“Your Majesty, are you sure you’re fine with that?” Sirius asked Oswald with a serious face once Drossell and Scarlough had left the parlor.
“Yes,” the king replied. “Things couldn’t have turned out better. That girl and I have both gotten what we want. For the time being.”
“Still…” Oswald had answered with confidence, leading back with his arms crossed. The king felt that he had come out with the better end of the deal, but the wrinkle in Sirius’s brow didn’t go away. “Don’t you think you conceded too much?” he asked in a somewhat accusatory tone.
Oswald sighed, shaking his head. Considering their positions—king versus the daughter of a duke—he could certainly see how it might look like he had compromised too much. But as a result of his concession, he’d be getting back so much more than the sum of the things that he’d given that girl.
“I’m proud to have done what is necessary for this country’s development. A few deals like those are nothing major. In fact, they’re trivial when you think of what is to come.”
“Perhaps so, but…”
“Plus, none of her requests have demerits for us. The top-secret documents are kept in the forbidden archives, which is managed by the Privy Council, so there should be no problems.”
“Everything is according to Your Majesty’s will.” Sirius sounded reticent, as if he still wasn’t convinced. The room was quiet for a while until Sirius suddenly broke the silence. “By the way, Your Majesty. About the first prince… What will you do?”
The king recognized the hidden meaning behind his words. He was asking about Rocheford’s punishment, which Oswald had been continuously putting off.
“Rocheford has been mentally unwell since yesterday. However, it is a result of the incident and cannot be used as extenuating circumstances.” Oswald sighed. Rocheford was still mentally ill and was currently under surveillance in his room because he was extremely unstable, rampaging like he had gone crazy one minute and then murmuring nonsense while tears poured down his face the next. However, Oswald knew that he couldn’t cover for him completely this time as most of the nobles had learned about the commotion. Since finishing his audience with Drossell, he had found the resolve he needed. To Sirius, he announced in a determined voice, “I will punish Rocheford by stripping him of his right to inherit the throne and banishing him from Nirvaan. Once his symptoms have alleviated, he’ll be sent to live in the Luce region.”
Sirius’s eyes widened slightly at Oswald’s unexpected declaration. “Your Majesty, are you sure you’re fine with that?”
“Yes. This is my decision.” It seemed like a harsh punishment at first glance, but it was the best way to protect Rocheford. By taking away his right to succeed, he would be kept away from the danger that was the struggle over the throne. And by moving him away from the royal capital, he would be kept out of the nobles’ sight. “I’d like to question him, but if even the national doctors couldn’t cure him, I doubt he’ll get better overnight. For now, he needs to recuperate somewhere quiet. Once he’s better, I’ll give him a fiefdom.”
“Understood,” Sirius replied after a brief pause. “I’ll inform the others of your decision.”
The region of Luce was a remote area in the north under direct control of the royal family. It was a scarce land without any notable industries or abundant flora, but it was a quiet place away from the tumult and discrimination found in the aristocracy. He at least wanted Rocheford to live a quiet life there. As the king, it was the best concession Oswald could make for him.
“But in that case, you’ll have to call the princes back from their countries.”
Currently, Rocheford was the only prince in Nirvaan. The second and third princes had both left the kingdom, but since he’d be stripping Rocheford of his right to inherit the throne, he’d have to call one of them back. Not having an heir in the country was a problem for Oswald.
“Of course I intend to. Sirius, arrange for a messenger at once.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Following the king’s orders, the prime minister left the room. Left all alone, the king sighed once more before standing to return to his own office.