Chapter 391: Not a Single Likable Thing About Him
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 391: Not a Single Likable Thing About Him
“Win over every single minister to your side.”
This was the condition the Queen had set for Krang. She had told him they would only discuss the throne once he fulfilled it. The Queen had given her word, and Krang had kept his.
“Your Majesty.”
Krang looked at the Queen. The Queen looked back at Krang.
Encrid didn't know this, but the Queen had no greed for the throne. Nor did she desire power. What she truly wanted was to live a quiet, peaceful life.
Her dream was simple: to watch the flowers bloom in spring, rest in the cool shade of trees in summer, gather fallen leaves in autumn, and sip warm tea while watching the snow fall outside her window in winter. It would be even better if a good person were by her side through all those moments.
To spend her days with someone truly wonderful—not in a marriage of convenience to protect the throne—was all she wished for. For a commoner, it might have been an extravagant dream, but for the Queen of Naurilia, it was a modest one.
As an individual, the Queen was not suited for the throne. She yearned for something other than power. Yet, she remained. She did not shirk her responsibility; she did what she could. At one point, she had even considered dividing her power among the noble families, including House Vaisar, and leaving it all behind.
“If you do that now, Naurilia will split into at least three pieces. All three will either be annexed by other nations or collapse entirely. At best, one might survive as a tiny city-state, but what then?”
Those were the words of Marquis Vaisar, the Queen's teacher. He was right. The Queen’s existence was the final bulwark holding the power-hungry factions at bay. She could not leave.
But she had no desire to hand the throne over to a bastard like Count Molsen, either.
Your Late Majesty.
On nights when she missed her father, a gift sent by the deceased King arrived.
“Kudianat Landius Nauril. I am told that is my name.”
It was like looking at the Late King in his youth. Krang also shared many similarities with her.
Krang had sought out the Queen before starting any of this. He needed to see her. He had to know if Naurilia was a country worth protecting and living in. If it wasn't, he wouldn't even begin.
“The Late King was full of love.”
Those were the Queen's first words upon meeting Krang. She meant it. The Late King had many women; despite having a queen and concubines, he often wandered. It was a wonder he only had one illegitimate child.
The two of them had conversed. Afterward, Krang left, returned to see the Queen again, and eventually reached this point.
“Have you asked your questions?”
The Queen had said there were still others left to ask. Whatever her personal dreams, she loved the kingdom where she was born and raised. That was why she did not turn away from her responsibility.
There were three people she had intended to question. One, of course, was Krang. The second was Marquis Vaisar. She had even considered raising the Marquis to the rank of Grand Duke and slowly transferring the throne to him. But since her teacher refused, there was nothing she could do. Later, she had considered the Marquis of Okto, but Marquis Vaisar opposed this as well.
“No matter what you do, it will ruin us,” he had said.
Marquis Vaisar knew that to maintain the country, they needed a focal point everyone could agree on.
Finally, the Queen had to ask Count Molsen. If he truly cared for the country, shouldn't she hand over the throne even to a man with the tongue of a ghoul? Doing things she hated had somehow become her specialty.
But she hadn't even been able to ask him.
How ridiculous.
Just before answering, the Queen thought to herself that the situation had become quite absurd. She had intended to ask, but now only one person remained to receive the question. The two Great Nobles had already sided with Krang, and Count Molsen, the only other candidate, had branded himself a traitor. Count Molsen was a man worthy of being called a hero, and yet...
His methods cannot be called right.
What he desired was the throne, not the country. The Queen could see that clearly. Thus, only one choice remained.
“Did you plan this?” the Queen asked.
Krang smiled with his eyes. “I merely thought that only those who love and will protect the kingdom should remain.”
In the end, it was a board Krang had set. He had brought the Marquis of Okto to his side and concluded his discussions with Marquis Vaisar, telling them that if he survived whatever was to come, they should stand behind him.
Marquis Vaisar dropped to one knee. His old joint hit the ground with a soft thud.
“May this old man speak a word?”
The Queen nodded.
With his head bowed, the Marquis spoke. “May Your Majesty fulfill your dream.”
He was someone who had spent more time with her than her own father. He might as well have been one.
