Volume 2 Chapter 10 (1/2)
Chapter 2 Episode 10
(Audience 2)
”Her royal highness first princess Lupis of the Rozeria Kingdom will be present shortly! Lower your head!”
With the red carpet being spread a woman entered the audience room, and announced that the princess was about to appear.
Ryouma decided to mimic Mikhail who bowed his head with one knee on the floor.
After all, he was a human that came from a world where royalty was regarded and viewed as something obsolete.
Thus he doesn't know how to show proper respect toward the n.o.bility.
Imitating what Mikhail was doing, was the best he could do.
Since Lione was as confused as Ryouma, doing something like this didn’t seem natural to her, while on the other hand, the Marfisto sisters, although they were slaves until the other day, they used to be lesser n.o.bility, and was performing splendidly.
(Maybe I should ask Laura and Sara to teach me about it later?)
Ryouma waited patiently for the princess to enter while looking at Laura and her sister who bowed gracefully.
Then the audience with the princess began.
The room which Mikhail guided them to was a long room with a golden throne inside.
A red carpet was lined up from the entrance of the room to the throne, with a total of 20 soldiers on both sides of it.
For Ryouma and the others, this was quite a dangerous situation, since they were only four people.
(Well... I guess there's no other choice huh. It was already great that she was willing to meet us in the first place. Although it would have been perfect if she had been willing to meet with me in secret...)
After entering the castle, Ryouma and the others were put into a room for several hours by Mikhail.
Logically it was kind of natural, after all, they were people whom the princess and the Knights faction had acknowledged as enemies not long ago.
Ryouma didn’t know what kind of report Mikhail had made, because when Mikhail came back, he told them to follow him to the throne room immediately.
Thinking Mikhail’s report could have resulted in them being arrested, for an immediate execution without even being able to meet the princess, however, since the princess have granted them an audience, at least, now they had been given a chance to talk, considering that, one can safely say this is a good omen.
While his head was lowered and he was looking down, the sound of a door being opened from behind the throne could be heard.
Then several footsteps were heard within the audience room.
It must be the Princess Lupis and her close aide’s footsteps.
Ryouma and the others kept waiting for Princess Lupis to speak while bowing their head.
”Raise your heads. ”
The voice of a dignified woman could be heard.
Before Ryouma’s eyes appeared a young woman with silver hair wearing a body armor that was completely white.
”Vice leader of the royal guard, Mikhail. ”
The first words from Princess Lupis were directed toward Mikhail.
Her face looked both dignified and calm.
(Vice leader? Seriously? That guy, did he actually have such a high position? No wonder the princess granted us an audience. But still, isn’t that guy too impulsive for the job?)
Ryouma, now knowing that Mikhail was actually closer to the princess and the leader of the Knights faction, thanked all the G.o.ds he could remember, for his good luck.
”I've heard the report from Meltina. I have to say that you being unable to fulfill your mission is very regrettable. And a large number of knight have lost their lives due to this failure. ... All of them have lost their lives is a blow to our faction and jeopardizes the future of our kingdom. Despite being the leader, you've survived and is now present in front of my eyes. As the princess, I must make you compensate for this failure with your life!... ”
The room’s atmosphere turned cold due to Princess' words.
However, on the princess' face, a subtle smile could be seen.
”However, you're a good knight, and your loyalty to the royal family can’t be questioned. It would be a big loss if I were to lose you now when our country faces a crisis. In accordance with your past achievement, and considering that this mission was a trap set by the n.o.ble faction, I will extend your punishment until the political strife against the n.o.ble faction has come to an end. If your future actions in the conflict have enough merits, I will pardon your failures. ”
A clamor immediately dominated the audience room.
Was her decision outside everyone expectation? Even Mikhail showed a blank expression.
”Your highness princess, is this alright?”
A woman who came in before, asked such a question.
”It's fine... There's nothing more stupid than punis.h.i.+ng capable people during a national crisis. Besides I just extend his execution time and might pardon him, however, I've never stated that he was innocent of his crime. ”
Hearing Princess Lupis words, the clamor within the audience room began to subside.
Mikhail then bowed his head while expressing his sincere grat.i.tude toward the princess' leniency.
”Certainly, I will meet your highness expectation without fail!”
(I see, so that's how it is... I respect her judgment. After all, she doesn't want to weaken her faction more than it already is intentionally... Furthermore, she just extended the time until his punishment rather than proclaim him as innocent. This also means, if Mikhail doesn't achieve any achievement in the future, it will be the end for him. ... Uhuh, Not bad at all... Not simply being lenient, but she’s also able to make a correct judgment by looking at the current situation. )
If she simply spares Mikhail's life, the bereaved families of those people who partic.i.p.ated in the surprise attack under his command won't be able to consent.
While that might be true, however, pus.h.i.+ng all the responsibility to one person when all of the top leaders have fallen to the enemy trick is in itself a problem.
Thus, choosing a compromise where she will offset the failure with future achievement can be said to be a politically right decision.
(Not bad at all... No, rather, I might have been lucky... If it's like this, she might be able to understand my proposal properly... It's just... there's a problem.)
Ryouma saw the reaction of the people around them when Princess Lupis made her decision regarding Mikhail's future.
And there he noticed, a vexed expression from an elderly man standing, one step lower than princess Lupis. Apparently, he didn’t agree with her decision to spared Mikhail's life.
Of course, it wasn’t obvious to everyone else, as the expression only appeared for a split second.
(This guy, I guess we can't just simply call all this, as a mere dispute between the three factions huh?...)
Whether Mikhail is a competent person or not, there's someone who actually wished for his death, despite being from the same faction.
Usually, no one wishes their colleague or friends to die. But if someone wishes for their colleagues or friends deaths, then that's means...
(That means, not all of the people from Knight faction, is loyal to Princess Lupis? No, if I consider everything, with that in mind then, this all begins to make sense...If that the case then, I might be able to find an opening when I try to curry favor to the princess. )
Ryouma frantically tried not to laugh, after all, the information he desperately needed, actually convenient appeared in front of him, all by itself.
Ryouma had to compel himself, because if he showed a smiling expression now in this place, it might end up being fatal for him.
(Not yet... I need to be patient... I've not yet pa.s.sed the predicament. The game has just begun. ... I might end up dead if I were getting doubted by the princess or that woman... )
Ryouma line of sight turned toward the woman who previously asked a question to the princess.
She's had a large build for a woman with black hair.
In addition to that, the two swords on her waist look to be quite used.
Furthermore, she must have earned princess Lupis trust, after all, even after being questioned, Princess Lupis didn't show a dissatisfied expression.
”Mikhail's judgment ends here. Now then, let's move to other subjects. ”