Chapter 327 – Episode 327 ― Nothing Lasts Forever (2)
Episode 327 – Nothing lasts forever (2)
“Is there a face I can’t see?”
Grünent’s lively voice rang out in a hall filled with astonishment.
In a social world where social status is strictly divided, only those who hold high positions or are members of prestigious families can occupy the front row of the group.
They were all doubting their eyes,
The princess sensed that there were invisible people among those faces.
“I’m glad though. “I think the number of people who make foolish choices is less than my concerns.”
“What a foolish choice…”
The older man was about to shout, ‘What are you talking about?’ But suddenly closed his mouth.
He was a person who occupied a fairly high position among the hundred or so nobles who gathered in the hall like a flock of anxious sheep.
The person who rules Osten, a large territory in Merde bordering Evirgio.
Nevertheless, he was a person who enjoyed living a luxurious life by holding a government position in the capital rather than his own large estate.
The great lord of Osten rolled his head as he saw a princess who was confident even in this bleak situation.
He was a man so adept at protecting his body that he even sent his cousin, the Marquis, instead of himself during the battle that took place in Roan’s last life.
Marquis Stein, who was at the forefront of the re-invasion in the last episode, may have thought that his bravery had not faded in his old age, but he never dreamed that it had fallen to the great lord’s craftsmanship.
In any case, since he specialized in protecting himself like that, it was not very difficult to combine the words ‘foolish choice’ and ‘invisible face’ mentioned by Grünent.
It came to him too.
A private soldier sent by the Prime Minister.
While he was sleeping, he was suddenly brought to the prime minister’s residence, threatened by rude privates.
Of course it was unpleasant, but thinking about it now, it was a good thing.
Perhaps those who did not choose to gather at the Prime Minister’s residence, such as Great Lord Austin, would have died on the spot.
“… “Why did something like this happen?”
Grünent laughed and shrugged his shoulders at his bewildered words. If it were a royal palace, it was a gesture that would have been heard as a lack of physical strength.
“It’s still better than starting over.”
Upon hearing those words, Great Lord Austin, the surrounding nobles, and even the Prime Minister, who was standing behind Grünent, turned a little pale.
Rather than killing them all, wouldn’t it be better to keep alive and use those who can be used? Because it’s annoying to kill them all.
It’s not that there wasn’t a traitor who came up with this idea, but no one knew it would be this princess.
“Well, since we don’t have much time, I’ll come to the conclusion first.”
Grünent, who was standing next to the Prime Minister, saw the eyes of some menacing hoods surrounding him, and opened his mouth. It was right after Fiora gave him a nod telling him to hurry.
“Today the king of Merde changes.”
For a moment, the hall, which had been hearing a small murmur, became as quiet as a lie.
In the silence that felt like sinking into the deep sea, Grünent’s enthusiastic, joyful voice was strange.
“You’ve heard about the charming demon lord of Evirgio, right? Today, Merde will finally meet him. And I will wear the crown.”
She did not gather the nobles to persuade them. This was a notification.
Did he come back from Evirgio crazy?
Or maybe you were brainwashed.
A natural question arose in the minds of the nobles. But that wasn’t enough to understand that even her prime minister followed her.
Everyone kept their mouths shut and looked at each other busily, not knowing what to do.
“I think there will be many people who feel rejected and have many questions. Of course, it can. First, there are not many people here who have met the demons in person, right? How scared must you be? I understand. “
Grünent’s tone was kind.
Her soft voice that the nobles standing in front of her would often hear inside the palace, at balls, and at official events.
However, the weight contained in those words was not light. No noble could hastily open their mouth.
The king changes.
A word that could not be said without permission, no matter how much Sprouse III said he was a total idiot.
And what made them even more fearful was what they knew about Grünent’s personality.
She doesn’t start a losing fight.
Jewel of Merde.
A beautiful and intelligent girl.
Even in her deepest district, she was counting every move of the nobles.
The reason she comes up with such a ridiculous story is probably because she sees a high chance of winning in it.
All of her high-ranking nobles who had ever met her in person quickly realized this.
‘Everyone’s facial expressions change in various ways.’
Aina whispered softly to Yur Telia, who was standing next to her. The sound was so loud that humans couldn’t even hear it, but it was no problem for the beastmen Yurtellia, Anmut, and Fiora.
‘I was embarrassed, then I was afraid, then I despised it, and now I can hear you using your head up to here.’
Yurtelia, who was scratching her ears from inside her hood, sighed softly.
‘Among all humans, they are the ones with the fastest calculations. You are probably wondering how much to trust Mr. Grünent’s words.’
Yurtelia lightly chewed her lip.
Yurtelia does not like the calculating side of humans. I know I looked that way, but if I said I did it because I liked it, that’s not true.
Among such people, nobles are people who thoroughly calculate their profits and losses. Power, honor, strength, and even status are put on the scale to sustain oneself and one’s family.
To them, the demons and the beastmen themselves were nothing more than slaves.
In fact, almost 99% of the demons that nobles meet in the capital are slaves, and 1% are mercenaries like Yurtelia, so their prejudices are not particularly wrong, limited to the capital.
