The Kingdom of Erden, surrounded on three sides by the sea, was renowned for its powerful navy. For this reason, the royal family member appointed as crown prince was always given command over the navy as a hereditary right.

“Louis has basically entrusted me with command of the navy for a while, for my sake,” Diana explained to Ian.

“In other words, the colonel is one of the crown prince’s people,” Ian replied, gazing out the cabin window at Bamun Island, which was drawing closer.

The warship that had departed from the harbor at Kte Village headed straight for Bamun Island.

“It takes over an hour even on this big ship. I’m already tired before we’ve even arrived,” Ian grumbled.

As if someone had heard his complaint, there came a knock on the cabin door.

“Your Highness, we’ll be arriving at Bamun Island soon,” said Colonel Medenta.

“As soon as we dock, let’s head straight to the hospital where Lord Dale is,” Diana said.

The colonel bowed her head apologetically.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. And thank you.”

“It’s alright. Lord Dale is… a precious friend, after all. Isn’t that right?” Diana asked, looking at Ian. But Ian, trying to hide his feelings, deliberately said nothing.

Soon after, the warship slowly docked at the shore of Bamun Island.

Bamun Island was a very small and humble place. In fact, the massive warship they’d arrived on looked more like an island than the island itself.

“It’s amazing that people live together on such a small island,” Ian remarked.

“Let’s be careful what we say here,” Diana cautioned him. “It’s not as if they chose to live here…”

Ian watched Diana’s heavy expression as she walked ahead, then quietly followed.

“Your Highness!”

At the entrance to the harbor, a woman with long red hair waved both hands toward Diana.

“Grin! It’s been a while, haha!” Colonel Medenta greeted her warmly, having spotted her first.

“You arrived ahead of us, Grin,” Diana greeted Grinelda with delight.

“Yes, I got here last night. I was so anxious I couldn’t stand waiting any longer.”

“I understand. How is Dale?”

“Well…”

Grinelda hesitated.

“I haven’t seen him yet. I wasn’t able to.”

“What do you mean?” Medenta asked with a frown.

“The disease is so contagious that they won’t let anyone meet the patients. I couldn’t even go near the ward.”

Grinelda, on the verge of tears, buried her face in her hands.

“This is a disaster… Is his condition severe?” Medenta asked.

“The doctor said he’s gotten past the worst of it. But they don’t know when things might get worse again… They say so little is known about the disease that it wouldn’t be strange if someone suddenly died…”

“Let’s go to the hospital first. Standing around at the harbor worrying won’t solve anything,” Ian said, heading for the carriage that had been prepared.

Noticing Ian’s subtle urgency, Diana agreed.

“Right. The hospital is up on that hill, isn’t it? We should go and learn more about what’s happening on the island.”

But when they arrived at the hospital, Ian was left speechless.

“Ian? What are you doing here? Oh—Your Highness?! And Grin, too?!”

“What… is this?”

The moment they entered the hospital grounds, they ran into Dale, who was out for a stroll in the park in front of the hospital, looking perfectly healthy.

“Just earlier, you said he was on the verge of death!” Ian exclaimed.

“I didn’t put it quite that strongly…” Grinelda mumbled, embarrassed by Ian’s outburst.

“But the doctor really did say that! That Dale was still critical and couldn’t receive visitors…”

“Dale.”

A low voice called out to Dale.

“Eek!”

Only then did Dale notice his sister and quickly hide behind Grinelda.

“Dale Bliven! Get out here right now!”

At Medenta’s booming command, Dale leaped forward as if the ground had shot up beneath him.

“S-sister… Have you been well…?”

Dale barely managed to meet her fierce, tiger-like gaze, speaking in a tiny voice.

“You little brat!”

But instead of scolding him, Medenta pulled her brother into a tight hug.

“I heard you were sick—are you alright now? Let me see! Goodness, your face is so red! What’s going on? Are you still not better? Is that it?!”

“Ugh… It’s because you’re hugging me so tightly I can’t breathe, agh!”

Trapped in Medenta’s arms, Dale struggled desperately to break free, but failed.

Only after a long while did Dale finally escape, looking thinner than before.

