Editing Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 3===
Dinn used the time while the prince had gone out to thoroughly clean up the room. Doing so alone would have been too heavy a labour, so he spoke with the grand chamberlain and acquired help from several others. It wasn't unusual for several people to be tasked to look after a member of the imperial family. The one who arranged for Dinn alone to be entrusted with the duty was none other than Fedom, for fear that Orba's true colours would be brought to light. The official reason was because the hot-tempered prince could trust no other chamberlain except Dinn.
 
In any case, he was finished shortly after noon. The other chamberlains took their leave, and as he let out a sigh of relief, the bell announcing visitors rang. The soldiers acting as the room bodyguards had rung it.
 
Somehow, Dinn had a bad feeling about this.
 
 
 
"Did something bad happen?"
 
Ineli stealthily whispered in his ear, pointing to Baton, who was clearly in a bad mood. Her playful expression annoyed Orba.
 
"He failed to make a pass on a girl. Leave him be."
 
He answered, more or less now used to it. Ineli giggled, and taking Orba's hand, joined it around her surprisingly slender arms. It was a rather skillful play, and then Orba felt her call out to the side,
 
"What are you going to do now, Baton? If you want to go back and weep, I won't be stopping you."
 
"Don't kid around. There's a place I want to check out. It's a well-known store that even the prince would happily approve of."
 
It was a given that Orba had no way of knowing, but for Baton, this would be the day's main event.
 
The horses were left in the Saian residence, and Baton was the first to take the lead and begin walking.
 
The southwestern district was divided by the Sazan River from the area of the palace and nobles' residence. Once they treaded on the Town District, they made a few turns here and there, and separated from the main road. There was a smell of garbage waste, prompting Ineli to hold her nose. The other boys also exchanged worried looks.
 
"Are you sure this is the right place, Baton?"
 
Even Troa, who should have been aware of the plan, worriedly asked this. Baton snorted.
 
''They were raised as the sons of well-off families after all.''
 
It was unlikely that nobles would set foot into this sort of place in the absence of bodyguards. But to Baton, it was a familiar sight. Sick of his usual days of boredom, he would often frequent such places. It was a part of his own ventures to seek out thrills.
 
"Hey, hold up."
 
Several poorly dressed men came from the direction of the voice and approached them. One of them whistled.
 
"Well aren't you a group of rather well-dressed young masters."
 
"It's dangerous here ya know, because there's a whole bunch of bad people around. They'll quickly strip you of your belongings."
 
"Because we're nice people, we'll help you guys out of here, so if you'd offer us something of value, that'll make us ''really'' happy."
 
They were dressed in dregs, giving off the appearance of thugs, but all of them were acquaintances of Baton.
 
They conferred the financially well off Baton the position of leader, and often hung out in 'groups' around these parts. At times, they would go as far as to simulate blackmailings and stealings.
 
"Don't screw with me," Baton got fired up, according to plan. "As if we would even give the least bit of money to get past guys like you. You guys that don't know your place, scram!" 
 
"What was that?!"
 
The person in front spat out saliva and then drew a dagger from his back.
 
Ineli shrank back as she instinctively let out a scream. Baton casually pat her on the back, "It's an act," he told in a small voice. He continued,
 
"How shall we go about this..."
 
He stared at the seemingly dumbfounded prince. The prince had been silent the whole time. Baton held the contemptuous thought that he was left shaking in his boots at a lost for words.
 
''He succeeded with his first campaign, they say? And just what can this spoiled prince do in such a kill-on-sight situation?''
 
For a while now, the two may have held a relationship where they would gallivant about together, but within Baton's heart, he had looked down on the prince this whole time. He felt himself a far more capable man. But now that prince was hailed as a hero. For this reason, he wanted to make a fool out of him in public. He wanted to make them see the prince's abilities in a new light.
 
There was no way for Baton to know, of course, the feelings that Gil—Orba was harbouring at the time. Because he would never imagine that Gil had switched places with a former gladiator, it also wasn't too much of a stretch that Orba held a strange feeling of nostalgia.
 