So Yurtelia also read the contempt in the nobles’ eyes. If a trend comes, they will follow, but their thoughts will not change.
Yurtelia’s thoughts were scattered by Grunent’s next words.
“But think about it. “How much have you gained under the current reign of King Spros III?”
Most of the nobles in the front row are elderly. To them, Grünent’s words were literally like a bomb.
Some of the household heads held their breath, and even the old nobles who knew how to hide their emotions showed confused expressions to Grünent.
Loyalty, hierarchy.
Those are things that nobles are instilled in from birth. Even if you don’t like the current king in your heart, it is like a natural environment that he must accept.
They didn’t know what to do with her remarks, which were like denying air.
“You’re not going to discuss the old-fashioned loyalty oath, are you? I, too, am a royal who can be the object of that rightful loyalty. King Spros III forcibly maintained a ridiculous war to diminish your strength. There is no need to put that purpose into words.”
First, break the power of the nobility,
Secondly, it increases national power by occupying the land of the demons.
The nobles’ eyes became gloomy, and the crowd fell silent again. This was because each person was looking back on the losses of the recent war.
“As you might have guessed, I returned holding hands with the demons. “You know what that means, right?”
Grünent smiled slightly.
“There is no need for war anymore. The possibility itself disappears.”
Noisy.
A wave of words swept through the nobles.
Even so, the rumor that the king was trying to refuse to end the war was already famous in social circles. Along with the gossip that the Demon King showed overwhelming strength and beauty.
However, if a pro-demon queen comes in.
There is no need to waste any more energy, at least east of the border. All that remains is a power struggle with the queen in the capital.
“We can now afford to restore the devastated country. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the reason the demons of Evirgio are hostile to humans is because the land of Evirgio is desolate.”
Most of the nobles looked puzzled, but at least the people in the front row seemed to understand what Grünent was talking about.
They were able to collect all kinds of news from the government. Naturally, I also heard that people were being brought from Evirgio to do farming.
When I first heard it, I dismissed it as an empty rumor, but after listening to Grünent’s words, it seemed like that wasn’t the case.
“I discovered a way to make the barren land of Evirzio fertile. Now what Evirgio needs is manpower and farming technology. It is also a big advantage that Merde has over other countries such as Arteala and Kihan.”
“People.”
Someone spoke up.
All eyes were focused on him, but he didn’t care.
He was one of the great lords who held the position of Minister of Finance. Since he was also a high-ranking nobleman from birth, he was not nervous about the attention of humans.
“Wouldn’t the people rebel against suddenly being ruled by demons?”
Then Grünent opened his eyes wide.
“Well, you were very interested in the lives of your people, Duke. “I didn’t know.”
“…”
The old duke’s face was crumpled when he asked, but he knew how to maintain the virtue of moderation.
It wasn’t just because the Prime Minister, who was being held hostage behind her, closed his eyes tightly and shook his head.
There were dozens of people wearing black hoods in this room alone. Although the old Duke was not a knight, he knew how to wield a sword. At least he knew that these suspicious people could exterminate the people here.
“Public sentiment has already left the royal family. The Laurecia Church, which governed the public sentiment along with the royal family, is also shaking.”
And then she said something crazy.
“Have you heard of the Church of Life?”
The commotion this time was quite big.
There was no noble who had not heard of the Church of Life’s miracles. Wasn’t it one of the biggest concerns among them recently?
Rumors that a saint has joined.
There is a rumor that there may be a princess in the back boat.
God’s agent, who shows a truly divine miracle by regenerating even severed limbs, is providing charity to the people based on Count Hilpe’s enormous financial resources.
Grünent’s remarks just now were nothing short of proving the rumors about the church, which were impossible to confirm, as true.
“Nothing lasts forever. The royal family and the Lauretian Church.”
Grünent smiled.
It was a very lovely smile, worthy of her nickname.
“And I have both the strength and the will to change it.”
She extended her hand to the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister politely held out the paper he had prepared.
The attitude of the elderly prime minister, who was quicker than anyone else, towards the princess who had been kicked out and returned carrying his demon horse on his back, represented the gradient of power.
“The demons are already in this capital.”
Once again, there is a stir.
A clearer fear than before appeared in the nobles’ eyes.
Only then did they clearly realize the identity of the hoods standing next to the prime minister.
They are demons.
Grünent gave her a glance behind her.
It was next to Yurtelia, where Anmut was standing.
Anmut took off his hood and revealed his face.
A sound mixed with various emotions echoed in the hall.
His face with strong lines is a handsome man, but the hair that connects his sideburns is a hair color that does not exist in humans.
The short gray hair mixed with black parts looks like a pattern.
What caught their eye the most was the leopard’s ears sticking out on top of his head.
The ears were covered with hair that felt like hair.
Of course, there are no ears next to his sideburns.
There are ears on both sides of the human face.
Around the time when the fear of things that do not apply to such common sense began to sink in.
Grünent lifted the paper.
“Now, shall we decide where to go?”
