In My Second Life, I Rule from the Shadows

Chapter 227: Alforam (11)

"......Did you know."

That he was trying to make her the Queen of the Kingdom of Alforam.

At Carl’s question, Laysis gave a small smile and nodded.

"I only thought it might be possible. Because that would help you the most, Carl."

"I don't intend to force you. Even if we put up a puppet instead of you, it wouldn't be a problem for us to take control."

"How could you say something like that with the Princess of Alforam standing right in front of you?"

Laysis looked at Carl with an incredulous expression, then let out a deep sigh.

"That may be true for now. It’s not like I can run the government or clean up what just happened here. But after gaining enough experience and ability……."

She would accept the throne of Alforam.

Carl saw the resolve in her eyes.

It seemed not to come from greed or ambition for the throne, but from a sense of responsibility and duty as a princess.

Tap.

"Ah?!"

That was why he gently tapped her forehead with his finger.

Startled by Carl’s sudden action, Laysis clutched her forehead and opened her eyes wide.

"I have no intention of forcing anything on you. You can continue preparing for defection as you were, or, if you want, you can become the Queen of Alforam as we discussed. But there’s no compulsion. Your status as a princess doesn’t matter. If you want to do it, do it. If you don’t, then don’t."

Carl detested things like duty and responsibility.

That was because he had been bound by such chains all the way from becoming an assassin to becoming the Greatest Assassin of the Central Plains, the Unkillable.

He thought that by becoming the Greatest Assassin, he would finally be free from that curse.

But contrary to those hopes, even after dying once and coming to this world of Artenia, he couldn’t escape the shadow of being an assassin.

Knowing roughly what kind of future awaited ahead, he had no intention of forcing Laysis into a role.

……Of course, he would still make active use of her position and status as a princess.

"Like before. So that means I can stay by your side as before, right?"

"If you can handle all this."

Carl looked around.

The aftermath had been powerful enough to blow away a royal palace.

If the fight with the powers of the Demon Realm intensified, worse things than this would become commonplace.

"Then I need to become stronger."

"Correct. You’re still far from enough. At the very least, you’ll need to reach the level of a Master to even brag about fighting alongside me."

"Master……."

Laysis clenched her fist.

Even if her level had risen quickly thanks to Carl, it was still a distant realm.

When would she finally reach that level and fight alongside Carl?

"Master."

At that moment, Queen, who had been quietly standing aside, approached and whispered to Carl.

"The interior of the royal palace within the barrier has been fully cleared."

"Then it’s time to clean up the outside."

"To attack the subordinate noble forces and the branch of Origin, we’ll need the army of Alforam."

"The heir who currently holds the authority to command them is……."

Carl’s gaze turned to Laysis, who was standing in place.

"It’s already my turn, isn’t it."

Restoration of Alforam.

Taking on the heavy responsibility, Laysis clenched her fist tightly.

"Push!"

"Subdue the traitors!"

The capital of Alforam, Delfin.

Still shaken from the disturbance at the palace late at night, another major commotion erupted.

"What’s happening all of a sudden?"

"The army……."

"Could it be a rebellion?"

"For now, lock the doors. Just in case, let’s also prepare to flee."

Under the sky faintly lit by the approaching dawn, the soldiers of Alforam marched in.

The citizens trembled in fear, worried that the soldiers might attack them, but the blades and spears were aimed with perfect precision.

"Aaargh!"

"W-Wait! Please deliver a message to Count Monne! This must be some kind of mistake……!"

Using the charge of treason, they either eliminated or subdued all families and forces that had colluded with the powers of the Demon Realm.

Not a single one was spared.

Because the list of those involved had been pulled directly from the minds of the captured using Carl’s Soul-Seizing Technique.

Creak.

Just then, a carriage stopped in front of the plaza.

The door opened, and out stepped Laysis, wearing the pure white armor symbolic of Alforam.

Escorted by the Royal Guard, she addressed the citizens holding their breath in fear.

"There has been a rebellion within the royal family!"

Her voice, imbued with mana, spread out and shook the capital, Delfin.

"His Majesty has passed away, and many royals and nobles have lost their lives. But!"

Coming to an empty plaza in Delfin at this early hour and shouting alone like this was a traditional ritual to inherit the throne of Alforam.

Even if no eyes were watching, there were always ears listening.

The declaration of succession would spread by word of mouth from the citizens and build up the public opinion needed to legitimize the succession.

But there wasn’t time to do it slowly, so this was a way to quickly seize the royal authority.

"I, Laysis Alforam, hereby declare that I will take responsibility for the chaotic national affairs as the acting sovereign! Citizens of the kingdom, do not tremble in fear but wait until the storm passes!"

This also served as a warning to powerful nobles who might harbor improper ambitions.

If anyone moved their troops recklessly, exploiting the power vacuum despite the presence of a legitimate successor, it would be considered an act of rebellion in itself.

After completing the brief proclamation according to tradition, Laysis returned to the carriage.

