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Power Struggle Within the Royal Palace – Part 01

In the center of the royal capital of G. Ponsonia sat the grand royal castle. With its strategic location, the castle could be seen from any major street, though its high walls warned people to keep their distance. Access to the castle was limited to five gates within those walls.

Inside the castle was a space so vast that the entire town of Pond could fit within it. It housed various facilities, but the nobles gathered primarily in one place: the royal palace.

Serving as both the residence of the royal family and the hub of political activities, the palace was constructed with gleaming white stones and boasted functional air conditioning to combat the summer heat. Around fifty nobles were currently seated in the long conference room, yet they remained comfortable thanks to the magical cooling devices.

How can everyone endure these daily meetings without getting tired of it?

Seated on a luxurious chair, Kujastria let out a silent sigh. Being just seventeen years old, one might expect her to find these endless meetings tiresome, but as someone educated in the ways of royalty, Kujastria had learned to endure and maintain a serious expression, concealing her inner frustrations.

The king, who had been compelled to abdicate due to the Fire Drakon Catastrophe, was desperate to achieve something that would salvage his situation. To that end, he had resorted to kidnapping Jillarte, the daughter of the former head of the Confederacy of Einbiest, in order to negotiate with the country. However, before negotiations could even begin, Jillarte managed to escape, and the fortress city of Leather-elka fell.

While the knights, led by the famed Lawrence the Sword Saint, eventually recaptured Leather-elka, it seemed that everything the king had attempted had backfired. The royal faction had even sent personnel to participate in the Ruler’s Rumble tournament to determine the next head of Einbiest, but that plan had also ended in failure—a fact they chose to conceal, as it would only reflect poorly on the royal faction.

Now, most of the nobles had gathered in the royal capital, specifically in this conference room. They were trying to come up with the best course of action, but the discussions failed to tackle the underlying issues, with no real progress being made.

The king showed no signs of willingly abdicating, but if he refused, the Fire Drakon would surely strike again. And Kujastria believed there were no countermeasures against it. She vividly remembered how the drakon’s flames had illuminated the entire capital city, turning night into day. Just the thought of those destructive flames descending upon the kingdom sent shivers down her spine.

However, giving in to the Fire Drakon’s demands would tarnish the kingdom’s prestige. Thus, the nobles continued to debate and wander aimlessly through an endless maze. What made matters worse was that most of the nobles gathered in this room were acutely aware of this deadlock.

What is my brother thinking?

In a rare occurrence, her brother Austrin was present in today’s futile meeting, which typically only Kujastria attended. The Crown Prince had been furrowing his brows for some time now.

Kujastria possessed wavy orange hair and eyes reminiscent of amethysts, while Austrin had straight blond hair and blue eyes. Their dissimilar appearances were only natural, as they had different mothers. The king had four queens, with Austrin’s mother being the first queen named Quilmesdalia, and Kujastria’s mother, Fildegal, being the fourth queen. Fildegal had been frail since birth, and her health further deteriorated when she gave birth to Kujastria, resulting in her passing at a young age.

Kujastria was taken in by the first queen, Quilmesdalia, though it was merely a politically-motivated decision. Few were those who carried the royal bloodline, all of whom went by the name G. Ponsonia. For instance, Kujastria’s full name was Kujastria G. Ponsonia. Presently, only Kujastria and Austrin carried the name. Outside the royal capital, there were only three ducal families that bore the initial G.

These particular families seldom ventured beyond their territories and seemed to have maintained their seclusion throughout the recent turmoil.

In a kingdom where direct royal succession was the fundamental policy, Quilmesdalia’s position was secure with Kujastria and Austrin under her care.

However, as Quilmesdalia grew older and the king’s favor waned, she began surrounding herself with attractive young men. Of course, the king also entertained young women, so it was a shared practice between them.

Everyone understands that it will be my brother who succeeds the throne. That’s why they’re having their discussions here. To ensure that they’re in his good books.

Perhaps due to Austrin’s presence, the nobles were eloquent in their speeches. They discussed barrier magic, an ongoing experiment in a neighboring country, as if they had obtained the information themselves, even though it was initially proposed by another noble a few days ago. They passionately expressed their love for the kingdom and their unwavering dedication to it, suggesting that Austrin should lead the entire army to reassure the people.

However, it seemed that Austrin paid little attention to their words.

