Episode 51 – Return and Judgment

A month passed. Queen Esther, completely restored to her old vigor and beauty, conducted a purge of the forces that had poisoned her and the nobles who had burned Luvia and were plotting mischief.

As a result, one-third of the nobility was erased and countless people died. Most of the forces that fled the country were captured because they sent letters to the neighboring kingdoms (Halkeginia and Ernia).

Queen Esther was not only a beauty, but also a political leader, and she succeeded in this purge in a short period of time.

Me, Sera, Sophia, and Mandane followed Queen Esther and became good friends with Luvia, and we were the talk of the town in the royal palace.

And now

We, including Queen Estelle, are on our way to the Kingdom of Ilas with 2,000 soldiers in tow.

While Queen Estelle and Luvia are away, the Prime Minister, Blinken san, is in charge of the government as the Queen’s deputy.

Incidentally, a commoner guard named Kelz, who gave me a locksling, is also accompanying me. Thanks to him, I was able to defeat the Nephilim boss. I must give him something in return.

I had written a letter to my father beforehand, so he should have some idea of the situation.

During the trip, I wanted to spend some sweet time with these three beautiful princesses and my cute maid, but there was no such cheek-loosening development. We had mainly practical conversations about how we should proceed once we entered our country, the Kingdom of Ilas, and at what timing we should announce the declaration of peace.

X　X　X

Cyrus side

The King’s office

I am a liar and a coward.

I have been tyrannical and oppressive. Thanks to that, there is no one who opposes me. Everyone praises me and bows down to me. Great merchants not only from the Orient but also from faraway places offer me their ships, called tarshish, loaded with gold, silver, and jewels that would sink.

I, who am in such a position that everyone admires and fears,

I am a liar and a coward.

After reading the letter from my son Eric, who is a pain in the eye, I realized how ugly and weak I am.

I’m an unfit parent.

I had brought this whole thing on myself, but I had dared to pretend to be strong, to turn a blind eye to the reality.

I would never have let Eric go on a trip without an escort. But I let Eric go on his journey. I had to maintain my dignity as a father, but I had to put it all on the shoulders of my one and only son.

But Eric made it.

And now Eric knows everything.

I wondered what he would think of me.

As I sigh deeply and drink my tea, suddenly one of the guards men comes through the door and says

“Your Majesty! We are in trouble!
“Enter …….”

Again huh.

The guard man rushed to me as soon as the door was opened and prostrated himself before me. Then he looked up.

“Two thousand soldiers have appeared near the border, presumably on the side of the Kingdom of Henesys!”
“……”
“Among the soldiers is His Royal Highness Crown Prince Eric! How can we help you?”

The guard man in front of me has a look of fear on his face. Perhaps he is reacting out of fear that I will reveal my anger.

But,

“Tell the soldiers guarding the border. Those who appear near the border must not harm the people of the Kingdom of Henesys or their companions. If they do, they will be killed by my hand, regardless of whether they are commoners or nobles. And the family members of those who are killed, without exception, will be stripped of their citizenship in the Kingdom of ilas and made slaves.”
“Y-yes?”
“Also, tell the director in charge of welfare to prepare a lodging for 2,000 people. Of those 2,000, four will stay in rooms reserved for honored guests.”
“Yes, sir!”

The new troops were puzzled for a moment, but then they obeyed my order and hurriedly ran out of the office.

It seemed the time had come.

Let’s welcome Esther, my son, and the princesses.

With heavy steps, I headed for the border with a few dozen or so capable guards men in tow.

X　X　X

Eric Side

We are now at the border. At first, our border guards were extremely wary of us, but when they saw that we had no intention of fighting, they tilted their heads. After a while, another soldier overheard them. Suddenly, the border guards were terrified and dropped their weapons.

The arrangement was Queen Esther at the front, me next to her, the three princesses behind her, and many soldiers behind her. We were riding horses, by the way.

A few dozen minutes later, as the Henesys and Ilas sides were looking at each other, a familiar man and several dozen guard men appeared at the border gate.

Father.

My father overhears the head of the border guard, and soon the head of the guard climbs to the top of the border wall and shouts loudly at us.

“You are allowed to enter! We will not harm you!”

Hearing the voice of the head of the border guard, Queen Esther turns around and shouts loudly.

“If you harm the soldiers or people of the Kingdom of Ilas, you will surely be killed by my hand! Get inside!”
“”Yes!””

replied the 2,000 soldiers loudly, inspired by Queen Esther’s high pitched voice.

And then we were on the move.

As we approached the gate, Father’s image became clearer. Queen Estelle moved forward with a somber look on her face, looking away from Father.

“I’m back! Father!”
“Yeah. I’m so glad you’re all right.”

Father looked at me with an expression even sadder than Queen Esther’s. Around us, Queen Esther and the three princesses were staring at us, father and son.

So I got off my horse and spoke softly to my father.

“Thank you very much for giving birth to me. Thanks to you, I have learned many things. I have had some very painful times, but I am very happy now! I hope that my father’s authority and power will continue for a long time. ……”

I said, and I put one knee on the ground and bowed my head.

“Eric …….”

Then I raised my head and looked at my father’s face, and to my surprise, his eyes were a little moist and his face was torn.

X　X　X

The whole country of the Kingdom of Ilas is in an uproar at Eric’s return. First of all, in order to prepare a place to stay and food for the 2,000 soldiers from the Kingdom of Henesys, the chief welfare officer and others scrambled about, hurriedly preparing luxury inns, villas of noble families, facilities owned by the Antiochian Chamber of Commerce, and so on.

At first, the people of the Kingdom of Ilas wondered about the people from the Kingdom of Henesys, but after hearing the words of King Cyrus, they all became fearful and did not even approach the people, except for those concerned.

Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, night had fallen.

King Cyrus’ room.

Usually he was alone all the time, but now there is a men and a woman.

The master of this room, King Cyrus, and Queen Esther after her bath.

She is dressed in a revealing nightgown, showing off her blessed beauty and body. She has pink hair shorter than Luvia’s, blue eyes, and a well-defined face. Her body was perfection itself. In the past, she was revered as the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom of Henesys. Her beauty has never faded, and she is reflected in Cyrus’ eyes.

Although at first glance it appears to be a sexy scene, if you know the identity of the two things she is holding in her hands, you will soon realize that this is not a love affair.

A dagger and the proof of Gaia.

The proof of Gaia is a kind of lie detector in the form of a chalice. The subject puts a few drops of his or her own blood in the chalice and is asked a few questions about Gaia. The subject is then asked a number of Gaia-related questions, such as, “Is XX, which you swore in Gaia’s name, a falsehood?”

If the subject lies here, the proof of Gaia is destroyed,

The subject must be killed.

X　X　X

“…..”

I am sitting on the bed in my room with a dark expression on my face. I cannot read my father’s mind. In some cases, my father could be judged and killed by Queen Esther for betraying Gaia.

No amount of positive thinking could calm my trembling hands and feet.

But then,

“Eric sama.”
“Eric.”
“Eric.”

At some point, the three usual people embraced me tenderly.

“This servant girl will be with you.”
“Eric is not alone.”
“I will always surround you.”

This warmth …… is merely flesh rubbing against flesh, but why is it so soothing?

“Yeah. We’re together. And Luvia.”

Luvia is not here, saying she will take a peek at the two of them.

There is nothing more I can do for them.

It is not too much to say that Father’s humanity and heart will decide everything.

I ask …… I pray that my father’s heart will be made right.