CH 129

The flag of war

Translated by SoundDestiny

Edited by Zil

Following an urgent summons by Raidorl, the main members of Raidorl’s army were gathered in a conference room at midnight.

In the candlelight, the faces of these men, who had been summoned suddenly in the middle of the night, showed emotions of confusion and tension.

Under the gaze of all present, Raidorl opens his mouth solemnly.

“So,..I’ve decided to kill my brother, Granard. I’m going to attack the Royal Capital with my whole army. Does anyone have any objections?”

“Of course! There are many objections. What’s going on?”

Darren complained about the too hasty declaration of treason.

He knows that Raidorl had received a letter from the capital, but this is too hasty. If Raidorl  doesn’t explain the situation to him, he will not agree with the rebellion. 

Sven Arbeil seemed to be thinking the same thing, and his face was also troubled.

“Your Highness…..we are your servants. We are your men, and we will always fight for our lives if you command it. But I would still like to know why we are fighting.”

“……Sven is right.”

Darren agrees, with a complicated look on his face, as if he has something stuck in his back teeth.

Sven’s face was serious, but his outfit was distracting.

For some reason, he was wearing sleepwear that looked like a stuffed cat, and Angelica Ilkas was hugging him from behind.

Angelica, who was only wearing a coat over her negligee, pressed her face against the back of Sven’s head and sniffed as much as she could.

Despite Sven trying to talk with seriousness, Darren can’t help but find it funny.

“I suppose it’s Angelica’s hobby. …… Poor thing.”

He looked at Sven as if he were looking at something pitiful, but this was not the time to worry about that.

With a will of steel, Daren turned his gaze away from Sven and looked straight at his master.

“I want to know. What happened at the Royal Capital?”

“…… Yea, I should tell you about it first.”

Raidorl nodded his head and began to speak in a matter of fact tone.

The first message was about the contents of a letter from Mertina in Royal’s Capital. Next, the curse that Raidorl had placed on Granard was lifted. Then he tells them about the cause of the lifting of the curse on Granard, and speculates about it based on fragmentary information.

The contents were quite extraordinary, and mixed with some very unbelievable things. If it had not been a loyal lord who was speaking, they might have laughed it off.

“Witches and a magic sword?…… If that’s the case, we need to return back now.”

It was Justy Oigist, who had been appointed to the post of captain of the thousand horsemen of the army of Raidorl, who growled with a hardened expression.

Justy’s brow furrowed in a grim expression as he spoke gravely

“But……it is too unbelievable for a story. Would it not be better to send scouts to the capital to verify the truth?”

“No. They’ll never be able to make it back.” 

Despite Justy’s cautious suggestion, Raidorl immediately declined without hesitation.

“There’s Neimilia and Célia. If we take our time, they will be in danger.”

“That’s…… but…….”

Justy hesitated, slurring his words.

He had heard that the two women were important to Raidorl, even though he had never met them before.

Still, things are not so simple. There is no room for sentimentality and misjudgement.

Sometimes a monarch or a lord has to abandon his family, his friends or his subjects in order to protect his country or his territory.

It is the duty of those who stand above others to make decisions, albeit ruthless ones, to cut small things for big things.

Justy had the impression that Raidorl was letting his emotions get the better of him, that he was not prepared to be a monarch.

But Raidorl shakes his head and dismisses the concerns of his subjects.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t choose to fight my brother out of personal hatred.” 

Unconsciously or not, he stroked his left breast, which was once engraved with a curse. Raidorl speaks in a cheerful tone.

“There’s no evidence. I have no proof, I have no confirmation. But……there’s no doubt that my brother has fallen into the hands of the witches. I can’t say it well, but it’s confirmed. If we leave the Royal Capital to my brother who has become a witch’s apostle, this country will definitely go to ruin. Stopping my brother is the only way to save the Kingdom of Zain.”

“…………..”

“In addition, if Célia, the Imperial Princess, should die, the peace that has been made will be for naught. So we have to go to the capital. It’s much earlier than we planned, but now is the time for a decisive battle with Granard.” 

“I see….If Your Highness is so sure, then we have no choice. We will fight for you with all our might.”

Justy stood up and bowed deeply. The rest of the group followed suit, rising from their chairs and bowing their heads as well.

Raidorl nodded to them, showing the courtesy of a lord, and declared in a high voice

“Well then, brother……the king of the previous generation. I’m going to take the throne of this country. All troops to the front!”

The war within the Kingdom of Zain, which began with the invasion of the Alsatian Empire, was coming to an end like a spinning wheel.

The final battle takes place in the Royal Capital. It is the place where the brothers Raidorl and Granard once lived together, and where they parted and reunited.