137 - The Next Move
Neil's death was never made public. Since his coronation, Neil had rarely appeared in public anyway, so no one would immediately suspect anything. It caused no hindrance in managing the state affairs, as he had not been involved in government administration to begin with.
For Hansmann and his cohorts, the problem brought about by Neil's death was that Princess Ekaterina would sit upon the throne as the successor. If they could make her a puppet, that would be fine, but Princess Ekaterina was not in the royal capital. Even if they requested her to return to the capital, there was no way she would come.
Neil had been assassinated. Considering who could have done it, it was certainly either Princess Ekaterina herself or someone attempting to place her on the throne, even without her own instructions.
Following Neil's assassination, Hansmann and the others hurried with two things. First, to send a large army to Anfang in order to capture and kill Princess Ekaterina. They could absolutely not allow a situation where Neil's death became public and Princess Ekaterina ascended the throne.
And the second was to have Fumiya return promptly. They had not given up on the script where Fumiya, the Hero, would strike down the treacherous King Neil. While not the ideal scenario, they intended to create it by slightly changing its form.
The reason they dared to change it to a less-than-ideal story was the existence of the assassin. The assassin who killed Neil had slipped into a place that should have been the most difficult to infiltrate and succeeded in the assassination. Hansmann and his group were not so foolish as to deny the possibility that the assassin's blade would next be pointed at them. They were doing the same thing themselves.
To prevent that, they needed a strong mastermind who would not be struck down by an assassin, even if only in name.
Until Fumiya arrived in the royal capital, they had no choice but to tighten their defenses and spend their days in anxiety.
However, Hansmann and his group were not such cowards as to spend their days in idle fear. They were proceeding with matters according to their revised plan.
"A witness has been found who testifies that Princess Ekaterina killed her father, the King."
They hadn't "found" one. They had created one.
"And who is this person?"
Hansmann returned the question to Baldwin's report. In reality, it was a question he already knew the answer to without asking. However, this was a meeting where people who were not among Hansmann's allies were present, so it was not something to be revealed openly.
"An agent of the intelligence organization. It seems they served as the liaison with the perpetrator."
"I see... but will the people believe the testimony of a single agent?"
Voicing the doubt was an act to make those around him believe it.
"We have also obtained testimony from a lady-in-waiting who served in the castle, stating that the relationship between the late King and the Princess was not good."
"Simply having a poor relationship between father and daughter is not enough."
"It was not a mere father-daughter quarrel; she resented the fact that His Majesty chose Neil as the Crown Prince."
Many people knew that Neil and Princess Ekaterina had vied for the position of Crown Prince. As a result, Neil was chosen, and she, resenting the late King who made that decision, committed this atrocity because she could not give up the throne. That was the script.
"If only there were a letter instructed by the Princess, it would be indisputable, but I suppose that is impossible."
"The witness testifies that all communications were oral."
No one voiced the question of whether the agent who gave that testimony was actually trusted to that extent. Most of the people in the room had already decided to swear loyalty to Neil, unaware that he was dead. No one asked unnecessary questions.
"For the time being, let us convey this content to the noble houses. We must suppress confusion as much as possible. If the struggle for the throne continues indefinitely, the Laurel Kingdom will be ruined."
"Understood. I will send messengers to various regions immediately."
For now, the goal was to stop the movements of the noble houses. Once Fumiya returned to the royal capital leading an army, they could overwhelm them with military force. There should not be many noble houses that would dare side with the losing party. The same applied to the civil and military officials, the mages, and the common people of the royal capital.
"Now, the next agenda item is... though I am not particularly keen on it."
"Is it His Majesty's order?"
All problematic agenda items were made to be things that Neil had requested.
"Yes. Captain of the Royal Knights."
"...What is it?"
It was not good news. He could tell by Hansmann's tone.
"Thank you for your hard work until now."
"W-what... I swore loyalty to His Majesty! I was reinstated as Captain of the Royal Knights because that was recognized!"
The Captain of the Royal Knights had once been dismissed. He had been reinstated after swearing heartfelt loyalty to Neil. And yet, he was being dismissed again. As the Captain of the Royal Knights, he could not accept this.
"It is His Majesty's order. Why don't you be satisfied that it ended with simply resigning your post?"
"I did not collude with the Princess!"
"We know that. However, it is a matter of what His Majesty thinks."
The truth was that if Princess Ekaterina's side announced Neil's death, there was a possibility the Captain of the Royal Knights would defect. The reason was that they could not leave the army under that Captain's command.
"...I wish to speak with His Majesty."
"I will convey your request. However, do not hold your breath."
"If I speak with him, I am sure he will understand."
"I hope so. In any case, please step down from the position of Captain for now. If you are thought to have defied His Majesty's orders, meeting him will be impossible."
"...Understood."
