Chapter 92 : Chapter 92
Chapter 92
The King, stroking my head.
He lightly wiped away the faint tears that had formed at the corners of his eyes and spoke to me.
“Take the sword. This sword is now your sword.”
“My… sword?”
“Yes. This sword has protected our Plank Kingdom, a small peninsula kingdom, from external and internal enemies, monsters, disasters, and more. It is a magic sword that changes its own shape and size for the one it acknowledges. It was made by an old comrade of mine, and I too learned the sword with this sword.”
“……”
“Go on, take it. I have waited a long time for you to hold this sword.”
“I understand.”
I took the pure, silver-white sword the King offered.
The moment I grasped the sword, a sound of admiration escaped my lips.
“Ah—.”
‘This… is a truly good sword.’
Just as you can tell you’re drinking good wine even if you don't know much about it.
Just as you can be moved by the passionate singing of a great singer even if you don't know much about music.
Even though I knew nothing about swords, the moment I held this one, I knew.
Strangely, I could barely feel the weight of this sword. It seemed to have a little heft, which would make it satisfying to swing, but it was much lighter than the swords of the knights and soldiers I had touched out of curiosity.
‘This sword isn’t light simply because it’s small and short. It’s as if… the sword adjusted its weight to be perfectly suited for my current strength.’
As I was marveling at the sword, the King smiled and spoke.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes. It fits my hand well and is light.”
“Whatever a king holds in his hand does not fit well, and whatever a king carries is not light. Therefore, the king’s sword alone must fit well and be light. That is why that magic sword fits your hand well and is light.”
“The sword a king wields alone must fit the hand and be light…”
“Yes. Those were the words of the craftsman who made that sword. A master of the Dwarves, the greatest artisan race on the continent. You too will have a chance to meet him someday.”
Dwarf?
I was about to ask about that race, but the King’s words came faster.
“However, no matter how well the sword fits your hand and how appropriate its weight is, the sword cannot display its full capabilities without your fundamental stamina and skill. So, you must learn swordsmanship, just as you said. Of course, what must come first is stamina.”
“Stamina.”
I nodded. I knew that was important. Isn’t there a saying, ‘stamina is national power’?
“Yes, stamina. When you have the stamina to swing a sword for four days without sleeping, you will finally be ready to learn the sword.”
“…Four days? 4 days?”
“Yes, four days. In truth, even four days is not enough. In my era, the stamina to fight for a week without sleep was necessary.”
“……”
“But your era will be different. Of course, the sword will be necessary, but you will have to fight more with a hot heart and a cool head. Powerful weapons that seem to combine sword and magic might even be born.”
The King said something puzzling again. But for some reason, I could understand his words to some extent.
‘Is he telling me to fight with my head, not with strength?’
“Then, will you not teach me the sword until I have that much stamina?”
“No, I will teach you. We will have plenty of time during the journey to the Wasteland of Ruin to meet the Giants.”
What does that mean?
“Does that mean… you will also be going with me to meet the Giants, Father?”
“Yes. Why, do you not wish for me to accompany you?”
“No, that’s not it, but.”
Although I answered as if it were nothing, honestly, I was a bit taken aback by the King’s statement that he would accompany me to the Wasteland of Ruin… Wait.
‘But how does the King know I’m going to the Wasteland of Ruin?’
“How did you know I was intending to go to the Wasteland of Ruin? I didn’t mention it.”
“That’s because…”
The King trailed off before answering.
“…To conquer the Minotaur’s dungeon, the help of the Giants is needed, and the Giants are in the Wasteland of Ruin. I thought you would have already made such a plan.”
For some reason, it felt like the King had hastily fabricated his words.
Still, since it was a plausible reason, I just went along with it.
However, my doubts were not completely resolved.
‘The <Future Diary> didn’t say that the King would go with me to meet the Giants.’
No, that’s not right.
‘It didn’t say he wouldn’t come along either.’
Come to think of it, that was true. The <Future Diary> did mention that I would meet the Giants, spend a year with them to earn their trust, and as a result, take a Giant named ‘Grondar’ as a companion.
But it didn’t say what would happen in the process. So, even if the King accompanied me to the Wasteland of Ruin, strictly speaking, the content of the <Future Diary> wouldn’t be wrong.
‘But if the King comes along, the future might change somehow.’
“Will you be able to make it to the Wasteland of Ruin? From what I’ve heard, the road is treacherous and quite far.”
