kscans

CHAPTER 8 PATARAPOZA – Episode 6 The Queen’s Struggle (Part 1)

1

“Bard Rowen…Bard Rowen…”

He is climbing stone steps. It was Bard Rowen in his younger days. At the top of the stairs, there is a gentle slope of cobblestones. At the edge of the slope, there is an unlocked ornamental door with a floral pattern. He pushes it open, enters, and turns left onto a path surrounded by flowers and grass. There was a sun-drenched garden. (Hidamari Garden)

“Oh, Lord Bard. Why are you dressed so formally?”

Without answering, he walked straight ahead. Idora has young Julelan on her lap. When his round, curious eyes catch Bard, his face breaks into a smile. Sensing the situation, the maidservant steps back. Bard approaches close to Idora, removes his sword belt and scabbard, and kneels on his right knee. He then holds up the sword with both hands and utters words of oath.

“In the name of my guardian deity Patarapoza, I swear this oath. I dedicate my sword to Lady Idora Tercia and Lord Julelan Tercia, and vow to protect their peace for life. Wherever I may be, I shall always think of Lady Idora and Lord Julelan, and rush to their aid in times of need. I shall make Lady Idora and Lord Julelan’s wishes my own, and to devote my heart and soul to their fulfillment. Please accept this sword of oath.”

As Bard waits with his head bowed, Idora descends from her chair, approaches Bard, and gently touches the hilt of the sword. She has Julelan do the same. Then,

“Lord Bard. As I cannot lift this sword, please allow this to suffice. I have indeed received your sword. Both I and Julelan. Lord Bard. I must tell you this one thing. Julelan is worthy of receiving your loyalty.”

Bard raised his face to look at Idora. Clear eyes gazed back at him. For the first time since leaving this castle to marry into the Gwendell family, Bard felt their hearts connect directly.

“Bard Rowen…Bard Rowen…”

2

Bard woke slightly from the discomfort of dreams, fever, and sweat. Karz is sitting in a chair by the window, with his eyes closed. His hair sways gently in the wind. His face is still youthful and beautiful like a mythical hero. Then, Karz slightly opens his eyes and looks at Bard. He takes a water bottle from the table, walks over to Bard, and puts its spout to Bard’s mouth. The trickling water moistens his parched mouth and throat. The water seeps into his body, loosening his stiff fingers and feet. Having gained a slight respite, Bard falls asleep again.

“Bard Rowen…Bard Rowen…”

“My, my. It was really a close call. Your heart had completely stopped. The emergency procedure of forcefully striking your chest to restart your heart was successful. After that, it was a battle of inner strength. In such cases, there can often be lingering numbness in the hands and feet, or difficulty speaking, but I’m relieved to see no such problems. However, please rest for one more day.”

Bard listened to the words of the physician concluding his examination with vacant eyes. He could hear and understand the words spoken to him, but they meant nothing to him. It sounded as if strangers were talking to each other in some distant place. Bard fell asleep.

“Bard Rowen…Bard Rowen…”

Karz occasionally brings water or fruit. Or a slice of bread, or a piece of cheese. Bard mechanically puts what is offered into his mouth and chews. After slightly satisfying his hunger, Bard sleeps.

“Bard Rowen…Bard Rowen…”

3

As he slept, unpleasant voices echoed in his head. Bard could no longer distinguish whether they were real calls or auditory hallucinations caused by his frightened mind, but it was clear that they were very grating to his ears and causing incessant headaches. Bard got up from the bed and put on a casual robe. Without wearing his sword or armlet, he left Count Linz’s mansion as he was.

The bustle of the town seems distant. The waterways have been widened, and the embankments are now made of stone. Instead of stalls, there are now shops with proper storefronts. The boats passing through the waterways are larger and more numerous. This liveliness was now bothersome to Bard. Thinking that the port would be just as noisy, Bard bypassed the street lined with trading houses and came out to the banks of the Ova.

He sat down and gazed at the river surface, though not really seeing it. The Great Ova is clear, blown by the wind. But a deep fog hung over Bard’s mind. He couldn’t think of anything.

But there was no need to think, was there? Everything was over now. He might as well turn to stone. A stone statue that feels no pain or sorrow.

Realizing he was thinking this way, he was a little surprised. ‘Did I love Julelan that much? Was I so dependent on Julelan?’ It seemed funny to him as he thought about it.

But that’s how it is. It’s only natural. Because that’s what he’s been telling himself he should be.

That day when he learned he could never be with Idora. That day when, after much suffering, he decided to devote himself to Idora. That day when he concluded that following Idora’s wishes meant loving and trusting Julelan. That day when he decided to make Julelan his everything and serve him completely. Yes, since that day, Julelan’s radiant life had been his life. That life of him has been lost. Never again would he feel vigor or joy.

Bard sat absentmindedly by the riverbank until the sun set and the two moons danced overhead.

From that day on, going to the banks of the Ova became Bard’s daily routine. After finishing breakfast, he would tie his sash over his casual robe and go out. On days when Karz draped a cloak over him, he would walk wrapped in the cloak.

One day, as he was walking towards the Ova as usual, his eyes were drawn to a child sitting by the roadside. The child was in dirty clothes, nibbling on a toga fruit while watching Bard. Even after sitting down by the Ova, those eyes bothered him.

