Chapter 491: For the Royal Family (4)
Clang, clang, clang.
With the sound of clashing armor, Toleo entered, leading a group of knights.
"Your Excellency, it's time to move."
Behind him, Baron Connolly, the commander of the Capital Defense Force, followed.
"Your Excellency, the defense forces are also ready."
All the military forces within the capital were mobilizing. The retainers of the marquisate, who monitored the entire city, swiftly detected any abnormalities.
Marquis Branford remained silent. He seemed to be deep in thought.
Toleo urged him on.
"Your Excellency, the preparations to capture the transcendent are complete. As for the Royal Knight Commander... he won't be able to act freely because of His Majesty. We must move now."
"...Yes, we must."
Marquis Branford rose from his seat. The first step was to subdue the Royal Knights and the Royal Palace Guard.
If they failed, the nobles who followed him would all perish.
And yet, he hesitated to give the command.
— “How are you any different from that woman?!”
That voice echoed in his mind.
He had dedicated his life to the royal family and the kingdom. Once this war was over, he had planned to retire.
‘How had it come to this?’
A man who had spent his life protecting the royal family was now storming the royal palace.
He let out a deep sigh and spoke slowly.
"...Begin."
At that moment, all forces in the capital sprang into action.
"Attack!"
The waiting defense forces moved at lightning speed, striking the Royal Palace Guard, who were in the middle of assembling.
The Royal Palace Guard, who had been preparing to strike Marquis Branford, were caught completely off guard.
They had never imagined that they would be the ones ambushed first.
"Defend!"
The Royal Palace Guard tried desperately to hold back the advancing forces, but they were overwhelmed.
From the start, the difference in numbers between the Capital Defense Force and the Royal Palace Guard was staggering. The guards were quickly overpowered.
"Waaaaaah!"
With triumphant shouts, the defense forces swiftly seized control of the royal palace. Behind them, the knights and soldiers of the marquisate poured in.
They were not alone. The knights of noble families who had pledged allegiance to Marquis Branford also began to gather.
The Royal Knights and Placus, who had only just finished preparing to mobilize, were thrown into confusion.
Their original plan had been to attack and capture Marquis Branford. If they could take him hostage, the other nobles would be rendered powerless.
But they had been outmaneuvered. Despite their careful planning, they had been discovered.
Count Palantz, the commander of the Royal Knights, drew his sword and shouted.
"What do you think you're doing?! This is treason!"
Toleo, leading the knights, answered calmly.
"Weren't you planning to strike us first?"
"You insolent wretches… Have you forgotten who I am?"
Boom!
Count Palantz stepped forward, unleashing an overwhelming aura.
He was a Swordmaster a being capable of cutting down thousands of soldiers alone.
But Toleo simply smirked.
"I'm a high-ranking knight myself. And we have more knights on our side. We can hold you down, at the very least. However… I wonder what will happen to His Majesty in the meantime?"
"You… damn brat…"
Count Palantz gritted his teeth. He couldn't act rashly.
If he fought here, the others would have time to take the king hostage. He had no choice but to hold this position.
The priest of the Salvation Church beside him was also a transcendent, but he had already expended much of his strength healing the king.
With so many high-ranking knights gathered in the capital, facing them alone was impossible.
If they fought now, both sides would suffer heavy losses, and the king would be killed.
As they stood in a tense standoff, unable to act, King Berhem suddenly emerged, throwing open the doors.
He trembled as he shouted.
"You insolent wretches…! Do you mean to commit regicide?!"
His voice was filled with both fury and terror.
He had only just regained his health. At last, he had begun to wield the dignity and authority of a true king.
And now, these traitors had dared to strike first!
"Bring me Marquis Branford! Bring me that treasonous cur at once!"
No one responded. They all stood silently, waiting. Even for them, attacking the king directly was no easy task.
The one who had to give the order had not yet arrived.
As everyone merely watched the enraged Berhem, Marquis Branford finally arrived.
"Your Majesty."
"You wretch! You dare to attack me?! What is the meaning of this?!"
Marquis of Branford gazed at Berhem for a moment before speaking in a heavy voice.
"Why did you do this?"
"Are you asking because you don’t know? You have constantly ignored my will at every turn! You’ve always acted as if you were the king!"
"It was for the sake of this kingdom and the royal family."
"Silence! I am the kingdom, and I am the royal family! Do you think this kingdom will function properly if you disregard me? Without me, nothing has meaning!"
At those words, Marquis of Branford closed his eyes.
He had long known that the king had been twisted beyond repair since his youth. It must have been due to the deprivation of what he should have enjoyed as a king.
Ultimately, it meant he had never developed the virtues of a true ruler.
Seeing Marquis of Branford remain silent, Berhem pointed a finger at him.
"You are a traitor! If this was your intent, why did you stop the Ducal Family? You claim to serve the royal family, yet if you raise your sword against me, how are you any different from them?"
"……."
Marquis of Branford gave no answer.
Though the Duke of Delfine had targeted the royal family, his subordinates had governed the south with excellence. Until the Rift and the Salvation Church revealed themselves, the south had been the most prosperous region for its people.
