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Chapter 04: The Confined and Revealed Secrets of the Princes

Time passed by and the toughest, also called the hottest season in the Carpa Kingdom finally came to an end.

“…..”

Queen Aura had delayed her morning schedule to stay here and Zenjirou also had resolved himself to not move an inch from here all day, cancelling all his appointments for today. Both of them waited with bathed breaths.

The silence was taut as the strings of a bow and continued until the very moment the door was knocked.

“Enter!”

“Pardon me.”

His name was Michelle, the royal physician.

His bearing seemed to be agreed on beforehand, seeing as neither Aura nor Zenjirou reprimanded him for it.

“To cut the matter short: Prince Carlos has caught the ‘Spotted Fever‘.”
reported the situation in a manner of fact tone.

As the wet nurse Cassandra was always by his side, she naturally had noticed the change in the crown prince of the Carpa Kingdom, Carlos Zenkichi Carpa, first of all.

Cassandra was made for being a wet nurse as she could distinguish whether his demanding cries meant breast-feeding, pee, poop or simply whining.
As soon as she had heard his cry that was shriller, yet weaker than usual, she had woken up the resting waiting maids and sent one to Queen Aura and Doctor Michelle each.

“Spotted Fever”. Since the name of the disease meant nothing to Zenjirou, he checked with Doctor Michelle without relaxing his strained facial muscles.

“Well, as the name implies, it is a fever that causes red rashes on the face or body. The rashes are merely outward symptoms that cause neither pain, nor itch, but the prolonged high fever can bring about the throat to swell up.

Taking in the doctor’s words, Zenjirou rubbed his cold fingertips against each other as he sat on the couch.

“Fortunately Prince Carlos has been kept well nurtured so far and is growing favourable. He is also blessed with a becoming stamina for a baby, so I do not think we need to be that pessimistic.

Nine out of ten. That statement inadvertently made Zenjirou heave a sigh of relief, but Aura, sitting next to him, cautioned him with a still tense expression.

“Oh…”

The survival rate was ninety percent. Reversely, that meant a mortality rate of ten percent. One out of ten patients would die. After being told that, it goes without saying that one couldn’t be overly optimistic.

Naturally, Zenjirou wasn’t one of them either. He wracked his clouded brain with all his might to find a way out of this dilemma.

The magic tool could heal any injury or illness in an instant. As he remembered its existence, Zenjioru proposed it eagerly, but the “Queen” reacted opposed.

“I do not think so. Our country is in possession of only three of them and it remains unclear when we will actually get our hands on another one.

Quite unusually, Zenjirou got exasperated with the heartless words of his wife.

Queen Aura showed a pained expression for a moment as her husband snapped at her for the very first time, but readjusted her mask as the Queen right away and reasoned.

“!”

“Zenjirou-sama, this may sound a bit relentless, but children in our country catch an illness of this level around four to five times on an average before they reach the age of ten, even amongst royalty and nobility.”

The distinct calculation devoid of feeling was convincing enough to calm his fiery temperament.

The numbers just didn’t add up.

“Sorry… I lost my cool.”

In practice, Aura might have used the ‘Imbued Stone of Cure’ if it weren’t for Zenjirou.

All the more because she lived in a world, where childbirth was anything but safe. At the same time, they couldn’t rule out the possibility that her body may no longer be able to conceive after giving birth once.

Moreover, he had already proved himself in form of his child Carlos.

On the other hand, they would surely demand the use of the “Imbued Stone of Cure” if Zenjirou himself were to catch an illness of this nature, since any sophisticated man in this world knew that a prolonged fever came with the possible risk of impaired fertility, even if it did not claim one’s life.

Aura kept silent about it though, because there was no way she could reveal that fact to him.

“What about calling a healer from the Jilbell Family…”

“Don’t we have a doctor specializing in that ‘Spotted Fever’?”

“And I guess there’s no special medicine for it…”

“Figures…”

Every elementary idea he could think of was immediately shot down by Aura.

