Chapter 65

"Are you really sure this way is okay?"

"Yes, it's fine, it's fine, just trust me."

"I can't believe it at all!?"

The old man, whistling, led me through the sewers.

The smell was quite strong.

The capital city has both a water supply and a sewer system. Probably, only this capital and the sealed city of Erin have such facilities.

"What is this place?"

"This is a secret passage known to the royal family. If the castle is about to fall, they use this to escape. By the way, it's top secret, so just knowing about this path is enough to get you hanged."

"Don't make me walk through such a place! At least blindfold me!"

I thought it was unnecessarily winding to the right and left.

If it's for that purpose, I can understand why it's so complicated.

"Well, well, it's fine, it's fine. I've been casting a perception obstruction spell since we started. Soji, you won't be able to remember this path. Look, we turned a corner ten minutes ago, but did we turn right? Or left?"

"Such a thing... I can't remember?"

I remember turning a corner, but I can't recall whether it was right or left.

I have confidence in my memory. Moreover, I was trying to remember the path in case of an emergency.

"Well, it's fine, right?"

When I checked, I realized for the first time that I was under a mental interference spell.

I usually guard against such spells.

Yet, the old man managed to cast a spell on me without me noticing. The skill of the woman in front of me, who is just an old man, sends a chill down my spine.

"I no longer think it's fine in a different sense."

The old man is Rank 1, and I am Rank 2, capable of rising in rank. I thought I could use force if necessary.

But with such remarkable magical skills, things change.

This means that Kuna's resistance would be futile.

"You're so cautious. ...But there's no need to worry. In pure combat, you are stronger. I have given up my strength through my vow. That's why I'm Rank 1, and I have no intention of ever advancing in rank."

The old man says this with a nostalgic look. She must have had her reasons.

"And, we've arrived. Look, it's right above us."

Before I knew it, we had reached a place with a low ceiling. I could almost touch it with my hand.

The old man took a key from her chest pocket, inserted it into the keyhole in the ceiling, turned it, and the ceiling opened.

First, the old man climbed up, and I followed.

It was a bleak room.

There were practical clothes, bags, a large number of preserved foods, and valuable gems that could be easily converted to cash.

I see, this is a good setup for an escape.

When the door opened, we entered a slightly better room.

There, the king who had summoned me was waiting.

"Your Majesty, I have brought Soji. I will stand guard outside the door."

"Thank you. Frederica. I'll call you when we're done."

"Understood."

The old man opened the door and left.

I glared at the king.

"Your Majesty, why did you insist on a secret meeting? Using such a hidden passage to avoid being seen by others?"

"Well, well, sit down first. I've prepared some good tea."

I sat in the chair as the king suggested and drank the tea he had made.

It was excellent tea. There is probably no better tea in this world. The way it was brewed was also excellent.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, this tea is excellent."

"You're tough."

The king chuckled and sipped his tea.

He then picked up some maple cookies that were served as a snack, took a breath, and spoke.

"I couldn't say it properly at the time, so I want to say it again. Thank you for protecting and guiding Anne. Thanks to you, Anne didn't have to give up Kval Best. ...Without you, she might have broken her promise to her friend."

The king bowed his head and expressed his gratitude firmly.

"...I already received your gratitude."

"That's true. But I wanted to bow properly. And the reason I called you today is to tell you the truth about Anne's father... Richard Oukelle's crime. I want you to know the truth."

"Why do you want to tell me the truth? Do you want me to expose it?"

"No, I don't intend to do anything. I just wanted you, whom Anne trusts more than anyone, to know the truth. If the person closest to her believes in her, it will help save Anne. That's all. That's all I can do for Anne now."

I looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.

"You are a pitiful adult."

"That's true."

I decided to listen to the truth in silence.

After all, I already knew most of it from my experience in the game world.

"Richard Oukelle, Anne's father, is officially said to have been leading his subordinates to defect to the neighboring Elshtat Republic with state secrets, but was stopped by my son, Prince Aloys, who led the army. In that battle, Aloys died. ...In the public eye, the state secrets were protected, and our country was saved thanks to the sacrifice of my son."

Richard Oukelle, who had served as the royal family's sword instructor for generations and was praised as a military god, suddenly betrayed the country. This is a story known to everyone in the country.

The Kingdom of Coline monopolizes many technologies. Most of these were obtained through trade with Elsie, a small country with abnormally advanced technology and military power. These technologies give us an edge over other countries.

