A Guy Who Seems Like Our Protagonist Is Fucking His Instructor Up In Sword Training, Stopping The Blade

A guy who seems like our protagonist is fucking his instructor up in sword training, stopping the blade point end at his throat only to tell him he won.

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His name is Prince Belca and his instructor whines that he fought dirty. Belca coldly responds that it was the instructor who told him to give it everything he had and that if he has a problem, he needs to find himself a replacement. Pissed, the instructor stomps off to do just that, saying he resigns as Belca's teacher. Outside the training area, he loudly gripes about how he treats Belca like royalty and Belca treats him like dirt, even though Belca is just the bastard child of a king and a dancer.

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Belca could hear him.

King Reitz I once saved the entire land while it was covered in darkness. His descendant is Belca's father, the king. The king rules the country with the lords of the Round Table Council. Belca's history teacher says that it's a great honor to inherit the blood of the Hero King and so does everyone else...

Meeting up with some dude, Belca is praised for beating his instructor in combat. Belca says that fancy sword style is useless crap, causing the guy to laugh and ask where he learned those words. Belca says he learned it from him...and the porn books he lent him.

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Belca prefers to be in the infantry because the way Astelion Mercenaries fight is practical which Belca prefers. The mercenary he's talking to says that it's better if no one has to die. He then asks Belca if it isn't the responsibility of royalty to think of ways to avoid war. Belca responds that the future of royalty isn't for him.

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In his future, his Crown Prince brother Hector will be king. After him is the second prince, Orcelito. Belca is basically doomed to be stuck in the castle for the rest of his life. He can't even visit his own father for fear of assassination. That makes Ossan (the mercenary) cry.

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Ossan cheers up and says that since he and Belca both survived the plague, they should both continue living with no regrets. Belca walks away thinking that while they survived the plague, his mom, grandfather and the queen all died from it. Belca doesn't want to die like that. It scares him. While walking, some douche stops him to "congratulate" him on beating his instructor. Belca ignores him as the bitch with him says that it was nice of the noble to talk to him, considering that he was dressed like a bandit. The noble says he owed him that courtesy. Hearing the guards discuss his business out loud too, Belca says that while death scares him, he can't exactly say that he can go on living like this in peace either...

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Prince Orcelito himself leaves his lessons to greet his brother. Belca walks away only for Orcelito to call him out on ditching philosophy class, asking if he's even serious about school. Belca tells him to mind his business. Orcelito counters that he's his brother and he doesn't want to see him get in trouble. He then tells him that Hector is showing up tomorrow to check up on how much they've grown. Belca hasn't seen Hector in years and remembers him being kind to him when he was a kid. Belca says tat he already heard that he was coming back and that he's coming to help with state affairs. Hopefully his presence will give the king some of his health back. That's when Princess Musca shows up. She wants to show Orcelito the new dress she got to show off to her brother Hector. Belca tries to sneak off without starting shit but Orcelito says to show her dress off to Belca too, only for her to grumpily refuse. You see, that's a new dress and she doesn't want a half-blood like him to get it dirty.

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She's definitely a bitch-in-training but I can't get too mad at her. After all, she's just repeating what her punk-ass wet nurse told her (who runs up, begging her not to repeat what she told her). Because of her, Musca says that Belca is a stain on the royal line and that it's a damn shame a bastard like him is in line for the throne.

Then Orcelito slaps Musca, yelling at her to stop it.

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(I would have preferred he hit the nurse but I appreciate the gesture none the less.)

He tells her to apologize to Belca and being the princess is no excuse for using harsh words. She responds by crying and running off, saying that she hates him. Orcelito runs after Belca, apologizing and saying he'll talk to Musca later. Belca tells him not to follow him and that what Musca said is true so he doesn't mind. He then says that Hector is a great man...but he's too kind. That's why he and Orcelito have to look out for him. Orcelito says that they'll look out for him together...but Belca just sees them as pretty words. He points out mentally that Orcelito's retainers raise their guard every time Belca so much as talks to him.

Meanwhile, some bald guy named Lord Lagen bursts into the king's chambers, asking on his condition. When the guards say the king is fine, he then says to let him in. He has news about the crown prince Hector. He also has a lot of hate for the Amontel, whoever they are.

