🐎 🐎 🐎
AFTER that, we returned to the imperial palace, but that wasn’t the end of it.
The following day, the palace was in an uproar.
When Theo came to check up on me, he filled me in on what was going on.
“The fighting along the border has worsened.”
“…Are things getting dire?”
“It seems the remaining soldiers from the armies of each of the countries making up the Alliance of Nations have banded together.”
I see. I can understand how the fighting would be much worse if the Linus Imperial Army is up against trained soldiers.
Until now, all of the skirmishes had been instigated by peasants armed with little more than farming tools, so the army had been able to disarm them easily with minimal casualties.
“According to reports from the front, some of the opponents are civilians armed with weapons.”
That indicated that someone was supplying these civilians with weapons. It could be Runohark, or it could be the military of another country.
Theo explained they were currently investigating this lead. “We’re also still working on interrogating the men who were captured yesterday. Once we get more information, His Majesty will explain it to you personally.”
So essentially, he’s saying that they still don’t know much, so please wait patiently a little longer? Okay. Not as if I can do much else even if I wanted to!
“I suggested sending you home to your own country for your safety, but we just received word that fighting has broken out there too at suspiciously the same time, so my suggestion was rejected.”
“What?! Fighting has broken out in the Kingdom of Gaché as well?!”
Our country’s royal knighthood was incredibly skilled so I seriously doubted there was any chance of them being defeated, but I still couldn’t help but worry.
My friends, Dan and Lestin among them, might be participating in the battles. The same went for the animals from the beast stables and dragons from the dragon stables. The animals and dragons had been bred and raised for war, and the knights had trained relentlessly for it. But that didn’t change the fact that someone I knew personally might die.
The thought terrified me.
“I know you must be worried, but for now, I need you to bear it.” With this last, grave statement, Theo left.
I decided to write Papa a letter right away. I wanted to hear anything he could tell me about the situation in the Kingdom of Gaché. Although, if it was really bad, I was sure Paul would’ve mentioned it before now.
“Neema, calm down.”
“But…”
Unlike me, Karna was her usual self. For some reason, she handed Inaho to me.
“Kyuuu?”
It seemed Inaho had been sleeping peacefully on the couch, but after being suddenly picked up and thrust towards me, she let out a little cry that seemed to be asking, “What’s going on?!”
I set Inaho down on my lap and gently grabbed onto her tails. A soothing warmth flowed from the tails into the palms of my hands. Inaho’s tails were always radiating heat. The effect was similar to gripping a handwarmer—it calmed me down just a little.
“Now then, Paul. In order to reassure Neema, please tell her everything you know about the current situation,” Karna instructed Paul once she determined I’d calmed down sufficiently.
“I have orders from his lordship.”
In short, Papa ordered him not to tell us anything?
“But I’m certain he also told you that, if you deem it necessary, you are allowed to discuss it. Isn’t that right?”
Paul didn’t respond to my grinning sister’s pointed question. I could only take this to mean she was right on the mark.
“In her current state of agitation at the unknown situation, Neema might accidentally use the holy beasts’ and elemental spirits’ power recklessly. If it were me, I’d use any power I could get my hands on,” Karna continued, blatantly threatening Paul. Well, maybe that wasn’t her intention, but that was how it sounded, at least. “Paul, I, Karnadia Osphe, am giving you an order. You will tell us everything you know.”
By “any power she could get her hands on,” she was referring to her power to issue orders to him as her servant?
Papa’s orders should theoretically take precedence as the head of the Osphe family, but Paul was Karna’s and my private butler.
In short, Karna was forcing Paul to choose between Papa and herself.
“…Very well. If you ladies did anything reckless under my supervision, His Grace would end me for sure. I will tell you everything we’ve been able to uncover.”
So that was the brunt of Karna’s threat?! I suppose he’s right, though; if he were to become the focus of Papa’s fiery rage, there might not even be ashes left when all was said and done!
However, even more than that, the way Karna used her words to back him into a corner, just like Mama always does, was truly terrifying! I won’t let her know that, though…