CH 24

“I’m sorry, my dear brother but I’m afraid I have to decline.” 

“What did you just say?” 

Granard’s eyebrows shot up at the cold rejection.

Raidorl was sure Granard didn’t expect his words to be rejected. There is a hint of doubt in his eyes.

“I can’t fight the Empire, brother.”

“….. Do you understand what you are saying? This is a royal decree, you know.” 

No matter how much Raidorl is a brother to the king, he is not allowed to refuse the king’s orders. The royal family is only related to the king by blood, but they are still his subjects.

Granard’s eyes grew darker and darker at the rejection of his orders, and his fingertips trembled with anger.

The king was about to shout at him, but Lockwood spoke up instead.

“Your Highness, Raidorl! You are disrespecting His Majesty the King!”

“Well, Your Highness. As Lord of the frontier city of Raid, I have the duty of preventing the invasion of the demons of the jungle. Is it not a little unreasonable to ask me to abandon that duty and go to the border, which is the exact opposite of the territory that I govern, and fight without being given enough time to prepare? Is there not a reason for this, instead of the royal order?” 

“How can there be any reason when the country is about to be destroyed! Do you not understand that this order takes precedence?”

Lockwood shouts with all his usual calmness, and Raidorl replies with a cold sneer.

“I believe that the importance of the task of border protection remains the same, regardless of whether the opponent is an empire or a demon. Or are there other lords besides me who are rushing to the south and north of the kingdom for reinforcements? My memory tells me that it is the army, the knights, and the lords of the northern territories that are facing the empire.”

“…..it’s….” 

Lockwood is slightly at a loss for words. Seeing an opening, Raidorl slashes at it with more mockery words.

“I see there are many noblemen with estates here, but how many troops have you sent out? I don’t suppose you’ve sent me to fight with no other forces than adventurers, and they haven’t sent any troops?” 

“Ku.!!”

The noblemen around him began to whisper at Raidorl’s words.

Many of the noblemen in the service of Granard were gathered here, but many of them had not sent out their troops under the pretext of ‘maintaining the peace’.

It is surely unreasonable for Raidorl to act on the order if the other nobles also refuse to act. 

A whisper of agitation and bewilderment fills the audience room.

Some of the noblemen present nodded their heads in agreement with Raidorl’s words, while others cried out in disrespect to the king.

In the first place, it is impossible for the king to suddenly call back a prince who had been exiled to the frontier and treated poorly, and unilaterally order him to go to war.

Raidorl’s argument was undoubtedly correct, except that it ignored the national danger of ‘enemy invasion’.

The other noblemen were divided in their opinions, and Lockwood, with a sullen look on his face, opened his mouth again in an attempt to persuade Raidorl.

But before the Prime Minister could say a word, Granard spoke up.

“So? How do you propose to fight the Empire?” 

The nobleman who had been making a lot of noise quieted down at the sound of Granard’s resentful questioning, his shoulders shaking with anger.

Granard’s words cut through the silence of the audience room.

“If you really don’t want to go to war, better don’t come to the Royal Capital in the first place. There must be some kind of condition……, is it money or position? If you want something, tell me.”

The smile on Granard’s face that he used to wear when he said that is no longer there. Instead, what dominates his face is the disdain with which he treats his sullen brother. 

Raidorl’s lips lifted in irony as he stared at him with a look that he would never have given to his own flesh and blood.

“That’s His Majesty the King. It’s good that you’re quick with your words. I suppose a king has to be able to read people, doesn’t he?”  

“…… Tell me what you want. I’m not going to listen to your flattery.” 

“Yes, sir. Then let’s hear what I want.” 

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a rolled-up piece of parchment from the inside pocket of his jacket.

“I will gladly fight against the empire if my brother will accept the terms of my oath. If my brother, who is now king, is willing to listen to the request of this poor brother, who has been forced to leave his native land, then I will ……” 

“…….”

When Raidorl said this with a clownish goofiness, Granard gave him a silent, reproachful look and urged him to “read it quickly”.

Raidorl shrugs his shoulders and unfolds the rolled-up parchment, as his brother glares at him.