[262] The Truth Revealed (7)
The students who had been badmouthing Shirone whispered with pale faces.
"What is going on? Why would Shirone—?"
"No idea. The first prince? Of all people, from the Kazra Kingdom?"
"Hah. Well, with Shirone's talent, there's no way he'd be a commoner."
Someone's remark hit the mark and everyone fell silent as if their tongues had been glued.
Come to think of it, it was the obvious conclusion.
There's no rule that a genius can't be born to a commoner family, but talent is often hereditary. Most of the students had inherited their brilliance from their parents.
They finally grasped what they'd overlooked.
Just because Shirone had been raised by commoners didn't guarantee his bloodline was common as well.
If his biological parents had been commoners, they wouldn't have been the sort to sneak into the deep mountains, leave a child behind, and never come back.
"Hey, what do we do? Kazra's an allied kingdom, right? Could Shirone really become Kazra's king? What if he comes after us?"
"Idiot! It's not even confirmed yet! No need to freak out."
"Not confirmed? Do you really think the kingdom would announce something like this without investigating? It wasn't just hearsay. They kept investigating until they were sure—that's why Kazra sent an envoy."
That was likely true.
This wasn't some random rumor; it was a letter sent directly by the king. If, by any chance, Shirone wasn't their son, it would be a national disgrace.
Announcing it so publicly meant the leadership was more than ninety-nine percent sure.
"It's over! Ah, damn! We're done for!"
Nayd watched his friends sulking and felt a private satisfaction.
Of course Shirone wouldn't harm them even if he became king.
If he really became king, he wouldn't bother with people petty enough to hold grudges over small things.
Still, it's hard to feel reassured when you're the one on the receiving end.
Even first-rank nobles lived off the state. There were transnational houses in the world, but most nobles were mere retainers of a king. Now that Shirone might become royalty, the students felt uneasy and weighed down.
"Answer quickly, Shirone! It is the king's command!"
Ordos shouted again when Shirone didn't give a clear reply.
But Shirone genuinely didn't know what decision he was supposed to make.
He had only fought Dante.
That had been turned into an article by Killine and spread across the kingdom.
That was as far as Shirone had imagined it would go.
He never expected his birth parents to read that article and come looking for him.
And if those parents turned out to be royalty rather than nobles, it was no wonder his head felt numb.
Shirone searched for someone who could explain the situation.
Most students looked stunned, and Nayd and Iruki had no useful advice either.
If your birth parents want to find you, what could your friends say? It's a family matter, and this involved royalty.
Alpheas glanced at Oliva.
He had expected Killine's article to cause ripples, but this was far bigger than he'd anticipated.
"Kazra Kingdom, huh. That's the biggest catch among the candidates so far."
"Their credibility must be high. From what I've seen, Shirone's talent isn't ordinary. I thought maybe his parents might really track him down after that article, but I never imagined they'd be royalty…"
She hadn't told Shirone, but after Killine's article ran, several houses had quietly inquired about Shirone's identity.
Because of frequent political marriages among the nobility, there were surprisingly many illegitimate children. Most abandoned kids were ignored, but if one was the kingdom's greatest talent, that changed things. Even if a few details didn't match, nobles had the arrogance to convince themselves the child was theirs.
"Eek! No way! Shirone's a prince! This is exactly like the story I imagined! Amy, look—do you see the goosebumps? Look, look!"
Seriel had already drifted off into another world.
Shirone being a prince—this was the kind of romance no book could replace.
"Oh? If that's the case…"
Seriel suddenly realized something and turned to Amy with a surprised face.
"Amy! You'll be queen then?"
"Shut up! What are you talking about?"
Amy shut her up with a fierce look.
With everything already so complicated, Seriel's chatter was just noise. Whether Shirone was royal or not didn't matter to Amy; she only worried about him being thrown into confusion when meeting his birth parents.
Shirone met Amy's eyes.
Seeing him on the verge of tears, Amy looked at him with pity.
It was the king's command—he had no choice but to obey.
Shirone must know that. He only wanted reassurance that his choice would be right.
Amy nodded.
Shirone stared at her as if asking again, and only after seeing Amy's smile did he turn to Ordos.
"Yes. I will accept the king's summons."
Ordos approached him as if that was only natural.
"Royal protocol differs from noble etiquette. Kazra's customs, in particular, are strict—mind your conduct. Take a leave of absence from the school, then bring the parents who raised you."
"Huh? Right now?"
"What's the point of asking? It is the king's command! You should leave as soon as possible!"
Shirone felt his vision go dark.
He had never heard of Kazra's customs, and the idea of suddenly taking leave and going home felt stifling.
Above all, he had no idea what procedures awaited him in the kingdom.
They wouldn't tell him even if he asked, but he should at least know the basics to avoid mistakes, right?
"Um… if you could give me a little time…!"
"Aha! You brat! Do you mean to defy the king's command?!"
Shirone clamped his mouth shut.