''The fixed smell, alleyways, threatened extortion by pointing blades, and the stealing—''
 
These were all the only things he experienced as a child. In the few years after the time Oubary had burned down his village until he was made to become a gladiator, he had lived sipping the muddy waters from the worst parts of town.
 
Before his eyes, he saw a great many men brandishing their daggers.
 
"Now, what's the matter? If your mouths aren't working, then how about I force it open for you."
 
The boy pointed his dagger at Orba's mouth. Orba didn't turn away, carefully looking past the blade and observing his opponents. They numbered four. All of them most likely carried weapons. He wore a pistol and dagger on his back. If he could seize a chance, he was fully confident he could beat them, but he couldn't afford to do it too skilfully in the presence of Ineli and the others.
 
''Now then—''
 
As Orba thought of a prince-like behaviour that might get them out of this situation, Baton suddenly reached out his hand and knocked away the dagger in front of the prince's mouth.
 
"You shouldn't go too far with your pranks, or you'll be in for a world of pain," Baton said with a triumphant air. 
 
He was already satisfied, having been able to make a show of the prince's worthlessness in front of his best friends.
 
"We are Mephian nobility. If you so much as inflict a wound on us, you lot would be hung in the blink of an eye. We'll overlook this. Now scram!"
 
That was the arranged key phrase, but the opposing men showed not even the smallest indication of being daunted; they were smirking. And to make matters worse,
 
"Oh? Nobility you say."
 
Startled, Baton turned around to face the voice that called out. There were another three men drawing closer, dressed in rags just like the others. But he had no recollection assigning them as cast in this play.
 
"Now that I look more closely, I'd say you're the real thing. We heard your little chat and couldn't help to think what awfully mighty things you said."
 
"Well isn't this a bigger catch than I imagined."
 
"You bastards!" Baton let out in a low voice. He was well aware of the colour draining from his face. They had went along with Baton's proposed plan and laid a trap on their end.
 
"W-what are you going to do? If it's money you really want, I'll be sure to later..."
 
"We don't need your loose change, Cadmos boy. With this many hostages, they wouldn't mind if we demanded even more money, right?" 
 
Ineli once again gave another shrill scream; one of the thugs had laid his hands on her dress.
 
"Those're some nice ''garbs'' yer wearin'. I wanna bring 'em home to my daughter."
 
"L-let go! You low-life, get your filthy hands off me!"
 
Ineli slapped his cheek. It was a reflexive action that tensed the situation.
 
"This wench."
 
"Who's the real filthy one, you damn Mephian nobles. Do it."
 
"W-wait! Wait I tell you!"
 
Baton shouted, as Ineli's legs gave way. With a frantic expression,
 
"T-The one over here is Mephius' crown prince. You should get that there's no way you'll get away with it..."
 
"The prince, you say?"
 
A joyous countenance flashed across their faces contrary to Baton's expectations, but one of them directed eyes full of hatred on their 'guest'. He was the oldest man in the group.
 
"Prince Mephius! Who would have thought I would be able to meet him here. He is the bane of Layla, and the one person I mustn't let escape."
 
Again, the same man acted alone and drew his sword. The drawn sword left the young nobles speechless and frozen stiff, as one of them thought,
 
''Layla?''
 
Upon hearing the name for the first time, he committed her connection with these men to memory.
 
"First, let's have you hand over that gun. Actually, stay right there. I'll take it."
 
As per the instructions of the man who first drew his sword, Orba reached his hands towards his back.
 
The time that seemingly stood still continued to flow. Orba quickly reached towards the other half of his body and drew the gun from his back. "Wait," as his fellow thugs called out, Orba swiftly pulled the trigger quickly.
 
Having been shot on the midfoot, the man fainted in agony. Orba didn't hesitate. In a situation where the enemies numbered many, missing a chance to strike the first blow was fatal.
 
"You asshole!"
 
"Long as he's alive, I don't give a damn! The gun, slice his whole arm off!"
 
He nimbly dodged the man that slashed at him from behind.
 
