Chapter 248: Liberating the Royal Capital
Editor: Tseirp
It was an hour after the west gate was breached that Abel, leading the ‘Crimson Sword’ and the ‘White Brigade’, arrived at the entrance of the royal castle.
Not long after the breach, the surrender of Raymond’s army in the royal capital spread in the name of Parker Fletcher, Count of Kirkhouse, and that was the reason for the lack of resistance.
Ryo and Parker were waiting for Abel at the entrance to the royal castle.
“Ryo and…Count Kirkhouse? I see, my uncle is…”
With just the two of them, Abel seemed to have guessed the situation.
Those in high positions are more accountable for their responsibilities. The higher the position, the more severe.
This fact is the same in any world and any era.
The representative of a country…will have to put his life on the line…that’s just the way it is.
“This is King Raymond’s keepsake.”
Parker said and handed Raymond’s necklace to Phelps.
Then Phelps handed it to Abel.
“Ah…I know this necklace. It’s a pair and my father and uncle both had one …. I see, turns out uncle still wore it.”
Abel closed his eyes for a moment as he said that.
Perhaps he was mourning the loss of Raymond.
Abel opened his eyes and looked at Ryo.
Ryo nodded and opened his mouth.
“His Majesty King Stafford IV is in the central temple. Captain Dontan is leading a party to the temple to secure him.”
He explained in a polite tone since Parker and others were present.
“I see.”
Abel smiled only slightly.
“Just…”
Ryo said just that and looked at Parker next to him.
Parker nodded and opened his mouth.
“I’ll take it from there. His Majesty Stafford has been poisoned by the hands of the Empire for the past several years. After the Empire seized the royal capital, he seemed to have stopped taking the poison, but maybe due to having consumed the poison for so long, it’s proving difficult for him to recover, even with the full might of the temple.”
“Even with light magic…<Cure>, I believe, that didn’t do it?”
Abel asked, and Parker nodded with a bitter look on his face.
“<Cure> is a magic that heals one from poison and disease, but the longer time passes, the less effective it is. The fact that he’s been afflicted for several years…”
Priest Rihya explained about Cure.
Her face, too, was somewhat sad.
“I see…”
Abel simply muttered that.
After confirming Raymond’s death in the office chamber, Abel headed to the central temple.
Accompanying him were the ‘Crimson Sword’, the ‘White Brigade’, and Ryo.
Abel, who had been in a heavy mood since they departed, smiled a little when he was greeted by High Priest Gabriel at the central temple.
They had fought together in the underground tombs during the royal capital chaos.
The four of the Crimson Sword and Ryo entered the room where Stafford IV lay.
The White Brigade remained at the door as guards.
It was White Brigade leader Phelps’ idea that it would be better for the king to avoid exposing his poisoned visage to many.
The members of the Crimson Sword entered because they were originally Abel’s bodyguards.
Ryo entered because he was Abel’s bodyguard.
Stafford IV’s eyes were slightly open.
Abel stood at his bedside and gave a small nod.
“Father…”
Abel’s voice was low and feeble.
Even though he had prepared himself after learning that he was poisoned…his heart still ached seeing it with his eyes.
After that, Abel gave a one-sided explanation of the current situation.
It was unclear whether Stafford IV was listening or not, but his eyes were closed.
Finally, Abel told him.
“I will assume the position of king and drive out the Empire. I ask for your blessing.”
Upon hearing this, Stafford IV opened his eyes, looked at Abel, and smiled just slightly.
Then he nodded.
Thus, the throne of the Kingdom of Knightley was officially handed over from King Stafford IV to King Abel I.
The day after King Abel entered the royal capital, the ‘Liberation Festival’ was held in the capital.
Although it was called a ‘festival’, there were no special performances or events.
However, the gates of the royal capital, which had been closed since the invasion of the imperial army, were opened and food and other provisions brought in from outside were served free of charge.
These foods were brought from the south and were brought in by merchant Gecko, who approached other merchant associations in Rune, as well as Acre and others through the Rune Frontier Count.
Of course, payment had already been made by the Rune Frontier Count and Marquis Heinlein.
Abel planned to give a portion of the assets he confiscate from the nobles he was going to crush as a result of the current turmoil to the Rune Frontier Count and Marquis Heinlein.
Even though the imperial army still occupies the eastern and northern parts of the country, the Southern Army following him must also be given rest.
Furthermore, it was necessary to show the oppressed people of the royal capital that ‘King Abel is different from Raymond’.
The solution to these problems was the ‘Liberation Festival’.
For safety reasons, Hugh McGrath and others initially frowned upon it but eventually accepted it.
Ryo’s relentless badgering of his doctrine, “Don’t work so hard that you get tired”, and “Once you get tired, you’re bound to make mistakes”, may have been effective…or not, either way, he caved in.