That was the end of it. Larc, a Royal Guard, would be entrusted as the successor. It was a massive promotion. Since Hansmann's allies were people who were dissatisfied with their evaluations, it inevitably turned out this way. The Captain of the Royal Guards had already been replaced by someone under their influence. The heads of both knightly orders were now occupied by Hansmann's allies. Furthermore, once Fumiya returned leading the armies of the Kingdom of Aria and the Kingdom of Lydia, there would be no one left who could oppose them with force.
In the end, it had changed to a script of usurpation by force.
◇◇◇
Princess Ekaterina was the culprit disrupting the plans of Hansmann and his group. She and her allies were also moving to strengthen their own camp. That said, the things they could do were limited.
First was to solidify the defenses of Anfang. The construction of the defensive walls was proceeding at a rapid pace. This was thanks to the support of the demons in the shadows. Necessary materials were brought in from somewhere, and construction took place night after night. The progress was such that one wondered what kind of construction methods they were using.
On the other hand, the increase in military strength was not going well. They had hoped that the forces led by Sieg would gather at Anfang, but as expected, that movement was discovered by the Kingdom, and most of them were ordered to change their destination to the royal capital. It was an order from the Captain of the Royal Knights. The knights could not disobey.
In that case, they had to rely on the noble houses, but that was not easy either. It meant betraying the current King to become their ally. No noble house would agree. Until a certain point.
"...Will you truly side with me? Uncle."
Duke Millery, who was an uncle to Princess Ekaterina, had visited Anfang and declared he would be an ally. Hearing those words, Princess Ekaterina was bewildered. She was happy, but she did not understand the reason for Duke Millery's decision.
"Do you think I would come all this way just to tell a lie?"
"I suppose so, but..."
There was a possibility. It was possible to pretend to be an ally and move on behalf of the rebel forces without them knowing.
"I see. Words alone are not enough to trust. That said, I wonder if this alone will be enough to gain your trust?"
Saying so, Duke Millery produced a letter.
"What is this?"
"A letter from my elder brother, the late King."
"...May I see the contents?"
"Of course. That is why I brought it."
Hearing the Duke's permission, Princess Ekaterina opened the letter. Princess Ekaterina doubted that it was a letter from her late father. She had heard about the order sheets that had reached Sieg and Geel.
"Father wrote this..."
Princess Ekaterina was not so ignorant of politics as to honestly tell Duke Millery the possibility that it was a fake. She understood the impact of Duke Millery, who shared the royal blood, becoming an ally.
"It says to support Ekaterina. I consider that to be my brother's last will."
"...But it says 'if anything happens to my younger brother'?"
The letter did not say to support her unconditionally. It was conditional on something happening to Neil.
"Do you perhaps not know?"
"...A lot has happened. Which story are you referring to?"
She could not carelessly say she didn't know. Princess Ekaterina thought she should consider her answer after finding out what Duke Millery was asking about.
"What do you mean 'which story'? I am talking about the news that Neil has passed away, of course."
"Eh...?"
However, she could not feign ignorance about this. Surprise spread across Princess Ekaterina's face.
"Has the news not reached you yet? At first, I heard it as a sort of rumor, but I judged the credibility to be quite high."
"...Why did you think so?"
"Neil was controlled by his subordinates. All orders issued in Neil's name were things the subordinates thought up on their own. The story is that he became pessimistic about his situation and took his own life to protect the Kingdom from the tyranny of his subordinates."
"...Can you not tell if it is a fact from just a story?"
She thought that if Duke Millery believed it, that would be fine, but she could not fully trust his words of alliance based on a story without credibility.
"The one who told that story was the former Captain of the Royal Guards who had betrayed Neil. Baldos, was it?"
"...It was definitely him, then?"
Princess Ekaterina did not doubt this. She realized it was Ray's doing.
"There are stories that he had lost his mind, but it seems there is no mistake that it was him."
"And the news that Neil passed away was also from that Baldos?"
Just because Baldos spoke of it did not mean Neil's death was a fact. There was a possibility he was trying to spread false information.
"Yes. He said he didn't intend to push him that far. He grieved for Neil's death and thus abandoned all his positions... those rumors were true, then."
"...The relationship with Neil? Baldos spoke of that as well?"
"Yes."
"...Where is that Baldos now?"
The best way to find the truth was to ask Baldos. That was what Princess Ekaterina thought, but...
"He is dead. I am told he confessed everything I just mentioned before a crowd and committed suicide on the spot. Saying he would follow Neil."
"Suicide..."
"He had a memento. I verified this personally. A ring engraved with the royal crest. I believe it is almost certainly Neil's. Ekaterina, look for yourself."
Furthermore, he presented the ring, the memento, to Princess Ekaterina. As Duke Millery said, it was a ring decorated with the royal crest. It was an object that no one other than a member of the royal family was permitted to possess.
"...Yes. I certainly remember seeing this."
This was a fact. Princess Ekaterina had a necklace with similar decorations to this ring. They were items given to her at the same time by her mother, the Queen.
