***Arc 6 One Who Pierced Through, Chapter 121 Front, Back, and Middle***
The reception room of the royal palace.
There was an old man with a large stature.
His hair brushed back and his long beard had turned white, and his face was deeply wrinkled.
Even so, his narrow eyes were somehow tinged with sharpness, and something that should be called a vigor seemed to rise from the old man's body.
Seated directly in front of him with reddish-gold hair――Queen Kreschenta wearing a pale blue dress.
Next to her sat Krische, who had taken off her overcoat, in a one-piece dress.
"Before Onee-sama leaves for the fun trip I would like to ask you, Onee-sama, to be present."
The day before Krische left for her trip, she was invited by Kreschenta to be here.
The person who wished to meet Krische was the old man in front of her, Felworth Keithriton.
A Hero of the kingdom who once made a name for himself――and had once turned his blade against her.
"I am glad to see you are well, Your Majesty. And you too, Krische-sama."
"Yes, Duke Keithriton. You look lively too. What is your business today?"
――The rebel who pointed his blade at the princess.
However, Kreschenta ordered him to be confined rather than executed, claiming that he had been taken hostage by Gildanstein and that he had gone to war unwillingly.
She felt that it would be a shame to kill a man who was still so influential and prestigious in the army.
He was a skilled general and had originally held the rank of marshal before retiring from the military.
His return was desirable for the Kingdom that had lost many generals.
Kreschenta had received a letter from him stating that he wanted to talk with Krische as well, and Kreschenta was not sure what to do, but when she knew that Krische will be leaving the royal’s territory, She accepted it.
One of the reasons was that she wanted to carry out ‘Operation I'll show Onee-sama my cool side as a queen’ to raise Krische’s opinion of her before she left for her trip, but aside from that nothing would happen if she just spent a lot of time worrying about it.
She wanted to decide how to deal with this man as soon as possible.
If he obediently became her pawn, then fine, and if he didn't, then that's the end of it.
She would kill him sooner or later.
That's all there was to it.
"First of all, I want to thank you for your efforts to save my life."
"I don't mind. You are the general who has contributed to the kingdom longer than anyone else――I felt that it was a pity to lose your life for something like this. You also had your own convictions...it's a pity that it wasn't on my side."
Kreschenta’s eyes were downcast with the princess's face.
Krische wanted to go home early and do something about the estate, but she nibbled at the cookie, sensing that it seemed like it would be a long story.
She and Felworth had been enemies on the battlefield, but now that it was over, the man was of no importance to Krische.
She did think he's an excellent general when she heard the details of the battle from Nozan, but that's it.
If he was going to be an enemy, she would kill him, and if he was going to be an ally, she would just let it be.
She had no interest in him personally.
Felworth smiled at Krische, and Kreschenta opened her mouth.
"But it's all over. Let's let bygones be bygones for the time being. I would be more than happy for you to talk to me in the same way as before."
For a while after that, it was more like a chat.
Kreschenta talked to him about his relatives, his health, and other topics of casual conversation without going into too much depth.
Kreschenta remembered everything from his family structure and servants to the names of his pets and the number of horses he had.
It was easy enough to make a topic out of it, and she asked him a series of easy-to-answer questions to lighten the mood.
She didn't want him to forget that he turned the blade on her once, but if she was going to make him her vassal from now on, she also didn't want him to feel too much guilt about it.
Especially a warrior like Felworth is a creature who places more importance on appearance than on his own interests.
If she made him feel too much guilt for being a traitor, there was a possibility that he would become too self-punishing and voluntarily seek punishment, such as giving up his title as a nobleman.
Naturally, there will be no benefit there, only the loss of one talented person.
For now, Kreschenta decided that it would be better to ease his tension and guilt with an appropriate topic for the time being, and then move on to the main topic.
Nonetheless, what worried her was Krische, who was bored next to her and turning into a cookie cracker.