Nothing could be done. Well, not quite. If truly nothing could be done, he would be able to give up, but there was an absolute trump card in the form of the “Imbued Stone of Cure”, yet the political situation didn’t allow for it to be used.

Quite possibly he could have his way and use the stone, but it would invoke the deep resentment of local nobles and the scorn of foreign royalty if he were to do that.

Still, she just couldn’t stop doubting whether or not she lacked parental love, since she hesitated to do what was best for her own child in need, out of consideration for her political standing.

Doctor Michelle broached a slightly different subject as to distract from the inevitable reality and Aura answered his proposition.

The “Blessing of the Forest” was a local illness that Zenjirou had caught once before, too.

Of course there were some instances of infants dying from the “Blessing of the Forest”, too, but considering the later course of life, it ultimately gave you a better survival rate when you caught it at an early stage.

“…..”

Another oppressive silence filled the room.

Knowing that, Aura heaved a deep sigh, then quickly got up from the couch.

I trust in your skills, so do your best.”

The middle-aged doctor, composed from beginning to end, bowed once and Aura shifted her attention from him to her husband, who still sat on the couch and looked up to her.

Confronted like that, Zenjirou pondered for a moment while remaining slumped into the couch.

“I see. Since your work is not all that pressing, that is fine. However, you are not allow to visit Carlos in person, understood?”

Aura cautioned him just in case and he obediently obeyed.

The “Spotted Fever” would pass on from Carlos to Zenjirou to Aura.

“It may be no use telling you, but do not take it to heart all too much.”
Saying so, Aura left the Inner Palace with invigorated steps as to show an example of “not taking it to heart all too much”.

“Ugh… Grr…!”

The exercise involved the “control over magical output”, something he had slowly gotten better at lately. It was an essential skill to master all kind of magic.

That thought spurred his magic training on.

“Puuh… Grr…”

Due to that, he had been sweating all over for a while now.

“Aw, damnit!”

“Puh… I just can’t hack it today.”

But the practice of magic actually called for concentration quite often, so it was a given that training with an absent mind like right now was pointless.

Zenjirou felt utmost respect for his wife, who was as worried as him deep inside, but properly got her act together on the surface to deal with work.

That rambling monologue slipped out of his mouth when he got back to the couch.

At the same time, the medical care in modern Japan had a way better credibility than here, so he might have had an easier time trusting the doctor, though.

All his thoughts were for the wellbeing of his son, no matter what. In order to distract himself a little bit, Zenjirou took out his game console from the TV stand after a long time and the very moment he plugged it in:

The door was suddenly knocked and the familiar voice of a waiting maid resounded.

Although reflexively calling her in, he thought to himself.

(Don’t tell me something happened to Zenkichi?)

A middle-aged waiting maid, neatly wearing a crimson maid uniform, entered the room— It was Supervisory Maid Amanda.

Whether she knew about her master’s tension or not, the middle-aged Supervisory Maid made a perfect textbook curtsy, then started to speak prosaically.

Apparently Prince Francesco from the Twin Kingdom has expressed his desire to pay Prince Carlos a sick bed visit.”

Zenjirou leaked a dumbfounded sound as the unexpected development went over his head.

“No, we can’t do that, seriously. Nothing good’s going to come of letting a foreign royalty meet with our sick Zenkichi, for neither side. Besides, I would’ve understood if it had been Princess Bona, but Prince Francesco isn’t allowed inside because of the ban anyway, right?

Talking himself into a fury so far, he suddenly realized:

As was expected, Supervisory Maid Amanda brushed his outburst aside and continued to relay the message.

“!!”

“I’ll meet him at once! Get my clothes! I’m going to the Royal Palace!”

The Supervisory Maid answered her shouting master with a completely composed voice like that.

After changing in a rush, Zenjirou suppressed his urge to storm down the hallway of the palace as he proceeded at a smart pace. When he entered the room, there already sat Prince Francesco and Queen Aura across each other, talking.

