Chapter 18: A Disquieting Presence

“Father, slow down! Safety first, safety first!”

“I-I know. I know.”

Leaning forward, Father was driving the kitchen car I had summoned, moving slowly through the garden of the Ducal House. The le Philharmonie family garden is incredibly vast, with a path that carriages can circle. It was the perfect course for driving practice. In the end, since I couldn’t drive the kitchen car, I thought I would teach one of the servants to drive and have them become the chauffeur. Among those who raised their hands, Father was also included. Seeing Father raising his hand with sparkling eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to say he shouldn’t… Teaching someone to drive is quite a bone-breaking task. Even I struggled a lot at driving school. Just because the car at my parents’ home was manual, why did I get a manual license? I don’t know how many times I wished I had chosen automatic. In the end, it helped, though. To the instructor back then, I’m sorry for complaining behind your back! Eventually, as expected, Father mishandled the steering wheel and crashed into a garden tree. Since he was driving very slowly and was wearing a seatbelt properly, it didn’t turn into a major incident, but as a passenger, I was truly panicked. I thought the bumper must have been quite dented, but strangely enough, there wasn’t a single scratch on the car. It’s an incredibly sturdy car. Is it a foreign car? Naturally, seeing that scene made everyone realize the danger of cars, and it helped that they started driving very cautiously. A few days later. For some reason, almost everyone had become able to drive quite stably. Strange… it took me months… The kitchen car consumed little magic power, so I could summon two of them a day. Not two times, but two vehicles. I could summon two of the exact same kitchen car. What does this mean? Can I summon as many as I want as long as I have magic power, or did the hot dog mobile shop I bought from have multiple kitchen cars? Since the license plates of the two cars are different, I suspect it’s the latter. Because I kept those two summoned for twenty-four hours, someone was always practicing. I was curious, doesn’t the gas run out? Why? Well, I’ve never been billed for electricity or water for the other stores either… Maybe the gas doesn’t decrease either? For some reason, I can’t extract it from the gas tank. Even so, isn’t everyone learning to drive too fast? They were driving even in the middle of the night; do people in this world have high learning abilities? Arisa the maid, Tanya Celesta, and even the knight Yuan were driving easily.

“How is it? My driving has gotten pretty good, hasn’t it?”

“…So-so.”

I felt somewhat frustrated, so I didn’t praise him. Damn it. I want to drive too! I thought maybe I could do it if I made and wore thick-soled boots, but I gave up because it could cause an accident. After circling the Ducal residence with Father, a luxurious carriage was parked at the entrance where Mother was waiting. Beside it stood His Majesty the Emperor and the Chancellor, their mouths agape. The Empress and Grandmother, the Empress Dowager, who were with them, also had their eyes wide open.

“Hello, Brother. Welcome.”

“C-C-Claude!? What is that!? Is it running without horses!?”

Apparently, Father had invited His Majesty the Emperor and the others. Saying he would feed them something rare and delicious. Having gotten a grasp of Father’s personality, I guessed he just wanted to show off his driving. He has a smug look on his face even now.

“This is…! Is this perhaps Lady Sakuraile’s [Gift]?”

“Yes, well.”

I answered Marquess Ténor, the Chancellor, as I got out of the car. His Majesty the Emperor was touching the kitchen car all over. Ah, the tires are dirty, so you shouldn’t touch them. For now, we had the car brought around to the garden terrace, opened the side of the vehicle, and transformed it into its stall form. We set up the tables and chairs and presented the menu to His Majesty the Emperor’s party.

“Hohou, this looks delicious.”

“Brother, this ‘Hot Sauce Special‘ is recommended, you know?”

“Father…”

I really question that recommendation. Look, even His Majesty the Emperor is eyeing it suspiciously.

“Sakuraile, what kind of dish is this?”

“It’s Wurst sandwiched in bread, topped with a very spicy sauce. Those who like it, like it, but personally, I don’t recommend it very much.”

His Majesty the Emperor glared at his brother with even more suspicion. Father looked away and started whistling.

“Well, it might be impossible for you, Brother, but I ate the whole thing, you know? A man should be able to eat something like that easily.”

“What…! Alright then, I shall eat the same thing. I will test just how much of a challenge it is!”

“That’s the spirit! One Hot Sauce Special!”

They get along so well, these brothers… When Father ordered, a super spicy hot dog slathered with bright red sauce appeared on the table. Ah, geez, I don’t know anymore… Ignoring His Majesty, whose face was turning red and blue after one bite, I explained the menu to the Empress and Grandmother. The Empress ordered a Lettuce Dog, and Grandmother ordered a Potato Salad Dog.

“It’s delicious! This crisp vegetable called lettuce goes well with the Wurst!”

“I’ve never tasted anything like this… Is this really potato?”

