Chapter 259: …It Was Your Strength

Elvin left the reception room and came right back with soldiers.

At that timing Croana released the pressure, and instead Elvin punched Bern in the gut with everything he had... he is dead.

Elvin must have had a lot stored up. He looked lively while he and the soldiers tied up Bern, who had gone limp as if he had fainted.

Then he bowed to King Adom and took Bern away with such clean hands that I almost laughed.

It looked like the matter was settled, but I still could not rest. I called to Ryudo, whose back Roy was stroking.

Roy stopped stroking and stepped a little away. Ryudo turned a slightly frightened face toward me.

"Ryudo-dono, I am sorry to bother you while you are down, but I would like you to lend your strength."

"My... strength?"

"Yes. The young lady Bern chose as Roy’s fiancée. There is a chance danger has reached her."

"What!?"

"Think about it. This is a man who fooled you again and again for years. Better not to think he followed proper steps. The only ones here who know where the fiancée is are the two of you."

Unfortunately, even if I knew the face from the story movie, I did not know where she was.

This is where the theory group’s guess comes in. Even if she is from the tail end, she is royal. It is strange for someone like that to do whatever Bern says.

I think so too, and that means there is a high chance something has been done to her.

The young lady I saw in the movie first looked like she was marrying Roy against her will. The theory started from there.

After that, whether from Roy’s nature or not, they became a very good married couple.

But the only place you see that is the bad-end movie, and Roy is killed by Bern.

This is the man who sent soldiers to Nifa Inn. Even with Bern caught, thinking the young lady’s person is safe is a bit too simple.

Maar pinched the edge of Ryudo’s clothes with one hand and looked at me with an uneasy face.

Ryudo was startled by my words, hesitated over something, and muttered, "N, no... but," lost.

If someone says this while your head is not in order, of course you hesitate.

But there was not a moment to spare, and I had no choice but to rely on the Ryudo couple.

"I will not apologize for making you remember something unpleasant with my words. I am angry ’about’ that. But right now I want you to save a life that can still be saved. That is the duty and the responsibility of the two of you, who became heroes in Alek’s place."

"...You know about Alek, and you still call us heroes?"

"You seem to have it wrong... that Ryudo-dono and Maar-dono have saved people is, without a doubt, your own strength. I said it, did I not? ’About’ that..."

Ryudo had dropped his face. I came close, put one knee on the floor, and looked up at him with a serious face.

Maar stroked Ryudo’s knee with a sad face, looking between me and him.

As for Roy, he watched without cutting in, calm. Croana was beside him.

"Even if you cannot recall the ’face’ or the ’voice,’ you should remember Alek’s figure in his glory. You cannot fix past mistakes. But now you are, without a doubt, heroes of the Kingdom of Libertonia. Will you show that skill, that strength, to your son?"

"You are... a sly man, are you not?"

Ryudo lifted his face a little, looked at mine, and smiled with a hint of self-mockery. I smiled back as if answering.

King Adom and the Chancellor watched our exchange quietly. Their faces also looked like they were thinking something over.

"Hahaha. I hear that often. Roy, go with your parents and study. You will see how good the teachers at your side are."

"Yes."

I turned to Roy. He nodded with a serious face. I nodded back.

I looked back at the Ryudo couple and nodded. They closed their eyes once, took a deep breath, then opened them again.

When they opened their eyes the weakness from before was gone. Their faces were those of two people who carried a country and were called heroes.

I stood and stepped back. The Ryudo couple stood, bowed to King Adom, and Ryudo opened his mouth.

"Your Majesty..."

"Fine. I heard, so I understand. Ryudo, Maar, hurry to Lady Beige. This is a royal order! ...Roy."

"Hah!"

"Hah!"

"Yes!"

"As Raide said, go with your parents and study... royal order."

King Adom grinned, glanced at me. I smiled with a troubled face and lowered my head.

At once the Ryudo couple and Roy bowed to King Adom and left the reception room. Roy followed after them.

...The two of them will tell Roy about Alek themselves.

Or Roy might ask... if it is now, they will answer.

Left in the reception room were me and Croana, Sharle, King Adom and the Chancellor, and King Adom’s exclusive fairy, Sanai-san.

King Adom beckoned me over. The Chancellor was rubbing his forehead with one hand as hard as he could... I am sorry.

Croana and I walked to King Adom. Walking beside me she looked up, tilted her head, and asked.

"You said it just now... what do you mean they forgot the ’face’ and the ’voice’?"

"It means exactly that, Croana. Not only the Ryudo couple. Bern too. Everyone who knew Alek has forgotten his ’face’ and his ’voice.’"

At my words Croana tilted her head in that cute way. When I lifted my eyes a little Sharle was tilting her head the same way, and I almost burst out laughing.

King Adom pointed with his left hand for me to sit on the left. I bowed as if obeying and sat.

He let out a tired breath, smiled with a troubled face, looked at me, and spoke.

"Raide. It is only us now, so let us drop the formal words."

"I will do my best... but I still am not used to it."

"Then get used to it. Think of it as better than having royal orders used on you. Right, Galt?"

"I am grateful, surprised, and busy, and my head hurts..."

I was smiling wryly at the two of them when the chair was suddenly pulled while I sat. Before I had time to be surprised Croana sat on my lap, and I was troubled.

Reflexively I wrapped both arms from her back to her belly to support her.

She leaned her back into me, tipped a little, turned her face, and looked at me sideways with a mischievous smile. I smiled wryly.

"...So Teacher Croana was a maiden as well."

"Because Raide made me into one, no?"

To tell her I wanted her to spare me I put a little strength into the arms around her belly. She only grinned back.

While I was thinking this was a problem, Sharle came up behind me and started gently rubbing the back of my neck.

...When you get ahead of that habit of mine it is embarrassing.

King Adom and the Chancellor laughed at the sight of me for a while, happily, then put on serious faces and started talking.

"Raide. The matter of the royal seal. Even thanking you is not enough. But... how did you know? From the look of it you know the contents of the previous king... Father’s will as well? And not only that. Alek too. This goes past the range of simply showing thanks."

"...Please forgive words I speak knowing they are irreverent. Will you negotiate with me?"

"Negotiate?"

"Yes. I will open the previous queen’s ’makeup box,’ so I would like you to leave off prying. Only, I want to explain the Alek matter to Croana as well, so I will tell a little."

"A little, is it. More than that, you know about the ’makeup box’ too... hmm, Galt?"

"My head hurts terribly... Raide, what grudge do you hold against me..."

King Adom rubbed his chin with one hand, looked at the Chancellor with a thinking face. The Chancellor had both hands on his head, looking down.

I do not hold a grudge... but will treating him to drinks be enough to be forgiven?

Croana had turned her face forward again and was laughing, kus kusu, happily. I also felt Sharle behind me laughing.

Please do not look at me with those eyes, Chancellor... what choice do I have?

The only thing I can put on the table as a negotiation chip in this situation is what the queens are searching for.

I smiled wryly at the Chancellor’s state, let out a small breath, and Croana stroked my cheek with the hair at the back of her head... it felt good, so I would ask again later.