Chapter 159 – Episode 158. Your Name (3)
Although it was summer, Grand Duchy of Mitterien was far from the heat.
There are more days when there is no snow, and at least you can wear a thin layer of winter clothing—just that amount of difference, other than that, there was no big difference from winter.
“Uh, what the hell is that guy Astain doing crawling all the way here?”
As soon as Eranya got off her wagon, she stretched out and complained, curling up with all her might.
It was like that when I came before, but the Grand Duchy of Mitterien lived up to its reputation as the northernmost point, and the biting cold was frightening.
Eranya, an elf, had a weak tolerance for such cold, so even though it was summer, she hated the cold that hit her as soon as she got out of the wagon.
Leopold and Astrid, who had arrived earlier, were there to meet them.
In fact, the two of them also set off after receiving a call that the carriage with Erania and Veracien had started to move.
Fortunately, I arrived at the Grand Duchy just one day before the girls arrived, so I was able to leave as if nothing had happened.
“It is cold. But you guys have a strange atmosphere.”
“… What do you mean?”
Amid Veracien’s suspicious gaze, Leopold pretended not to.
Unless Leopold was an idiot, he knew exactly what Verathien was talking about.
While coming here, Leopold could feel that the relationship between Leopold and Astrid had become so close.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. You’ll get tired of seeing it in the future.”
“What?”
At those words, Erania, who was next to her, reacted.
She was actually the one who was rolling her feet, rubbing her arms against each other, as if she was very cold, but it seemed that Vera Shien’s somewhat meaningful words could not be ignored.
“There is such a thing. Anyway, Astrid… Hmm.”
Astrid was the person Berathien was looking at this time.
Astrid wasn’t as close to Vera Shien as Asti was, so she stood blankly and looked at Vera Shien, who was staring at her, and said something rather brusquely.
“Do you have any complaints? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No, I think something has changed. It’s no big deal.”
“… Please, be honest with me.”
Astrid had always cared about Asti.
Although the two of them had a conversation like that a few days ago, Asti hasn’t changed much since then.
To Asti, who doesn’t talk much, doesn’t even try to come out, and only answers questions, and that’s all—
Astrid was also anxious inside.
On days when she suddenly disappeared, of course, there was anxiety that Astrid would cease to exist as her, but even so, during this one year of being together with her, I had some affection for her.
If she disappears, her sense of loss will undoubtedly be considerable.
That’s why Asti’s lack of energy was what bothered her the whole time.
In such a car, Vera Shien said that she could see something, and as Astrid, she couldn’t just ignore it.
“No, it’s really nothing. Besides, I’m not in a position to say anything right now. Can’t we go in for a while? Me and Eranya are cold too.”
“… Come on in.”
Leopold pointed at the Archduke Mitterien as if he had been waiting for those words.
Just like the annex, all of the employees were taken over, leaving only a portion, and now the entire floor is decorated for their use only.
“The fireplace is ready, so go in. Because it’s cold.”
There are many things I want to ask in detail, but I have to cover the time and place.
Astrid suppressed the questions she wanted to ask and took Veracien and Erania into the palace.
*
“Now, you should first know where Astain is heading, right? I know.”
Vera Shien opened her mouth, certain that no one knew.
The one who stuck with Astain the longest and knew his plan inside out was Veracien.
Thanks to that, I knew roughly what Astain was going to do after hiding in the Grand Duchy of Mitterien.
However, the problem was that even though he knew the purpose, he didn’t know which way Astain would come, but that was something Veracian thought he could do.
Those who have the information have an advantage.
It was also a basic fact, so Veracien had no doubts that he was the one who had the upper hand in this pursuit group.
“Hoo.”
As expected, Leopold lightly admired.
Admiration was acceptable, but those eyes weren’t particularly admiring, but—
Verathien hadn’t noticed it at all.
In Veracien’s opinion, both Leopold and Astrid were lacking in intelligence.
