Krald was only twenty-one years old. No matter how extravagant his life was, he could not have lost his strength overnight. He did not know that his body was slowly and gradually walking towards death, like a soft stone that was being worn away little by little.
“Your Highness the Prince.”
The servant who had entered the dark room cautiously called him. As soon as he finished speaking, something made a loud noise and rolled on the floor. Most likely it was an empty bottle of liquor. The servant frowned for a moment as if to say, “How foolish!” and then spoke again.
“Your Highness, I think you should get up. A guest has arrived who wishes to see you.”
“Tell him to get out.”
When the murky answer came back, a troubled expression appeared on the servant's face, who was at a loss. If he had said one more word, a bottle of wine or an empty silverware would have been thrown at his face this time, but considering the situation outside, he could not just leave.
"Your Highness..."
“Do you want to die? Whoever came looking for me, tell them to get out! You too, get out of here right now!”
“Your Highness, this is the Grand Duke of Melgan. The Grand Duke Solignac of the Grand Duchy of Melgan wishes to see you. The Duke of Laetian has also gone somewhere and is nowhere to be seen. I think Your Highness should come and see you.”
There was a sound of the sheets being kicked. Krald, who barely managed to raise his upper body while buried in the darkness, squinted his eyes several times to correct his dim vision and then opened them again. He shook his head nervously to shake off the fog before his eyes and said.
“What did you just say? Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Melgan?”
“Yes, Your Highness. And...”
“And what else!”
“The... soldiers of the duchy have come armed to guard the Grand Duke. Come out, Your Highness. Everyone is waiting for Your Highness’s arrival.”
Krald's mind went blank at the unexpected words from the attendant. Why did the Grand Duke of Melgan come here all of a sudden? And he even brought armed soldiers with him? Could it be that he came here to attack this place?
No, that can't be. Krald got up in a hurry and draped his clothes that were strewn about the floor and chair. He was so anxious that he didn't even think of calling a servant to help him get dressed. He was already out of his mind, muttering blind denials that it couldn't be, it couldn't be.
“Your Highness, I will call someone to attend to you.. .”
“Alright, alright. Why is the Grand Duke of Melgan... Why on earth is he looking for me now? Does he know that I met the King of Tien? On earth...”
“Your Highness, please calm down. They have brought soldiers, but they do not seem to be in a hostile mood. So...”
“What do you know that you can talk nonsense!”
The servant was shocked and kept his mouth shut as the fitful scream burst out. It wasn't just for a day or two that Krald had been emotionally unstable, but his condition these days was strange and worrisome to anyone who saw it. It was to the point where it seemed as if the Duke of Laetian had suddenly disappeared because he was tired of trying to please Krald.
Krald, who had dressed in a hurry, roughly pushed aside the restless servant and went outside. He staggered forward, clutching his head and tightly shutting his eyes as if he could not bear even the dim sunlight streaming in through the window. Krald, who was hurriedly heading to the audience room of the castle along the corridor, discovered something and stood still.
Through the window at the end of the hallway, the castle parade grounds could be seen at a glance. The parade grounds were surrounded by walls, and a huge number of soldiers could be seen lined up on the field outside the walls.
The flags fluttering in the winter wind were embroidered with the morning glory and partisan symbol of the Grand Duchy of Melgen. The soldiers, who must have numbered in the thousands or tens of thousands, were all clad in heavy, gray armor, looking like something straight out of a nightmare.
When they arrived in front of the audience room, several of the Grand Duke's officials had already arrived. The door to the audience room was open, and someone's back was visible through the gap. Krald looked at the officials who were sweating profusely with angry eyes and quietly muttered.
“Where did Duke Laetian go that I can’t see him?”
“We don’t know either, Your Highness. We’ve been looking for him all morning... but even the Duke’s entourage doesn’t know where he went.”
Krald gritted his teeth.
“That useless old man... When he gets back, tell him to come to me right away. Got it?”
The officials looked at each other and nodded. As Krald entered the audience room, the door closed. The latch clicked into place, causing the intruder who had been looking out the window to turn around.
“Your Highness, Prince of Rotair. I beg your generous understanding for my sudden visit and rudeness.”
Krald's eyes widened when he saw the Grand Duke of Solignac. Like Franz and Judith, he also did not know that the Grand Duke of Melgan was a woman. When he found out that the other person was a woman, he immediately made an arrogant expression and made a tongue-clicking sound.
