The words that had just erupted from the man who burst into Prince Schuls’s office were far too grave to be ignored.
In the heavy silence that followed, Schuls was naturally the first to speak.
"What did you just say? I could have sworn I heard you say Crimson was here."
The question carried a silent warning: I hope you realize the consequences of speaking such nonsense. Yet the noble who had entered showed no sign of flinching.
"A mage under my command possesses a rare ability to sense the magic power of others. It is an exceptionally precious talent, and according to his report, Crimson is currently within this very castle."
"...The ability to sense magic power, you say? I’ve heard of such talents existing, but are you certain it’s Crimson's?"
"Yes. He sensed that specific magic power directly during the Fighting Tournament, so he is certain. Furthermore..."
The noble, who had been explaining with total confidence until now, suddenly hesitated.
"What is it? If there is more, speak plainly. I won't take offense."
"...Well, I struggled to believe this part of the report myself, but he claimed that Crimson's magic power is so unmistakably massive that anyone with a similar ability could not possibly fail to recognize it."
At those words, Schuls’s expression twitched. He let out a long, heavy breath to vent his irritation before addressing the noble again.
"Then why only now? If his magic power is so unmistakably powerful, you should have explained this to me much sooner."
"About that... Ever since he sensed Crimson's ability at the tournament, he has been so terrified that he’s shut himself in his room. He was always a faint-hearted person to begin with."
"Even for a coward... No, forget it. He did eventually come forward, which is better than nothing. Dune."
"Y-Yes!"
Startled to hear his name called, Dune replied with a hint of panic.
"It seems there’s a very high probability that the robed figure you saw with the White Rose Knight Order was Crimson. We can consider it a certainty."
"...That robed man was Crimson? But I’ve met him once before!"
"Yes, I know. I received a formal complaint from the Unicorn Knight Order because of that incident."
Dune froze at the icy edge in Schuls's voice. Realizing he was in a precarious position, he hurriedly spoke up.
"I did meet him then, yet I didn't notice him at all today. How could that be?"
"It’s simple. The Crimson you know is a man accompanied by a gryphon. For better or worse, that impression was too strong. Because you were looking for that image, you failed to recognize him when he was alone and wearing a robe. Especially since I hear the robe itself was a common, unremarkable garment."
"That..."
Dune tried to recall the face of the man he had met near the Imperial Capital. However, as Schuls had said, his memory of the gryphon by the man’s side was far more vivid than the man himself—this, despite the fact that the opponent had thoroughly humiliated him.
He then tried to recall the face of the robed individual he had encountered at the castle gate earlier, but he couldn't find a match between that man and the person he had met before the capital.
Had he gone to watch the Fighting Tournament, he might have remembered Crimson's face more clearly. Unfortunately—or rather, as a result of his own actions—Dune had been under house arrest during the tournament for extorting passage fees from merchants. He had been kept under strict watch, making it impossible for him to truly memorize Crimson's features.
"So, His Highness Schuls. How shall we proceed?"
"...It’s a difficult choice," Schuls replied to Amare's question, his brow furrowing slightly.
The noble who had brought the report stepped forward again.
"His Highness Schuls, why do you hesitate? The Rebel Army's strongest force is inside this castle—effectively within our grasp. According to the reports, the White Rose Knight Order brought him here. If that is the case, we should seize this opportunity to take both him and Her Highness Frizion..."
"No!"
Schuls rejected the proposal almost reflexively. Knowing that Schuls harbored complex feelings for his elder sister, the noble cleared his throat and tried a different angle.
"I am aware of your admiration for Her Highness Frizion. However, please consider the current state of the castle. Crimson—the man who single-handedly annihilated His Highness Cabajid's First Prince Faction's Subjugation Army—is currently under our roof."
"That battle wasn't won by Crimson alone. We confirmed that other soldiers were present."
Schuls spoke as if trying to gloss over the fact, but he seemed to realize his own denial. He let out a small sigh.
"I understand what you're saying. However, we must assume that Big Brother Cabajid is already aware of the Crimson incident. If we act on our own, it could lead to an incredibly messy political situation. I appreciate your report, but we cannot interfere without coordination."
"I won't deny that I seek merit. That is why I brought this information. But beyond my own ambition, I believe that capturing Crimson here would be of immense benefit to you in the future, Your Highness."
Schuls met the noble's persistent gaze and spoke firmly.
"But we cannot risk a rift with Big Brother Cabajid right now—especially not when the other side holds a trump card like Crimson."
"Which is why we must take this chance to obtain that trump card for ourselves!"
"...And how exactly do you plan to do that?" Amare asked.
Her tone was as expressionless as always. She wasn't trying to argue him down; she was asking out of genuine curiosity.
"How? Well..."
The noble fell silent. It was a natural reaction. They were talking about capturing a man who possessed power equal to, or perhaps exceeding, an entire army.