In the Neue Favrille District of the Royal Prefecture, a young man named Eco talks to the waitress Honey about why it's so lively at a restaurant. She answers that it's because Hector is coming back. We can see him ride through the streets on a cool horse:

Honey wouldn't mind being his Princess Bride (despite having told Ego at one point that she liked him...). Then Honey pauses, saying that she thought she saw an Amontel among Hector's ranks. But that's silly! The royal family would have nothing to do with monsters like them. Ego thinks differently though...

Belca watches Hector get welcomed in at the castle gates, Musca and Orcelito being the first to greet him. Hector catches his ass sulking from above the gates and loudly calls out to him, saying hi. He tells his edgelord ass to stop being cool and come down and say hello. Belca mentally protests that he wasn't being cool (he was trying anyway) and heads down as Musca says Hector doesn't need to say hello to him. Hector lifts her up and asks if she and Belca had a fight. Musca begins to give her version of the events before she sees somebody in the ranks and starts screaming bloody murder.

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She points at a man with white hair and red eyes, demanding to know why an Amontel is there in the castle walls. Belca overhears as he tries to push through the crowd. Hector says everything is cool because the Amontel is with him. Orcelita says that although the Amontel in the castle walls are obedient slaves, they should always be bound in chains. Even the guards crawl up his ass, saying that the Amontel are inhuman and regardless of the circumstances, they want an explanation for this. Hector agrees and gives his reasoning for his actions: he wants the Amontel to be recognized as human too. He's going to be bringing this issue up at the next council. Some lords are watching and they are not pleased.

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They say they're telling the king and Hector needs to know how the world works. Some guy tells them to calm down and they should at least listen to what Hector has to say. Lord Lagen tells them to call the elders; it's time for a council.

Meanwhile, Belca is in his bedroom, saying that if anything, Hector has gotten weirder. He's too bothered to just stew in his room so he decides to return his "books" to Ossan (and maybe spar with him) only to hear the mercenaries interrogate Ossan on his intentions with Belca, asking him why he keeps entertaining him. Ossan casually answers there's no war going on and he has some free time. He then asks if anyone has a problem with that and one guy says "yes, there is indeed a big fucking problem with that". You see, if Belca keeps coming over, the nobles can accuse them of planning a rebellion. You can get suspected even if you're innocent, you know? Then we learn the nickname the knights have given Belca: Usurper. Belca leaves as the mercenaries warn Ossan that if something goes wrong with the succession, chilling with Belca won't be funny anymore.

A pissed Belca fumes above the castle walls, yelling at them for being idiots and suspecting him for being a usurper. Do they honestly think he could do something like that by himself? Then his old instructor swings a sword at him, forcing him to dodge before he gets his head lobbed off. The instructor, looking crazed, asks why did he move. Belca asks what the hell he's doing, shouldn't he be resigned? The instructor reveals that because he quit, he was fired from the knights' order and his life is ruined because of Belca. He keeps slashing at Belca while the latter blocks with his own sword sheath, saying that it's fine for him to kill him because if Belca dies, no one will look for the culprit. Belca knows he's serious; if he doesn't fight, he's dead. Belca remembers what Ossan told him about it being best if no one has to die...before Hector dashes in to save him, blocking the blade.

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Belca survives with a face cut to show for it and the guards nervously tell him to leave it to them in the future, taking the instructor to prison. Hector says to let him cool his head and that he'll deal with him later. Belca thanks him, silently bitching himself out because he knows that if it was training, he would have matched the speed easily. In a real life situation, he was too scared to move. Then Hector pats his head, calling him a dummy: he's his big brother first and the crown prince second. Of course he'll help him anytime!

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Oh, and he's only there because he ran away from the argument with the elders so it was really perfect timing. He then asks Belca why is he being so polite with his speech. Belca answers he's the son of a whore so he has to know his place. An annoyed Hector notes that he doesn't need to be so formal with family and says the castle is a bad influence on him, offering to let him study abroad. He can go out, have fun, learn, fuck cute girls...the works! The last part is important because while he was out, Hector found a woman he would like to be his bride.

The woman was an Amontel.

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He asks Belca if he thinks it's impossible. Belca answers that hating the Amontel is the way of the world. Hector agrees but...the world changes. So Hector will face the world head on.

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He says he won't force Belca to agree with him but he encourages him to broaden his horizons by traveling. When he does, tell him how he thinks. A guard runs up for Hector, saying it's time for round 2 against the elders. Hector then asks Belca to see him at the same place again the next rest day. Until then, think about the suggestion on studying abroad...and give him the porn he got from the mercenaries (he has his ways).