As the carriage turned and began heading back to the Royal Palace of Alforam, she clutched her chest and let out a long sigh.

"Why is saying just a few words so nerve-wracking?"

"Because it’s your official declaration to take the throne. But you didn’t tremble and did well."

Yuria, who had accompanied her, nodded in encouragement.

Carl and Queen, sitting across from her, showed similar expressions.

‘A royal truly is a royal.’

He had thought she was just a young girl in her early twenties, but when she made the declaration in the plaza, she had shown dignity and poise.

Perhaps such traits were imprinted in their blood from birth.

"We’ll part ways here."

When the carriage neared the Royal Palace—

Carl and Queen got off the carriage.

Although most of the noble families tied to the powers of the Demon Realm had been swiftly dealt with, it had been confirmed that Origin was still spread throughout various places.

Since there was no telling what those cornered might do, it needed to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

"……If I follow you?"

"You can’t. Right now, someone needs to anchor the Royal Palace of Alforam. With everyone colluding with the powers of the Demon Realm dead, it’s your role to fill the void with the remaining ones. If you want to return to Bayern, you’d better hurry."

Carl and Yuria had to return to Bayern the day after the weekend ended.

However, Laysis would have to stay a while longer due to matters in the kingdom.

Whether she could return soon depended entirely on her.

"Alright."

Laysis backed down obediently, knowing that herself.

As the carriage began to depart, Queen leaned slightly from Carl’s side and spoke.

"She relies on you a lot. On Master."

"She lost her father and most of her family in a single night. Even if she pretends otherwise, the shock must be considerable."

"That’s true. Laysis isn’t like us yet."

Queen nodded while watching the departing carriage.

To be honest, after spending some time together, she had come to quite like them.

That’s why, while part of her hoped they wouldn’t join NOX, another part hoped they would stay and be with them.

‘If she joins NOX, she won’t be able to follow Master with a pure heart anymore.’

To become a proper member of an organization, one had to distinguish personal feelings from official responsibilities.

But Laysis and Yuria were people of the light.

Could they blindly sacrifice everything for someone else?

"……I’ll say this now because of the timing."

Carl, also watching the carriage, turned his head toward Queen.

"I never intended to bind you all under my command for the rest of your lives."

"……."

"Every person has their own life. Right now, we’re together because our interests align, but once this business is finished, at any time……."

Tap.

As Carl quietly continued, Queen grabbed his hand.

After interlocking their fingers firmly, she stepped forward, closing the distance until they could feel each other’s breath.

"Do you think I’ll just let you go so easily?"

"I mean, there’s no need to restrict yourself to someone like me."

Seeing the violet eyes staring at him, Carl shrugged his shoulders.

When he first came to Artenia, he wanted an organization controlled down to the last detail, to correct the mistakes of his past.

One where everyone threw away their lives and made sacrifices at his word.

But through everything up to now, he realized many things had changed.

And it wasn’t just because he abandoned the martial arts of an assassin and learned the Primordial Unity Divine Art.

He had grown too attached to NOX—and to them—to treat them like tools to be used and discarded.

‘So this is why my comrades always said to discard useless emotions.’

Still, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Having something precious meant life had become richer.

"I……."

Queen bit her lips tightly and looked up at Carl.

Whenever she seemed on the verge of tears, her gaze always turned sharper than usual.

Carl, letting out a small chuckle, brushed under her eye gently and patted her shoulder.

"Let’s stop worrying about a future that hasn’t even come yet. I won’t be the one to tell you to leave first."

Queen didn’t answer—she just nodded deeply.

"……Ugh. So this is why you’re late, clinging to Master like that."

"……!"

At that moment, startled by the voice behind her, Queen jumped away from Carl’s side.

Whipping her head around, she found Second glaring at her with a sulky expression.

"What. Seeing Laysis and Yuria making you feel threatened or something?"

"Second."

Queen frowned.

How could she feel threatened by such green newcomers, after the years she had spent with Master?

More importantly, the problem was that Second, who should have been guarding the scene, had come all the way here.

"Second. What’s the matter? You were supposed to be guarding Origin’s branch."

"The branch cleanup is complete. More than that, I discovered something that seemed urgent to report, so I rushed here."

"Then let’s move immediately. Tell me on the way."

Fwoosh.

The three of them immediately launched off the ground and headed toward the Origin branch located in the city.

That place too was surrounded by soldiers from Alforam.

Thump.

As Carl's group approached, the commander saluted and stepped aside.

"It’s underground. There’s a structure that appears to be a portal. It seems to be connected to another space, but they say they can’t tell where it leads."

"A portal."

Carl descended underground.

Inside, NOX members were stationed, each marked by signs of battle.

With a nod to acknowledge their efforts, he reached the portal that Second had mentioned.

"……Master."

"Did you find anything?"

Standing before the portal was Seven.

The top mage and inventor of NOX, she was still fiddling with an artifact, her face weary, as she nodded.

"It seems like this portal is connected to the Demon Realm."