Herscherik (Reincarnated Prince Series)

Chapter Three: Pocket Watches, Counts and Puppets Part One

"Mmm..."

Among the finest futons, Hershelik shouted and hit the back of his head.

After finishing the scattered feast, Hershelik was then taken back to his room by his father, where he bathed comfortably by Meliá, who was more sorry than he was, dressed in his bedroom and dived into bed. He usually travels to the dream world without waiting three minutes, but today his eyes blinded and his journey to the dream was felt far away.

When Hershelik hits the back of his head again, the silver Komi pocket watch he puts on the side table catches his eye.

It's a substitute for the traitor and the scolded Count of Luceria who happened to roll at his feet when he was captured. At that time, the pocket watch that was in my hand when I noticed that my gaze was attracted to me as if it were a magnet. Now the silver ancient beauty glowed dull as the moonlight entered through the gap of the curtain.

No one could blame me, rather than rushing around, so my father took me straight to my room without anyone noticing me.

Hershelik gets out of the futon, takes his pocket watch and hand.

The opening and closing were buttoned, and when pressed, the lid opened and the clock appeared. I was somewhat anticipating it due to my physical senses, but apparently this world is also like twenty-four hours a day, unlike the pre-reincarnation world but lined with twelve numbers. I found out at the needle position that it was just past ten o'clock at night.

(... How could my father look sad when Count Luceria was told he was a traitor?

Behind Hershelik's memory was burning his father's sad expression. A king would be an occasion to expose his anger that he had been betrayed by his men. A kind father might grieve, but I'd rather say that look is somewhat discouraging.

(Besides, the Count doesn't look like a bad person...)

Count Luzeria looked like Hershelik as if he was sincerely worried about the country. I felt like I was being cornered at the same time.

(Something's wrong.

The discomfort I felt on that occasion was interfering with Hershelik's sleep.

That builds anxiety and haste in Hershelik. In a desperate attempt to reveal the identity of his discomfort, Hershelik traces his memory to the events that were there.

Documents taken out by the Count of Luceria

My father's surprised expression.

Secrets taken out by Minister Barbasse

Count Luceria with a despairing look as opposed to Minister Barbasse, full of confidence

I reproduce it in my head over and over again, trying to remember every detail I didn't realize then.

(…… ah!

The moment I noticed it in several reproductions, the rush fogged in Hershelik. My pocket watch fell out of my unconsciously loose hand, but I couldn't care less.

(The Minister's evidence doesn't match the Count's behavior!

The evidence the Minister had could certainly have been conclusive. But will a man who sends secrets to another country in order to exile come to the king to impersonate his sins at his peril?

If Hershelik were him, he would run away as soon as possible. Because it's easier and more likely to escape than to rub sin away. No thief bothered to show up at the police station with evidence.

Besides, it would have been strange to think back on the minister's actions. How could I say no to the Count without checking the documents he gave me and without knowing what they were supposed to be?

(... did you know what the paperwork would be given in advance?

When I noticed one inconsistency, I noticed that and this and the suspicious part.

Plus the last look on Minister Barbasse's face. Hershelik could not forget. That look that made fun of someone like the evil deputy in the epoch jumps Hershelik's discomfort.

"... were they taking the lead?

The voice of Count Luceria, the last one to whine, couldn't get out of his head.

Pick up the pocket watch that fell out of bed. The recoil or lid opened when I dropped it, and Hershelik looked at it. It wasn't the watch I saw earlier, because it was small but the portrait was fitted. Apparently, this pocket watch was double-structured. When the opening and closing buttons were pressed and opened gently, the clock opened while the closing button was pressed again, and the portrait appeared.

The portrait had not been done. The young Count of Luceria, the woman who would be the depths of the Count, the woman had a baby in her hand and the family of three smiled happily.

"The Count would be condemned to death......"

On their way back to their rooms, the nobles recall the conversation.

"Are you a bartender by now? I wish I had grown up.

When the pocket watch is closed and returned to the side table, Hershelik enters the bed and wears a futon.

(You won't see the Count now, will you?

I could easily have predicted that an investigation would have taken place by now.

(I'll wake up early tomorrow to see you.

For some reason, I felt like I had to see him.

Hershelik doesn't even seem to sleep, but still closes his eyes.

Two years early I was reincarnated into this world. Hershelik has lived a royal life that was unthinkable before he was reincarnated.

A meal will be prepared even in silence, all the clothes will be made to order finest, my mother will be tender by the nanny Meliá, even if she is dead, and my father is a king and a gentle and beautiful young man.

I thought this was my position ahead of my reincarnation in a dreamy world with no disabilities that I couldn't possibly think of in my previous life. It's as if he won the lottery.

But the world that surrounds me may not have been such a sweet dreamy world. In retrospect, there have been a lot of unnatural things. But I saw it and pretended not to. Because I felt like if I looked straight at it, I would forget everything from my previous life.

He said he didn't want to acknowledge the reality of his death or the family he couldn't see anymore and he might have just drowned in the sweetness of the upper realm of this world.

I think I need to know, my brother-in-law heart and my fear of wanting to distract me from reality were at best in Hershelik.

At four in the morning, in the still dim room, Hershelik gets out of bed and finishes dressing as quickly as he can. Still at the beginning of spring, when I wore my coat cold, I opened the door and ran out the hallway only with my head out in the hallway to make sure no one was there.

(I'm glad Meliá asked me to show you a view of the castle.

I was always with Merliah when I usually left. Never exited the rear palace or the garden, but Meliá politely told me which path I could go through.

Roughly speaking, the castle is north of the rear palace and other king's residence, south of the Royal Castle, which is the main institution of government, east of the research facility, and west of the military facility, which houses soldiers and knights. The details would be different to be exact, but it would have been enough for Hershelik, who had never walked before, to know where the purpose was, even the directions to the west castle where the barn was located.

Out into the courtyard through the hallway where no one else is. This courtyard is only accessible to those living in the backyard. During the day, the queens blossom in chatter looking at the grass flowers in the garden, but no one says it is still a time when the sun does not rise. Through the crossing corridor next to such a garden, turn west on the way down the gate to the royal castle. Keep heading west and I can see the destination.

Hershelik manages to reach his destination while dodging the eyes of the soldiers on the night shift along the way.

Through the crossing from the Royal Castle to the military facility, there is first a training ground, which during the day will be busy with soldiers and knights. But now, the army's facilities were swamped to surround the training ground with deserted people.

Outside the rear palace for the first time out. The usual Hershelik would have, but I couldn't afford that now.

(The house is further west to the west………)

Remembering the schematics in his memory, Hershelik walks out. I spent several rounds of soldiers along the way, and it was behind military facilities that I followed.

Between the walls and the facilities. I guess they weren't well maintained. Weeds grew around the plants and tall grass was all you could stretch. If it was a child's body, it would be convenient because I could hide myself immediately just by laying low.

On the walls of the building, there are windows with rugged and lattice surfaces. Even when it comes to windows, the vitreous is not fitted, it's just plaid. In order to prevent escape, a small window is replacing the lights in the half-bottom shack.

(In this, I wish I had an Earl......)

Instead of amusing Silver Komi's pocket watch in his hand, Hershelik approached the lattice.

"Count Luzeria, aren't you there?

I spoke in a small voice so no one could find me, but I didn't hear back. I repeated that every window, but I still didn't hear back.

(Next is the last………)

"Count, if you're there, please respond.

If I wasn't here, I wouldn't be able to see you. Spin words to pray with strength in the hand holding Hershelik's pocket watch.

"Who is it?

The voice did not differ from that of a man with pale yellow hair heard in the hall.