Chapter 220 : Chapter 220

Chapter 220 - Complete Recovery

“…Is ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍this really right?”

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Princess, who had come outside the Blue Rose door, muttered.

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had already noticed that he was piling up lies for the sake of the treatment. Wisdom had taken the first strike, but Millesdusk had defended without suffering any losses.

There ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was no way the Empire’s information could be wrong, yet the Youngest Son poured out emotion, saying that there had been casualties and that a subordinate he cherished had died.

Furthermore, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he brought up the emperor, a father who had pressured his son, and criticized him.

So ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she felt it.

“The warmth really moved inside Older Brother. It strangely feels like mana, but what is its true nature?”

The warmth the Youngest Son had called Blue Flame could be sensed from the outside, like mana.

Furthermore, it seemed it could move on its own like mana. Just as that characteristic suggested, the Crown Prince moved the warmth.

Though he himself had not even recognized it, it had certainly moved.

For someone who could not even grasp his own mana, that was truly a good start.

Yet if there was one thing that worried her.

“Older Brother truly hates hearing ill words about His Majesty. Is this really the only way? No, is this even treatment?”

She thought while spilling out those monologues, but nothing became clear.

What she could know, and what she already knew, was that the Crown Prince felt pained by words spoken behind the emperor’s back as though they had been aimed at himself.

Even if those words had come about because the emperor had unreasonably pressured him, it was the same.

“I hope he does not get hurt too badly.”

BOOOOM―!!

“…!”

Startled, she turned around. From beyond the Blue Rose door came a sound that should never have been heard.

The sound of something flying away and breaking should not occur anywhere near a sick person.

“What in the world is he doing…!”

CLATTER―!

She opened the door to the Audience Chamber and entered. Then she saw two people.

One person had been slammed into the corner floor and was covered like a blanket with shattered fragments.

The other, in stark contrast, was standing in the air. Wrapped in golden aura, his hair and the hems of his clothes flickered like the flame of a candle.

The one who had not been standing, but had instead been collapsed, slowly raised himself. At the same time, he gave the patient’s family member a thumbs-up.

“Treatment complete.”

COUGH—

Then, as if it was now his turn, he spat out a handful of fresh blood. Something that might have been pieces of flesh or pieces of organs came out with it.

Between the person who had barely been awake until a short while ago and the person now dying, whom should she worry about?

“A-Are you all right?”

For now, instead of her older brother, who stood without saying a word, she approached the Ice Flower craftsman.

“Yes. I can endure it now. Fortunately, I was not killed in one blow.”

“…One blow?”

“The only drawback of this treatment was that I did not know whether I could withstand the attack or not. The gamble succeeded.”

The more the Youngest Son spoke, the better his condition became. Even the blood flowing from his mouth had now dried.

The bloodstains were still vivid, but his regenerative power stopped the bleeding with that as the last of it.

Now that he was in a more intact state, he could observe proper etiquette before members of the Imperial Family.

“Your Highness.”

“…You said you were Dante Black Millesdusk, did you not?”

The Crown Prince, whose entire body was wrapped in golden aura, slowly set his feet upon the floor.

Though his body was that of an invalid whom Enad had called a Skeleton Soldier wearing skin, this pressure was anything but that.

He was brimming with power like a star that had just been born, and his brightness was dazzling.

Even his younger sister had not seen this sight in far too long.

“Older Brother… You have returned.”

“You have suffered much all this time. You must have worried a great deal because of your useless brother.”

“No. I am happy enough that you have recovered safely. I would have cursed you instead if you had fallen asleep like that again.”

As members of the Imperial Family, the two were humans above humans, but they were closer than ordinary siblings.

At least, they looked closer than the siblings of Millesdusk, and that was pleasant to see. However, what had to be done still had to be done.

For example, making a show of credit. It meant leaving behind a debt of the heart.

“I am sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I am here as well.”

He interrupted the conversation between the imperial siblings. It was rude enough, but after the insane things he had done in succession moments ago, this much no longer even counted as rudeness.

The Crown Prince, who had settled his mana, smiled and approached the kneeling bloodline member of the East.

“Rise.”

“If you permit it.”

Since it had already been difficult to kneel among the broken debris, he slowly stood.

“I would like to say this so that you do not misunderstand. The things I said earlier about my subordinate and the casualties were lies.”

“Does that mean the rest was the truth?”

“I believe it would be better for Your Highness to hear that part from Her Highness the Princess.”

“…Yes. I suppose it would.”

The Crown Prince, who had nodded with his head lowered slightly, smiled once again and changed the subject.

“I owe you a great debt.”

“I have already received my reward.”

“Not the Imperial Family, but I personally, Exil Kaiser Rosephilia, owe you a debt. I would like you to understand that difference.”

“I will keep it in mind.”

“Haha.”

The Crown Prince laughed aloud. It was a laugh with more strength and vitality than when he had held Blue Flame within him.

“Did my younger sister not say so? That you are a truly strange person.”

“She only told me to hurry up and hand over the Ice Roses.”

“W-When did I ever…”

“Ice Roses?”

“This is what I mean.”

He pressed both hands together, then opened them as they were. Crimson cold gathered between his hands, and in the time it took to blink a few times, four roses were created.

They were the Ice Flowers for which the Princess had found a beautiful vase, placed them inside, and even called the Forest Witch to landscape them.

“It certainly took you a very long time.”

“I can only apologize.”

Before the craftsman could take back his words, the Princess quickly accepted the four roses. The Crown Prince watched this with interest.

“How fascinating. This is the first time Exia has shown interest in an object like this.”

“…They are pretty.”

“Yes. They truly are beautiful Ice Flowers. But this looks like magic.”

