Chapter 195 – Chapter 5: Last Memory – 3
I looked around.
The guards have put away their swords, but are still watching him.
Perhaps because the commotion was so loud, three soldiers came up from downstairs.
“…”
The guards are standing tall with their helmets pressed down and their pointed noses sticking out.
It’s strange.
I didn’t know because I never observed it carefully. Were the guards walking around heavily armed like this in the royal palace in the middle of the night?
It’s hard to breathe.
What if it’s not a guard?
What if they were assassins bribed by Archduke Piolo or Fossao?
Drops of cold sweat formed dangerously under Robert’s chin.
I don’t know.
How much is doubt and how much is truth?
Robert felt like his heart was going to explode from the overwhelming tension.
The guy smiled and chatted as if this situation was fun.
“Don’t worry too much, Sir Rob. Well, everything is going well. Just take a break and come back.”
The knight closed his eyes tightly and opened them.
No. Posao knows nothing.
He was a strange guy from the start. This time too, I ended up saying such nonsense because I was just saying hello.
“Thank you for your encouragement, sir. But my body is really fine.”
“Well, then-. Think again. Hehe-. Now, what does Her Majesty ‘need’?”
Robert’s face stiffened at the suddenly meaningful question.
“Our Majesty is still young – she needs help, Marnie. I am working hard to help the Queen focus on her country’s affairs. Piolo, the Archduke is helping me a lot. Hehe-. What about Rob Ball? “Are you helping Her Majesty the Queen?”
“Yes.”
“How far is it from helping? Spying? “Following?”
“Yes?”
For a moment, Robert was embarrassed without even realizing it.
“No, no, that’s…”
“Nehihihihi-!!”
Posao held his fat belly and laughed heartily, waving his hands.
“No, I’m just kidding. Lord Robe. Phew! There is no way our loyal Lord Robb would do such a mean thing! Hehe-.”
I couldn’t say anything.
I want to run away. That was all I could think of.
“Oh, it took so long. Sorry. Now, let’s go in.”
Swoosh-.
Posao made way and pointed to the queen’s bedroom.
“… Thank you.”
He gasped as the huge body disappeared in front of him.
Just when I finally came to my senses and was about to pass by.
Chin!
Robert’s shoulder was grabbed.
“Important remark – Her Majesty the Queen, it is all right. Right?”
And he left something that could never be ignored.
“Think carefully before speaking. Cheer up with your family, friends. Thinking.”
Shake!
Posao went outside with the waiting guards.
A dark hallway.
Now, Robert was left alone in front of the queen’s bedroom.
“…”
This moment of quiet silence. It feels like forever.
Oh, maybe I was mistaken.
Tia and herself.
The reason Archduke Piolo passionately supported Tia was because she wanted to treat the queen like a puppet.
But no. I finally realized it.
There was nothing dark about the Grand Duke. No, even if it existed, it didn’t mean much.
As usual, he found a way to survive by relying on a power stronger than himself.
At the beginning of all this…
There was one person.
‘Posao Modales’.
It’s none other than him… He was using Archduke Piolo as a puppet.
That fat, ugly commoner who stutters.
Tuk.
My fingers, rough from holding the sword for so long, rest on the bedroom door.
Knock-.
When I knocked, a faint voice came from inside.
“Oh?”
“This is Robrt. “Your Majesty.”
“Ah… ! Come in!”
Crash.
Robert opened the door.
“…”
There was Tia, putting down her comb with a shy face.
Take off the old-fashioned royal clothes that don’t really suit you. It looked like a very ordinary girl, putting on a light dress just to go to sleep.
There was a large bed next to Tia. It is… I was very dizzy. The thin blanket was wrinkled and disheveled, and the red curtains were half-drawn.
I don’t know exactly what I was doing here with Posao a little while ago.
… I was able to guess to some extent.
The queen scratched her cheek as if she was embarrassed.
“I didn’t know you would come so late… “I’m sorry.”
“No. “It is my fault that came to me at this time.”
But soon his eyes widen, and he asks in a low voice.
“So… Did you find out? Archduke Piolo’s intentions?”
He looked slightly nervous, as if he was waiting for a ‘huge secret’ to begin.
But Robert’s lips were as heavy as his shoulders.
“…”
The knight’s blue and empty eyes gazed blankly at the beautiful queen.
Ah.
Our Great Queen – Tia Modales.
Wise, merciful, and warm, she will surely lead this cold Deseo to a golden age more brilliant than ever.
It will definitely happen. I don’t even suspect it.
But our queen is a poor butterfly caught in a storm.
The frenzy of war is gradually subsiding, but the world is still too harsh for the delicate wings of a butterfly to endure.
-Will she be able to survive?
Lobrt, who had once experienced a real war, could not answer that question.
If any threat comes, I will gladly sacrifice my whole body to protect my queen.
She knows it herself. He realized that he was not the main character of any epic.