“Are you the Grand Duke of Melgan?”
“Yes, my name is Amatus Solignac, Your Highness Prince Krald.”
“What kind of outrageous act is this? Who gave you permission to bring soldiers to my land?”
Even though Krald, who was just as old as her son, responded with an informal tone, there was not a single trace of displeasure on the face of Grand Duke Solignac. On the contrary, she nodded with a softened expression as if she agreed with Krald's words. However, she showed no sign of backing down meekly.
“I apologize for that. The matter was so urgent that I had no choice, so I hope Your Highness will take it into consideration.”
“There shouldn’t be any pressing issues between Melgan and me?”
“It has been so far, but I have heard that King Iland of Tien is trying to cause trouble in this region again. I believe Your Highness, a wise lord, knows that although there has been no friendship between Melgan and Rotair for a long time if we go back to the past, we were definitely allies. How can we stand by and watch an unscrupulous man who delights only in conflict and discord trample upon the land of an ally?”
The Grand Duke's speech was steady, fast, and blunt, leaving no room for Krald to intervene. Krald, who had been listening blankly without being able to interrupt her, moved his rough, messy lips.
“Th, what the heck is that...”
“Your Highness, did you really not know about Tien’s expedition? If so, this is not the time to be doing this. Tien’s troops have already reached the border of the Grand Duchy, and the attack is likely to begin at dawn tomorrow at the latest. Give the order to arm the troops immediately. The duchy will do its best to assist Rotair and Your Highness the Prince.”
What on earth is going on? Krald was so confused that he couldn't do anything. Even if he had been conscious, the fog in his head still hadn't cleared.
Krald tried to sort out the situation with his hazy mind. Tien's Iland had clearly proposed an alliance with the Grand Duke, and he had accepted. The fastest way for Tien's troops to get to Melgan was through the Grand Duke in a straight line.
When they reached the Grand Duchy, Krald had promised to provide the food, weapons, and soldiers that Iland needed. He also planned to inform the Allied Kingdoms of Tien's advance and have the King help them attack Melgan. However, before Tien's messenger could arrive, Grand Duke Solignac suddenly appeared.
Did the secret alliance with Tien leak out somewhere? No, that couldn't be. As Grand Duke Solignac said, there had been no contact between Rotair and the Duchy for a long time. So was Iland really trying to betray him? He also had difficulty being sure. If that was true, how could Grand Duke Solignac know something that he didn't?
Krald, who had not observed the situation in the capital at all, had no way of knowing that the Grand Duke Solignac had already secretly visited the palace and met with Franz. If the Duke of Laetian had been there, he might have offered some advice, but the carriage he was riding had already left the Grand Duke's residence. Krald, who had never thought of anything on his own, could not help but be confused.
If Grand Duke Solignac had set a trap, Tien's troops would have been annihilated by the unexpected force of Melgan. However, if Iland had really betrayed him, there was no way he could refuse to follow the Grand Duke's proposal. Cold sweat ran down his back. Krald shook his head as if he had lost his mind.
“Ti, Tien... the King of Tien, there’s no way...”
“Do you not believe me? Then send the fastest of your troops to the northwest. They will encounter Tien’s troops in less than half a day’s ride.”
The voice of the Grand Duke Solignac did not sound urgent. Rather, it seemed to be indifferent, but this made Krald even more anxious and pushed him into a corner. The Grand Duke drove the wedge in one last time.
“It will take time to prepare the Grand Duke’s troops. In the meantime, my troops and I will set up camp around the Grand Duke and prepare to meet Tien. My troops are particularly strong in sieges, so Your Highness, please relax and prepare to punish King Iland, the cause of the conflict.”
“W-Wait... Wait. I..."
“Then, I’m busy right now, so I’ll go out now.”
The Grand Duke hurried out of the audience room without giving Krald another chance to speak. As she came out in armor and weapons, the Grand Duke's officials who had been listening attentively at the closed door stepped back in thought.
Krald was so bewildered that he could barely stand on his own. As he stumbled and fell against the sofa, the servants standing at the door rushed to help him up. However, Krald shook off the hands that were holding him as if they were bugs and started screaming.
“Saragan! Bring Saragan! Find the Duke of Laetian! Quickly, quickly!”
The attendants, who had stepped back hesitantly, looked at each other. Krald was curled up at the foot of the sofa, holding his head in a pitiful state. Occasionally, his whole body would convulse. He would kick and scream, his teeth clicking together.
