Foothills of Dragon Peak, we live here.
The King’s Sleeping Castle.
“Hey! Even if you are brothers, I will not permit such presumptuousness here!”
“Silence, Bariatel. It is we who permit nothing. Let us pass without resistance.”
“Your Highness, please wait. His Majesty is not in a condition to be visited at this time.”
“Chancellor, what an interesting thing to say. Is it unacceptable for us to visit, but alright for some damned sorcerer?”
“Caster, that is… uhm…”
Bariatel and the Chancellor desperately tried to stop them, but Caster and Grave pushed them aside and advanced steadily. We were caught between the two princes, watching the situation unfold as we moved forward.
Why did Bariatel and the others not want the King to meet with the other princes so badly? If they wanted to de-escalate the situation, I thought they could just leave us be and let the royals meet.
Well, that would put us in a difficult position, so I’m grateful that they are allowing us to proceed, even if it’s amidst conflict.
The wall of people blocking the passage, which had once broken through, could not be re-established due to Caster’s imposing presence at the front. Bariatel and the others’ protests were continuously in vain as we all proceeded down the carpeted corridor.
Finally, we arrived before a heavily guarded room, patrolled by an unprecedented number of Royal Knights.
“What is this commotion?”
A knight clad in particularly magnificent armor bowed respectfully and then asked the Chancellor and the princes, in order, what was happening.
“Chancellor, please step aside. We have come to visit His Majesty.”
What a reliable prince!
Caster commanded the Royal Knights guarding the door without hesitation. However, the Captain of the Royal Knights was not so easily persuaded.
“I apologize, Your Highness. We have been ordered by the Queen to guard this place. Even members of the Royal Family cannot pass here at this time.”
It seemed the Captain of the Royal Knights was also on Bariatel’s side. When Bariatel and the Chancellor ordered them strictly not to allow anyone to pass, they stood firm at the door, as if it were their last resort.
This is so frustrating. I wonder if nobles like these are always engaging in power struggles like this. Who will gain the upper hand in terms of authority? For that purpose, they make allies and try to suppress inconvenient truths. Even among siblings or family, they show no negligence or openings and clash with each other.
Being an only child, and having met only kind people and dragons until now, I can’t help but feel uneasy watching this series of interactions since arriving here.
Seeing the negotiations resume in front of the King’s bedroom, the repetitive nature of which made it tiresome to even consider, caused not only me but also Mistral and Madrine to let out deep sighs.
Perhaps Mistral, of the Dragon Race, is the one who feels the ugliness of the Human Race the most in this situation.
And we have to do something before Madrine, whose short temper is confirmed, starts getting irritated!
As I was observing the situation, trying to figure out how to intervene, the door behind the Royal Knights suddenly opened.
“Hey! What is all this noise in front of His Majesty’s bedroom!”
A woman of attractive age appeared, opening the door.
She had rich golden hair tied up, was adorned with dazzling clothes and jewels, and possessed a beauty that was too young to be called elderly. Moreover, her eyes were exactly like Laira’s.
“Mother, it has been a while.”
Caster, who had been in a stalemate, stepped back and bowed respectfully to the woman who had appeared.
If she is Caster’s mother, then the woman who appeared must be the Queen.
With the Queen’s appearance, the commotion in front of the King’s bedroom temporarily subsided.
“Honestly, it is unbecoming for members of the Royal Family to be causing such a disturbance in a place like this!”
Saying that, the Queen slowly glared at everyone who had been making noise, as if scolding them.
Under her powerful gaze, the Royal Knights hastily straightened their posture, and a tension ran through Caster and Flir.
However, the Queen’s sharp gaze stopped at a certain spot. And her expression quickly changed to one of deeper distress.
“Who… who is that… What is going on?!”
Unable to hide her distress, the Queen grabbed the Chancellor and shook him violently.
Laira flinched at the Queen’s gaze and moved to hide behind me. We stood as if to protect Laira, surrounding her.
“Why… why that ominous… source of the curse…”
The Queen’s words were fragmented, a jumble of disjointed phrases, but with each word the Queen uttered, Laira tensed up and became smaller.
We can’t stand this any longer, not just Laira, but all of us!
I stepped between Laira and the Queen’s line of sight, and looked back at the Queen with a firm gaze.
The Queen, still shaking the Chancellor, showed her distress, but her gaze remained fixed on Laira. With my intervention, her flustered demeanor vanished, and she directed a sharp gaze towards me again.
“Why is an inferior person here! Royal Knights, quickly drive those dirty commoners out of the castle!”
What kind of language is that! While it’s true we aren’t dressed in fine clothes, we are certainly not dirty!
“Oh, they aren’t that dirty.”
“They’re ordinary, though they do pale in comparison to Your Majesty.”
The Twin Princesses, grumbling their dissatisfaction with the Queen’s words, stepped forward.
“You… you are…”
It seemed the Queen’s impression of Laira was so strong that she hadn’t noticed the Twin Princesses until now.
“What is the meaning of this? Why is the princess of Armēdo here? Oh, that’s right, Grave. I seem to recall ordering you to apprehend the culprit who seduced Flir. Could it be that these people…?”
The Queen continued to cast a scornful, displeased gaze at us, excluding the Twin Princesses, as if looking at something disgusting.
“Mother, I have questions about that instead.”
This time, Grave, who had been watching the unfolding events from the rear, stepped forward.
“I was told to capture the wicked individual who deceived Flir and seduced the Twin Princesses. That is why I had the ambassador prepare a wanted poster in advance, and I did indeed apprehend this person once.”
Grave pointed at me shamelessly.
