It hurt my heart to see the king like this. It almost seemed kinder to use poison from a Marre bee that would kill him instantly. But this let me know that it couldn’t have been the king who’d summoned me.
As someone born and raised in Judore, I lowered my head slightly, prayed, and turned to leave.
“Wait, Lady Serephione!” the queen shouted. “I don’t think it would hurt to stay and listen to what we have to say.”
Her voice was high-pitched. The Prime Minister raised his hand, and a dozen or so of his personal guards surrounded us with swords drawn.
“Do you understand the meaning of drawing swords on our master?” said Mr. Kodak exasperatedly. I glared at them, and half of the guards started to quiver.
Kodak and Sasara leaped to head height and smoothly swung roundhouse kicks into each of the guards’ faces in half circles. Once they’d each landed on the ground where the other had started, the guards all fell outward like sunflower petals. They had only lost consciousness. How kind of the two of you.
We headed for the exit, stepping over the fallen soldiers with long strides.
“Father, what are your plans for today?”
“The budgets aren’t done yet, so I have to go back to work. This is all because of those fools who are fighting in the capital. I wish I could just give up and quit, but I have to think of the people. I’d rather spend some time relaxing with you, though,” he sighed.
“I’m busy fighting as well. Let’s relax together in the Granzeus domain once everything is wrapped up.”
“H-Hey there! Stop!”
“Wait!”
We chatted as we walked, paying no mind to the commotion around us.
“Actually... Matsuki went out to do some shopping, and his foot was hit by a fireball from a fight. He’s undergoing treatment right now, so we can’t offer you much in the way of hospitality. Sorry, Serephi.”
“What?” Lou growled. A huge wave of rage poured out of him! That makes the illusion magic pointless!
“E-Eeeeeek!”
“Gahhh!”
The nobles in attendance slumped to the floor.
“G-Gardner! Hurry, hurry and persuade Serephione!” wailed the queen, still clinging to her armrest.
“L-Lady Serephione!”
Prince Gardner and Cecil appeared out of the wings. They ran up to me and knelt at my feet. The prince looked a bit worn out.
“Lady Serephione, I apologize for our carelessness today!”
“It’s been a while, Your Highness. I came on a summons from the king...but it seems he’s ill. He doesn’t even seem cognizant of himself. Who’s been using his title in his place for all this time?”
“I... I’m sorry...”
“So nobody noticed because the climate has been stable for the past several years, none of the lords have changed generations, and you’ve been governing peacefully without any issue. It would be quite the challenge to drag the king out in this state. I suppose you didn’t think there would be anyone rude enough to speak to him directly.”
This was my mother country...but it always betrayed me. I couldn’t love Judore, even in this life. But my Granzeus and Trundle domains belonged to Judore without question...it was frustrating.
“Lady Serephione, I understand that in Galé you told Gardner here to think of the people first. I believe if Trundle and Gardner joined forces, your enemies would turn tail and run, leaving the people with fewer casualties. Wouldn’t that be ideal for you?” The queen chuckled, smiling as if things had turned out just as she’d thought.
“Serephione.” Cecil lowered his head deeply as if to tell me to stop bullying the prince. It was certainly against Trundle principles to bully those of lower status. I turned around to look at the queen.
“Trundles hate cowardice most of all. First of all, I am disgusted that you have called me here in the name of the king. Could you please explain to everyone present here the details of His Majesty’s illness? Next, the reason for our war with Schneider is in retaliation for the violation of our territory. This is on a completely different level from a family dispute, and it makes me sick that you’d try to side with the winner here. Lastly, joining hands is something one does with those who are equal in strength. It is a wonder how you can make such a grandiose proposal when you do not have even a tenth of Trundle’s might.”
I put a bit of pressure on her directly to communicate our gap in strength.
“‘Damage to the people,’ you say?” I continued. “Trundle would be much more capable of minimizing damage and avoiding mistakes acting alone. Joining up with a magician we don’t know well will only drag us down. You’re speaking complete nonsense, Your Majesty.”
“You insolent girl!” The queen, humiliated in front of a large number of high-ranking nobles, turned red in the face from rage.
“Mother!” Prince Gardner ran between me and his mother and spread his arms. “Lady Serephione is not just the master of Trundle, but the empress-to-be of Galé! Emperor Gillain has given her equal power to himself! That makes her your equal in status, or perhaps even higher. You’re the one who should watch the way you speak! Prime Minister, am I wrong?”
“No... It is as you say.”
“You’re talking back to me, Gardner? Prime Minister!”
“Your Majesty, I advised you that Trundle would be difficult to deal with and that our best course of action would be to leave them alone...”
“What is this little girl able to do?! She should listen to me when I speak kindly to her. How insolent. All of you, seize the Trundle!”
“Sere, don’t speak any more! We shouldn’t stay here long,” said Asu into my ear.
I had my companions step back, raised one hand above my head, gathered up countless wings, and threw them into the foreheads of the organizers and the gallery! The air became still all at once. Nobody could move except my people.
This was the new and improved version of my Paralysis magic. I’d revised it based on how things had gone with Cecil before. Instead of direct touch, the wind became an extension of my fingertips, allowing me to use the spell on distant opponents.
“Everybody here either tried to capture me or watched it happen and did nothing. I believe that makes them enemies of Trundle.”
As I turned my head and surveyed the room threateningly, one man forced his limbs to move through the paralysis and came up to me.
“That’s Marquis Berth,” my father informed me quietly.
Marquis Berth. The head of the reformists, and the queen’s backer.
“Your Majesty...it would have been a great success if we could have brought Trundle into the fold. But trying to intimidate Trundle into submission is the worst kind of bad move. Since when did you become such a fool...? You have awoken the sleeping lioness.”
I have a tiger instead of a lion, though.
Marquis Berth then turned to me. “Lady Serephione, I would like to set aside political matters and thank you as a parent.”
“I don’t recall meeting you.”
“I’m Isabella’s father. I’m told that you’ve saved my daughter a lot of embarrassment.”
“Isabella... Is she doing well?”
“Yes, I’m very proud of her. She’s grown more beautiful by the day.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
I saw no deception in the way he smiled while thinking of his daughter.
“I may not be the most pure of heart in some ways, but I wouldn’t stoop so low as to return a favor done for my family with ill will. I don’t have the strength to stand up against Lady Serephione’s strength of spirit, anyway. The Berth family hereby declares its neutrality in the dispute between the royal family and Trundle.”
“Berth! What are you talking about?” the queen demanded. “Do you have any idea how many accommodations I’ve made for you?!”
“Yes, I can say the same for you. We owe each other quite a lot.”
“Isn’t that a bit too convenient?” said my father quietly, stepping in front of me. “You created friction between the princes by backing the queen and supporting the second prince. That resulted in the first prince attacking my daughter and nearly killing her. You are partially to blame. There can be no neutrality now.”
“I couldn’t possibly have imagined the prince attacking Lady Serephione at a sacred school. People make mistakes, don’t they, Count? If you require an apology, I could rub my head on the floor for you.”
“Could you say the same if the same thing happened to Isabella? I was separated from my daughter for over two years.”
“I apologize for my error in judgment, Lady Serephione. You’re kind enough not to leave Isabella by the wayside, aren’t you?”
It was true that I was grateful to Isabella. It was also true that he was trying to leverage that connection to get around me. What an irritating man.
“St-Stop this nonsense! All of you, restrain this insolent girl!”
The scene was becoming increasingly chaotic. The queen was frustrated that things weren’t going her way, Marquis Berth was being sly and self-serving, and my father was quietly venting about the treatment I’d received. The Prime Minister and other high-ranking nobles looked on, too frightened to move.