For about two days, the bomb that every faculty member at the Academy had passed around and around, praying it wouldn't explode in their own hands, was finally collected and detonated by me.
"I'm Karl Krasius, your advisor. We're all acquainted already. Looking forward to working with you."
I looked over the Baking Club members I could now legally monitor under the guise of being their advisor. Luize, smiling brightly without a care in the world; Erich, unable to control his trembling pupils; and Ainter, wearing his usual smiling face. Thinking about how three more would soon join this group made my chest swell with grandeur.
"Since we'll be seeing each other often from now on, I'd like to speak casually. Anyone prefer we take time to get closer first?"
In other words, I'm going to use informal speech from now on—any objections? Though I'd aimed this at Ainter, he simply smiled and shook his head lightly. Seemed he was fine with it. Now I had justification to speak casually to the three who'd be joining as well. Satisfactory.
"I'm your advisor, but there's no need to worry about my opinion. If you need something or run into trouble, just call me. Feel comfortable around me."
I wrapped up the introduction with appropriately ordinary words. Having never even been a club member myself, I didn't really know what advisors were supposed to do, but when I asked the vice principal, he said it was basically just putting your name down and checking that there were no problems.
Exactly the level of involvement I wanted. Other faculty would go crazy having to monitor the prince, but I'd nearly gone crazy from having no justification to monitor him. I almost felt sorry for whoever would've ended up with this vicious devil's den in the original story without me.
But there was no need to harbor questions or sympathy for events that never happened. Right now, I was the one who'd taken on this den. Looking at Luize, the founder of this devil's den, she was happily gazing at the mountain of baking tools and ingredients. Her eyes sparkled so brightly that the faculty member who'd rushed to buy all this would surely be delighted if they knew.
Erich had been watching Luize with warm eyes when his gaze met mine, and he awkwardly looked away. Come to think of it, since I was at the Academy anyway, I'd planned to meet with Erich more often, and now we'd conveniently become advisor and club member. Now I could make significant progress in my awkward relationship with Erich. He'd be happy about it too.
***
The moment their eyes met, Erich turned his gaze away. His mind knew there was no need for this, but what could he do when his body reacted first? Erich had lived his entire life crushed under the family head's gaze. Karl, who had eyes similar to the family head's, inevitably became someone he instinctively avoided.
'I shouldn't be like this.'
Even when they were young, Karl and Erich hadn't been close brothers, but they hadn't been estranged either. Since Erich had no other siblings, the only two brothers couldn't keep their distance forever.
Besides, he'd finally gotten the chance to do club activities with Luize.
'An opportunity to stay close to Luize even during club time.'
Or to naturally meet at other times under the pretext of club-related matters.
Even if one strange impurity called the prince was mixed in, he couldn't give up this opportunity. Though Erich's heart had nearly collapsed when he heard Karl would be taking on the advisor role, that very fact allowed him to steel his resolve even more. If he couldn't overcome his fear and avoidance of Karl, a life with Luize would be impossible!
And so, blinded by love, the man gained the courage to face the trauma that had tormented him for years.
***
As Erich resolved to emerge from darkness and step into the light, Ainter's state of mind was far from comfortable. It was because of Karl, who was now watching Luize with fascination as she spread out ingredients, declaring she would make cookies.
'I heard he was coming, but...'
He never imagined they would meet in this kind of relationship. The smile in Ainter's eyes dimmed slightly, even as he maintained his pleasant expression.
Ainter's decision to join Luize's club had been a rather reckless move. While imperial family members enrolling in the Academy was not uncommon, there had never been a case of one joining a club. The official reason was consideration—to avoid burdening other students and the faculty member who would serve as advisor.
In reality, the succession disputes among the princes were the true reason. If a particular prince joined a club and became close to the nobles within it, individuals who previously had no contact with that prince could potentially become part of his faction. Conversely, nobles would suddenly be perceived by other princes as belonging to that prince's faction, forcibly dragged into a community of shared fate.
Therefore, to prevent opponents from gaining significant variables, and for nobles to avoid being struck by lightning from a clear sky, imperial family members joining clubs had become an unspoken taboo. And two years ago, the imperial succession issue had been resolved when the First Prince was invested as Crown Prince after a fierce confrontation with the Second Prince.
Yet now, the Third Prince—Ainter, who had been keeping his head down—was breaking this long-standing unspoken rule by joining a club? The Crown Prince must be itching to string Ainter up by a rope. To the Crown Prince, born of an Imperial Consort, Ainter—born of the same Empress as the Second Prince—was the last remaining source of anxiety.
In fact, shortly after the Crown Prince's investiture sealed the downfall of the Second Prince and the Empress, the Inspection Department's blade, which had been butchering the Second Prince's faction, turned toward the Third Prince as well. Backed by the Emperor's tacit approval and the Crown Prince's orders, the Inspection Department's blade could not be stopped even by the title of Third Prince.