He’s just a lonely knight who is somewhat good at using a sword. He had no power to fight against intrigue and authority other than the sword.
‘Important remarks – Her Majesty the Queen, it’s all going well. Right?’
Posao knew how to wield power.
Of course, it’s to satisfy one’s own desires… Through Archduke Piolo, the ‘nobles’ who would become the Queen’s enemies in the future were clearly subdued.
Now, he and Tia can meet face to face alone in the king’s bedroom.
Tia can freely express her thoughts towards the country she dreams of.
Paradoxically, I couldn’t deny that it was thanks to their greed.
“Robrert?”
And now.
It hangs on this neck.
The future of the queen and the country.
It depended on a word from Robert.
“…”
In a time that seems like an eternity.
He finally made his choice.
“To Archduke Piolo…”
Even if it is false.
I decided to protect Tia’s happiness and well-being.
“… There was no special reason.”
“There wasn’t one?”
“Yes. The Piolo family has been under the protection of His Majesty Laichne since ancient times. The Grand Duke has not forgotten that favor and sincerely wishes to serve Her Majesty the Queen.”
After hearing the explanation, Tia looked listless.
“Is that so?”
“I hope you don’t mind too much.”
“I just misunderstood. Archduke Piolo was purely trying to repay his grandfather’s kindness, but I found it rather suspicious and took over the investigation. “I did something so shameful to the Archduke.”
“…”
“But thanks to you, I was relieved. You knew you had allies you could trust and rely on. “Thank you very much, Robert, for listening to my unreasonable request.”
Robert laughed weakly.
Tia, who had been laughing without knowing anything, suddenly clapped her hands.
“Oops. How can I repay you for this incident? “Please tell me anything.”
“It’s okay. A knight must follow His Majesty’s orders unconditionally.”
“Please don’t say that.”
“If you really want to…”
He spoke in a haggard voice.
“I hope you will allow me to take a vacation.”
“Are you on vacation?”
“Yes. I feel like I’m distraught because a lot of things have happened in the meantime. “I want to gather my thoughts in a quiet place for a month.”
“In one month… You won’t be able to come to the coronation. It’s very unfortunate, but…”
Tia said with sincere regret.
“All right. “I will tell you that.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Where are you planning to go? If it’s a good place, I’ll visit it later when I’m on vacation.”
“I don’t have a schedule yet, but I’ll let you know if I leave for a foreign country.”
“Hehe- I’ll wait.”
He stood up.
“Then I will step back.”
“Have a good night, Mr. Robert.”
Shake!
After leaving the Queen’s bedroom, Robart looked up at the window in the hallway.
It was pale moonlight.
His heart was heavy.
A heavy burden of guilt for having lied to the Queen rested upon her heart.
In the end, he was no different.
With this desire to see Tia living in peace, without knowing anything.
Robert buried the truth in his heart.
“In the end, I… Couldn’t you protect anything?”
Leaving behind a lonely sigh.
Jeez. Jeopuk.
Lonely footsteps pass by the carpet in the hallway.
* * *
Hwaaaaah-!!
I came to my senses.
“Huh…”
As the stray focus barely comes into focus, I can see my hand holding Robert.
Hot sweat drops pour down like rain on it.
Have we finally escaped the memory illusion?
Took.
I pointed my head.
There was no strength left in my body.
Memories drifting through my mind pass by one.
Robert’s memories were shocking in themselves.
“It doesn’t make sense.”
I knew that the king of Deseo was replaced.
The new king… ‘Tia’?
I got up from my seat.
My legs were so shaky that it was difficult to walk straight.
“No, no… “This is not it.”
How did this happen?
Where did it go wrong?
“Ritz oppa? Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”
It was that time when Marie came running with a worried look on her face.
“Hurrah-!!”
“Waaaaa-!!”
Suddenly, cheering was heard outside.
I raised my head.
It was very messy outside the inn. No one was paying attention to us as we stumbled.
Everyone’s eyes were looking upward. They are enthusiastic, applauding and cheering loudly.
“…”
I walked outside.
Waaaaa-!
Long live-!
The moment you step outside the inn, people’s voices, music, and whistles fill your ears.
The whole street is full of people.
Countless colorful flower petals falling overhead, and even red curtains fluttering from every house.
What kind of festival is going on?
A man in front of me shouts in a loud voice.
“Long live Her Majesty the Queen!”
I finally remembered.
Today… It was the day of the ‘King’s coronation.’
A sacred ceremony where the king of Deseo is crowned in front of numerous citizens.
If so.
I turned my head to where people were watching.
“Ah…”
A red castle erected high beneath the brilliantly rising sun.
And on the terrace at the top of the tower.
It was so far away that it was small enough to look like a dot.
I could tell.
The person I’ve been looking for so, so long is there.
“… Tia.”
Last seen.
The girl who went down the hill in Brisden with a sad smile was not there.
But. In the cheers of everyone-
There was a queen holding Posao’s hand and waving to the crowd with a bright smile.