“Hmm… This could be made in our country as well. Although these condiments called ketchup and mustard might be difficult…”

The Chancellor was analyzing while eating a Cheese Dog. Couldn’t you make ketchup as long as you have tomatoes? “What is a tomato?” the Chancellor asked, so I pointed to the illustration of a tomato that happened to be drawn on the edge of the menu.

“Is this… a pomodoro? I heard they are grown on a small scale in the south of the Kingdom… If that’s the case, perhaps we could cultivate them in our country…?”

He fell into thought. It seems tomatoes exist in Luca’s country. Since we have friendly relations with the Kingdom, maybe we can import some? His Majesty the Emperor, having refreshed his palate with ice cream, ordered a Cheeseburger on top of that.

“What deliciousness…! So this is cuisine from another world…!”

Apparently, in the records remaining in the Empire, there were several dishes that had been summoned from another world (though it’s unknown if it was Earth) via [Gifts]. However, perfect reproduction was impossible, and the dishes were lost when the owner of that [Gift] passed away. Still, similar dishes have been created, and it is said that some reasonably delicious things have been made… The world view is like medieval Europe, yet there are technologies and cultures that don’t fit; is that the result of summoning things from another world in the past and researching them? I still don’t know if this is the world inside the game or a parallel world that looks exactly like the game. Is it possible for a world to look exactly like a game, and for the people living in it to be exactly the same? Thinking about it won’t give me an answer, so I’ll leave it for now.

“By the way, Elliott… ah, His Highness the Crown Prince couldn’t come?”

“Since we are cousins, Elliott is fine in a private setting. Today, I sent him to the two Princesses. He needs to show at least a little interest.”

To Luca and Tifa, huh… Hmm, those two seemed completely uninterested in Elliott, though. I hope he hasn’t been captured as a card game opponent. After that, I was asked various questions about the kitchen car by His Majesty the Emperor and the Chancellor. Mainly about its function as a vehicle.

“This is wonderful. It can transport goods and information far faster than a carriage. The drawback is that it disappears after a day, but the advantages more than make up for it.” “Sakuraile. I won’t ask for it constantly. But in an emergency, can I ask you to use this?”

“Well, if it’s an emergency, I don’t mind…”

Once summoned, it stays out even if I sleep, and since there are two, lending one isn’t a problem. Though someone needs to learn how to drive it… But still, they seem awfully serious. Was there some sign that an emergency might occur?

“Did something happen?”

Father asked His Majesty the Emperor, as if speaking for me.

“Regarding that black dog that appeared at Elliott’s party. We found out it wasn’t just an ordinary dog.”

After that, when they tried to carry the electrocuted and immobilized black dog out of the party venue to examine it, the dog disappeared like mist.

“It is almost certain that the dog was created by a [Gift]. Whether it was a summon or a Clone, we don’t know.”

A ‘Clone‘ is a [Gift] that creates something like a familiar as a copy of oneself. Apparently, the Chancellor has a few subordinates with such abilities. Are they used for espionage?

“Do you not know whose [Gift] it is?”

“There are countless [Gifts], after all… Unless it’s the ‘Church,’ finding out is difficult.”

The ‘Church’ basically does not reveal individual [Gifts]. Even to the state. Since this is the will of God, the state cannot force them either. Because revealing a [Gift] can put people in danger. For example, if someone had the [Gift] of ‘Mind Reading,’ would people want to get close to them? If there was someone with the [Gift] to ‘Turn touched objects into gold,’ there would be a danger of being abducted and confined by those blinded by greed. That’s why asking “What is your [Gift]?” directly when you aren’t close is considered bad manners. Apparently, people might mention which god they received it from. Though you can tell which god it is by looking at the crest. Well, even then, no one would say, “I received it from the God of Thieves” or “I received it from the God of Plague.” So, there are quite a few people who keep their [Gifts] secret. Wearing gloves and such. If you ask the Church, they can even conceal the crest so that only you can see it. However, concealing the crest is like saying you have something to hide, so it’s apparently not recommended. Telling someone your [Gift] is, in a sense, proof of trust. Well, some people might tell you easily, saying, “My [Gift] isn’t that big a deal.” Therefore, identifying an individual from a [Gift] is difficult. Many people have overlapping characteristics, and some lie about their abilities. However, I had one [Gift] in mind. [Beast Demon Summoning]. The [Gift] that Sakuraile was originally supposed to receive. If someone else had been granted this…

“U-um, have you ever heard of a [Gift] called [Beast Demon Summoning]?”

Curious, I inadvertently interrupted Father and the others’ conversation. The Chancellor answered my question.

“[Beast Demon Summoning]…? I have never heard of it. I don’t recall such a [Gift] being recorded in past documents either… Do you know someone with such a [Gift]?”

