Subliminal Wayfarer

Raymond’s expression was serious.

“I will handle this perfectly, ensuring that Your Highness will never be implicated.”

“That’s impossible.”

“It is possible.”

“Stop it. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

Raymond looked like he wanted to argue further but eventually closed his mouth.

Carynne knew that if Raymond said he would do it, he truly could. After all, hadn’t she herself just been tempted by the thought that the fastest solution would be to chop off Gueuze’s head with an axe? Murder was the easiest path.

No matter how powerful the crown prince was, he was still human. Raymond could, without question, kill him if he set his mind to it.

“Yes, give it up, Sir Raymond. You have to think about what comes after.”

In the end, a solution like that would lead only to death.

Such a course of action ignored the aftermath. It was akin to how Carynne had been dragged to the execution platform in the past. She understood that Raymond sometimes displayed an overly single-minded determination, likely because he had lived for so long.

After all, he had seen Lewis killed by Gueuze over a hundred times. The repetition had numbed him—to murder, to the consequences that followed. Death had become distant from life, and reality had lost its weight.

“What do you think will happen to Prince Lewis’s position?”

“Even so, it’s still the best way,” Raymond insisted. “There will be backlash and suspicion, but in time, it will benefit you, Your Highness. The rumors will ultimately strengthen your claim to the throne.”

“Sir Raymond!”

Lewis’s expression hardened.

“Do you not understand what it means to attack someone—someone who hasn’t even made a move yet, who is also my father, and the crown prince of this country?”

Raymond fell silent. A person who lived one life could never share the same perspective as someone who had lived through more than a hundred. Lewis had to be cautious, but that caution was what had led to his death so many times before.

“I need justification. I can’t move against my father without legitimate reason.”

For Lewis to ascend the throne rightfully, he needed to follow due process.

Raymond and Carynne both believed that killing Gueuze would benefit Lewis more than finding justification. But for someone living only one life, it was a different matter entirely. Those around Lewis sighed, deeply troubled.

They knew their enemy. They understood the reasons.

But there was nothing they could do.

There was no justification.

Silence hung heavily over the room. It seemed there were no viable solutions left to discuss. With Lewis rejecting Raymond’s suggestion, there was only one option left.

“In the end, we can only wait for now,” Carynne said. “The crown prince has told me he’ll be giving me orders soon. Won’t there be an opening then?”

“Prince Lewis, this is dangerous. Waiting when you know an attack is coming is not a wise course of action,” Raymond immediately countered.

He wanted to protect Lewis but couldn’t bear the thought of Carynne staying by Gueuze’s side in constant danger. If forced to choose between the two, it would always be Carynne.

But Raymond had already dismissed Lewis too lightly several times before. His expression grew increasingly rigid. Carynne interrupted him.

“I’ll be fine.”

“…I apologize to you, Miss Hare. I appreciate your courage.”

“Your Highness!”

“Enough, Sir Raymond.”

Carynne rose to her feet.

“There isn’t much time left, Your Highness. Crown Prince Gueuze isn’t a patient man. He’ll make his move soon. Until then, please stay safe.”

“Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it.”

Carynne felt no reason to be thanked.

But Raymond wasn’t satisfied and spoke directly to Lewis.

“Your Highness, merely waiting is the path to achieving nothing. People can die for the smallest reasons—an improperly placed towel while they sleep, a fall while riding, or choking on a meal. It’s even more so for someone as young as you. How long do you plan to sit still?”

“I understand.”

“A day or two might be fine. If this tension ends within a year, then that’s acceptable. But Your Highness, Crown Prince Gueuze won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”

“And yet, for now, we must wait.”

“Until your life ends?”

“Raymond!”

Bang!

Carynne slammed her hand against the table, unable to endure any longer, her voice rising.

“Don’t be disrespectful! No matter how emotional you get, there are things that must not be said!”

“Sir Raymond, apologize to His Highness.”

“My apologies, Your Highness, for alarming you. However, my opinion remains unchanged.”

“Sir Raymond!”

Carynne was so frustrated that she felt like forcing Raymond to swallow a sedative.

Wouldn’t he just wake up again after dropping dead anyway?

“Calm down and think rationally.”

“Carynne.”

“Instead of speaking like that, consider the fact that without solid evidence beyond my testimony, there’s nothing to substantiate the claim. And if you were to personally get implicated, you’re aware that Prince Lewis’s head will likely roll as well, right?”

“Miss Carynne Hare!”

The captain of the guard shouted, his voice harsh.

Carynne immediately felt deeply ashamed of herself. She had just scolded Raymond moments ago, only to lose her temper and act the same way.

“…I apologize,” Carynne said, bowing her head, her face red.

Lewis sighed, raising a hand to calm the room.

“We already don’t have much time as it is, so let’s not waste it on unnecessary arguments.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Lewis picked up the teapot himself. Carynne quickly stood, but Lewis waved her away, declining her assistance, and poured tea for himself. He added even more sugar than before, making the tea look syrupy, and frowned as he took a sip. He downed two more cups in succession before speaking again.

“…If I were to decide that I don’t want to be king, would Father leave me alone?”

“……”

The room fell silent. Lewis let out a bitter laugh.

“Sorry, that was a foolish thing to say.”

“You’re still at an age where such thoughts are understandable.”

But no one denied that it was foolish. Lewis nodded grimly. Gueuze was never going to stop trying to kill him, and Lewis was in no position to beg for mercy by claiming he had no desire for the throne.

Though Lewis was still protected by the aging king, no one knew how much longer his grandfather, who was bedridden and on the verge of death, could shield him.