“Hello, Your Majesty Zenjirou. Forgive me, but we have already started discussing things here.”

For a moment, he was surprised to see Aura here, but on second thought, it was only natural that she was present.

So it was only natural that Secretary Fabio had notified Aura at the same time as him.

The normal etiquette for a meeting between the Queen, the Prince Consort and the foreign prince called for some kind of address of welcome first, even for an highly informal emergency meeting, but neither was Zenjirou in a state of my mind right now to consider that, nor was Prince Francesco the kind of man to nitpick about such trivial common sense.

Like always, Prince Francesco showed an innocent smile and didn’t choose his words carefully. The first thing Zenjirou asked him was what weighted on his mind the most.

Upon his question, Prince Francesco grimaced a bit as he answered.

“Oh, I can see that happening.”

Both, Zenjirou and Aura, had to agree with his reasoning.

Prince Francesco and Princess Bona were situated in a foreign country, the Carpa Kingdom. The “Imbued Stones of Cure” were their lifeline for when the crunch comes and Prince Francesco lacked common sense to offer one of them like it was nothing while Princess Bona was just a woman of common sense, since she would stop him if she were to get wind of it.

They looked at each other in the eyes to coordinate their opinions, then:

“Indeed. She must be busy, too.”

“Well then, Prince Francesco, you said you would offer us an ‘Imbued Stone of Cure’?”

As a result, Prince Francesco affirmed it readily.

After he answered like that, he pulled a palm-sized, white stone out of his pocket and placed it onto the table.

However, anyone with the ability to discern magical power could see that the palm-sized stone emitted magical power on the level of an average magician.

Aura became a bit wary, because Prince Francesco suddenly showcased the item without discussing any compensation for it.

The prince’s answer, though, was anything but what Aura had expected.

He didn’t ask for a compensation, but demanded to meet Carlos, since he was going to use the stone himself.

Aura asked more cautious after Prince Francesco’s more than odd request.

“Well, what can I say? I feel kind of ‘congenial’ with Prince Carlos. Besides, as a Prince of the Twin Kingdom, I can get my hands on a ‘Imbued Stone of Cure’ easier than others.

The phrase “congenial” rang a bell with Zenjirou as he listened to his easy-going remark on the side.

He felt congenial with both, the father and the son. Could that actually be brushed off as just another of his talkative remarks?

“Then you are offering this out of pure good-will?”

“In that case, there is really no need to specifically use the stone yourself, is there? If you wish to see Carlos, then we can bring him to the Royal Palace later on when he feels better.”

He put it somewhat blatantly, but his objection was justified.

Well, they would lose both, the Crown Prince and the trust of the Twin Kingdom, all at once if they unfortunately got the other one out of ten chance, so one wouldn’t usually take that approach.

(Well, either way, one thing is certain now. Prince Francesco is definitely not an idiot. His usual behaviour is an act.)

An idiot would be unable to make such a logical line of argument, not even by accident.

“What do you say? I really just want to pay him a simple sick bed visit and promise not to bring anything with me except the ‘Imbued Stone of Cure’. No guards either.

Since Aura hesitated, Prince Francesco kept making concessions to no end, but persisted on the sole condition that he visited Carlos in person.

“Hmm…”

Prince Francesco pleaded by prostrating himself when seated, which looked hilarious, but the plea itself was anything but funny.

Without weapons and guards, Prince Francesco could easily be seized in the event of attempting any intrigue.

Admittedly, he was relatively tall and well-built, but even Aura herself wouldn’t have trouble apprehending him if she wanted to.

“…Fine. I will assume your sick bed visit to use the ‘Imbued Stone of Cure’, to be one from a doctor or healer from the Jilbell Family. You will be allowed into the Inner Palace by way of exception.

“Yes, I am. Thank you very much.”
Aura finally conceded, whereat Prince Francesco expressed his gratitude with a bright smile.

One hour later.