To capture or kill such an opponent, they would need to deploy a commensurate force. However, with the Rebel Army looming, few would argue that they had the luxury to divert such a massive portion of their strength to a single target.
Capturing Crimson would certainly cripple the rebellion, but they were loath to suffer heavy losses themselves. Particularly now, while the First and Second Prince Factions were allied, neither wanted to show a moment of weakness. Once the civil war ended, they would immediately return to being rivals. It was only natural for both sides to want to preserve their own military assets.
"Do you see the problem? If this were a battlefield, we might reach a compromise. In a vast, open space, both sides would consume their strength. But because the battlefield would be this castle, we cannot deploy an army. Depending on the room, we could only send ten or twenty men at a time."
And in the worst-case scenario, even their most elite units would be slaughtered in the cramped halls. The noble groaned as he realized the truth of Amare’s silent implication.
"Then... do you intend to just let Crimson remain in the castle indefinitely?"
"For now, yes. But he won't be able to stay forever. This is enemy territory for him. If we are to strike, it will be once he has left the Imperial Capital and we have fully prepared our combat readiness to intercept him."
The noble nodded, seemingly convinced by Schuls's reasoning.
"I see. We cannot strike at the castle because the terrain is too narrow. We shall wait for him in the open alongside His Highness Cabajid. Yes, in that case..."
Once again, Amare interjected.
"Certainly, we might eventually take Crimson down that way. Alias holder or not, he is still only in his mid-teens. If we force a war of attrition, we might win... but our own forces will be depleted. If that happens, how will you deal with the Rebel Army led by His Highness Mercurio?"
"I understand Amare's concern. But this is a golden opportunity. If we don't defeat Crimson here, he will eventually rejoin Mercurio, and we’ll have to face their forces at full strength."
"That is true, but..."
Amare hesitated. If possible, she did not want Schuls to make an enemy of Crimson at all. It wasn't just about his safety—after all, Schuls could simply command from the rear. Her true concern lay elsewhere.
(Her Highness Frizion undoubtedly intends to defect to His Highness Mercurio.)
She had no hard evidence, only a deduction based on the current situation and reports from the agents she had placed around Frizion. If asked for proof, she could only call it a woman's intuition. For now, it was nothing more than a circumstantial theory.
However, the fact that Crimson was currently with Frizion was a damning indicator. Amare knew how much Schuls admired his sister. He had stopped showing it openly, but for Amare, who had grown up alongside him, his true feelings were transparent.
That was why she wanted to delay the inevitable revelation of Frizion's betrayal for as long as possible. She knew she would have to tell him eventually, but she wanted to spare him the pain for just a little longer.
She was aware that this wasn't the cold judgment of a lieutenant, but the emotional bias of a foster sibling and childhood friend—perhaps even the feelings of a woman for a man. Yet even while recognizing this, Amare found she couldn't choose differently. She was, after all, only human.
"For now, contact Big Brother Cabajid. We need to know how he intends to handle this."
Schuls’s voice snapped Amare out of her thoughts. He had reached his conclusion.
"Yes. I will contact him immediately. And Your Highness, should we prepare our own units just in case?"
Realizing that saying any more would only arouse suspicion, Amare stuck to the logistical facts. Schuls thought for a moment before nodding.
"Right. We shouldn't just sit idle. ...But make no flashy moves. We don't want Big Brother Cabajid to get suspicious, let alone Big Sister Frizion. She likely committed this reckless act in some misguided attempt to mediate between Mercurio and us, but..."
Schuls sighed, his expression weary but not entirely surprised. He had been caught in the wake of Frizion's eccentric whims several times before; he had developed a certain immunity to her unpredictability.
But this time, his immunity didn't matter. Schuls had already judged Mercurio to be a foe who had to be crushed. He hoped to capture his brother alive if possible, but that was a distant preference to victory.
"In any case, make sure we are ready to move at a moment’s notice. ...I hope the trump card against Crimson that Big Brother Cabajid mentioned can actually be used effectively. What do you think?"
Amare thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"Given who His Highness Cabajid is, he wouldn't call it a trump card if it were completely ineffective. However, we haven't seen its power for ourselves. It would be wise not to place excessive expectations on it."
"I see."
Schuls nodded. It was then that Dune, who had been an silent observer until now, finally spoke up. Having come all this way, he was desperate to leave an impression and regain some favor. He saw this as a chance to earn merit.
"His Highness Schuls, please leave this to me! I am one of the few who has actually faced Crimson in the past. If I can put that experience to use..."
"No, that won't be necessary. Don't do anything foolish and just carry on as usual."
From Schuls's perspective, the last thing he wanted was for this troublemaker to do something that might tip their hand. He rejected the offer without a second thought.
"Wha—!?"
Dune's voice of pure shock echoed through the office, stunned that his proposal had been dismissed so instantly.