Chapter 95 - 2
In early May of the year 1573 of the Yuresla Kingdom Calendar.
The historic day was clear and fine, with a beautiful blue sky.
The city was filled with a somewhat festive mood, an air different from the usual. The entire country was in high spirits, but it lacked the cheerful atmosphere of the New Festival Month, and a solemn air also hung about.
An even greater tension filled the royal castle, and Franz Lucina, experiencing such an atmosphere for the first time, felt a strange sensation.
To be present for such a major event, the first in thirty-five years, was he lucky?
Or perhaps, unlucky?
That day, the throne room, though packed with people, was filled with a terrifying silence and tension.
A brand-new crimson carpet was laid out on the path from the great doors at the entrance to the throne, and on either side, the kingdom's dignitaries were lined up.
As usual, Franz was not there of his own volition; to be honest, he had been forced to stand in a corner of this commemorative ceremony.
He was gratefully seated at the far end of the royal family's section, but he just couldn't relax. If he could, he would have loved to escape.
It had been less than half a year since he arrived in the Royal Capital, and the unease of whether a commoner like himself should be sitting in such a place had not left him, even at this stage.
No matter how he thought about it, he felt out of place here.
That's why he had tried to refuse once, but his friend, His Highness Prince Greig of the Yuresla Kingdom—a friend who was a blessing to the world but not at all to Franz—wouldn't hear of it, and instead casually said this:
"It doesn't matter. When I take the throne, you'll be around here somewhere anyway."
With a sigh, he looked at the seat across the carpet that Greig had pointed to before the ceremony, and he saw the figure of his companion, Ritz Alster, whose disguise had become completely natural.
In other words, what Greig meant by "around here somewhere" was a simple threat: "I'll make you a minister in the future, just you watch."
He sincerely wished to be spared, but at the same time, he somehow felt his future lay there, and his heart grew heavy.
Of course, this didn't mean he would take a ministerial post, but rather that he would be fated to be pushed around by Greig for a long time to come.
Next to Ritz on the throne side was Queen Patricia, and behind her stood Anna, dressed as a lady-in-waiting.
As for himself, his position today was the same as Anna's: he was treated as Greig's attendant. So next to Greig, of course, was the figure of Chancellor Shasta Celosia, a man with power equal to that of a minister.
He let out a secret sigh.
When he thought about how the son of a commoner who had run away from home after burning it down was now in the heart of the nation's government, his own fate of being swept along gave him a headache.
He decided to blame it all on Ritz. He couldn't go on without blaming someone.
Having resigned himself, he looked at the throne and saw Edward, dressed in the formal attire of a king and wearing the crown.
Dressed in a simple yet beautifully crafted robe, Edward, who stared straight ahead, was terrifyingly every inch a king.
When he wandered the city, his hair was tied back casually, and when Anna was around, it was braided, but today his magnificent golden hair, with a few strands of white mixed in, fell straight to his shoulders.
His light blue eyes, which seemed to see through everything, were cold and clear, making him seem like a different person from the Edward who was always engaged in verbal battles with Ritz.
There was no way he could approach him.
If the first Edward he had met had been this one, Franz probably would have never been able to interact with him as he did now.
Franz realized anew that this was what was meant by a person's stature and a king's dignity.
Behind the king hung the unicorn flag, the symbol of the Yuresla Kingdom.
The background for the neighing, pure white unicorn was blue and green. Separating the two colors was a crimson line bordered in gold.
Blue for the Royal Capital Sears. The color of the royal family who lived near the sea.
Green for the Ciedena Forest. The color of the Spirit Tribe who lived in the forest.
Red for the blood shed together in the founding of the nation.
It was said to be a flag created based on a legend passed down from long ago. Come to think of it, that story had been represented in the Founding Dance of the New Festival Month.
He suddenly remembered Shasta, who had told him this, saying that it coincidentally mirrored the positions of the current king and minister.
King Edward of the blue royal family, and Ritz of the green Spirit Tribe. A throne reclaimed by shedding blood together.
Shasta was certainly right.
But Franz, who knew Ritz well—a Spirit Tribe member who was not the beautiful, fantastical being from the founding legend—felt a strange sensation.
It would ruin the founding myth if a gluttonous Spirit Tribe member appeared, so he thought it was best to leave the legend as a legend.
The creaking of the great doors cleanly swept away the faint murmurs that had filled the throne room. The gazes of everyone, now silent, turned in unison toward the doors.
Franz also reflexively turned his gaze that way.