Those were. Those were concerned eyes. Worried eyes. How did he appear in that child’s eyes? Dejected. Hunched over. With vacant eyes devoid of energy or hope. A pitiful old man dragging his feet as he walks. That ragged child sympathized with him, pitied him.

Bard. Bard Rowen. Is this alright? Is it really alright for Idora’s knight Bard to be like this?

No. It’s not alright. Puff out your chest, straighten your back, Bard Rowen! You’re still alive! Fight, Bard Rowen!

Bard made a fist with his right hand. Though it’s a hand with many wrinkles, it’s still strong. A strong fist that can crush enemies.

He took a deep breath. The wind from the Ova entered his chest, filling his whole body with strength. Bard stood up and looked behind him. Karz was standing there. He had been by his side all along.

‘I am not alone.’

Bard cried. He scrunched up his whole face and cried. Along with the warm tears, he felt all the sadness and frustration he had been storing in his heart flow out.

That night, the dinner Karz offered was a little more substantial than usual, and included a cup of wine. Bard slept soundly without any nightmares.

4

On the afternoon of the twelfth day after collapsing. Chairs and tables are lined up on the veranda of the dining room in Count Linz’s guest house. Bard and Simon are sitting side by side, looking down at the Great Ova. Karz and Seto are also seated nearby.

“Oh my. I truly apologize. I nearly killed you, Lord Bard. Now, about the late King Julelan…”

Bard begged Simon to tell him about the circumstances of Julelan’s death and the subsequent events. At this point, it would be worse for his health not to hear it. No, he should definitely hear it. How Julelan died. How Julelan’s life’s work was carried on. Simon seemed to have gathered and organized information very well, despite being in such a remote area.

There wasn’t much to tell about the course of events from Julelan’s illness to his death. From the beginning of last year, his health deteriorated, and he eventually became bedridden more often. Seeing this, his senior statesmen said to each other that, as expected, his workload had been too much. However, he continued to carry out his duties, and finally, on April 23rd, he passed away.

Julelan was summoned to the royal capital in the spring of 4270, fifteen years ago. After meeting his father and being properly recognized as the king’s eldest son, Julelan was busy. He underwent intensive education as a crown prince candidate, dealt with a succession of nobles in meetings, and furthermore, to build a track record, he traveled around influential cities revising treaties. And these weren’t just simple revisions. He had to continue negotiations with seasoned great nobles in line with the institutional reforms that past several generations of kings had been working on. Just as he was about to attend his investiture ceremony as crown prince, signs of war appeared in the Central Plains, and Julelan had to lead an army unused to fighting. Just as he had finally achieved victory and returned triumphant, the king suddenly died.

At this time, there was apparently a fierce struggle among the royal family over the next king. There were more than a dozen members of the royal family who had been given rights of succession to the throne, and they all began to claim that they were the most suitable to be the next king. In this case, the fact that it was in the midst of war worked in Julelan’s favor. In other words, the next king had to be decided quickly. Putting Julelan, who had seen through the enemy’s deception and won the battles against Fargo, Ezite, and Grismo, on the throne was met with the least resistance. It was also fortunate that because King Wendelland’s death was sudden, the other royals’ preparatory activities were not in time. Furthermore, the other royals were critical of King Wendelland and, with a few exceptions, had not cooperated at all in his reign, which also worked in Julelan’s favor. However, this was a coronation on thin ice, containing great dissatisfaction from almost all of the royal family.

Moreover, Julelan had a mission. The mission to further advance the institutional reforms that past generations of kings had challenged and Wendelland had promoted. Simply put, these institutional reforms aimed to reorganize the country’s systems and command structures, focusing on the complicated military and tax systems, to lay the groundwork for further development, which could be directly seen as a strengthening of royal authority. In terms of the military system, even if the army was directed towards a single purpose, its content inevitably became a mixed unit, and it had to move while considering various instructions and requests related to the interests of ministers and nobles, and the command authority itself tended to be ambiguous. Regarding the tax system, the taxation rights of important cities had become complicated, and even opening a single shop meant receiving separate taxation from various departments and nobles. While postponing parts that directly touched on the interests of the great nobles, they were promoting institutional reforms that would allow the king’s will to be directly reflected on the ground, and Julelan was trying to inherit this intention. The new king, with little track record and few trusted vassals, had to deal with this problem while continuing the war. The hardship he endured is beyond imagination.

Hearing this, Bard recalls a scene. Julelan, who had returned triumphant after suppressing the rebellions of Fargo, Ezite, and Grismo, arrived at the palace in the evening, probably dealt with various matters and gave orders, and then met with Bard early the next morning. He returned Karz and Jurchaga to him at that time, but Julelan would have then held a series of meetings with senior statesmen and privy council meetings. He must have also visited the former King Wendelland, who was already in critical condition, and received his will. As soon as King Wendelland died, there was a struggle over the throne without a moment’s rest, and alongside this, based on information obtained from the interrogation of Count Grismo, he had to devise strategies and conduct negotiations with representatives from both Goriora and Gaineria. In this situation, and with no reliable chief vassals to depend on, it’s no wonder he resorted to the almost forbidden move of summoning Cedermont, the head knight of the Tercia family. Bearing endless pressure, Julelan spent harsh and busy days, using up ten years’ worth of life in one year. Also, the poisoned dagger he received from his first consort during the Second War of Nations may have shortened Julelan’s life.

He had reigned twelve years, and died at the age of forty-two. Oh! Oh! Julelan!