So, since she is the one who holds most of her information anyway, she intends to use these to get the most out of her.
If she’s a gain, she’s also the one she’d most enjoy, something like that.
“I’m sorry.”
Leopold replied with a smile on his face.
In short, intellectual ability and the gathering of information are not particularly related.
If Berashien’s actions are inferred from his magical abilities or from his long contact with Astain,
Leopold has power over him.
Using that power, I already knew where Astain was heading.
However, he just doesn’t know what he’s trying to do by heading there.
“I already know where you are and where you are going.”
“What?”
Vera Cienne looked at Leopold and her eyes widened.
It couldn’t be, but it was surprising that Leopold knew Astain’s location.
“Did you sign a contract with Astein too?”
“No way. But because of my position, there are so many ways to mobilize.”
“Chit… “
Vera Sien non-killed her lips.
In this way, she blew one of her cards.
Vera Cienne leaned back on her sofa and glared at Leopold.
That smirking prince seemed to have no idea, but that wasn’t it.
I hate him because he knows how to do pretty cute things.
“… Do you know the location of the tower?”
“That’s it, of course.”
He answered calmly, but even Leopold had never heard of the Tower.
They didn’t know the plan from the beginning, and they were judging based on the information collected using the crows, so if a nearby medium called the tower appeared there, even Leopold would be completely unaware of it.
‘It would be better to collect additional information while pretending to know for now.’
Leopold thought so and bluffed.
As long as the specific word “Top” Appeared, it seemed that he would reveal his plan on his own if he matched the words appropriately.
“… Top?”
Astrid, who was sitting next to her, suddenly intervened, complicating things.
Leopold, who pretended to know and tried to collect more information, did not think of such a variable called Astrid,
Thanks to this, Astrid intervened like this.
“Huh. Four towers. Something like that self-sustaining tower you went to before, Astrid.”
“Is there anything else like that?”
“What is it, Leopold? Didn’t you tell Asti?”
“… Because information management is the wisest thing to know alone.”
“Huh… “
Seon dialogue between Veracien and Leopold.
It was a bit difficult for Astrid to understand the Zen dialogue.
“Eranya sister, what are they talking about?”
“Who is going to take the lead? They are fighting. Isn’t Asti interested in that?”
“I am not particularly interested. If we start fighting anyway, I’ll be the main character.”
That wasn’t wrong again, so Eranya couldn’t help but laugh.
“You don’t know the specific plan, Leopold.”
Either that or not, Veracien and Leopold’s war of nerves continued.
Still, the grand duchess Veracien, who is said to be the best in the demon realm, and Leopold, the crown prince of the Einthofen Empire.
Between these two, who takes the initiative is also a very important factor.
“Good. Let me make a suggestion. It’s probably more like a deal than an offer, though.”
“Listen.”
Actually, Astrid intervened and broke her colic, but it would soon become apparent that Leopold hadn’t grasped that far anyway.
“How dare you try to make a deal with Your Highness. What kind of guts.”
It felt like a sudden cold wave.
Astrid, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up and was looking down at Veracien.
Her gaze was like a dead wind, full of cold air, radiating ferocious energy as if she were about to point her sword at Vera Shien.
In other words, Astrid did not like the very act of Vera Shien proposing a ‘trade’ to Leopold.
Hurry up and kill Astain and return to the capital.
That would have been one of the purposes, but Astrid couldn’t understand this situation of talking about a transaction.
“Calm down, Astrid. It is so because it deserves it.”
“Haona, Your Highness.”
“Trust me. Astrid. Got it?”
At those soft words, Astrid sat back in her chair as if possessed.
At some point, her blushing face slightly bowed and she tried to hide it,
While holding onto the hem of my skirt.
“Then, can I tell you the terms of the deal now?”
“As convenient as possible.”
“Good. Then, my condition is… Don’t be hostile to me after this, attach your familiar and let me watch over you two.”
“Don’t bullshit!”
Astrid’s shouts were more than enough to fill her room.
