Chapter 211
Chapter 211
Chapter 210
"......What is this?"
The king, who had been silent with a hardened expression, finally spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
"As I mentioned, these are the heads of the rebel leaders, Your Majesty."
"No, I understand what they are, but why...?"
The king, visibly flustered, soon realized that all eyes in the Great Hall were fixed on him and quickly composed himself.
After clearing his throat, he continued with forced composure.
"You've worked hard despite the difficulties, Duke Logan."
However—
"It was indeed difficult without our elite forces."
The king flinched at Logan's blunt remark, and the gazes of those assembled shifted back to Logan.
There wasn't a single person in the hall unaware that the MacLaine elites had been forcibly summoned to the capital by the king's decree.
The fact that Logan had suppressed the rebellion without them only added to the astonishment.
Naturally, the nobles could only watch with bated breath, wondering what Logan would do next.
To put it bluntly, it wouldn't be difficult for Logan to overthrow the royal family right then and there.
Fortunately, such an extreme scenario didn't unfold.
"Of course, such incidents must never happen again. For Your Majesty and the royal family's sake. Never again."
Everyone in the hall understood that those words were a warning directed at the king.
The king's face flushed red, and for a moment, he couldn't speak, his expression stiff. But soon, he forced a smile and praised Logan again.
"Of course. I don't know how much more secure the kingdom is with you here. Truly, you've done well."
"As long as I am here, the kingdom will not tolerate 'any form of unrest.' You may rest easy, Your Majesty."
The king's forced smile froze the moment it met Logan's cold, crimson eyes.
Just as the atmosphere threatened to turn awkward, the sound of clapping suddenly broke the silence.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Isn't this a gathering to celebrate Sir Logan's achievement in suppressing the rebellion? Your Majesty, let us quickly remove these ghastly objects."
The words came from a man bowing his head in the king's lower seat.
Logan's gaze naturally shifted toward him.
'Was his name Cleo?'
At the middle-aged official's signal, the royal attendants hurried forward in quick steps to collect the scattered heads.
The quiet bustle dispelled the awkward tension lingering in the Great Hall.
Watching this, the king nodded lightly and smoothly continued.
"The Chamberlain is right. Moreover, I've heard rumors that Duke Logan, the pillar of our kingdom, has become the fourth Transcendent. If true, shouldn't we also celebrate this joyous occasion? Duke Logan, is the rumor accurate?"
"I was fortunate, Your Majesty."
As Logan answered with a faint smile, gasps of admiration erupted throughout the hall.
"As expected!"
"The Star of Grandia!"
"Truly remarkable at his age."
Logan could clearly see the king's fingers tightening around his armrest. Despite maintaining a broad smile, his eyes remained cold and rigid.
Yet the king spoke again in a gentle tone.
"Indeed. Haha, this is truly a joyous occasion for the kingdom. Duke Logan, how did you achieve this at such a young age...?"
As if trying to hide his clenched fists—or perhaps the flustered expression he had worn moments earlier—the king stood with his hands behind his back, addressing the assembled officials with arms spread wide.
"Now then, let us hold a grand celebration in honor of the birth of a new Transcendent and the suppression of the rebellion! All ministers, without exception, shall attend and grace the occasion!"
Then, descending from the throne with deliberate slowness, he demonstratively grasped Logan's hand.
"Duke Logan, you've truly worked hard. Had you not been here, I shudder to think what might have become of this kingdom."
Is it not my presence that unsettles you?
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Outwardly, the two exchanged smiles, but neither man's eyes held any warmth—and both were acutely aware of it.
To an observer, it appeared as though the king and Logan had completely reconciled.
Seeing this, the nobles, who had been gauging the situation, finally began approaching Logan.
"Congratulations, Your Excellency!"
"We celebrate this joyous occasion!"
"Our felicitations, Your Grace!"
The king, watching with a soft smile, maintained a solemn expression as he was the first to leave the Great Hall.
Logan watched his retreating figure with an unreadable gaze, while only the middle-aged official, Cleo, followed silently in quick steps.
Thud!
The moment the doors of the Great Hall closed behind him, the king kicked over a nearby flowerpot.
Seeing the nearby knight flinch, he immediately realized his mistake.
"Hmph. The flowers were poorly arranged. Have them replaced."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Unable to muster the energy to force another smile, the king could only make excuses and quicken his pace.
Once he reached a deserted corridor, he spoke quietly to Cleo, who had followed him.
"Find it. Anything that could be his weakness."
Grind.
The sound of teeth grinding.
Even a passing listener would recognize the command as unreasonable.
Naturally, Cleo's expression stiffened.
"Especially regarding this rebellion suppression. No matter how much of a Transcendent he is, it was too fast. There must have been something reckless."
Standing before the king, whose cold face seethed with anger, Cleo could only nod.
The celebratory banquet following the Great Hall gathering.
By the time Logan managed to extricate himself from the chaotic festivities, the sun had long set, and the moon hung high in the sky.
Even the knights of his household had already been sent back to the estate.
As Logan walked through the quiet moonlight, organizing his thoughts, he encountered someone he hadn't seen in the midst of the commotion.
"Master."
"I was late."
