VIP Chapter 458: “He Said He Forgives You”
“Your Majesty is… beyond saving, isn’t she?”
The Entak Royal Council Hall was bustling before the morning meeting.
Minister of Military Affairs Bottel, also the highest-ranking general, initiated the conversation.
Gathered around the ten-meter-long oval table were Entak’s most capable ministers and the nobles most loyal to Treya.
Since Treya’s succession, these morning meetings were held twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.
Upon her succession, she changed the strict meeting protocols of her predecessor, Emperor Edward, by canceling the period of silence before the meeting.
Before she arrived, everyone could openly discuss the day’s meeting agenda, and anything else…
According to her, this was “a method Teacher Will taught her to foster camaraderie and liven up the atmosphere.”
“Unless she realizes it herself, there’s no way to treat such a 심병 (heart ailment)?”
After a brief silence, someone finally took up his words.
“It’s normal not to be able to move on from the death of a loved one. Think about… Emperor Edward before, after His Majesty’s mother passed away…”
“Give me a break. Emperor Edward’s feigned grief was so obvious. He even forgot the anniversary of her death a few times. You actually believed him?”
“What? He forgot the anniversary of her death?”
“Sigh. But this can’t go on.”
“But where do we even begin? Besides that one incident, she’s perfectly normal now…”
“Yes. So, at the very least, we need to make her realize…”
“…realize that Mr. Will has already…”
The council hall suddenly fell silent.
A bone-chilling cold emanated from behind Minister of Military Affairs Bottel, who was speaking with those beside him.
“Already what?”
There were no footsteps, but Treya, the subject of their discussion, had silently entered, trailing her long, light blue dress, and stood behind him.
All eyes in the council hall were fixed on this spot.
It was as if the lights in the entire hall had been extinguished, leaving only a spotlight on his head.
Standing behind him, Treya bent down and, in a “kind” manner, leaned in next to him and asked again, her tone stern enough to dismiss him—
“You said, Will, has already what?”
“…”
Bottel, clad in his military uniform, couldn’t help but tremble at this moment.
He had seen many battlefields and had been close to death many times, but…
This young woman, who had just succeeded to the throne and whom he had watched grow up as a “princess,” standing beside him and asking a question in a “calm” tone, felt as if it had brought him closer to death.
She seemed genuinely murderous.
Yet…
Bottel wouldn’t be standing here if he lacked courage.
He swallowed.
“Why don’t you say…”
Before Treya could ask her third question, he stood up.
“I’ll say it!”
Then, he adjusted his tie, straightened the medals on his chest, and quickly made a gesture of prayer to the goddess.
The entire hall suddenly erupted in a clamor.
“Is he really going to say it?”
“No way, no way… Even for him, can he be this bold?”
“If he meets the Queen when she’s unhappy, he’ll be as good as dead, right?”
“Ahem.”
Treya showed no reaction, crossing her arms and calmly watching him, as if not particularly “angered.”
“Your Majesty Treya, forgive my bluntness… Mr. Will, Mr. Will Systom, has already…”
He didn’t even dare to look into Treya’s eyes, focusing instead on the heels of her shoes.
With a surge of courage, he finally uttered the words that could cost him his head—
“He has already died.”
This statement once again plunged the council hall into silence, and within this silence, the words seemed to echo, not just “resounding,” but eerily “lingering like melodic strains.”
“…”
Treya didn’t speak immediately, just looked at him.
Then, she moved the sword at her waist.
*Clang—*
Everyone in the hall heard the sound of her sword. Not just the direct participants, but at least 80% of the people in the council hall closed their eyes.
Afterward, those 20% reported witnessing everything.
Treya never drew her sword completely. She merely pulled it slightly out of the scabbard, tilted her head, and nodded.
Finally…
She walked step by step to the sharp corner of the oval table in the council hall, stood before the largest window, and sat down with her back to the morning sunlight.
“Sit. It’s alright.”
“…Huh?”
Bottel, who had expected to meet his death, opened his eyes wide, looking at Treya bathed in sunlight.
He couldn’t discern Treya’s expression, but he felt as if Treya was smiling.
As she smiled, she seemed to glance at the empty chair beside her—yes, she always placed two chairs for every meeting.
“I asked Will.”
She turned her head, specifically looking at the empty chair.
“He said he forgives your joke.”
After saying this, Treya wore a “sweet” smile in the morning sunlight, but on her face, which was not adept at smiling…
It looked particularly chilling.
Even though summer was approaching, the morning sunlight streaming through the window carried almost no warmth.
All that was present was…
Centered on Treya, her deep shadow stretched directly onto the table, an inescapable darkness spreading out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Late at night.
At the entrance to Treya’s bedchamber, she reached out and slowly pushed the door open.
This time, as she entered, the surroundings did not turn black and white as they had when she entered rooms before.
This was not good news for her. The absence of a black and white hue indicated that those demons had not yet driven the damned Adventurer party out of her Dungeon.
“Hoo…”
As with every tiring night, she took a bath, organized the day’s work, tidied her bed, and lay down.
On the large bed…
She would only sleep on the left half, then turn over, lying on her side, facing the “space” she had left beside her—
Will was there.
He would stay up very late because he had a habit of reading at night, a fact Iaar had complained about to her many times. She remembered it all.
He would lean against his pillow, turning the pages of a thick book, perhaps about the history of magic, reading with intense focus, not even noticing her drowsiness.
If one day she could sleep beside him, she would make sure Will went to sleep earlier, as it would be better for his health.
“Good night, Will. Go to sleep early. I’m going to turn off the lights.”
The room fell silent. No one answered. It was quiet.
“Mm. Very obedient.”
Treya reached out and pulled the quilt placed beside her up, covering Will.
Then she reached out and turned off the light.
She was about to drift off to dreamland.
“Well then, I’ll see you in our dreams—”
