Chapter 184: (Self Edited) Queen’s Castle Island

Upon leaving the royal castle, there were individuals present who did not seem like members of the Ho family’s Sky Knights. It appeared to be the First Army of the Royal Guard. They were neatly lined up, observing us. There seemed to be no intention to attack. Among them, a familiar face emerged.“Yuri-kun, or should I say, His Excellency Yuri.” (Galla)

It was Galla Godwin, Dolla’s father.

“Please, spare me. It’s embarrassing. Galla-san is not my subordinate.” (Yuri)

“Well, for now.” (Galla)

‘For now. Indeed, that might be true.’

“Thank you for the matter regarding the First Army of the Royal Guard.” (Yuri)

‘I didn’t fully understand, but coming this far must have meant they did more than just promise not to move.’

“Oh, we’ve detained all the higher-ups. We couldn’t control the entire army, but we managed to form a force of about a thousand with volunteers. They’re assisting as best they can.” (Galla)

From the rear of the group, a loud, grating female voice could be heard. It must have been the voice of one of the detained officers.

“Was there any resistance from the Second Army?” (Yuri)

“Hardly any. There are only three hundred of us here, while the other seven hundred are gradually securing the entire Queen’s Castle Island. There have been no reports of intense resistance. We’ve instructed them not to engage with the Hou Household’s Knights, but if clashes occur, we can’t avoid it.” (Galla)

“That’s fine. It’s inevitable in these situations.” (Yuri)

‘Even on the battlefield, members of the same faction may sometimes clash. In the extreme tension of combat, someone wielding a weapon might suddenly appear before you. You might instinctively strike out, then hurriedly stop yourself, or inadvertently cause injury, even death. Such incidents couldn’t be reduced to zero, and it would be endless to exaggerate every skirmish as a hostile act.’ Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ ɴøvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“What about Metina Arkhorse?” (Yuri)

“We’ve captured her. I’m keeping her under house arrest with guards to make sure she doesn’t harm herself.” (Galla)

“I see. Truly flawless work. Thank you.” (Your)

According to Tillet’s report, it wasn’t certain whether the First Army would act or not, but it seemed that they were cooperating properly.

“By chance, we also captured about twenty others, but our base doesn’t have facilities for prisoners. There’s a prison used for the entire Castle Island nearby. It’s difficult to keep an eye on all twenty, so while passing by, we came to incarcerate them.” (Galla)

‘Since it’s just detention, one might think simply tying them up with ropes would suffice. I’m afraid they fear being lynched. They’re from the First Army, so I’d like to believe there’s no chance they’d gang-rape their former superiors…’

“Yes, please do. Even if it leads to a death sentence, they can still be useful.” (Yuri)

“Yeah, they should face trial.” (Galla)

‘A trial. Considering the authoritarian nature of this country’s trials, I have little respect for judicial authority and find the notion of a fair trial quite absurd. Nonetheless, it’s probably best to go through the motions. Failing to follow due process might undermine any claim to a legitimate change in power.’

“By the way, have you met my foolish son?” (Galla)

Galla changed the subject. He meant Dolla.

“No, unfortunately.” (Yuri)

“After that incident, he said he was going to see you. Probably headed to Hou Household’s territory. If you haven’t met him, you must have crossed paths somewhere.” (Galla)

‘Seriously?’

“Probably. Maybe we’ve inadvertently captured him at our place.” (Yuri)

‘That sounds entirely likely. I can picture it vividly.’

“Well, if that’s the case, I hope you release him. He means no harm. He’s just been blinded by his relationship with Her Highness Carol and can’t see clearly.” (Galla)

“Got it.” (Yuri)

‘I should meet Dora. I wonder what he’ll say when he sees me. Will he hit me? Thinking about it, it doesn’t seem so depressing. Come to think of it, no one’s blamed me for that incident. Maybe I want to be blamed.’

“Well, it looks like things have settled down on Castle Island, so I’ll go check on the main camp. Can’t say for sure what’s going on there.” (Yuri)

‘I doubt they’re losing. But first, I need to find the Queen’s Sword. There are probably one or two people near the burning bridge. I’ll ask them to deal with Carya’s body and that’s it.’

“Your Excellency Yuri, I have a report!” (??)

As I was about to bid farewell to Galla, a voice suddenly called out. It belonged to a well-groomed, handsome young man dressed in messenger attire.

‘In the Hou family, messengers (assigned specifically to the Heavenly Knights) wear distinctive uniforms. This is to clearly communicate their importance, as their job requires speed and should not be hindered. Messengers can skip queues if there are any, and even high-ranking officials must yield the road when they pass through crowded streets. They don’t need to salute when passing by me.’

“As expected of the Hou Household. They’ve got good soldiers.” (Galla)

Just as I was trying to understand the situation, Galla said something flattering, perhaps because the messenger arrived right on cue.

‘Well, maybe they have good soldiers compared to the Royal Guard. Having experienced actual combat, they know how to tighten the screws. The Second Army, on the other hand, seemed rather lax everywhere I looked.’

“Good, go on.” (Yuri)

“I report! The Second Army has been annihilated! It’s a great victory for our army!” (??)

I stepped forward and kicked the man’s knee with force, collapsing it under my weight.

“Ugh!” (??)

Galla let out a surprised sound.

“What?! Arghhh!!!” (??)

The man whose knee I kicked crumpled to the ground in pain. Amidst this sudden turn of events, the Knights of the First Army behind Galla stared at us, clearly intrigued.