The soldiers standing on either side of the wide-open doors bowed their heads reverently.
A man stood there.
Everyone present knew well who that figure, hidden in shadow, was.
Crown Prince Gerald. The son of the Hero King Edward and the sole heir to the throne.
Gerald advanced slowly and quietly toward the king waiting on the throne. He lacked Edward's brilliance, but in its place, he possessed an intellectual air.
His figure, looking straight ahead without hesitation, seemed even more dazzling than the usual Gerald, who had a quiet and calm demeanor.
His golden hair, inherited from his father, swayed with his steps. Though not visible from here, Franz, who had become acquainted with him, knew that his eyes were the purple of his mother's.
Before coming to the Royal Capital, he had only been acquainted with Edward, who had traveled with them, but since the attempted assassination of the king, Franz had spent more time with Gerald than with Edward.
It wasn't that Franz was avoiding Edward, but rather because Gerald was Greig's father, and there was no particularly deep meaning to it.
But from Franz's perspective, Gerald seemed a much better fit as a superior than Edward.
Edward was too great for Franz.
When Gerald reached the front of the king and knelt before the throne, Edward, who had been seated, slowly stood up.
"My son, Gerald."
In the silent throne room, Edward's low, dignified voice carried well.
"I have but one thing to say to you, who are to become king. Do not be consumed by the position of king, but live alongside the people of the kingdom. The foundation of a nation is not the royal family, nor the nobility, nor the military, but the people. To know the path of the people is to decide the path of the nation. When you forget that and drown in your own vanity, the foundation of the nation will crumble."
To know the path of the people is to decide the path of the nation. Franz, who had read the official records of the civil war for the first time, understood the weight of Edward's words.
It was simple to say, but to know the path of the people... in other words, to lead people, was difficult. It was something Franz could never do.
But Edward had walked that impossible path. And Gerald would succeed him, and it would continue with Greig.
Greig, who had become his friend, would walk an incredibly heavy path. He had understood it intellectually, but Edward's words made him realize it anew.
"I am certain that you will be able to proceed without mistaking the future of this country."
With those words, Edward descended from the throne, which was raised by several steps, with a firm, step-by-step gait.
It was quiet. How could he describe this quiet... yet clear atmosphere?
Was this what was called serenity?
No, that didn't feel right either. Franz etched this scene, like a painting, yet a heavy truth, into his heart so that he would never forget it.
Edward, having descended the steps, stood before the still-kneeling Gerald and held the crown from his own head with both hands.
What thoughts were passing through the king's mind?
Was it the entirety of the long thirty-five years, or the past when he started the civil war to become king?
Even if they were personally close, it was impossible to know the inner thoughts of the king who carried the nation on his back.
Edward held the crown before his chest for a moment, then quietly placed it upon Gerald's head.
"Herein, I declare the coronation of the new king of the Yuresla Kingdom, Gerald."
The throne room erupted with a great roar at Edward's loud declaration.
Voices praising the new king rose up, and the church bells all rang out across the city.
The sound of the bells would inform the entire country of the birth of the new king.
In the midst of such clamor, Franz was watching Ritz's face.
The moment the throne passed from Edward to Gerald, Ritz let out a small breath, his shoulders slumped, and he faintly looked up to the heavens.
It seemed he had let out a sigh, unnoticed and unseen by anyone.
His gaze then slowly returned, and after that, it was fixed solely on Edward.
He was sure it wasn't his imagination that those eyes were filled with more relief and loneliness than any expression he had ever seen before.
If it had been just Franz and Anna here, Ritz would have likely said:
It's over...
Because the matter of King Edward, the most important thing in his life until he met them, was finally settled.
Though he was across the carpet, Franz could almost hear Ritz's voice, and he let out a small sigh amidst the cheering crowd.
Meanwhile, Anna, who had also participated in the coronation ceremony just like Franz, stayed overnight at the palace with the queen after the ceremony and participated in a full day of national events.
Afterward, Anna, who had even accompanied the parade for the birth of the new king, returned home quite late on the night of the coronation.
Truthfully, Patricia had told her to attend the party at the palace as well, but for Anna, who couldn't even dance a single dance properly, high society was too high a hurdle.
She knew well enough herself that if the only dance she could do was the harvest dance from the village festival, it would be difficult to be with the queen.
Of course, Ritz and Franz, who had been forcibly dragged there, were also at the party she had only briefly shown her face at.
As expected, Franz was just leaning against the wall, sullenly silent, but it was strange how unexpectedly well Ritz fit into high society.