“Haha, are you worried about me?”
“……”
“Do not worry. I am stronger than you think. Of course, I am old and sick, and weaker than in the past, but I am not so weak that I cannot go on a single journey.”
The King placed his hand on my head again. As if he intended to make up for all the contact he couldn’t have with his son today.
The King, who spoke of his own wellness. If I were his ‘real’ son, I would have been happy that my father said he was well.
But perhaps because I wasn’t his real son.
Or perhaps because of everything I had experienced so far, a rather sharp tone came out of my mouth.
“…If you are so well, why did you do nothing until this kingdom was played with by the hands of the nobles?”
“……”
“With the stamina to go all the way to the Wasteland of Ruin, and with swordsmanship skills greater than Commander Jereuth’s. Then why did you hole yourself up in this room, pretending to be a dying man? is what I am asking.”
Perhaps he didn’t expect me to say such things.
The King looked at me for a long time without saying anything. Caution, sadness, and for some reason, longing colored his eyes, which had been smiling just a moment ago.
But such a gaze was only for a moment.
The King stroked my head again and spoke.
“I took up the sword for the woman I loved and the people I had to be responsible for. But for the sake of the kingdom, I had to put down the sword.”
“…You had to put down the sword for the sake of the kingdom? What kind of sophis—!”
“Sometimes…. Sometimes, that is.”
Grip—!
The King cut off my words and gripped my shoulder strongly. His grip was no joke. From that, I could tell. The King’s wellness.
“Very rarely… just as an old tree in the forest rots away on its own to become nutrients for the flowers and young trees that will bloom in the next generation.”
“……”
“Like that old tree, there are times when a king must miserably let go of everything for the next generation. That was the future I chose for the kingdom, and thankfully, it has become the present.”
I didn’t understand what he was saying.
Those words sounded as if… he had deliberately brought about his downfall.
“It was never, ever easy. To have to make a choice that was sure to be hated by the woman I loved, rebuked by the companions I had spent my entire life with, and even disappoint the people of the kingdom I had tried to protect like family.”
“……”
“But I made that decision for the kingdom, for the future.”
The King, Philip, ended his words with a dismissal.
“…I’ve spoken for too long. It is late, so take your sword and leave.”
I returned to my room.
Plop—.
I threw my body onto the soft bed. The ceiling came into view. It was an ordinary ceiling that no longer even felt familiar.
It was a familiar and comfortable situation. But my mind was a mess. It was because of what the King had said to me.
‘The King said he made a choice like ‘an old tree in the forest rotting away on its own to become nutrients for the flowers and young trees that will bloom in the next generation.’ On purpose.’
If I were to interpret those words.
‘The King deliberately brought about his downfall and ruined the kingdom for the next generation, for ‘Leonardo.’ In other words, he ruined the kingdom and brought about his own downfall for me.’
But why was that for me?
If it was to the extent of deliberately ruining the kingdom and bringing about his downfall, wouldn’t it have been better to keep the kingdom strong and pass it on to his son? That would have been the natural thing to do.
I didn’t know.
‘Was he embarrassed because I asked why he had made the kingdom like this? Because his son scolded him? But it didn’t feel like that… The King’s words seemed sincere.’
Hoo—.
As I let out a sigh, Elly, who had returned to the room with me, asked.
“Your Highness, did something happen when you were speaking with His Majesty…?”
“Pardon? Oh, because I sighed?”
Elly was really sensitive to my moods.
“It’s nothing. It’s not like a father-son fight that happens in any family—just a serious conversation.”
“If so, that’s a relief…”
“By the way, don’t you need to meet with Lady Olivia? At the banquet hall, Lady Olivia said she had something to talk to you about separately—”
As I was speaking.
—Knock, knock.
—Your Highness, Commander Jereuth and Lady Olivia have come to see you.
The voice of a maid came from outside the door. Elly approached the door and sent me a look as if asking for my permission.
“Let them in.”
When I nodded, Elly opened the door. Jereuth entered first, followed by Olivia.
“My apologies for disturbing your rest, Your Highness.”
Jereuth, entering with a greeting.
Jereuth looked exactly the same as he had at the banquet hall. But Olivia was a little different.
I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but her makeup seemed a bit heavier. The high heels she was wearing also seemed a bit higher.
She was probably at an age where she wanted to dress up.
“Not at all, Commander. What brings you two here together?”
