Chapter 13

Today, this is the second post.

The Anzelar Kingdom's Knights were doing their utmost to exterminate the sudden increase in monsters in the Western Forest.

Near the Western Forest, a large river flows, branching off into tributaries, and a town with a ferry crossing, which is a key point for water transport, spreads out.

They couldn't allow the forest monsters to overflow.

This forest was known for occasionally seeing an increase in monsters.

Each time, the Knights had managed to suppress them.

This time, however, the increase was severe, and the palace was tense.

At that moment, enchanted weapons were brought in.

The rapier imbued with fire magic had been highly valued for a long time.

It had the best cutting edge.

Lighter than a longsword, it could cut through effortlessly.

It could easily sever the head of a forest wolf with surprising ease.

Due to the lack of mages and insufficient combat power, the Knights were elated.

By using enchanted weapons at key points, they could adequately compensate for the weak spots in national defense.

During the extermination in the Western Forest, throwing knives imbued with lightning magic also performed exceptionally well.

They could be used against monsters that approached closely.

When the distance to the monsters was too close, enchanted offensive magic weapons were dangerous and unusable.

The lightning knives were invaluable in such situations.

When thrown at vital points like the forehead or heart, the lightning-infused knives would pierce smoothly, stopping the monsters' movements or even killing them with a single knife.

Lightning was highly effective against monsters.

The leather armor enchanted with a barrier, distributed to the front-line troops, even repelled the sharp claws of steel bears.

The injury rate among the front-line troops dropped significantly.

The extermination in the Western Forest was completed with much less damage than expected.

Later, when the Knights learned that their benefactor, the Enchanter, was being slandered by malicious rumors, they did their utmost to clear his name.

The Prime Minister and the researchers also joined in.

The Vionne family, who had spread the rumors, were found to be abusing and neglecting their second daughter.

◇◇◇

Noel heard a report in Professor Michelle's room from Arnor that Zeraphi's reputation was plummeting.

"Does that mean Zeraphi had a good reputation until now?"

Noel tilted her head.

She couldn't imagine such a nasty woman. She was more short-tempered and violent than Linda, who often shouted.

"Noel, your sister was wearing a very thick cat's fur.

It would be bad if she were expelled from the Royal Academy, and besides, she was surrounded by nobles. If she injured someone, expulsion wouldn't be enough.

The Vionne family sells the modest products of their territory to earn income. If their trade were stopped, they would be finished immediately.

She must have been thoroughly warned."

Noel listened to Arnor, thinking, "Zeraphi must have had some sense of propriety."

"But, a young lady who was threatened by Zeraphi to do her assignments for her complained to the school. Zeraphi is in a difficult situation now."

"Threatening? That's a crime!"

It seemed Zeraphi had no sense of propriety at all.

"If it were a national school, she would have been expelled, but the Royal Academy decided to suspend her out of consideration for the Queen.

Moreover, it gradually became known that she had been spreading lies about Noel. The true reason for Noel's disinheritance also came to light.

Zeraphi was so violent that her maids couldn't stay. Even when they quit, the Vionne family didn't write letters of recommendation for their next jobs.

However, the employment agency took the maids' bruised conditions seriously and issued letters of recommendation on their behalf.

Such facts are now coming to light.

She won't be able to remain a candidate for Prince Sariel's fiancée."

"Hasn't it been canceled yet?"

Noel was amazed.

With so much clear evidence, there was no way she could be a princess.

"Someone with such high magic power, young, and a noble lady is rare. So, they've kept her as a candidate.

The Vionne family has other problems too.

Exploiting the people in their territory is forbidden in the Anzelar Kingdom. However, the Vionne Earl was taking potatoes and other products in addition to taxes.

Moreover, he was forcing sexual favors from the girls in his territory. This was discovered through a village chief's petition.

It was quite serious, so he was investigated. A government official has been stationed in the Vionne territory."

Noel was speechless, stunned. Her father, who was rarely at home, had been committing such crimes. It was far worse than just being unfaithful.

"The removal of the title was considered, but, unfortunately, there are other lords who do similar things, to varying degrees.

Our country hasn't been strict enough with such matters until now. So, the punishment was according to precedent.

