Against the World II: Transgression
Chapter 24: And Then.
...—18th July, E642 | Imperial Palace, Nevada, Vermillion Empire—...
Xavier ended up staying at Artemys palace two nights— and the moment when he woke up to see another face in his arms was truly melancholy.
Maybe marriage is not a bad thing. Young he is, but 15 is the age at which most things (beer etc.) become legal. Not infrequently there are married at that age, especially the daughters of the nobles. For him to get married at the age of 17 years and 3 months, it was not at all abnormal.
Xavier set foot in front of the grand palace of the open empire. He did not arrive by teleportation. Nor did he fly and land in front of this palace. Using [Space Magic] he opened a portal from the Artemys residence to the back of an inn, then from there on foot to here.
“Nona Kanna, is she back?” xavier asked a maid who came to greet him.
“Your Majesty has returned from yesterday, Commander. He also advised to directly send Twelfth Commander to his room if he had arrived here.”
“Alright, then I'll go straight there. Thanks for the notification, and you don't have to take me there.”
Xavier had entered Kanna's study many times, there was no need for anyone to take her there; he had missed the location of the room, and he could head to it with his eyes closed.
As soon as he arrived at the door of the princess's study, Xavier knocked on the door three times, and it opened as the word entered rang out from within.
“Ah, Xavier, you're back! And Alice?”
There were only three people in the room, and all of them were women of the same age: Meyrin and Monica were sitting on the sofa checking the documents, while Kanna was sitting on her desk chair—she was also busy with documents.
“This is my report on the investigation into the military power of Kazarsia Kingdom,” Xavier said, temporarily ignoring Kanna's question. “I did not find any information about the original strength of General Clown,” he added while sitting in a chair in front of Kanna's desk. “I've searched everywhere in Avarecia, but I didn't find a single individual with great strength. Asumsiku, General Clown already knew of my arrival and decided to leave the capital.”
“General Clown has a plontos head, on his head there is a cross-shaped scar, and his face is a little fierce. You sure you don't see anyone like that?” kanna asked a little less confidently, the report Xavier gave her placed in the corner of the table.
Xavier was silent for a moment to listen to Kanna's clarifying questions. His mind went back to when he was in Avarecia.
“Listen to your description, I remember sitting down talking to a man who looked like General Clown. But I'm sure he's not General Clown. He's too weak to be a powerful General Clown. He is just a man cursed with unreasonable luck and forced to be in a position that leaves him punishable by death at any time.”
“Unreasonable luck?”
“You will find it hard to believe it, Kanna, this man really has terrible luck. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
Seeing Kanna nod, Xavier told her what the man with the head of the plontos had told him. Of course it was incomplete and detailed; xavier could not possibly remember such an insignificant thing to such a detail. He just told me what he remembered clearly.
“Seriously? You're not kidding?”
“Hm..Monica made me aware of an interesting fact about the figure of General Clown. Perhaps, the person you consider not General Clown is the same individual we and the people consider General Clown to be. However, he was not the real General Clown. Perhaps he was a controlled puppet, perhaps he was just another human being fitted with illusions. Or, he used runes on his body to make him look weak.”
Xavier thought about Kanna's words for tens of seconds, then shook his head. “I'm sure there are no illusions attached to his body. Even though he used runes on his body, the strong air his body was emitting could not possibly be hidden. No matter what a fighter is disguised as, they cannot hide their trained body.”
“If the doll is controlled?”
“That's a reasonable possibility, but somehow I'm less sure about it. If he's a doll like your own, then General Clown's acting is so impressive that it can fool me. However, looking at the man's eyes, I don't think he's a puppet. The seriousness and depression that his mouth uttered was really visible from the radiance of his eyes.”
Kanna nodded in understanding. “I understand your reasons, but right now we have no other choice but to assume he's a puppet controlled by the original General Clown—and this original General Clown has a very capable acting.”
Xavier raised his shoulders, uninterested in raising objections. “Lantas, how was your visit to Avarecia?” ask Xavier.
“King Kressia made sure he wouldn't be on any side. Kazarsia Kingdom will launch a population enhancement program. Participating in conflict will make their program counter-effective. I also managed to establish cooperation between his kingdom and Hongariand Province. For one day one night visit, it is very fruitful.”
“It's good. At least now there are two neutral places in this great conflict.”
“Lantas, how about Alice?” Kanna returned to the question that Xavier had time to answer. “You didn't manage to find it.”
“Alice felt Nevada would not be good for her, so I gave her advice to go to Cornnas. With what happened in that palace a few days ago, Alice's presence would be good for your sister. I asked her to make Alice her bodyguard. You can meet Alice there.”
“It's a pity Alice didn't come back here, but I can understand why she felt Nevada would be good for her. I'll see him tonight, maybe I'll spend the night at Artemys' place. I think we need to talk a lot with my half-sister. Oh, we refer to myself and also Monica.” An elegant smile blossomed on Kanna's lips, and Xavier did not want to know what that meant.
“Ah,” continued Kanna, “I want Monica to continue to be by my side. Doesn't it matter if he stops being your secretary in Division 12 now? In my opinion, Monica is better suited to the tasks I give her.”
Xavier glanced at Monica for a moment, before then returning his gaze to Kanna. “I have no right to dictate what Monica should do. If he's comfortable working with you, I can't ban him. After all, there is no safer place for Monica than to be by your side, Kanna.”
“You sure about that? You wouldn't be lonely without his presence in your study?”
“I'd be willing to put my life on the edge if it's for him, do I need to answer that question?” Xavier stood up from his chair. “I have to go back to Verada now. I've had enough trouble with Heisuke.”
“Alright then. But the day after tomorrow you should already be in the meeting room when the sun is as high as a spear. I also told everyone to attend the meeting.”
Xavier nodded, stepping towards the exit. Xavier opened the door, but he didn't come out. “Monica, if you'd rather work here, I don't mind,” he said before he actually came out.
“So, Monica, do you want to accept my request?” kanna asked a few moments after Xavier left. “I would be very helped if you supported him.”