"Your Highness. His Highness the Crown Prince was pleased with Your Highness's silence."
And the one who had led the Inspection Department into the Third Prince's palace at that time was Karl Krasius. A prodigy who had shaken the imperial political circles by becoming the youngest director at nineteen. That prodigy sat across from Ainter in the reception room and spoke calmly.
"Your Highness's choice not to stand with the Second Prince to the end, but to maintain your silence—it was a wise decision."
At Karl's faint smile, Ainter smiled bitterly. He had been shouted at by the Empress, his own mother, asking whose child he really was, and received furious glares from the Second Prince, his full brother. Yet Ainter had maintained his silence. That was why, even when the Second Prince met a mysterious death and the Empress was effectively placed under house arrest, Ainter survived.
"His Highness the Crown Prince does not wish for any more disturbances within the imperial family."
"Though His Highness the Crown Prince and I have different mothers, we share the same father—how could our intentions differ?"
"Truly wise."
A warning to keep his mouth shut if he didn't want to die, a brief acknowledgment of understanding. With that exchange concluded, Karl rose from his seat without hesitation, his face bearing a mask-like smile.
"My apologies for the disturbance in Your Highness's palace. Our investigation found no issues whatsoever. It appears those who envied Your Highness's reputation made false accusations. We will punish them severely and apologize on their behalf."
"Such things happen. I understand."
After that, Ainter lived with bated breath, just as the Crown Prince's warning delivered through Karl had instructed. He maintained his silence even as the Second Prince's faction was brutally destroyed by the Inspection Department, backed by the Emperor and Crown Prince, and even when his maternal family, the Marquis Esilon's House, was eventually swept up in the purge. Thanks to that, Ainter was still alive, and he had planned to continue living that way.
However, meeting one girl changed Ainter's life. As he walked through the Academy trailing a cluster of followers—surveillance disguised as devotees—a girl with striking pink hair caught Ainter's eye. It had been mere whim. He, who had intended to keep his head down at the Academy as the Crown Prince wished, spoke to that girl on impulse.
"L-Luize Naierd!"
The girl, Luize, trembled as she answered Ainter's question. Though he held no real power, he was still a prince. After that, Ainter continued to meet with Luize. Gradually, she relaxed and began treating him more comfortably. Ainter felt an affection for her that he had never experienced with anyone else.
It had begun on a whim, and their connection had lasted only a short time, but its depth was genuine. Ainter was confident of that. That was why, when he heard Luize was looking for club members, he wrote his name down without hesitation. The Crown Prince might make a move because of this. Karl, standing before him now, might transform into the Crown Prince's blade and eliminate Ainter.
But even so, Ainter pressed forward. This time, he didn't want to remain silent. As he gazed at Luize with flour on her face and Karl standing beside her, a firm resolve filled Ainter's eyes.
***
'Is she doing this right...?'
Watching Luize work away so earnestly made me wonder. I'd have to have tried baking myself to know whether she was doing it right or not. All I could do was watch and assume she knew what she was doing. Still, she seemed confident, so I trusted she was doing fine. We had plenty of tools, so there shouldn't be any problems.
I glanced at the small oven beside me. Perhaps because the original story was fantasy, all sorts of tools proudly existed under the name of magic. I couldn't believe it when I saw wiretaps, tracking devices, and surveillance cameras in the Inspection Department's storage. In that context, I would have been disappointed if there wasn't an oven.
As I stared blankly at the oven and shifted my gaze, my eyes met Ainter's. He still wore that smile that made it impossible to read his thoughts. This was the first time I'd seen him since that day at the Third Prince's Palace two years ago.
'I was too harsh on the kid.'
In this world, the age of adulthood was seventeen—fairly lenient. But when I first met Ainter, he was fifteen, not even within that generous range. Even if it had been the Crown Prince's orders, I'd been haunted by the thought that I'd pressured a fifteen-year-old too much.
Two years ago, after the Northern Incident ended and the Crown Prince won the succession dispute, the Empire's administrative department had been so short-staffed that simply being alive and remaining in public office was reason enough for promotion.
Those who survived and proved their abilities were promoted dramatically, and the Minister and I were among the victims of that. The Minister seemed to have gotten angrier since then.
...No, that man had been a walking anger virus even before his promotion to Minister. I almost romanticized him for a moment there.
Anyway, after experiencing so much in the north and being thrust into the position of Inspection Department Director—a role that had no business being mine—I'd been twisted and not in my right mind. Because of that, my emotions often bled into my work, and I'd pressured Ainter more than necessary. The Crown Prince had seemed satisfied, though. Perverted bastard.
First Erich, now Ainter. I wondered why this club was filled only with kids I felt guilty about. With mixed feelings, I looked around at the members, and my gaze landed on Luize. Sensing my stare, she tilted her head and looked at me as if asking what was wrong.
At least I don't have anything to feel sorry about with you. If anything, you should be the one apologizing to me.
If you hadn't been a capybara... I wouldn't have ended up here...