Editing Tytania:Volume 4 Chapter 1 (section)

=== II ===
Idris’ voice took on a chilling tone.

“Escort the Duchess back to her original room. Do so with due respect, and ensure there are no oversights.”

Duchess Theresa Tytania had been moved from her original residence to a special suite. It was a room attended by a dozen people, including doctors, nurses, and guards. It was equipped with cameras, microphones, and reinforced double doors. A suite meant for her alone.

How, then, did she manage to leave that room? Furthermore, she had not gone alone but had emerged leading a platoon of armed soldiers. On top of that, how had she possibly learned that Fan Hyulick, the man responsible for the deaths of her two sons, had arrived at Uraniborg?

An unpleasant swirl of suspicion gathered in Idris’ mind. As the representative of Clanner Ajman and one of the former Four Dukes, he held full authority over Uraniborg. At least, that was how he presented himself to others. Yet, out of Idris’ knowledge, an unsightly disturbance had occurred. A flash of fury streaked across Idris’ handsome, youthful face.

What he actually did, however, was merely to gaze at Count Elman Tytania’s face in silence. After taking a single deep breath, Count Elman introduced the officers of the Blaze Flag Army who stood to his left and right. First was Fan Hyulick.

It was this carrot-haired youth before his eyes who had defeated Ariabert on two separate occasions. Even knowing this fact, it was somewhat difficult for Idris to accept.

Tytania placed great importance on dignity. It was said that this had originally arisen from the necessity to intimidate and subdue various nations, including those who harboured resentment. However, as the years passed and its effectiveness grew, it became an inherent trait, so much so that for Idris’ generation, it was almost indistinguishable from instinct.

''“To have been defeated by someone so lacking in dignity… Ariabert truly lacked competence. He possesses the bearing of someone who will, at best, remain a mere field officer.”''

Though he thought this spitefully, Idris, as expected, did not cross the line and went no further in disparaging Hyulick. Had Hyulick possessed a dignified appearance, it would have been just as irritating. The monster known as self-esteem was always a selfish thing.

As for Fan Hyulick, he found himself inadvertently admiring Idris’ youthful beauty.

''“It seems Duke Idris tries to be a fair leader, at least when he has the necessity and the leisure. Though I cannot say for sure what will happen after he becomes Clanner.”''

While Doctor Lee thought this, Hyulick himself mused:

''“Even if he doesn’t become the Lord of Tytania, he could certainly make a living on his face alone. There is no need to overexert himself against the likes of Ariabert and Jouslain. One-on-one might be different, but in a two-on-one, his chances of winning are slim.”''

Those were his thoughts. Since he could not make a living on his looks alone, his thought was roughly eighty percent mere resentment.

Doctor Lee was almost correct, but as he was not a god, he could not be one hundred percent right. While Idris had felt the need to conduct himself as a fair leader, the truth was that he simply had no such luxury. In order to concentrate the power of Tytania solely within himself, he had to subjugate the allied forces of Ariabert and Jouslain; yet, at the same time, he could not leave Uraniborg if he were to secure the person of the Clanner, Ajman.

Even setting aside the fact that he had forgotten past events and had taken the Blaze Flag Army in as mercenaries, one had to wonder if their loyalties could be fully trusted when the decisive battle finally arrived. If the pirates were to stir up an insurrection within Uraniborg, it would be an unbearable catastrophe.

“… Idris! Idris! Release me at once! Have you no shame? Learn some decency…!”

The screams of Duchess Theresa Tytania as she was being carried away brought Idris back to reality. Beneath his mask of composure, Idris suppressed a wry smile. An unbearable situation had already begun to unfold. If the pirates forgot their place, he decided, he would simply have to punish them.

It was a room of ridiculous luxury. As a commoner by birth, regardless of his lineage, Fan Hyulick could think of no other word than “luxurious” to describe it. In truth, the room consisted of three sections: a living area, a bedroom, and a bathroom, and each was far more spacious than the crew’s mess on the ''Honest Old Man Junior''.

