CH 23

Well, ……, it seems that the daughter of Prime Minister Marcell, whom you sent as a messenger, has been rude to you?”

After the reunion, Granard opened a conversation regarding the Vizier’s daughter, Mertina Marcell. 

Mertina was sent to the frontier city as an emissary to bring Raidorl to Royal Capital, but she is now in custody for attempting to curse and restrain Raidorl. Her body is still in the city and has been thrown into the prison of the adventurer’s guild managed by Zafis. 

“Yes, I did not wish to detain the daughter of the Prime Minister, Lord Marcell, but as things stand, I have taken her into my custody. I will release her and return her to you if that is what you wish?”

“….. No, there is no need for that.”

Lockwood replied to Raidorl’s question with a stern look on his face.

“She has committed an unforgivable act in the service of the House of Zain. I am not in a position to ask for help because of my desire to save my country. Please judge her as you see fit.”

“Well, if that’s what you want, Prime Minister, I shall do so…… Are you sure? She’s your precious daughter, isn’t she?”

Raidorl raises his lips in a mean way to confirm this. Lockwood, on the other hand, is unconcerned, his offer still firm. 

“Of course, Your Highness. She is no longer a member of the house of Marcell. You can boil her or burn her as you like.” 

“……….. Yeah, okay. I’ll do what I want then” 

Raidorl sniffed boringly.

If Lockwood were to stand up for Mertina here, it would be the perfect opportunity to pursue the vizier for disrespecting the royal family and get rid of him.

If Lockwood had been disposed of, it would have reduced the power of his brother, Granard, but it appears that this will not be the case.

“Well, I knew this man was capable of cutting down his own people for the sake of his country. It’s not so surprising.”

Raidorl sigh in resignation and quickly changes his mind.

“And now, brother, what is your business in calling me back to the Royal Capital?” 

Mertina and Darren had already explained it to him, but Raidorl still wanted to hear it from his brother’s mouth.

Granard raises one of his eyebrows and cuts to the main topic. 

“As you may have already heard ……, the Eastern Alsatian Empire has invaded the borders of the Kingdom of Zain.”

“……..” 

“The Empire has more troops than our country, and even the Holy Sword Keepers are following the invasion. The fortress of Balmes, a key border point, has already fallen, and a third of the kingdom has been overrun. General Garst is holding the enemy forces at bay, but if this continues, it is only a matter of time before the kingdom is destroyed.” 

“And what do you want me to do, brother……?”

Raidorl clenched his fists tightly as he asked the question. The tips of his nails dug into his palms, causing a sharp pain. But he does not relax his hand.

“Now, what do we do? This is the last turning point for us, right?” 

If Raidorl and Granard are ever to be reconciled and join hands, this will be the last time they do so.

If Granard bows his head honestly and apologises, then the deep rift between them will be bridged. 

If Granard had said what Raidorl expected him to say, the brotherly bond would have been completely severed at that moment. There would no longer be any chance of restoration.

That is why Raidorl waited with bated breath for his brother’s words.

But what came out of Granard’s mouth were heartless words that extinguished all hope.

“Raidorl Zain, Keeper of the Holy Sword. To save the Kingdom of Zain, you must take up Dáinsleif and fight the Empire!”

“……!”

Raidorl bit his back teeth and closed his eyes tightly.

In that moment, what little was left of his heart for his brother was destroyed in pieces.

In order to reign as king, and out of jealousy over the loss of his holy sword, Granard drove Raidorl to the frontier.

He has never apologised for this, but instead has used his authority as king to force him to fight for his country.

Their relationship is no longer that of brothers.

It’s more of the one who uses, one who is used. It has become a relationship between a ruler and a slave. 

“Well…… my brother, Granard, you don’t really think of me as your brother anymore, do you? You think of me only as a useful pawn, don’t you?” 

Raidorl’s heart went cold, as if a block of ice had been thrown into it.

His mind wanders back to the days when he and his brother were close friends as children. But they soon faded into the background and disappeared from his memory.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll show you no mercy. I will take back what was taken from me, and I will crush the one who took it from me!　I won’t let you take my place again!”

Raidorl looked up, his will for revenge burning like a furnace.

You’re going to rule me?

What a joke! 

How could a king who had not even been chosen for the Holy Sword, a king of such small stature, who chose to give up the title of Keeper of the Holy Sword out of jealousy for his brother, rule over him? 

In Raidorl’s eyes, the throne in front of him was now a place for him to seize.