Editing Tytania:Volume 5 Chapter 2 (section)

=== III ===
“The message says, ‘We wish to consult with His Ducal Grace Jouslain Tytania regarding a certain matter’.”

Jouslain raised a hand to silence Balamy just as he was about to speak.

“Regarding this ‘certain matter’, do they mention anything specific?”

“Y-yes.”

“Let me hear it.”

“… They say, ‘We wish to take Baronet Zelpha Tytania into our custody’.”

“What—!?”

It was Balamy who let out a cry of astonishment, while Jouslain remained silent, gazing at the communications officer’s face. The officer exaggerated his expression of bewilderment, searching the duke’s eyes for guidance.

“How shall I respond?”

“I will provide the reply. Activate the interception prevention system, then establish the video link.”

“Yes sir.”

“However, ensure that everyone’s face is pixelated except for mine.”

He did not want to reveal the presence of Francia and the others to an opponent who could be neither identified as friend nor foe. After a struggle between emotion and reason, Jouslain received the Blaze Flag Army’s transmission with an attitude that was, surprisingly, quite composed.

The feeling was mutual. This was because the opponent had also pixelated everyone in the frame except for a single person positioned directly in front of the screen. He was a young man of Jouslain’s generation, with black hair and an intelligent face. However, that intelligence did not appear to follow a straight path.

“I am profoundly honoured that you have granted me this audience. My name is Lee Shanchen. You must be His Ducal Grace Jouslain.”

“Correct. I have received an interesting proposal from you, but do you really intend to purchase Zelpha’s freedom with money?”

“If you were to gain material profit by handing over Baronet Zelpha, it would constitute human trafficking. Your honour would be tarnished. It is precisely because we ask for no compensation that the goodwill of both parties may prevail.”

Behind the mosaic, Balamy shifted, and Jouslain wore an expression that stopped just short of a wry smile.

“You seem to be a master of rhetoric.”

“You may clearly call it outright sophistry.”

“Had you belonged to Tytania, you would have surely flourished in the Department of Foreign Affairs… No, I suppose that the fact that I bring up Tytania at the drop of a hat shows my limits.”

A sharp intensity flashed through Jouslain’s eyes and voice.

“I shall ask you something quite unrefined, but what are you plotting?”

Doctor Lee replied with an air of utmost seriousness:

“To be honest, we too are conflicted about our course of action regarding this matter. We considered keeping our distance and remaining uninvolved, but given the circumstances thus far, we found that impossible. As we are of little consequence to begin with, we have decided to take a leap of faith and side with Your Grace.”

“To side with me? Those are sweet words.”

“Since the Blaze Flag Army has a rather strict aunty… I mean, older sister, I do not believe it is a suitable environment for a child’s upbringing. I implore you to place your trust in us and allow us to look after the Baronet.”

Something moved behind the mosaic of the screen. It was Miranda, waving her hands in a panic. Jouslain paid it no mind.

“A killer cannot return to being a child. Whether he is thirteen, ten, or younger, it matters not.”

“I believe your insight is correct, Your Grace, but…”

Doctor Lee’s gaze was that of a scholar observing a subject.

“Surely, you cannot bring yourself to execute a thirteen-year-old boy.”

“Why do you think so?”

“You must know why. If you were to do such a thing, Your Grace, you would descend to the same standards as your enemies. It would be contrary to your wishes.”

Jouslain gave a silent laugh. It was likely exactly what his opponent had expected, but he did not mind.

“Standards, eh? You’re being harshly sarcastic. I believe Tytania’s standard of morality is somewhat removed from that of the common people.”

“A slip of the tongue. Please pardon me.”

“I shan’t pardon you—that was no slip of the tongue. Even a fool like myself can see that you are a shrewd man.”

“Your Grace…”

“I am not merely being self-deprecating. It is a disgraceful display that I am unable to decide even how to deal with the life of a single child. If you have any other advice to offer, I shall listen.”

Doctor Lee cleared his throat.

“This matter must absolutely be kept secret. I believe that the location of Baronet Zelpha must never be known to the Uraniborg faction.”

“That is certainly true. It would become quite troublesome if it were discovered. However, and I hope this won’t offend you, I wish to hold something in return to guarantee Zelpha’s safety. I do not believe this is an unreasonable request, but what say you?”

A smile befitting Mephistopheles’ disciple appeared on Doctor Lee’s face.

“Regarding that point, I am prepared to entrust a certain individual to Your Grace in exchange for Baronet Zelpha.”

“What individual?”

“He is a man with low social skills who holds a childish love for omelettes, but he may still prove of some use to Your Grace Jouslain.”

“… Admiral Fan Hyulick?”

“You are most perceptive.”