"Run!" Orba shouted. He practically kicked Baton from behind, pushing him towards the side. They didn't need any more prompting, and as the other thugs gave chase to the boys, they were met with another round of bullets. They toppled sideways as blood gushed out of their bodies.
 
"Now you've done it!"
 
The remaining men all rushed towards Orba. They were at point-blank range, and Orba, deeming that the pistol couldn't properly be handled at point-blank, kicked the knee of the man in front, snatching the short sword from his hands. Twice, thrice he repelled the pouring onslaught of daggers.
 
A colour of surprise and impatience hung on the dirt-covered mens' faces. They had agreed to kidnap the younger nobles, and had more or less resolved themselves, but having let everyone escape, the nobles would surely come back and rain retribution down on them.
 
"This brat!"
 
With unexpected skill, he slashed downwards, diagonally across the shoulders of a stumbling man. "Surround him!" and the instant Orba heard the bellow, jumped back to the rear. He blocked the pursuing blade using the katana grasped in his right hand to perform an upwards sweeping motion, and with the dagger strapped to his back, stabbed the man in the chest with his left.
 
If he were to diminish their numbers, then their chances of success would drastically decrease. He whirled the sword on his right in arcs, and the foes continued to fall amidst the clattering, until only a single man was left. He was the man who had cried out 'bane of Layla'.
 
"Y-You-You bastard!!"
 
He gripped his blade, ready to strike. The man's stubble-covered face trembled in its entirety, as he glared at Orba. But it wasn't Orba he hated. It was a person possessing the same appearance as he, whom the man detested.
 
Just as he was about to attack, Orba fired a shot near his feet. "Hiiii," the man jumped, and collapsed on his bottom.
 
"Who is Layla?" Orba asked, as he established his aim.
 
"D-Don't play dumb! I won't let you say you forgot you did to Layla."
 
"Say it." He thrust the muzzle up his chin, "Who is Layla? And what do you mean by getting revenge?"
 
 
 
Quite some time passed, as Orba caught up with Ineli and the others along the bank of Sazan River.
 
"B-Brother."
 
Ineli gazed at Orba as if she was seeing a dead one come back to life. Orba collapsed onto the floor on the spot, pretending to have barely escaped from a near-death situation."
 
"Are you ok?"
 
"B-Barely. You guys, wasn't it a bit too much to run away and leave me behind like that?"
 
"That's....Your Highness himself was the one who said to run," one of the boys said, but Orba made a face as if he didn't remember it at all.
 
In the end, after it was clear that everyone had made it out safely, Ineli's expression turned into one that completely relished in the thrill, and returned to her usual self.
 
"I would have never thought you would suddenly just shoot."
 
"It was really sudden for me too, and I don't really remember it all that well."
 
"Hey, Your Highness? Don't get too mad after hearing about it, okay? All of this was...."
 
"Ine-Princess Ineli." Baton coughed violently to interrupt Ineli. "Please keep the information regarding that matter c-c-confidential."
 
Even though Ineli was short of breath, she floated a smile across her face. Orba could somewhat guess what it was about, but kept his mouth shut. Ineli planned to, under the leverage of the 'secret', toy with Baton to the utmost.
 
''At any rate.''
 
The matter regarding the aforementioned 'Layla' weighed on Orba's mind. According to what he heard from the man he threatened, Gil Mephius had exercised the privilege exclusive to the imperial family, 'right to the first night', on a local bride. That was Layla. Her father was an officer of the Imperial Guards directly under the control of the emperor, but following the incident, he explained to the relatives and close friends invited to the wedding.
 
"It is the prince's usual dalliance. Nothing will happen," he explained.
 
No one was convinced. But this staked on his daughter’s honour, and the imperial officer made them swear to never reveal this matter to others. After that, they never saw the father and daughter again. Their mansion in the city of Solon had also, at one point, been sold off. Rumours spread of how they had been killed to silence them, and before long, talk of this matter ceased.
 
The man Orba questioned was also a distant relative of Layla.
 
