Home/I Became the Emergency Food Supply of the Bear Family/ch103

Chapter 103

Meanwhile, Ferdi and Adrian had also arrived within the imperial palace.

As soon as the teleportation ended, Adrian scanned their surroundings, then grabbed Ferdi and pulled him into a small room off the corridor. It seemed to be a storage space used by servants—cleaning tools and various odds and ends lay scattered about.

"Senior, where in the palace are we?"

Ferdi's face, as he asked the question, was quite tense. Clearly, he wanted nothing more than to rush off and rescue Verdiana at once.

"The palace is largely divided into three sections: the Emperor's Palace, the Empress's Palace, and the Crown Prince's Palace. Right now, we're in the Empress's Palace."

"Is Ber in the Empress's Palace?"

"...No. She'll likely be in the Emperor's Palace. The Viscount Serpierre and the Chancellor will be there too."

"I see."

Ferdi's brief reply was calmer than expected.

'Even in a situation like this, he keeps his composure. Just as one would expect of the Viscount Grizzley.'

But there was no time to admire him. Without a word, Ferdi turned his back on Adrian and tried to leave the storeroom.

"W-Wait just a moment! Where do you think you're going?!"

"I'm heading to the Emperor's Palace. You focus on your own affairs, Senior."

"No, no, no—this is your first time in the palace, isn't it? Can you even find your way on your own?"

"I can ask the attendants."

"Like they'd tell an intruder!"

"Then I'll threaten them instead of asking."

"Wha—?"

"You have your duties, Senior, and I have mine. I have to go save Ber."

"..."

It was only then that Adrian noticed it—the faint glint of madness veiled beneath that composed expression.

"Hm. First, let me apologize. You don't have to accept it, but I need to say it."

Adrian grabbed Ferdi's wrist, as if begging him not to leave, his face strangely earnest.

"I'm sorry. I should have explained earlier, but I was in a hurry too. There's something we have to do first."

"'We'? What do you mean?"

"We have to rescue His Majesty the Emperor."

"...Is His Majesty truly in the palace?"

"Yes. That much is certain. He's in the Empress's Palace."

Adrian answered with a bitter smile. Ferdinando still seemed uncertain of him. It appeared everyone assumed that, because he didn't share the Emperor's blood, he couldn't sense his presence. And that wasn't wrong. After all, he was different from his late elder brother.

But even if he couldn't feel it, there were things he could know.

Adrian knew. His father was not the kind of man to flee from death.

"Then you can go rescue him alone."

"...!"

Even invoking the "Emperor" card had failed to sway him. Adrian found himself regretting his earlier carelessness in getting involved with Ferdinando and Verdiana.

"T-That's the hard part—that's why I'm asking you. To break the seal confining His Majesty, we need your power, Ferdinando."

"Hmm... If someone has confined His Majesty, then that culprit—specifically, Viscount Serpierre—has done him harm. In other words, this is a rebellion instigated by the Viscount."

"Exactly! So I'd like you to lend your strength to stop this rebellion. As a fellow citizen of the Alvero Empire."

"In that case, a subject who renders great service in stopping the rebellion would surely receive a suitable reward, wouldn't they?"

"...Huh? O-Of course! It would be a tremendous feat, after all."

"That's a pleasure to hear."

With a murky murmur, Ferdi reached into his pocket.

"The Border Count... I've always felt it was a rather modest title, considering three generations of our house have labored in His Majesty's service."

"Uh? Ah... W-Well, I suppose one could see it that way."

"If I cooperate in this matter, I could receive a higher title, couldn't I?"

"Er..."

"It's only natural, I think. After all, this is about saving the one and only sun of the Alvero Empire. It's only fitting that such a glorious deed be met with commensurate reward."

"Ah, haha... I agree with that. But the one who decides isn't me—it's His Majesty."

"And you, Senior, who risked your life to infiltrate the palace to save His Majesty, will gain the support of the Emperor's faction nobles. Your path to the throne will become much smoother as well."

That was undeniably true. Adrian found himself nodding in agreement before he could stop himself.

"Yes. That's right."

"Then I will have not only saved His Majesty, but also helped ensure that His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne safely."

"..."

"More precisely, not I, but the House of Grizzley, will have aided in both matters. Without my house, Your Highness could not even have set foot in the palace."

Every word rang true, leaving Adrian speechless. As if urging him on, Ferdi spoke with a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips.

"I don't hear your answer."

"Y-Yes! As you say—I will speak firmly to His Majesty on your behalf...!"

"Only speak firmly?"

"Ah, w-well, I'll speak firmly, and if things don't go as planned, even after I become Emperor, I'll see to it that you receive a title!"

"Good. No going back on your word later, Senior? Of course, I've already recorded this."

Without missing a beat, Ferdi pulled his hand from his pocket. In it was a mana stone glowing with a yellow light—meaning the stone had captured his voice.

"Now then, let's be off, Senior!"

After safely tucking the mana stone into his inner pocket, Ferdi pushed against Adrian's shoulder, urging them to hurry. Having secured what he wanted, his attitude had completely changed.

"You... really..."

Adrian muttered as he was led along by Ferdi's hand.

I've truly touched someone I should never have crossed.

---

Ferdi and Adrian slipped out of the storeroom and moved swiftly. Their destination was the bedchamber of the late Empress.

"Then couldn't we have teleported directly to Her Majesty's bedchamber from the start?"

"Well, um... to be honest, I've never actually been to my mother's bedchamber. Perhaps I might remember being there as a newborn..."

Hearing that, Ferdi briefly considered apologizing, but decided against it. Until Verdiana was safely rescued, apologies could wait.

The Crown Prince, born from the Empress's death. Rumors that he was shunned by the nobles who supported the Empress and by her own house, Renard, had spread throughout the empire. Of course, things seemed different now. He must have been working tirelessly behind the scenes all this time.

For that reason, the two had to make their way to the Empress's bedchamber on foot—and as a result, they had to fight off the imperial knights and mages they encountered at every turn.

"Senior, watch out!"

"I know!"

Adrian deflected a spear aimed at his throat with the tip of his sword. Ferdi, too, struck down a knight by slipping his blade between the gaps in his armor. It seemed word had already spread—whoever they met came charging at once, no doubt branded as traitors: the Crown Prince bearing the golden-hilted sword and the House of Grizzley.

After swiftly dispatching four knights in the blink of an eye—

"Senior!"

Behind Adrian, an imperial mage was extending his wand. But the incantation had already been spoken—the spell was about to activate.

Damn it!

He was too late, but Ferdi drew his wand anyway. Then—

"Leave it to me."

Adrian turned toward the imperial mage without raising either wand or sword. The next moment, something astonishing happened.

"Urgh..."

The imperial mage groaned, slowly lowering his wand. Then, as if issuing a command to the man's trembling legs, Adrian spoke:

"Sit on the floor. And sleep."

The imperial mage slumped to the corridor floor, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

Hypnosis magic?

No—charm magic at best would only cause one to lose consciousness. That meant—

"...Hypnosis magic?"

"As expected of the second-ranked—you recognize it right away."

Adrian laughed, haha, but cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"I'd rather not use this spell if I can help it. It consumes a lot of mana."

"You cast hypnosis with just your eyes—no incantation, no wand. To think there was a mage in this empire capable of such a thing..."

"Yes. I'm probably the only one in the empire who can do it. I heard even my mother couldn't."

The Crown Prince's mother—the late Empress of the empire. The Crown Prince, who inherited more of the Empress's blood than the Emperor's.

Ferdi realized it in that instant. What kind of being Adrian truly was.

Back   Next