The amount and quality of military secrets that Richard could access in his position were formidable. Selling them would upset the balance of power with other countries, which is absolutely unacceptable.

Moreover, it was Richard Oukelle, the military god who had protected Coline and left many great achievements. Because he was loved and respected, the people could not forgive his betrayal.

"But the truth is different."

"...It's the opposite, right? Your son betrayed the country, took state secrets, and tried to defect. Richard Oukelle tried to stop him. He intended to capture him alive, but the resistance was fierce, and Richard ended up killing the prince."

"Why do you think that?"

The king looked at me with surprise.

"It's just a deduction. There are too many unnatural points in this case. This is the simplest explanation. Besides, to be honest, Your Majesty's son had a bad reputation, and Richard Oukelle's high moral character was well-known. Prince Aloys was probably deceived by a woman and took a foolish action."

"...Exactly. My son tried to sell the country for a woman. Perhaps, feeling inferior to his excellent sister, he wanted to escape from this country."

In the game era, I had investigated this truth. It wasn't difficult to find out the truth then.

After all, there were too many people who knew the truth. Many of Richard Oukelle's former subordinates were devoted to him.

They kept silent to honor his resolve, but if pressed, they would shed tears and tell the truth.

"Soji, you're right. It was the worst incident. My son's rampage. According to our country's laws, no matter what the reason, if someone harms the royal family, they must be punished with death. I had to kill the military god, Richard Oukelle, who stopped my son and saved the country. And this is a kingdom. If the prince had sold the country, the king's authority would have been undermined. Losing the military god and the king's authority would have made the country unmanageable."

The king clenched his hands tightly, his face filled with bitter regret.

His hands were white.

"At that time, everyone was at a loss, wondering what to do. In the midst of this, Richard said he would take the blame. He suggested making the prince a hero. If Richard was made to look like he had sold the country and the prince had sacrificed his life to save it, the royal family's prestige would be preserved. The Oukelle family name would be disgraced, but Richard, who had killed the prince, was destined to die anyway... That's what he said."

That was the whole truth.

Richard Oukelle, who loved his country, chose to sacrifice himself for it.

He didn't even tell his family. That's why Anne doesn't know the truth.

"Thanks to that, the prince became a hero, and the royal family's prestige increased. The country stabilized. But as a result, Richard lost everything. I looked up to that man like a brother. I wanted to protect him. But I couldn't think of any other way to save the country."

The king's words were filled with self-reproach and regret.

"...It's a selfish story. It might be fine for you and Richard Oukelle. But what about those left behind? Anne's mother couldn't bear the pain and committed suicide. And Anne, if she hadn't met me, would have died for sure. You say you think of Anne like a daughter, but I don't believe it. You tried to kill Anne for the sake of your son's honor."

I understood the king's feelings, but I couldn't help but say it.

I had stopped using formal language without realizing it.

I didn't like this man's selfishness.

I was irritated by the king, who could only apologize.

"...I can't deny that. But I am the king. I couldn't prioritize Anne over the many people of the country."

"I understand your feelings. Are you satisfied with this? If so, I'll leave. This was a waste of time. I just feel terrible. Besides, what good does it do to confess to me? You should apologize to Anne."

I stood up.

I wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

"Please wait. I want to provide you, who supports Anne, with the utmost convenience. I can recommend you to the capital's knight order after you graduate from that school, or if you want, I can give you a title with a reason. If you want money, tell me the amount you need."

"I already answered that before. Don't use me to clear your conscience. I'll accept your apology, but that's it. Besides, the things you mentioned are nothing to you. You haven't suffered at all. Frankly, it makes me feel sick."

I spoke my mind, forgetting that he was the king.

"But, I—"

"...If you really want to atone for Anne, I will eventually ask you to do something for Anne that will shake your position. If you are prepared to sacrifice yourself, then suffer the pain at that time. That is true atonement."

"You are quite harsh."

"I'm not being harsh. It's just common sense."

"Also, about this matter—"

"I understand. I won't tell Anne."

For Anne, proving her father's innocence and restoring his honor would be a hope. But knowing that the upper echelons of the country deliberately punished her father as a criminal would be a despair. It's too early now.

"Frederica, please take Soji back."

"Understood, Your Majesty."

The old man appeared and led me out of the room.

Perhaps, by not telling Anne the truth, I am also guilty like this king.