Chapter 127: Declaration of Joint Rulership part 3
In the gardens of the Belta royal palace, Lord Corinth’s envoy landed. It was the dragon Gloria, and Elna Norian, Princess Cleria’s retainer. Preliminary talks had already been handled via the Commercial Guild’s communication network. The outcome of these negotiations would be drawing the attention not just of Belta but of neighboring kingdoms as well. One had to wonder whether their intelligence reports also mentioned King Amado’s infatuation with a woman named Elna.
「Lady Norian, we have received word of your coming. Welcome.」
Waiting to receive her was Sir Hermann Bahr, responsible for the capital’s defense.
「I am in your care.」
Elna, dressed once more in noble attire, offered a cool, graceful bow. While she bowed, Gloria took wing. Once she had delivered Elna, the plan was for Gloria to return to Alan’s side.
「You are hardly recognizable. Though your beauty is just as I remember.」
「When I first came here as Lord Corinth’s follower, it wasn’t as if I was deliberately hiding my identity. But it would be a lie to say there was no desire to avoid needless friction.」
「This is the castle that held your colleagues in its dungeon. I understand why you were wary. Come—His Majesty awaits. This way.」
Though no one had demanded it, Elna handed over the sword at her hip to Sir Bahr.
「Oh, this is a fine blade as well. Very well, I will take custody of it.」
With easy, practiced movements, Sir Bahr accepted Elna’s magic sword.
「Your Majesty, I have brought Lady Elna Norian.」
They were shown into the great hall. Elna advanced before the king and knelt, as protocol dictated.
「Raise your face.」
Elna’s gaze met King Amado’s. As envoy, she deliberately raised her eyes higher than etiquette strictly allowed and looked him full in the face.
「It has been some time, Lady Norian. You may speak directly. First, state the purpose of your mission.」
「It has indeed been some time. Lord Corinth intends to found a new nation with Ares as its capital, under the name of the Human Starveek Empire. His Majesty Amado is invited to take part in this great undertaking. I was instructed first to learn Your Majesty’s wishes.」
「I see. I had expected a demand for my surrender, but instead I receive a proposal to join in founding a new country. Does Lord Corinth still mean to obey my commands, then?」
「That would be difficult. Lord Corinth has named my liege, Princess Cleria, as his co-ruler, and from here on out he means to act as supreme commander of the army.」
「If one listens quietly, however it is dressed up, this is an insult to the royal house of Belta. Is it not, Lady Norian?」
Tristan, one of the king’s advisors, could not hold back.
「Lord Tristan, please be calm. Lord Corinth has never harbored hostility toward His Majesty Amado. However, it was under the pretext of His Majesty’s decree that the Prime Minister’s army marched to attack him. Lord Corinth repelled that attack. If, after that, both sides simply glared at one another within the same country without either making a move, nothing would be solved. It is precisely to resolve this deadlock and preserve the royal house of Belta that Lord Corinth is calling upon His Majesty to join in the founding of the new nation.」
「Tristan, it is fine. Stand down. I will hear your opinion later. Lady Norian, if I were to accept this proposal, what treatment would I receive?」
「His Majesty would abdicate as King of Belta and become a duke. As Princess Cleria’s kin, you would be treated as royalty and allowed the style of ‘Highness.’ Even after abdication, you would be permitted to carry yourself as a king within this palace. Your domain would comprise this capital and its environs.」
「So my standing and territory would remain almost as they are now. I would simply be asked to relinquish my suzerainty over the nobles and my attachment to royal authority.」
「Yes. It is also our hope that the house of Belta will retain its position. This capital will continue to be called Belta. Lord Corinth has promised that Belta and Ares will be the first cities connected by rail. Rails shrink the distance between cities. Both cities will prosper, and enjoy a level of flourishing never seen before—that is Lord Corinth’s pledge.」
「Hm. This is a far more interesting proposal than I expected. But you know I cannot answer immediately.」
「Of course. Lord Corinth has directed me to remain here until Your Majesty’s mind is made up, and to explain matters more fully.」
「Then we too must confer. Stay several days. We shall receive Lady Elna Norian as a state guest and hold a banquet in your honor. Now then, Lady Norian—if I were to invite you to dance, would you grace me with the pleasure? Or has Lord Corinth forbidden it?」
「This body of mine does not yet belong to anyone. I look forward to being Your Majesty’s partner on the dance floor tonight.」
That night’s banquet centered on King Amado and Elna. As the ball wore on and the band shifted to a slow tempo, couples drifted into cheek-to-cheek dances, swaying gently to the music.
