Chapter 8. Perhaps, Hell (1)

Early morning, in a corner of the garden.

Zella, having steeled herself with firm resolve, was training the black dog, Sio.

“Sio, you are an imperial dog now. And not just any dog, but the morning star, the most beautiful and radiant one! You are our princess’s dog!”

Sio, who could not possibly understand a word of it, kept barking and wagging his tail. His glossy black fur gleamed with a healthy sheen.

“Oh honestly, you silly mutt! Her Highness fell into the lake not long ago. She needs to rest properly, so what am I supposed to do when you keep jumping at her? You thoughtless little mutt.”

Heaving sighs of frustration, Zella tapped the ground firmly with a stick and spoke sternly.

“Sit! Sio, sit.”

She tried training him again and again, but the excited Sio instead chomped down on the stick. His black eyes filled with curiosity, as though asking if this were a new game.

“You silly thing, Sio, honestly!”

A long shadow fell over the crown of Zella’s head as she crouched down. Sensing a presence, Zella looked up blankly. The moment she saw who it was, she yelped and toppled backward.

“Y…… Your Highness.”

Even to Zella, who knew little of the world, those features were strikingly beautiful. Meeting those golden eyes head-on, Zella’s heart began to pound without her meaning it to. It happened every time, even though this was not the first time she had seen him.

Kaiden’s face, standing with the sun at his back, was more exquisitely beautiful than ever today. He looked like a jewel carved with a master craftsman’s soul ground into it. Beautiful, yet cold and devoid of warmth like a jewel.

While Zella steadied her startled breathing, Kaiden asked.

“Is that dog’s name Sio?”

“…… Yes, Your Highness. Her Highness named him herself.”

Zella answered in a shrinking voice with her head bowed low, and after a brief silence Kaiden asked.

“Surely not ‘that’ Sio?”

“Pardon? What do you mean by…… ah, yes. Priest Sionoman gave his permission. It is that Sio.”

Zella’s voice trembled, but she answered clearly and cleverly. She did not notice, however, the subtle shift in Kaiden’s expression.

Woof, woof!

Sio rubbed his nose against Kaiden’s leg, as though he recognized the Crown Prince’s face.

Zella recoiled and tried to stop him, but Kaiden waved the girl off. He even patted Sio on the back a few times.

It felt as though she might suffocate. The moment Zella lifted her head very slowly, she caught sight of the Crown Prince’s stiffened expression.

Did I do something wrong, did I say something wrong. Zella blinked and began pouring out unprompted explanations.

“Priest Sionoman gave his permission quite willingly. It is absolutely not blasphemy or anything of the sort. Our princess is not the kind of person who would ever be so disrespectful. Never, never.”

Again, the Crown Prince said nothing. The oblivious Sio even gave a little nip at his shoe.

Poor Zella was one step away from losing her mind. She floundered and desperately offered an alternative. Her hands trembled at the thought that her precious mistress might somehow be blamed.

“There is also a nickname besides the name. Before Her Highness received permission for the name from Priest Sionoman…… it was the nickname Her Highness used to call him. If Sio is uncomfortable, Your Highness, I will use the nickname from now on.”

“What is the nickname?”

“…… Len.”

D*mn Allen. Allen Montezo.

A cold voice slipped from between Kaiden’s lips.

“This dog was brought by me, so the imperial princess is not its owner. Therefore the imperial princess should not have named it either.”

“…… Then, what should we call him?”

“Kai. That dog’s name is Kai.”

Having said what he came to say, Kaiden’s figure was already striding away.

Zella, mouth hanging open like a fool, stroked Sio, no, Kai’s fur and muttered blankly.

“…… Your name has changed. It’s Kai now. Surely it’s not ‘that’ Kai? It can’t be. That would be truly absurd.”

Kai, newly named, stretched out his front legs in a leisurely yawn. Then he barked in the direction Kaiden had gone, as though ready to chase after him at any moment.

“Shh, stop that! Do you know who that person is? He is the sun of our Decan, the one who will soon become Emperor!”

Zella waved both arms to stop the beast that had no sense of the situation.

❀❀❀

Another night of detoxification had arrived.

It was one day after Sio had received his new name, “Kai.”

The bluish boundary between day and night was passing quickly.

Ajean shifted her anxious gaze to the table in front of the sofa. Bowls and bundles of herbs for the detoxification were lined up in rows.

Netty shaped the herb bundles into rounds with calm hands, and a fresh, clean herbal scent drifted through the room.

Ajean was anxious. She was even tapping her foot.

