Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: The First Court Conference
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"Congratulations once again, Your Majesty."
It was the first prince, Basen, who said this to Kyle.
Only Kyle and Basen were seated in Kyle's private chambers.
Kyle replied, looking a bit embarrassed.
"There's no need to use such formal speech when it's just the two of us."
"How could I not? Your Majesty is now the king of a nation—no, the ruler of the greatest kingdom on the continent. Having ascended to a position overlooking all the people, you must receive the respect befitting it."
"I understand that, but..."
Kyle knew there was no point in arguing further, so he fell silent.
Basen smiled, satisfied.
"Tomorrow will bring the first royal council, I presume."
"Yes. That's what's worrying me."
"Is there something troubling Your Majesty?"
Kyle scratched the bridge of his nose.
"Do you think I have no worries? If anything, I feel like I worry more than most people."
"Hm. Even after observing Your Majesty for so long, there are times I can't read your thoughts. But this time, I think I know one of your concerns—and I might even be able to help with it."
At this, Kyle spoke up.
"What do you think my worry is?"
Basen replied calmly.
"One of the ministers will say it tomorrow: 'We must expel Basen Rak Orazun from the palace.' Isn't that one of Your Majesty's concerns?"
Kyle nodded slowly.
Basen was right.
Having another prince in the palace could shake the king's authority.
Those plotting rebellion would naturally prefer a prince with legitimate claim.
The second prince, Shun Rak Orazun, was already outside the palace and a priest of the Yacheon Church, so he posed no issue. But the firstborn, Basen Rak Orazun, was different.
The ministers would demand Basen's removal.
Kyle lightly tapped the desk with his fingers.
'But that's more of a surface-level excuse.'
Everyone among the ministers knew Basen had no intention of rebelling.
Yet that alone was excuse enough to oust him—claiming he might be swayed by schemers.
Whether Basen actually rebelled or not was beside the point.
The ministers would do it to show that the king could not rule as he pleased.
'Heukrin is currently a nation where the ministers hold great power.'
Kyle didn't think that was inherently bad.
No matter how capable the king, he was just one person.
Even the founder, Rakrak, had listened to his tribesmen's opinions as chief and chosen the best path.
Arrogance in kingship would inevitably lead to the kingdom's downfall.
'But the ministers are too biased toward one side. Mostly Lizardmen.'
As Lizardmen, it was natural they'd favor Lizardman-friendly policies. With so many Lizardmen in the nobility, pro-noble policies followed suit.
And having formed a bloc, they clung to that power.
King Anpyeong had let it slide as unsolvable, but Kyle was different.
'If I clash with them from the first meeting, even the more amenable vassals will become wary.'
Though confident in resolving various issues, Kyle couldn't help worrying when it involved his brother Basen.
Kyle said,
"You've guessed my worry correctly, but you haven't said how to handle it. What do you think we should do?"
Basen answered.
"Send me out of the palace."
"What?"
"If that's what the ministers want, then do it."
"But brother, you..."
"I'll be fine."
Basen gazed at the scenery visible outside Kyle's chambers.
"I'm more afraid that my presence might hinder Your Majesty's grand ambitions. I'll be fine. That's why I came today—to say this. It might even work out well. Even if you wanted to hunt, the biggest game in those rear mountains is just wild boar. Ah, excluding Manun, of course."
Kyle stared down at the desk thoughtfully, then spoke as if struck by an idea.
"Hunting... hunting, you say..."
"...Hm?"
"Brother, since you're offering help, would you mind helping a bit more?"
Basen could tell a good idea had come to Kyle.
"Of course. I'd be glad to."
"I doubt you'll dislike it much either."
After hearing Kyle's plan, Basen realized he was right.
─┼
The next day, the royal council.
Kyle sat upon the throne, and all the ministers attended the early-morning meeting without fail.
As it was the first council since Kyle's ascension, everyone stood with tense expressions.
Kyle was a fifteen-year-old boy king.
Yet even before becoming king, he had shown political acumen far beyond his years on several occasions.
Thus, the ministers were unsure how to approach this king.
Kyle spoke first.
"Familiar faces, but this is the first time we've gathered like this. I know there are no urgent matters, so if there's anything I should be aware of, speak now."
The young Lizardman's clear voice echoed through the grand hall.
Perhaps because of it, Salushin Oga—who had held the administrative minister position since King Anpyeong's time—spoke up.
"Your Majesty. We cannot keep Prince Basen in the palace."
Heukrin's highest bureaucrat was the administrative minister.
Salushin Oga had held that post for over a decade.
Kyle knew he spoke for the ministers.
Salushin continued.
"Prince Basen was once the crown prince. I know Your Majesty is close to him, but if he remains in the palace, those plotting rebellion might sway him with words..."
"Very well."
"...and shake the royal authority. Pardon?"
"Did I not just agree with the administrative minister?"
Not expecting Kyle to agree so readily, Salushin and the other ministers exchanged glances.