“But what is the truth? This person is on good terms with the Twin Princesses, and the Miko even said she would prove it. Furthermore, they are not using an evil wyvern, but have shown me how to interact with dragons. This is quite different from your explanation, Mother. Is it a lie that this person is an evil being and an impudent fellow who intends to harm Father’s life?”
“Th-that is…”
Under Grave’s intense gaze, the Queen began to look around evasively, her face contorting.
Grave had muttered “This is different” during the commotion in the courtyard. Perhaps it was the Queen who had given Grave bad advice.
However, my thoughts were immediately overturned by an unexpected answer.
“Th-that was what the sorcerer brought by Bariatel said. He saw an ominous shadow in the crystal. He said that if we did not apprehend and punish the visitor, the country would perish…”
“Mother, you believed the sorcerer’s words?”
“Y-yes!”
As Grave pressed her, the Queen nodded vigorously while still holding the Chancellor.
“Then, where is that sorcerer?! Bring him here and make him explain his crime of lying to me, a prince!”
Grave shouted and began forcefully pushing aside the Royal Knights’ wall.
“W-wait, Grave.”
“Brother. Even if you are my brother, you will not be allowed to enter His Majesty’s bedroom without permission!”
“Royal Knights, stop Prince Grave!!”
The Queen, Bariatel, and the Chancellor shouted. However, Grave, as if a line had snapped, broke free from their restraints and took another step forward.
“Bring out the sorcerer who deceived me and shamed me! I’ll cut him down!!”
It seemed that being deceived by an unknown sorcerer had enraged Grave.
It was obvious to anyone that Grave had great pride as a prince and a member of the Royal Family. Therefore, he could not tolerate the existence of a sorcerer who had tried to deceive and toy with him.
“Step aside! If you interfere, I will cut down even the Royal Knights!”
I don’t like his arrogant attitude or his condescending values, but Grave was, after all, the commander of the Hiryuu Kishidan.
He proceeded towards the tightly guarded door, pushing through the wall of people composed of sturdy Royal Knights without regard.
“Ooh, Brother. I will assist you.”
At this point, Caster, who was a head taller, joined him, and they swiftly broke through the wall of Royal Knights.
“I will cooperate!”
Flir quickly apprehended the Queen.
Flir, that was a hidden masterstroke!
With Grave and Caster breaking through the wall of people and moving forward, the only one left who could apprehend the noble Queen was Flir, a fellow member of the Royal Family.
With Flir restraining the Queen, confusion spread among the Royal Knights, who had lost their commander.
Bariatel and the Chancellor frantically tried to issue orders, but it was too late.
“Sorcerer, come out!”
“Ooh, Father. I have come to visit you!”
Grave, pushing aside the Royal Knights, reached for the door and flung it open. Then, he strode into the King’s bedroom. Caster followed him in with momentum.
Let’s slip in amidst the confusion!
The Royal Knights, having lost their command amidst the pandemonium. The Queen was shouting something, but was held by Flir. Bariatel and the Chancellor were in a frantic panic, but were not paying attention to us.
I know it’s incredibly forceful and disrespectful, but if we miss this chance, we’ll get caught up in more trouble and will never be able to visit, or rather, meet the King again, my intuition strongly told me.
We should prioritize the present over future problems. Move! Perhaps I’m also being swept up by the surrounding chaos. Driven by my will, I took an action I would never normally take.
Taking Laira’s hand and pulling everyone along, I pushed through the confused Royal Knights and we all stepped into the King’s bedroom.
And we realized immediately that this was the right decision.
“Wh-what…?”
Grave and Caster, who had entered first, were staring fixedly at one spot, frozen.
We, who followed them in, also stopped, gasping at the strangeness of the King’s bedroom.
The large bedroom faced the window, but thick blackout curtains hung over all the windows, filling the entire space. The only light sources in the room were a few candles. The dim room was filled with a heavy, sweet scent that clung to the nose, making it unpleasant to breathe.
And at the back of the room.
Beyond the strange curse tools scattered on the floor, there was a large bed.
The bed where the King was presumably lying had a canopy, and its interior could not be seen from here.
However, no one was directing their attention there. Everyone’s gaze and consciousness were directed further into the room, into the dim darkness.
“A… dragon’s severed head…”
Apparently, Grave had not been able to enter the bedroom before either. He gasped at the strange object at the very back of the room, frozen in place.
In the dimness at the back of the room, illuminated by the faint candlelight, stood, as Grave had said, a giant dragon’s severed head.
As everyone held their breath, staring at the dragon’s severed head, Ruiseine spoke something even more shocking.
“Elnea-kun… there’s a creepy dragon energy swirling around the King’s bed…”
“Huh?”
For a moment, I didn’t understand what Ruiseine meant and asked again.
“My eyes can see a jet-black dragon energy swirling around the King…”
At her words, we shifted our gaze from the dragon’s severed head to the bed. However, I could only see the bed with its canopy in the dim light.
When I turned to Mistral, she shook her head in response.
So, Ruiseine is using her Dragon Eye to see the dragon energy that we can’t.
And what Ruiseine’s words implied…
Before I could put my thoughts together, more shock struck.
“What is this commotion! I specifically said that no one should be allowed into His Majesty’s bedroom without my permission!”
A man entered, letting out a high-pitched voice.
The man, who entered with the Royal Knights, who had regained their composure, and Bariatel and the Chancellor behind him, looked like just an ordinary “person” with no distinguishing features from my perspective.
However, I immediately felt Mistral’s presence tense up beside me.
The man who entered also stopped moving the moment he saw Mistral.
“Elnea…”
And Mistral, without taking her eyes off the man, said clearly.
“That man is a demon!”