Noticing her unease, Netty smiled, and Ajean grumbled for no particular reason and rose from her seat.

“You are hinting that I should help, aren’t you?”

“As if I would ever do that to Your Highness.”

“Then why are you smiling like that? That is far too meaningful a smile.”

Revealing her own feelings so plainly had been a misstep. Ajean, who had given herself away, was convinced she was being teased.

My heart is mine. A complicated light settled on Ajean’s face.

But Netty’s feelings were different from what Ajean expected.

“I smiled because I am happy. I still cannot believe we are together like this. There are times I startle awake wondering if this is a dream.”

Netty’s voice was warm beyond measure.

Ajean reflected anew on the moving reunion with Milla and Netty, her attendants who felt like family.

My family, who would give their lives for each other without hesitation.

No matter how much she tried to deny it, the reunion with the attendants she might never have seen alive again was, in the end, thanks to Kaiden.

A brief shadow of sadness formed beneath Ajean’s long lashes, then disappeared.

Ajean moved to the sofa and shaped the herb bundles with her hands, murmuring playfully.

“Somehow I feel like I am being manipulated into doing exactly what Netty wants.”

Netty laughed out loud, furrowing her brow as though the idea were absurd.

It was not that she needed extra hands and hoped for the precious princess’s help. She simply wanted Ajean to be able to prepare the detoxification incense herself.

Knowing that deep intention or not, Ajean kept grumbling while her hands moved with practiced skill.

At the same hour.

Two long shadows appeared in the darkened garden.

Elegantly long legs stepped forward, and a man of solid build followed at their side.

“…… Why have you stopped, Your Highness?”

At the lobby of Belrang Castle, Kaiden came to a halt before the staircase.

Lifting his gaze, the golden crest of the Vilteraus imperial family decorating the wall came into view.

Kaiden withdrew his fleeting gaze from the golden crest and spoke.

“People say I am the reincarnation of the founding Emperor, Aktumars von Vilteraus. What do you think, Bistel?”

Bistel laughed openly, as though the question were obvious.

“Is that not perfectly natural? I nearly cried out when I saw the portrait of Aktumars von Vilteraus. I even had the feeling that Your Highness was looking back at me. And beyond just appearance, to think that even temperament and character are alike…… Your Highness is truly the reincarnation of the founding Emperor.”

Was it Kaiden’s innate golden eyes? What was it that had given Emperor Schulz such expectations?

Kaiden had been named Crown Prince before he could even walk, and was raised solely for Decan.

The years that flowed by like fate had made Kaiden the mad dog of the battlefield.

The gaze that had been resting calmly on Bistel was withdrawn. Kaiden climbed the stairs with unhurried steps.

Knock knock. After a brief knock, Bistel opened the door, and Ajean greeted them with a bright expression.

Her smile was fresh, as though she had forgotten entirely about the incident at the lake. The artificiality of it was what flustered Bistel.

“Your Highness, you have come? I was waiting.”

Kaiden’s brief gaze passed over Ajean.

The princess had grown even thinner over the past few days, and it seemed she had been a little unwell.

Meanwhile, Bistel’s heart lurched. Netty, unlike her usual self, had not spared Bistel even a single glance and was keeping her head bowed.

Does she dislike me? Has she grown completely tired of Decan’s men?

Swallowing a bitter taste, Bistel asked after Ajean’s health.

“Your Highness, how are you feeling?”

Ajean gave a small shrug and answered.

“Unharmed, thanks to you.”

With that brief exchange, no one mentioned the incident of falling into the lake.

As though it had never happened.

Ajean turned her slender body and looked at Kaiden.

“Your Highness, please use the bed tonight. The sofa must be uncomfortable every time.”

It was an entirely reasonable suggestion, but Kaiden ignored her without answering and headed straight for the sofa.

A brief flash of disappointment passed through Ajean’s eyes, but she smiled as though nothing were the matter.

Exaggerated brightness was worse than darkness, as always.

Her strange change was noticeable enough that even the oblivious Bistel could see it.

Kaiden settled deep into the sofa and undid the top button of his uniform.

“Begin.”

Netty knelt before the table and finished preparing to light the incense.

Kaiden undid a few more buttons of his uniform.

His throat burned as though parched. He was afraid of the Ajean he would encounter once he fell asleep. To be honest, he was afraid of managing himself as he raged before her.

Ajean announced the start of the detoxification in a calm voice.

“Your Highness, we will begin. I will see you in an hour.”

Ajean gave a look, and Netty lit five detoxification incense sticks with practiced hands.