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Belca wonders that if he becomes king with Ocelito at his side if the entire country will become surrounded by his kind atmosphere. Then he says if that day comes and he gets to serve beside him, he might not mind life in the castle anymore.

The following week came the day of rest. Hector failed to show up in the agreed meeting spot so Belca goes looking for him. He walks in on his brother collapsed on the floor, the maids calling for a doctor.

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Belca, panicked, asks him what happened. But Hector just scolds him for speaking too formally. The chapter ends on the note that 3 days later, Hector passed away.

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Chapter 23:

So about the story from a while ago...

The person who kept the prisoners on the ship together was a prisoner himself, Number A-778-25. The captain goes down to his cell to tell him that because of a malfunctioning accelerator furnace, their homeland Tri Cantina is gone. Now the captain's original mission was to transfer them to the island prison but, because of Tri Cantina being wiped off the face of the Earth, they can no longer survive on the island. So, the Captain gives A-778-25 a choice: either consent to being taken to the island and die a slow shitty death or work together with the crew to find a new place to live. To show that he's serious, he removes their cuffs and collars. The prisoners say, "Aren't you worried we're going to take over your ship?". The Captain answers they can try it...if they know how to pilot a ship. Since he can't call them by numbers, he asks them their names. A-778-25 says he can call him Reitz the First. The name comes from a fairy tale about a knight king who led seven knights to save the Lady of Light from the Hokulea. Anyway, the Captain's name is Rovisco and he'll be working with them.

After two weeks, they get attacked by a giant octopus. Running low on fuel and ammunition, Rovisco orders the ship be sailed to the edge of the world and to descend down the waterfall. They never returned...but they were brothers.

Anyway, Belca is telling this story to Eco before he asks him to tell him the rest because that's where Hector left off. If this is the origin of Azelprade then he needs to know.

Eco tells him that the world below the waterfalls was a peaceful place with trees and ground. One of the former prisoners asks Reitz that since they're on solid ground and all, is it okay to let the crew live? Reitz orders that since they still don't know about where they are, the crew has to survive for pragmatic reasons (the one female doctor included). The prisoner asks if it's because he likes them and Reitz gives a vague answer of "Who knows?".

In that land, there lived dark-skinned folk called the Hokulea and fair-skinned folk called Concolor. The Hokulea had strange powers and the Concolor respected them for it and learned from them. Rovisco and the others followed suit. However, there were members of the crew who were against the whole miscegenation thing, Reitz included among them. He accuses the Hokulea of being the Amontel from the fairy tale while Rovisco says they are just different humans and they need to learn from them to survive. Reitz is creeped out by their powers, however, and the crew ends up splitting into two factions. The normies go to live with Hokulea and Concolors and the racists live on the ship.

Soon, winter came and Rovisco goes back to the ship to deliver some supplies to Reitz's faction, not wanting them to starve or die of cold despite his crew trying to warn him that weird shit has been happening on their side. Reitz, oddly friendly, invites Rovisco into his Captain's Quarters which has clearly been wrecked. He tells Rovisco that he was born in a damned place and he has lived a damned life. He thought God had abandoned him...but no. God led him here to give him this land.

Rovisco tries to reason with Reitz, saying there's no such thing as God. Reitz disagrees, saying God created everything, including the both of them. He then tell Rovisco that he has everything: popularity, position, power, women...so he wouldn't mind if he takes it for himself, right?

Later that day, Rovisco's crew comes to pick him up...and discover Reitz stabbing his bloodied corpse, thus beginning the Holy War... The "Hero King" Reitz I, freed the land from the clutches of the descendants of the evil deity, the Amontel. This is how the Kingdom of Azelprade was found.

So...at the Royal Prefecture at Neue Favrille, Musca is introduced to her new servants. She asks what happened to her maid and she is told she was held responsible for what happened in Florel and she was relieved of her duties. In tears, she asks for Seamrog and she's gently told the "Watchdogs" probably got him. Musca, sobbing, screams she doesn't want a new maid and runs off to her new room, pissing off her current maid. Upset that she can't see her big brothers or Seamrog, she sneaks out in disguise. After all, she is still on break from being a lady.

Sneaking by a window via ledge, Musca overhears her new maid bitching about her, revealing her old maid was executed because Musca ran away from Florel. The maid's not just being a bitch for no reason; she's ensuring her survival because she doesn't want to end up like the last one. Musca ends the chapter running off, refusing to believe what she heard.