“I have come regarding the schedule for your trip to the Wasteland of Ruin. I thought Olivia should hear it as well, so we came together.”
I had just returned to the royal capital from Misty Port today. So, someone might think, “Wouldn’t it be better to rest a bit?”
But I wasn’t that type. I was of the belief that if it was something that had to be done, it was better to finish it quickly.
However, two others, not me, interjected at Jereuth’s words.
“Um… Commander. His Highness has just returned from Misty Port today. Yet you are already planning another schedule. Please consider His Highness’s health.”
“Commander. I am the person responsible for internal affairs. Therefore, please attach a respectful title like ‘Lady’ or ‘Miss.’ Not just call me by my name.”
“……”
Jereuth, who seemed not to have expected two women much younger than him, young enough to be his granddaughters, to say such things to him, faltered. Then, with a slight frown, he looked back and forth between Elly and Olivia and spoke in a heavy voice.
“His Highness is someone who likes to handle any matter as quickly as possible. Dragging it out will only complicate His Highness’s mind and won’t be a solution to anything.”
“……”
“And Olivia. If you want to hear a respectful title from me, earn that qualification. No matter how much His Highness has appointed you as the head of internal affairs, you have not achieved any merit.”
Jereuth’s presence was honestly frightening. It felt like a stern scolding.
Usually, when Jereuth spoke like that, everyone would back down.
But.
“Even so, His Highness must rest. I am saying this as the Head Maid who is respon… responsible for His Highness’s life.”
“I believe that the very fact that His Highness appointed me has already earned me the right to be treated with respect.”
The two girls, young enough to be his granddaughters, did not yield an inch to the great tree of the kingdom. A flustered Jereuth cleared his throat and looked at me.
Ahem…….
“His Highness’s opinion will be important. What do you think, Your Highness?”
Jereuth was passing the buck to me.
Still, as a crown prince, I had experienced such minor squabbles many times, so I could handle it without difficulty.
‘I’ll just go half and half.’
“I apologize to you, Commander, but I ask that you treat Lady Olivia with respect. As Lady Olivia said, she is the ‘head of internal affairs,’ so she deserves to be treated with respect.”
“Ah… I underst—”
“However, I also agree with setting up a plan for the Wasteland of Ruin quickly. As the Commander said, I like to proceed quickly with things that need to be done.”
“As expected, I knew you would say that.”
Jereuth’s complexion brightened as I took his side halfway. Olivia was also smiling with her head slightly bowed. Since Olivia always wore an expressionless face, even a slight smile was very noticeable.
On the other hand, Elly looked rather shocked. I didn’t know if she was flustered that I didn’t take her side, or if she was flustered that she hadn’t grasped my personality.
More importantly, I also had an important matter to discuss.
“Oh, right. Commander. My father intends to accompany us to the Wasteland of Ruin.”
“Philip—King Philip, you mean? In his condition, I don’t think he can go to the Wasteland of Ruin.”
“He was healthier than I thought. I didn’t know either.”
“Philip is healthy…?”
“Yes. So he has decided to teach me the sword. He said he would teach me on the way to meet the Giants.”
“I am not doubting Your Highness’s words, but are you absolutely certain? That Philip… is healthy?”
“Yes.”
Jereuth’s thick eyebrows twitched. I didn’t know if he was questioning the King’s physical condition, which he had been unaware of, or if there was another reason.
But one thing was certain.
Jereuth was very angry.
“Father gave me a sword—”
Without even hearing everything I was saying, Jereuth cut me off.
“…Your Highness, my apologies, but I must go and see the king for a moment.”
Extreme rage.
Saying so in such a voice, Jereuth left the room. Even though the anger was not directed at me, I was unable to say anything in the face of his sudden fury.
***
The King’s bedroom.
The King, sitting on the edge of his bed, let out a sigh while looking at a book. Whether that sigh was one of regret or relief, only the King himself would know.
“This diary was so thick, but now only a few pages are left.”
As the King said, the book—the ‘Diary’—had originally been very thick. But now it was very thin.
As if the front pages had been torn out, the diary was empty except for the cover and the last few pages.
Rustle—.
Opening the book, the King read the written content and muttered.
“Jereuth will come to me soon and be very angry…. I wonder how I explained it to him. I’ll have to read the next page.”
As the King spoke to himself as if asking someone.
Scribble, scribble—.
A few sentences were written on the pages of the nearly empty book.