Chapter 6
#6
Eighteen. Upon becoming an adult, Lucy could do many more things.
From the start, she hadn't entered the school to become a soldier. What she wanted was to understand how to command the military and their way of thinking, and to encounter Walter Heiberg.
Now that everything had been accomplished, she had no more lingering attachments to this place.
"I'm planning to leave the detached palace with my mother. I'm thinking of living in seclusion in the north for a few years."
"What… Would His Majesty allow that? Didn't he say your mother couldn't even go outside the palace?"
"Yeah. So, I'm going to sneak away."
"That won't be easy… No, more than that, what seclusion? Where are you planning to go in the north?"
"Pomnos."
Geronimo stared at Lucy with a dumbfounded expression, as if to say it was absurd.
But as always, he seemed to think she had something up her sleeve and reluctantly showed a hint of agreement.
"Hey, Arsinoe."
"What."
"Out of all the people I know, I think you're the craziest."
Lucy covered her mouth and feigned a surprised expression.
"Amazing. I feel the same way when I look at you."
"Get lost… Anyway, isn't Pomnos a terribly cold place? Why go all the way to where the Lafi live, leaving behind places where people live?"
"I have to run away that far so the royal family won't come looking for me. I'm sick and tired of being summoned by the consorts and being treated like a slave."
"Well, if you go that far, no one will be able to find you."
Geronimo chuckled and shrugged, as if understanding.
The top student and the bottom student, two people at opposite ends in terms of grades, but they were closer than anyone else emotionally, thanks to their common ground of being born to concubines. Geronimo, looking at Lucy with a pleased expression, reached out his hand first for a handshake.
"Live well, and contact me when things are settled. I'll come visit once I've settled down too."
"Yeah. Let's meet again."
They exchanged light farewells and parted ways. They didn't look back at each other, but their faces were filled with the conviction that they would meet again.
One by one, the students left the dormitory, and Lucy remained the last, packing her luggage with slow hands.
She didn't have much to begin with, so there wasn't much to put in her bag. She roughly threw in a few clothes and writing utensils, and then went to the incinerator to burn the letters and documents she had exchanged here and there.
The area around the incinerator chimney, where soot had melted, reflected a strange light, wet with rainwater.
Lucy stared intently at the chimney, which had different shades from top to bottom, and after confirming that the embers had died down, she turned around without hesitation. The dwindling raindrops patted her small shoulders, leaving dark stains.
"Shall we go back soon?"
After lingering for a while, Lucy lifted her luggage at the end of a long exhale.
It took four hours to get from the school to the royal palace, even if it took a long time. It wasn't a very long distance.
"I'll arrive before nightfall. And if I leave with my mother as is…"
It'll take fifteen days to get to Pomnos.
Muttering to herself as if it were a habit, Lucy boarded the carriage heading to the capital.
She had already finished preparing to leave the palace.
She would leave the palace through the door at the back of the detached palace, which led to the dining hall and the outer garden, and head north in the carriage she had prepared.
When the king found out about her mother's absence, he would be furious and send out soldiers, so she had to escape as quickly as possible without leaving any traces.
If she changed horses in the middle and continued north, and met the guide she had arranged in advance in the east, she could easily reach Pomnos.
"Haa…"
If she suffered in Pomnos for a few years, she would be able to return to the capital.
She wouldn't be able to sleep because she would have to be constantly on edge from the moment she arrived at the palace. After organizing her thoughts, she closed her eyelids and slowly let go of her consciousness.
Beyond her darkening consciousness, the impending dark clouds surged in like fog and quickly sank below.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
An unusually short summer passed, and autumn came.
That winter, it rained a lot instead of snow, and a similar season was repeated once again.
Two years later, that summer.
The king died.
King Parnassus, who had boasted of his vigor until just a month ago, lay down, citing the change of seasons as an excuse, and passed away. Unlike his energetic production of royal descendants, it was a very futile death.
But there was no time to grieve.
Following suit, the crown prince died, and then other princes and princesses, and queens, lost their lives one after another. All that survived in the death-stricken royal family were the 3rd prince and the 5th prince.
However, the 3rd prince's tongue was stiff and his legs were paralyzed, making it impossible for him to move properly, and the 5th prince lost his sight and could not get out of bed.
The epidemic that surged in like a tidal wave was not limited to the royal family. The servants who attended to them also died one after another, and the royal palace was reduced to a state more befitting the word "funeral home" than "palace."
In an unprecedented situation where the ruler was vacant, all the nobles gathered in one place, tense. Unlike their usual bickering, the conference room was filled with an eerie silence.
"Are we going to continue leaving the throne vacant like this?"
An elderly man broke the silence with a bitter expression.
The great lords, who had been maintaining their silence, raised their heads one by one and looked at him. Godel Kill, the owner of the largest manor in the royal palace and the Duke blessed by the Twin Mountains.
"Let's leave the grieving to the people of the kingdom, and we should worry about practical matters."
