A Private Visit

When we returned to the Royal Capital, things were less chaotic than expected.

Lady Anatia and the others must have managed the situation well.

When we reached the castle, the crowds gathered for the coronation had already dispersed, and cleanup was underway.

Keeping the scale small had paid off.

A larger ceremony might have been impossible to control after the attack.

We headed to the throne room to meet with Queen Tianis.

In the throne room were Queen Tianis, Kanon, Lady Anatia, and Princess Yupe.

Aside from them, only a few maids were present.

Queen Tianis looked quite pale, but her mind was sharp.

"So you've returned safely. Good work… Tell me what happened."

"Understood."

I reported what had occurred at the investigation site.

I explained the Church of the Sun God's attack and the Apostle candidate in as much detail as possible.

"I see. So it only ended up half-destroyed. I just couldn't handle it after all… Even though the crown is meant to repel the Kingdom's enemies."

"Isn't that just a matter of the right person for the job? The monarch shouldn't be doing everything herself."

"Even so, I…!"

Queen Tianis tried to stand to refute Princess Yupe, wobbled, and sat back down.

Her usual energy hadn't returned yet.

"Sigh. Maybe Yupe-neesan is right. It's true I'm not a strong ruler. If I push myself and collapse, it'll only trouble everyone more."

"Exactly. It's too late for me to take the throne now, and it's too much hassle. Let me relax, will you?"

Queen Tianis and Lady Anatia shot Princess Yupe sharp looks, but she ignored them as if it were nothing.

"We'll get more details once Mani returns. I wanted to find out how they got in, so it's a shame we couldn't take any alive, but maybe this is for the best."

"I agree. They're dangerous. There's no telling what they might do, and they wouldn't hesitate to blow themselves up."

These were people who had infiltrated even Emperor Kelves's coronation.

Being overly cautious couldn't hurt.

"By the way, where is Duke Baroba?"

"Father is commanding the Alsarm forces. He's overseeing things on-site to ensure nothing else happens. We also have foreign dignitaries present, so that seemed the safest approach."

"I see."

I nodded at Lady Anatia's words.

With him there, things would be secure no matter what.

"Now that Tianis is recovered and the enemy is dealt with, I'm going to bed. I'm tired, and staying up late is bad for my skin."

Princess Yupe left without further ado.

Same as always.

But it was true we'd all been tense since morning for the coronation, and exhaustion had built up.

Everyone felt the same.

Getting some rest should be the priority.

I suggested as much.

"You're right. Not that I agree with Yupe, but if we're too tired to make proper judgments when it matters, that's a problem. Let's leave things to the Chancellor for now and get some sleep."

"The Chancellor, you say. He wasn't here either."

"Ever since his rival the Secretary of Military Affairs disappeared, he hasn't shown his face around us much. His work is fine, though… I thought he might try to expand his faction, but he hasn't."

The Kingdom's internal affairs were in considerable turmoil.

The largest faction, the Secretary of Military Affairs, had vanished along with his entire power base, leaving a three-way standoff among the Chancellor, the Finance Minister, and the royalist faction.

The Finance Minister showed no interest in expanding influence; he was busy consolidating benefits among his own circle.

The Chancellor was a man of the people and the head of the robe nobility.

Queen Tianis and the others had been wary that he might rush to expand his power now that the Secretary of Military Affairs was no longer keeping him in check, but…

"Anyway. Let's rest while we can. Tomorrow we'll need to explain today's events to the foreign dignitaries, and we won't last if we're exhausted."

With that, we adjourned.

It was a relief, given how worn out Azu and Alexia were.

Everyone returned to their rooms, and I finally had time alone to sit on the bed and think.

About the Church of the Sun God.

About the Kingdom's future.

The surrounding situation. And its effect on business.

But it didn't last long.

Too many questions had no answers right now.

I wished the rapidly shifting circumstances would settle down and give way to peace as soon as possible.

Before I knew it, I'd fallen asleep against the bed.

Damn. I hadn't even changed.

Checking the clock, I hadn't been out that long.

The water that had been prepared for me was cold now, but I could soak a towel and wipe off the grime before changing.

I was in the middle of removing my jacket when there was a knock at the door.

Assuming it was one of mine, I granted entry without turning around.

"Eep!"

A cute little yelp.

I thought we were past the point of being shy about that sort of thing, so I turned around, and there stood Queen Tianis.

She was in casual clothes, a lamp in her right hand, her left hand covering her eyes.

"Why is your top off? Put it on, quickly."

"I was just wiping down…"

"And you let someone in while you're like that? Are you all in some kind of indecent relationship?!"

"Nothing like that. We're perfectly proper."

"Are you, though? With all those women around you."

I quickly pulled my jacket back on.

Queen Tianis seemed to have recovered her energy after resting.

"So what brings you here, Your Majesty? It's late, and someone visiting a man's room alone is rather improper."

"I-It's not like that, so don't get the wrong idea."

"I won't."

"When you say it that flatly, it feels like I've lost somehow…"

I moved a chair over, and Queen Tianis perched on it.

She seemed meeker than usual, like a borrowed cat.

"So, um. Yohane, you met King Izard, didn't you?"

"Yes. He saved my life when I was in danger."

"Did you see him use that crown?"

"Yes. Though what he used at the time was only a fragment of it."

Come to think of it, the crown hadn't been whole back then.

Knowing he'd displayed that power with just a fragment made me wonder how strong the complete thing would have been.

"How did it compare to when I used it?"

"… Well."

Her eyes were serious.

She wasn't looking for flattery.