In constant fear of when an assassin might come, he had lost all will to work, and went as far as to perform the activities of a night thief that he held himself in contempt for. He loathed the Mephian nobles and most of all, Gil Mephius.
 
"I understand now."
 
Once he had finished hearing everything, Orba set down his gun. He departed, leaving the fallen men lying in the pools of blood. 
 
''Rone Jayce.''
 
An officer of the Imperial Guards. This was worth investigating. The disturbance of the 'right of first night' occurred just before Orba was made into Gil's body double. Moreover, Gil shared a bed with Layla in a barroom, when the man witnessed none other than Fedom running into the room.
 
''What happened there…?''
 
On the way back, under the swaying of the horse, Orba was lost in thought.
 
"Your Highness," Ineli reached over from behind and gently prodded Orba, signalling the sun was already setting.
 
"Lord Zaat is here."
 
"Ah," Orba unintentionally let out. Emerging from the store along with several men armed with swords acting as bodyguards was a man clad in what could easily be identified as clothing for a noble, and Oubary Bilan. These two stopped moving, seeming to have noticed the prince.
 
"If this isn't the prince. What an unusual place to have met you. I take it you are in good health."
 
Oubary's thin, spread, purple lips broke to form a smile. Just seeing his face was enough for Orba to feel his body heat up, and he was only able to respond with a light nod. And the other person was:
 
''Zaat Quark.''
 
With the portraits Dinn had laid out, he was able to roughly remember the faces of the leading nobles. He was a member of the Founding Imperial Council. The House of Quark had been around since the founding of Mephius, and remained a distinguished family in the successive generations. While gazing at Orba with a grand demeanour and eyes filled with vigour, he opened his mouth.
 
[[Image:Rakuin no Monshou v02 057.jpg|thumb]]
"Congratulations on your first successful campaign.....A month has already passed since then, as I now remember at this late hour, but I regret to inform you that I have not had a chance to visit you since then. His Imperial Majesty has also been left worried. How about you show him your face tomorrow, if not earlier?"
 
"Oh, okay."
 
"If the other nobles were to see that the prince, who is supposed to be laying in bed ill, is playing around in such a place, there will be no stopping them from speaking ill of you. Mephius is more or less on the verge of rebellion. As you are an important prince, do take care."
 
He indeed spoke with a refined demeanour and yet gentle tone, notwithstanding the piercing glint in his eyes. Zaat was not one of the twelve generals, but carried the vestiges of the House of Quark that once held dominion over the position. Compared to genuine military commanders like Rogue or Oubary, he held few soldiers and should not have personally stood in a battlefield before. But those eyes just now were exactly the kind that intently fixed themselves on the enemy.
 
''So...he's the head of the anti-imperial faction?''
 
He hadn't received this information from Dinn, but remembered Fedom mentioning it at one point. Zaat appeared to be the most opposed to Kaiser Islan's imprisonment. Would the prince have faltered from this? As Orba held this thought,  it was suddenly cut short.
 
"Well then, please excuse me."
 
After courteously leaving his message, he departed with Oubary. Orba stared at the form of the two men boarding the coach that had been waiting in front of the store, or more exactly, at Oubary alone.
 
''One day,'' Orba swore in his mind.
 
''One day I'll burn you to death. That's right, 'one day'. Not now. I'm not so nice as to just kill you now.''
 
"It's better to not worry about it, brother."
 
Ineli took Gil's lapse of silence to mean he had fallen depressed over the indirect reprehension of their idling. She smiled while patting him on the back.
 
"Still, what a strange combination," one of the boys cocked his head. "I've never seen the two of them get along so well together until now."
 
"Whatever. Let's just hurry and go back. We'll be sorry to receive the fussings of another important person.''
 
Or so Baton said, but even now, his face paled. It was obvious to everyone he was terrified of what other troubles he might find himself caught up in.
 
 
 
''What a weird day.''
 
Orba thought as he walked through the palace passage.
 
A lot of things happened, but at present, the prince's closest of friends had yet to suspect his true colours. It could be considered his first of steps. It was absolutely necessary to obtain all the rights and privileges the prince held, and to do so, he needed to be able to put up with the various worthless happenings.
 
