The meeting with the king was not a private audience.
That said, it wasn’t as crowded with nobles as it had been earlier.
Despite feeling like a lot of time had passed due to the long conversations I had with friends along the way, it had actually been less than a day since we returned from the underground of Lutetia. I had barely managed a short sleep, and since then, I’d been moving around the royal castle nonstop, meeting people without rest.
Sneaking into Charlotte’s room earlier certainly added to my exhaustion. But I couldn’t turn back time to recover my condition. If I did, all the progress I made in our conversations would vanish, rendering it pointless.
Given that only a few hours had passed, I assumed the kingdom’s nobles would have followed along and gathered again to debate intensely. However, when I entered the meeting hall to see the king, I was surprised to find fewer than half the people present compared to the morning session.
The noble who had argued with me earlier in the day was still there, but now he remained silent, lips tightly shut. Was this because the situation had become that urgent? Or was it because they now faced a problem only I could resolve?
Fortunately, the academy instructors were all present as well, though they stayed quiet. Still, having familiar faces in the room made things feel slightly less awkward.
The king sat on his throne as before—
“Ah, you’ve arrived.”
His greeting was accompanied by a face that seemed to have aged five years in just a few hours.
Come to think of it, he probably hadn’t slept much either. Unlike me, who had at least managed a few hours of sleep, he must have spent the entire night locked in verbal battles with the nobles who had flocked to the palace.
“You mentioned an important matter,” I said.
“Indeed, it’s a critical one,” the king replied, dragging a hand across his face.
“Last night, after the disturbance on the Holy Nation’s lands, I sent people to investigate. Not only us, but the Iberian Kingdom, which shares a border with the Holy Nation, also sent people.”
“And the results? Were you able to observe anything?”
“That’s the issue.”
The king’s brow furrowed deeply in response to my question.
“We failed to gather any information on the Holy Nation’s movements.”
“...Was it because of the pillar of light?”
“Yes.”
The king let out a heavy sigh and leaned back into his throne.
“Whatever that pillar of light may be, everyone who came into contact with the surrounding barrier suffered severe burns. It doesn’t seem to behave like ordinary fire; it doesn’t cause pain when you get close. But the moment you touch it, it’s as though you plunged your hand directly into a flame.”
“Are the soldiers unharmed?”
“...At least none of them died. Since healers accompanied the group, they shouldn’t have to live with permanent disabilities.”
The king narrowed his eyes slightly as he answered.
“You suggested assembling a strike force to infiltrate that area. Does that mean you know how to get through?”
“...”
No, I don’t.
To be honest, I wasn’t certain.
I only assumed that, since the pillar of light was created by the Emperor, he would permit my entry, given that he needed me as a resource.
“At the very least, I believe I can get inside.”
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“And what about others?”
I couldn’t answer the king’s question.
“...Charlotte has been insisting all night that she will accompany you.”
The king spoke heavily.
“If she follows you, can you guarantee that she won’t be harmed by the pillar of light? Charlotte is my only blood relative in this kingdom. She is also the heir to the throne.”
The king paused for a moment.
“If it were merely about finding someone to inherit the throne, I might consider alternatives. After all, I have other relatives. But Charlotte is my only daughter. If there’s even a slight chance that she might suffer serious harm, I cannot allow her to follow you.”
His voice was firm and unyielding as he declared this.
It was only natural. I don’t have children, but if I did, I would likely react the same way.
Even without children, I’d feel the same. If my friends were at risk of being hurt by those flames, I’d abandon the strike force entirely and walk into that inferno alone.
“...I’ll make sure to confirm the situation before making any decisions,” I said to the king, my voice just as resolute as his.
“If it seems dangerous, I’ll ensure that Charlotte does not follow me under any circumstances. She understands her importance to this kingdom.”
And if she doesn’t, I’ll leave her behind by force if necessary.
“If you end up going alone, is there a chance you can resolve the situation?”
“...”
That’s something I truly don’t know. While the world might be following the original plot, the story’s pacing has accelerated beyond recognition, bringing me to scenarios I know nothing about. Even if my abilities work as expected, I can’t guarantee victory. The Emperor won’t face me alone.
“There’s a chance,” I said finally, as if making a vow.
Yes, there is a chance. It’s not zero.
And as long as there’s even a sliver of possibility, I have the ability to seize it.
I will resolve this situation. For a proper happy ending.
...Not that the story ends there. Even after this, nothing will truly be over.
We’re still not even twenty years old. Alice will ascend to the throne, Leo will inherit the Grace family’s legacy, Mia will become the lord of Crowfield Manor... Years and decades will pass, and life will continue. And amidst it all, countless annoying and headache-inducing challenges will crop up.
Our relationships might drift apart over time or remain strong for life.
But to face all those potential futures, we must bring this chapter to a definitive conclusion.
“Don’t worry too much, Your Majesty.”
As if reading my thoughts, Jennifer finally spoke.
Unlike at the academy, she addressed me with formal language.
“The Winterfield family will spare no effort in supporting you. We will do everything we can to find a way to aid you past that pillar of light.”
“Y-Yes, I’ll also do my best as your teacher. I’ll use every bit of magical knowledge I have,” Carolyn added.
“...If it truly behaves like fire, though it doesn’t seem that simple based on what I’ve heard... We might still find a way to protect you physically. The time is short, but I have no intention of letting you go in alone,” said Ada.
Several other staff members nodded in agreement.
“Then let me confirm one final thing,” the king said, turning his gaze from me to the gathered nobles.
Of the nobles who had spoken so passionately earlier in the day, none addressed me now. The king clearly took note of this.
“Among the nobles present, is there anyone willing to provide soldiers to support this effort? As you argued earlier, resolving the situation with our own Belvurian resources would strengthen our position with the Holy Nation. If your private forces can resolve this, it would be preferable.”
“...”
But no one answered the king.
Unlike the empire, where private forces had been abolished and imperial troops patrolled fiefdoms, the kingdom still retained remnants of feudalism. While not as independent as the medieval era of my previous life, private forces remained valuable resources for local lords.
And those forces weren’t abundant. Each soldier required direct financial support from their lord.
There were few lords willing to risk such precious resources in a situation where survival wasn’t guaranteed—especially when volunteers were already prepared to enter.
“...Then I’ll take that as a no,” the king said with a weary expression, turning back to me.
“Princess Sylvia Fangryphon, I entrust this matter to you. Whatever you need, you will have it.”
“Thank you.”
And so, the team heading into that battlefield was decided.