What stung most was Ordos's attitude.
As an administrative official of the kingdom, a high-handed manner could be expected, but what really hurt Shirone was the rolled-up royal decree.
If they were truly his birth parents… he thought they had no right to summon a child they'd left for eighteen years in this manner.
He didn't expect an apology, but if they felt any conscience they should at least show some consideration—for the parents who had raised him.
Alpheas nudged Oliva's side.
"You'll have to step in. This won't go anywhere like this."
"Hmm…"
Oliva was ready to intervene if necessary.
Kazra's strictness compared to Tormia stemmed from having become independent only a hundred years ago.
Even so, Ordos's demeanor toward people who had come to fetch their supposed child was excessive.
It probably wasn't the royal family's instruction. Given that they'd likely be told to accommodate Shirone as much as possible, Ordos's attitude seemed to be his own—he was just that kind of man.
A strict nature might help in work, but treating someone who might soon be a prince so presumptuously was, to put it kindly, upright; to put it poorly, arrogant.
"Then at least give us one day. My foster parents don't know anything. We need at least a day to persuade them."
Ordos's face flushed.
He was notorious for a sour temper, but even at home he wouldn't be this inflexible. This, however, was Tormia—the rival kingdom disguised as an ally—and a magic school watched by nobles. If he lost his composure here, Kazra's reputation would suffer.
It was unfortunate for Shirone, but Ordos was simply being loyal to his country.
Besides, Shirone's foster parents were commoners. Even for a noble, having to wait to collect commoners would bruise his pride.
"I cannot permit it. The king's command is absolute! Therefore, immediately—!"
At that moment, a voice came from the main gate.
"We have already verified the identity of Shirone's parents."
As the crowd parted, Shirone's eyes widened.
An unexpected person was walking forward.
Before anyone could ask who she was, the students were struck by her beauty.
A slim figure with a small face, her features were clear and striking; her sea-blue hair flowed in soft waves from the perm.
"Wow, she's beautiful. Who is she?"
"Huh? I know her. She's a hugely famous musician from the kingdom."
Shirone stared at her dazedly.
It was Ozent Reina, Rian's older sister.
Beside her stood deputy butler Temuran, his gaze sharp.
Reina ignored Shirone and walked straight toward Ordos.
"Hello, Mr. Ordos. I've heard of your reputation."
Ordos was annoyed at the interruption.
But Reina's bearing carried an unmistakable aristocratic air, so he couldn't raise his voice.
"Who are you?"
"I am Reina of the Ozent family. I'm the proxy for the head of the Ozent household, Bishop Ozent, and I've come as Shirone's legal representative."
Ordos at least knew the Ozent name; they were a reputable martial house.
As the household head's proxy, he couldn't keep up the earlier cold attitude.
"Very well. Then let us discuss the process of transferring Shirone. First—"
"First."
Reina cut him off.
"I request three days to prepare. Shirone is a guest invited by the kingdom and has not learned Kazra etiquette. The Ozent household's steward, Luis, departed for Kazra yesterday. If we discuss entry procedures there, it won't be wasted time. In the meantime, we will teach Shirone Kazra's manners. Also, henceforth all matters concerning Shirone should proceed through the Ozent household's dedicated team."
"Hmm."
Ordos pondered.
He had tried to secure Shirone quickly through personal measures, but with a representative present he could no longer steamroll the matter with authority. It had become a diplomatic issue.
Since the Ozent family offered to prepare, it was proper for him to return and discuss administrative details with Luis.
"Very well. I'll leave this matter in your hands. If anything comes up, consult with my deputy Daltos here. I will return to Kazra and convey your words."
"Yes. Then we'll see you at the royal castle."
After the customary salutations, Ordos boarded his carriage.
As when he arrived, the knights turned in ostentatious motions and escorted the carriage away.
Shirone felt dazed at how quickly it was all over. Then, seeing Reina, tears of relief welled in his eyes.
Ordos's bluster had left him reeling, and Reina's arrival felt like salvation.
"Reina—"
Shirone called, but Reina was still consulting seriously with Temuran.
She pointed to some documents and gave instructions; Temuran nodded and stepped back.
Only then did Reina turn and approach Shirone.
The closer she came, the more her businesslike expression softened, and her bright smile returned.
She winked at Shirone and spoke in her cheerful voice.
"Long time no see, Shirone. How have you been?"
The Ozent Family's Circumstances (1)
Four days before Ordos came for Shirone, Reina had visited the Kaizen Sword School where Rian studied.
She held a crumpled midterm report card and wore a face full of ire.
After completing the formalities, she went straight to the teachers' office and finally found him.
It was Kuan, Rian's personal instructor.
He had made his name on the battlefield before his injury, but that mattered little to her mood now.
How could Rian be at the bottom of the class?
She had hoped that after frolicking on Galliant Island he'd at least show some improvement in swordsmanship, but the school's evaluation was a flat fail.