Be that as it may, the unaccustomed battles had left him exhausted, body and mind.
 
"Dinn," he called out to the page once he had opened the door. "I won't be needing a bath or a meal today."
 
"And you also won't be—"
 
"Prince."
 
Orba noticed Dinn wore an expression of discomfort. The prince's room was a continuation of three rooms, and the first door that was opened led to a small room where chairs and a counter were arranged to let a waiting visitor settle in.
 
In there, the shadow of a figure could be seen sitting in moody silence. With a single glance, Orba's fatigue had somewhat left him. It was Garbera's third princess, Vileena. With her rich, silver hair hanging on her back, the dignified beauty looked up directly at Orba.
 
"I welcome you back, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Gil." <!--Might be better to change "Your Highness the Crown Prince, Gil" to simply "Your Imperial Highness.-->"
 
"Y, Yeah."
 
"Pray tell me, where did you head off to?"
 
"Well, that is—oh, I was invited to the general's house."
 
"You ''certainly'' seem to be in good health."
 
''Each and every one of them says the exact same thing.''
 
Such a thought crossed his head. He planned to restrain the feeling, but it must have showed on his face.
 
"Did I perhaps say something odd? I am an unaccustomed guest in Mephius after all. I am not privy to the culture and humour of this country. That is to say, I’d like for us to come to an immediate understanding, or at the very least, for you to firmly answer me."
 
"What are you trying to say?" Orba angrily glared at the girl two years younger than him. "This isn't very princess-like. If there's something you want to say, then say it frankly."
 
"Is that so. Then, let's be frank. Prince, are you aware of the matter regarding Kaiser Islan?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Is ''yes'' all you have to say?" her starry-eyed pupils widened.
 
"Like I said, what are you trying to say? Just state your business."
 
"That's already enough."
 
With a red face, Vileena got up from her seat. Orba wanted to lie down and rest, if even a second earlier, but this attitude only served to stoke his ire.
 
"What do you mean ''that's enough''? I haven't heard anything yet."
 
"I wondered if you had collapsed due to the illness, to find you roaming about until this late. If you were agonizing over this country's future, you must have at least given it some thought; from the looks of it, the issue hasn't weighed on your mind the least bit. No matter what I tell you, it would be pointless."
 
"You have some nerve, discreetly criticizing others you hardly know on nothing but speculation."
 
He had just managed to keep up a mask of appearances in front of the group of close friends, and somehow, before this fourteen year old princess, it had crumbled away to dust. Most likely, the princess said the one thing that shouldn't be said.
 
"There are things a child cannot understand. Before you go meddling in people's business, how about you first go and grow up, princess?"
 
"I most certainly will!"
 
In an instant, Vileena stood up with great force, and faster than Dinn could let out an 'Ah', pressed towards Orba. Thinking the force would be transmitted through an open palm, Orba reflexively pressed his back against the wall.
 
"Good day!"
 
Leaving those sharp words, Vileena ''stomped'' her way out of the room in a manner unbefitting a princess.
 
Orba loosened his back, as he slumped down against the wall.
 
''First Ran, and now this princess.''
 
"I'm also to blame," Dinn said with a bit too sad of a look.
 
"When the princess came in the afternoon, I explained to her that you had gone out with your friends."
 
"Then what time will he be returning?" the princess had asked. Thinking it would be bad if the prince took too long to play around, Dinn gave the insubstantial response of, "He'll be back immediately." 
 
"I had repeatedly told her, 'Once he comes back, I would immediately contact them', but she continued to wait in this manner...."
 
It was afternoon, and then it was already four, and now had passed 5 o'clock. Orba let out a long sigh.
 
''There's no time to rest, for as long as I deceive this whole country. Damnit, I let my guard down."
 
There was no doubt Vileena would once again become a threat in Orba's continued battle to fake his current position. Of course, because this was Orba, he had failed to notice even the slightest that Vileena Owell's dress was more daring than usual.
<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Rakuin no Monshou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>