Why did he come here? He should already be done choosing nobles.

The high-ranking nobles with their own territories believed that their treatment would remain unchanged regardless of who sat on the throne. Thus, they didn’t mind if the current king continued his reign or if Austrin ascended to power. However, they were concerned about the royal capital suffering from the Fire Drakon’s devastation and being asked for donations to aid in its reconstruction.

Similarly, the installation of expensive yet questionable magic barriers would strain the nation’s finances, leading to the same problem. Therefore, while participating passively in the discussions, they sought a compromise that wouldn’t negatively impact their own economic interests.

On the other hand, nobles without territories feared losing their titles with a change in the king. They actively sang Austrin’s praises in the hopes of an elevation in noble rank during the transition. If, by chance, the current king continued his reign and perceived them as seeking abdication, it could lead to their downfall. Thus, they carefully gauged the atmosphere while buttering up to the Crown Prince.

Austrin, taking all of this into account, would classify the nobles based on whether they would serve his interests or not—which Kujastria believed he had already done. That’s why she couldn’t comprehend what he was doing here.

“Hmm…”

At that moment, Austrin opened his eyes. The plump man whispering beside him was the chamberlain. As his title suggested, he assisted the king with his work and managed the attendants. It was common knowledge that he had prioritized flattering the king to reach his current position and even now held influence over the king’s decisions.

But now the chamberlain had abandoned the king, who had withdrawn from public appearances due to the stress caused by the Fire Drakon Catastrophe, and was currently currying favor with Austrin.

Nodding casually at the chamberlain’s words, the prince raised his hand slightly. Everyone present was paying close attention to Austrin’s every move, so there was really no need to raise his hand to silence the room.

“I have something to discuss with everyone,” he said. “My father, the illustrious ruler of the Kingdom of Ponsonia, His Majesty the King, is currently suffering mentally from the savage Fire Drakon’s assault, which hampers his ability to perform his daily duties.”

Sympathetic murmurs for the king and curses against the Fire Drakon echoed among the nobles, though it was a matter well-known to them at this point. The issue lay in Austrin’s next words.

“Therefore, with the permission of His Majesty the King, I intend to temporarily assume the royal duties. Is that acceptable, Kujastria?”

A deathly silence filled the air. The chamberlain whispering in Austrin’s ear was a deliberate act intended to create the impression that the king would grant his permission anyway.

Kujastria’s approval would effectively mean transferring the throne to Austrin. Although the king seemed attached to his position, the plan was to gradually pass on the throne after eliminating all obstacles.

Oh, Brother…

How foolish.

Kujastria managed to stop her thoughts from turning into emotions that showed on her face.

The Fire Drakon did not specify when it would strike again, but it might be tomorrow. Did he not understand that? What they needed to do now was promptly persuade the king to abdicate, prepare for the Fire Drakon’s next attack, and devise a strategy to convince other nations that the king’s abdication was not due to a threat. This strategy could involve launching a renewed military campaign against the Quinbrand Empire or, as a peaceful resolution, inviting dignitaries from friendly nations to deepen friendships.

There was no time to “eliminate obstacles”.

“Yes, of course.”

The wise princess concealed those thoughts and put on an immaculate and elegant smile befitting a royal.

Kujastria believed that her mission was to pray for Austrin’s ascension to the throne before the Fire Drakon returned and to make preparations for that. Objecting now would only cause unnecessary chaos—the worst outcome possible.

“Very well. We will proceed with that in mind,” Austrin said coolly. Without so much as a smile, he rose to his feet.

“Please refrain from such foolish plans.”

However, someone interrupted the discussion. He had snow-white hair swept back, a splendid goatee that seemed to embody his sharp personality, and distinctive facial features, particularly his signature aquiline nose.

It was Margrave Ludraska D. Grugschilt. As his title suggested, he was a Count with a territory in the kingdom’s border. The distinction between a margrave and a regular count was the former’s authorization to maintain a formidable military force. In particular, Grugschilt commanded an exceptionally powerful army, as his territory bordered the Quinbrand Empire, the kingdom’s archenemy.

Furthermore, there were nobles that supported him. Although they held few territories, each noble was considered brilliant, actively carrying out administrative tasks within the royal palace.

Bribery had no effect on them. They believed that being upright and diligent was the duty of the nobility, and had gathered under Grugschilt’s protection.