Chapter 17

Orcelito arrives before the elders, ready to fuck shit up.

Outside, Belca asks Orcelito what he asked the elders at the ceremony and tries to explain that the Amontel are not monsters, that they use technology, medicines and they look after their own. He says even if they are descended from a evil deity, maybe living among "actual" humans for so long has allowed them to adapt in a way that makes them indistinguishable from humans. Orcelito stops him, saying the Amontel are monsters (while obviously thinking the contrary) and says they probably put Belca under a spell while he was at Dietrich's estate. Belca tries to stop him but Orcelito says that after the Investiture Ceremony, he'll send for a skill spell caster (which they apparently have on hand in the castle) to look at Belca. He then leaves to get on with his business...only for Belca to stop him. He asks Orcelito privately (well...whispers anyway) if he has anything planned, knowing this is not like him. Orcelito angrily snatches away from Belca while thinking that he knows that the Amontel are not evil but he rather have them all under supervision instead of them all being rounded up and killed. He's taking the long road with them, hoping their descendants can find freedom where their ancestors couldn't. Outside his mind box, he tells Belca join him or fuck off...and he might as well pick the former because he doesn't have a say in the council. He cryptically finishes by telling Belca that in each of their respective areas, everyone is already making their moves...

He then says that as long as the Amontel don't resist, they can expect to live long happy lives. Belca is disturbed by that last part, thinking nothing has changed. He then goes to Linna to talk about something...

Then we cut back to Orcelito and Kiliko, the latter asking if it's alright to leave Belca alone and let him do what he wants. Orcelito points out that Kiliko was the one who said that Belca has no power to do anything, that he's a mere spare to the throne and that his life in the castle was specifically engineered to have him grow up demoralized, ignorant and lazy. Kiliko says all of that is true but people have an annoying tendency to change...

We cut to Eco finding a hidden library...but screw that, he went to see the dance! Or did he? His guard roommate hits him for not showing up to rehearsal, Eco saying he had to use the toilet. He's then ordered to help put the harnesses on the horses, meeting Belca and Linna while heading over there. Linna had summoned him because Belca wants food from town. In a stage whisper, Linna reveals that they're actually going to report to Musca...and they got another errand to run while they're outside. Belca's not coming, staying behind to convince Orcelito to think about the Amontel. They leave out on the carriage, Belca staying in the castle walls.

Meanwhile, the guards get a strange signal coming from the upper control tower, wondering if that means it's safe to open the gates. Inside, Belca overhears a guy saying the signal means they need to lower the gates, which means the carriage can't leave...

Belca tears ass outside the castle, barely managing to catch up to Eco to warn him of the danger he and Linna are in. It doesn't matter because the guards on the wall shoot out one of the carriage's wheels causing Eco to lose control. Then some guy with two knives drops down, calling himself "an irregular" and cutting the damn harness.

He puts one of his knives to Eco's chest, telling him to stop the carriage. Eco silently refuses and instead takes out a canister of Arlon's poison gas, allowing it to waft into the irregular's face as he jumps on a horse, telling Linna to follow his lead. The irregular attacks anyway, the poison having no apparent effect, and keeps Linna occupied, causing him and Eco to lose each other. Linna shouts to Eco the message: PRince ORcelito is the real one and he must accompany Musca to wherever she wants to go. He tries to tell him about the Amontel...but the carriage tips over.

Eco has to keep riding, not able to confirm Linna's status.

Belca is captured and lectured by Kiliko. Linna fell into the Cassia rivers and, given it's winter, his chances of surviving the freezing waters are not good. Orcelito comes in, asking if Belca was threatened or poisoned but Belca confesses he wanted to warn the Amontel. Kiliko approaches Belca, asking if Linna was a poison user. Poison users tend to be weak in general but Linna can face five guys with a single cane. He confirms Linna is alive but he's having his guards keep an eye on him. Linna has taken full blame for his actions despite Belca protesting that he ordered him to act on his account. Kiliko then calls Orcelito away for his dinner with Lord Taine, saying the Investiture Ceremony is the day after tomorrow so...tick tock. Kiliko tells Belca not to worry and to attend the Investiture Ceremony, ending the chapter with saying it's the only way he can assure Linna's safety...

