497 The Systems History: The start of the end IX (1/2)
Another three months had gone by…
”Your Majesty, the group of revolutionaries had been growing stronger. Even citizens had supported the leader of the group…” Staring at the pond from the window of the royal library, Saionji reported. ”Your Majesty, even soldiers who initially supported you waned. You must flee before they could arrive in the palace. Their numbers had grown and continued on growing.”
”Saionji,” Without turning her eyes away from the direction she was looking, a subtle smile formed on the side of her lips. ”Don't you see? We united everyone to defeat evil.”
”Your Majesty, why… why must you do this?” Hanging his head low, Saionji's shoulder shuddered while his hand balled into a fist. Tora had done things that defied her beliefs and even turned her back to her morals because of her own selfish wish.
Saionji could only listen to her commands as he watched her fall deeper and deeper into the trap she had set for herself. To his understanding of her perspective, to bring peace and order in this kingdom, it must unite while its subjects must be willing to stake their lives and faith to their ruler.
”If they arrived here, serve the rightful king with all your life. Protect him and guide him to be a wise ruler.”
”Your Majesty,” Gritting his teeth, Saionji mustered his courage to listen to her. However, how could he do that? He knew that the king he acknowledged would die in a war she would fight alone.
Saionji had sided with Aki's group under Tora's command. Although they were still wary as they knew him as a loyal right-hand man of the Queen, however, they knew how righteous of a man he was. Hence, using the excuse that he could not bear the queen's insanity, they let him in as his words weigh heavier to the soldiers under him.
With that, Saionji's crimes for following the queen's orders were sworn to be forgotten when Aki reclaimed the throne. Also, he had been giving pieces of information and preparing his troops for their attack to take Tora down, which she was well-aware of.
”Your Majesty…!” Saionji could not control his emotions as he knelt down, unsheathing his sword and placing it in his neck. ”I committed treason, which was punishable by death. Your Majesty, I shall be punished for colluding with the enemy!” with that said note, Saionji was about to slit his throat but before he could, Tora clipped her fingertip on it, stopping him while shaking her head.
Although Saionji said those words, both of them knew that he had done what he did because she ordered him to. Still, Saionji felt he had truly failed Tora in every angle of being a right-hand man. She had tainted her hands while trying to keep her trusted one's hands as clean as possible.