So if the king was going to be overthrown anyway, there had been no need to stop the Ducal Family.
That is, if Marquis of Branford himself intended to take the throne.
‘I have no desire to become king.’
He could not. Striking the royal family would be a complete denial of the convictions he had upheld all his life.
If he did that, he would become a hypocrite who had wielded power under the pretense of protecting the royal family. Everything he had done until now would become meaningless.
But the king had allied himself with the Salvation Church the very group that had thrown the continent into chaos and taken countless lives.
Even if the Ducal Family did not take over the kingdom, as long as Berhem remained on the throne, the other kingdoms and the Four Major Temples would inevitably target Ritania.
‘This country is finished.’
Marquis of Branford let out a bitter smile. He had tried to prevent the downfall of the royal family, but he had failed.
It felt like yet another testament to his own inadequacy.
With no intention of becoming king and no desire to hand the country over to the Ducal Family, he had come here for one reason alone.
"Your Majesty."
"What? Are you here to leave behind some last words? Even if I become a ghost, I will haunt you! I will curse your house for all eternity!"
Berhem, convinced that his end was near, spat out venomous words.
But what came out of Marquis of Branford’s mouth was something that shocked everyone.
"I shall step down from my position."
"W-what?"
Everyone, including Berhem, widened their eyes in disbelief. They had thought this conflict could only end with one side's death what was he saying now?
Wearing a serene smile, Marquis of Branford continued.
"However, I have one request."
"W-what is it?"
"I came here for a single reason. Please turn a blind eye to today’s events and pardon all the nobles who followed me. If I step down, they will return to your side, Your Majesty."
"I-is that truly the case?"
"Yes. If Your Majesty proclaims it here and now, where all can hear, I will relinquish my position and leave immediately."
This was why the Marquis of Branford had pressured the king with force.
If he had been captured without resistance, the nobles who followed him would have had no choice but to fight the king to survive.
But with this, it could all end peacefully. No one had to die at least not for now.
Berhem cast him a suspicious look. The army under Marquis of Branford’s command was too vast.
What if he changed his mind later? If that army turned against him, there would be no stopping it.
"Where… where do you intend to go?"
At Berhem’s question, Marquis of Branford recalled an old memory.
He had once asked the same question.
A question born of both curiosity and fear. At the time, she had answered like this:
— “I don’t know… anywhere would be fine, as long as it’s not the royal palace.”
The memory made Marquis of Branford chuckle. Had he ended up walking the same path as her?
"I don’t know… anywhere would be fine, as long as it’s not the royal palace."
Perhaps the Commander of the Shadow Knights had always harbored a desire to leave as well.
Only now did he feel like he understood her, even if just a little.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Berhem spoke with a slightly flushed face.
"Stay in the capital. I will not pursue further punishment for you or the nobles who followed you, but you will be placed under house arrest."
The Marquis of Branford turned to look at Berhem once more.
He must be afraid. Afraid that he was drawing the king's attention.
His freedom had been taken away, but it did not matter. He already knew how this would end.
So, he nodded.
“I shall do so.”
“The Chancellor, the Supreme Commander, Marquis McQuarrie, the Chief Justice, Count Norton, Count Aylesbur…”
Berhem listed the names of the powerful nobles who had followed the Marquis of Branford.
“They are the same. Do you understand?”
“So be it.”
“Yes, yes. You've made the right choice. At least in the end, you’re showing some loyalty.”
Berhem’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. He had removed the high-ranking nobles in one swift stroke. He never imagined things would unfold this easily.
Now, only those loyal to him would remain. That would be the true Royal Faction.
Spreading his arms wide, Berhem declared,
“I give you my word! Disarm yourselves and return home! As promised with the Marquis of Branford, today's events shall be left unspoken!”
All the commanders who had followed the Marquis of Branford turned to him.
“Your Excellency…”
“Do as he says. It is over now. I, too, wish to rest.”
The Marquis of Branford gave a slight nod to Berhem before turning away. His heart weighed heavy with sorrow.
‘It’s truly over now.’
The kingdom he had struggled to protect had come to an end. No, more precisely, the royal family had fallen.
It was not the ducal families that would bring down the royal house.
Nor was it the Salvation Church, nor the other kingdoms, nor the Four Major Temples.
‘Yes, there’s no one more fitting for the task than him.’
Ghislain Ferdium.
The chains that had bound him were now gone.
And so, he would be the one to end the life of the royal family.
As the Marquis of Branford strode out, the knights and commanders turned and followed him.
Berhem gritted his teeth as he watched them leave.
They all still followed the Marquis of Branford. The other nobles were likely the same.
But it didn’t matter.
‘Once I have all the power in my hands, I will not let them be.’
He could not strike them down now. He had made a proclamation himself.
It was not yet time. Once he replaced the commanders of each army and secured his grip on power completely, he would make his move.
Those men were only keeping their heads for now. When the time came, he would attach a suitable justification and execute them.
“Hah…”
Taking a deep breath, Berhem looked at Placus with a proud expression.
“Well? I have resolved everything.”