"I see. Then there is no mistake. Neil has passed away. The next King is Ekaterina. You."
"Do you not consider becoming the King yourself, Uncle?"
"My brother left a will telling me to support you. Would you have me defy that?"
"No... I just thought the Kingdom might be more united if you, a man, were the King."
If her uncle became the King of the Laurel Kingdom, the dream she had given up on would well up in Princess Ekaterina's heart once again.
"Honestly, I thought about that for a bit. But after all, Ekaterina—no, let us stop this way of addressing you. I believe Her Majesty the Queen is the most suitable monarch to overcome the current crisis."
"Why is that?"
"The people are seeking Her Majesty the Queen. 'The Saint of Light,' 'The Saint of the Moon'—the compassionate heart of Her Majesty, called such things, will save the people of the Kingdom. It seems such thoughts are gradually spreading among the common people."
"...I see. Meeting those expectations seems like it will be difficult."
This was undoubtedly Ray's doing. However, if it were decided that her uncle would be King instead of her, how would Ray react? Not out of arrogance, but Princess Ekaterina considered the possibility that Ray's support might vanish.
"I will also support you with all my might as a subject. For the sake of my late elder brother, please settle the chaos of this country."
"I understand. I will do my best not to betray your expectations, Uncle."
In the end, she was the only one who could do it. The decision had already been made.
"Forgive me for interrupting."
Judging that the conversation between the two had reached a break, Julius, who was present, spoke up.
"What is it?"
"Please consider putting the Duke's intentions into a letter and sending it to the surrounding noble houses."
They had gained the support of the ducal house. There was no reason not to utilize this fact.
"You're right. Uncle, could you do that for me?"
"Of course."
Duke Millery naturally accepted. Since he had decided to support Ekaterina, he had to increase their allies as much as possible. Duke Millery was not a fool who thought the country would be settled without doing anything.
Anfang also began a new movement. First, to win over the northern nobles and solidify their surroundings. Since Neil was dead, Ekaterina was the legitimate monarch. They had to make it known that she was the King of Laurel.
◇◇◇
The capital of the Laurel Kingdom at midnight. The excited atmosphere from a few days ago when the large army was sent out was, naturally, completely gone. It was a time when most people were fast asleep.
In that quiet royal capital, the sound of a bell rang out. It was not a bell announcing the time. It was a clamorous bell sound that woke people from their sleep.
"What is happening!?"
Hansmann should have known the meaning of that sound, but this was his first word upon rushing into the meeting room.
"I am checking now."
"It is not a false alarm, is it?"
"I am checking that as well. It is an unthinkable story for an enemy army to suddenly attack the royal capital."
The sound of the bell heralded an enemy attack. In the capital of the Laurel Kingdom, that had not happened once, at least since Hansmann and the others were born. Almost certainly not in the time of their parents or grandparents either.
"The forces remaining in the royal capital?"
"Since most have headed toward Anfang... two thousand, no, perhaps three thousand?"
"Can it be defended with that number?"
Whether that was many or few, Hansmann, who was not a military expert, did not know.
"I believe that depends on the number of enemies."
The one who answered was Clark, who had become the Captain of the Royal Guards.
In the dispatch of the army to Anfang for the purpose of capturing and killing Ekaterina, they should have left the minimum force necessary for the defense of the royal capital. Beyond that, there was no way to judge without knowing the number of enemies.
"...The army?"
"The defense units are taking the necessary actions. They should be trained, so there is no need for concern."
"If it really is an attack... it is more serious than I thought."
If they had failed to detect the approach to the royal capital, it was because the intelligence organization—and other information organizations—were not functioning. The delay in organizational restructuring was causing a more serious problem than he had imagined.
"Why not consider utilizing the organization of the Kingdom of Aria?"
The Kingdom of Aria should also have an intelligence organization, even if the scale were different. Clark thought of utilizing that.
"I see. That is a good idea... There is no need to forcibly change the leadership, provided the King of Aria is obedient."
If changing the top of the organization invited defection, it would be meaningless. An intelligence organization is different from a bureaucratic organization. Hansmann had learned that in the situation within the Laurel Kingdom.
"Then let us have the King of Aria issue the orders. That is, provided we survive this safely."
"Indeed..."
Was the enemy attack real? And if it was, could they defend the royal capital? The previous conversation depended on that. Hansmann and the others had no choice but to wait for the second report.
Then, the report they were waiting for arrived.
"The enemy has been identified!"
Unfortunately, the enemy attack was a fact.
"The number? Which army is it!?"
All that remained was the scale of the enemy. Was it a number they could repel? However, the answer to this question was shocking.
"The number is still unknown! The enemy is... the enemy is the demon race. It is the Demon King's Army!"
"W-what did you say!?"
Hansmann and the others finally knew the opponent they were to fight. Fortunate for them was that the other side, Ray, had not yet grasped the full picture of the enemy. If he had, Hansmann and everyone else might have been killed this very night.