“Your Highness the Prince.”
The servant who had entered the dark room cautiously called him. As soon as he finished speaking, something made a loud noise and rolled on the floor. Most likely it was an empty bottle of liquor. The servant frowned for a moment as if to say, “How foolish!” and then spoke again.
“Your Highness, I think you should get up. A guest has arrived who wishes to see you.”
“Tell him to get out.”
When the murky answer came back, a troubled expression appeared on the servant's face, who was at a loss. If he had said one more word, a bottle of wine or an empty silverware would have been thrown at his face this time, but considering the situation outside, he could not just leave.
"Your Highness..."
“Do you want to die? Whoever came looking for me, tell them to get out! You too, get out of here right now!”
“Your Highness, this is the Grand Duke of Melgan. The Grand Duke Solignac of the Grand Duchy of Melgan wishes to see you. The Duke of Laetian has also gone somewhere and is nowhere to be seen. I think Your Highness should come and see you.”
There was a sound of the sheets being kicked. Krald, who barely managed to raise his upper body while buried in the darkness, squinted his eyes several times to correct his dim vision and then opened them again. He shook his head nervously to shake off the fog before his eyes and said.
“What did you just say? Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Melgan?”
“Yes, Your Highness. And...”
“And what else!”
“The... soldiers of the duchy have come armed to guard the Grand Duke. Come out, Your Highness. Everyone is waiting for Your Highness’s arrival.”
Krald's mind went blank at the unexpected words from the attendant. Why did the Grand Duke of Melgan come here all of a sudden? And he even brought armed soldiers with him? Could it be that he came here to attack this place?
No, that can't be. Krald got up in a hurry and draped his clothes that were strewn about the floor and chair. He was so anxious that he didn't even think of calling a servant to help him get dressed. He was already out of his mind, muttering blind denials that it couldn't be, it couldn't be.
“Your Highness, I will call someone to attend to you.. .”
“Alright, alright. Why is the Grand Duke of Melgan... Why on earth is he looking for me now? Does he know that I met the King of Tien? On earth...”
“Your Highness, please calm down. They have brought soldiers, but they do not seem to be in a hostile mood. So...”
“What do you know that you can talk nonsense!”
The servant was shocked and kept his mouth shut as the fitful scream burst out. It wasn't just for a day or two that Krald had been emotionally unstable, but his condition these days was strange and worrisome to anyone who saw it. It was to the point where it seemed as if the Duke of Laetian had suddenly disappeared because he was tired of trying to please Krald.
Krald, who had dressed in a hurry, roughly pushed aside the restless servant and went outside. He staggered forward, clutching his head and tightly shutting his eyes as if he could not bear even the dim sunlight streaming in through the window. Krald, who was hurriedly heading to the audience room of the castle along the corridor, discovered something and stood still.
Through the window at the end of the hallway, the castle parade grounds could be seen at a glance. The parade grounds were surrounded by walls, and a huge number of soldiers could be seen lined up on the field outside the walls.
The flags fluttering in the winter wind were embroidered with the morning glory and partisan symbol of the Grand Duchy of Melgen. The soldiers, who must have numbered in the thousands or tens of thousands, were all clad in heavy, gray armor, looking like something straight out of a nightmare.
When they arrived in front of the audience room, several of the Grand Duke's officials had already arrived. The door to the audience room was open, and someone's back was visible through the gap. Krald looked at the officials who were sweating profusely with angry eyes and quietly muttered.
“Where did Duke Laetian go that I can’t see him?”
“We don’t know either, Your Highness. We’ve been looking for him all morning... but even the Duke’s entourage doesn’t know where he went.”
Krald gritted his teeth.
“That useless old man... When he gets back, tell him to come to me right away. Got it?”
The officials looked at each other and nodded. As Krald entered the audience room, the door closed. The latch clicked into place, causing the intruder who had been looking out the window to turn around.
“Your Highness, Prince of Rotair. I beg your generous understanding for my sudden visit and rudeness.”
Krald's eyes widened when he saw the Grand Duke of Solignac. Like Franz and Judith, he also did not know that the Grand Duke of Melgan was a woman. When he found out that the other person was a woman, he immediately made an arrogant expression and made a tongue-clicking sound.
“Are you the Grand Duke of Melgan?”