Before he was allowed inside, Prince Francesco was subjected to a body search and everything except his clothes and the “Imbued Stone of Cure” was taken away from him. On the other hand, Aura and Zenjirou were quite unusually wearing swords at their waists.

All alone, Prince Francesco didn’t pose a threat, since he had no combat experience, although he was well-built.

At first, they had considered to let Aura’s personal guards accompany them into the Inner Palace, but refrained from doing so after weighing up the pros and cons.

“Oh, they might be both Inner Palaces, but yours is quite different from ours. That said, I only have vague memories of ours from when I was six, so I can’t be too sure, ahaha.”

He was playing the fool so much that Zenjirou once again wondered if the prince maybe was just an idiot after all.

“It is I.”

“Doctor Michelle and Cassandra are awaiting you inside, Your Highness Aura, Zenjirou-sama and Prince Francesco.”

The maid with the blonde hair was, along with Secretary Fabio and Royal Archmage Espaldion, a trusted retainer of Aura. She would never let it show, but she was one of the two waiting maids in the Inner Palace that had actual combat experience.

“He fell asleep just a moment ago. Before that, he was crying the whole time as his throat seemed to hurt.”

Biting her lip, Aura proceeded into the room.

Aura had instructed him not to hesitate in the unlikely event of the prince committing anything suspicious.

“…..”

“Your Highness Aura, Zenjirou-sama, I have heard the circumstances.

And I was of the opinion that you are not to approach the room until I gave the okay.”

“Sorry, but the situation has changed. Please understand.”

Any further reprimand must have been contra-productive in his opinion, so Doctor Michelle heaved an affected sigh and interposed waspish.

An average physician versus a prince from a major power. Under normal circumstances, it would be unforgivable that Doctor Michelle spoke to him first, but right now, he was the physician in charge of Prince Carlos.

Maybe the Twin Kingdom had the same custom or maybe he was just being generous?

Either way, Prince Francesco didn’t feel offended by his words and honestly replied like that, showing him the white stone in his right hand.

“I see. Prince Carlos’ condition has been stable so far, but if we can heal him immediately, we might as well do it.

Up until now, he hadn’t shown the slightest insecurity while he took care of Carlos, but there was a ten percent chance that the crown prince could die and shouldering that responsibility must have given him a lot of pressure.

In front of the doctor, Prince Francesco kept smiling and took a step closer to the small bed with the sleeping Carlos.

Saying so, he tapped himself on the chest with his free left hand.

Aura had casually taken up a position from where she could barge in between the bed and the prince at any time and said that.

“Yes, but before that I have to apologize to you.”

Aura obviously readied herself to jump in.

The blonde waiting maid bended over a little bit in a natural manner, so that she was able to draw the short sword attached to her thigh under the skirt at any moment.

“Indeed. The truth is, I have been lying to you.

The Twin Kingdom has the healers of the Jilbell Family and we of the Sharrow Family basically never leave the capital. Therefore a healer can immediately be dispatched when someone from the Sharrow Family falls ill. Accordingly the Royal Family hardly gets any ‘Imbued Stones of Cure’.”

Aura asked sharply with a stern expression and voice that revealed her bloodlust, whereat Prince Francesco retained his smile and answered brightly.

“Now then, what do we do?”

The behaviour of the prince was clearly dubious, but if he actually meant to harm Carlos, it was even more dubious.

In other words, it was more than likely that it was not his aim to harm Carlos.

“I will do this instead: ‘Relieve this person of the sickness plaguing its body. As compensation, I make two-hundred and eighty-six offerings of magical power to the life spirit.’”

The palm of his left hand emitted a pale light of magical power that showered down on Carlos.

Until just a moment ago, Carlos’ adorable face, too, had been cluttered pitiable with red rashes.

It was plain as day that the “magic” of the prince had taken effect.
“’Healing Magic’…?”


“Impossible!”

It was understandable that she was surprised.