To the people of the royal capital, the ‘Liberation Festival’ was carried out by Gecko and others, including the merchants of the royal capital, on their own.
For Abel had instructed them to say so.
The problem was the ‘Liberation Festival’ in the royal castle.
The ‘Liberation Festival’ in the royal castle was an event to show that King Abel was the lord of the royal castle.
At the same time, it was to show that there was no problem with the capabilities of the Kingdom government.
After this, supplies and additional forces will be needed for the decisive battle against the imperial army.
It was also meant to make each noble produce said supplies.
Something along the lines of, the new king is already powerful, and it’d be wise to bet on the winning horse.
In response, the nobles of the Kingdom would gather.
Nobles who have not made their stance clear until now…
Nobles who have been imprisoned in the royal capital….
Or the nobles who followed King Abel and fought alongside him….
All the nobles regardless of affiliation understood that it would be a bad idea to miss this opportunity to establish a new relationship with the new king.
On the third day of the Royal Capital’s ‘Liberation Festival’, it was announced that a Liberation Festival ball for nobles would be held in the Royal Castle, and the nobles who were not yet in the Royal Capital had to hurry to the capital….
The Liberation Festival Ball at the Royal Castle.
In King Abel’s address, it was explained that he had formally assumed the throne from his predecessor King Stafford IV.
Naturally, it was declared by Gabriel, the High Priest of the Central Temple, that Raymond had simply proclaimed himself king, and did not formally ascend the throne.
The nobles in attendance then proceeded to address the new king, King Abel.
King Abel said a few words to each of them.
Seeing Abel flanked on his left and right by Rihya and Rin, with Warren behind him on his left, Ryo thought from the bottom of his heart.
(What a perilous thing it is to be king!)
Incidentally, Ryo himself was standing right behind Abel…although merely standing there was already agonizing enough for him, since he was nominated by Abel, he didn’t have much choice.
The greeting began with Marquis Heinlein, followed by Alfonso Spinazola, Acting Rune Frontier Count, and then Marquis Hope.
All of them were the great nobles who supported Abel’s accession to the throne at the very beginning of his reign.
It stands to reason, King Abel gave them the highest praise.
“Sir Ignis, you did very well persuading your father. I thank you.”
“You’re too kind, Your Majesty. My father and brother both knew that King Abel was the rightful king without me having to persuade them.”
Ignis Hagrit, the second son of the Marquis of Hope, also attended the gathering with his father, Marquis Hope, and gave his greetings.
The fact that not only Marquis Heinlein and the Rune Frontier Count in the south, but also the Marquis of Hope, a great noble family in the west, supported Abel had a great impact on the trend of the entire kingdom.
Abel conveyed his extremely high regard for their support.
Next to Marquis Hope came Marquis Westwing, another great western noble, and his daughter, as well as Viscount Comrie and his daughter from a neighboring fiefdom.
“It’s been a while, Lady Miu, Lady Imogen.”
“Since our last mission to Twilight Land, my lord.”
“…M-My lord.”
After addressing the Marquis and Viscount personally, Abel called out to each of their daughters.
They weren’t strangers to each other.
They are Miu and Imogen, members of the ‘Valkyries’, a C-rank party in the royal capital.
Both of them had been sabotaging the Imperial Army and Raymond’s Army as ‘rebels’ in the royal capital, and their respective families had expressed their support for King Abel at a very early stage.
Miu answered Abel’s question without any problems, while Imogen’s face turned red from adoration and she could hardly say anything.
Viscount Comrie was quite surprised to see his daughter Imogen, who had always been a tomboy, in such a state for the first time.
Marquis Westwing, next to him, nodded his head several times, as if he had realized something.
Rin’s family, Count Shook, and Warren’s family, Baron Harome, also came to offer their greetings.
Both had estates in the suburbs of the royal capital and had been under house arrest since the fall of the royal capital by the Imperial Army.
Rin is the second daughter of Count Shook, so there is almost no chance that she will inherit the countship, but Warren is the legitimate son of Baron Harome, and since he has no other sons, he will inherit the baron house unless something goes wrong.
For generations, the Barony of Harome has been known as a family that has been entrusted with the king’s protection, and has produced many ‘royal shield-bearers’.
In his younger days, the current Baron Harrome also served the royal family as a shield to protect King Stafford IV when he was a crown prince.
“I hope my incompetent son has been of some use to you, Your Majesty.”
Baron Harome has an imposing physique that rivals Warren’s, but his personality is more than gentle, it’s almost delicate.
It was also evident in his words.
“Very much so, Baron. Warren has saved my life more times than I can remember. He has without a doubt grown to be the best shield-bearer in the Kingdom.”
“Oh…what a kind and gracious thing to say. It brings nothing but glory to the Harome name.”
Baron Harome began to cry softly as he said this, and Warren, who was standing behind Abel, continued to stand at attention, although his face was bright red.
