Volume 1: Chapter 053: Ulysses on the Viewing Tower
Author: かっぱ同盟／友麻碧
Link: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3862be/
Translated by Zzonkedd
Edited by Gumihou
I am Ulysses.
The Fifth Prince of this country.
We have reached the final day of the Holy Festival without any major incidents.
At first, I sighed at the sight of my fully packed schedule. However, after meeting Maki-chan and Tooru-kun, I felt like I could reach the end of this very lively event without too much worry.
The next ceremony is meant to welcome immigrants from Eastern countries. This year, with high-status guests from the Kingdom of Fresir, the ceremony will be even grander than usual.
Unfortunately, there are quite a lot of people who were upset by this. Namely, Queen Consort Adalzeza and First Prince Alfredo.
They participated in the ceremony, but maintained disgusted expressions throughout the entire thing.
Shadows of suspicious people could be seen lurking about the place.
With the threat of Anti-Eastern faction people loitering around, uncle had given instructions to strengthen security by adding more guards to the harbour.
On this final Holy Festival day, we welcome people from other Continents arriving on massive migrant ships. This ship travels on a fixed route from the Eastern Continent to the South and back up again.
A gap is made on the Green Curtain, otherwise known as the Green Blessing, for the ship to enter the country.
“Look, Your Highness, that’s Fresir’s ship. Well, well, here’s a scary thought. We cannot see it and the people can’t know it, but right now, we have a massive gap in the Green Curtain.
“… Uncle…”
Cheers and sounds of fanfare could be heard from below.
I stare at the incoming ship. It is still rather far away. I wonder, is the protective veil touching the ship?
Though we are protected by something invisible, we believe in that protection and never doubt it.
“…?!”
Suddenly, I felt a prickle of someone’s gaze.
From somewhere, I could feel killing intent.
A flash of light caught my eye.
Realization comes in an instant.
“… Princess Shatma! Danger!”
The report of a gunshot. A bullet had been fired at Princess Shatma, who is seated towards the center-right of the viewing tower. General Kanon had thrown himself over her and the two collapsed from their chairs.
“… Princess Shatma! General Kanon!!”
“General!! Princess!!”
The people around me rush towards the two in a panic.
The bullet appeared to have struck the General’s arm. However, his expression remained stoic as he asked the princess if she was alright. She looks in the direction where the shot came from and begins to laugh.
More soldiers rush up the tower and surround us. Uncle Raymond calls out instructions, telling the soldiers to fire in the direction where the shot came from.
This time, I feel killing intent from a different direction. I quickly summon the Spirits. [1] Whatever the Green Curtain is, it does not seem to protect the viewing tower from bullets.
“Third Summoning Stage!! Fan Trom, Spirit Shield!!”
A three magic circle circuit formed in the sky and Third Summoning Stage Fan Trom appears. He spreads his wings and a shield made of wind protects the watchtower.
More bullets are fired but they cannot break past the Spirit Shield.
“Oh, that’s amazing, Your Highness!”
“Uncle, they are using magic guns. They must have some mages on their side to break the protection. Or rather, it is possible that there is no protection from the start…”
“Well, it has to be the work of the Anti-East faction. Those guys have a lot of mages on their side.”
Uncle must have guessed what would happen. Or, rather, he had been waiting for something like this to happen.
I cast a quick glance at Queen Adalzeza.
She is trembling in place and saying ‘How frightening’, but it all seems rather artificial, like an act. Or, it is possible that I am prejudiced against her.
“The second shot was definitely aimed at me. There are many who want me dead. Well, I am an easy-to-spot target, after all.” Uncle winked at me as he made an elaborate bow in the direction of where the shots are coming from.
People are screaming and running away. Confusion is spreading quickly through the people.
“Quickly, I have to do something quickly…”
The tower is firmly secured by more than just bricks and mortar. It is protected by magic so it should not collapse easily. However, I cannot put my complete trust in this…
“Uncle…?”
I am already standing up, but Uncle Raymond stops me. I look at him and he leans in to whisper, “Your Highness, from here onwards, I shall pull all attention on myself on the tower. Could you put a shield over the people below? Ah, yes, not a shield for me, please.”
“?! But, won’t you be in danger?!”