Seeing this, Kreschenta felt a sense of unease that continuing this conversation would not only raise Krische rating of her, but rather lower it, so she cut it off at an appropriate point and went to the main topic.
After finishing her question, creating a slight silence, and nudging Felworth subtly, the old man began by saying why he had joined His Highness’s side.
"...I've watched His Highness grow since he was a child. Teaching him how to use the sword, teaching him tactics... I should say it's more parental affection than conviction."
"parental affection?"
"I had initially planned to sit out the civil war, since I had long since retired from the service of His Majesty King Alvarza, whose death marked the end of my service to the Kingdom."
Alvarza was Kreschenta’s grandfather.
Felworth was a general who fought alongside King Alvarza, who was known for his bravery, and retired from the field shortly after his replacement.
"I know the circumstances better than others. His Highness has his arguments, and Her Majesty the Queen has her arguments——which one is right, which one has a greater cause? However that’s a trivial matter... and at all times the winner is always right in the end. To begin with, I am not interested in the truth. ...The usurper is His Highness, and Her Majesty the Queen is the new king of justice who defeated him――that's fine."
It was as if he was implying that the real usurper was Kreschenta.
But Kreschenta listened calmly, and Felworth laughed quietly.
"His Highness must have understood that. It was just one word――He asked me to cooperate in the fight that he betted his being on. He just wanted to have pure power and fight to decide who was worthy of being a king."
"Whether or not there is a future in this ridiculous life of mine…it’s a gamble. I just don't have enough hands to beat the game. I need you, Felworth. ――Come with me."
"It is not that I saw a just cause in His Highness, or that I had any ill thought for Her Majesty...but simply obligation, and the parental affection of one who has seen his everything up till now. It was simply sentiment that made me turn the blade. Hence, I helped His Highness."
Felworth smiled sadly and looked at Krische.
Krische frowned and tilted her head, Felworth asked.
"What were His Highness' last moments like?"
"...? Krische killed him by beheading him. Krische thought he would give up at the last minute after running around that much from Krische, what an incomprehensible person."
"He was still smiling even after he died", Krische added with a nonchalant look.
Kreschenta looked at Felworth at her older sister's words, which were tinged with dislike for Gildanstein, but the old man only nodded, smiling, ‘I see’.
"Then good. I'm sure it was a satisfying end."
With those words, silence flowed for a while.
Kreschenta pondered how to use him as a pawn, and Krische cursed her misfortune for being forced to participate in this incomprehensible discussion, pricking her lips.
Krische looked at the two who fell silent while she ate a cookie, and then opened her mouth.
"Umm, if the talk is over, Krische would like to go back to the estate to help Bery."
"O-Onee-sama, please wait a minute. Just a little longer..."
Kreschenta held Krische as she tried to get up, and Felworth, a little startled by Kreschenta appearance, asked,
"Bery is?
"Christand’s servant...Krische was supposed to clean up the estate with Bery today, but Krische is here after being called by Kreschenta."
Disgruntled, stared at Felworth, and the old man laughed.
"Kuku, the Alberinea, second only to the Marshal, is cleaning up together with her servants?"
"For Krische, that's the bonus. Krische is just in the army so that it doesn't get in the way of Bery’s cooking and cleaning the mansion."
Krische said
Felworth looked at Krische for a moment, and then seemed to be convinced.
"I see, a bonus is it"
"That's right...Are you done with what you want to ask Krische? Krische heard that Duke Keithriton was the one that called Krische."
"...Truly. There was something I wanted to ask Krische-sama."
"But it’s something that I’ve half-heard", he smiled wryly.
"I wanted to ask Krische-sama what you are fighting for. Why did you take up your sword and stand on the battlefield——what kind of person are you? I wanted to know that, so I put Krische-sama’s name in the letter."
"... Krische is on the battlefield for Selene and Kreschenta. Krische doesn't really want to go to the battlefield, and if the two of them is fine with it, Krische'd like to live quietly somewhere in the mountains where we won’t be related to that kind of thing."
