WM V4C0745

Chapter 0745 Anguish

Translator: Jay_Forestieri

Editor: Tseirp

 

A few days after Ryo and Abel had that conversation.

The Knightley Kingdom delegation was still staying at the guesthouse.

 

“It’s been several days since the second army set out, and we still haven’t heard anything, right?”

“Nothing.”

“Why do you think that is? The battle should be over by now, shouldn’t it?”

“I don’t know. They may still be facing each other on the battlefield.”

“Ah, I suppose that’s possible.”

 

Ryo was reading over the magic formulas he had copied onto an ice sheet, while Abel was reading a book he had borrowed from the Royal Palace Library.

Both of them were avid readers.

 

Since they were talking while doing that, neither of them was paying much attention to the conversation.

 

 

“It seems even the army’s command headquarters haven’t received any detailed information.”

“Huh? Then doesn’t that mean the people in this Royal Palace don’t know whether the two armies have clashed or what is happening on the battlefield?”

Only then did Ryo look up.

 

The fact that information from the front lines had not reached headquarters was not a good sign.

 

“In the Central Countries, information would be sent by messengers or birds, but… I don’t know how things are handled on the Dark Continent.”

“So there might be monsters that prey on birds?”

Ryo nodded at Abel’s words.

 

“Ah… So that possibility exists?”

“Huh? You meant something else?”

“As I said, I simply don’t know the circumstances.”

“I really overestimated you, Abel.”

Ryo sighed and gave a small shake of his head.

 

And he had genuinely thought Abel was amazing…

 

 

“A little while ago, you said that even the army’s command headquarters hadn’t received any information, right?”

“I did.”

“Was that information that Scotty got from one of the court ladies?”

“Yes, Scotty, but apparently he heard it from an adjutant of some general, not a court lady.”

“That adjutant… is she a woman, by any chance?”

“Apparently so.”

“I don’t know what to say. Scotty is really something. I couldn’t do that.”

“Neither could I.”

Ryo and Abel both gave a small shake of their heads.

 

In many ways, Scotty was an invaluable asset.

That same Scotty had been Abel’s schoolmate during his days at the Royal Higher Academy.

 

 

“Abel, you were always getting into trouble back when you were at the Higher Academy, weren’t you?”

“Getting into trouble?”

“You’d sneak out of school and hang around dens of delinquents, causing all kinds of trouble for the good people of the royal capital, right?”

“No, I never did anything like that. As for school… I only skipped class occasionally to read books. And even then, I stayed on school grounds.”

Ryo looked at Abel suspiciously, while Abel shrugged.

 

“Then Scotty and Zack were led into a life of wrongdoing by Abel. They had no choice but to obey because you were the Second Prince… How pitiful.”

“Uh, were you listening to what I said? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Skipping class is wrongdoing.”

“Ah, no, well…”

“If Prince Noah skipped class, would you praise him?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“See?”

Before he knew it, Ryo had folded his arms in front of his chest and was looking incredibly self-important.

 

 

As the two of them were having trivial banter, there was a knock at the door, and the very Scotty the conversation had turned to, Captain Scotty, entered.

“Your Majesty, Crown Prince Zorn has arrived.”

“Send him in.”

 

Crown Prince Zorn was the crown prince of the Bardael Emirate, where the delegation was staying, and with Chieftain Battuzon away on campaign, he was currently responsible for the Royal Palace.

The guesthouse where the delegation was staying was also located on a corner of the Royal Palace grounds.

 

“King Abel, thank you for taking the time to see me.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Your Highness Zorn.”

The two of them sat down on the sofas.

 

Since one of Zorn’s guards was standing diagonally behind him, Ryo also stood diagonally behind Abel, trying to look like a guard.

He was certainly curious about what they were going to discuss…

 

“You may already have heard, but… we have been unable to contact the defense force for the past several days.”

“Yes.”

“The Royal Palace has also sent soldiers to investigate, but… we have been unable to contact them either…”

“…”

Zorn’s expression was the very picture of anguish, and Abel found himself unable to say anything as he looked at him.

 

Abel understood how he felt.

He was in the same position, with responsibility for so many people.

So many people’s lives depended on a single decision he made… The weight of that burden was something those who had never experienced it could never truly understand…

 

At the same time, Abel found himself favorably disposed toward the young crown prince before him.

