Chapter 39

For now, in order to hid ourselves we were urged to get into a gorgeous horse-drawn carriage, and Gina was calmed down with the fragrant tea given to her. I was given some black tea with sugar in it as well, but when the servant bowed his head and apologized saying, “I’m sorry that this is all we had,” my helmet creaked as I tilted it to the side. Us witches only desired an appropriate cup of tea, so something this delicious was more than acceptable.

By the way, Alexis and Percival were sitting a short distance away with tired expressions on their faces. “You should have some water as well,” was what they were told, but the two men have spent the last couple of minutes staring into their cups that had not contained anything to begin with. Isn’t the disparity in reception just a little too obvious?

The man’s name was Ordo Radoll. He holds the position of royal brother and is Alexis’s uncle.

Alexis introduced this man who should be nowhere near the capitol with strained cheeks.¹ Gina smiled and returned a graceful bow to royal brother, so I bowed my helmet down as well.

When I raised my helmet back up, I gave Ordo a good look over. He looked quite similar to Alexis who was sitting close to me.

Maybe they would look the same if Alexis were to suddenly grow older, mix in an intimidating aura with a taste for the wild, and improve his physique? It might also be necessary to twist his organs around.

A person with an overwhelming presence.

Although Ordo was the royal brother, he has dreams about ruling the country, and he had the ambition to one day take the throne. ……..No, instead of embracing ambition, it is more like he was always like that.

Even after his brother had officially been crowned as the royal heir, this man had still pulled many tricks to try and get him disqualified, and it was said that even had tried to assassinate his brother while he slept.

“……After I tried to take over on my 13th birthday, I was driven to a remote area away from all of my relatives so that I couldn’t start up a rebellion. I should stay quiet after all that………is what they seemed to be thinking at the time.”

Alexis heaved a large sigh as he continued the story his uncle had started. As we could have guessed, Ordo was driven to a remote area, but against the expectations of the royal family, he was not quiet.

The remote area he was driven to was a special area that had retained a portion of its autonomy despite it existing inside the country. It goes without saying that it was quickly brought under Ordo’s reign. As soon as he was driven away, he grabbed the hearts of the people who lived there and declared independence. Despite being cast so far away, he was still picking a fight with the king.

Troublesome would be underselling it. Although despite the distance between him and the capitol, even he had heard the tale of the young noble woman who lived her life wearing a suit of armor staying inside an old abandoned castle outside of the capitol. Of course, it was all information collected from bad rumors.

“……..I’d always get tons of complaints about him, but he never left his territory so there was nothing we could do. Every time he did something it would mean a huge headache for me.”

“Excuse me Alexis. But I will have you know that recently have moved passed the need to scratch my brother’s head in his sleep.²”

“That’s not really something you should say with so much pride……”

Inbetween Alexis’s mixed sighs, Ordo remembered back to his younger days and made a small sigh of his own while muttering, “I was such a fool back then.”

Everyone’s gazes immediately focused on him after these words.

You could feel the sadness in Ordo’s slim brown eyes as he gazed out the carriage window. I wonder if he was ashamed of the folly of his own actions or if he was lamenting the trust lost between him and his family. I tried calling out to him from within my iron helm……….,

“It was stupid of me to think that I could simply take over by having my big brother killed. In order to sit on the throne, I must strengthen where I stand first.”

I shut my mouth and narrowed my eyes inside my helmet at his words.

Apparently, humans don’t change that easily. Ordo was still attempting to scratch the king’s sleeping head. Or maybe it would be more apt to say that he is trying to flip the whole country over and scratch his feet instead.

He was an adult who had already fallen far.

Alexis had a heartbroken expression on his face, and his words, “I thought so,” made even me feel exhausted. I was able to fully understand Ordo’s nature just from how he talked with his nephew.

Talking about such things, is he completely unaware about all the looks that are being thrown his way? Or is he just ignoring them? — Given what I know about him so far, it’s probably the latter. — After finishing the introductions like that though, he changed the subject with a clap.