Krische crossed her arms grumpily.
In Krische’s short life, the worst person she met was Gildanstein.
He was a man she hated to the extent that she didn't even want to remember him, and he was so unpleasant that she wished she could have hurt him more before killing him.
As a military man, she didn’t care to be divided between friend and foe, and she had nothing against Felworth, who was her enemy in that regard, but the way Felworth seemed to mourn him was unpleasant to her.
Gildanstein deserved to die for Krische——he was the one she had decided to kill without fail.
What was the reason for repeating such talk in front of Krische――
"Krische doesn't really understand the aesthetic sense of just cause you're talking about, and Krische doesn't care about your relationship or the dead His Highness. ……He killed Gotoushu-sama and make everyone sad. From Krische’s point of view of the, he’s an eyesore and an unpleasant one——he deserves to die."
Krische turned her inorganic purple eyes to Felworth.
Kreschenta hurriedly called out, but Krische continued.
"Krische killed him because he deserved to die. If you don't like it, just say so clearly and point your sword at Krische. If you do, Krische will kill you just as quickly after all."
Felworth looks into her cold eyes and smiled wryly.
Then he sipped his tea and shook his head.
"...I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. Certainly, from Krische-sama’s point of view, he is an enemy――I didn't give enough consideration."
But Felworth continued with a smile.
"No life deserves to be attached to an old man like me. Threats are meaningless to those who don't fear them——remember it."
"Whether or not it's meaningless is for the cliché to decide. ...Because at least Krische will be refreshed just by making you unable. The point is whether Krische can tolerate it or not."
When Krische told him that, displeased, Felworth smiled pleasantly.
"Haha, I see. There is that way of thinking. Simple is good. So, I was just overcomplicating simple things huh."
Where the fun was in this conversation was incomprehensible to Krische.
Kreschenta looked at Krische and Felworth in a situation where she could no longer interject in any way, and then acted restlessly as if she wanted to say something.
Krische sighed at Crescenta's restlessness and picked up a cookie, shoving it into her mouth. Kreschenta bit it as a conditioned reflex.
"Please forgive me. I don't hold a grudge against Krische-sama, nor am I blaming Krische-sama for killing His Highness. Rather, I am grateful."
"... Grateful?"
"Yeah, after exhausting all of his ingenuity, it ended in one-on-one combat――that would be more precious than any kind of death, and it would be the deepest desire of a warrior. For His Highness, who cursed for being born into the royal family, above all else his death was his salvation. Of course, for Krische-sama, he was a hateful opponent... and that salvation was unwilling, but even so, I, who have seen His Highness since he was born, think it was a good thing. "
Felworth continued.
"Still, it is true that I lacked consideration. If you say that you cannot forgive me, I have no hesitation in atoning for it with my life."
"... He's a troublesome person. At any rate, Krische hates him so much that Krische wishes Krische could kill him three times... no, four...uhh, about five times, so please talk about that kind of thing when Krische isn’t there."
"Haha, I'll keep that in mind."
Krische said with a clear expression of dissatisfaction.
"It's troublesome, so Krische will ask, but Kreschenta wants you to return to become a general. That's the reason why Kreschenta didn't judge the officers and soldiers who joined His Highness this time. The reason why you joined His Highness is irrelevant now, and all Krische wants to ask is whether you will become our force or not."
Felworth laughed and stroked his long beard.
Too direct――Kreschenta, who was eating a cookie, looked at her sister as if to say that would not be good, but the cookie was in her mouth.
She couldn’t even physically interject.
"Irrelevant...Krische-sama doesn't have any feelings of resentment against antagonizing you?"
"It's just a matter of fighting under a different flag. The war's over, and Krische doesn’t care unless you bring it up. Fortunately, Selene, General Verreich, and Ske——Deputy Marshal Farren don't seem to have anything against you, so there's no particular problem. …If you say that you are grateful, Krische thinks you should work as hard as you can to return that gratitude."