"Not at all. It was only natural. I heard you were at the border—on His Majesty's orders."
"Yes. That's right."
The Sword Duke's bitter smile was accompanied by dust-covered robes.
For the second most powerful man in the kingdom to be dressed in soiled attire without even a single attendant in sight—it seemed he had rushed here alone upon hearing the news.
"I'm sorry. I didn't expect His Majesty to act this way while I was at the border. To strip you of your forces and then order you to suppress the rebellion..."
"It's in the past now. And I succeeded."
Seeing his disciple's proud smile, the Sword Duke finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Given the lack of major disturbances, it seems His Majesty is unharmed."
"......Pardon?"
"Ah, never mind. My old man's worries got the better of me. You must be exhausted—come to my estate. Stella has been asking for you lately..."
Logan exhaled softly at his master's bitter smile.
Only now did he realize why his master had rushed here in such a state.
"Did you think I would harm His Majesty?"
"Honestly, I thought it was fifty-fifty."
"Fifty?"
"You had every right to be furious."
"If I had any intention of harming His Majesty, I wouldn't have helped him ascend to the throne in the first place."
"The circumstances then and now are different."
If I had attacked the king because of those changed circumstances, what would you have done, Master?
Instead of voicing the question rising in his chest, Logan simply shook his head.
"Nothing has changed. The Empire's threat remains, and for that reason alone, I have no intention of prolonging petty conflicts. As long as His Majesty refrains from antagonizing me, nothing will change."
"......You're still saying that."
"Hm?"
Logan sensed disapproval in his master's tone—the same master who had once understood him.
"Didn't the Emperor of the Ares Empire hold you in high regard? The same emperor who refrained from even local conflicts for over a decade?"
"Having met him in person, I'm even more certain. The Emperor is not a man who will abandon his ambitions."
"Are you saying he would wage war against the kingdom just to have you?"
"Not for me—for the world."
Perhaps Logan's words were unexpected.
The Sword Duke's expression hardened further.
"......Unintentionally, I noticed something while at the border. Our western border—that is, the Empire's eastern border—has seen a significant troop withdrawal, and taxes on merchants have been greatly reduced. Whether because of you or not, their policies have turned pro-kingdom. Do you still think the same?"
"Yes. It's deception."
The Sword Duke hesitated at Logan's unwavering tone, but Logan met his gaze and continued.
"Don't just look at the current situation—consider the frequency of wars the Empire has waged since the Imperial Succession War ended. Didn't you agree with me before?"
"Yes, I did. Sigh......"
"Master. That's why I ask you to prevent His Majesty from antagonizing me. Now is not the time for internal strife within the kingdom."
"I truly wish it were that simple."
Seeing his master's hollow smile, Logan responded with a heavy expression.
"Master, you must curb His Majesty's recklessness. This must never happen again. For the kingdom's sake."
So that I don't cross the line.
Perhaps his master guessed the words Logan couldn't bring himself to say—or perhaps he read the resolve in Logan's eyes.
'Haah. What should I do? What must be done?'
The Sword Duke could say no more.
And the day he would have to make a choice arrived sooner than expected.
A few days later.
While the capital still buzzed with rumors of Logan and the rebellion's suppression, and Logan was preparing to return with his troops—
The king summoned Logan, accompanied by the Sword Duke.
"We greet the monarch of Grandia."
"Welcome, Dukes."
The king, who had retreated from the Great Hall pale-faced days earlier, now looked revitalized and full of purpose.
And the reason for his enthusiasm soon became clear.
"Duke Logan. A few days ago, I was too preoccupied to notice, but reports suggest there was an issue with the rebellion suppression."
"Pardon?"
Both Logan and the Sword Duke tilted their heads in confusion.
"It seems the vast majority of the rebel soldiers are still alive. Under MacLaine's protection, no less."
Logan's expression stiffened as the king smiled at the Sword Duke.
Why bring this up now?
"Logan? What does this mean?"
When his master turned to him under the king's gaze, Logan quickly organized his thoughts and spoke.
"Ah, that... They realized their mistakes and surrendered immediately. Thanks to them, we were able to suppress the rebels easily."
He offered the excuse he had prepared just in case.
"Who would believe that over seven thousand soldiers surrendered simultaneously? Duke Logan, you'll need a more convincing answer. One the Sword Duke can accept."
The king's immediate retort made it clear he had been waiting for this moment. Both the Sword Duke and Logan understood his intent.
'Using my stubborn master as leverage to pressure me?'
A hollow laugh nearly escaped him.
Everyone present knew the soldiers had no choice but to follow their superiors' orders.
Beyond that, those nearly seven thousand soldiers were potential future knights—the kingdom's future strength.
Any ruler would find excuses to preserve them, yet—
"The principle is to execute rebels, extending even to their families. How much more so for the perpetrators themselves?"
This king was different.
"Duke Logan. If you truly don't intend to shield the rebels, shouldn't you execute them all?"
After all this time, you're still pushing this?
'Do you truly intend to see this through to the end, Your Majesty?'
The flames rising in Logan's chest burned in his eyes.
Whether the king recognized the danger or not, his attention remained fixed solely on the Sword Duke.
And then, the Sword Duke spoke.