Chapter 24: Crown Prince Sirius
──Sirius Ill-Luxion.
First Prince of the Luxion Empire.
Ask anyone in the streets about Sirius, and the answers are always the same. Perfect. A genius. The hope of the Empire. Praise pours forth without end, as if no other words exist to describe him. He was a prince who seemed to accept the weight of the Empire’s expectations upon his small shoulders without complaint, shining brilliantly beneath them all.
Yet Sirius, despite his genius, never allowed himself to grow arrogant. Even at a tender age, he understood reality with painful clarity.
(If I cease to be perfect, the Empire’s ancient customs will awaken—and the bloody struggle between princes and princesses will begin. I may be biased, but my younger siblings are hot-blooded by nature. Unless I ascend as Crown Prince, a war of succession is unavoidable. Their lives… all of them… rest upon me.)
Sharp of mind, accomplished in both letters and arms, blessed with striking beauty and heroic bearing.
If he continued to grow as he was, there was no doubt that the greatest emperor in history would be born.
Though he was not yet even ten years old, the people of the castle allowed their expectations to swell around him.
But think about it for a moment. Even Al the Transcendent—an existence said to stand above all others—was far from flawless, burdened with countless weaknesses.
…In the end, the word “genius” is often nothing more than an ornament used to hide fragility.
Sirius was no exception.
Still so young, there were times he wanted to bury his face in his parents’ chests and cry. Times when he wished to skip his studies or social obligations and simply go out to play. Days when his body felt unwell. Days when he longed for someone—anyone—to listen to his complaints.
──But he could never show that to others.
Because the First Prince had to be perfect, a genius who carried the Empire’s future.
Because if he failed to remain perfect, his younger siblings might begin killing one another.
Behind his beautiful, glittering appearance, his heart slowly began to crumble and fall apart.
And then came a day when the limits of his lonely battle were about to be reached.
“Um… was there a floor like this in the castle…?”
Though it was midday, the corridor was dim, saturated with oppressive magical power that seemed to squeeze his heart. He had wandered into it by mistake.
In the vast floor, there were only ten rooms.
(Ah. This is the residential floor of the court magicians—Father told me never to come near here. I should leave at once.)
Yet from one particular room drifted a sweet, rich aroma that seized his senses. Guided by the growl of his stomach, his feet carried him forward in a daze, and before he realized it, he was knocking on the door.
“Mmm… who goes there?”
“C-cough… It is Sirius.”
He suppressed his tone as usual, slipping into the role of the perfect prince.
“Ah, Prince Sirius. You may enter.”
“Excuse me.”
When he opened the door, freshly baked cookies were lined up on the table, and the nutty, toasted scent instantly tickled his nose.
Sirius, who secretly had an incurable weakness for sweets, swallowed hard at the sight.
Estella smiled with a weary sort of amusement.
“I know not why you came here, but don’t hold back—eat as much as you like. Anyone who loves sweets is a friend of mine.”
(That Levian brat, and now even the prince… why do children keep visiting me at regular intervals? Well, no matter.)
“V-very well. Refusing such an invitation would be discourteous. I shall gladly accept it, Court Magician of the Grass Attribute.”
“Just call me Estella.”
“Then… Estella.”
Sirius quickly took a seat and reached for a cookie.
“Ah—hot!”
“Kakaka, fresh out of the oven, you see. Be careful.”
Blushing in embarrassment, he took a bite.
“T-this is…”
“Oh? You share my tastes, Your Highness. It’s good, isn’t it? In the city, sweets loaded with honey or chocolate are considered high-class—overwhelmingly sweet things. But when it comes to cookies, I prefer nutty flavors with restrained sweetness.”
What usually arrived in Sirius’s room were only the finest delicacies.
The simple, commoner’s flavor dancing on his tongue made his senses leap with delight.
“Sometimes it’s nice, isn’t it? Things like this.”
“W-well… it’s not bad.”
“You seem quite stressed, Your Highness. Stay as long as you like until you feel better.”
“Stressed…? I am always stable in both body and mind. Today is no exception—”
“Lies. If that were true, you wouldn’t be drawn into a suspicious room in the middle of such a dangerous floor just by a sweet scent. Besides, His Majesty forbade you from coming here, did he not?”
“T-that is…”
“If something troubles you, say it. This is my room. No one else will hear.”
“………………”
Seeing Sirius fall silent and look down, Estella smiled gently and placed a hand on his head.
