Chapter 92
The King, stroking my head.
He lightly wiped away the faint tears that had ford at the corners of his eyes and spoke to .
“Take the sword. This sword is now your sword.”
“My… sword?”
“Yes. This sword has protected our Plank Kingdom, a small peninsula kingdom, from external and internal enemies, monsters, disasters, and more. It is a magic sword that changes its own shape and size for the one it acknowledges. It was made by an old comrade of mine, and I too learned the sword with this sword.”
“……”
“Go on, take it. I have waited a long ti for you to hold this sword.”
“I understand.”
I took the pure, silver-white sword the King offered.
The mont I grasped the sword, a sound of admiration escaped my lips.
“Ah—.”
‘This… is a truly good sword.’
Just as you can tell you’re drinking good wine even if you don't know much about it.
Just as you can be moved by the passionate singing of a great singer even if you don't know much about music.
Even though I knew nothing about swords, the mont I held this one, I knew.
Strangely, I could barely feel the weight of this sword. It seed to have a little heft, which would make it satisfying to swing, but it was much lighter than the swords of the knights and soldiers I had touched out of curiosity.
‘This sword isn’t light simply because it’s small and short. It’s as if… the sword adjusted its weight to be perfectly suited for my current strength.’
As I was marveling at the sword, the King smiled and spoke.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes. It fits my hand well and is light.”
“Whatever a king holds in his hand does not fit well, and whatever a king carries is not light. Therefore, the king’s sword alone must fit well and be light. That is why that magic sword fits your hand well and is light.”
“The sword a king wields alone must fit the hand and be light…”
“Yes. Those were the words of the craftsman who made that sword. A master of the Dwarves, the greatest artisan race on the continent. You too will have a chance to et him soday.”
Dwarf?
I was about to ask about that race, but the King’s words ca faster.
“However, no matter how well the sword fits your hand and how appropriate its weight is, the sword cannot display its full capabilities without your fundantal stamina and skill. So, you must learn swordsmanship, just as you said. Of course, what must co first is stamina.”
“Stamina.”
I nodded. I knew that was important. Isn’t there a saying, ‘stamina is national power’?
“Yes, stamina. When you have the stamina to swing a sword for four days without sleeping, you will finally be ready to learn the sword.”
“…Four days? 4 days?”
“Yes, four days. In truth, even four days is not enough. In my era, the stamina to fight for a week without sleep was necessary.”
“……”
“But your era will be different. Of course, the sword will be necessary, but you will have to fight more with a hot heart and a cool head. Powerful weapons that seem to combine sword and magic might even be born.”
The King said sothing puzzling again. But for so reason, I could understand his words to so extent.
‘Is he telling to fight with my head, not with strength?’
“Then, will you not teach the sword until I have that much stamina?”
“No, I will teach you. We will have plenty of ti during the journey to the Wasteland of Ruin to et the Giants.”
What does that an?
“Does that an… you will also be going with to et the Giants, Father?”
“Yes. Why, do you not wish for to accompany you?”
“No, that’s not it, but.”
Although I answered as if it were nothing, honestly, I was a bit taken aback by the King’s statent that he would accompany to the Wasteland of Ruin… Wait.
‘But how does the King know I’m going to the Wasteland of Ruin?’
“How did you know I was intending to go to the Wasteland of Ruin? I didn’t ntion it.”
“That’s because…”
The King trailed off before answering.
“…To conquer the Minotaur’s dungeon, the help of the Giants is needed, and the Giants are in the Wasteland of Ruin. I thought you would have already made such a plan.”
For so reason, it felt like the King had hastily fabricated his words.
Still, since it was a plausible reason, I just went along with it.
However, my doubts were not completely resolved.
‘The didn’t say that the King would go with to et the Giants.’
No, that’s not right.
‘It didn’t say he wouldn’t co along either.’
Co to think of it, that was true. The did ntion that I would et the Giants, spend a year with them to earn their trust, and as a result, take a Giant nad ‘Grondar’ as a companion.
But it didn’t say what would happen in the process. So, even if the King accompanied to the Wasteland of Ruin, strictly speaking, the content of the wouldn’t be wrong.
‘But if the King cos along, the future might change sohow.’
“Will you be able to make it to the Wasteland of Ruin? From what I’ve heard, the road is treacherous and quite far.”
“Haha, are you worried about ?”