Salushin assumed, like under Anpyeong, that Kyle would respect the ministers' authority, and pressed on.
"Understood. Then, in my view, we should send Prince Basen outside the capital Orazun and..."
"I won't allow that."
"...But if Prince Basen remains in Orazun."
"Ahem."
Kyle lightly rapped the throne's armrest.
"How dare you presume to know my thoughts? I've agonized over my brother as much as any of you."
To the ministers, Kyle's agreement to remove Basen was a major concession.
A big concession deserved a reciprocation.
Salushin nodded.
"What are Your Majesty's thoughts, then?"
"Before we discuss, know this: Are you aware our kingdom has untamed frontier lands untouched by human hands?"
"Yes."
Salushin bowed his head.
"You mean the Eastern Mountains?"
"Exactly. Many kings sent expeditions, but the treacherous terrain forced most to turn back midway."
"But why bring that up now?"
The Eastern Mountains lay east of Heukrin's wild plains.
Ships had occasionally passed between the North Coast and the peninsula's end at Magenen, revealing the lands beyond weren't vast, so development was abandoned.
Though within Heukrin's borders, crossing the range was arduous, and with little gain beyond, past kings had given up easily.
Kyle got to the point.
"The Eastern Mountains were long overlooked. But with five nations to the west—Danyeom, Jeokgwa, Geuman, Mangul, and Seokmyeon—threatening us, we can't miss chances to grow strong and prosperous. We must develop the Eastern Mountains, no?"
Salushin glanced up slightly.
"So, you're saying send Prince Basen to the Eastern Mountains?"
"Yes. My brother is a skilled hunter and fine warrior—the sort with the courage to charge alone for Manun."
Salushin eyed the other ministers.
To them, the Eastern Mountains held little value.
Sending someone there meant pointless hardship.
'But His Majesty is still young. They say he still loves Owen's travel journals. Is this romantic notion of adventure making him think he's doing his brother a favor?'
Basen's input mattered, but Salushin knew Basen preferred well-organized hunts in groomed forests with set prey—not rugged toil, unfit for royalty.
Seeing no strong objections to sending Basen to harsh lands, Salushin nodded.
"Your Majesty's idea seems sound."
"Then we're agreed?"
"Yes."
"We'll need to assemble a fleet, then."
"...Pardon?"
A fleet meant sending ships in formation.
Past expeditions had gone overland, so Salushin hadn't expected "fleet."
Nor would one ship qualify.
Kyle meant handing Basen a flotilla.
Operating that required vast manpower.
As national assets, guards and soldiers were essential too.
This was far from the ministers' vision of "development."
Salushin questioned it, but Kyle chided him instead.
"Why the surprise? Past failures came from trying to cross the mountains by land. Why not sail around to the other side?"
"B-but Your Majesty, there's no known sea route beyond the Eastern Mountains. Land would be..."
"That's why my brother goes to find it. How long must Heukrin tolerate wasted land?"
"With that many troops, rebellion risks..."
"Ahem. Station overseers to check him. Is that such a grave concern?"
"But..."
"Why retract agreement before a cup of tea cools? Think... development means facing beasts, wild animals, monsters. Right—have the hunting minister handle it."
Deanin replied as if waiting.
"As you command."
Salushin glared at Deanin, unwilling to yield, but Kyle wasn't yielding either.
"I understand the administrative minister's point. We'll discuss more shortly. Someone awaits outside the hall now."
Salushin already felt exhausted.
He and the others had assumed Kyle came unprepared.
A light push would suffice, given his mild nature.
They were wrong.
Kyle had come fully intent from day one.
"Someone waiting?"
"Enter."
The hall doors opened, and one figure approached from the front.
Shorter than a Lizardman, but bulkier.
His head bore what Lizardmen called "decorative fur"—thick hair and beard. Beneath smooth skin, muscles bulged despite fat layers.
Someone shouted.
"It's a dwarf!"
The ministers buzzed.
"How did that lowly thing get in here?"
"What are the guards doing? Get that runt out!"
The dwarf ignored the jeers, strode forward, bowed before Kyle, and knelt on one knee.
"As commanded, I have come."
Salushin sighed, turning to Kyle.
"Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?"
"He's Rumf of the technology corps. Can't expect you to recognize him. He was a slave until recently."
"Pardon? This dwarf was a slave? No, Your Majesty—that's not my question. Why is he here?"
Kyle shrugged.
"The technology minister position is vacant, isn't it? I'm appointing him."
Most ministers, save a few, sputtered in protest.
"A dwarf in the sacred grand hall? Absolutely not!"
"Please reconsider, Your Majesty!"
"Why a dwarf of all things? Dwarves resisted the Thunder Dragon Great King to the bitter end when he expanded Heukrin's lands!"
Their clamor hurt the ears, but a smile played on Kyle's lips.
'As expected, they gloss right over brother.'