His anguish came from how deeply he cared about the people and soldiers and how seriously he faced his responsibilities.

That also meant he had the potential to become a good king.

“Problems keep coming at me one after another… So this is what my father and King Abel had to deal with every day. As for me…”

“A country is always exposed to danger. The reason those dangers do not become apparent is simply that the people involved in governing the nation deal with them accurately and patiently every day. At present, the Bardael Emirate is without the Chief who stood at the center of that effort. That is why it may appear that you are under even greater strain than usual.”

“Yes…”

“But, Your Highness, there is no need to despair.”

“What?”

“There must be people who have supported this country alongside the Chief until now. They are probably still confused and unable to act effectively at present, and the effects of that confusion are likely being felt in various places. But the confusion will settle down eventually.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Even if it is only temporary, Your Highness is the one at the top right now. I believe the most important thing is for you to trust them.”

Saying that, Abel smiled warmly.

 

That smile soothed Zorn’s heart.

 

 

From there, the conversation progressed, eventually returning to the matter of being unable to contact the defense force.

“To be honest, I believe this country is heading toward a very difficult situation.”

“Your Highness…”

“Before that happens, I believe it would be best for Your Majesty and the people of the Knightley Kingdom to leave the emirate.”

Even as he said this, Zorn’s expression was one of deep anguish.

 

As he had done earlier, Abel would offer useful advice as a king.

For the inexperienced Zorn, with his father absent, there could be nothing more welcome.

Moreover, the forces under King Abel’s command, especially Duke Rondo, possessed tremendous strength. He alone had driven back tens of thousands of monsters.

With that strength there, there was no doubt it would be easier to deal with the army advancing north.

 

But Zorn believed that this was something he must not wish for.

Not merely as a matter of logic, but from the emotional side of things as well, he felt that this was not something he could rely on.

As the leader of an independent nation, even if only temporarily…

 

Abel understood Zorn’s feelings as if he could hold them in the palm of his hand.

Even if Abel himself had been in the same position, he probably would have said the same thing as Zorn.

 

“Relations between nations really are difficult, aren’t they, Your Highness?”

“Yes… Your Majesty.”

Abel and Zorn gave bitter smiles.

 

 

At that moment, the door was thrown open violently.

Under normal circumstances, such a thing would have been unthinkable.

But both Abel and Zorn understood. Something abnormal had happened.

 

“What is it?”

“Pardon the interruption during your meeting! We have just received word that what appear to be mounted soldiers are approaching the South Gate!”

 

Before the report had even fully ended, Zorn stood up and ran out of the room.

 

“Abel, could this be…”

“Yes, they’re probably people from the Oasis Nation.”

“So the defense force…”

“We should assume it was annihilated.”

Abel nodded in response to Ryo’s question.

 

The two of them then left the room as well.

Since the approaching forces were near the South Gate, they would be able to see them if they climbed the walls or one of the watchtowers.

 

 

“Prince Zorn isn’t going to ask us for help.”

“I think so too.”

From their earlier conversation with Crown Prince Zorn, both Ryo and Abel could easily imagine that.

 

“But realistically, evacuating the city while an army with hostile intentions is right in front of them… Is that really possible?”

“If the city isn’t surrounded, they could leave through somewhere other than the South Gate.”

“Yeah, I know, but… abandoning them, or whatever you’d call it… It just doesn’t sit right with me…”

Ryo said this with a grimace, but halfway through, he could no longer continue.

 

Ryo couldn’t help imagining it.

The sight of the serious crown prince they had been speaking with moments ago, the woman arranging delicious fruit in the market, and the man who had sold him delicious meat skewers at his street stall, all being invaded and subjected to terrible treatment.

 

“I don’t like it.”

“I agree.”

Ryo spoke from the heart, and Abel agreed.

 

Ryo was surprised that Abel had agreed with him.

 

“I haven’t forgotten what happened when the kingdom was ravaged.”

Abel’s words sounded calm.

 

But Ryo could sense what lay beneath them.

The regret, resolve, and anger buried deep within those words…

The memory of his homeland being trampled into the ground would not disappear easily.

 

And now, right before their eyes, the country in which they were staying was about to suffer the same fate.

 

“The desire that drives people to start conflicts… It’s terrifying.”

Ryo muttered that, and Abel let out a sigh as well.

 

 

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