Published: January 4, 2026
After a while, the look of emotion gradually faded from Alice’s eyes, replaced instead by an expression of doubt.
“What’s wrong?”
“Huh? Ah, no, it’s nothing.”
“Don’t hold back, ask me anything. If there’s something you can’t say, just be clear about it and tell me.”
“Y-yes. Um… why did you send letters to the servants in Ark Town, Your Majesty’s private residence?”
“Oh, that.”
I nodded in understanding, finally grasping the reason.
“You find it strange that I sent something to the household members of the former Prince Thirteen’s Residence, even though it concerns state affairs?”
“Yes…”
“It’s not about state affairs. There was a separate reason for this.”
“A separate reason?”
“Rice seeds and farming tools—there will be refugees who can’t all be gathered even if everything needed is prepared.”
“Refugees?”
“Children who lost their parents due to the flood disaster.”
“Ah…”
Alice gasped softly.
With those few words, she must have easily pictured the scene in her mind.
Indeed, natural disasters deal damage indiscriminately, sometimes leaving only children alive while their parents perish.
Moreover, there are parents who sacrifice themselves to save their children at the last moment.
In any disaster, there will inevitably be families where only the children survive.
“It’s ironic—the vitality of children is sometimes stronger than that of adults. If two or three boys band together, they can survive. And—”
“And?”
Alice tilted her head, listening intently, then asked again.
“Well, those children, after the floodwaters recede somewhat and the country begins reconstruction efforts, often end up scraping by in a half-hearted way.”
“Ah…”
Alice suddenly seemed to remember something.
“Yes, they become delinquent gangs, just to survive. Then they live half-decently, but because they also partially break the law, they become very difficult to rescue through normal channels.”
“So that’s why you sent Your Majesty’s household members…?”
“Exactly. I thought that those half-delinquent children would have a hard time surviving on their own, so I ordered that they be taken in as well.”
“I see… but why send it to the former servants? Wouldn’t it be better to simply order the magistrates properly?”
I nodded slightly.
I realized I hadn’t fully answered her question.
If it were Henry or Oscar, just this would have been enough to make them say “Ah!”—I reflected a little that my explanation had been roundabout.
“I think it was during the Albert incident, right? There were children rescued from a black slave trader. Those kids have grown up now, and although the circumstances differ somewhat, they have experience. Like they say, a snake knows the path of a snake—well, maybe that’s an exaggeration—but I thought they would sympathize more and handle things better than government officials.”
“…Ah, that incident.”
“Hm? You know about it?”
“Yes, I happened to see it back then. If I recall, those were impostors pretending to be servants of the crown prince, weren’t they?”
“…Ah.”
I smiled gently and nodded slightly.
The truth is, Albert was involved, no doubt, but officially they were dealt with as unruly individuals who dared to impersonate the prince’s household both internally and externally.
The truth isn’t always the same as correctness; I let that slide over lightly.
“…That’s amazing.”
“Hm? What is?”
“Even though that was over a decade ago, you still remember those children.”
“Oh, that.”
I chuckled softly.
It was a genuine smile, completely different from before.
“People are treasures. There's no way I could forget.”
“Your Majesty…”
Alice was even more moved, her expression one of deep admiration.
Watching her, I pondered.
People are treasures, and among them, Alice is rare and precious—almost one of a kind.
I’ve been watching her since before her talents blossomed, and I continue to keep a close eye on her.