Chapter 14

Here's the sitch (since I am not typing this all out):

Anyway, Musca is mad because she was left behind. She wants to fuck up Eco for it but Seamrog tells her that right now, the only two people who can tell if the Orcelito in the castle is the real him or not is her and Belca so if the both of them get killed at the same time, there would be no one left to tell if he's an imposter. Belca has back-up in Eco and Linna but for the time being, Seamrog and Musca have to wait for further orders. The Investiture Ceremony is a week from now so if they aren't heard from them, that means Belca and them are dead and Seamrog has to get Musca the fuck out of Dodge. Musca doesn't want that to happen because the commoner's son...is her big brother.

Meanwhile, Linna is in the carriage bemoaning the fact that Belca is one of the only two people who can identify Prince Orcelito so he basically has to go directly into the line of fire. Then Belca makes them stop the carriage: there's a food stall.

When Linna goes "bro, what the fuck", he argues that he won't get the chance to eat warm food inside the castle and scurries off. Eco says he's gonna make him a glutton in the song but Belca says that's a good idea; after all, isn't a fun song better than a sad song?

Belca, now far enough away, reveals that he was lying: he was using the food excuse to enter the castle by himself, not wanting to endanger anymore lives on his account. However, Eco catches his ass on the bridge. He asks if Prince Orcelito is locked up, how does he plan on rescuing him? And how does he plan on telling Musca about it? Belca stammers that he was going to wing it so Eco follows up with if Belca really wants to rescue Orcelito, why is he irresponsibly trying to do everything himself? Linna, who was following behind, tells Eco he's being too harsh before Belca acknowledges that Eco has a point but he doesn't want anyone to get involved with him any further. Eco's point is that he can't do anything just by himself, saying he's putting on the whole martyr act just to get sympathy. Eco says he's doing this because he wants to so Belca has no right to try to stop him. Belca gets pissed and orders Eco to take the carriage and take Linna back to Sana...only for Linna to casually reveal he already sent his resignation to Sana. He doesn't have a place to go back to. So he asks to stay with Belca.

Eco then says it's better to stick to the original plan because if the elders see that Belca can get back to the castle on his own, they won't let their guards down. Everybody shakes hands and Belca makes them promise not to die on him, even if it means letting go of something.

At the Neue Favrille castle, at the outer gates, the guys get let in but only Belca (as Mirabelle) and Linna are allowed into the upper stories. Eco stays behind and whispers a last message to Belca: if he wants to stay behind and be a prince, that's fine too (they talk for so long the guards wonder if the "coachman" and the "maid" are dating). Before they separate, Belca admits the real reason Hector died: he fell in love with an Amontel and wanted to make her the crown princess. When Belca (finally) leaves, Eco tells him he'll wait for him till the last second.

Inside, a random lord Ruebelli is griping about Prince Orcelito's weird behavior a week before the Investiture Ceremony before Orcelito walks up, telling him to take care of himself even with the bad weather.

Anyway, at the fifth level of the castle, the Regia Mare Palace, Kiliko is ready to see Linna so it's go time. Using the opportunity, Belca stops crossdressing and switches to full Prince Regalia. He tells off an approaching guard for thinking that he was locked up and that he's ready to talk to Kiliko. The guard darts off and Linna asks Belca why he has the name "usurper". Belca tells him that in the palace, he was a troublemaker and that the noble's children around the place made fun of him for being the son of the king and a lady dancer. Linna then tells Belca not to talk about himself like that and he's here to defend him with his life. Belca says he knows he has his back.

The guard tattles to Kiliko that some guy claiming to be Belca is in the building and he, along with Linna, would like to speak to him in private. Kiliko tells the guard to not let anyone outside of his subordinates near the building. Kiliko walks off with a grin, saying that Dietrich is proving himself more useful than Orbus. Kiliko goes over to meet Belca...and bows, welcoming the Prince back to the castle.

Belca isn't fooled, recognizing Kiliko from the night at the cliff and demanding to know what he did to Orcelito. The chapter ends with Kiliko happily saying that Orcelito is meeting them now, with Orcelito walking in through the doors...

Chapter 10

So Ossan's on his way off and is about to sell some stuff so he can eat before he leaves...then he finds himself a Musca in his bag.

Ossan asks where's his armor; Musca says it was in the way so she took it out. Anyway, at a dining establishment, Musca says she needs to get back to the palace to help Orcelito. Ossan cheerfully tells her that no, he is not taking her there and getting his fucking head chopped off; after they finish eating, he's taking her back to the inn. Musca takes some medicine with her food (she stole it from her wet nurse) and Ossan wonders when she got sick all of a sudden. Then he sees her "pills"...

