Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Flower of Evil, Aira #4
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The audience chamber of Angmar Palace was always filled with a cacophony of noises.
“Ehem! I oppose that motion! Raising interest rates? Sir Belmont! I understand your loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen, but isn’t that a bit too zealous?”
“I oppose it as well. Right now, we should lower interest rates and loan conditions to stimulate lending and invigorate the economy…”
“I’m in favor.”
The hawks and doves opposed each other on everything, every single day. Some of their arguments were valid, but much of it was just opposition for opposition’s sake.
There was one time when those same people banded together: whenever I opened my mouth.
“Very well, let’s proceed to a vote on the motion to increase the palace councilors’ salaries and pensions.”
“I’m in favor.”
“Me too.”
“Well said. It’s rare for us all to agree like this.”
“A bipartisan effort—this is the first step toward peace in the kingdom, isn’t it?”
What the hell, you rotten bastards.
They bicker endlessly, but the second it benefits them, it’s unanimous.
Of course, from my position of having to manage them, it was convenient. But in the bigger picture, these guys were a cancer on the nation. No wonder the people turned to banditry with leadership like this.
Kwaaang!
At that moment, the doors to the chamber burst open as if they might shatter.
Who the hell dares to slam the doors to Queen Aira’s audience chamber like that?
Was it a revolutionary army storming the palace? Had the angry mobs finally turned into a rioting horde? My heart dropped for a second.
“This place is still full of nothing but chattering trash.”
Tadak, hududuk.
From the cloud of dust kicked up by the shattered doors, someone slowly emerged. The first thing visible was the clanking, clanking iron plate armor.
Crimson armor like a rose. Sharp thorns protruded from it here and there, looking vicious enough to draw blood on contact.
A knight?
Ah—damn it.
“The expedition’s back!”
“The expedition has returned!”
The hawk and dove elders, who had been at each other’s throats moments ago, now trembled as one.
Clank, clank.
Ignoring them, the crimson-armored knight strode into the chamber and finally raised her massive halberd high. Whoosh.
The cold edge of the weapon pointed straight at Aira von Tarantara, lounging on the throne with her chin propped up lazily.
“Y-Your Majesty! Protect the Queen!”
“Guards!”
As everyone panicked and shouted in terror, Aira just looked relaxed, as if to say, “Go ahead, try it.”
The halberd raised high toward Aira came crashing down—
“Die!”
Sring, chwaaaa!
What rolled across the floor wasn’t Queen Aira, but the head of the dove faction elder who’d been yelling beside her.
“This bastard—he was the one supplying weapons to those frontier barbarians. A traitor. Thanks to him, I had to roll around in the mud with those savages. That’s why the catapults caught me off guard.”
When the knight removed her lion helm, a mane of lush golden hair cascaded down.
Her sweat-drenched, porcelain-pale face emerged, oddly resembling Aira’s.
It had to—it was her cousin. A collateral royal.
Kicking the rolling head aside with her boot, the crimson-armored warrior—Angmar’s field commander Elga Rionese—roared.
“You rotten lot. A traitor right under your noses, and you couldn’t spot it? With useless scum like you drawing salaries, my workload just keeps piling up!”
At Elga’s growl, the councilors who’d been noisily splitting the kingdom’s policies fell silent.
They held their breath, praying only that the terrifying blade of the execution weapon wouldn’t reach them.
I was pissed too.
That dove elder was one I’d deliberately kept alive.
I’d been using him as a plant to gauge the southern barbarians’ movements, and now she’d gone and killed him. Do these people enjoy creating more work for me?
Shit.
Sring.
Then I felt the halberd’s sharp spear tip pointing at me. Drip, drip—the blood trickling down was scary and metallic.
“If any of you were plotting more nonsense, confess now. I’ll kill you quick.”
Elga’s blue eyes fixed solely on me as she spoke. That was clearly meant for my ears.
To be honest.
