There's Room for All Kinds of Kings

Well then. What to do in this situation? I mulled it over.

If Kanon found out the Queen had come to my room privately, she would definitely be furious.

But looking into Queen Tianis's eyes, I couldn't just brush her off.

She had clearly come here out of trust.

I wanted to answer that.

Her huddled posture was somewhat fragile, unlike her usual self.

As an adult, I ought to lend a hand.

"To be honest with you."

"Mm."

"There was a considerable difference. I don't think you're able to wield even a fraction of that crown's power, Your Majesty."

"I knew it. It was supposed to become a sword, but it only formed a dagger. And the moment I swung it, I felt a bottomless power. I could barely scoop up what was on the surface and release it. Just that alone drained all my strength."

"The strike I witnessed from King Izard was powerful enough to split a crimson sky. Even though it had lost nearly all its power, it shattered a being that had once been a god and saved my life."

That blow had been incredible.

It was seared into my memory; I would never forget it until the day I died.

It was as if light had shone into emotions that had been nothing but despair.

Compared to that, Queen Tianis's strike lacked impact.

Even though it had undeniably been a powerful blow.

But that couldn't be helped.

King Izard had been a tremendous warrior as well.

There was no way Queen Tianis, who had never even held a sword, could match what that great king had done.

"I know. What's expected of me is to stabilize the nation, not to be a mighty ruler. I've come to realize that's beyond me."

"Your mindset is admirable, at least."

"You know an admirable mindset alone isn't enough, don't you, Yohane?"

"That's true, but…"

She was still barely more than a girl, really, and she was doing well given the circumstances.

With Lady Anatia's support, she had handled the incident that had half-destroyed the capital.

"It's about putting the right person in the right place. If the monarch did everything, there'd be no need for retainers. Myself included."

"That wasn't my intent… Everyone has helped me so much."

"If you can recognize that, you'll be fine. It's late. You need proper rest, or tomorrow will be rough."

Perhaps talking had cleared her head.

Her color seemed better.

I walked her to her door just to be safe and confirmed she'd entered before returning to my own room.

My mind was wide awake now.

Even if I couldn't sleep, I should at least lie down and recover some strength.

Just as I was about to turn off the light, Finn materialized.

"Startled me. Where did you come from?"

"Secret. I thought for sure you'd play the wolf escorting her home, but you came straight back."

"Don't say such frightening things. She's a child, you know."

"If you could bend that child to your will, the Kingdom would be yours, no?"

"What do you take me for? That doesn't sound the least bit appealing, and I couldn't care less. My current position is just how things turned out."

Finn settled into a chair, resting her face on the backrest.

"You're a strange one. I've seen plenty of people hungry for status and honor, but no one who flatly says they're not interested."

"It's above my station. Sure, I've used the position to grease wheels for business, but even that's only an opening, nothing more."

Trade with the Empire had definitely benefited from the title.

But I hadn't done anything underhanded, and if I had, I'd have been ignored.

"You haven't been sneaking in here before, have you?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

"… I'd appreciate it if you respected your employer's privacy."

"Of course. But protecting my employer's safety is also part of my job."

Finn extinguished the light, and her presence vanished into the darkness.

I couldn't tell if she'd left the room or was lurking somewhere.

Still, there was no more reassuring bodyguard against nighttime ambushes than Finn.

But it was hard to relax.

*　*　*

The next morning, after breakfast, I was summoned to the council chamber.

Mani and her unit had returned, and there was much to report.

We would share information and discuss what to do next.

At the very least, we had to explain the situation properly to the foreign dignitaries or risk leaving them suspicious.

The Chancellor was present in the chamber.

But he looked as though he had aged dramatically overnight.

The last time I'd seen him, his back had been ramrod straight despite his years, and he'd radiated energy. Now he sat in his chair, drained of vitality.

Even his subordinates seemed bewildered.

"Thank you for gathering so early. The Finance Minister is absent, but everyone else in their posts is here, so let us begin."

The Finance Minister wasn't here.

Apparently, ever since the Secretary of Military Affairs had defected, he'd found various excuses to skip these meetings.

His department was still functioning through his subordinates' work, but…

I couldn't imagine that man doing this without reason.

Perhaps the royalist faction's rise to power had prompted some scheme.

"Your Majesty Queen Tianis, before we begin, if I may."

"What is it, Chancellor?"

"I wish to be relieved of my duties as Chancellor."

"… State your reason."

"I was elevated to this post by the late King. I believe I served him faithfully. I kept the Secretary of Military Affairs's abuses in check and worked to better the nation."

"I have witnessed your dedication myself. You're certainly of an age to retire, but could you not stay on a bit longer?"

"I'm sorry, but the burden is too heavy for me. I had my eye on the Secretary of Military Affairs, yet I failed to detect even a hint of his betrayal. Had I prevented it, we might not have been so threatened by the Church of the Sun God. I am deeply ashamed of my inadequacy."

"That was not your fault. The betrayal was meticulously prepared. It only came to light by chance because of what happened with Yupe-neesan. Without that, we might have been blindsided by a coup. The responsibility lies with all of us."

The Chancellor shook his head.

His resolve was firm; persuasion through words seemed unlikely.

"Let us grant his wish, Your Majesty Tianis. He has served the nation for so long."

"Anatia-neesan… But still."

"It will be fine. I will take over the Chancellor's duties. That's acceptable, isn't it?"

Lady Anatia's words settled the matter.

At his own request, the Chancellor was relieved of his position on the spot and left the room.