“What happened, Dale? The doctor said you barely survived the worst, but you don’t look like someone who just pulled through…”

“In fact, you look healthier than ever,” Ian added irritably, picking up Grinelda’s comment.

“Haha, Bamun Island has such great water and fresh air. With these beautiful views, it’s practically like a retreat,” Dale replied cheerfully, pointing at the vast sea behind the hospital, ignoring Ian’s sour expression.

“Right, the scenery really is… Wait, but yesterday I specifically asked the doctor! Yes, that doctor right there!”

Grinelda pointed directly at a doctor passing by.

The doctor looked bewildered at being singled out.

“Is it true, miss? If you misdiagnosed my brother, you’d better be prepared,” Medenta said sternly, dragging the doctor over.

“I—I haven’t lied about anything!” The doctor stammered, trembling under the colonel’s intimidating presence.

“When you asked for ‘Dale,’ I naturally thought…! I assumed you meant Lord Dale Bolaven!”

“Lord Dale… Bolaven?” Ian repeated in disbelief.

“Y-yes…! He’s very famous on this island…! I thought, of course, you must be looking for him…”

“So he’s well known, then,” Diana said.

“Yes, Your Highness! He’s so famous that if you ask anyone for Dale, they’ll think of him…”

“Let the doctor go, Colonel. It looks like our Lord Dale is safe, and we have a lot of questions to ask,” Diana said.

With a look that said the doctor was lucky, the colonel released their grip.

“So this Dale is fine? The disease isn’t contagious or anything? Well, if it was, I suppose we’d all have caught it by now,” Ian snorted.

“Yes. Lord Dale is completely recovered. No doubt about it,” the doctor confirmed.

“Oh, so I really am better, Doctor! My appetite’s great, too!”

“That’s wonderful, Lord Dale!” Diana let out a sigh of relief at Dale’s cheerful response.

“Somehow, this is annoying,” Ian muttered, looking more irked than relieved.

“Dale! I’m so glad. I was so worried about you…” Grinelda started to hug Dale, then stopped herself.

“Anyway, thank goodness, Dale…”

“Huh? Oh, uh… Thanks for worrying about me, Grin…”

Dale awkwardly met Grinelda’s gaze before looking away. Diana thought the atmosphere between them was rather odd.

“My reckless little brother seems fine. So, what about the islanders?” the colonel asked the doctor.

The doctor looked over Diana’s group and wore a troubled expression.

“It seems news hasn’t reached the capital yet.”

“Did something happen? Are many people ill?” Diana asked urgently, worried.

“Well, something did happen. But now, I suppose you could say things are okay… Fortunately, people aren’t sick. Not at the moment.”

“Are you playing word games with us?” Ian asked sharply, still annoyed.

“I wouldn’t joke with distinguished guests. There’s only one patient left on the island now—the Lord Dale Bolaven I mentioned earlier.”

“The other Dale?” Grinelda asked.

“Yes. Please, follow me. You can’t go inside the ward, but you may observe him from a distance.”

Exchanging puzzled glances, Diana’s group followed the doctor into the hospital.

Through the crack in the ward door, Diana’s group could see Lord Dale Bolaven from afar. Even at a glance, he looked gravely ill.

“He’s survived the worst, but he’s still in danger. It wouldn’t be surprising if he passes away at any moment,” the doctor said, unable to hide his sorrow.

“If he dies, all the islanders will fall into deep despair.”

“What kind of person is Lord Dale Bolaven?” Diana asked.

“He was the island’s peacekeeper. He’s been retired for a long time now,” the doctor replied.

“Lord Bolaven protected us Ops people. He’s truly the hero of this island.”

“You say ‘us Ops people’…”

The doctor nodded, and Grinelda finished his sentence.

“Yes, that’s right. All the people on this island are Ops. Some have both parents who are Ops, others are half-blooded, but everyone is a descendant of the Ops.”

“…”

Diana and Colonel Medenta fell silent at the doctor’s quiet reply.

Ian looked at the now silent Diana and Medenta. In truth, Diana, as royalty, and Medenta, as a chief naval officer, could not be unaware of this island’s history.

Long ago, in the reign of the previous king—

This was the smallest island in the kingdom, and its greatest prison: the place where, by royal government order, the Ops people were forcibly relocated and made to live together.