<– So that your night isn’t lonely –>
#5.
To Prince Archie Albert William Rendaike Ellington Winterton, who adds a name each time.
I know your long name without missing a single word. Prince, I knew it even before you told me. How did I know? I suppose you can guess, Archie. Author Anne Selin drew a relationship chart.
It included King Edward and his eldest daughter, Princess Edwina.
The blonde knight Arthur Gillen, who fell in love with the princess,
Your mother Adelaide, who became queen after they left,
Queen Adelaide’s daughter Cecilia Rosalind Belinda Rankaide Pelham Winterton and Son Archie Albert William Rendaike Ellington Winterton, all names are listed.
But that’s all I know for now.
I have never met Author Anne Selin.
As I mentioned earlier, she thoroughly hides her identity and sends me manuscripts through an antique shop.
Anne Selin will give me a new manuscript in three days. I will show it to you immediately.
I understand your surprise. And I deeply empathize with how much you are contemplating. I will help you. Somehow.
For now, could you return the manuscript that is fading from your memory? I will look at it and think about what I can do to help you at this point.
Cordelia Flora Gray, who is about to become unemployed before even helping you. (That’s my full name.)
P.S. Did you tell others that you found the graves of the princess and the knight?
* * *
To Miss Cordelia Flora Gray, with a perfectly elegant name.
In the one month of monarch studies that I learned and then quit, they said to hold a hostage to gain something. But they also said to deal with the counterpart with faith.
Instead of holding the manuscript as a hostage, I will choose to trust you and return it to you. So, if the next manuscript arrives, please write to me again. You said three days, but by then, many irreversible things will have already happened.
The problem starts tomorrow. You asked me if I had ever told anyone the location of the hut? No. At this point, the only people who know the place are Sherlock and me, and the scribe Bedder, who wandered through the forest with a goat and found it the same way as I did.
Isn’t it strange? For 20 years, no one found it, yet it was so easy for the two of us to enter this forest. Bedder spoke immediately when he saw the gravestone.
“Princess Edwina has passed away. Yes, she lived here with Knight Arthur Gillen and died. Prince Archie, I have found the grave of the princess.”
“Oh, I discovered it earlier. That’s why I brought you.”
It was useless for me to say this.
“Oh, Princess Edwina has passed away. Before even this old man! I have found Princess Edwina’s grave! It was me, Bedder!”
Despite his large frame, he sure is a fuss.
Well, I suppose it must have been a very sad moment for the old man, as Princess Edwina was said to visit the Lethe Monastery as often as I did during her lifetime.
After listening to Bedder’s joy and excitement for three hours, I managed to keep him quiet for now, but I felt that someone would soon wander through the forest and discover this place again. Whoever it may be, they will figure out what happened just as quickly as Bedder did. Even if I haven’t told anyone about this, what good would it do?
My faithful friend, Cordelia.
In the letters we’ve exchanged so far, you’ve consistently shown deep insight.
Relying on that, may I ask your opinion on a few matters?
According to Anne Selin’s manuscript, the graves of the princess and the knight will soon be discovered by someone.
The late king will somehow try to find that child and pass the throne to his bloodline. Our Queen Adelaide, who owes a great debt to Princess Edwina, will also think that it is the right thing to do.
My sister Cecilia, as the novel suggests, will probably try to kill that red-haired boy.
It seems as if someone with a sinister voice is saying:
‘Everything will go as Anne Selin wrote.’
Yes, everything will inevitably happen that way. I know. Because they are my family. They are the kind of people who would act that way.
However, there is one thing that can be changed here. Thanks to you, it is myself who learned all of this first.
Now, I can finally ask you a question.
Should I, like ‘Prince Archie’ in the manuscript, try to find that boy before Cecilia does?
What do you think I should do?
At dawn on the ninth day of the Green Moon, 1314.
Archie Albert William Rendaike Winterton.
* * *
To the wise Prince Archie,
You did well to silence Bedder and not mention the story of the princess and the knight to anyone yet.
It is natural for the late king to want to find that child.
