CH 131

Messengers from Royal Capitol

Translated by SoundDestiny

Edited by Zil

Raidorl, on the other hand, was heading straight for the capital on horseback.

He paid no attention to the pilgrims who passed him on the way, but simply rode on, heading west.

It had only been three days since the army of Raidorl had decided to defeat Granard and take the throne.

Without much preparation, they mobilized all the soldiers and horses they could spare, and marched with the momentum of flight.

Darren, who was riding next to him, shouted at him as he rode forward, his eyes fixed on his master.

“Your Highness! We’ll soon see the village!”

“I see, Okay!”

Raidorl took one look at Darren, gave him a short reply, and then quickly looked back ahead.

As he drives forward, he sees a small village. At the entrance to the village, there is a large bonfire, roaring and burning, sending sparks flying into the sky.

Next to the bonfire, a simple wooden table was set up with a large amount of food such as bread, water, dried meat and cheese.

“OK, we’re taking a break to refuel!　We’ll leave as soon as we’ve replenished ourselves!”

“I’ll bring you a replacement horse. One moment, please!” 

As soon as Raidorl dismounted, he stuffed his mouth with the bread and water that had been prepared for him. The soldiers who followed him gobbled up the food in the same way.

For this march, he had sent out early horses to several villages on the road to the royal capital. Raidorl had given them money and instructed them to prepare water and food, that’s why they had made these rest stops.

Incidentally, it was Sven Arbeil, the military commander of Raidorl’s army, who ordered these deployments. Sven’s ability to prepare for the march in a minimum amount of time, in response to Raidorl’s expectations, is truly outstanding.

The boy soldier, who has now become Angelica’s lapdog, still seems to do things when he has to.

“Your Highness, Raidorl, may I have a word?”

“Hmm, what’s the matter?”

One of the soldiers came up to Raidorl, who was eating a quick meal.

“There is someone who has requested to see His Highness….”

“Is it a village chief?　Didn’t I give him enough gold for the food he provides?”

“No, he’s from the capital. He says he’s the Prime Minister’s messenger.” 

“The Prime Minister …..Lockwood Marcell?”

Raidorl narrowed his eyes suspiciously and motioned for a soldier to bring him in.

Eventually he arrived, a man who was well into his early years. He had a romance-gray moustache, and from the way he was dressed, it was clear that he was a senior servant in the service of the nobility.

“I believe you are……”

“It’s been a long time, Your Highness Raidorl.”

The man who appeared before Raidorl was a man called Salawin, who used to be the steward of the royal household.

He was a man who had previously been sent as a servant to Raidorl’s house in the royal capital, but had been thrown out without being accepted.

“What do you want with me now? I was told you were sent by Lockwood.”

“Yes, by order of the Lord Chancellor, I have something to say to His Highness Prince Raidorl.”

The butler, with a somber look on his face, explains the current situation in the capital.

The content of the conversation was about what Raidorl had expected. 

Granard, the elder brother to Raidorl, was suddenly given a sword not unlike the Holy Sword-the Witch’s Magic Sword. At the same time, in a fit of rage, he murdered the soldiers of the castle. Fortunately, the people have not yet heard about the king’s rashness, but it will come to light sooner or later. 

And that Neimilia and Célia, who are close friends of Raidorl, have been defeated by Granard and are being held as prisoners.

“….!”

Raidorl clenched his fists and twisted his face into a hatred expression. 

One of the possibilities was that two women were being held captive. However, when Raidorl was actually told this, he felt a surge of anger.

“No, calm down. The fact that they are being held as hostages means that they have not been killed yet. The worst is yet to come.”

“……So, what does Lockwood say?”

“W-well, the Prime Minister is ……”

Salawin, frightened by the indignant look on Raidorl’s face, utters a message from Lockwood.

“Well, the Prime Minister says that if His Highness Raidorl does not visit the Royal Capital in the near future, they will be killed. The Prime Minister is trying to persuade him to keep his Majesty Granard at bay, but he’ll reach his limit sooner or later. ……”

“….I see..”

“His Majesty is apparently going to kill the hostages in front of His Highness Prince Raidorl to make him suffer. His Highness will visit the capital and the public execution will take place immediately.” 

“……………”

If Lockwood’s message is to be believed, it would be putting the hostages at risk to continue to lead the army in a head-on assault on Granard.

Somehow, Raidorl has to get the two hostages out of there first.

“That’s the thing…….”

“Nn?”

As Raidorl is lost in thought, Salawin continues and says to him in a caring way.

“There is more to the message from the Prime Minister. It’s……”

Raidorl’s eyes widened slightly as he listened to Salawin. Then he called the soldiers closest to him and gave them a straightforward order.

“I want Darren and Sven here as soon as possible!　There will now be a military conference!”