“Yes, my name is Amatus Solignac, Your Highness Prince Krald.”
“What kind of outrageous act is this? Who gave you permission to bring soldiers to my land?”
Even though Krald, who was just as old as her son, responded with an informal tone, there was not a single trace of displeasure on the face of Grand Duke Solignac. On the contrary, she nodded with a softened expression as if she agreed with Krald's words. However, she showed no sign of backing down meekly.
“I apologize for that. The matter was so urgent that I had no choice, so I hope Your Highness will take it into consideration.”
“There shouldn’t be any pressing issues between Melgan and me?”
“It has been so far, but I have heard that King Iland of Tien is trying to cause trouble in this region again. I believe Your Highness, a wise lord, knows that although there has been no friendship between Melgan and Rotair for a long time if we go back to the past, we were definitely allies. How can we stand by and watch an unscrupulous man who delights only in conflict and discord trample upon the land of an ally?”
The Grand Duke's speech was steady, fast, and blunt, leaving no room for Krald to intervene. Krald, who had been listening blankly without being able to interrupt her, moved his rough, messy lips.
“Th, what the heck is that...”
“Your Highness, did you really not know about Tien’s expedition? If so, this is not the time to be doing this. Tien’s troops have already reached the border of the Grand Duchy, and the attack is likely to begin at dawn tomorrow at the latest. Give the order to arm the troops immediately. The duchy will do its best to assist Rotair and Your Highness the Prince.”
What on earth is going on? Krald was so confused that he couldn't do anything. Even if he had been conscious, the fog in his head still hadn't cleared.
Krald tried to sort out the situation with his hazy mind. Tien's Iland had clearly proposed an alliance with the Grand Duke, and he had accepted. The fastest way for Tien's troops to get to Melgan was through the Grand Duke in a straight line.
When they reached the Grand Duchy, Krald had promised to provide the food, weapons, and soldiers that Iland needed. He also planned to inform the Allied Kingdoms of Tien's advance and have the King help them attack Melgan. However, before Tien's messenger could arrive, Grand Duke Solignac suddenly appeared.
Did the secret alliance with Tien leak out somewhere? No, that couldn't be. As Grand Duke Solignac said, there had been no contact between Rotair and the Duchy for a long time. So was Iland really trying to betray him? He also had difficulty being sure. If that was true, how could Grand Duke Solignac know something that he didn't?
Krald, who had not observed the situation in the capital at all, had no way of knowing that the Grand Duke Solignac had already secretly visited the palace and met with Franz. If the Duke of Laetian had been there, he might have offered some advice, but the carriage he was riding had already left the Grand Duke's residence. Krald, who had never thought of anything on his own, could not help but be confused.
If Grand Duke Solignac had set a trap, Tien's troops would have been annihilated by the unexpected force of Melgan. However, if Iland had really betrayed him, there was no way he could refuse to follow the Grand Duke's proposal. Cold sweat ran down his back. Krald shook his head as if he had lost his mind.
“Ti, Tien... the King of Tien, there’s no way...”
“Do you not believe me? Then send the fastest of your troops to the northwest. They will encounter Tien’s troops in less than half a day’s ride.”
The voice of the Grand Duke Solignac did not sound urgent. Rather, it seemed to be indifferent, but this made Krald even more anxious and pushed him into a corner. The Grand Duke drove the wedge in one last time.
“It will take time to prepare the Grand Duke’s troops. In the meantime, my troops and I will set up camp around the Grand Duke and prepare to meet Tien. My troops are particularly strong in sieges, so Your Highness, please relax and prepare to punish King Iland, the cause of the conflict.”
“W-Wait... Wait. I..."
“Then, I’m busy right now, so I’ll go out now.”
The Grand Duke hurried out of the audience room without giving Krald another chance to speak. As she came out in armor and weapons, the Grand Duke's officials who had been listening attentively at the closed door stepped back in thought.
Krald was so bewildered that he could barely stand on his own. As he stumbled and fell against the sofa, the servants standing at the door rushed to help him up. However, Krald shook off the hands that were holding him as if they were bugs and started screaming.
“Saragan! Bring Saragan! Find the Duke of Laetian! Quickly, quickly!”
The attendants, who had stepped back hesitantly, looked at each other. Krald was curled up at the foot of the sofa, holding his head in a pitiful state. Occasionally, his whole body would convulse. He would kick and scream, his teeth clicking together.
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