The Council (2)
The Council (2)
It wasn't just light.
Small flames bloomed around the Princess, and sparks appeared and vanished among her strands of hair.
It was no ordinary light.
The other nobles might not have known what it meant, but the high nobility and royalty could tell instantly.
A new successor had emerged.
But there was someone who couldn't accept this reality.
It was the First Prince, who had just been stabbed in the back by his younger brother.
The First Prince glared at the Princess and roared.
"This is nonsense! You clearly obtained the Queen's ability! Both I and that bastard saw it together!"
The First Prince screamed, pointing at his younger brother, whom he had been fighting only moments ago.
The Second Prince, though, paid absolutely no attention to his older brother's words.
He merely scowled and glared intently at the Princess.
The First Prince screamed, unleashing all the rage he had accumulated up until then.
"Are you saying you deceived everyone during the Awakening Ceremony! How dare you desecrate the sacred Awakening Ceremony!"
Watching him scream, his face flushed crimson, was chilling even from my perspective as a third party.
Yet the Princess looked at the Prince and refuted him clearly, word by word.
"No. I did not lie."
Princess Aisha swung the sword she held through the empty air.
Slash.
Though the blade hadn't even touched the glass, it sliced cleanly in half.
"I possess both my mother's ability and 'Mana Resonance'."
Now, the Princess didn't avert her gaze from the First Prince.
Holding the sword with its shimmering tip, she stared straight at him.
"That... makes no sense..."
Hardly anyone knew about Multi-Ability Users.
It had only been passed down as a legend, and even then, only someone of Duke Ceuta's caliber knew about it.
The princes and the other nobles could only stare at the Princess, utterly flabbergasted.
Watching the shocked princes and nobles, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
A kingdom whose information network was slower than that of a mere organization.
'The Organization even had people with multiple abilities.'
The swordsman named Vid, whom I had killed, was precisely a Multi-Ability User, able to wield both fire and physical enhancement abilities at the same time.
Thinking about it, that showed just how formidable the Organization was.
The entire hall fell into a stir.
Not only had the Princess suddenly emerged as a new successor, but they had also learned she was a legendary Multi-Ability User...
There was no way that wouldn't cause an uproar.
Still, even if the Princess had obtained 'Mana Resonance', she was still just a young girl.
Even with her legendary multiple abilities, she was still merely an eleven-year-old child whose sword dragged along the ground.
It was a situation that could hardly compare to those of the two princes, both adults who had built up their own factions.
That was precisely why it had been kept secret until now.
Even now, if she had revealed it herself, perhaps it wouldn't have caused such a massive stir.
But the one who had pointed her out was the Duke of Gracia.
Even amid the commotion, the nobles stole glances at the Duke of Gracia.
He was the Duke of Gracia, who had always been regarded as putting the Kingdom first and maintaining neutrality.
For such a duke to point out the Princess was no different from declaring his support for her.
Even so, although her backing was weak compared to the forces of the two princes, it was now impossible to predict how the succession battle would unfold.
"Damn it! What kind of nonsense meeting is this! It is only natural for me, the Crown Prince, to inherit the throne! Fine, those who oppose me can go stand behind my younger siblings!"
The First Prince turned and pulled the 'Knight's Sword' down from the wall.
"With this sword, which has been held by Crown Princes for generations, I will sweep away every single traitor."
The First Prince drew the sword from its scabbard and raised it high.
Hum.
The Knight's Sword absorbed mana and shone brilliantly.
Looking at the glowing sword, the Second Prince wore a troubled expression.
It seemed he hadn't expected the First Prince to suddenly pull down the sword.
To think he would act so recklessly.
The problem was that such a mindless action actually worked on the nobles.
The noisy hall fell silent once more.
Everyone stared at the shining sword in the First Prince's hand.
The symbol of the royal family, handed down since the First King.
The Crown Prince was holding that very sword high in the air.
"Under this sword, I swear. I will rebuild this country, defeat our enemies, and..."
Holding the sword, he delivered a passionate speech as if he were already ascending the throne.
Watching the Crown Prince give his passionate speech, I turned around.
There was no need to listen any further.