Elga hated me.
She wasn’t a hawk or a dove—she was a martial hawk.
Elga despised those who schemed and manipulated from the rear without wielding a sword. Yeah, people exactly like me, Taeo.
But it didn’t matter. I hated her too. Mutual dislike—even.
Still, even with people you hate, there are times you have to bow your head. I inclined my head toward her and said,
“Lady Elga, congratulations on your safe return from the expedition. I heard of the victory, but I didn’t expect you back so soon.”
“Hmph, they were nothing. Weaklings just like you.”
“I see. Even so, this is Her Majesty’s presence. Please lower your weapon.”
Ooooh—voices tinged with surprise and admiration rose here and there. They were shocked someone dared speak up to the fearsome Elga.
I couldn’t help but feel a bit smug in moments like this. But Elga wasn’t one to back down easily.
“Lower my weapon? No thanks. If you want it so bad, make me. Come at me yourself.”
Cheap provocation. I’d graduated from falling for that back in my third month. Now it just made me want to laugh.
The elders watching the scene grew paler by the second, looking like they might wet themselves.
━Shouldn’t someone stop this?
━Who can stop Elga?
━She won’t even listen to Sir Taeo. This is…
Everyone was just glancing around nervously. And for good reason—Elga was one of the twin pillars upholding the kingdom and the regime alongside Aira.
No one could stand against her.
No one except one person.
“Elga. That’s enough. You’ve dirtied the floor.”
“Ah—my cousin. If you say so. I was just messing around. Why’s everyone freezing up over a little joke?”
Elga set her halberd on the floor and chuckled, prrrf. Aira just shook her head, saying, “That was a boring prank.”
Seizing the moment, I ordered the guards to remove the decapitated elder’s body.
I didn’t want Aira seeing the severed head and awakening some psycho queen bloodlust. Luckily, she showed no interest in the corpse.
“Elga, how was the expedition?”
“They were just forming up their forces, so it was a cakewalk. Swing my arm once, and dozens of heads flew. Not even good practice.”
“Hmm.”
“Still, hearing those damn barbarians scream was fun. They ravaged our lands, looted, burned, raped—and never dreamed it’d happen to them.”
“Fitting punishment.”
“Yeah. You should’ve been there, Aira. With you, we could’ve caught that escaped barbarian chief bitch.”
Elga emphasized several times how much she’d missed Aira on the battlefield. Aira replied with a casual, “Yeah, should’ve,” sounding appropriately regretful.
“But that chief bitch was something else. She was sacrificing people to demons.”
“Demons? Actual demons? Monsters from beyond the barrier?”
━Whoa—demons?
The word “demons” sent ripples of shock through the room.
“I exterminated it. Cost us catching that damn chief, though. One day, I’ll drag her back and fuck her in front of my fallen soldiers’ graves. Or maybe make her birth as many kids as she killed?”
What the hell kind of conversation is that, no filter.
To keep Aira away from stimulating stuff as much as possible, blood-and-guts Elga was a constant thorn in my side.
Quiet waters run deep, but if Elga hung around and corrupted Aira into a murder fiend, what then?
I’d sent her on a far-off expedition to keep her away, expecting at least two years. How did she wrap it up in one month?
This was going to be a headache for a while.
Any other expeditions I could send her on?
I pictured a map of the lands around Angmar Kingdom in my head. Come to think of it, there were those fanatic Sandmen causing trouble in the west…
“You just got back from an expedition, so rest up, Elga. I’ll prepare a feast for you.”
“Sounds good to me. Cousins are the best.”
Aira and Elga embraced.
Cousins, beautiful women getting along—it was a lovely sight.
But the union of Angmar’s two notorious villainesses was nothing short of a calamity for their enemies.
And for me too.
* * *
In casual clothes, field commander Elga was a woman who wore dresses nearly as well as Aira. She could’ve fended off endless advances at banquets without issue.