The expressions of the lords brightened at the voice of Kill, who had the greatest influence among the people gathered. Kill kept his eyes on the air and continued with a bitter expression.
"I heard that you all also struggled with the epidemic. But we can't be immersed in grief forever. We need someone to take care of the situation."
Some of the nobles, who quickly realized what he was trying to say, shone their eyes and requested the right to speak. But Kill raised his hand to let them know that he had not finished speaking yet.
"Everyone will understand that the line of Parnassus has been cut off. If there is anyone who intends to enthrone the 3rd prince and the 5th prince as their lord, I will say it in advance. Don't say anything ridiculous."
Unspoken gazes quickly passed over the endlessly long table.
Enough time passed for each person's scattered thoughts and beliefs to solidify to some extent, and Kill, who had been enduring the silence, heavily opened his mouth again.
"I don't want to waste time with futile arguments, so I'll get straight to the point. As a matter of urgency, among those of you here…"
"The bloodline of Parnassus has not yet been cut off."
The calm voice was not very loud, but it echoed particularly loudly in the hall due to the chilling silence.
A young voice that didn't suit the place. All the lords widened their eyes and cast their gazes toward the owner of the voice.
Kill also raised one eyebrow and turned his head toward the direction from which the voice came.
In the old man's eyes, the figure of the man called the reincarnation of the God of War came into view.
"I am not talking about the 3rd prince and the 5th prince. I know someone who is recognized as having the legitimacy of His Majesty's bloodline and is healthy without any illness."
"Who is it?"
Walter took a breath and hesitated for a moment whether he should mention her.
Then, after letting out a short sigh that couldn't be heard, he continued in a monotone voice.
"Arsinoe Thea Neoparnassus."
Everyone held their breath at the vulgar name that was difficult to dare to mention. At the same time, Kill frowned and looked at Walter with a fierce face.
Walter fixed his gaze forward and elaborated.
"She is the 5th princess, born to Ansila."
When an unfamiliar name popped out, the lords slyly rolled their eyes and exchanged glances.
Everyone knew who Ansila was, even if they didn't know Arsinoe. And in context, they understood that the daughter of that concubine was being referred to as a princess.
But Arsinoe was not even a proper princess, and she was too low-class to be mentioned in this place.
"She… cannot be regarded as a member of the royal family. I don't know if you think it's okay, but there are too many flaws in terms of legitimacy."
Duke Kill carefully opened his mouth on behalf of the lords.
Walter only moved his eyes to look at him. His inorganic gaze contained a slight chill, as if looking at something vulgar.
"It is not right to argue about legitimacy based on whose womb she was born from. You cannot deny that half of what makes her is His Majesty's bloodline."
Silence fell again at the resolute tone. In a situation where they could not easily open their mouths, only the sound of clearing throats announced their presence.
It was an unexpected person who broke the silence that seemed like it would never end.
"What you say is not without reason. But what we are talking about now is not such a fundamental story. In this chaotic situation, we cannot promote such… a child born to a concubine as our lord, can we?"
Duke Whitten, who had been watching the situation with a smile, interjected in a low voice. Then, as if they had been waiting for it, people threw out sarcastic remarks one by one.
"That's right. No matter how few people there are, how can we make the daughter of a dancer who we don't even know where she came from…"
"Now that I say it, His Majesty was a little too much. To commit concubinage in the sacred royal palace. Moreover, a dancer from the western nomadic tribes, I couldn't help but be disappointed."
"How can we even mention the child of such an unclear origin as a candidate for the throne? Isn't what you're saying even more wrong?"
"The throne for a woman who hasn't even properly learned royal studies. The fact that these words are coming out shows how much you look down on the royal family, am I wrong?"
Sensing the intensifying atmosphere, Kill raised his hand with a seemingly fierce expression.
"Everyone, stop. I have not granted permission to speak."
Even though it wasn't a very loud voice, it had enough impact to quell the commotion.
Duke Kill, who quietly looked around the audience, turned his gaze toward Walter. And he said in a voice that was as devoid of emotion as possible.
"Lord Heiberg. I have no desire to refute your opinion. But she is an unprepared talent."
"What do you mean by preparation?"
"If His Majesty had treated her as a member of the royal family and educated her while he was alive, I would have readily accepted your opinion. But now, we need someone who can lead the royal palace right away."
"Then, I have just one question."
Walter, who had been calmly listening to Kill's words, closed his eyes and opened them. Then, with his gaze fixed on the air, he opened his mouth.
"Is the talent you are trying to elect now a regent to whom you will entrust the proxy rule, or a new king?"
The moment the direct words echoed, the lords held their breath.
No one wanted a proxy rule. Also, everyone in this place knew that all the people here had gathered because they wanted to be the next owner of the throne.
The general, who was keenly sharpening his senses to the trend, also knew this. Walter fixed his gaze on Kill's eyes and continued in a low voice.
"If what you desire is a discussion about a new king, please think carefully and speak. And please, I hope you will remember what Article 1 of the Royal Army's Code of Conduct is."
