Chapter 22

The next day, Raidor set off for the palace accompanied by a civil servant who had come to fetch him. He was to have an audience with his brother, Granade, who had become the king.

Since it was an audience with the king, Raidor could not bring the maid, Naimeria, and had to leave her at the mansion. However, as a precaution, a shadow familiar created by Naimeria was lurking in Raidor’s shadow, ready to assist in his escape from the castle if things turned violent.

"Please come this way to the audience chamber."

Raidor was made to wait in the reception room until Granade was ready, but after a while, he was escorted to the audience chamber.

"His Royal Highness, Prince Raidor Zain, has arrived."

As Raidor entered the audience chamber, he saw a man seated on the throne at the far end of the room. On either side of the throne stood his close advisors, who were directing various emotions—unease, hope, hostility, confusion—toward Raidor.

"……"

Raidor approached the throne in silence, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head.

"Raise your head, Raidor."

"Hai."

Granade spoke in a solemn tone, and Raidor complied, lifting his head to look up. The man seated on the throne, slightly higher than Raidor, was Granade Zain, his half-brother and the one who had exiled the younger brother who had become the wielder of the holy sword, Dainsleif, from the capital.

(…He looks a bit thinner.)

While looking at Granade, who was seated on the throne and looking down at him, Raidor thought to himself. His brother, ten years older, appeared slightly more haggard than Raidor remembered, with a few strands of white hair beginning to show.

(Being a king must be a very demanding job. For my brother to have gray hair at his age…)

Raidor suppressed a smile that threatened to form on his lips and waited for the king to speak. Granade gazed down at Raidor in silence for a moment before speaking solemnly.

"Thank you for coming, Raidor. My brother."

"Hai, it has been a long time, Your Majesty."

"Hmm… Don’t be so formal. Even if I am the king, we are still just two brothers. You can call me as you used to."

"Very well, then… Brother."

Raidor took a deep breath to calm his rising emotions.

(Formal? Just two brothers? After exiling me without a word, what a pretense.)

"I am deeply sorry that I could not attend Father’s funeral. Please forgive me, an incapable brother who could not support you as king."

"That is fine. You have done an excellent job suppressing the monsters in the southern frontier city. Your achievements have reached the capital. You are indeed my brother."

"Your words are too kind."

Raidor and Granade continued their conversation with smiles on their faces, appearing to be in good spirits. The courtiers watching from the sidelines had expected the reunion between the exiled prince and the king to be tense, but they were relieved to see the two brothers conversing amicably. However, the Prime Minister, Rockwood Marcel, alone wore a grim expression, as if he had bitten into dirt.

(What is this? I never imagined their relationship had deteriorated to this extent.)

Most of the courtiers watching the audience did not notice, but both Granade, seated on the throne, and Raidor, kneeling before him, had eyes that did not smile at all. No matter how gentle their tone, both pairs of eyes were filled with hostility, glaring at each other as if ready to strike.

(I can understand that Prince Raidor harbors resentment toward His Majesty, but I never thought His Majesty would have such deep-seated feelings toward the prince…)

Granade, born as the first prince of the late King Bernard, had always held deep respect for the first king, who was the wielder of the holy sword. He had harbored the ambition to be chosen by the holy sword and lead the country to greater prosperity, and had been educated as the crown prince with this goal in mind.

Rockwood, who had supported Granade, had noticed the jealousy Granade felt toward Raidor, who had become the wielder of the holy sword, Dainsleif. Raidor’s exile to the frontier was not solely to prevent the country from being divided between the first prince, who was handling the king’s duties, and the second prince, who had become the holy sword wielder. It was also due to the dark obsession burning in Granade’s heart.

(Still… now that the late king has passed and Granade has ascended the throne, his position is secure, and the succession struggle is no longer a concern. I thought the resentment toward Prince Raidor would have subsided somewhat…)

It seems that the animosity and jealousy Granade harbors are much deeper than Rockwood had imagined. And—without a doubt, Raidor has also noticed these dark feelings. He must be returning the hostile gaze, fully aware that his brother, who exiled him, still harbors such deep-seated hatred.

(Can we really win over Prince Raidor and make him fight for the empire? And after winning the war against the empire and saving the country, can we reconcile the two brothers?)

That is impossible. While thinking this in the back of his mind, Rockwood swallowed a tense lump in his throat.

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