Because of his disguise as a minister, he spoke little, but his proper handling of the women was nothing short of brilliant.
Though usually slovenly, his figure, holding a glass and smiling as he conversed with a woman, was that of a seasoned adult.
On top of that, Ritz was tall and stood out. The sight of him in the minister's formal attire looked strangely dignified and cool, which was somehow frustrating.
Moreover, when invited, Ritz would dance with the women without refusing. She hadn't known, but Minister Ritz was, from every angle, a perfect adult and a fine man.
In contrast, Anna, who could only dance the rustic dance of the village festival, became strangely timid in this space.
The all-too-perfect Ritz, and the all-too-country-bumpkin self.
Realizing that made things a little dull. Why did her heart feel so prickly?
She thought for a moment that maybe she should learn from Ritz for some occasion instead of pouting, but she couldn't think of any situation in her life so far where that would be useful.
It was likely it would never be useful in the future either.
What suited her wasn't high society, but wide, big mountains and forests, nature, fields, and orchards. She was well aware of that.
But... watching the people twirling in their dresses made her feel a little envious, like they were princesses.
Anna was a girl too, so she thought it would be nice to wear a beautiful dress like that and dance elegantly with Ritz, who looked like a prince.
But that was just a dream within a dream.
For now, having received the queen's permission, Anna quickly left the out-of-place location and returned home.
She had started running halfway, so when she burst into the house, she was a little out of breath.
"I'm home!"
When she ran into the drawing room, Joe, Evans, and Lef were having tea.
"Welcome back. You're late."
Joe, a.k.a. Josephine Clayton, replied with a slightly downcast voice. Looking down, she saw that the teacup in her hand was still full.
She hadn't even touched the cookies served with the tea. Did she not have an appetite?
"What's wrong, Joe?"
When she asked curiously, Joe pouted.
"It's not 'what's wrong,' Anna. The coronation's over."
With those words, she understood what Joe wanted to say. Why she was in a bad mood, and why she had no energy, all of it.
"Yeah, it's over..."
Anna couldn't help but murmur that as well, and sat down on the sofa next to Joe.
Without prompting, they both sighed.
She hadn't had a moment to think back on the hectic day, but now that she did, it felt lonely. Tomorrow, she would have to say goodbye to Joe.
They had become close and become best friends in six months, and she had no idea when they would meet again.
"You're really, really going, right?"
Joe asked, her voice tinged with the wish that she wouldn't go.
"...Yeah."
"You can't postpone it, no matter what, right?"
"Yeah... I'm sorry."
At noon tomorrow, Anna and the others were set to resume their journey. Anna understood Joe's feelings all too well.
Anna was lonely too, and she wanted to stay here with Joe.
But Anna couldn't suppress the desire to know if there was a truth to be found.
About her parents, about what she was... and about how long she would live.
Now that she knew there were answers, she couldn't go on without knowing them. She suspected she was probably a mix of human and Spirit Tribe, or a similar race, based on her appearance.
But there was also the possibility that she was something completely different.
Besides, since she had promised Ritz, "I'll carry everyone's memories with me," she wanted to live as long as possible and be with him.
She fell silent, lost in thought. For a while, neither of them spoke. Saying goodbye was just too lonely.
Anna, who was raised in the countryside and somewhat lacking in common sense, and Joe, who was raised in the slums and was strangely mature, made a good pair in a way.
Unlike Lira and Dill, whom she had befriended before, Anna didn't need to be considerate of Joe in a mature way, and she had become the only friend she could interact with as an equal.
After a period of silence, Joe suddenly shouted.
"I get it! I'm not a kid anymore. I won't say anything to trouble you, Anna."
Joe was thirteen, an age that would pass for a child anywhere. But when she declared it in a mature tone, she couldn't help but be convinced.
Joe, raised in the slums, was more mature than the thirty-one-year-old Anna, who was raised in the countryside.
"So, Anna, promise me. Promise you'll definitely come back at least once. Maybe you'll meet your mom or dad, but even then, come back to tell us you're living with your parents!"
With that, Joe looked straight into Anna's eyes.
I shouldn't say goodbye, I should say 'see you later.' She finally realized it.
Anna looked back into Joe's eyes and squeezed her hand firmly.
"Yeah! I promise, absolutely."
Anna decided in her heart that when her journey was over, she would ask Ritz to bring her back here.
She didn't know what Franz would do, but she had a feeling he would probably come back here too. If he went back to his family home, he'd be an arsonist, and besides, it seemed impossible to escape from Greig.