“You’ve got bigger tits than I thought.”
“Kyaa—Lady Elga. D-don’t say that.”
“What, you gonna do something about it?”
Flirtatious dancers in skimpy, alluring outfits flanked Elga, being toyed with left and right.
Elga liked beautiful things regardless of gender. I’d assigned the dancers partly to keep her on good behavior.
If only she’d stay that way.
“Come on, everyone, drink up!”
Elga shouted like the banquet’s host.
Pushing aside all other duties, the palace hosted a feast to honor the returning expedition.
Bang, bangbang—magicians’ fireworks burst, court musicians sang, and graceful dancers dazzled the eyes.
━Haha, pour it up—drink!
━Heh heh, come here—follow my rhythm.
━Kyaa! Milord, you’re so cool!
Well past midnight, no one thought of sleep, just kept pouring and drinking…
The overflowing alcohol stench made my stomach churn.
I’d grown somewhat used to blood lately, but the bitter reek of booze was unbearable.
Yeah.
I, Taeo, really can’t hold my liquor.
Even in 21st-century modern society, being bad with alcohol caused problems, but in this barbaric court, it was a fatal weakness.
“Taeo. You must’ve suffered handling court BS while I was gone. Come here—I’ll pour you one. Down it.”
Elga, already soaked and half-out of it, beckoned me. Her hand held the notoriously potent Barshkir honey mead.
“I’m fine. I’m a follower of Light, Salt, and Radiant Flame. Our tenets forbid alcohol, so I’ll just accept the sentiment.”
“Huh? I know the tenets. It’s not ‘no alcohol,’ it’s ‘don’t get drunk,’ right? One won’t do it.”
“No, really, I’m good.”
“…”
Elga’s smile faded.
In that instant, the banquet’s laughter and chatter fell silent.
Music stopped, singers’ voices and dancers’ jangling jewelry went quiet.
“What, Taeo? You’re refusing the drink from the one who just fought like hell for the kingdom’s peace against those savages?”
Elga’s tone was dead serious.
Gone was the drunken slur; her piercing gaze chilled me to the bone, like an ice spear through my marrow.
This was bad.
“Sir Taeo—are you refusing Lady Elga’s drink?”
“A mere gardener, rejecting the goodwill of Grand Duke Elga Rionese, third in palace rank and second in succession?”
Sring, sring.
Elga’s overzealous guards were itching to draw swords and take my head. I knew this was her game.
She was stirring trouble on purpose. She pulled this every time she returned.
I glanced at Aira.
“…Zzz.”
True to her early-bed habit, she was dozing off in her seat amid the late-night revelry.
No one to help me. This was four-sided siege.
Maybe dragging the banquet this late was Elga’s ploy.
Siiik.
Her lip curled. Just as I thought.
No choice. Sometimes you swallow what’s bad for you.
“Then, just one drink.”
“Good—prove your manhood. Rookie.”
She was younger than me, calling me rookie. Grumbling inwardly, I took her cup and chugged.
Gulp, gulp.
Someone called liquor cold fire? This was exactly that.
Cool and crisp down the throat, but my gut blazed like inferno. Tasteless swill—why do people drink this?
“Ughhh.”
Empty cup, legs wobbling. World spinning.
“Whoa—look at you go when you commit. Respect, man.”
Only then did Elga beam. Her red-banner guards followed with applause, clapping to hype the mood.
━Pour it up—drink!
━Someone sing!
━Dorang dorang dorang water—little stream water. Creek creek creek water—little creek water.
━What the hell song is that?
The banquet rolled on like nothing happened.
But my head spun even sitting still, stomach roiling uncontrollably. Damn, that’s why I didn’t want to drink.
Get careless drunk, and who knows what mistake I’d make.
No good.
“E-excuse me—”
Before the booze absorbed, I bolted outside.
Someone followed, but I had no time for that.
“Uwaaack—”