Children of the Rune – Winterer - Chapter 564

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 16.
The Princess and the Detective (16)
Four days later.
The ship carrying Captain Crupard’s Scout Division from Etoile reached the harbor beneath Whirlwind Cape just an hour after departing Island of Apples. A reception party sent by Count Montroix, who governed Montagne, awaited at the harbor. Leading the reception party was Jeanne, the eldest daughter of Count Montroix. Jeanne de Montroix arrived with a military force of nearly a hundred soldiers and announced that she would personally escort Princess Charlotte to the Capital.
“Since the Princess is no longer affiliated with Etoile, it would be more proper for House Montroix to provide her escort.”
However, Captain Crupard was not naive enough to surrender the heir to the Grand Duchy to the army of Montagne, a regional lord with considerable power and a territory that had once been a land of rebellion, and simply withdraw.
“Since the Princess has spent considerable time with Etoile, I believe it would be most comfortable for her to continue receiving Etoile’s protection. Of course, if the Princess wishes otherwise, I shall defer to her judgment.”
‘Most comfortable’ was a diplomatic turn of phrase; in reality, it meant that doing so would be safer—whether in terms of protective capability or the possibility of betrayal. Jeanne understood Captain Crupard’s true meaning well. She smiled crookedly and said, “Then, let us hear what the Princess herself wishes.”
Yet when Jeanne faced Charlotte, she was taken aback. It was because of the Princess’s appearance. Charlotte wore a pristine white ceremonial Etoile uniform. That was a garment given only to official Etoile members, and with its considerable ornamentation, it would have been impossible to don on short notice without prior preparation.
“Your Highness, the attire you are wearing now—could it be….”
“This?”
Charlotte extended one arm as if to display it and continued.
“Since I did not pass the final examination, I remain an honorary Etoile member. Then there is no reason why this uniform would not suit me, is there?”
“….”
The era when princes and princesses who failed to pass Etoile’s final examination became honorary members was decades past. Now that Etoile status conferred no particular honor, there was no need for such a thing. Yet by that same logic, there had been no need for Charlotte to join Etoile in the first place. For the same reason, who would dare to dissuade her from becoming an honorary Etoile member?
“Your words are correct. However, since you will now return to Loreli Palace, we shall prepare appropriate ceremonial attire for you.”
“No, this is sufficient. This too is ceremonial dress.”
Jeanne, who had long assisted her father and cultivated her sense of political affairs, felt the meaning behind the Princess’s actions and grew uneasy. Princess Charlotte apparently wished to restore Etoile’s honor. Would she rehabilitate them as an elite Royal Guard providing close protection to the Grand Duke, as they once had? She could not be certain, but having spent four years with Etoile, it was hardly surprising that the Princess had become emotionally attached to them.
This was a development highly unfavorable to regional nobles like Count Montroix. For a long time, they had argued that Etoile had become so arrogant as to even encroach upon the Grand Duke’s authority, and had worked to make the Grand Duke distance himself from them.
This situation may have been foreseen from the moment Charlotte sought to join Etoile, and should have been prevented from the start. Yet at that time, no one had believed the young Princess would endure even a single year in Etoile. Moreover, who could have predicted that Grand Duke Bernard would suddenly become as he is now?
And now, of all times, who was the person who had prepared the Etoile ceremonial uniform, as if knowing this would happen?
Jeanne did not believe that Charlotte, merely fifteen years old, had devised such a plan, so she glared at Captain Crupard, Lorang, and the suspicious woman standing behind them before speaking.
“If such is the Princess’s wish, I shall respectfully comply.”
In the end, the matter of escort was resolved with Captain Crupard’s Scout Division protecting Charlotte, while Jeanne’s army followed behind. Jeanne urged the Princess to stay one night in Montagne, but Charlotte refused even this request, saying that the Grand Duke had ordered her swift return.
That afternoon, a remarkably elongated cavalry procession departed Whirlwind Cape. Captain Crupard, leading from the front, waited for Lorang to ride his horse closer after having ridden to the end of the procession for reconnaissance purposes, then spoke.
“How is it?”
“Well, there are no signs of rebellion.”
Though he knew it was meant as a jest, Captain Crupard furrowed his brow seriously.
“Three to one odds don’t sit well with me. Pick out a fast rider and send a request for reinforcements to the Commander. Have them rendezvous with us near Erno Well.”