Doctor Lee spoke without a hint of irony or mockery and offered a thoroughly serious bow.



Doctor Lee had demonstrated extraordinary processing power by concluding a “business deal” with Duke Jouslain Tytania that could only be described as absurd, but the person who had been used as bargaining material was far from appeased.

“Listen, Hyulick, Duke Jouslain’s unit was under the command of Duke Ariabert. You are lucky. Had they been former subordinates of Duke Zarlisch, you would have been turned into the filling for a giant omelette while still alive.”

“How exactly is that lucky? You used a person as a bargaining chip without permission. What would you have done if I’d been turned into a fried egg instead of an omelette? If you intend to toy with Duke Jouslain, that is one thing, but…”

“Hyulick, while I might be able to handle just you, turning Duke Jouslain into a plaything is more than I can manage. I expect you to assist Duke Jouslain with the utmost sincerity.”

“And will the other party even trust me?”

“That depends entirely on your character. For now, the negotiations are settled. Hallelujah!”

Uttering a celebratory phrase so ancient that its origins were unknown, Doctor Lee patted Hyulick on the shoulder. The young carrot-top brushed the hand away with an annoyed expression, then asked in a sulky tone:

“So, am I going alone?”

“You’re an adult, aren’t you?”

“That’s a completely different issue! Besides, what do you intend to do after taking custody of Baronet Zelpha? Are you planning to sell him off somewhere?”

“Human trafficking is not part of the Blaze Flag Army’s tradition.”

“It’s a matter of tradition?”

“Well, although we sided with Uraniborg recently and had everything ruined by young master Radmoth, this time, I shall have to consider how best to utilise young master Zelpha for Duke Jouslain’s sake.”

“Then, how will our position be described? Unscrupulous traitors?”

“No, no, there is no need to be so self-deprecating,” declared Doctor Lee solemnly. “We are the champions of justice who shall overthrow the tyrant Ajman.”

Hyulick fell silent. He was intensely furious with both Doctor Lee and Clanner Ajman, though the nature of his anger was not the same for each.

Towards Ajman, he felt a sense of loathing for his political methods and an indefinable, creeping eeriness. Towards Doctor Lee, though he found it strange himself, he felt an impulse that might be satisfied by a single well-placed slap. While he should have suffered more actual harm from Doctor Lee, it was unclear why, perhaps because he viewed Clanner Ajman as their shared, common enemy.

“Whatever happens, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

In the end, despite his immense dissatisfaction, Hyulick accepted Doctor Lee’s “business proposal”.



Meanwhile, in the VIP lounge of the battleship ''Austra'', Baronet Zelpha Tytania was glaring at a remnant of his sworn enemy—

“Has my fate been decided?”

“I have decided.”

The perceptive boy noticed that Jouslain had not used the phrasing “it has been decided<ref name="ftn6">Essentially, Zelpha has noted that Jouslain used the transitive (決める “to decide”) rather than the intransitive (決まる “to be decided”).</ref>”. He tried his utmost to keep his expression unchanged, but he could not prevent his face from turning pale. There was no way he would be released unconditionally. He had been prepared for the death penalty, but to have it stated so explicitly, it was only natural that he felt terror.

“I am handing you over to the Blaze Flag Army. You know what the Blaze Flag Army is, don’t you? They are notorious space pirates who temporarily joined forces with your beloved brother.”

For a moment, Zelpha wore an expression of bewildered confusion, and despite himself, his gaze darted to the sides of Jouslain. He could read nothing from the faces of the poised Balamy and Francia.

“I am a Tytanian noble.”

“And?”

“I would rather die with my pride intact than be sold off to pirates. Kill me!”

Jouslain looked Zelpha straight in the eye. Zelpha was excessively sharp, intense, and heated. To put it coldly, there was no need to kill him. He would likely destroy himself before ever reaching adulthood.

“A fitting end for a murderer, wouldn’t you say? What have you done to an opponent who trusted you and showed you every courtesy? You may praise yourself all you like, but your methods were nothing short of cowardly.”

Sweat glistened on Zelpha’s brow.

Jouslain could not tell if the reason he was handing Zelpha over to the pirates was because he hated the boy so much or because he didn’t hate him but had a feeling that it was a “waste to kill him”. His hatred for Clanner Ajman remained frozen like a flame, refusing to lose its shape.

“Do you understand, you coward? During your stay with the pirates, try to become at least as human as they are.”

Zelpha glared at Jouslain without a sound. His gaze was like a volley of fierce arrows. This was exactly what Francia and Balamy had expected. However, something occurred that exceeded their expectations.

A liquid that was not sweat overflowed from both of Zelpha’s eyes, trickling down his cheeks and mingling with his perspiration. The single word “coward” had caused the ramparts of the boy’s heart to collapse.