Chapter 85

Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes

Claude and Luka

「Who… are you? This is nuts . There’s no way Her Majesty would introduce me . 」Claude was suspicious, yet not entirely wary .

「I asked a certain someone to introduce me to a student from a prominent family in Kirihal . I don’t know what your relationship is with Her Majesty . 」

「You look like you don’t know much about Kirihal, so I’ll tell you . I’m related to the royal family . 」

「A duke then?」

「There’s no such thing as dukes anymore . Technically that goes the same for the royal family too, though . Anyway, my family fought for the right to be ruler a hundred years ago when Forestia was founded, and lost . 」

「So the Miralka family and Zahad family are enemies?」

「Exactly . So there’s no reason for the queen to introduce me . 」

「But you don’t think the letter is fake . On the surface, you’re enemies, but I think there’s a reason why Her Majesty chose you . Any ideas?」

「Kinda . My relatives said it’s sheer folly to enroll in the academy when the principal is from Zubura . But I still pushed for it . 」

Hikaru nodded . The queen might be trying to connect to the Zahad family through Claude, who was the rebel of the family .

「You pushed for your enrollment because of that lady, correct?」Hikaru said .

Luka gave a start, hiding again behind Claude .

「That would be correct . 」

「I’m surprised you admitted it that easily . She’s from Ludancia, isn’t she?」

「Since the queen introduced me to you, you wouldn’t dare turn into my enemy . Otherwise, you’d be disgracing Her Majesty . A wise boy wouldn’t do that . 」

「I don’t really like being called that . 」

「You’re plenty wise . 」

「No, I meant the “boy” part . 」

Claude scoffed .

「So what are you after? What do you want me to do? Don’t think you got dirt on me . I might have to cut your head clean off . 」

It didn’t seem like he was going to retract calling him “boy” . Hikaru sighed .

「Claude, you should be much more careful in what you do or say if you want to hide your relationship with Luka . 」

「What?」

「You basically admitted you were good with the sword with what you said just now . A short-spear user would say something about thrusting a weapon into the heart . I don’t know what excuse you gave so you could study under a Ludancian Professor, but you shouldn’t let them know that you’re a sword user . 」

「Hmm, yes . You have a point…」Claude muttered .

He actually made an excuse about gathering information on Ludancia, an idea that shocked the people around him .

「Also, you stare at Luka during class too much . Even an idiot will figure out your relationship . Men from Ludancia have their eyes on her too, right?」

「That’s…」

「Claude, were you really looking at me that much?」

「…I’m sorry . You’re just too close . It’s hard not to look at you . 」

「Claude…」

「Luka…」

The air seemed to be turning pink . Hikaru cleared his throat .

「What position do you hold in Ludancia, Luka?」

「I’m… the current king’s third daughter . 」

Third daughter? Great, more trouble .

「This love’s full of hardships, it seems . 」

「Yes, we know that . I’ve actually considered just leaving Forestia . 」Luka said .

「Luka! Not right now!」

「But we’re surrounded by people either working for my father or the Zahard family . This man’s opinion would be helpful as he knows the situation outside . 」

「That’s true, but I don’t know if we can trust him . 」

「We don’t have a choice . He already knows about our relationship . 」

Luka looked at Hikaru with determined eyes .

I’m getting dragged into more trouble .

It was, however, too late for regrets .

「Hikaru . Since you’re asking Claude for help, can we ask for help in return as well?」

「That’s a tough question . I’m not actually the one who needs your cooperation . 」

「What do you mean?」

「I suppose I can tell you now . My job is supposed to be done after introducing you to my client . 」

Hikaru had gone too far now to turn back .

「This benefits the both of you as well . There’s an alliance of students from the seven nations being formed right now . 」

The couple listened carefully to what Hikaru had to say .

「Hmm…」

Back home, Hikaru groaned just as Lavia returned from the library .

「Why the frown?」she asked .

「Well, League asked me to introduce students to him, right? But I think I’m getting dragged further into this whole thing . 」

「You didn’t think this would happen?」

「Well I never thought it would be over after I introduced him to them . But still…」

「You met Claude today, right?」

「Claude Zahard Kirihal . It must be because I found out about his story . 」

Hikaru told Lavia about Claude’s position in Kirihal, how he was a relative of the queen and that their families were enemies, and about how he was in a relationship with Luka, the third daughter of the ruler of Ludancia .

「I thought the monarchical system was abolished when Forestia was founded, but it seems it still remains . 」Lavia said .

「Did they completely get rid of it?」

「According to the books I read, the system was completely abolished, but a loophole was prepared that essentially allowed succession to the throne of each nation . 」

「The seven nations still have their own separate government…」

The European Union back on Earth came to Hikaru’s mind . Forestia was similar to that, but each of the seven nations was supposed to be more integrated .

「Queen Marquedo clearly doesn’t want to be the ruler . 」Hikaru said .

「I think it’s more convenient to have a puppet on the throne . Maybe members of the Kirihal royal family are pressuring her, secretly or openly, to elevate Kirihal . 」

「And to counter that, they appointed someone from Jarazack as Prime Minister?」

「I think so . Up until recently, the prime minister and members of the cabinet were all from the same nation as the ruler . 」

「Every ten years, both the ruler and the cabinet are changed . 」

「Sounds chaotic, right?」

「I’m surprised they lasted this long . 」

Hikaru had complaints about the King of Ponsonia, but the man at least didn’t go too far .

「It’s strange, though . Claude should’ve been taught that Ludancia was an enemy . Why did he fall for Luka」Lavia asked .

「Well, apparently when they met they didn’t know each other’s background . Claude was at a party attended by Forestia’s bigshots when he walked out to get some fresh air . That’s when he met Luka in a garden . She snuck away just like him . 」

「Really?! And then what happened?!」

「That’s it . Wait, Lavia?」

Hikaru was taken aback as she quickly sidled up to him, her eyes glistening .

「That’s not enough for them to be lovers! What happened next? Who professed their love first?」

「I-I didn’t ask them . 」

「Aww! The next part’s important!」

Ah, that’s right, Hikaru thought . Claude and Luka’s illicit love affair was exactly something out of a romance novel . Lavia must be thrilled to know it was happening in real life .

「Y-You can just ask them yourself some other time . 」Hikaru said .

「I will!」

And by some other time, he meant three days from now, a school holiday . League set the date himself, surprised at how fast Hikaru was able to gather people .

On the appointed day, Hikaru and Lavia headed to the meeting place . For Forestia, it was an ordinary summer holiday . But right now, no one knew that this would be a big day in the history of Forestia – a day that would usher in a great change .