Reincarnated User Manual

Chapter 265: Rien (2)

Chapter 265: Rien (2)

“Why am I the only one being discriminated against? It’s really unfair…”

Lucia muttered as she stepped out of the annex. Her face was slightly flushed, perhaps due to being turned away at the door. She kicked at the stones, huffing and making sounds like “Hmph!” and “Tsk-”, looking very much like a sulking girl.

“What? He told me not to stay here and to go take Victor’s wife home? Does he think I’m his errand girl?”

Despite her grumbling, Lucia’s steps were heading towards the mansion, passing through the training grounds.

Even though she complained, Lucia couldn’t bring herself to refuse Shiron’s request.

Shiron had always been cold by nature, but Lucia knew well how much he had suffered up until now.

‘…Maybe if he gets some sleep, he’ll treat me a bit more kindly.’

People became irritable without proper sleep and rest. Moreover, Shiron had lost a leg and endured great hardships during this ordeal.

He had been working tirelessly for weeks in that condition, so his nerves must be frayed.

‘Yes, as the adult here, I should understand. After all, Shiron is still in his early twenties, isn’t he? Even considering past lives, I’m still the older sister!’

Perhaps because she was considering things from Shiron’s perspective, Lucia’s steps became lighter as she ascended the stairs. She was even humming a tune as she knocked on the guest room door.

“Miss Lucia? What brings you here?”

Louise greeted Lucia with a fresh smile as she opened the door suddenly.

Perhaps because they had shared meals and baths together over the past few weeks, Louise didn’t feel uncomfortable interacting with Lucia.

“Shiron asked me to take you to the Imperial Palace.”

“Sir Shiron?”

“Yes, he was wondering why you haven’t left yet after all these weeks.”

Lucia delivered the truth to Louise in a straightforward manner.

She wondered if she had spoken too casually for someone of her rank, but Lucia also thought it was about time for Louise to return to the palace.

It had been twenty days since Louise had returned via Seira’s teleportation, and she hadn’t stepped outside even once.

“We came by teleportation, but Shiron traveled all the way across the border. You really need to leave now.”

“…I was actually just about to start preparing to go.”

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

“Do you dislike going back to the Imperial Palace?”

Lucia asked as she plopped down beside Louise. Louise responded with an awkward smile.

“…Why would you say that?”

“It’s just that, during your entire stay at the mansion, you haven’t even left your room, let alone gone outside. It’s only natural for me to think that.”

“…That’s strange.”

Louise chuckled as she quickly came up with an excuse.

“It takes at least a month to travel from the Great Plains to the Empire, even at the fastest pace. The military command must have reported my disappearance to His Majesty, and if I suddenly appeared right after they reported it, what kind of questioning do you think would follow?”

“Go on.”

“…The person who made the report would be in serious trouble, and perhaps the legendary magic of teleportation would become known to the world. Then, all kinds of magicians would be knocking on the doors of the Prient family mansion. Wouldn’t that be quite troublesome?”

It was a perfect excuse, even when she thought about it herself. Considering the political implications, as well as the troublesome situations that could arise in the future…

Thump, thump-thump-

But there was no way to control her irregular heartbeat. Lucia nodded with a nonchalant expression.

“Then I’ll take you there as soon as you’re ready.”

There was clearly something going on, but since Louise denied it, it would be rude to pry further.

Lucia suddenly stood up and extended her hand to the empress.

“Do you have everything you need?”

“Are we leaving right now?”

“Of course. Oh, do you need a proper escort? If so, I’ll have to inform my uncle.”

“…No need.”

Louise shook her head and took Lucia’s hand.

“Oh, by the way, could I meet with Sir Shiron before we leave?”

“…Why?”

“I wanted to thank him. He saved my life, and I feel I owe him for all the help he provided in the labyrinth.”

Louise said as she buttoned up her dress. Over the past month or so, she had grown accustomed to a life without attendants.

‘What’s this? Has he even charmed a married woman now?’

For a moment, an absurd thought crossed Lucia’s mind, but she quickly dismissed it. According to Siriel, the empress had viewed Shiron as a rival due to the emperor’s rumored homosexual inclinations.

…Even though she claimed she owed him her life, Lucia couldn’t let her guard down.

‘Well, Shiron is a much better man than a playboy like Victor.’

“I’m sorry, but that might be difficult.”

Lucia decided to refuse indirectly.

“I just saw Shiron, and he looked so sick that he needed to rest immediately. I think you’ll have to wait until next time.”

“I see. I hope he recovers soon.”

Louise nodded quietly.

‘It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.’

That was the extent of her current thoughts.

---

The Empire, with a history spanning roughly 500 years. The Imperial Palace, which had stood through that majestic history, was currently experiencing unprecedented turmoil.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

It all started with the news that the empress had gone missing. Victor learned of this fact two days ago when a knight, gasping as if his life depended on it, rushed in with the report.

The Alhyeon Room was in an uproar.

The empress had gone missing due to an unknown assailant. The mere fact was shocking enough, but the fact that Siriel Prient, Hugo Prient, and even Shiron Prient, the Empire’s greatest swordsman, had been present yet failed to prevent it left them utterly at a loss as to how to comprehend or navigate this situation.