I bowed my head to the Commander and slipped out through the hall doors the Crown Prince had left open.
Through the open doors, the Crown Prince's speech continued to drift out.
"...This country will follow behind the King who holds this sword..."
Even the knights guarding the doors were stealing glances inside the hall.
It seemed to be quite a spectacle.
It looked like a grand speech that could turn the tables, but unfortunately, there was someone who couldn't just stand by and watch it happen.
Namely, me.
"Summon!"
The moment I pictured the Knight's Sword in my mind and murmured softly,
Hum.
The Knight's Sword appeared in my hand.
It was the very sword that, only a moment ago, had been shedding light in the First Prince's hand.
"...Where did the sword go!"
The speech ground to a halt, and the First Prince's roar echoed through the hall.
Then chaos ensued.
"The sword vanished!"
"The Knight's Sword is gone!"
"Did someone steal it?"
"Isn't that an item that can't be stolen with an ability?"
"Nobody move!"
"Close the doors!"
The knights guarding the entrance hurriedly shut the open doors of the hall.
Hearing the doors slam shut behind me, I pushed the sword into my chest.
Though it looked like an act of self-harm, the sword slid smoothly into the relic pocket inside my chest.
No one saw it, and no one noticed. It was a perfect crime.
I hadn't snatched the sword just then for any grand reason.
It was simply because there didn't seem to be a better moment to steal it.
And I could help the Princess and screw over the Crown Prince at the same time, so it was truly killing two—no, three birds with one stone.
As many had anticipated, the Council concluded without establishing a new king.
The civil war between the two princes had already begun with the territorial war between their two domains, announced during the Council.
These were things that should never have happened at a Council meant to crown a new king, but everyone figured that, up to this point, they were still within the realm of possibility.
But even after that, events that shattered everyone's expectations continued to unfold at the Council.
The Princess unleashing her 'Mana Resonance' to declare herself a successor, the fact that she was a Multi-Ability User, and even the Duke of Gracia raising his hand in her support—everything was one shock after another.
On top of that, the disappearance of the Knight's Sword from the First Prince's hand went beyond mere shock, striking fear into everyone.
Thus, the Council to crown a new king ended, leaving behind a massive wave of shock.
The nobles dispersed according to faction, escorted by their knights and soldiers, while the citizens who heard the news of the Council locked their doors with grim expressions.
From the moment the meeting ended, the capital became a city on the verge of exploding.
Houses and shops shut their doors, and soldiers and knights roamed the streets in droves, murderous glints in their eyes.
It felt as though if a fight broke out anywhere, the entire city would burn to the ground.
The Princess and I crossed the tension-filled city and headed toward the Academy.
Unlike the savage city outside, the Academy remained peaceful and quiet.
The carriage didn't stop at the main gate but continued rolling through the Academy grounds.
Passing the building where the entrance ceremony had been held—which, in my memories, had also been destroyed multiple times—the carriage arrived at the Academy administration building.
The Princess and I got down from the carriage and headed to the academic affairs office.
The academic affairs office was somewhat chaotic.
I stood before an employee sorting through documents.
"I intend to take a leave of absence."
"Another leave of absence? Why are so many people taking leaves of absence lately..."
The employee, who had been muttering, looked up—and froze upon seeing me and the Princess standing behind me.
"Surely, the Princess isn't taking a leave of..."
"This is the application for a leave of absence for Princess Aisha de Carlos and Alex de Gracia."
The Princess and I had returned to the Academy to apply for our leaves of absence.
With a civil war on the horizon, the Princess, who had just declared herself a successor, could no longer continue attending the Academy.
Since dropping out altogether wouldn't look good, we planned to apply for a leave of absence first.
I, having agreed to assist the Princess for another year and a half, also had to take a leave of absence.
But there was no actual need for the Princess to come to the Academy in person.
She could simply have stopped attending, or had someone else submit the application on her behalf.
Yet Princess Aisha wanted to see the Academy one last time.
Though she'd been there for only a year and a half, it was likely because this was the first and last educational institution she would ever attend.
After a brief commotion, the processing of our leaves of absence concluded without any major issues.
We were asked to meet with the professors or the Headmaster before leaving, but we couldn't afford to spare that kind of time.
