BPOTWC Chapter 39

At the slow, elegant question, Valentin recited back the answer that had long ago been drilled into him.

"I was born to secure the stability of the throne."

When a royal house had too many heirs, internal strife tended to break out; but when there were far too few, conflict from outside was liable to follow instead.

Some collateral branch that knew nothing of its place might dispose of the scarce few in the direct line and reach for the throne itself.

Valentin squared his shoulders and spoke with pride.

"I am the foundation that secures my brother's seat."

"I'm pleased that you remember."

Delighted by the praise, Valentin lifted his gleaming eyes to his mother once more.

"But."

Somehow, though, the look Amelda turned on him was cold as ice. The boy flinched and lowered his gaze, so full of eager anticipation only a moment before.

"I hear you're preparing for something called the civil-service examination."

"That...... that's because I wanted to prove my usefulness......"

"Valentin."

At the stern voice, the boy quickly clamped his mouth shut.

"Didn't I tell you? Our little son's only use is just this—breathing. Living. As he is?"

"......."

Valentin could offer no answer at all. Something like fear surged through him, unbidden. That uncomfortable feeling—the kind he didn't want to look at too closely—he shoved down, crammed into some corner of his heart.

"After all, what mother decides her love for a son by his accomplishments? My precious son—never mind studying. Just stay healthy, that's all."

Then, at once, gentle words followed.

Sweet enough to quiet every bit of the bitter feeling that had gripped him only moments before.

"Isn't it the nature of a parent and child to love one another simply for existing?"

"You...... love me?"

"Of course."

She rose from her seat, came before Valentin, and lowered herself slightly.

She paid no mind at all to her dress trailing against the floor.

From so close their foreheads nearly touched, she cupped both of Valentin's cheeks gently in her black-gloved hands.

"My son is exactly what this royal house needs."

"Really...... truly?"

"Of course. So there's no need to do anything at all. Just stay quietly—as only my son—within the royal house, for a good long while."

Quietly...... At that word, Valentin bit down on his lip.

To him, it sounded like being told to give up the civil-service plan he'd worked out entirely for his mother's sake.

"Valentin, I'm only telling you this for your own good."

Perhaps because he'd said nothing at all, a gentle explanation followed soon after.

"Do you remember Maximilian?"

"......!"

"Why he could no longer go on living in the royal palace, why he was exiled to that cold winter castle."

"That...... that was because the Duke defied the will of the royal house......"

Even as he said it, Valentin didn't actually know just what "will of the royal house" Maximilian had defied.

He only knew that this was what he'd been told, so he answered accordingly.

"That's right. It still pains my heart, even now. He may not be a son I bore myself, but he is dear to me nonetheless."

"......Yes."

"I'm not strong enough to endure going through the same thing twice. So, Valentin......"

"I—I'll live my life exactly as the royal house wishes! I'll never cause you any pain, Mother!"

Valentin answered quickly, with all the spirit he could muster. At last, a smile rose to Amelda's lips.

"I'm relieved to hear it."

She lifted her hands from her son's cheeks and returned to sit on the sofa once more.

"Now that you understand, you may go."

"......Pardon?"

Valentin asked again, a note of reluctance in his voice, but no further answer came.

An attendant stepped in on her behalf, urging him along instead.

"Her Majesty the Dowager Queen has an audience with several nobles scheduled for afterward."

"Ah."

Reluctant as he was, Valentin bowed deeply in farewell.

"I take my leave, then."

On his way out, he walked slowly, half-hoping his mother might call him back once more.

......But no such thing happened.

The next day.

The moment Clarisse finished her snack, she gathered up her exploration bag and pulled on her gloves.

Then she opened the door and raised one hand cheerfully.

"Off to explore outside?"

Benson, whose instincts had grown remarkably sharp by now, could tell perfectly well whether Clarisse wanted the washroom or wanted to go outside.

"Yes!"

"You know the rule—don't leave the annex garden."

"Yes, Sir Benson. I won't."

Clarisse clenched both fists and nodded her head twice over.

"The knights will be watching the garden in shifts, so no dangerous exploring! What do you do in an emergency?"

"Shout for help, as loud as I can!"

"Good—exploration permission granted!"

"I'll be back soon."

Clarisse hurried out of the garden at something close to a run.

There happened to be no one else in the garden at the moment, so the girl headed straight for the drainage channel, their appointed meeting place.

