Chapter 106: The Path to You (6)
“Can’t we go any faster?”
As soon as Leopold spoke, the attendant sitting in the corner opened the partition.
The moment he opened the partition directly connected to the coachman's seat, the attendant said something quickly, and a sharp cracking sound of a whip and the powerful neighing of horses followed.
“We will go as fast as possible, Your Highness.”
“Yes. My heart is impatient, so I hope you understand.”
“You honor me with your words, Your Highness!”
When the attendant bowed deeply as if honored, Leopold glanced at him and then looked out of the carriage window.
In the distance, snow-covered mountain peaks came into view.
To save as much time as possible, they even ate their meals in the moving carriage.
The escorts had sent word to the castles they passed through beforehand, so when they arrived, they exchanged personnel without delay. By now, most of the original group had been replaced.
“You seem quite excited, Your Highness.”
Sigmund, the captain of the royal guards, spoke to Leopold with a soft smile.
Sigmund, who had joined them at the first castle they passed after leaving the academy, was an older knight who had fought alongside Wolfgang and Kreutz during the Unification War.
Because of this, he was also quite close to Leopold, allowing him to speak so casually with the prince.
“Yes, Sir Sigmund. How could I not be excited when I am going to meet my future wife?”
“Is that so? However…”
Sigmund stroked his chin as if hesitating to speak.
The cross-shaped scar on his chin stood out, its rough texture asserting its presence.
“I beg your pardon, Your Highness, but as far as I know, your relationship with Lady Astrid von Miterien, the Crown Princess-to-be, was not very good.”
“That’s true.”
There was no need to be polite about it.
The poor relationship between Leopold and Astrid was no secret. It was a well-known fact, openly discussed among the nobility.
And ten years ago, when Astrid had slapped—not just hit, but slapped—Leopold so hard that he was flung away and remained unconscious for three days.
Since then, it was common knowledge that whenever Leopold and Astrid met, they would growl at each other like they couldn’t wait to tear each other apart.
“But people change. Even Lady Miterien, who seemed like she would never change, did change.”
Yes, quite surprisingly.
She had changed so much that he hardly recognized her.
Leopold absentmindedly rubbed his neck.
The face that had always been as cold as ice and carried a chilly breeze, now blushed like a flowering quince after a single drink.
The lips that had always spoken sharp and merciless words, now full and cherry-like, released sweet sighs.
The eyes that had always glared, aiming to overpower with a piercing gaze, now looked at him with a smooth and gentle expression.
“She has changed so much. I even regret not speaking up sooner.”
“You regret not speaking up sooner? What do you mean, Your Highness?”
Sigmund’s expression turned curious and intrigued.
The Crown Prince, who used to always seem like he would devour his fiancée at any moment, now spoke with such a different tone. Sigmund couldn’t help but be interested.
“Well—”
Leopold laughed awkwardly as he began to speak.
***
‘…How am I supposed to keep her contained?’
Parienne muttered to herself as she stared into the crystal ball.
As a mid-level succubus, she had descended to the human world long ago, responding to the summons of her mistress and superior, the Grand Duchess of the Demon Realm, Lady Veraya.
Veraya had planted a self-replicating tower, a rare artifact possessed only by the high-ranking officials who resided in the deep depths of the Demon Realm.
“For now, protect this tower. I’ve cast a transparency spell, so its actual location won’t be exposed. You’ll take further orders from this man, Astein.”
“He is my contractor, so his words are as good as mine. Understood?”
There was no way she could refuse.
Though Parienne had reluctantly nodded, no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t figure out how to keep that monstrous woman, who had been fending off the demon spores around the self-replicating tower all by herself, contained in this tower.
It had already been three days.
The silver-haired woman seemed to treat the inside of the tower as if it were her own home.
After realizing that she couldn’t access any place other than the large cavern on the first floor of the tower, she had tried hitting and attacking things here and there.
When it seemed her attacks didn’t cause much damage, she would take breaks, then try to smash things again, only to rest once more.
It was a cycle that repeated endlessly.
Since there was a strict order not to kill her, Parienne even snuck in meals, which the woman accepted and ate without hesitation.
In short, there was not a hint of tension.
Even now, Astrid lounged in the large cavern on the first floor as if it were her bedroom, looking completely at ease.
【Parienne.】
Suddenly, a voice echoed in her mind.
A form of telepathy that demons used to communicate with each other.