“Understood. By the way, I’ve been curious since earlier—where did that ceremonial uniform come from?”
Captain Crupard glanced back with a subtle tilt of his chin and spoke.
“That woman.”
During the four days spent on the Island, Nay had the islanders make the dress and presented it. The details were not perfectly identical, but it would be indistinguishable to the eyes of those unfamiliar with Etoile. When Nay presented the box, saying she had brought clothes for the Princess to wear upon her departure, Charlotte had looked confused. But when she actually took them out, she burst into laughter. And she gladly wore the uniform. As a result, Nay came to follow Charlotte.
“She is quite extraordinary.”
“Keep watching her. Make sure she doesn’t do anything suspicious.”
Lorang nodded. As it had been on Island of Apples, ever since their departure, he had remained vigilant every moment, watching the area around the Princess without relaxing his guard. He could not let his mind rest until they stood before the Grand Duke. Perhaps not even after that.
More than Jeanne had perceived, they sensed what Charlotte intended to make of Etoile’s future relationship with her. It was an opportunity Etoile had never anticipated. If they grasped this opportunity well, Etoile could not only reclaim their former position but might even enjoy a golden age greater than before.
For Charlotte too, this was a momentous choice. Though Charlotte possessed sufficient legitimacy by blood to become Grand Duke in the future, without the backing of her mother’s house, she was essentially without a support base in noble society.
If she chose a faction, bowed before them, and sought their aid, anyone would welcome her, but she would inevitably become enemies with other factions. Instead, she builds a new force with Etoile at her back—those who understand internal affairs well and have accumulated four years of goodwill. Could there be a more astute choice? Simultaneously, could there be a choice that would stir greater waves?
This is a colossal gamble. If it fails, both sides will suffer fatal wounds.
“You remember the voice you heard in the cave.”
As Lorang nodded, Crupard continued.
“The story that woman Nay told us—honestly, it’s not easy to believe. That Her Highness possesses some special power. Tales whispered among the islanders in those remote corners, something about serving Pshiki or whatever, those kinds of stories I could simply dismiss as folklore. But this is different, isn’t it?”
“And Her Highness hasn’t been able to summon that power again since then.”
Lorang was right. During the four additional days we spent there, Charlotte had tried desperately to understand the nature of that power, but only caught the faintest traces when Nay assisted her—nothing like the tremendous force that had manifested in the cave. At that level, it would have been simpler to assume Nay was the sorceress rather than Charlotte.
“Nay said Pshiki never speaks. Even the islanders who serve Pshiki have never heard it directly, she said. Yet we heard it. If I alone had heard it, I might think I’d been dreaming, but since you heard it too, that’s different. Why on earth would that be?”
“Perhaps it was meant for Her Highness, not for us? Only she lost consciousness and couldn’t hear it.”
“Perhaps. But I know from fighting that day—that power completely transformed the cave’s terrain and created an aggressive entity. It was no trivial thing, I assure you. For something capable of such tremendous feats to deliberately let us hear it doesn’t seem like mere coincidence. Maybe… maybe they had something to say to us as well?”
“….”
When Lorang didn’t answer immediately, Crupard drove the horse forward in silence for a moment. Then he spoke abruptly.
“When we return, I’m going to propose to the Captain that we establish a permanent Scout Division to support Her Highness.”
Was Crupard thinking along those lines too? Lorang looked at him with surprise, and Crupard smiled broadly before continuing.
“Want to join?”
“….”
An unreadable expression flickered across his face. But soon Lorang laughed and replied.
“No, of course I’m number one, aren’t I? I’m an experienced hand. I’ve already saved Her Highness once, after all.”
“That’s quite an impressive credential. Though from what I recall, Her Highness saved you.”
“Well, that’s true enough. But shouldn’t this kind of experience be mine alone going forward?”
“Yes, let’s hope for that.”
Crupard turned his gaze ahead. He saw the endless rolling hills of pale gold where the autumn harvest had ended, and the sun hanging obliquely above the horizon. The sun that I thought would soon set had been held back by one person, and now there remained only the work of riding forward with all our might. For that, the foremost duty was to protect Charlotte safely.
“Since Her Highness extended her hand first, let us stake Etoile’s fortune on this.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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