Ryo, next to him, looked at Warren and Baron Harome alternately, nodding slightly repeatedly and muttering with a self-satisfied look.
“In any world, parents are happy when their children are praised.”
More greetings followed from nobles of all ranks…and it wasn’t until two hours later that it finally ended.
But then, there were two awestruck knights on one knee in front of Abel.
“Do you have something to say, Zack, Scotty?”
“There is someone we would like to introduce to you, Your Majesty. He was one of our earliest supporters as ‘rebels’ and is from the Kingdom of Ju…”
Ryo unintentionally muttered in the middle of Zack’s speech.
“Prince Willy?”
“Master* Ryo!” (TLN: Sensei)
Prince Willy smiled happily at Ryo, who was standing behind Abel.
“…Master?”
Abel muttered softly.
“I see, so you were already supporting Abel early on…”
“Yes. We could have chosen to remain neutral, but…as a weak country, we must take bold actions, or else our position within the Kingdom will remain weak.”
Prince Willy answered, smiling awkwardly.
“That was a good decision on your part. I read in a book back home that says, ‘if you remain neutral, you will not only become an enemy to the victor, but also to the loser, who will see you as an enemy because you did not help them’. More often than not, remaining neutral puts one in a more difficult position thereafter. So, I think Your Highness made the right decision and acted properly. I am sure that King Abel will appreciate it.”
Ryo turned to Abel as he said this.
“S-Sure…of course. Prince Willy, the Kingdom expresses its deepest respect and gratitude for the actions and position your country has taken.”
“Thank you Your Majesty, those words mean a lot.”
Abel expressed his gratitude, and Prince Willy was visibly excited, to say the least.
“Though I have to say I’m surprised to hear the prince of the Kingdom of Ju call you master, Ryo. And listening to what you just said earlier, do you dabble in imperial studies too?”
Abel turned to Ryo and said.
“Imperial studies? I don’t think that’s actually the name for it, it was another academic discipline though…. Earlier, what I mentioned was Machiavelli’s…Oh, I guess you could call it so since it is based in terms of the mindset of an emperor. The book title is ‘The Prince’, after all. But back in my hometown, it’s a very common book that can be found in any city library.”
“What kind of place is your hometown, Ryo, that a book on imperialism can be found in a city library?”
Ryo’s explanation was met with an exasperated mutter from Rin.
“That’s beside the point, the most crucial thing I told Prince Willy is that food is the domain of royalty.”
“Yes, that’s right! The hamburger steak we had that time…it was very impressive, I guess that’s to be expected from the cuisine of a major power.”
“Your Highness, there is also a restaurant in the royal capital that serves decent hamburgers. And I would also like you to try their curry and rice. Once the imperial army has been shooed away, what do you say we stop by there for a bit.”
“Please, by all means!”
Abel was watching from the side as Ryo and Prince Willy were having a lively conversation about food.
The only people who could hear Abel’s little mutterings were Rihya and Rin, who were standing beside him.
“Once the imperial army has been shooed away…huh. He makes it sound like we’re driving away flies…when we all know what we’re up against.”
“Professor, are you really okay with that?”
“As in?”
“You were the ‘brains’ behind them, weren’t you? The rebels in the royal capital were able to move effectively because of your plans and instructions. If you were to inform King Abel about this, I am sure he would appreciate it.”
“Your Highness…when you put it like that to my face, it’s quite difficult to say anything back.”
The ‘professor’ said with a wry smile.
“I have no desire for glory. I just want to do my research here without being restricted by anyone. For that reason, I would like to be the president of the university…that’s all. But the thing about giving instructions to the rebels and whatnot, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Saying this, he bowed his head lightly and turned to enter his laboratory.
But then he stopped and opened his mouth again.
“Besides, we’re not done yet.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”
“I mean, there are cities in the eastern part of the Kingdom that are still occupied, right? There is also the Eastern Institute of our Magic University, and there are students who happened to return home only to be captured by the Empire, too.”
With that, the professor walked into the laboratory.
“The eastern part of the Kingdom…. I believe even if you don’t do anything in particular, the position of the president of Magic University is yours, with just your achievements in the Rune dungeon alone…. But you’re pretty shrewd yourself…I’m not sure how much of what you say I can take at face value.”
Prince Willy chuckled and stared at the door of the laboratory where the ‘professor’ had entered.
‘Chief Professor Christopher Bratt.’
Author’s note:
Eh? Who?
You know, there were three executives among the investigation team for the Rune Great Tidal Bore, right?
Magic Advisor Arthur, Commander Clive Staples who died on the 40th floor, and Magic University Chief Professor Christopher Bratt.
That’s him.
He’ll likely play an active role in the second and third volumes.
He’s a character that has been set up quite finely.
He looks like British actor Tom Hiddleston.
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