But back to Belca who's still reeling from his dressing down by Tenrou. He mentally concedes that yeah, the Amontel have been treated badly but...they're different! It's not other people's fault for treating them like shit when they're clearly so...not like others. The Captain comes over to ask him if he's able to sleep...and Belca freaks out, pointing out that he's been up the whole time and he needs to rest if he wants to heal. Belca then says that he feels guilty for the Captain getting hurt on his account but The Captain counters that it's an honor to sacrifice his body for the sake of someone baring the spirit of the Hero King. Belca tries to argue that he should be saying that stuff to Orcelito and not him but Tenrou interrupts them, saying the jury's still out on what to do with them. He says they still get to live for now so it's feeding time. Belca accuses him of poisoning the food and Tenrou fires back with "You a weak bitch; you die fast..."...before he says that Hector used to talk about him. Belca flips out (surprise surprise) and demands Tenrou tell him about his connection with his brother, wanting to know why he wanted to help the Amontel. Tenrou responds he doesn't have to tell him shit and Belca continues to holler and shout at him...before remembering that he's doing the same thing as yesterday. And he's heading to the same ending. He politely asks for Tenrou to stop and talk...

And we're back to Ossan and Musca, the former having snatched the latter's medicine. Ossan tells her to stop taking it, saying there's poison mixed in with the sugar. Musca says that he's lying but Ossan says the reason she's sick is probably because of the pills. Musca begins to cry, wondering if the maid hates her enough to kill her...and, to make a bad situation worse, the guys in the restaurant start talking about how Prince Hector was killed by Lord Orbus, right within earshot of the two. Ossan tries to take her out so she won't hear but then he overhears that Prince Belca was taken out for learning about it only for another guy to argue that he was just seen in Sana. Ossan remembers the information from the pigeon and thinks that maybe that rumor was true after all...he was right to get out of there while he was able to because that shit is way above his paygrade and none of his damn business. Then Musca stops him, saying she knows Hector was killed by Lord Orbus and that she thought Belca was killed too and that's why he's not at the castle anymore. She wonders if she's next but she's only worried about what will happen to her big brother Orcelito.

She asks if Ossan is a knight of the royal family and, if he is, to please take her to the palace to help Orcelito. Ossan apologizes, saying he doesn't work for the royal family anymore and he's not a knight, he's an Astelion mercenary who works for jewels and money. She offers to pay him with a hyper-fancy jewel, saying that from now on, he's her personal knight.

Back at the cave, the Amontels are arguing over whether or not they can actually use Belca. He's royalty but the castle doesn't want him. He's Prince Hector's brother but he's "Stone Capital made" so he's a whiny cunt. Tenrou brings Belca in to show him how well things are going and Tenrou says there's no use in talking to a trashy brat who constantly looks at you like he's about to bite you. Tenrou keeps roasting Belca as Belca holds the Ku Klux feelings at bay, battling against his preconceived notions for the greater good. Tenrou is pleasantly surprised that Belca can finally keep his mouth shut and points his blade at his throat, daring him to open dialogue again. Belca asks for a favor, namely that the Amontel help him save Eco from Dietrich's clutches. Tenrou ain't buying it, demanding to know why they would imprison a guy who saved the Prince's life and, if he's a Prince, why doesn't he have enough pull with a rich guy to do it himself? Belca says he has no value as a prince so he'll be their hostage, their scapegoat or spy in order to save Eco with any means he has. Also, the Captain is not his servant; when they're done, let him go. The Amontels tell Tenrou not to trust Belca, saying he's just trying to lead them into a trap and Tenrou smugly shares their feelings with the Prince he now has by the collar. Belca then asks what he must do to gain their trust. Shingetsu joins the conversation by saying they'll take his life in exchange for their trust. The Amontels tell him to chill, saying they still need him as a hostage but Shingetsu everything he can do alive he can do as a corpse. Shingetsu asks Belca if that's okay with him and Belca shakily agrees, saying he talked the talk so he'll walk the walk. Shingetsu draws her (she's a woman, apparently; I've always been bad at this) blade, saying on her word she will rescue Eco and release the Captain. She then lifts the blade above his head...and bursts out laughing.

She says that she's never seen someone so stupid before; at the mansion, he had ample opportunity to escape but stayed to protect the Captain and now he's offering his life for him. He's really stupid...but because he's stupid, he's too stupid to lie and therefore, they can trust him. Then an Amontel runs into the cave, yelling that they have company: Dietrich has followed the Amontel scent to the cave and, led by his slave boy, is ready to "rescue" Belca...