“I learned Freezing Attribute Magic. From prisoners captured during the war.”

“Did they teach you willingly?”

The Youngest Son shrugged.

“I made a wager with the honor of my family at stake. If I learned the relevant magic within the time limit, I would release them.”

“Haha. As expected, your boldness is extraordinary.”

“You flatter me.”

He seemed simply amusing and interesting, but the things he said and the actions he took were not ordinary at all.

The distance between one step and the next was too wide, and it was impossible to imagine where he would place his foot. So laughter was all that came out.

“To think I would see a bloodline member of the East use magic from the West. Curious things truly do continue to happen endlessly in this world.”

“…But wait a moment.”

The Princess, who was holding the flowers dearly, sensed something slightly strange.

“Do I have to go through the transfer process from last time again?”

“That is correct. I nearly let that pass.”

“…….”

Those were words she did not want to hear even as a joke. After all she had done to obtain these roses, they had almost melted away like water.

“Would you like to do it here?”

“Yes. The place does not matter, so I want to do it quickly.”

“It seems you truly dislike me.”

“How can I help it when whatever you say and whatever you do makes you seem like a serpent?”

The Youngest Son put on a wounded expression and folded his hands over the Princess’s hand that held the flowers.

“I speak only the truth. Unless a lie is necessary.”

“…That is true of everyone.”

“Yes. Then is this not also the truth?”

The Crown Prince laughed silently beside them, as though he merely found it amusing.

“To think you are handling my younger sister, who is said to be exactly like Father in his youth, in the palm of your hand like this.”

“Wh-Who is being handled in the palm of his hand?”

“That is how it looks to me now.”

“…This is because of the roses.”

“Your Highness the Princess. You must focus. Only then will the work be complete.”

“Y-Yes. Fine.”

The Crown Prince was impressed. He had long since given up on winning against his younger sister, yet this boy was toying with her.

As she had said, the youngest bloodline member from the East was a born serpent. A serpent whose body and mind were both exceedingly flexible.

Since there were four roses, the work ended a little later than before.

Until then, the Princess moved and complied as the Youngest Son instructed.

“Should I also learn how to make these Ice Flowers? To think my younger sister would like them this much.”

“That is enough now. This much is sufficient.”

The Princess pulled her hand away sharply and was now able to hold the Ice Roses by herself. At that moment, the Princess smiled.

The smile she made without even realizing it was more worth seeing than the roses in her hand. So the Crown Prince nodded.

“It was good that I woke up. I was swept up in my own feelings and had forgotten what was truly important.”

“You were able to wake up because you had not forgotten.”

If he had not possessed a heart that thought of his family more than the Empire, there would have been no reason for him to grow angry at the Youngest Son’s words.

If he had not grown angry, the unconscious sensation that moved the warmth would never have reached his mana.

However, even the Crown Prince, who easily trusted others, did not become simply pleased by praise. He now understood the situation as well.

“What use is there in being able to walk, having a compass, and having a destination? I had no strength to walk. You gave me that strength.”

“The method was rather extreme, though.”

“Hahaha. I no longer mind.”

The Crown Prince turned his body.

“Exia. Let us go see Father.”

“He will be in the Land of the Ancient Dragon.”

“That is also unexpected. This should be the time when he attends to state affairs.”

“It does not matter. Let us hurry.”

“One moment.”

Golden mana covered one of his fingers. After grasping a small amount of his long hair and cutting it as it was, the Crown Prince handed over the Imperial Family’s blond hair.

“If you carry this, the Imperial Family’s barrier will not define you as an enemy.”

The Crown Prince’s gift surpassed even the Youngest Son’s expectations. Though it was only hair, for a member of the Imperial Family, it was no different from handing over a part of his body.

He took a deep breath and performed a refusal ‘for the sake of courtesy.’

“…I am an outsider. There is no need for you to go this far.”

“Do you intend to enter my room and assassinate me?”

“Of course not.”

“Then you may accept it. I do not hesitate once I have entrusted my life.”

“…It is truly an honor.”

He bowed deeply and accepted the hair. As he did, his pale hand and the hand that had regained its color touched.

CRACKLE—

For an instant, he felt a tingling sensation like static electricity.

[You have obtained the bound item 「Crown Prince’s Hair」.]

[This item cannot be handed over to another person or used by anyone other than yourself.]

The tingling that probably only a player could feel was, as expected, the omen given by a bound item.

――「Crown Prince’s Hair」――

[Description]

: Hair personally cut and given by Crown Prince Exil. If tied with a string and carried, it allows one to move freely through the Imperial Family’s barriers.

: The Crown Prince gave the most valuable thing he could offer at the moment as a reward.

: The hair, bound to your soul by the power of the Imperial bloodline, carries the weight of the Imperial Family only in your hands.

[Effect]

: You will not become a target of vigilance within the Imperial Family’s barriers.

――――――――――――――---

“With this, I should be able to return home alone.”

“By home, you mean…”

“General Raymond’s mansion.”

That place, familiar enough already to be called home, was one whose route he had memorized long ago.

“I will visit once later.”

“If you come, I will receive you with the utmost hospitality.”

Of course, the food and tea that would go into that utmost hospitality would belong to Raymond, but that was none of his concern.

“Then until next time.”

“Yes. And, although this may be presumptuous.”

“If it is a request, I will help to the extent of my power.”

“It is not a large matter. No, perhaps it may be a large matter after all.”

The Youngest Son gestured in a circle around the blinking Crown Prince, or rather, around the things surrounding him.

“These precious flowers and plants here. May I take them with me?”

The Youngest Son’s faction was certainly thorough when it came to employee welfare.