He sat at the marble table, yet he found it impossible to settle himself. Peering into the bedroom, he saw a bed nearly three metres in both width and length, complete with a canopy. It was made of dark purple silk embroidered with gold thread, and its style was apparently Persian. To be fair, Hyulick had no idea whether Persia was the name of a planet or a person. For the time being, he simply sprawled out on the bed.

“A bed this huge doesn’t exactly look like the kind I could sleep in.”

“There are things we can use it for besides sleeping, you know.”

Since she had said it so lightly, Hyulick found himself nodding before hurriedly sitting up. Someone had entered his room without permission.

“Seraphine, how did you…”

The young woman wearing a sun visor replied:

“It means we are officially recognised by mighty Tytania. Quite an honour, isn’t it?”

“… So, you’re saying we’re sharing a room?”

“If you don’t want to, that’s fine. I’ll just sleep on the sofa in the living room.”

“T-that’s the wrong way around. I’ll be the one sleeping on the sofa.”

Seraphine seemed to let out a little chuckle.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter. Since Tytania went to such trouble to be considerate, why not just be magnanimous? It’s not like they think we’re saints, anyway.”

Seraphine tossed her bag onto the floor and leapt onto the bed with great energy. Her entire body bounced. Her smiling face looked even more childish than expected, and as Hyulick gave a wry smile, a half-length bust of a figure appeared in midair, accompanied by a perfectly businesslike voice.

“Do you have a moment, Fan?”

“There’s no such thing as having or not having a moment. They’re doing whatever they please with interceptions, eavesdropping, and hidden cameras anyway.”

When Hyulick responded with such carelessness, Doctor Lee shook his head without changing his expression.

“My view differs somewhat. In that regard, Tytania possesses a certain magnanimity. They likely have no intention of inciting unnecessary resentment by spying on the privacy of people like us. Firstly, it would be beneath their dignity. Tytania is not so cheap.”

Clutching a massive feathered pillow, Seraphine burst into laughter. Hyulick ran a hand through his hair.

“So, what is this all about, Doctor?”

A minute later, the three of them were actually face-to-face in the living room. Doctor Lee explained that the guards standing in the corridor merely had pistols hanging from their waists, then he crossed his legs on the sofa.

“Well, we owe our lives to Duke Idris.”

“That’s one way to put it.”

“In any case, he is our lifesaver.”

“A lifesaver, huh?”

Hyulick cast a quick glance at Seraphine. Seraphine sat with both knees raised, fingers interlaced, and arms wrapped around them.

“So, what you’re saying is, we owe Lord Idris a debt of gratitude.”

“Does that not sit well with you, Fan?”

“I’m grateful, certainly. If that hologram had appeared even three seconds late, there would be no disputing it. We would have been well and truly done for.”

At that, Seraphine interjected:

“I wonder if it was all a piece of theatre from the very beginning.”

“You think Duke Idris was in league with that terrifying woman?”

While the pirates conversed, Duke Idris Tytania was listening to several reports from Count Elman in his office, but his mind was half elsewhere. He had recently received what seemed like a divine revelation, and it had set him thinking.

“There were hostages<ref name="ftn4">Not sure what “hostages” Count Elman is referring to…</ref>, after all. What were they for… surely to be used in a situation such as this? Since I have summoned these pirates, I shall let them do what is fitting for them.”

Idris raised a hand, silencing Count Elman as he attempted to continue speaking.

“You have gone to great trouble, Count. By the way, there was a certain country that Jouslain seemed strangely preoccupied with. Do you remember which one?”

“Are you referring to the Kingdom of Elbing?”

“That is correct.”

“However, the princess of that land, Princess Lydia if I recall correctly, is already in Duke Jouslain’s custody.”

“I have no intention of laying hands on such a young girl. But as long as the Kingdom of Elbing itself remains part of Jouslain’s sphere of influence, I cannot simply leave it be.”

Count Elman cast a bewildered look at Idris. Idris curled the right corner of his mouth into a slight smirk and spoke, his voice laden with much deeper meaning:

“I am looking forward to seeing them demonstrate their loyalty and their ability to command troops.”

After a week of their stay in Uraniborg, which had begun to resemble that of tourists, the executives of the Blaze Flag Army were summoned to Idris’ office.