Now, Go Ahead And Stamp It

This is chapter 13! I mistyped the previous chapter name sorry.

<Dear Prince Caden Istacio.

The weather has warmed up considerably, and we are now experiencing pink flurries in our realm.
Fortunately, we have talked about importing food from Bellenios, which shares an eastern border with Istacio.
The main items are flour and cornmeal, and potatoes that will be grown by farmers in Istacio.
That’s enough to feed about three million people for four months, if there are no major problems with cultivation.
This should cushion the blow somewhat if wheat production drops by half.
Our preparations are well underway, and all that remains is to hope that things go smoothly for your Majesty.
If you need anything else, please reach out to me through your scouting.
Until we meet again, stay well.
—Posted by a person of Istacio, Ellen Kryant.>

“… I can’t believe you actually imported that much food.”

Caden stared at the letter in his hand with weary eyes.

No one travels to another country and imports that much food based on their own projections.

And the fact that it had been accomplished in such a short period of time could only mean that she had already picked the right people with all the information.

How much information does she have in her head to make such a judgment?

“That’s one hell of an execution.”

Caden opened the drawer where he kept his stationery and envelopes.

“Well, then, in honor of that execution, I’ll write back to you…”

He dabbed some ink on the tip of his pen and began to compose a reply in his most fluid handwriting.

<That favor is gratefully accepted, and I will meet you at the hotel as soon as possible.
—Caden Istacio.>

He poured beeswax in a habitual motion, and tilted his head in a strange sense of déjà vu.

It seems like something is coming to mind.

Caden frowned for a moment, then eyed the envelope.

‘Come to think of it, it’s from Lady Kryant…’

He finally realized the source of his eerie feeling.

‘I think I’ve seen something pale like this recently,’ he said, and his thoughts quickly turned to the realization that Ellen’s hair was exactly this color.

‘That woman strikes even from a corner like this.’

He flicked off the seal, remembering Ellen’s recent stressful behavior.

He wondered how a woman with such a pronounced presence could have lived so quietly and unnoticed for so long.

“What should I do with that questionable woman…”

Caden muttered to himself as he finished sealing the envelope.

He had just returned from his errands when he heard the chamberlain open the door and enter.

“Ah, you’re just in time, you go and mail this.”

Caden said, waving the letter envelope he was holding.

He dutifully ignored the chamberlain’s shouted exclamation upon seeing him–’Your Highness, posture. I’m afraid someone might see you!’–and went straight to his request.

“Letters. Now. Quickly.”

Caden snapped, thrusting the envelope he was holding forward.

The chamberlain eventually went out to mail the letter, crying and fumbling, and one day, many days later, a letter flew to the palace.

<At the place of courtesy.>

The letter was even shorter than the one Kayden had sent, with only two words.

* * *

The faces of the knights, who had been swept up in the crown prince’s tyranny and were still helping him with his unofficial outings today, were not pleased.

“When will His Highness abandon his recklessness…”

Lord Terriod Cheshire grumbled as if to be heard.

“Hold your tongue, Ted.”

Morris Cohenheim, who heard it, scolded him.”

But he did not deny that the crown prince was a reckless man.

“You are both very disloyal subjects. And it’s not like I’m out to do anything bad, I’m out to do what I think is best for this empire.”

“No, Your Highness, you don’t think of us, the people of this empire, do you?”

Terriod exclaimed, sounding incredulous at Caden’s snide remark.

He continued to complain, saying, ‘Whether it’s a holiday or a workday, my boss calls me whenever he wants. It makes me want to cry. And I’m not even doing anything wrong; I’m just going out for the sake of the Empire.’ He kept complaining until Morris, who had stayed silent until now, said a word.

“Please, Your Highness, it’s not too late!”

“Terriod!”

“… Alright, I’ll stop both of you.”

Caden sighed wearily.

Whatever the commotion inside, the carriage raced toward its destination and soon reached the meeting place.

Thud thud.

The carriage came to a stop, the door opened, and a well-dressed man stepped out.

He looked around for a moment, then made eye contact with a woman sitting on the hotel terrace.

“Whoa, Ted?”

Ellen called out to him in surprise, and he smiled at her, seemingly forgetting the argument in the carriage.

“Ellen.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you like this.”

“I know. We weren’t in a position to greet each other last time.”