Of course, they hadn’t been idle.

The Imperial Council had mobilized the Empire’s most renowned scholars to resolve the situation, and even the ministers, who had been entrenched in factional disputes, came together to try to solve the problem.

However, given the nature of the situation, they couldn’t propose a proper solution. It might seem incompetent, but it was unavoidable.

The enemy was an apostle of an evil god mentioned only in myths. The existence of such an enemy, far beyond the level of hostile nations or cultists they had faced before, made even the idea of responding as mere humans seem arrogant.

In the end, the council meetings, which had continued for two days straight, were engulfed in chaos.

There was a majority opinion to immediately organize a search party. A minority opinion to launch an all-out war to annihilate the cultists and barbarians. Criticism of the military for returning without resolving the situation. Criticism of Viscount Biscont for sending the empress to the battlefield in the first place.

Despite their lofty wisdom and status, humans were emotional creatures who couldn’t separate themselves from their feelings, and Victor, who was trying to mediate the heated debates in the Alhyeon Room, was on the verge of vomiting blood from the stress.

…The fact that Victor’s stomach didn’t churn further meant that it no longer needed to be churned.

Bang!

The door to the Alhyeon Room, where the loud voices had been echoing, was flung open. A knight, who had rushed in, brushed past the ministers and prostrated himself.

“Your Majesty! Her Highness…!”

Before the knight could be reprimanded by the ministers, he reported the situation outside.

Just two days after the news of the Empress Consort’s disappearance, she had returned to the palace.

“…The Imperial Council… shall now be adjourned.”

“Yes, yes! That would be wise.”

The seasoned ministers, seeing the emperor in a state of shock, hastily exited the Alhyeon Room.

The younger, more hot-blooded officials wore expressions of dissatisfaction but were dragged out by the older ministers.

“Is it really okay to end things like this?”

“It is. The Empress Consort, the cause of the problem, has returned to the palace, has she not?”

“That may be true, but…”

“What exactly are you dissatisfied with, Professor? Do you have multiple lives? If you wish to be beheaded in the Alhyeon Room, I won’t stop you.”

“N-No, that’s not it! It just seems like everything ended too impulsively, based solely on His Majesty’s mood. We haven’t even set the agenda for the next meeting…”

The young man, now deflated, was Professor Flake, who had just crossed the threshold of the Alhyeon Room. The experienced ministers grabbed him by the collar and dragged him along.

“Follow quietly! This is why rookies with little political experience are a problem. Tsk tsk.”

“Did you not see the situation just now? His Majesty’s cold sigh?”

“We’ve shown our most disgraceful sides for two days straight. If we show any more incompetence, that person won’t be able to escape responsibility.”

…Such murmurs were audible from behind the marble walls.

‘Victor, is he really planning to stage a beheading show in the Alhyeon Room?’

Lucia, who had been listening, felt disgusted.

Now she understood why Louise hadn’t wanted to return to the Imperial Palace.

‘Compared to such a harsh place, my home is definitely better.’

“Miss Lucia? What are you doing there?”

Louise, who was walking down the corridor, spoke to Lucia, who had stopped. Lucia let out a deep sigh and hugged Louise tightly.

“Feel free to visit anytime.”

“…What?”

“Or, invite me to the harem whenever you want. I can keep you company.”

“Oh, come on…”

As Lucia babbled nonsensically, the two of them reached the doorstep of the Alhyeon Room.

As the massive door slowly opened, a blond young man with a gentle demeanor was seen walking towards them.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

Victor said as he clasped both of Louise’s hands.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for causing you worry.”

Louise bowed her head with a bitter smile. Victor hugged her and patted her gently. Then, he released her from the embrace and looked at Lucia.

“Lucia, how can I possibly express my gratitude…”

“It wasn’t me.”

Lucia shook her head, denying it.

“The Apostle was dealt with by the head of the family, and Shiron saved Lady Louise. Even if dealing with the Apostle was our family’s duty, Shiron lost his leg because of this. You should properly thank him.”

“What?! His leg was severed?”

“Well… It’s reattached now, but that doesn’t erase the fact that it was cut off.”

“I-I see.”

Victor let out a sigh of relief, patting his chest.

Lucia tilted her head slightly.

Though it was understandable that Victor’s tone had softened, he seemed to show more emotion when talking about Shiron than when he hugged Louise earlier.

“Then, could you convey my regards to Shiron? Tell him I’m grateful, and that I can never repay his kindness…”

“Anyway, Victor, could we talk?”

Lucia grabbed Victor by the shoulders and glanced at the woman behind him.

‘As I thought…’

Even though she was trying to maintain a composed expression, she couldn’t hide the deep-seated disappointment.

Lucia whispered into Victor’s ear.

“Isn’t it a bit too much to ignore her so openly? You haven’t seen each other in a long time. Shouldn’t you at least kiss her or something?”

“…”

“Or are you trying to discipline Louise for recklessly heading out with the expedition? If you’re neglecting her to punish her, that’s not exactly pleasant…”

“W-What are you talking about!”

Victor, startled, hurriedly pushed Lucia out of the Alhyeon Room.

Was he embarrassed to show affection in front of others? Lucia simply thought Victor was too shy.