Considering how much he missed the suddenly vanished Princess Edwina, how much he must want to see the child she supposedly left behind!
It is understandable that Queen Adelaide wants to find the child and pass on the throne. If I were in her position, I would also want to do so to alleviate the guilt of being the one who started all this.
But Archie, you must stop the queen.
The late king and Queen Adelaide must not place great significance on that child.
You must not let the two of them conspire to pass the throne to the princess’ child over Cecilia.
You want to know my thoughts?
Let me tell you what I would have done if I were Cecilia.
Archie, while you were playing truant and wandering around, Cecilia was wholeheartedly dedicated to her training as the heir.
She participated in all the boring diplomatic events you neglected. After all her hard work, how could she accept passing the throne to a suddenly appeared red-haired boy? This decision completely disregards Cecilia’s existence.
If it were me, I would be furious and set people to find that boy.
Find him and kill him.
Yes, if I were Cecilia, that is what I would do.
But is that really enough?
I’ve read the manuscripts and character descriptions from Anne Selin dozens of times. Although I have never met her, no one knows Cecilia as well as I do. She is vicious but never foolish. And she holds you in much higher regard than you think.
Archie, does she not know that you, who flirt with noble girls using your handsome face and play like a dandy, are actually quite smart?
You quit the monarchy studies you were learning because, after a month, you were praised for doing better than Cecilia, didn’t you?
She would surely have noticed that the reason you do not use your intelligence and instead play around is because you do not want to clash with your ambitious sister.
Does she not understand why you, who love to party and attend every noble ball, conspicuously avoid the grand events at the palace?
You have consistently sent such a message to Cecilia all your life.
[I will not be your rival. So, rest assured.]
Cecilia willingly accepted this and has always been much more lenient with you than with others. But Archie, you know well how ruthless she can be.
Peacekeeper, Prince Archie Albert.
To be honest, you’ve always been lucky.
Even with a little studying, you outperformed Cecilia, and everyone liked you because of your handsome face. Thanks to that, even the problems that troubled Cecilia seemed to solve themselves in your presence, and it seemed even the goddess of fortune wanted to stay by your side. Eventually, everyone started calling you this.
‘Lucky Archie’
‘Fortunate Archie’
Cecilia already knows. The Prince Archie, who can’t stand the sight of even a fox being killed and avoids fox hunting every season, what you would do in such a situation.
‘Smart Archie will understand my intentions immediately.’
Since he’s a weakling, he won’t be able to stand seeing that boy die.
Archie will find that boy before I do and try to protect him.
As always, luck will be on his side, and he will accomplish it before me.’
These thoughts will come to Cecilia’s mind.
If I were Cecilia, I wouldn’t bother trying to find the princess’s child. After all, it’s a game you’ll win, Archie. I would simply kill all red-haired boys aged between 17 and 20.
And if you try to interfere… well, what choice will Cecilia make? Perhaps this is not only about the princess’s son but also about your life, Archie.
That’s why what you do tomorrow is really important.
Even if the letter is delayed, I will patiently wait this time. Follow my instructions.
If it is going to be discovered anyway, you must be the one to tell the story first.
Tell the late king and queen that you found the princess’s grave.
But before that, meet with Cecilia.
Tell her that you found the hut where the princess and the knight lived and that it seems they had a child.
If it is Cecilia, just saying this much will allow her to predict what will happen next.
So you must persuade her. Sweet-talk her into believing that it is unthinkable for anyone other than her to become the successor.
Falsely swear that you will stand by her side.
Create conditions for her so that she does not feel the need to desperately cling to the throne by killing red-haired boys.
The Archie I know can easily win people over.
Archie, only you can prevent a bloody storm from blowing through Winterton.
June 9th, at dawn. Your faithful friend, Cordelia.
———= Author’s Note ———=
Please check if the keyword #ActuallyCompetentMaleLead is present….yes..
The reactions of readers who are enjoying the story have replenished my reserves.
That’s why I brought another chapter this evening. Likes, comments, and subscriptions always turn into my stockpile.
Have a good night with Cordelia, who has one less worry.