"Why are you so late! Do you want to die?!"

The moment Clarisse slipped into the dark tree-tunnel over the canal, a sharp, biting voice greeted her at once.

"I—I can't die. There's a law......"

Startled, Clarisse tried to explain the lawful grounds for her continued survival, but Valentin's words cut her off.

"You know how long I've been waiting?! Want me to freeze to death or something?!"

"I'm sorry."

"Whatever. You're the type who never keeps her word!"

"That's not true, I......!"

"I must've been an idiot to think I could get help from someone like you!"

Valentin, furious to the very top of his head, seemed unlikely to calm down no matter what Clarisse did.

"But we never actually set a time to meet."

Since there was no point trying to soothe someone who was determined to stay angry regardless, Clarisse decided to make her own unfair treatment perfectly clear.

"Wh—what?!"

"So I did keep the promise."

"You, really!"

"So what kind of help do you need?"

"Wh—who would ever need help from someone like you?!"

"The Prince."

Clarisse leaned her face forward and answered brightly.

For some reason, Valentin flinched and startled backward, sitting down hard.

"Prince?"

Since she'd had no intention of startling him, Clarisse called him again, somewhat puzzled.

"Ah, n-no...... I."

He suddenly began to stammer. On top of that, for some reason, he covered his mouth with one arm.

"Hmph, you're right. We never did set a time."

"Right?"

"You did keep your promise. I—hmph. I apologize for saying something unfair to you."

He straightened his back as best he could in the narrow tunnel and gave a small, sincere bow of apology.

"Apology accepted, Prince. But......"

Clarisse looked him up and down—today, too, he wore nothing but a smart coat and suit.

Fine as it looked, she doubted it could hold up against the cold, no matter how mild the capital's winter was.

"You look cold."

"Not at all, I'm...... Achoo!"

"Ugh, I knew it. Prince, have you really never once been outside?"

Clarisse promptly pulled off her own fur hat and jammed it firmly down onto Valentin's head.

"......!"

He shook his head as though about to refuse, but a moment later his blue eyes went round as he stared at Clarisse.

No doubt he'd been startled by how warm it was.

As for this hat—it was the valiant prisoner's hat that braved Sheridan's cold......

'......Oh.'

Clarisse suddenly realized her mistake.

Putting a prisoner's hat on the head of a prince.

'Should I ask for it back?'

No—by now, Valentin already looked thoroughly pleased with it.

"This is amazing! Where can I get a hat like this?"

'Your country would have to fall.'

......Since she obviously couldn't say that, Clarisse just smiled.

"But if I wear this...... are you all right?"

"Yes, it's my favorite hat, but it's fine. I'm a child of Sheridan, after all."

Clarisse lifted her chin just slightly, putting on airs again.

"A child of Sheridan?"

"Yes, a child of Sheridan doesn't feel the least bit cold in the capital's winter. Did you know? When it snows heavily in Sheridan, the snow piles up as high as a grown adult."

Of course, Clarisse had never actually witnessed such a sight herself. But she'd learned that it really had happened once, and knew it for a fact.

"Don't lie. How could snow possibly pile up higher than a person?"

"It's true! If you go to the northern wall, there's a mark showing how high the snow got, the last time it snowed heavily."

"You've been to the northern wall too?"

Valentin's eyes lit up at once.

Clarisse felt oddly proud of herself.

"I've been."

"Does the wall really stretch on forever? Just keeps going?"

"Yes, it goes on and on and on."

"That's amazing!"

Was it? Well, Clarisse had to admit the northern wall really was something impressive.

But it seemed odd to her that a prince living in such a splendid royal palace would find a place like that something to admire.

"Prince, don't you get to see much more amazing things than I do, all the time?"

Take her own older brother, for instance. He'd made a point of visiting every single famous sight in Grezekaia.

And that wasn't all.

Officials returning from abroad had always competed with one another to present her brother with rare and wondrous gifts.

"Ah...... no, I."

At Clarisse's words, Valentin's cheeks flushed red, and he buried his face down between his knees.

"I've never been outside the wall......"

"Does that mean you only ever live inside the royal capital, Highdon?"

"Ah, no."

He lifted his head just a little.

"I only ever live inside the third wall. B-but that's because Mother loves me too much! She worries about me so much......"

Clarisse pressed both hands together over her heart, like someone who'd just heard something beautiful.

"That...... I'm so envious."