She couldn't make the long journey back on her own, but with Ritz and Franz, it would be fine.
"...I'd be happy if Master came back too, though."
Joe muttered casually. Joe, Anna's best friend, was Ritz's one and only disciple.
"It's okay. I can't come back on my own. I'll have Ritz bring me."
When she said that cheerfully, Joe's face broke into a happy smile.
Traveling from place to place seemed to be Ritz's usual lifestyle, but it was hard to believe he would have to leave immediately after achieving his goal.
He would probably have enough time to stop by Sears.
"Really? That's great. I'll keep practicing with my sword, then."
Joe, who had started learning the sword seriously from Ritz, had her dream shift from being a mercenary to a soldier. It seemed that being around Kenny, Altman, Greig, and Edward had influenced her.
At first, Anna had thought she didn't want her to do anything too dangerous, but recently, she had been a little relieved, thinking that if Gerald or Edward were commanding the army, things wouldn't get too bad.
"Anna, you don't need to worry about Joe. I've decided to have her attend school for a year."
Turning her eyes to the source of the voice, she saw the white-haired Evans sitting there, smiling. On paper, Evans was Joe's adoptive father.
"It would be boring for her to be here alone without you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. A normal school might be boring, but this is also a form of study."
At Evans' fatherly words, Joe shrugged.
"I guess my carefree, free life ends here, huh."
Joe threw her small body back against the backrest, stretched wide, and pouted. That gesture, she had seen it somewhere before.
Right, Ritz. As expected of master and disciple, they were alike in strange ways.
"There's no point in shutting yourself up at home alone, is there?"
To Evans, who said that with a smile, Joe replied with a sigh.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it... foster father."
After his eyes widened in surprise for a moment, Evans muttered happily.
"Foster father, huh..."
"What, you don't like it, Evans-san?"
"No, I'm happy, Joe."
At their exchange, Anna felt happy from the bottom of her heart.
At the same time, she felt relieved. With this, Joe would be fine even without her.
That had been worrying Anna all along. She was the one who had brought Joe, a friend she had made, and made her Evans' adopted daughter, but she had been unable to ask what the two of them thought of it until now.
But with this, they would surely get along well. Of course, as a family of three, including Annie.
"I'm home~"
A tired voice came from the entrance. That voice belonged to Anna's current guardian, Ritz. Unlike Joe, Anna had never thought of Ritz as a father.
"Welcome back!"
As she went to greet him with a smile, she saw another person next to the exhausted, disguised Ritz.
"Pardon the intrusion, Anna."
"! Ed-san!"
It was the former King Edward, who just a little while ago had seemed unapproachable.
Edward, in his usual disguise of a hat and casually tied-up blond hair, was holding some luggage.
"The palace is too noisy for my liking. I'm retired now, so no one will notice if I'm gone for a little while."
"...They'll definitely notice."
Ritz, despite his fatigue, retorted weakly. It seemed the two of them had gotten tired of the party and run away.
Edward apparently intended to skip the celebratory events, which would likely last for a week, by hiding out in this house.
"You must be tired."
"Yeah."
Ritz, his eyes like those of a dead fish, replied to Anna's words with a faint smile, lightly patting her head as she looked up, before staggering up the stairs.
When Ritz did this, she was happy, but at the same time, she realized that to Ritz, she was still just a child.
For now, Ritz was probably going to undo his disguise as usual and get changed.
Come to think of it, this would be the last time Ritz would wear a disguise. It felt a little sad that she wouldn't see the familiar white hair, beard, and monocle anymore.
"Oh my, Your Majesty!"
The ghost maid Annie, who had come to greet them, exclaimed in an exasperated tone.
"I am no longer king, you know. Pardon the intrusion."
Edward, who had gotten used to the half-transparent maid, said with a wry smile, lightly raising a hand.
Come to think of it, when he first met Annie, Edward hadn't been surprised at all. Anna sometimes wondered if there was anything that could faze a person like Edward.
"That is true, isn't it? Welcome, former Your Majesty. We are having a farewell party today, so please enjoy yourself."
That was right. Today, Annie was throwing a party for the departing Anna, Ritz, Franz, and Lef.
"The preparations are complete. Everyone, please come to the dining hall."
And so, while pitying Franz who had not yet been released, the farewell party began.
As a side note, when the exhausted Franz returned midway through the farewell party and was greeted with a smile by the man of the hour, the former king himself, who said, "You're late, Franz," he nearly fainted. For the sake of Franz's honor, I think I'll keep that a secret.