Felworth observed Krische.
Krische picked up the cookie grumpily and gave it to Kreschenta.
It was a strange situation, not knowing whether it was a serious discussion or not, but Felworth nodded slowly.
"I guess I should say she's a clear cut person. There's danger, but there's nothing to worry about... Do you hate war?"
"I don't like it.... There are people who are willing to fight, but Krische would rather cook with Bery than wasting time with that."
"Haha, is that so? I'm so used to the battlefield that I felt a little nostalgic the other day. In some respects, it's a charming place, but... but it's true that it's not a good place either. ……If Krische-sama was someone who would be fascinated by it, I would have some thoughts about it as well."
Felworth smiled.
"It was just as Margrave Faren said. Please forgive my repeated rude questions."
"... Skeleton? Ah, did you meet with the Deputy Marshal?"
"Yeah, the other day. ...So you really are calling him Skeleton?"
"Yes, it's a nickname."
Felworth nodded happily and stood up, saluting.
"After meeting Krische-sama, I was convinced. I will accept that offer. I’m not long for life——I can't say that it will be decades from now, but if I can still be of help then it’s my pleasure."
"Hmm... Yes, well, if you say so, that's fine... Kreschenta, do you still have anything to talk about?"
"Uu...no..."
Kreschenta, who was endlessly inserted cookies, finally swallowed everything and looked at Felworth.
Her dignity as a queen has already been completely chewed up along with the cookies.
She was not sure what kind of face she should make, but for the time being she told him as a queen.
"T-the marshal will give you instructions later. Until then."
"Yes, understood. ...But Your Majesty and Krische-sama seem to be on very good terms with each other. You seem to have a good relationship, and your face is softer than before."
"... I didn't mean to look scary but."
"Emotions are something that will ooze out——it's difficult to cover up everything. Those who know will understand it...However, if it's the way Your Majesty is now, there's nothing to worry about."
――Surely, the kingdom will become a good country in the future.
Felworth said this as if looking somewhere with distant eyes.
"What kind did you say? What a straightforward question."
It was originally the estate of Central General Kuraray Marcellus.
The death of the head of the family, after being defeated in a civil war. The Duke of Marcellus ‘donated’ most of his assets to the kingdom, and although the house was not demolished, he sold some of the estate he owned to make up for it.
The mansion in the first-class city is one of them, and it is currently being used by Eluga as the residence of the Faren house.
It happened the other day when Eluga was welcoming Felworth, who was visiting there.
Felworth asked him about Krische.
"I know a fair amount about the royal Cursed Child. I have seen His Majesty King Alvarza the First, who wept, and who laid his own son in his hands as a baby who doesn’t cry."
——That was about 300 years ago.
When the lords who ruled the provinces became powerful, and the shadow of royal authority began to wane, it was said that a baby that didn’t cry was born.
Leine——A beautiful princess named Strong Light became queen at fifteen and took the Duke of Gasle, a powerful nobleman at the time, as her husband.
A few years later, the duke died a suspicious death, and she took advantage of this to absorb the Duke of Gasle as a foothold, seizing power from the lords either peacefully or by force, and in just ten years, she reshaped the kingdom into what it is today.
She then launched invasions of neighboring countries, greatly expanding the size of the kingdom's territory——she might be called a great lord for that accomplishment alone.
However, contrary to her glorious achievements, she had a lot of dishonorable rumors.
She was a lecherous person, and used her appearance to commit many infidelities.
She used her power to ruthlessly murder all of her subjects who opposed her, and even took the Duke of Gasle as her husband to gain control——it was rumored at the time that she was the one who killed him, and was said to be a freak who would do anything for her own benefit.
"No matter how big or small, the baby who doesn’t cry is said to have excellent intellect and sensibility that differs from that of ordinary people. At one time they left behind great achievements, and at other times they disturbed stability and harmony——How about history?"
