Movements In The Kingdom

Around the same time Ann joined Ernesto’s faction, a fast courier from the Empire arrived in the Albanell Kingdom.

“I am a messenger sent by His Majesty the Emperor of the Embarek Empire. I carry a letter from His Majesty. I request an audience with your king.”

At the messenger’s words, the soldiers guarding the palace gate treated it as an emergency and immediately reported the messenger’s arrival to the king’s close attendants.

As a result, an urgent audience was arranged, and the royal palace quickly became filled with a tense atmosphere.

In the audience chamber, which had been prepared in only a few hours, the king and his attendants gathered, along with several knights who had served as escorts during Princess Henriette’s marriage procession.

Lancian was of course among those present in the audience chamber.

“King of Albanell, I am deeply honored that you have arranged this audience.”

“It’s fine. More importantly, get to the point.”

Because the messenger had arrived so suddenly, the king seemed unable to hide his irritation, likely imagining bad news. Just as the Chancellor leaned closer to whisper for him to calm down, the messenger spoke first.

“Understood. Today I bring a letter from His Majesty the Emperor, so I will read it on his behalf. —Lord Erkure, it has been a while. I apologize for sending a messenger without prior notice. However, the matter is urgent enough that I hope you will forgive this. Now, to the main point: it seems a problem occurred during Princess Henriette’s marriage procession. In a dangerous mountain area, they were attacked by a large monster. The knights fought back, but the carriage fell down a cliff. Afterward, the knights searched the bottom of the cliff, but the results were unsuccessful… In our Empire, we have therefore acknowledged Princess Henriette’s death. I sincerely apologize for the tragic result of losing your kingdom’s princess. As for compensation regarding this matter—”

After that, the Emperor unilaterally proposed measures regarding how the situation would be handled going forward, and the messenger finished speaking in a manner that hardly seemed appropriate for the death of a foreign princess during a marriage procession.

“That is all. We would like to receive your kingdom’s written response to His Majesty’s proposal within a few days. What do you say?”

“Ah, I understa—”

“Ahem.”

Just as His Majesty was about to nod to the messenger’s words, the Chancellor cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“This matter came too suddenly, and we are still in confusion ourselves. It will take an appropriate amount of time to respond. Until then, please wait in the palace guest quarters.”

“…Understood.”

After the messenger nodded to the Chancellor’s words, the audience was temporarily concluded. Everyone was stunned by the sudden development, their hearts pained by the news of Princess Henriette’s death.

After the king and the Chancellor entered a meeting room with their attendants, the knights who had been present in the audience chamber waited in another room.

Once only the knights remained inside the small meeting room, Lancian clenched his fists tightly and spoke with deep regret in his voice.

“Her Highness the Princess… why, why did this happen? I should have helped her escape after all…”

Hearing those words, the other knights quickly looked around to see if anyone was listening and hurriedly covered Lancian’s mouth.

“You mustn’t say something like that!”

“That single sentence could get you sent to a remote post!”

The knights spoke out of concern for Lancian, but their words did not reach him at all. The only thing filling Lancian’s chest was deep self-blame.

—If only I had argued more strongly against the marriage procession, something might have changed. At the very least, I should have forced them to allow more knights to accompany her.

“They said Princess Henriette fell from the cliff, correct?”

“…Yes. Together with the carriage.”

“But they never found the body, did they?”

“That’s what they said… Captain, you’re not thinking something foolish, are you?”

Without answering his subordinate, Lancian stared into space with a serious expression.

—Perhaps… she might still be alive somewhere below that cliff. If that’s the case, I have to go rescue her quickly.

“If our kingdom’s knights requested permission to search for Princess Henriette within the Empire, do you think it would be granted?”

“That would absolutely be rejected.”

“I thought so. …In that case, there’s only one option. I’ll have to become an adventurer.”

At Lancian’s muttered words, the other knights’ eyes widened in shock.

“You’re planning to quit the knighthood!?”

“Why would you go that far… Of course we’re deeply saddened about Her Highness, but we have no choice but to accept it.”

“I refuse to give up. If there’s even the slightest possibility, I want to do everything I can until the very end. —I owe Her Highness far too much.”

“Now that you mention it, Captain, you once said that without Her Highness you would have had to quit being a knight.”

“That’s right. And without Her Highness, my family’s count household would have collapsed long ago.”

—I received so many favors from her, and yet I sent her to the Empire without being able to do anything, only for it to end like this…

Lancian slammed his fist onto the table in frustration at his own helplessness.

“…I’m going after all. Can I leave everything here to you?”

“Haah… I guess it can’t be helped. Understood. Leave the rest to us and go. Please make sure you save Her Highness. Let’s believe she is still alive.”

At the subordinate knight’s words after letting out a long sigh, Lancian widened his eyes slightly and then raised the corners of his mouth just a little.

“Thank you. I’m in your debt.”

After that, Lancian hurried back to his room in the knights’ dormitory as quickly as possible, changed into travel clothes, took his personal weapons, and stuffed all the money and preserved food he had into a bag.

Then he wrote a letter stating his resignation from the knight order and another letter apologizing for causing trouble to his family, and left the royal palace.