Vol 1 Epilogue (1/2)

Epilogue

There was a lot of wandering.

The strong emotions that got carried along weren’t meant for the current Orba.

This was not the road he himself had expected to walk, but if he expected to obtain something after all this wandering, for someone who’d been forcefully manipulated this way, wasn’t it the means to take revenge with his own hands?

I…

Can’t you take up the sword for your own purposes if you didn’t hate someone? With those feelings in his heart, dressed in bra.s.s armour, he got down on his knees on top of the bright red carpet.

The imperial capital Solon - at the audience hall.

“You’ve decorated your first campaign with a brilliant victory, we are more pleased than anybody else, Gil.”

Courtiers sitting in a row to his left and right, the man sitting on the throne before him was the emperor of the Imperial Dynasty of Mephius, Guhl Mephius. His white hair and beard were both long and full of waves. Although he had deep wrinkles on his face, and deep eye sockets as if they were hollowed out, he was still fully s.h.i.+ning with vitality.

“Gladly.”

“It seems you’ve used various ideas. But I’m truly pleased that Ryucown’s head has been severed by Mephian hands. This is more of a victory than we expected.”

“This was all because of Lord Fedom’s wisdom. General Oubary has also been of great a.s.sistance during my first campaign. It was also thanks to the soldiers and retainers by your guidance, father. I merely borrowed their strength.”

“Oh?”

The expression on Guhl’s face was unusually calm as he nodded. It looked like His Majesty was definitely pleased, and the senior statesmen made eye contact with each other showing satisfied looks. Earlier, although it seemed like he showed a much more severe att.i.tude towards his true son, all he wished for was his own child’s growth. There wasn’t a parent that didn’t love his child.

“As a result from our conference with Garbera, it’s decided we should once again put our attention on your marriage with Princess Vileena. Until then, she is a special guest of ours. But we can understand pa.s.sionate feelings, so keep your lovemaking to a low so it won’t cause any trouble.”

His smile showed he was making a joke.

Embarra.s.sed, Gil bowed his head and said, “I will.” It invited a laugh from the lined-up audience members.

Princess Vileena had been given a private room in the inner palace. Together with her attendant Theresia, she could expect a well-established way of life for now. Moreover, when they decided upon a new date for the marriage, Garbera would no doubt return the captured territory of Apta in the form of a ‘gift’. The Kingdom of Garbera wouldn’t be able to face Mephius properly anymore if they didn’t.

For many different reasons, Prince Gil’s accomplishments were grand.

The atmosphere in the hall had been calm from the beginning to the end, but at the final moment Guhl spoke these words,

“Even Ende won’t be able to make a move so easily. However, if this happened in Garbera, it could’ve happened anywhere. From now on, to keep the authority and strength within the Mephian Imperial Family, we will have to protect the peace within our country. Gil, you also bear this responsibility.”

He hadn’t forgotten to give the anti-imperial groups their fair warning.

“Onii-sama!”

Right after he came out of the audience hall, Ineli came up to him and offered her congratulations. Lifting the hem of her skirt, she gave him a curt bow, but Gil gave only an apathetic reply before turning his back to her again. The beautiful girl knitted her brows.

“That’s a cold att.i.tude you’re showing me. And that while all this time I’ve been counting the days, looking forward to your return. I’ve been worried about you these last few days, brother, and could hardly stomach dinner. And now you won’t even tell your cute little sister one story about your travels?”

“Ahh…” Gil forced a smile and made eye contact. “I have enough to tell, but can we do this some other time. I’m just a little tired.”

“Fine…”

With those words, Ineli left it at that, but not because she was worried about the prince, but because Gil had already avoided her gaze and turned his heels to walk away. She was unable to call out to him again, her pretty looks warping into scorn. But then she suddenly froze for a different reason.

That was because that one look the prince had given her.

It looked the same as the one from the masked warrior in the arena.

After that, Prince Gil went back to his private quarters in the inner palace. He had nothing planned up until tonight’s victory party. Like Ineli, there were some n.o.bles and militiamen who sought an audience to congratulate him personally, but he declined them all.

“Aahhh…”

The moment he arrived in his room he laid down on the bed, arms and legs spread wide.

“That’s quite unbecoming, your highness,” his page Dinn berated.

He had been given the task to continue taking care of the prince. Fedom had arranged for the chamberlains who had taken care of the prince thus far to be replaced with the glitter of gold. Naturally, he didn’t want the prince’s true ident.i.ty to come to light.