Chapter 9

Sarshez concealed his own condition and explained the situation to Arcrain.

Estel looked at Sarshez with a complicated expression.

Noticing her gaze, Sarshez turned his eyes towards her.

His eyes seemed to say, "Don't say anything unnecessary."

After that, the group decided to split into two.

To impose a mana usage restriction throughout the palace, they needed to go to the ancient La Tene ruins in the deepest part of the palace basement and use the 'key' with the king's own hands.

Sarshez needed to go there, so Estel was asked to accompany him.

Arcrain would join the king's personal guard and the royal troops.

The plan was for Arcrain to lead the troops to the queen's quarters after confirming that Sarshez had imposed the mana usage restriction.

Everyone present unanimously decided to have Estel accompany Sarshez, probably to keep her from seeing bloody scenes.

Although she felt complicated about their attitude to keep her away from danger, Estel, who had never shot anyone and was not prepared to do so, would only be a burden if she went along. Worried about Sarshez's condition, she decided to comply.

"Arc, take this."

Sarshez handed the holy sword Caledvulv to Arcrain.

"According to past records, this sword can still be used as a mana blade even when the mana usage restriction is in place, though its power will be significantly reduced."

"Is that alright?"

"You should be able to handle it better since your mana is at its peak. ...Besides, if you have this, perhaps unnecessary bloodshed can be avoided."

By entrusting the symbol of royal authority to Arcrain at this critical moment, it was equivalent to announcing that the next crown prince would be Arcrain.

"It's heavy."

"I won't accept any lack of resolve."

Arcrain took a small breath and accepted Caledvulv.

Seeing this, Estel suddenly felt a chill.

If Arcrain was made crown prince, Estel would inevitably become the future crown princess.

The position of queen, the mother of the country, awaited her.

The heavy and unwarranted title made her shiver with cold.

◆ ◆ ◆

For Leidis, who was called back from the Royal College dormitory to the palace, the news that both her father and brother had fallen ill was a bolt from the blue.

Upon hearing that her mother, Tortelette, had taken a temporary regency, her first thought was that her grandfather was somehow involved.

She had heard that the cause was food poisoning from beef, but it seemed like a fabricated reason.

The image that came to mind was her father, who had used his special ability against a dragon and spat blood on the day of the hunting tournament.

Was he already ill at that time?

Was that why her grandfather and mother had taken drastic action? Such unpleasant thoughts crossed her mind as she headed to the Lion Palace, where unfamiliar soldiers in strange uniforms were wandering around, creating a tense atmosphere.

"These soldiers..."

"They are the private troops of the Marvick Duke. They say they have come to protect the queen."

The answer came from the attendant assigned to Leidis.

In the reception room where she was led by the lady-in-waiting, Queen Tortelette and Duke Marvick were waiting.

Behind Duke Marvick, her uncle Silvio was also present.

"This is a difficult situation, but both I and the queen are here to support you. You don't need to worry about anything."

"That's right, Leidis. Even if the king... and you become an adult, I will assist you."

Her grandfather and mother spoke to her, but their pained expressions seemed like a mask, and she felt nauseous, thinking they were smiling underneath.

If Sarshez's condition was not good, and Leidis was not yet an adult, with the bill to change the line of succession still pending, the person closest to the throne was Arcrain.

Could the food poisoning have been fabricated to eliminate both of them?

Once she started to doubt, she couldn't stop.

"How is my brother and Miss Estel?"

On the way to Sarshez's sickroom, Leidis asked Tortelette, who was walking beside her.

"Unfortunately, both of them are bedridden. The staff at the Balance Palace won't let me see them, so I don't know their condition."

Given the relationship between her mother and brother, this was to be expected. Leidis inwardly sighed.

"Leidis, if the king and Arcrain... "

"Stop it."

Leidis interrupted Tortelette.

If her father and brother were gone, the throne would automatically go to Leidis, but she didn't want to think about it.

The king's condition was a state secret. Only Leidis and Tortelette were allowed to enter the sickroom.

Sarshez was lying in bed, pale and asleep.

His chest was barely rising and falling, indicating he was still alive, but he looked much older and more emaciated.

His arms were connected to many tubes, which looked painful.

"He hasn't regained consciousness. The royal physician says... it might be..."

(Father...)

The memory of his collapse a year and a half ago, the time he spat blood while facing the dragon, the assassination theories surrounding the former Queen Mirialia and the former Duke Rojel, all raced through her mind.

"Was it really food poisoning?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Didn't you make it look like that? To eliminate my brother and father and make me king?"

Leidis asked boldly, and Tortelette responded with a calm smile.

"If that's true, what would you do? Would you despise me?"

The beautiful smile on her mother's face made her shiver.

"What are you saying, Mother..."

"You must have thought you were fit to be king, right? You were raised to believe that by your grandfather."

"That's..."

She couldn't immediately deny it, thinking back on her own words. But...

"Even so, using poison and plots is wrong... I don't want to sit on a dirty throne."

"You're quite idealistic."

Tortelette chuckled.

"The throne is inherently stained with blood. There is no bloodless throne, even in the most peaceful times. After all, the king is the one who sends criminals to the gallows."

With a beautiful smile, Tortelette spoke as if reciting a poem.

"Executing criminals is different from framing an innocent brother!"

"Well, he does have a fault. Being born before you."

Tortelette spat out the words with a smile.

"Has my brother... already..."

"He's still alive, for now. It wouldn't be interesting if he died immediately."

Leidis gasped.

"Did you involve Miss Estel too!?"

"It couldn't be helped. It would be troublesome if there was a commotion, wouldn't it?"

"..."

Just involving a woman who was only noticed by Arcrain...

"Did you do something to my father... or is he just ill?"

"Which one, I wonder?"

Tortelette's face, which continued to smile, revealed nothing.

"You don't need to know. I'll take care of all the dirty work for you."

A chill ran down her spine, and her skin prickled. The mother in front of her seemed like an unknown creature.

"Why did it come to this..."

She didn't want such a throne. But if she was the only direct royal left, she would have to take the throne.

Some of the ancient relics owned by the royal family were said to reject anyone who was not a direct royal.

The most important one was the 'Foundation Stone' in the palace basement, which controlled the water supply of the entire Great Rozaria Island and the palace's defense system.

The absence of a king would ultimately harm the people. However, Leidis did not want to inherit the throne in this way.

—She even thought she was not qualified to be a king. What her grandfather did at the hunting tournament was so sinful.

"Leidis, you're more timid than I thought."

With a motherly smile, Tortelette touched Leidis's trembling cheek.

Suddenly, a sharp pain like a needle prick ran through her neck.

She felt dizzy.

"Mo...ther..."

"Rest for a while. I'll take care of everything while you sleep."

Leidis saw the needle on Tortelette's middle finger.

Realizing she had been drugged, it was already too late. Her vision blurred, and her consciousness became hazy.

Her wobbly body was caught in her mother's arms.

Feeling the warmth of her mother's embrace for the last time, Leidis's consciousness sank into darkness.