“It’s fine, trust your uncle on this, Your Highness.”
I am treated to another refreshing wink, completely out of place considering the situation we are in. I have no idea what Uncle’s plan is, but I decided to go with whatever plan he has up his sleeves.
“Aahahahaha!!! Hey, you terrorists, I’m right here!!!”
My uncle stands on top of the tower with his arms wide open.
I must say, he looks quite insane from where I am standing. Wait, is he actually sane?
“You fools! Sneaking around petulantly in the shadows and only knowing how to express your feelings with fits of childish violence. You hate me, don’t you? Well, I will be king soon and when that happens you’ll be in trouble! Now, come! Take your best shot at me!”
My uncle is laughing in a loud ‘Wahahahahaha!’ way as he curses and provokes the attackers.
It all feels very dangerous and I wonder if I should do something to help my uncle, but… I decide to follow his instruction to set up a barrier over the people below. The fact that Fan Trom could spread out his Wind Shield in a wide area is really useful.
Once the shield is established, I go over to Princess Shatma’s side and crouch beside her, “What should we do, Princess? The migrant ship is heading over here. It could be attacked next.”
“It’s fine… the migrant ship has its own barrier. Even the most powerful bomb in the country can’t shake it. It’s meant for military use.”
“…”
This remark was accompanied by a rather cynical smile. Apparently, the Fresir people had already assumed that something like this would happen and had prepared themselves accordingly.
The king looks like he is still trying to find out what is really going on.
With guards surrounding him, he asks after Uncle, myself, the First Prince and the princess as well as Queen Adalzeza. He did not try to leave the tower. Speaking of which, trying to get off the tower now would probably be too dangerous.
It is probably better to stay within the more defensible tower instead of running around on the ground where one could be shot by friendly fire or trampled by the crowds.
Many schemes must have been thought up leading to this very situation. I believe that these schemes are about to reveal themselves soon.
“Here! Come and get me!!”
Uncle is really making himself a great and annoying target. Magic guns turn towards my uncle and bullets leave streaks of light from all directions.
I suck in a gulp of breath.
Suddenly, the streaks of light shoot up to the sky, Uncle’s grin remains unchanged as he laughs at the attackers. Then, in a blink, black-robed people float in the air around the watchtower.
“… Checking trajectory, confirm.”
One of the many black-robed people muttered.
I lean out of the tower to watch them.
The one speaking has a cube of magic floating above their hand. It looks like it is calculating the trajectory of the shots.
I know this magic.
It is very similar to the magic of someone I know very well.
“Spatial magic… very similar to Tooru-kun…”
The black-robed people suddenly scattered in different directions. If I look closely, I can see the cube’s spatial magic formation attached to their feet. It must be how they travel in the air.
“Uncle… Those are…”
“Yes. Black Mages from Fresir. They will serve as go-betweens for Fresir and Ruskia…”
“Black Mages?”
“As one would expect, Your Highness. That’s right, they are descendants of the Twilight clan.”
“Twilight…”
This name might not be very famous in this country. However, there is a large group of black mages up in the Northern Continent from this clan
About ten years ago, this clan defected from the Federation of Hermedes and came under the protection of Fresir.
“…?”
[2]
What’s happening now?
The sky had been a gorgeous blue even as conflict raged at ground level. Now, however, a flock of strangely moving clouds come crowding in.
I have a very bad feeling about this.
There’s something very wrong about this… it feels like the very earth is groaning and rumbling under our feet.
The gunshots have stopped.
It felt a lot like a sudden ending to a terrible performance.
In place of the Anti-Eastern rebels, mages from the Twilight clan and soldiers loyal to my uncle have taken up positions.
“… The purge is complete.”
“Well done, Twilight”
A person in fluttering black robes materializes in front of my uncle like smoke.
He is wearing a deep hood, making it difficult to see his expression. However, I can tell from the muffled voice that he is a man.
The entire rebellion is over in almost a blink of an eye.
The plot had played out like a line of a story rather than a scheme against the country.
[Gumihou: The ending is a bit poetic, had to work on it a little for the full impact]
[1] Adjusted detail for clarification.
[2] Add details to support the ‘impending doom’ impression
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