“……”
“Do not worry. I am stronger than you think. Of course, I am old and sick, and weaker than in the past, but I am not so weak that I cannot go on a single journey.”
The King placed his hand on my head again. As if he intended to make up for all the contact he couldn’t have with his son today.
The King, who spoke of his own wellness. If I were his ‘real’ son, I would have been happy that my father said he was well.
But perhaps because I wasn’t his real son.
Or perhaps because of everything I had experienced so far, a rather sharp tone ca out of my mouth.
“…If you are so well, why did you do nothing until this kingdom was played with by the hands of the nobles?”
“……”
“With the stamina to go all the way to the Wasteland of Ruin, and with swordsmanship skills greater than Commander Jereuth’s. Then why did you hole yourself up in this room, pretending to be a dying man? is what I am asking.”
Perhaps he didn’t expect to say such things.
The King looked at for a long ti without saying anything. Caution, sadness, and for so reason, longing colored his eyes, which had been smiling just a mont ago.
But such a gaze was only for a mont.
The King stroked my head again and spoke.
“I took up the sword for the woman I loved and the people I had to be responsible for. But for the sake of the kingdom, I had to put down the sword.”
“…You had to put down the sword for the sake of the kingdom? What kind of sophis—!”
“Sotis…. Sotis, that is.”
Grip—!
The King cut off my words and gripped my shoulder strongly. His grip was no joke. From that, I could tell. The King’s wellness.
“Very rarely… just as an old tree in the forest rots away on its own to beco nutrients for the flowers and young trees that will bloom in the next generation.”
“……”
“Like that old tree, there are tis when a king must miserably let go of everything for the next generation. That was the future I chose for the kingdom, and thankfully, it has beco the present.”
I didn’t understand what he was saying.
Those words sounded as if… he had deliberately brought about his downfall.
“It was never, ever easy. To have to make a choice that was sure to be hated by the woman I loved, rebuked by the companions I had spent my entire life with, and even disappoint the people of the kingdom I had tried to protect like family.”
“……”
“But I made that decision for the kingdom, for the future.”
The King, Philip, ended his words with a dismissal.
“…I’ve spoken for too long. It is late, so take your sword and leave.”
I returned to my room.
Plop—.
I threw my body onto the soft bed. The ceiling ca into view. It was an ordinary ceiling that no longer even felt familiar.
It was a familiar and comfortable situation. But my mind was a ss. It was because of what the King had said to .
‘The King said he made a choice like ‘an old tree in the forest rotting away on its own to beco nutrients for the flowers and young trees that will bloom in the next generation.’ On purpose.’
If I were to interpret those words.
‘The King deliberately brought about his downfall and ruined the kingdom for the next generation, for ‘Leonardo.’ In other words, he ruined the kingdom and brought about his own downfall for .’
But why was that for ?
If it was to the extent of deliberately ruining the kingdom and bringing about his downfall, wouldn’t it have been better to keep the kingdom strong and pass it on to his son? That would have been the natural thing to do.
I didn’t know.
‘Was he embarrassed because I asked why he had made the kingdom like this? Because his son scolded him? But it didn’t feel like that… The King’s words seed sincere.’
Hoo—.
As I let out a sigh, Elly, who had returned to the room with , asked.
“Your Highness, did sothing happen when you were speaking with His Majesty…?”
“Pardon? Oh, because I sighed?”
Elly was really sensitive to my moods.
“It’s nothing. It’s not like a father-son fight that happens in any family—just a serious conversation.”
“If so, that’s a relief…”
“By the way, don’t you need to et with Lady Olivia? At the banquet hall, Lady Olivia said she had sothing to talk to you about separately—”
As I was speaking.
—Knock, knock.
—Your Highness, Commander Jereuth and Lady Olivia have co to see you.
The voice of a maid ca from outside the door. Elly approached the door and sent a look as if asking for my permission.
“Let them in.”
When I nodded, Elly opened the door. Jereuth entered first, followed by Olivia.
“My apologies for disturbing your rest, Your Highness.”
Jereuth, entering with a greeting.
Jereuth looked exactly the sa as he had at the banquet hall. But Olivia was a little different.
I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but her makeup seed a bit heavier. The high heels she was wearing also seed a bit higher.
She was probably at an age where she wanted to dress up.
“Not at all, Commander. What brings you two here together?”