“Take this one to the dungeon as well. He’s probably a spy for the Witches.” (Yuri)

‘If it were to happen, it would be surrender, not destruction. Of course, depending on the circumstances, it could have been a decisive battle leading to their annihilation. I’m not sure of the truth behind that, but if they’re enemies and potential assassins, preemptive action is prudent.’

“How did you know? Did you receive reports in advance that the Second Army had surrendered?” (Galla)

“Because his hair was too well-groomed.” (Yuri)

“…What?” (Galla)

Galla seemed to not understand.

‘Perhaps it didn’t click for him since he’s not a Heavenly Knight.’

“If he had come on an Eagle, his hair should be disheveled. This guy’s hair was neatly combed as if he did it at home. Well, it’s a mess now that he’s rolling on the ground.” (Yuri)

Given that he was rolling around on the ground, his hair was the least of his worries.

‘I don’t know where he got the outfit from, but it’s a sly move. Maybe he thought he could deceive better with a clean appearance before leaving home, but he should have put more effort into the disguise.’

“But even so…” (Galla)

“A messenger’s job is to deliver information as quickly as possible, every second counts. There’s no messenger who meticulously combs their hair in the middle of work, unless it’s just a quick fix. ” (Yuri)

‘Well, there may be such a messenger somewhere in this world, but even If I’m wrong, this guy is unnecessary for the Hou Household’s army.’

“Alright then, I’ll be on my way. Galla, take care, you’ve probably made some enemies.” (Yuri)

“Yeah… I’ll watch my back.” (Galla)

—

I parted ways with Galla and walked towards White Sunset’s location. In the familiar streets of the Castle Island, Eagles were tied up here and there, creating a bizarre sight. Some Eagles were tied up with just rocks instead of proper restraints, yet they hadn’t flown away. Perhaps they were somehow absorbed into the atmosphere since the other hawks hadn’t taken flight. A future zoologist might say something about their social behavior.

While thinking about this, I reached White Sunset’s tied spot, and the Queen’s Sword appeared from behind a corner. It wasn’t Tillet, but Enrique.

“Hey there, it’s me, Enrique -chan!” (Enrique)

She came out babbling something odd.

“What’s your intention?” (Yuri)

I said, feeling more awkward than I expected.

‘Was this guy always like this Wait, is this really the Queen’s Sword?’

“Oh, right… there’s always an initial character, isn’t it?” (Enrique)

Enrique’s energy plummeted suddenly.

“Um… Tillet told me to guard the castle. What happened?” (Enrique)

In an instant, Enrique transformed into the same person I met at the royal castle before. However, it wasn’t just a drop in energy. It was more like tuning a stringed instrument, adjusting the pitch by turning the pegs.

‘The initial character didn’t seem like she was forcing herself to be cheerful either. If you didn’t know the previous character, you’d probably just think she was a lively girl.’

There was a strange sensation as if she had instantly switched into a different person. Looking around conspicuously in all directions, Enrique lowered her tone slightly and said,

“I was waiting, thinking Carya would come down.” (Enrique)

“Stop mentioning Carya. She’s laid to rest on the sixth floor. Dress her nicely and make it look like she died from poisoning.” (Yuri)

“Oh, so you have a soft side after all. Surprisingly sweet.” (Enrique)

Enrique squinted her eyes and appraised me. The way she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes had a strange allure to it.

‘Not as much as Lily, but she had a sizable chest. Her face was pretty. Despite having a youthful appearance, there was a hint of enchantment in her expression. I felt like she touched a delicate part of my heart where men feel women. Ah, I see. Indeed, Tilet probably couldn’t handle such delicate tasks. She’s not like this, with just the right amount of fat.

So, that’s why she was left at the royal castle last. Actually, she’s managed to survive energetically like this. Her survivability among people is probably the highest.’

“She’s an old acquaintance after all.” (Yuri)

I left Enrique behind and approached White Sunset. For some reason, Enrique followed me. The conversation was over, so I took Enrique ‘s reins and began walking to lead him to an open area.

“What did you feel when you killed Carya?” (Enrique)

‘Who is this person? I didn’t want to answer that kind of question. Is there something unique about feeling the Queen’s Sword? Do these people somehow have resistance to the idea of Carya being killed, despite everything?’

“It had depth. Even though she was an old acquaintance.” (Yuri)

“Did Carya suffer? Did she curse and die in agony? How do you feel now after killing an old acquaintance?” (Enrique)

‘… What?’

I felt a slight irritation, but more than moist anger, it was a sense of discomfort that came first. The question seemed entirely unnecessary. It felt like I was being provoked somehow.

‘Do you want to anger me? Why would you want to anger me…?’

“I don’t really remember.” (Yuri)

I vaguely responded.

“Come on, get mad. Like, ‘Don’t mess with me!’ You can even punch me if you want.” (Enrique)

“What are you talking about?” (Yuri)

‘Is this woman okay in the head?’

“This is boring. I felt such intense anger back then.” (Enrique)

“If you want entertainment, go watch a comedy show.” (Yuri)

Having reached an open space, I mounted White Sunset.

“How thin. It used to be thick. Are you surprisingly shallow?” (Enrique)

She was saying nonsensical things from under the Eagle.

‘Thin or thick?’

“I don’t know.” (Yuri)

“Hey, could you say ‘I’ll kill you’ again?” (Enrique)

“I’ll kill you.” (Yuri)

I said it because I didn’t care.

“How dull…” (Enrique)

Enrique made an incredibly bored expression.

I couldn’t care less.

I finished securing White Sunset’s reins.

“Your taste is fine but do your job properly.” (Yuri)

With that parting remark, I made White Sunset take flight.