The Princess and I stepped out of the administration building and looked around the Academy.
The vast grounds were dotted with numerous elegant, antique buildings.
It was a place that truly lived up to its title as the Kingdom's finest academy.
It was an academy where so many eventful incidents had unfolded over the short span of a year and a half.
For me, of course, it hadn't been just a year and a half, but a far longer stretch of time.
True to its purpose as an educational institution, it had immensely aided my growth, and contrary to my expectations, it had also become a place where I managed to build various connections.
Though we'd only taken a leave of absence, it was highly unlikely we would ever return.
No matter how or when the civil war ended, it would be difficult for the Princess and me to return to the Academy.
Still, I could only hope that the Academy would remain intact during the civil war.
And that the Princess, myself, and everyone else would return safely.
After briefly repeating that unfitting wish in my mind, the Princess and I headed toward the carriage.
Standing beside it was a familiar face: Balea.
She waved at us as we approached.
"Did the leave of absence go well?"
She was wearing travel attire instead of her Academy uniform.
"They processed it quite easily."
"When I submitted my leave of absence yesterday, they nitpicked over every little thing... I should have submitted mine with yours."
Before the Council began, I had informed a few people that the Princess and I would be taking a leave of absence.
Miro and Axel, the two Academy knights, Senior Benjamin, Junior Glan, and even Balea.
Since it was bound to be revealed soon anyway, I had shared the news with each of them, filtering the details just enough to prevent rumors from spreading.
The two knights decided to submit their resignations immediately and join our party, and Senior Benjamin also planned to take a leave of absence before long.
Junior Glan seemed intent on continuing to attend the Academy for as long as he could.
And Balea, having submitted her leave of absence, was now standing before me like this.
"Is it alright for you not to return home?"
"It's fine. I've already finished everything I needed to do for the summer."
Balea had decided to take a leave of absence and help the Princess.
Though Balea claimed she was helping me, that was essentially the same as helping the Princess...
I couldn't fathom why Balea wanted to follow the Princess—no, me—around.
It didn't seem like she had fallen for the man who killed her father, nor did it seem like she was stalking me to bide her time for revenge.
Still, since she harbored no ulterior motives and was helpful, I couldn't refuse her. No, I chose not to refuse her.
The Princess, Balea, and I boarded the carriage.
The carriage we boarded wasn't a royal carriage.
It was the carriage of the Gracia Dukedom.
We intended to leave the capital just like this.
The Duke, Simon, and Manuel, who had attended the Council, were also already in the process of leaving the capital.
This capital was the home turf of the two princes.
We couldn't remain in enemy territory after declaring a successor.
Balea's luggage, my luggage, and the Princess's luggage were all safely packed inside my backpack in the carriage.
Carrying the three of us, the carriage sped toward the capital's East Gate.
Thinking we wouldn't see it for a long time, we gazed out at the passing streets through the window.
Unfortunately, the streets were desolate and brimming with hostility.
Though outwardly they were as splendid and beautiful as before, the sight of only soldiers and knights instead of ordinary citizens made them look incredibly bleak.
Feeling deeply disappointed, we closed the window.
Even amidst all this, the carriage continued onward and arrived before the East Gate.
"These are the children of the Duke of Gracia!"
The coachman shouted to the soldiers guarding the gate.
Has an inspection already been set up, so soon after the Council ended?
"Understood. Everyone, clear the way!"
Fortunately, there was no inspection.
The carriage passed the soldiers who had stepped aside and exited through the East Gate.
The Princess opened the rear window of the carriage and stared at the receding capital.
There was a reason she couldn't tear her eyes away.
It was because the Queen had remained in the royal palace.
Though it was an action that meant someone had to stay behind to protect the royal family, the Princess couldn't help but worry about the Queen.
Balea comforted the anxious Princess, while I stared into the empty air.
A message window was floating there.
<You have left the capital. Would you like to set a new 'Save Point'?>
A new beginning.
It was a sign that difficulties and crises lay ahead.
This time, though, it was a message I could fully anticipate.
I immediately answered, 'Yes'.
"Hyah!"
Having escaped the capital, the carriage dashed vigorously toward the east.