However, the fines and compensation to the people are substantial.

The territory has been taken as collateral by the state because the Vionne Earl didn't have the assets to pay.

The Vionne family will lose their income from the territory. In practice, the Vionne Earl is no longer a lord.

The family hasn't been dissolved because the Vionne family is a valuable old line of mages.

In fact, they have produced excellent mages. The older sister is a candidate for princess.

The palace had no choice but to let them survive."

"My former family is so pitiful.

I'm so embarrassed."

Noel looked down, tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's not your problem. You've already been disinherited.

Your father is just a rotten person."

Arnor stroked Noel's hair to comfort her.

"They should cut off a part of their body as an apology to the victims.

The Vionne family will become even poorer.

They deserve it.

Well, if Zeraphi stops breaking things, they might manage."

Theo and Arnor were taken aback by the word "part" coming out of Noel's mouth.

Noel, lost in thought, muttered, and Theo looked troubled.

"Noel.

Forget about your deadbeat family. Worry about yourself.

Do you know about the royal scepter?"

"I know it glows with the king's magic."

The topic suddenly shifted to the royal scepter, and Noel blinked.

The royal scepter, which the king holds, was mentioned in the textbook.

It is made from a spirit stone found by a prophet at the founding of the kingdom.

"Right.

The fourth prince has such low magic power that the scepter probably won't react.

The royal scepter of our country absorbs the king's magic and glows brightly when raised during ceremonies and events.

This is a secret of the royal family, but it can also store magic power."

Theo revealed this matter-of-factly.

"Huh? A secret?

I think I just heard a royal family secret."

Noel glanced at Arnor, who looked awkward and troubled.

"It's fine.

I know because I'm asked to polish the spirit stone for the scepter's maintenance."

"You shouldn't say such things..."

"Those who have protected the country, like the Enchanter, should know.

During ceremonies, the king can touch the scepter in advance to store magic power, but it's not that simple.

The scepter isn't that straightforward. If you pour in 100, you might store 3.

It's difficult to make the scepter glow, even if you try hard. The kings of the past didn't bother with such a troublesome task.

The scepter is meant to select someone worthy of being king.

The current king could barely make the scepter glow, a pitiful amount.

The king has a disease that gradually drains his magic power. By the time he ascended the throne, he was already in that state.

Occasionally, it has been found that the queen's magic power can also be accepted if she shares the king's bed, but it's not guaranteed.

The queen doesn't seem to have given up on making Prince Sariel the crown prince.

For Prince Sariel, a fiancée with high magic power is essential.

To make a monster-like daughter appear like a proper young lady, it would be helpful if the sister were the bad one.

If Noel's true identity were revealed, the queen would seek her as a fiancée. But Noel's associates won't tell them.

That's why the queens mainly only know information from the Vionne family."

"..."

Noel couldn't keep up with the unexpected situation.

"It's infuriating.

If he's not suitable, he should give up the position of crown prince."

Arnor was irritated.

"The first prince should be the crown prince.

Isn't it a rule that the first-born prince becomes the next king?"

Noel couldn't help but voice her thoughts.

"Right..."

Theo seemed to be deep in thought.

Arnor was also looking into the distance.

"Is there something wrong with the first prince?"

Noel asked again.

"The current members of the lords' council are mostly dimwitted.

Including the king."

"...Grandfather, that's a problematic statement."

"Ah, that's nice. The 'grandfather' call."

"Don't dodge the issue..."

Noel thought something was off.

The information gathering by the queen and the fourth prince was too poor, wasn't it?

The Knights, the Prime Minister and ministers, the research institute, and even the third prince, Prince Robert, knew about Noel.

The king must know as well.

—Then why don't the queen and the fourth prince know?

Didn't the queen receive the king's favor?

Perhaps the palace is divided into several factions, and information is kept secret within each faction...

The king must know that there are Enchanters in the country.

But perhaps he doesn't know who they are.

—By the way, Mr. Roché said the royal family has lost credibility.

The current king chose an unsuitable queen.

Moreover, there's a movement to choose an unsuitable crown prince.

There seems to be a problem with the members of the lords' council.