Meanwhile, Ossan has Musca dressed up like a commoner to sneak her around. She asks him what his name is ("Ossan" is Japanese slang for "old man"...not sure why they left that untranslated as his actual name or something) and he says he lost his original name a long time ago. Musca says he needs a real one, giving him the name "Seamrog" after the white clovers she gave him. She asks if he doesn't like it but Seamrog says it's the opposite, saying he didn't expect to be given such a beautiful name in his lifetime...

Chapter 15

According to the letter written by "Dietrich", he found Belca, nursed him back to health and secretly sent him back to the castle...and now Belca is looking at the kneeling frame of the man who killed his older brother.

Taking them into another room, Kiliko assures Belca and Linna that Dietrich will be rewarded for his actions. But...he points out how weird it is of him to act carelessly and let such valuable people travel by themselves. Linna defends him by saying that since such "groundless" rumors about Belca and Hector were spreading throughout the kingdom, he thought it would be cool to accompany Belca by himself. Kiliko chuckles at the phrase "groundless rumor"...before asking the standing, glowering Belca if he would like to take a seat. Belca, already pissed by the whole innocent act Kiliko is putting on, instead demands to meet with Orcelito at once. Belca refuses to believe that any method that Kiliko can use to make Orcelito obey him can work...only for Orcelito to walk in, all smiles.

Orcelito says he's glad that Belca is safe but he doesn't need to worry about anything anymore. They can live together in the palace again! Kiliko says that he can arrange things so that Belca can return officially by tomorrow...and Belca wonders how can he act like that after all he's done. Belca demands to know why Orcelito is with Kiliko and Orcelito tells him that Kiliko is assisting him in being the crown prince. He has the lineage and the experience for it, after all. Belca desperately tries to remind Orcelito that Kiliko is the reason their brother is dead but Orcelito cuts him off, saying it's sad that Hector passed away due to illness.

Furious, Belca manhandles Kiliko, demanding to know what he did to his brother. Linna has to pull him off as Kiliko says that, as Belca is clearly tired, for the highness to be taken to the rest chambers in Regia Mare. Orcelito waves goodbye to his wilding brother...only for Belca to collapse on the floor out of nowhere.

While he's knocked out, Linna tells Kiliko that, because of the extent of Belca's injuries, he was given a bunch of powerful drugs that are affecting his temperament. Kiliko buys this excuse even though he points out Dietrich left that out of his report...but he chalks it up to Dietrich's cautiousness. He leaves Belca in Linna's care, saying that the Arlons know more about drugs than the Lagens. Belca "wakes up", having pretended to be knocked out and congratulates Linna on telling such a believable lie. Linna says that the two should stick close together for a bit if they want to get through the next few days...

Later on, Eco wakes up in a room at the Outer Gates, complaining about the noise. He looks outside to see soldiers stepping into the castle walls, wearing Callione uniforms. Remembering that women are permitted among Callione ranks, Eco guesses that they're there to perform the Hand Dance of the Isle of Adine for the Investiture Ceremony. Eco is all randy to see it...only for his roommate to tell him they will not be attending the Investiture Ceremony. Eco falls over, depressed.

In the castle, Belca frets over his real mission: how is he supposed to figure out that Orcelito is the real one? Then a familiar intruder falls on him: Orcelito, from the upper balcony.

Belca shouts at him (this is the second goddamn time he's fallen on him) and Orcelito apologizes, saying he really needed to talk to him. He asks if Linna is asleep and reveals he remembers what happened in Sana...before expressing relief that the boy he is speaking to is the real Belca.

Belca says that's his line and that he came back to make sure Orcelito was the real one. He then asks if Orcelito's deal with Kiliko is a long game or if the elders really did something to him. Orcelito hugs Belca, saying he can't tell him what's going on yet but he's glad he's okay.

Belca is back in his room, fuming that he still doesn't know if Orcelito is an imposter or a puppet. He's sane but is he really that crafty?

The answer is yes but in the worst way possible. Orcelito is completely under Kiliko's control and his reason for confirming Belca's legitimacy was for him and him alone. All they need is Musca and they can be a happy family again. The chapter ends with Orcelito calling Kiliko and himself "accomplices"...meaning that they are definitely working together but Orcelito is not brainwashed.