"I just looked at the book briefly."
"Right. Are you aware of the split with the Holy Empire?"
"yes. Just about what was written. There are few books written about that era in the kingdom's books."
Another baby who didn’t cry to Leine, who had many children.
She was also named Leine by the Queen, and with her birth, the Queen became the great Leine—— Gravaleine.
Born she came to be called Elsleine, little Leine.
Gravaleine strongly loved Elsleine, who was superior to all her other children, but unlike her who is cheerful, Elsleine was a quiet and gentle princess who liked to paint.
Was it political or was it because of their individual personality?
At some point, the relationship between the two became strained, and Elsleine rebelled with many of her subjects, who were dissatisfied with the Queen's reign of terror.
The kingdom that held a vast territory was split in two, and Elsleine created the Republic of Elsleine——a 'little paradise'.
The Kingdom naturally turned its forces against the Republic, and the war was expected to end soon.
The republican system that Elsleine established was headed by a parliament.
If there is a difference of opinion, it is natural that the response will be delayed accordingly, and Gravaleine was a queen full of decisiveness.
There was no reason not to exploit this vulnerability, and the republic was forced into a position of inferiority due to the difference in military power.
However, the Republican Assembly loses its original form as it was cornered, and when Elsleine, who led the rebellion, was given real power again, the Republic gradually begins to resist the invasion of the kingdom.
Elsleine spread her teachings, based on the utopia depicted in her paintings, and once she had won the people over to her side, they began to call themselves the Holy Empire with her at its head——and from there the battle was even and lasted for several decades.
The kingdom lost much of the territory it had held until then, and although peace was made between the two countries following the assassination of Queen Gravaleine, all that was left were desolate lands and people.
For this reason, babies who don't Cry were considered taboos in the kingdom.
"...the kingdom and the empire——the two leaders of each were said to have been Baby who doesn’t Cry, and it was said that the royal family decided to kill the children born in such a way as a Cursed Child. I investigated the Cursed Child during the time of His Majesty the former King Alvarza. Luckily, I had a connection with the Imperial State, so I was able to see it——whether it was good or bad, should I say that it was a painful decision made for the sake of the stability of the kingdom?"
"It's a ridiculous story."
Eluga said, moistening his lips with alcohol.
He loves Krische and he thought so from the bottom of his heart.
"Cry or not cry——even if you can tell the difference, where is a human being who can discern the good and bad of the baby? All people have both good and bad sides, and if there is something that can be said to be true goodness, I would like to see it."
Everyone has a good side and a bad side.
There were those who tried to be good, but there was no such thing as true goodness.
The same goes for evil——Eluga thought that the two sides of a coin were still just one piece in the end.
"Krische-sama is certainly different from humans. Some would call her a deviant. But she at least tries to know good and evil, and respects what is good. She has a much purer heart than a fellow with stupid wisdom."
"... Hmm. Are there no worries?"
"If there is anything in this world that is free from anxiety, it must be the one that has welcomed death. At least I will use the rest of my life to help Master Cliche. Even if I can't say she’s safe, as long as she has someone watching over her, that's fine."
Felworth stroked his long beard as if surprised by Eluga's words.
Then he said, ‘How surprising’.
"I didn't expect you, a misanthropist, would say that far."
"What a misanthropist. I like innocent people more than anything. It’s because of my face, children are often scared of me..."
Eluga smiled wryly and continued.
"Haha, but now Krische-sama calls me Skeleton. In the past, I used to worry about it, but when that person called me that, before I knew it, this face seemed like something isn’t that bad. ...She is a troubling person and a mysterious person."
Felworth was troubled as to what to say, but Eruga laughed.
"Anyway, it would be nice to meet her once. Whether you like it or not, personal likes and dislikes are divided, but she's a pleasant person....At least, she's not a bad person."
The words told with a wicked look on his face did not feel like a lie.
When Felworth heard that, he nodded deeply.