“I have co regarding the schedule for your trip to the Wasteland of Ruin. I thought Olivia should hear it as well, so we ca together.”
I had just returned to the royal capital from Misty Port today. So, soone might think, “Wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit?”
But I wasn’t that type. I was of the belief that if it was sothing that had to be done, it was better to finish it quickly.
However, two others, not , interjected at Jereuth’s words.
“Um… Commander. His Highness has just returned from Misty Port today. Yet you are already planning another schedule. Please consider His Highness’s health.”
“Commander. I am the person responsible for internal affairs. Therefore, please attach a respectful title like ‘Lady’ or ‘Miss.’ Not just call by my na.”
“……”
Jereuth, who seed not to have expected two won much younger than him, young enough to be his granddaughters, to say such things to him, faltered. Then, with a slight frown, he looked back and forth between Elly and Olivia and spoke in a heavy voice.
“His Highness is soone who likes to handle any matter as quickly as possible. Dragging it out will only complicate His Highness’s mind and won’t be a solution to anything.”
“……”
“And Olivia. If you want to hear a respectful title from , earn that qualification. No matter how much His Highness has appointed you as the head of internal affairs, you have not achieved any rit.”
Jereuth’s presence was honestly frightening. It felt like a stern scolding.
Usually, when Jereuth spoke like that, everyone would back down.
But.
“Even so, His Highness must rest. I am saying this as the Head Maid who is respon… responsible for His Highness’s life.”
“I believe that the very fact that His Highness appointed has already earned the right to be treated with respect.”
The two girls, young enough to be his granddaughters, did not yield an inch to the great tree of the kingdom. A flustered Jereuth cleared his throat and looked at .
Ahem…….
“His Highness’s opinion will be important. What do you think, Your Highness?”
Jereuth was passing the buck to .
Still, as a crown prince, I had experienced such minor squabbles many tis, so I could handle it without difficulty.
‘I’ll just go half and half.’
“I apologize to you, Commander, but I ask that you treat Lady Olivia with respect. As Lady Olivia said, she is the ‘head of internal affairs,’ so she deserves to be treated with respect.”
“Ah… I underst—”
“However, I also agree with setting up a plan for the Wasteland of Ruin quickly. As the Commander said, I like to proceed quickly with things that need to be done.”
“As expected, I knew you would say that.”
Jereuth’s complexion brightened as I took his side halfway. Olivia was also smiling with her head slightly bowed. Since Olivia always wore an expressionless face, even a slight smile was very noticeable.
On the other hand, Elly looked rather shocked. I didn’t know if she was flustered that I didn’t take her side, or if she was flustered that she hadn’t grasped my personality.
More importantly, I also had an important matter to discuss.
“Oh, right. Commander. My father intends to accompany us to the Wasteland of Ruin.”
“Philip—King Philip, you an? In his condition, I don’t think he can go to the Wasteland of Ruin.”
“He was healthier than I thought. I didn’t know either.”
“Philip is healthy…?”
“Yes. So he has decided to teach the sword. He said he would teach on the way to et the Giants.”
“I am not doubting Your Highness’s words, but are you absolutely certain? That Philip… is healthy?”
“Yes.”
Jereuth’s thick eyebrows twitched. I didn’t know if he was questioning the King’s physical condition, which he had been unaware of, or if there was another reason.
But one thing was certain.
Jereuth was very angry.
“Father gave a sword—”
Without even hearing everything I was saying, Jereuth cut off.
“…Your Highness, my apologies, but I must go and see the king for a mont.”
Extre rage.
Saying so in such a voice, Jereuth left the room. Even though the anger was not directed at , I was unable to say anything in the face of his sudden fury.
***
The King’s bedroom.
The King, sitting on the edge of his bed, let out a sigh while looking at a book. Whether that sigh was one of regret or relief, only the King himself would know.
“This diary was so thick, but now only a few pages are left.”
As the King said, the book—the ‘Diary’—had originally been very thick. But now it was very thin.
As if the front pages had been torn out, the diary was empty except for the cover and the last few pages.
Rustle—.
Opening the book, the King read the written content and muttered.
“Jereuth will co to soon and be very angry…. I wonder how I explained it to him. I’ll have to read the next page.”
As the King spoke to himself as if asking soone.
Scribble, scribble—.
A few sentences were written on the pages of the nearly empty book.
Reviews
All reviews (0)