His expression immediately changed to an evil-looking grin.

Unlike His Majesty who carried a neat, royal look or Alexis with his tender, elegant demeanor–I watched Ordo who looked so similar yet so completely different.

“I planned to bite you over a year ago. Though those strange rumors had suddenly become rampant, and your reputation immediately plummeted. As a result, my brother grew plans of kicking you out as well, so all my effort ended up completely wasted.”

“………Sorry for the trouble.”

“So I reworked my plans and waited for the right opportunity to strike. I thought about causing some extra chaos during the confusion of your return and using the chance to kill my brother, but by the time I reached the royal castle, things had already gone weird. I thought this might be my chance, so I followed you.”

“You could have helped me……..did that thought never occur to you?”

“Hm? No not really. I thought you might be useful if I picked you up, but I intend to abandon you if it turns out you’re useless.”

“Of course.”

Despite this bombshell remark, Alexis waved his hand as if he was used to it. There was no surprise or disappointment there.

Listening to their conversation, I stopped watching them with half-closed eyes through my helmet and just shut my eyes entirely. I had heard rumors about Ordo before, but isn’t this way beyond any of that?

And now, such a troublesome has picked us up.

With that in mind, now that I have gotten involved with such a troublesome individual, I increased my vigilance. What I want to say is that this is Ordo. There is no way he is just helping us out of the kindness of his own heart. Then again, he already said flat out that he was helping us because, “we might be useful.”

Is he not quite the straightforward man? Although the ease of which you can understand him has no connection to his good will for now.

“But Uncle, I have no role anymore.”

“Alexis?”

“It’s all gone. I have nothing anymore……… It would be better for you if you hadn’t picked me up………”

Alexis’s voice had severely sunk when he remembered what had just transpired between him and his family. Percival watched his prince with sorrow in his eyes, rubbing Alexis’s shoulders to try and calm him down. Watching such an exchange, Ordo was slightly thrown off, and his eyes opened wide. His surprised expression somewhat resembled Alexis’s, but he quickly returned to normal as he turned this way and slightly bowed his head.

I was so astonished that no words would leave my helmet while Gina who was sitting next to me smiled gracefully and let out a small laugh.

“I thought these two were just a good little boy and a foolish nephew, but it turns out they’re both idiots. I’m sorry.”

Ordo’s tone was so polite, I could tell he was apologizing from the bottom of his heart.

But even if he apologizes like this, I’m not to sure what to do, so I just tilt my helmet to the side. Gina on the other hand was clearly amused and was still smiling widely. Looking up at her, is that expression not saying that she has full respect for this apology?

Then Gina noticed my line of sight, and her beautiful expression gave me a playful wink.

“It’s no wonder those guys need the help of two witches……”

“Really, don’t mind it. Something like this can be fun every once in awhile.”

As Gina started laughing once again, Alexis and Percival could do nothing but look helplessly on.

The two’s perplexed expressions only added on to Ordo’s surprise who let out a deep sigh.

Alexis called out to his uncle while looking partially embarrassed at the sudden familial scolding he was receiving and looking partially annoyed that it was his uncle who was the one doing it.

“Uncle, what are you……?”

“For now you have nothing, but your words can overthrow this country and even the world.”

“Me?”

When Alexis tilted his head, incredulous to what he was hearing, Ordo sighed once again.

Percival was likewise sitting beside him with a mystified expression. I wonder why Alexis who just had to flee from the royal castle would be able to overturn the world.

While the two men were where wrapped up in their own confusion, I was able to hear Ordo mutter, “Really,” underneath his breath before he turned his gaze to Gina.

1. Just in case you were wondering what strained cheeks were supposed to look like. 

2. This is a bit of wordplay. The word he uses is ‘nekubi o kaku’ which means scratching your sleeping head. Meanwhile the word ‘nekubiwokaku’ which is pronounced the same but spelled differently means to kill them in their sleep.