyway, as the rumors go, I didn’t dislike Lucas Western. Rather, I took great interest in him. So. Do you understand now?”  

His playful eyes fixed on Maia.  

“……Is it about why you showed me inexplicable favor?”  

“You understood well. Yes, I welcomed you. Because you were the first to stir emotions in that stone-like, passive fellow. I wanted you two to be happy.”  

Hearing such words from someone who knew exactly how it all ended, Maia felt uneasy despite understanding the reason for his mysterious favor.  

“Though my wish didn’t come true. If you think about it, it was all because of the deposed Empress. Both mother and daughter were no help, right?”  

Lumina, the Empress, was deposed not long after being banished to Arcgel.  

The decision was made under the pretext that keeping the late Emperor’s Empress in a hostile country could threaten the Empire.

There was no reason to hesitate, since none of the Late Emperor’s children born of her were alive anyway.  

“Ah, your complexion doesn’t look good. There’s no need to feel uncomfortable about what I said. The reason things ended for you two was all because of the Empress and her faction, and fortunately, the Late Emperor passed away at a very good time, so Lucas Western ascended the throne and cleanly purged the Empress and her faction. Do you know how relieved I felt then? And how amusing His Majesty’s reaction was when I offered to help in every possible way.”  

Anyway, it seemed there was even less need to worry about Lucas.  

Grand Duke Aeterna’s assistance to the new Emperor was already known through rumors, but now Maia realized that a family member who genuinely cared and wished only for his success was by his side.  

“It seems the story has gotten long. Thank you for listening.”  

“No…… So this was the reason you came to see me.”  

At first, Maia had only felt uncomfortable, but after hearing everything, her impression was rather good.  

Now, none of the puzzling events of the past were left unresolved.  

She felt relieved.  

“But my real purpose isn’t over yet.”  

“……What?”  

So much for feeling relieved.  

Maia barely managed to keep her face from twisting as she asked again.  

Grand Duke Aeterna smiled faintly.  

“In fact, the reason I held favor for you wasn’t just because of Lucas.”  

“……What do you mean?”  

What was he talking about?  

After pouring out all that, now this? Maia was left speechless.  

In front of Maia, Grand Duke Aeterna picked up the cane that had been resting on his chair and placed it on his knees.  

The upper part was made of white ivory, and the body was a deep brown.  

Wasn’t this the relic passed down in the Aeterna Grand Ducal House?  

“This cane, passed down from the First Grand Duke Aeterna to his descendants, was originally said to be used as a weapon by my ancestor, but there’s a legend in the Grand Ducal House that it holds a hidden power.”  

“……What is it?”  

Grand Duke Aeterna answered in a whisper.  

“A mysterious power that can take one back to ancient times, even to the founding era.”  

“……”  

Unfortunately, Maia, with her rational temperament, could only think this:  

Is this man truly insane?  

“If such a power really existed…… shouldn’t at least one of the previous Grand Dukes have traveled to the past?”  

“Ah, but what if it’s a power granted to only one person?”  

What nonsense……  

Maia resisted the urge to sigh and closed her eyes.  

At that moment, a breeze suddenly brushed her hair.  

“What is this, why is this in my hand……!”  

Grand Duke Aeterna had come up beside Maia without her noticing, forcibly opened her hand, and placed the cane in her grasp.  

Stunned, Maia tried to return the cane to him, but Grand Duke Aeterna only raised his eyebrows and stepped back.  

She couldn’t just put down a relic of the Grand Ducal House……!  

While Maia was at a loss over the Grand Duke’s obvious prank,  

Saaaa—  

“What……!”  

A clear, green light began to pour out from the cane.  

“See? I felt it from the moment I first saw you.”  

Grand Duke Aeterna murmured with satisfaction as he watched.  

“Your Grace, take this back immediately!”  

It was ominous.  

The light grew stronger and stronger, and Maia hurriedly stood up, holding the cane out to the Grand Duke.  

“Just trust it once. It won’t be anything bad.”  

“On what grounds do you say that!”  

“No grounds, just intuition.”  

‘This crazy guy!’

Maia stamped her feet, but the relentless light only intensified.  

Soon Maia’s vision flashed white.

* * *

[What am I?]  

The child in the womb, who should have seen nothing, gazed at the space scattered with dazzling light and asked.  

—My child, my perfect masterpiece.  

A voice echoed throughout the space, answering the child’s question.  

My perfect masterpiece.  

What did that mean?  

The child pondered and asked again.  

[Why do I exist?]  

The voice answered.  

—Because all living things wished for it.  

All living things wished for it?  

What did that mean?  

The child, still unsatisfied, repeated the voice’s answer over and over.  

“Kyaa! Ah, the baby!”  

And the truth contained in the answer was only vaguely realized after being forcibly pulled out of the vast, distant space.  

Wrapped in a white blanket, a newborn baby lay surrounded by a huge, hideous beast baring its teeth.  

The beast’s heart was deeply torn, and sticky, red blood flowed endlessly.  

The beast was already dead, sprawled out in a gruesome heap.  

“……The beast is dead.”  

The adults, pale with disbelief, could only gasp for breath.  

They stared blankly at the tiny baby wriggling hands inside the blanket, unharmed.  

The being that took the beast’s life was a baby who had only just opened its eyes and moved its fingers.  

Later, he would be called Hyperion Luar, the great transcendent who ruled beasts, pioneered magic, and opened the gates of glory.