There were duties and responsibilities that came with being born into royalty—inescapable burdens. Yet sometimes, Lewis just wanted to leave it all behind. The thought that every aspect of his life, from his birth to his daily breathing, was tied to someone else’s expectations and intentions suffocated him.

He didn’t wish for a free life, but he longed for basic safety. He didn’t want close noble allies to vanish one day without warning, his beloved pets to die mysteriously, or his food to be taste-tested for poison at every meal.

“This won’t end until my father dies…”

Lewis frowned at the overly sweet tea, his expression twisted with frustration.

After long contemplation, Lewis made his decision.

“I want to speak openly. I want to bring Father down in front of more people.”

Prince Lewis sought a public reckoning.

 

* * *

 

“Absolutely not. Tell him it’s out of the question.”

“Your Excellency.”

“Sir Raymond, how could you let such an idea even reach His Highness? You should have stopped it yourself.”

Marquis Penceir glared at Raymond in disbelief.

“Do you have any idea how preposterous this is? Revealing royal scandals to the public? Murders that happened inside the palace? And to a large audience, no less? Tell him to stop such nonsense immediately.”

Being of royal lineage himself, Marquis Penceir was particularly sensitive to exposing the royal family’s flaws.

“Prince Lewis is in danger.”

“That’s why we’ve placed as many trustworthy people as possible around him. Gueuze isn’t a fool. Publicizing such a scandal would only tarnish Prince Lewis’s reputation in the long run. And who’s to say anyone would believe it? What’s the source of this claim, anyway?”

“My fiancée.”

Marquis Penceir worked hard to maintain a neutral expression.

“And who is your fiancée?”

“Miss Carynne Hare, Crown Prince Gueuze’s mistress. She was personally dragged into the basement and overheard Crown Prince Gueuze’s plans.”

“…Carynne Hare, you say…”

“Yes, the daughter of Catherine Nora Enide.”

Marquis Penceir let out a heavy sigh.

“For a while, I’ve been so busy with estate matters that I’ve stayed out of high society. Ha… so that’s what happened. He took that woman’s daughter as a mistress. Now I understand why people were whispering. I thought it was just because it was a particularly young mistress…”

Marquis Penceir recalled the rumors he had dismissed, piecing them together. Stories about Crown Prince Gueuze taking an unmarried woman as his mistress and letting her reside in the crown princess’s quarters.

That alone was deeply immoral, but Gueuze had never been one to restrain himself because of gossip. Marquis Penceir had decided not to pay attention, thinking it was just another of Gueuze’s whims. A mistress was just a mistress, after all.

“This poison was given to her by Crown Prince Gueuze. He ordered her to use it on Prince Lewis when he gives the command.”

Raymond produced a vial from his coat and handed it to Marquis Penceir. The marquis held up the small crystal vial, examining it. The clear liquid inside looked no different from water.

“Is this all of it?”

“The rest is with the captain of the guard. He sent it to Prince Lewis’s physician to check for toxicity.”

“And the results?”

“A mastiff, the size of a calf, collapsed instantly after a single drop.”

“……”

Marquis Penceir sighed repeatedly as he studied the vial Raymond handed him. This wasn’t something that could be dismissed as a joke. The grace period was over. The time for silently watching each other and waiting had passed.

“I’ll need to move Prince Lewis to my estate soon.”

“To the main estate?”

“No, my main estate at the border is too dangerous. I’ll take him to my summer villa in the north for safety. What’s wrong?”

Raymond’s expression was uneasy.

“Prince Lewis desires public disclosure. Shouldn’t His Highness address the nobles directly?”

“That’s absurd.”

Marquis Penceir dismissed the notion immediately.

“How old do you think Prince Lewis is? If he succeeds Crown Prince Gueuze, he’ll ascend the throne at 12 years old. That kind of accession hasn’t happened since the founding era. Who would swear loyalty to a king who’s barely more than a child?”

“If you wait a few years, he’ll undoubtedly become a great king.”

“A great king isn’t made by personal virtue alone.”

Penceir scoffed.

“No matter what, he’ll need a regent for some time after ascending. That means I’ll have to stay by his side for those years. It’s better for me to take on the unpleasant tasks. I don’t intend to remain in the royal family, so I bear no burden in doing so.”

“Your Excellency.”

“Regardless, Crown Prince Gueuze is Prince Lewis’s father. We must minimize any attacks on Prince Lewis that could stem from this.”

“…But.”

“I’ll take the dishonor myself.”

Marquis Penceir was resolute.

But he would fail.

 

“Gueuze killed Lewis.”

 

Marquis Penceir’s deep conservatism made him fear the changes that bold decisions could bring. His experience with noble opposition had made him cautious, and his border estate required strict adherence to principles and conservatism.

That was why he consistently failed to save Lewis.

“I wish to respect Prince Lewis’s decision.”

“So you believe it’s right to place such a burden on a 12-year-old? To let him bear the reputation of being a son who overthrew his father?”

“That’s also Prince Lewis’s responsibility.”

“How cruel. I didn’t expect to hear such words from you of all people.”

Raymond fell silent.

His opposition stemmed from knowing what the future held. Having witnessed Prince Lewis’s repeated deaths, Raymond could only propose such arguments.

How could he persuade the marquis? Penceir’s insistence didn’t come from personal ambition but from genuine concern for Lewis’s safety.

There was only one answer.

“Understood.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Ensure Prince Lewis’s safety for one week. After that, we’ll focus on relocating him and figuring out the next steps.”

I’ll have to proceed without his approval.

Raymond made up his mind.

One week would be enough.