"Crowns are heavier than they appear—some wear them better than others."
Only two people remained in the room.
Cesare and Medea.
Has the hydra's poison spread to his brain?
With that disconcerting thought, Gallo opened his mouth to speak.
Neril's hand moved instinctively toward her sword, but she stopped when she caught her mistress's calm, unmoved gaze.
"Are you aware that the person before you is royalty?"
Medea slapped his presumptuous hand away sharply.
"My apologies, but I'm a common man with little understanding of noble social hierarchies."
Cesare's response was utterly natural, without a trace of mockery.
"I don't care for sweets myself, so when I suddenly found myself craving something this morning, I wondered whether I should have it prepared. Besides, you specifically requested World Tree sap, did you not?"
"Don't be absurd."
"Come now—surely you're not turning down such a delicacy?"
The pie currently gracing the table had been crafted by a chef renowned as the finest on the continent. Cesare was notoriously selective and allowed few into his service.
Moreover, World Tree sap grew only within the infamous Dark Forest.
Consequently, it was extraordinarily difficult to obtain—a bottle the size of one's palm commanded thousands in gold.
Yet it was the supreme tonic for replenishing vitality and fortifying physical strength, with no true substitute.
"Princess, it's only three bites. Accept that, and my mercenaries will reduce Rasai's military supplies to ash. Not even the Emperor of Katzen could offer you more generous terms."
"You don't seem to be in your right mind very often."
Such an absurd demand when military operations hung in the balance.
"Consider efficiency. Are you truly going to refuse?"
Medea frowned.
"No matter whom you choose, they won't handle this as reliably as we can."
Medea studied him carefully. Cesare met her gaze without flinching.
Dark eyes that gleamed yet held a glacial chill. There was no deceit in those eyes—they refused to permit even a speck of dishonesty.
Now isn't the time to engage in pointless arguments with Façade.
There was nothing wrong with indulging this eccentric arms dealer's whims if it meant incinerating the Rasai tribe's supplies as swiftly as possible.
Medea sighed and swallowed what remained in her mouth.
The sweet, velvety custard slid down her throat instantly. A fleeting softness passed through Cesare's eyes—something unrecognizable.
Medea set down her fork.
"Finished already?"
"Ten days. I'll deliver your results by then."
A smile flickered at the corners of his mouth before vanishing.
Medea held her breath silently. Ten days? Was such a thing even possible in so short a time?
"Don't worry, Princess. It will unfold exactly as you wish."
As if reading her doubts, his voice carried arrogant certainty.
"Nothing is impossible for me."
"I'll await your report."
Medea rose to her feet.
"Awaiting a report" also meant they would never meet face-to-face again.
Cesare's eyes seemed to mock those firm words that left no room for further interaction.
Silence did not always signify acceptance.
"Are you truly planning to help the Princess attack the Rasai tribe?"
Terence, who had been listening to their conversation from the adjacent room, emerged with an uneasy expression once the Princess departed.
"There's no reason not to."
Cesare shrugged dismissively.
"I owe her my life. I'm merely lending my name."
Terence raised his eyebrows at the cavalier response.
"Have you forgotten that you're the Crown Prince of Katzen—the enemy nation? If Valdina prevails on the plains because of this intervention, it won't bode well for the empire."
"No, Terence."
Cesare corrected him firmly.
"It won't bode well for my father. I, however, need the Princess. I need Valdina and its royal family."
"What do you mean, you need Valdina—"
Terence couldn't comprehend. At that moment, something flew before his eyes.
An ancient tome bearing the marks of being torn fluttered downward.
"This... isn't this the Book of the Sage you discovered that day?"
As Terence examined the weathered pages, his eyes widened.
In a corner of the parchment, he found a passage written in the ancient tongue.
*"I pleaded with the goddess and finally received her blessing. I have concealed the sacred power of the goddess—that which drives away the wicked darkness—within the home of her descendants."*
*"Hidden in the most powerful and secret space that none can easily discover."*
"So the Dawn's Droplet lies within Valdina Palace? Though we don't know precisely where..."
"No. This is the only clue that book provides."
Only then did Terence understand why both the Princess and Valdina's royal family were essential.
Their cooperation is necessary for Façade to search the palace for Nakru.
As long as they could locate Nakru and lift Cesare's curse, there would be no issue with temporarily sheltering the royal family.
"The Princess may also know of Nakru's existence."
Hence the assistance. Terence, about to nod in understanding, paused and asked sharply:
"Is that truly all there is to it?"
Cesare glanced back at him as if questioning his meaning.
"Whatever justification you offer, don't try to deceive my eyes. This isn't like you. You not only allowed yourself to be bitten by a hydra, but you saved the Princess even after she discovered your true identity. Since when has Your Highness been so generous?"
Terence cast a pointed look at the pile of elaborate desserts adorning the table.
"Gallo mentioned you fed her that pie with your own hands. Please tell me that's not true."
Gallo, caught between the two, rolled his eyes desperately.
"Get me out of this conversation, I beg you!"
Should I kill them both?
Cesare's fist clenched beneath his sleeve.
Claremont Village.
It was a settlement near the border between Katzen and Valdina.
One month after departing the imperial palace, Katzen's delegation finally set foot on Valdinian soil.
"I greet Your Highness, the Fourth Princess."
On their first night in Valdina, Count Kensington—who had arrived earlier—welcomed the royal party.
"Kensington?"
Princess Angelique, the Fourth Princess of Katzen, raised her eyebrows as she descended from the carriage.
"I heard you suddenly applied for permission to travel to Valdina. What are you thinking? You were always so devoted to currying favor with my father—too busy to spare attention for 'insignificant' envoys like us."
The Princess's voice was glacial.
Princess Angelique was the only daughter of the Empress Dowager, who doted upon her excessively.
Long ago, Kensington had rejected the Empress's covert invitation to serve under her command, declaring that his sole master was Emperor Perdiccas II.
Since he'd refused to become her mother's creature, the Fourth Princess naturally harbored no goodwill toward Kensington.
Sometimes, neutrality provokes more hatred from both factions than clear allegiance to one side. Kensington embodied this paradox.
"My, your face looks even more haggard than before. How long have you been suffering out here in these backwaters?"
Publicly, Count Kensington's position was that of a roving diplomat traveling between nations.
"I, too, am pleased to see Your Highness. Was the journey difficult?"
Angelique launched into complaints as if she'd been waiting for the opportunity.
"Oh, don't even mention it! The carriage was freezing, the roads were impossibly rough, and outside was nothing but endless mountains. It was absolutely dreadful!"
"Valdina is a mountainous nation. Therefore, road construction is no simple matter. The current infrastructure represents the maximum achievement given their limited resources."
"What would you know? Why should I care about the circumstances of some small, weak country tucked away in a remote corner?"
The Princess's words grew increasingly venomous.
"Honestly, why did the Emperor send me to this forsaken place?"
"Your Highness."
Kensington's tone sharpened.
Those present weren't exclusively Katzenian. Many were Valdinians hired locally by Kensington—coachmen, servants, and the like.
Though they were commoners unlikely to spread gossip in high places, the Princess had come as an envoy promoting peace between two nations. There was no need to spit fire so carelessly.
How can she be so immature?
Kensington suppressed a sigh.
"Though Valdina may be small, it occupies a strategically vital position for the empire."
"Surely Your Highness understands this is a critical matter that will determine our future for the next ten—perhaps twenty—years."
Kensington's voice remained polite yet unmistakably firm.
"If this responsibility displeases you, might I suggest transferring authority to another prince or princess? I believe His Highness the Third Prince escorted you as far as the border—he likely hasn't traveled far yet."
---