“Ehm, could we move elsewhere? I want to explain myself in detail. Ah, but only with the people present at the moment, since I need you to keep quiet about it.”
In the meantime, the perpetrator aka. Prince Francesco was the only one, who kept his carefree attitude, and announced that.

“Only Doctor Michelle, the wet nurse Cassandra and the waiting maid Margret were with us in the room. For now, I have forbidden the three to leave from there.

And since I had already forbidden anyone to get near that room when Carlos fell ill, those three will not come in contact with anyone else. That will take care of the secrecy for now.”

Since then, Aura, Zenjirou and Prince Francesco had moved to a room, where they could talk in peace.

It was the perfect location, because it was furnished to receive guests without having any stuff from Earth around.

By the means of changing rooms, Aura had regained some of her composure in time.

Unsurprisingly, Aura’s all too frank question made Prince Francesco smile wryly and scratch his head.

“Hmm, I guess my question was misleading, so I will ask one thing at a time.

But why do you can use ‘Healing Magic’ then? Is it some kind of trickery?”

However, her harsh approach was reasonable, seeing as he did something practically impossible.

“It’s no trickery, but genuine ‘Healing Magic’. To be honest, I can use both, ‘Bestowal Magic’ and ‘Healing Magic’.”

As a result, Zenjirou, who had silently listened to the two of them so far, spoke up about something that had been on his mind the whole time.

I will be plain with you: Does your so-called ‘congenial feeling’ refer to kindred spirits, who ‘inherited two kinds of royal blood’?”

“Wow. So you remembered it. Yes, you’re right.

“…..”

Zenjirou and Aura were speechless for a while when Prince Francesco readily confirmed the greatest secret of the century.

The accepted theory amongst scholars researching magic, was that it was possible that someone could use two bloodline magic when the person had inherited two royal bloodlines and had more magical power than the average royalty.

“Then your parents are…”

“No, you’ve got that wrong. My parents are without doubt the Crown Prince Joseph and his wife Tosca.”

The prince gave the confused Zenjirou a wry smile and explained.

Although Zenjirou was asked that question, it was the listening Aura, who answered it.

“Yes, indeed.”

“Then that is also the real reason that you do not have a claim on the throne, even though you are the son of the Crown Prince?”

“Yes. It’s a secret treaty between our two royal families.

That treaty was most likely arranged to preserve the claim on their respective bloodline magic. Without such a treaty, it would be incredible difficult to run a unique country with two royalties.

Maybe he was hiding the distress over it behind that innocent smile of his? While pondering over that, Aura inquired further.

By playing a lazy failure, he sacrificed himself for the good of his country. Maybe he felt “congenial” with Zenjirou in that regard as well?

“No, if anything, that’s actually my true self. I was never smart to begin with and always speak before thinking it through.

“I see.”

He probably didn’t notice the fact that he was no longer an idiot when he could “pull himself together and act like he had been taught”. It would be difficult for an onlooker to overthrow the self-assessment he had ever since he was a child, with just words.

That left only one last question. And the most important, at that.

Sitting straight on her chair, Aura took a deep breath and spoke well though out in a calm tone.

Why did you confide your secret to us? And why did you go out of your way to prove that you can actually use ‘Healing Magic’ by getting into the palace with a lie and healing my child? I am pretty sure it is a secret amongst secrets that not many in the Twin Kingdom even know of.”

And then he showed a somewhat transparent smile that was so unlike his previous innocent smile.

As for my reason: I wanted to let you know that someone can really use both bloodline magic when he has inherited the blood from two royal families and has a lot of magical power like myself.”

The answer really was as expected, so Aura closed her eyes and kept silent for a moment.

Next to her, Zenjirou must have come to the same conclusion as her, if only a bit later. He couldn’t hide his surprise and opened his eyes wide.

“Indeed. Our child Carlos can use two bloodline magic, the ‘Space-Time Magic’ as well as ‘Bestowal Magic’. Am I right, Prince Francesco?”

“Yes.”
The affirmation from Prince Francesco echoed rather intensely in Zenjirou’s ears.


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