Chapter 134 (1/2)
Once the bureaucratic paperas in order, to receive a simple explanation of the situation, Rudel's party scheduled an audience with royalty… with the current king Barqah Celestia
But the only one who could attend was Rudel
The reason was a discriminatory one, and a decision by Celestia that a Courtois non-native like Izu
Within the flurried palace interior, Rudel was kept waiting in the waiting roohts left to watch over hih the documents from Celestia's side
”… I don't think there will be a proble Princess Cleo on the way to the volcano, but protecting her throughout two days before departure will be difficult for me alone”
The contents denoted were orders for Rudel to serve as Cleo's guard With the other party being the princess of a foreign country, Rudel felt there was a limit to how far he could accoing and such, it would be e for a man to be by her side
Rudel had already been kept waiting over an hour for his audience Within all that, Millia saw in a chair as she sipped tea While she looked callances towards the knights stationed around
”I get why you're the only one who gets an audience, but aren't they treating us too terribly? And there's a bit of a probleht to protect the precious princess”
Millia's words afforded her glares frohts Izumi sipped her tea calmly
”I'm sure Celestia has some preparations of its own And we did arrive quite ahead of schedule”
”There's a li in the king's office, isn't he? I don't want to say it, but Rudel's a future archduke They're treating hihtly”
Millia's anger could be called natural There was no helping if the country , they recognized it as a foreign diplomacy tactic But they also kneas a ainst those of lower status
The small country of Celestia boasted less land than Rudel's own home
There was an active volcano close to the fortress city, with soes dotted around The national population didn't reach a million
There were hot springs around, and accepting travelers, they were in possession of assets in foreign currencies The fruit juice that made up their specialty product idely exported It was certain these lands were livelier than the arses territory governed by Rudel's parents
But they depended on a foreign knight They took an attitude as if to pick a fight with abeyond their reach
”… For now, I have coht I don't think they're treating uard detail will be a proble room”
”Can't Celestia dispatch sohts?”
On Millia's arbitrary statement, Rudel shook his head
”Unfortunately, there are no fehts in Celestia No soldiers either”
Different countries had different custo natural in Courtois were nothing but heresy here Rudel thought the reason for the limited audience was also related to those customs
Wohts There were other s them, Celestia was special
(This is a troublesootiation)
Thinking it would be difficult to serve as the only guard, Rudel decided he'd ask for Izumi's cooperation in the case that Celestia hadn't made and preparations of their own
A butlerishroom
”Rudel arses-dono The preparations are in order, so I shall be guiding you to the King's office”
Leaving the docuhtened his uniforave a light nod
His entry into the king's office per a break in the room
But the King didn't turn his body towards him
(Hmm It's just as the captain said This isn't the attitude of a small nation…)
With Rudel's position, he couldn't stick his reetings and got to his feet, Barqah took the cup left on his break table in hand
”I wish to speak some with him Have the others stand down”
On his words, the knights and servants stationed took their leave Sensing them on standby outside the room, Rudel waited for Barqah's words
He took a glance at the king's extravagant work desk
It was piled with six whole mountains of documents
”My apologies Because that daughter of inally, I wanted to use the audience chamber, but even now, the authorities who hold antipathy towards Courtois are not few in numbers”
(The princess is treated as a 'that'? I don't feel I'll come to like this person…)
The antipathy surely referred to the war eighty years past But Rudel felt rather than antipathy, this was so closer to contempt
And he didn't like how the aze above the fireplace, not in use for seasonal reasons It was furnished by three separate professional paintings of what seemed to be his family
From the documents received in Courtois The first depicted Barqah's queen and children The second, a woman with blue hair, and two ser than the other two
And the third along, Rudel found unnatural
It looked to be a painting of Barqah in his younger days His right hand rested on a wo was positioned in the center, ely desolate
(It looks like so's shown of the three)
”… They're paintings of my family The precious family I'm supposed to protect Noe can't stay like this forever Let's talk about work, Dragoon”
His bright green hair straight and long, Barqah stroked his beard,a serious face to talk about work In his early thirties, the king could be classified as young, but his dignified air ell-formed
”I have gone over the docuuard uard the princess alone”
”Fret not I will be dispatching people as well”
”But all of your guards are male, are they not? I believe it in your best interest to send around a trustworthy woman”
”… Unfortunately, I have no wouard”
”I have coht and one defender Would it be possible for them to take part in this mission?”
”Hmm Youas the departure takes place in two days The ceremonial tools should be in order by tomorrow”
”You have ratitude And ill our schedule be for this two-day period? It was not detailed in the documents”
Barqah stopped stroking his beard, gazing out of the
”I decided to give that one free ti it with her younger brothers and sisters, but this is an important period I'd like to avoid ti her resolve If it will let you divide them, then I mind not if you listen to that one's wishes”
Rudel thought over what the reasonthe princess of his own country… his daughter like this He heard she would be offered as a sacrifice Taking that into consideration, it wouldn't be strange if he already had his feelings sorted out in his heart
After that, Rudel was told to hear the specifics frouard detail and was excused from the room When he left, Barqah called over
”Dragoon That one is a pitiful girl You must protect her”
”… Leave it to me”
Rudel couldn't deter or not
(I've taken on quite a troublesome mission)
He thought of it as a ain Sakuya's spirits, but ever since he arrived at the palace, he was struck by
Taking Izu, Rudel made for the plaza where Sakuya was stationed
There, those of the royal line… the royal children atched over by knights as they studied the dragon Sakuya looked at the children with a tilt of her head
”Big!”
”Sister, is this a dragon? But our God is stronger, right?”
”Turn this way, you big lunk!”
The child who spat those last words really didn't understand the aon, or so Rudel was filled with sorrowful sentiment
(Good grief, if I had just a day, I'd drill a dragon's splendor into his body)
”R-Rudel Your eyes are scary”
With Millia's worries, Rudel reverted his glare and approached the woave such harsh looks must've been because their jobs were snatched away Rudel thought as she approached the woman
”Pardon my intrusion My name is Rudel arses On this occasion, I have been ordered to accouard”
Giving a drilled Courtois-styled salute, Rudel looked at the surrounding children Two blue-haired woreen-haired and brown haired child They looked older than he had seen thes
The woer sister of siive a curtsey
”I ahted by Courtois' assistance in this uard”
She sine she would lose her life in two days
(Is this… resolve?)
Rudel took caution in his words as he lightly exchanged conversation with the princess He also introduced Izu back
”Are they feies I aeable on the affairs of Courtois”
”That's perfectly alright The defenders are an organization only set up recently There's no helping if son lands has yet to hear of them”
Rudel dealt with her as he recalled the painting in the king's office A majority of the children here had been painted But the one individual who had been kept out… he noticed it was Cleo
(Is this that fa?)
Knowing he wouldn't be able to dig too deep into it, Rudel conversed with her
”Even so, to think dragons were soe It's the first I've ever seen one, but I'm surprised hohite and beautiful it is”
”She praised me! Rudel, she praised me!”
The one whose body twitched in response was Cleo Perhaps those around could only see it as a roar, as the knights stood in formation before the royal line Fro ht
”She's just happy to be praised But you've got a good eye on you, Cleo-sairl is an especially cute one, and her naemstone in her forehead's pretty, isn't it? And when she spreads out all four wings, no one can take their eyes off of…”