「Now, at last, we can speak at leisure.」
The king murmured to his partner, Elna.
「Yes. From the moment Your Majesty asked me to dance, I surmised that you hoped for a private talk at this timing.」
Elna murmured back.
「First, what will become of my Prime Minister?」
「Marquis Burke has already been swiftly judged guilty. He attempted to poison Lord Corinth, and there were witnesses in that matter. Further investigations into his other crimes and all subsequent measures have been entrusted to Lord Leister. I doubt he is still alive.」
「I see. He had his own family slaughtered, after all. It is only natural that he should become the target of Lord Leister’s vengeance.」
「On that subject, I understand Burke’s malice touched Your Majesty’s relatives as well.」
「I know few details. With Lord Lucilia dead, even if Burke were still alive there would be no guarantee he would tell the truth. For my part, I am content simply to have survived this long.」
「As for Count Khalifa, Lord Corinth has approached him on condition that he cure his daughter’s illness in exchange for his support. I hear Count Khalifa has consented to the treatment.」
「How intriguing. Perhaps Lord Corinth’s capacity is far greater than I imagined.」
「Yes. I am sure His Majesty will not be treated poorly either.」
「When you whisper so beguilingly, I feel myself on the verge of surrendering to the charms of your beautiful voice. If I cooperate with Lord Corinth, I suppose later generations will say I was a lecherous king who let himself be bewitched by Lady Norian’s allure.」
「When the Human Starveek Empire comes to rule the continent, Your Majesty, the first king to stand with him will be praised as a sage.」
「And if Lord Corinth’s ambitious scheme should fail?」
「Then you remain the sovereign of Belta as you are now. At that point, you need only declare the Kingdom of Belta restored.」
「I see. My chief retainers put it this way: ‘It is only natural to seek shelter from a storm. Your Majesty is all that remains of the royal house of Belta. These are not poor terms. Devote yourself to preserving your life and your bloodline’. I intend to follow their counsel.」
「If that is Your Majesty’s decision, then I offer you my heartfelt congratulations.」
「My people are watching to see whether the romance between myself and Lady Norian will come to fruition. Now then, Elna—if I give an answer in line with Lord Corinth’s wishes, would you be willing to become my consort?」
「I am afraid not, Your Majesty. There is already a man I have given my heart to. Besides, if you were to take me as your consort, you would only prove yourself to be that foolish king who let himself be led astray by a woman’s charms. I am sure Princess Cleria will introduce Your Majesty to someone far more suitable than myself.」
「I see. It tears my heart to be rejected and see this love unfulfilled, but very well—I shall look forward to that new match, then.」
The next day, in King Amado’s name, his abdication was proclaimed, along with Belta’s participation in the Human Starveek Empire. The people of the capital rejoiced that pointless war had been averted, and that the royal house of Belta, in whatever form, would endure.
In response to King Amado’s decision, the various lords’ armies that had gathered in preparation to march on the capital of Belta were gradually ordered disbanded. Nobles who had managed their audience with Lord Corinth and Princess Cleria returned one after another to their own domains.
However, a portion of the troops would be tasked with laying the rails for the new railway connecting Ares and Belta. Each stretch of track was assigned to the neighboring lords along that section, and the installation of rails brought in from Ares proceeded at a furious pace.
The midwinter New Year’s Day was chosen as the date for Queen Cleria’s coronation in Ares. On that day, Duke Amado of Belta at their head, the subjects of the Human Starveek Empire would gather in Ares to attend the ceremony. The new rail network, laid in sections by the lords, would speed their travel and make it possible for all of them to attend the rites in Ares.
Before the armies were disbanded, and before the queen’s coronation, a joint-rule declaration by Lord Corinth and Queen Cleria was promulgated.
「For the people’s peace and education, we hereby found the Human Starveek Empire and enthrone Princess Cleria Starvine as queen and co-ruler.」
By elevating the princess of the fallen Kingdom of Starveek as queen, the declaration was all but a declaration of war on the neighboring Kingdom of Alois. With the end of the civil war and this joint-rule declaration, the founding of the Human Starveek Empire became the talk of the entire continent.
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