The Queen did not answer. She merely stared at Krang with expressionless eyes. Krang had proven himself. Beyond the ingenuity of his methods, one could tell just by looking that all the ministers remaining in the Great Hall were on his side.
“Fend off external pressure and punish the traitors. Do so, and I shall personally place the crown upon your head,” the Queen declared.
Encrid knew that Krang had gone through hell for this. A conclusion like this wouldn't have been reached otherwise. Above all, he realized that Krang and the Queen had already reached an understanding beforehand.
So he started this after already being promised the throne.
“Take care, Your Majesty,” Krang said, turning away.
“I shall. Do what you must do,” the Queen called out as she stood. Krang bowed politely and turned. Marquis Vaisar and the Marquis of Okto followed behind him.
Encrid also stepped out with his group. Just before leaving, he looked back. He saw the Queen reaching her hand out toward the woman who appeared to be a court mage. It was a gesture filled with concern, asking if she was alright. The mage waved her hand dismissively.
Was it just his imagination that the relationship between the two seemed deeper than ordinary? It wasn't something Encrid needed to know.
“Where did you go?” he asked Esther.
“Some bastard tried to coax me to his side.”
There was no need to ask who. It was Count Molsen—or rather, a mage acting on his behalf. Encrid thought there was nothing he could do if Esther chose to leave, but she had stayed. He wanted to ask why, even if he doubted he'd get a straight answer. It would probably be "Just because" or "I felt like it."
Still, he asked. “Why didn't you go?”
Esther turned her head. She had just returned from burning two half-baked mages chanting pathetic spells into ashes.
“I don't usually listen to others,” she said.
Encrid thought that, for someone who didn't listen to others, she followed his requests quite well.
Krang walked with steady steps, conversing with the two Marquises. Promises and conditions were exchanged. They discussed predicting Count Molsen's next moves and defending the capital using the forces of the two Marquises. Ingis was with them as well.
“Your Highness, I have forces that came with me,” Ingis said.
Without a moment's hesitation, Krang replied, “I will provide you with a few fine steeds. It would be best for you to recover your strength briefly and head back.”
He spoke with his usual smile. Was the Count's threat not even intimidating to him? Even though the newly arrived man was a clear asset, Krang told them to return.
As Ingis hesitated, Krang spoke first. “Fend off the threat in the south. That is your duty.”
Ingis conceded. They had bought about three days, but if there was nothing for them to do here, they had to return. Stopping Count Molsen? Ingis believed that wasn't his job. But from Krang's perspective, excluding a force like Ingis must have required a major decision.
Yet, there was no hesitation. Was this what they called the caliber of a leader?
The Master had said so too: “He seems like too fine a vessel to be shattered here. Go and help him.”
Wasn't it because of the Master's words that he had come all this way?
Listening to Krang from behind, Encrid felt a bit disappointed, but it couldn't be helped. What if I ask him to spar once before I leave?
No, that wouldn't do. Encrid was not Rem; he knew how to exercise discretion. Krang was a man who had rushed all the way here from the southern battlefield without even wiping the bloodstains from his armor. Knowing his fatigue, it was not something Encrid should ask of him.
“Enki, I heard the Border Guard is under threat. You may return immediately as well,” Krang said from ahead.
Encrid shook his head. “I probably don't need to.”
The Border Guard had Audin and Krais. If it were truly dangerous, they would have sent word long ago. Just because the scouts were blocked didn't mean they lacked the capability to send a message. This was Krais they were talking about; he would have already prepared dozens of ways to survive.
Above all, with Audin and Teresa there, even if that pulse-severing Associate Knight who had blocked Encrid went there, they wouldn't be able to do anything. Besides, where would one easily find another Associate Knight of that caliber? He was an overwhelmingly skilled fighter.
The only problem was that a monster like Ragna had appeared. In their current state, if there was anyone who could fight Ragna to a draw, Audin was the most likely candidate.
I should worry about those who actually need worrying about.
And behind Audin was Krais, playing his tricks.
As Encrid gave his answer, the gazes of the two Marquises pierced into him.
“What is it?” Encrid asked nonchalantly.
The expressions of the two Marquises were peculiar. The Marquis of Okto blinked in surprise, while Marquis Vaisar kept a straight face, though the corner of his lips twitched. It was because of Encrid's informal speech.
