Episode 141: The King’s Melancholy

　Kirchhen-Almas Castle, the throne room.

　Luverios was receiving a report from a soldier about the current situation.

　And after that soldier withdrew, leaving him alone with Joachim… he murmured quietly.

“I never imagined they’d infiltrate the capital so easily…”

“There’s no need for concern.”

　Joachim, standing at his side, responded immediately.

“With the Kingdom Knights and the Royal Guard handling the interception, there’s no way they’ll fall behind the Eastern Front Army. Siegfried can’t enter the capital right away either, as long as he’s outside the western walls.”

　Currently, only the eastern walls have their gates open. On the western side, both the gates and the defense mechanisms remain intact.

“Your Majesty Luverios, please wait here for news of our army’s victory.”

“Hmph…”

　Luverios snorted, opening his mouth with a look of displeasure.

“Indeed, both knight orders are the elite of the elite… Even considering the possibility that the enemy soldiers have been turned into vampires, we shouldn’t lose. —But we could have taken measures before it came to this. For example, your subordinate, the court scribe… Shemhazai, was it? That man can use spatial leap magic, right? If we’d sent him to scout outside the walls, we might have spotted the Eastern Front Army hiding beyond the hills.”

　Spatial leap—as the name suggests, it’s a spell that allows one to jump across space and move instantly. Users are extremely rare, making it highly valuable.

“Spatial leap is a useful spell, but… it’s by no means omnipotent. Breaking through the barrier of the Magical Wall Magia Valm is impossible.”

　The Magical Wall Magia Valm is designed to automatically incinerate any target it detects attempting to enter via spatial leap. Therefore, even if Shemhazai had gone out to scout, with the barrier active now, he wouldn’t be able to return inside the castle.

“In that case, we could have had him relay the information he gathered externally through signal fires or something to those inside the castle.”

“Your Majesty.”

　Joachim spoke in a tone that seemed to admonish him.

“Even if we used such petty tricks, Siegfried would just turn them against us.”

“Then, perhaps—we should have met the Eastern Front Army outside the walls and settled it in open field battle? We had enough soldiers to overwhelm the enemy without relying on the Magical Wall Magia Valm. Defeat was out of the question. It would have been far more advantageous than fighting within Kirchherion City. And above all, there would have been no need to drive the commoners out of the city.”

　During the preparations for the siege, Luverios had personally inspected the interior of the capital, Kirchherion.

　At that time, standing atop the walls, he had witnessed the people being driven out of the city.

　Fearing charges of lese-majeste, they didn’t voice any criticism toward Luverios. Thus, the voices carried on the wind were all filled with anger directed at Siegfried.

　—But the resentment etched on their faces told the story. The one they truly directed their fury at wasn’t Siegfried… but the king of this nation.

“Are you feeling sympathy for the commoners? That doesn’t seem like the ‘King of Icy Blood,’ Your Majesty Luverios. Or do you wish to become a ‘good king’ beloved by the people? Like the ideal kings that appear in stories.”

“No! Driving the commoners outside the city is bound to cause troublesome situations later on. It will negatively impact both the politics and economy of Kirchherion… You should understand that much yourself!”

“…You are correct, Your Majesty. My earlier remark was truly imprudent.”

　Joachim placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head respectfully.

　At first glance, it appeared as a gesture of utmost courtesy. But the true intent hidden within was unreadable.

　His previous words might have been deliberately provocative to gauge Luverios’s real feelings.

　Maintaining an unfailingly polite demeanor on the surface, Joachim continued.

“However, dwelling on ‘what if we’d done this’ and looking back at the past holds no meaning now. Of course, reflecting on the past and learning from it isn’t bad in itself… but I believe now is the time to focus above all on future countermeasures. What do you think?”

“—You’re right.”

　Luverios exhaled as if suppressing his emotions, reluctantly swallowing his anger.

“Then let me ask. Is holing up in the castle like this truly the right choice? Isn’t it time for me to take action myself?”

“No. I would have Your Majesty remain here.”

　Joachim declared in a soft yet confident tone.

“This isn’t the moment for Your Majesty to stand on the front lines personally. That said, fleeing and hiding would also be a poor move. You should stay in the royal palace. As long as you’re here—even Siegfried can’t lay a hand on you. Guards are stationed around the palace, and the chief court magician, Grand Caster Ignas, is handling the defense. In addition—”

　With a stern expression, Joachim suddenly allowed a smile to curve his lips. His eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

“—We have an ace up our sleeve. Please rest easy and await news of victory.”

　What dwelled in his expression was—unshakable confidence.

　It wasn’t a card to be played lightly. But he was filled with certainty that, once played, it would surely bring victory.

　And that certainty bore down on Luverios as a silent pressure.

“Heh…”

　A cold smile appeared on Luverios’s lips.

“…In the end, I’m just a puppet for you to manipulate, aren’t I?”

　His ice-blue eyes wandered through the air.

“Seven years ago now. I joined hands with you and claimed the throne. But in the end—”

　He swallowed his words there, letting out a quiet sigh.

　He understood that putting it into words would only be futile.

　Instead, he showed his resolve.

“No matter what happens… I won’t relinquish this throne.”

　It was clear that Siegfried’s ultimate goal was to depose him and seize the king’s seat.

　But this throne, grasped at the end of a blood-soaked path after killing his father and brother—he had no intention whatsoever of yielding it to another.

(No matter how much the people hate me, even if I’m just Joachim’s puppet—and no matter what Siegfried does. I am the king of this nation.)