“Don’t push yourself, little one. If you explode, it’ll be too late. Go on—tell me.”
“Estella…”
For the first time outside of his parents, Sirius felt affection untainted by expectation or desire—honest, unconditional warmth. An affection that supported him from the core of his being, filling him with an inexplicable sense of safety.
His mouth… opened naturally.
“If I am not perfect—”
“You’ve been working all alone for your siblings’ sake. How admirable you are, Your Highness.”
“If I do not lead the Empire—”
“Good grief. The upper echelons expect far too much from such a tiny child. You need only learn what a nation is under His Majesty’s guidance, little by little.”
“If I am not always healthy—”
“Hiding poor health will only cause trouble later. If it truly comes to it, come to me for medicine.”
“If I do not master both swordsmanship and magic—”
“Fool. Only those lunatics called Transcendents can manage that. One path is enough. If you choose magic, I’ll teach you myself.”
“If I do not keep fighting alone—”
“From today onward, I am your ally. Hold your head high.”
The more he confessed his weaknesses, the more something hot and overwhelming surged up from the depths of Sirius’s heart. Before he realized it, he had buried his face in Estella’s chest and was sobbing uncontrollably.
“Fwaaaaaah, Esteeellaaaa!”
“There, there. You’ve had it hard. You’ve done so well. From now on, you can come here anytime.”
(Such a pure, adorable child… there’s no way I could abandon him.)
Sirius cried until Estella’s clothes were soaked through.
“Sniff… h-hic.”
“Do you feel better now?”
“Yeah… thank you.”
“Kakakaka.”
“But… it was harder than I expected. When Mother used to hold me, her chest was so soft and comforting…”
“I’ll knock you flat, you little brat. Don’t you dare mock my proud, youthful, springy body.”
From that day on, Sirius visited her whenever he had the chance.
“Estella, could you bake cookies again?”
“Estella, some fine sweets were presented to me, so I brought them.”
“Estella, I’m not feeling well—could you share some potions?”
“Estella, could you teach me this spell?”
“Estella, I was bored, so I came by.”
Estella, Estella, Estella, Estella, Estella, Estella…
And then—
“Estella, today I was appointed Crown Prince. Will you become my fiancée?”
“Are you sure? If you’re engaged to a short elf mage like me, people will point fingers.”
“That’s fine. I’ll silence them.”
“Many will oppose elf blood entering Luxion.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”
“…Good grief.”
Sirius became the very image of a perfect Crown Prince. And the one thing he desired in this world—Estella, a woman untouched by greed—he succeeded in making his partner.
Estella was happier than anyone. That tiny child, that prince she had grown so close to, now stood at the head of the nation and had chosen her as his future queen. How could she not rejoice?
…But those blissful days shattered in an instant.
“Sirius was attacked… you say? Who dared do this?! Who was it?!”
“It was Crow-sama… the former Chief Court Magician…!”
“Crow…? Why… why Sirius? Why?!”
(I will never forgive you, Crow!)
Watching Sirius waste away day by day while remaining unconscious was more painful than anything. To keep her beloved fiancé alive for even one second longer, Estella brewed potions tirelessly, day after day.
The doctors said mercilessly that there was no hope. The Crown Prince was fated to die of weakness. Without Estella’s potions, he would stop breathing within days.
But Estella did not give up. Whenever she had time, she stayed by Sirius’s side. She baked his favorite cookies and placed them beside his pillow, believing that one day he would suddenly awaken—just as he had before—and reach for them again.
Though she was an apothecary by trade, a realist by nature, Estella clung to the illusion called “miracle,” remaining at his side for years without surrendering.
“Sirius. I will always be by your side.”
──The blood of Luxion smiles upon such great fools.
◇◇◇
One day, after the Dragon God Cult incident had finally settled.
As usual, Estella visited Sirius’s room, carrying potions in one hand and cookies in the other.
“Sirius~ what a lovely day it is to—ah…”
The items slipped from her hands.
“Hello, Estella.”
In the next instant, Estella leapt onto the bed and clung to Sirius.
“Wooooooahhhhhhh!!! Siriuuuusssss!!! It’s the real Sirius!!! The real Sirius!!!”
“Hahaha. There’s no other me but the real one. I was supposed to have been killed by Crow… and yet I’m alive. It must be thanks to you, Estella. Thank you—my beloved wife, my partner.”
As Estella wept uncontrollably, Sirius gently stroked her head, just as she had once done for him.