Terriod smiled softly and held out an arm for an escort.

“You sent a letter, didn’t you? I’m here to pick you up.”

Cheshire was a place frequented by Kryant.

As a result, they had met often since childhood, and Cheshire’s brother and sister could be considered Ellen’s childhood friends.

“I wondered if you were coming along today too, since you were with His Highness last time. And here you are with us today.”

When Ellen placed a hand on his arm in small admiration, the Terriod shrugged, the center of his eyebrows arched skyward.

“It wasn’t voluntary, but I saw you because of it, so let’s pretend it doesn’t matter.”

“It wasn’t voluntary. Such wickedness exists in the world.”

“I don’t mind, but let’s get going. His Highness is waiting.”

He took the hand that rested on his arm, very gently, as he had done as a child.

When thry reached the front of the carriage, he wrapped his arms around Ellen and lifted her into the empty seat.

“Ted?”

“What. Did you bump into something?”

“Nope. I just wanted to let you know that I’m old enough to ride a carriage by myself.”

“Haha, okay. I’ll pay attention in the future.”

Terriod replied with a smile, perhaps thinking she was complaining.

Taking a seat next to Ellen, he instructed the coachman to set off.

The carriage rolled along the paved road, smooth and unwavering.

Ellen looked across the narrow space in the center of the carriage at the man who had brought her to the capital.

“Your Highness, how are you?”

“I am always well. You must have traveled a long way, young lady. How did you fare?”

“Yes. I had a great time.”

He asked about the journey to Bellenios, obviously curious about the details of this negotiation.

Ellen stifled a chuckle.

‘The more curious you are, the better. You’ll think more highly of me.’

Ellen merely smirked, then changed the subject.

“But more than that, Your Highness, why did you summon me?”

“Ah. If that’s the case…”

Caden, who had been leaning against the carriage’s backrest, jerked his upper body upright with a light bounce.

He opened the lid of the carriage chair and handed over a wad of paper.

“I’ve been doing some research based on what the lady told me the other day, and I was hoping you could give me some pointers as to where we should prioritize.”

“Aha.”

With a mild exclamation, Ellen flipped through the stack of papers she’d been handed.

Ah, I’ve got this one. I’ve got this one. This is as far as I can get. This one’s empty in the middle. Why isn’t that there? Did I not find it at all…

As Ellen reads the investigation report, Caden sits down next to her and adds a brief explanation.

“I went through the inside of the organization from the bottom, but there was a lot of information, but the true core information was not caught well.”

“I see.”

When she affirmed in all seriousness that the report had no substance, Caden’s face turned a little odd.

“I’m sure you’re right… Hmm. So what I’m asking you to do is, if there’s any other advanced information you know, release it before we lose any more time. Anything big, aside from the trivial stuff like last time?”

“What do you mean, a big one?”

“Information that is very close enough to reach the person you call the darkness.”

“That would be dangerous.”

“If you only lick the surface without waiting for the fruit to ripen completely, it will become even more dangerous1.”

“If anything goes wrong with Your Highness, I stand to lose just as much. So let’s be safe.”

Caden sighed as Ellen quickly declined.

“Lady Kryant.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“If you’re going to make me wait like this, why the hell did you show me that? How long did you think I would let them run wild?”

“…”

“If you’re refusing because you’re thinking that, as I mentioned last time, you should have at least one backup plan.”

He rummaged through his clothes and pulled out a small case. It was a very small object, the size of a ring.

“Let’s do this instead.”

Ellen took the box wordlessly.

It looked familiar.

The familiarity made her think she recognized the object from somewhere.

Unable to recall what it was, Ellen opened the box on the spot.

She saw a thick, dark green velvet cloth laid down to protect the item.

In the middle of it was a ring with a red gemstone that looked a bit old.

“… Is this, the Imperial family’s?”

“It’s an imperial treasure, one that would normally belong to the princess.”

“Why would you give me something like this…?”

“I told you that you are the master of the information you unravel. If you have it, at least you won’t have to worry about what’s going on. Cheshire and Coenheim, who are here now, serve as witnesses.”

“…”

Ellen was left speechless by his unexpected outburst of consideration.

She stiffened at the fragment of her past she was unwillingly confronted with.

‘To think this ring has come back to me, even in this life.’

It was, at least for her, an unforgettable object.

1

to not be impatient and make hasty decisions