Seeing this, Krang chuckled. “Leave him be. I told you, he's my friend.”
“Your Highness, your dignity will be compromised.”
“You must be mindful of how others perceive you.”
Both Marquises had already decided to serve Krang, and their advice was appropriate. But their opponent was Krang.
“If my dignity is chipped away by a few words—no, by words spoken by a friend I made myself—then there is already nothing a person like me can achieve.”
A king must maintain his dignity. A king must place everyone beneath him. A king must stand alone and noble. Was that the only way to prove oneself as a king? It was like a question thrown to the world. Even at this moment, Krang showed his intent and revealed his caliber. He was different. The weight of his words made it clear he was not an ordinary man.
The heavy atmosphere quickly dissipated.
“What if I scold Enki for being informal, and he gets upset and defects to the enemy?” Krang joked.
The faces of the two Marquises contorted strangely. Both knew Encrid's strength. They also knew of the Mad Platoon under his command. Without them, there was no telling how the battle with Count Molsen would go. And they couldn't exactly call upon the Order of Knights, could they?
Actually, if they pushed it, they could. If it were Lord Cypress, he would probably come regardless of the south. Krang knew this too, yet he chose to stop the Count without calling them. The immediate present was not what was important; preventing the civil war was merely a passing point.
Krang judged that he had to do this for the sake of what came after he ascended the throne. First, because they wouldn't be able to recover from the damage if they failed to block the southern powerhouse, Richenstetten, and the Demon Realm.
Second... If I cannot even keep the words that came out of my own mouth, who would ever follow me?
He had fought the Count with words. When a winner couldn't be decided, Encrid had raised his hand. It was a ridiculous affair, but one thing was clear: since it couldn't be settled with words, they had agreed to decide the victor through action. Therefore, they had to stop them without the Order of Knights.
“You'll help me, right?”
At the playful question, Encrid nodded. Looking at the two of them, the Marquises felt that their calibers were on an entirely different level.
Before they knew it, the moon had risen. Moonlight filtered through the windows of the corridor leading out of the Great Hall. Perhaps because the initial struggle had wound down, the palace was quiet.
A portion of the Royal Guard gathered and approached the group, then stopped. The one wearing a dark gray helmet led them.
“I greet Your Highness.” He knelt on one knee.
Krang nodded. “You did well.”
“...I shall receive my punishment later, and beg for forgiveness in the future.”
“I am not saying this because you sided with me. You did what you had to do,” Krang said, dismissing him.
That wasn't the end of it. Most of those who stepped forward were favorable toward Krang. Encrid realized this was Krang's true strength. Everyone who knew him, spoke with him, and spent time with him ended up acknowledging him. He possessed a power that drew people's hearts.
As they walked, they saw an orange-haired female knight clutching her stomach, her face altered by a broken nose. She was limping, her physical condition looking utterly disastrous. As she approached, she stopped and raised her head.
“Encrid.”
Her eyes were fixed only on Encrid, not Krang. It was a gaze of absolute focus.
Encrid was relieved she had survived. At the same time, he realized that today had finally passed. Had the Ferryman said it would be interesting? He had to agree. He had saved the person he wanted to save. With that alone, Encrid was satisfied. His chest felt light. The living, breathing person named Aisia was right there, breathing through her mouth because of her injury.
“Did you sleep well?”
When he asked, Aisia chuckled before clutching her side in pain. It wasn't an injury that would heal quickly.
“Do you know each other?” Krang chimed in.
It was time to explain that she had blocked him and sided with the enemy, but had her reasons. Encrid opened his mouth.
“An Associate Knight. She fights well. Though she's a bit worse than me.”
At those words, the corners of Aisia's eyes twitched, but that explanation was enough for Krang.
“It would be best for you to recover from your injuries.”
“Pardon?”
“Because a civil war is scheduled,” Krang said with a smile.
He spoke as if it were a daily routine, like suggesting they grab a meal. No sense of crisis could be detected, but Krang was right. It was the beginning of a civil war. What the Count had done was propose settling the score through war.
Just what had he prepared? Encrid actually found himself looking forward to it. No matter what, he wanted to slash and thrust his way forward until he saw the Count's face again.
Threatening the Border Guard? Playing tricks on Esther?
He was a bastard with not a single likable thing about him.