From what I hear, there are few families with a long tradition of mages.

Therefore, they are trying to support a crown prince that the national deity wouldn't choose.

—This country... has really become a mess in many ways.

◇◇◇

When a detachment of the royal guard rushed to the national academy,

Noel was fortunately with Theo and Arnor.

The detachment commander and knights were arguing with the academy's guard commander, the head of the academic affairs, and the vice-principal.

"What's going on?"

Arnor stood up and firmly addressed the detachment commander.

Roché looked so cool... Noel was momentarily captivated.

"This is an order from Her Majesty.

We are here to arrest Noel for the numerous insults to the fiancée of His Highness Prince Sariel."

"What nonsense..."

Arnor muttered.

"You seem to know nothing.

If you don't want to lose your job, you should wise up."

Theo also stood up and faced the detachment commander.

The detachment commander seemed to waver slightly.

"Does the queen have such authority?"

Arnor glared coldly.

"Who are you to...," the detachment commander began, but the vice-principal interrupted.

"Commander.

It is not permissible to be disrespectful to this person.

Are you really here without any knowledge?"

The usually calm vice-principal's voice was unusually irritated.

"What... what is this?"

The detachment commander looked at the vice-principal, seeking an explanation.

"This person, in our academy, goes by the ancestral name Arnor Roché, but their formal name is Sirius Arnor Roché Anzelar."

"Wh-what... the second prince...?"

Not only the detachment commander but the knights also turned their gaze to Arnor and immediately saluted.

"The person you are trying to arrest is Noel Michelle.

She is a relative of the Michelle Duke family, who have served as the royal mages for generations.

Our academy is protecting Miss Noel.

Her former family, the Vionne family, is under consideration for the revocation of their title due to numerous violations of the territorial laws.

Miss Noel was persecuted in her family. She had her uncle sign a disinheritance letter to escape.

The witness was the Prime Minister's son, Lindsey.

Did you believe the rumors from the Vionne family?

If you continue to be disrespectful, the palace will not remain silent."

The vice-principal explained kindly.

The detachment commander looked pitifully deflated.

"I suppose you didn't follow proper procedures.

It's unfortunate for the lower ranks of the royal guard to be ordered to do this, but you should have consulted the Prime Minister.

You should know that the queen is in a precarious position within the palace."

Arnor added, sounding exasperated.

"The commander is handling the procedures.

In the meantime, we were dispatched here to ensure that Miss Noel doesn't escape..."

"The procedures won't go well.

It's illegal.

You will end up taking the blame for the mishandling."

Arnor sighed, and the detachment commander looked genuinely distressed.

"Well, I'll testify that you didn't resort to violence.

Just go back and report."

Theo said firmly, and the detachment commander saluted again and withdrew.

The vice-principal and others also excused themselves and left.

A heavy silence fell over the remaining three.

"Noel..."

Arnor gently looked at Noel.

Noel finally relaxed her stiff body and moved.

"No... I had an idea.

Maybe...

There were a few things that made me think."

Noel sat down on the sofa, looking weak.

Theo and Arnor also took their usual seats.

"How long have you known?"

Arnor asked in a whisper.

"Since I started meeting Prince Robert frequently.

Because he looks so much like you.

Even in newspaper articles when Prince Jules visited.

You both look so much alike.

When I heard that Mr. Roché is the same age as Prince Jules, I thought it might be true, but..."

Arnor stroked Noel's hair, which was hanging down.

"Are you disappointed?

I didn't mean to deceive you."

"I don't think I was deceived.

You just didn't say what you couldn't.

You told me everything else. You're my benefactor."

"...I really meant it when I said we should leave the country together."

When Arnor said this, Theo looked pained.

"Really... do you want to leave?"

He asked, still looking pained.

"Of course."

Arnor answered, looking troubled.

"If the prince abandons the country, the national deity will abandon it too."

"Prince Jules said the same thing.

That won't happen."

Arnor chuckled and shook his head.

"With that king, it's hopeless."

Theo slumped back into the sofa.

There were hurried footsteps in the corridor.

The door opened without waiting for a response after a hurried knock, and Prince Robert appeared.

"The queen sent the royal guard!"

Those were his first words.