“No, I just thought it might be possible if such a [Gift] existed…”

[Beast Demon Summoning], which can summon any demon beast, is a ‘Rare Gift,’ after all… And it tends to go out of control depending on the user’s emotions. Maybe people don’t openly announce it to the public. The Sakuraile in the game boasted about it smugly, though.

“That venue had a barrier to seal [Gifts]. Small Goddess statues placed in the four corners of the venue were magic tools that erected the barrier. And on the day His Highness Elliott was attacked, one of the Goddess statues in the venue had been removed by someone.”

I see, so because that was gone, everyone could use their [Gifts].

“How many people know about the barrier?”

“Let’s see… It wouldn’t be strange for high-ranking nobles of Count rank and above to know. There are also nobles in charge of castle security, so I suppose a fair number of people do.”

“Even if they knew about the barrier, few would know that the ornaments looking like small Goddess statues were the magic tools creating it. Since we couldn’t guard them overtly, the Goddess statues were in a state where anyone could touch them normally. Assuming it was an inside job by someone who knew that…”

At the Chancellor’s words, Father put his hand on his chin and fell into thought. ‘The enemy is within,’ huh. If it were an external crime, the ‘Allegretto Empire,’ with whom we were once at war, would be suspicious. However, if it’s an inside job targeting Elliott, and we consider ‘who benefits,’ the most suspicious party would be the le Philharmonie Ducal House. After all, if Elliott dies, the position of the next Emperor could potentially pass to Father, the Emperor’s brother. Furthermore, I would become an Imperial Princess, so the motive is sufficient. I didn’t do it, though! Well, since Father and His Majesty the Emperor get along this well, I don’t think we are suspected.

“The ‘Empire’ might be up to something. The fact that the venue’s barrier was broken suggests there could be a traitor inside who guided them. Sakuraile’s [Gift], which allows for rapid contact with regional nobles in an emergency, is truly grateful. It would be helpful if you could lend us your strength.”

Of course, I am not reluctant to cooperate. Is there no [Gift] holder who can communicate over long distances? When I asked Father, he said there is one, technically. A [Gift] called [Resonance Telepathy], but the owners are twins, and they can only communicate between themselves. So, twin synchro-telepathy? Currently, one of them is in the Imperial Capital, and the other is in a large city near the Empire. A world without cell phones or smartphones is inconvenient. Ah, if I become able to summon a mobile phone shop… wait, without base stations or satellites, it would be useless. Things don’t go that smoothly. I wish there was a convenient smartphone that charged with magic and transmitted via magic particles! This world apparently has something like carrier pigeons, but since there are flying demon beasts, they often get eaten on the way. So, important letters that absolutely must be delivered cannot be sent by pigeon. If you attach the same letter to many pigeons and release them, the probability of delivery increases, but the probability of secrets leaking also increases.

“However, this incident… Who is pulling the strings behind the scenes…?”

“Is there a possibility it’s the work of a faction opposing Brother?”

“The ‘Traditionalist Faction’? That possibility isn’t nonexistent…”

Gathering from the conversation, the ‘Traditionalist Faction’ seems to be a faction of old nobles. The current Emperor considers both old and new nobles as equal, but the ‘Traditionalist Faction’ insists that old nobles are superior and should be granted various privileges. They claim it’s a natural right for their long, continuous contribution to the country. From my perspective, useless nobles who only have their bloodline are unnecessary. Just because a parent is excellent doesn’t mean the child will be excellent too. Apparently, the leader of this ‘Traditionalist Faction’ is that Marquess Ragtime.

“He does possess Imperial blood, after all… Looking only at lineage, he would be the head of the ‘Traditionalist Faction’.”

Eh? That Kaiser-mustache, dark-circles Marquess and Hanger-on A are my relatives…? Seeing my disgusted face, Father explained with a wry smile that while Imperial blood does flow in them, it’s quite thin. The lineage split over a hundred years ago. It’s a bloodline from more than five generations back, so we’re practically strangers.

“But would the ‘Traditionalist Faction’ gain anything by attacking Elliott?”

“Perhaps intended as a threat to Brother? Aiming for the approval of a standing mercenary group, which the ‘Traditionalist Faction’ is pushing for?”

“Surely not. It wouldn’t be something so direct. In any case, I cannot approve something that carries such a possibility of rebellion.”

Dangerous talk indeed… I’ve never heard of a rebellion storyline in the Imperial Capital in “Starlight Symphony,” so nothing will happen… I think. No, assuming it’s the same as the game might trip me up. Things have already changed significantly. I don’t know what that Kaiser-mustache Marquess is plotting, but I pray it doesn’t develop into anything more troublesome. Sighing, I brought the vanilla ice cream I ordered to my mouth.