“L-Lady Grand Duchess!”
Parienne jumped up from where she sat.
【Yes, hello. How is Astrid?】
On the screen of the crystal ball, Astrid still looked as comfortable as ever, like she was at home.
She seemed to be taking a break after failing to destroy the walls and objects in the large cavern.
It wasn’t an unusual sight, but Parienne didn’t know if she should report the truth as it was.
“…She is doing well.”
【What?】
“Sh-she’s just doing fine in the large cavern.”
【She’s doing fine?】
It was so absurd that even from the other side, Veraya's muffled laughter could be heard.
Parienne hesitated for a long time, unsure whether a scolding would follow that laughter or if... if... if Veraya might react in some other way she couldn’t predict.
It took her quite a while before she finally managed to explain how Astrid was spending her time in the large cavern.
【That's just like her. Well, anyway... Parienne, aren't you bored by now?】
It was a typical response from Veraya, who was known as an eccentric even in the Demon Realm.
For her, everything was judged by one standard: fun.
If something seemed fun, she did it.
If it didn’t, she wouldn’t.
“Y-Yes... well, uh... yes.”
Parienne hesitantly responded while peering at Astrid, who was still in the crystal ball’s image.
There were only two possible answers to such a question, and given the way Veraya asked, there was only one correct answer.
【Alright, I get it. Then, shall we make her settle down a bit?】
Although Parienne managed this self-replicating tower, ultimately, it was Veraya’s property, and everything followed her will.
【It seems Leopold will arrive soon, too... Alright then. Just act like I never contacted you. Got it? And with Astrid, hmm... just go along with whatever I say.】
“Y-Yes! Lady Grand Duchess!”
【Good work~】
With her clear voice, the connection was cut off.
Parienne continued to watch Astrid, who was still resting in the crystal ball’s view, thinking only of how much she wanted to return to the Demon Realm.
“Is there a problem?”
Astein’s half-closed eyes were fixed on Veracien.
His expression was full of suspicion.
Veracien tilted her head playfully, flashing a sly smile as if nothing was wrong.
“Who knows? I don't think there's a problem.”
But she could already feel it.
The presence of Astrid within the self-replicating tower was palpable, almost tangible.
Veracien was planning to release Astrid at just the right moment.
Astein’s plan—to gather all the Blessings of the Stars—was fine.
Even his ambition to use the gathered blessings to become a god in the human realm, that too was fine.
She didn’t care whether he became a god or not. The problem was, a person aspiring to divinity was too timid to be interesting.
If he was like this now, how would he be after achieving his goal?
Rather than that, it seemed far more entertaining to marry off Astrid and Leopold and watch everything unfold from behind the scenes.
And additionally, seeing how Astein would scream when things didn’t go according to his plan—
That too, piqued Veracien’s interest.
“Oh dear, we have to keep going at this pace for over a week?”
“How long has it been since we set out? You’re already bored?”
Astein glared at Veracien intensely.
There had to be something going on.
That faintly smiling expression of hers was definitely hiding something.
There was no doubt about it—Veracien was planning to stab him in the back.
‘Demons really can't be trusted...’
Though they were in a cooperative relationship, they couldn’t bring themselves to trust each other.
Astrid, who was sleeping soundly in the self-replicating tower.
Parienne, who was anxious as she watched over Astrid.
Veracien (or Veraya), who intended to pursue her own "fun" using Astrid and Leopold.
And Astein, who was suspicious of Veracien, waiting for the perfect chance to betray her.
“Alright... Shall I start again?”
Astrid, who had rested enough to recover her stamina, stood up.
The large cavern was spacious, with brown walls surrounding her on all sides.
It might seem strange to call it an empty space, but the cavern was truly empty.
There were no signs of people, no traces of anyone having lived there.
There were no stairs or mechanisms leading upward, nothing at all to be seen.
【It seems we need to change things up and seriously try to break this.】
‘You weren't being serious before?’
【Of course not. With this, how could I be?】
‘I see... Then, shall we switch?’
And at that moment, an odd sensation washed over her.
Her vision darkened, and it felt as though something was pulling her strongly inwards.
It was like the ground beneath her feet had crumbled, sending her falling endlessly.
The fake Astrid had felt this before.
She had felt it once.
On the very day she had awoken as Astrid, that strange and unfamiliar feeling—
It was that same feeling.