“Truly magnificent. As expected of the rightful ruler of this kingdom.”
“That fool still had some sense left in him, thankfully. Now, can you make me a transcendent?”
“Ah, Your Majesty refers to that matter. First, we will need many prisoners. Their life force will be used to strengthen Your Majesty’s body.”
“Yes, yes. That won’t be difficult. Start immediately tomorrow. If you need more, just say the word. This entire kingdom belongs to me.”
“Understood. And I would like to move forward with the negotiations as soon as possible. ‘That’ is necessary to sustain Your Majesty’s body.”
“Do not worry about that either. I will recall the armies and replace the commanders. After that, I shall hand over the royal family’s treasure.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Placus bowed, a smirk forming on his lips. Things were going even smoother than expected.
* * *
“This is strange.”
Ghislain tilted his head in confusion.
Even considering the time needed for reorganization, this was too late. By now, the royal army should have arrived, yet there was no news at all.
Some of the allied forces had already reached the designated strongholds. They were simply waiting for the operation to begin.
But with no sign of the royal army, the northern army had been left idle, waiting in frustration.
“Something must have happened… Send a messenger to find out what’s going on. Dark, go with them and report back to me immediately.”
At Ghislain’s command, the messengers departed.
Days passed as they waited, until finally, an envoy from the royal court arrived.
And the words he spoke were completely unexpected.
“The Supreme Commander of the Northern Army is to step down immediately, by royal decree. The Northern Army is to be disbanded, and all forces are to return to their respective domains.”
“…?”
Ghislain tilted his head, unsure if he had heard correctly.
“Say that again. What did you just say?”
Hearing such absurd words, I couldn't help but speak harshly. The envoy twitched his lips several times at my rudeness before finally speaking.
"The Northern Army will be disbanded. Commander, you should return to your territory now."
Ghislain's expression turned grim.
"Whose orders?"
"Marquis Branford made the decision. All the nobles unanimously agreed."
"Why?"
"They say they are negotiating a ceasefire with the ducal families."
"A negotiation? A ceasefire?"
"Yes. The kingdom’s people are suffering too much, so they have decided that it is time to end the war…"
As the envoy rambled on, Ghislain crossed his arms.
There was no way Marquis Branford would do something like that. Even if he had proposed it, Maurice would never have agreed.
If they signed a ceasefire now, they would inevitably become enemies of the other kingdoms and the Four Major Temples. Were they really stupid enough to do that?
There was no way they didn't know that he would never approve of it.
"Be honest. What happened in the capital?"
"W-what do you mean?"
Ghislain rose from his seat. It seemed like he would have to wring some tears out of the man to get a straight answer.
At that moment, Dark, who had followed the messengers, spoke to him in his consciousness.
— “Master, the entire royal army is retreating. Orders suddenly came from the capital.”
Hearing Dark’s words, Ghislain turned his gaze to the envoy.
The man was still standing stiffly, seemingly unable to grasp the situation.
"I told you to be honest, didn't I? I'm not a patient man."
"This document bears the royal seal! What more do you want me to say?!"
The envoy raised his voice in defiance. Marquis Branford may have sealed the order, but ultimately, a royal decree had to come from the king himself.
Even after hearing this, Ghislain's reaction made no sense to him.
He had heard the rumors that Ghislain was a reckless man, but…
The envoy's mistake was not realizing that Ghislain was far more reckless than he had imagined.
"So, something did happen."
Muttering to himself, Ghislain pulled out his hand axe from his waist.
Then, without hesitation, he swung it down onto the envoy’s shoulder.
Crunch!
"AAAAAAGH!"
"Talk."
"A-ARGH! W-What is this ?!"
Crunch!
"UAAAAAAGH!"
This time, he struck the opposite shoulder. The envoy collapsed to his knees, blood gushing from his wounds.
"P-please! Spare me! Please!"
Tears and snot streamed down the envoy's face as he begged. He had never expected such a sudden attack.
Ghislain crouched down, staring into the envoy's face as he asked again.
"Talk. What happened? I told you, I am not a patient man."
"W-well…"
Crunch!
Once again, the axe buried itself into his wounded shoulder. The envoy shrieked.
"AAAAAGH! I'll talk! I'll talk! Marquis Branford has fallen from power!"
"What?"
"T-the king has recovered! That’s why the nobles…!"
The envoy spilled everything.
A mysterious mage had healed the king, and afterward, the king had opposed Marquis Branford by pushing for a ceasefire with the ducal families.
Marquis Branford could have disposed of the king, but he chose to step down on his own. The nobles who had followed him also withdrew and were now under house arrest.
In short, only the king and the nobles loyal to him remained in the capital.
They had recalled the royal army, and soon, all commanding officers would be replaced.
Upon learning everything, Ghislain smirked.
"So that’s how it is."
"Y-yes! So, Commander, please follow His Majesty’s orders—"
Thud.
"Gck."
Ghislain grabbed the envoy by the throat.
It seemed the king knew far too little about him.
If this was what he dared to send as a royal decree.
Ghislain grinned savagely and said,
"Looks like it’s time for the king to die."