Tensei Oujo wa Kyou mo Hata o Tatakioru Chapter 136The Eccentric Prince’s Meeting (2)

On that day, Grenze was full of fanfare.

The people warmly welcomed back their returning loved ones who they thought they would never see again and had lost all hope for: their friends, their lovers, and their neighbours. It would be absolutely impossible to not be joyful at this scene.

The gate opened wide to let in the carriages. One of the carriages stopped and opened its doors, and someone ran towards it as soon as they saw the figure that emerged. Then so did another, and another; countless people surrounded the carriage in no time flat. The townspeople were embracing each other in joy. I was watching from a distance so I couldn’t make out their expressions clearly, but I knew they all carried delighted smiles. As I watched on, the corners of my mouth unknowingly curved upwards, joining them.

A short while after, the crowd parted, and the western knights appeared on horseback along with a carriage under their protection.

“Princess!”

A child shouted. The adults around them quickly rushed to hush the child, but to no avail. The child called for the princess again and again.

Soon, every child in the vicinity did the same. When pitted against children’s curiosities, it was meaningless for any adult to try and stop them.

The caravan had to stop for the children so that they wouldn’t get run over by the horses.

The curtain covering the carriage window was pulled open, and someone appeared from the inside. I could barely make out the waving gesture from within.

That was enough to create another wave of cheers all round.

Waving from within the carriage was no other than the “princess” the children were chanting for earlier.

Her Highness Princess Rosemarie von Wervard of the Nebel Kingdom.

She had been the talk of the town for the whole month of January.

She appeared gallantly when her neighbouring country was in crisis and had begun nursing the sick despite her status. Through the eyes of the people, she was a saint through and through.

She and her brother’s popularity soared within the walls of Grenze. It wouldn’t be long before the rumours of their feat are sung across the country by bards in the future.

When I thought that, I had a strange feeling.

It felt like I was stepping into the first page of a grand story, causing my back to naturally straighten at the prospect.

“Your Highness Nacht.”

While I was lost in thought, a guard called for me.

The carriages below started moving again before I had realised, so I headed back indoors, away from the balcony.

********

The girl who had shown up just in the nick of time was smiling, and with such a lovely appearance to match, you could only describe her as a fairytale princess.

If she were to be the protagonist of her own story, then it will undoubtedly make for an unusual ending. But if that tale truly does exist, I wish to read it. I left that thought in the corner of my mind.

First, I would like you to get some good rest.

Though that was what I desired, Johan insisted on meeting Sir Geisster no matter what. Her Highness Princess Rosemarie also wished to join us along with a pharmacist. This was a heaven-sent opportunity.

The dozens of people who returned with the princess all had shared characteristics of ash-grey hair and honey-coloured eyes. They were called the ‘Kua’ and were a family of pharmacists living secluded deep within the mountains of Flamme, just as Sir Geisster had guessed.

Even the eyes of an amateur like me could see that Sir Geisster’s condition was serious.

Though if it’s the miracle clan, they might be able to do something, I hoped.

“…It has been some time, Lord Heinz.”

Sir Geisster, upon seeing Johan, immediately gave his usual gentle smile.

He was so happy to see Johan again that he quickly grabbed hold of Johan’s hands.

“They’ve gotten so much bigger… You’ve become a fine young man.”

“Even more than you, Lord Heinz?”

Johan replied with a mischievous smile causing Sir Geisster to burst out laughing.

“You’re ten years too early!”

With that playful atmosphere, Princess Rosmarie relaxed her face.

Picking up her small laugh, Sir Geisster then turned towards her.

“Master Johan, the princess over there, could she be-?”

“She’s my elder sister.”

“It is an honour to meet you. My name is Rosemarie von Wervard.”

“Nice to meet you too, lovely princess. I’m called Heinz von Geisster. I’ve heard a lot about you from Johan.”

Hearing so, Princess Rosemarie could only return a troubled smile.

“Please don’t believe too much of what he says. Johan looks up to me since I’m his elder sister, so he tends to exaggerate in places.”

“I’m not exaggerating. You are truly a wonderful person, Sister.”

“See? Like that.”

Sir Geisster’s eyes narrowed as he watched the pair of siblings converse.

Although Sir Geisster’s visiting time was cut short due to concerns over his health, the room was filled with a relaxing mood from beginning to end. It was impressive that Sir Geisster was laughing so heartily at all.

His eyes on Johan and Princess Rosemarie were that of a grandfather doting on his grandchildren.

At such gentleness, I felt my shoulders easing along with them. When we moved to another room, however, that soon changed.

“I can only relieve some of his pain, but a cure is impossible.”

The pharmacist, a Kua man named Wolf, declared with a pained expression.

“Heart disease isn’t something to scoff at… and it’s at the stage where no drugs or a special diet will help, not to mention the other abnormalities in the surrounding organs. Given his age, complete recovery would be difficult, to say the least.”

I was upset when I was told that there was no cure.

I was so full of optimism before. It may be a difficult and time-consuming process, but surely he will regain his health no matter what, was what I would tell myself, and that hope had kept me going forward. I even turned a blind eye on how selfish or impossible that hope may be.

“…”

Is there truly nothing you can do?

Frustrated, I was driven to my wit’s end. I couldn’t stand it anymore… until I saw Wolf’s clenched fists.

One didn’t even have to think for a second who had the most remorse. As a doctor, it must be gut-wrenching to say that there was nothing he could do.

Unlike me, who couldn’t accept reality, Johan had his head down with an agonizing look. Tears weren’t in his deep-sea coloured eyes, but you could tell it was also excruciatingly painful for him. Her Highness Princess Rosemarie gently grasped Johan’s hand, whose gaze was stuck and unmoving at the ground.

“…If…If Lord Heinz desires so, please take away some of his pain for him. It might be selfish of me to say this, but I would like him to spend his last time with us without any pain.”

Holding tightly onto his sister’s hand, Johan squeezed out his voice.

Wolf simply nodded when he heard Johan’s plea.

But although Sir Geisster may be suffering, and his looks showed it, his heart still remained bold and brave as the man himself on the inside.

‘If there’s no pain, then how will I know whether I’m dead or alive?’ He laughed.

That sounds like the Sir Heinz that I know.

Johan continued to smile though heartbroken… but nevertheless, he seemed a little content.

TN: Happy chapter at last! for more delightful stories.

EN: RIP for Geisster, who was more fatherly to both Rose and Johan than their actual papa was lol.