"Behold, this is Kingsley, the heart of my Aardar."
Proceeding through a leaking day For a while, on a hill that suddenly opened, Emperor Elizabeth, riding on a horse, points straight at the city. Following that fingertip, Alicia, who also rides the white horse, dropped her gaze on the streets of Kingsley.
Two days after returning from Sampston to Kingsley, Alicia was running horses with the Empress and visiting the outskirts of Kingsley. Of course, this outing is not for two. From Aaldar, Prince Fritz, from Heilland, Clovis, and from both sides, the escort knights follow.
No reports have yet been received of the capture of the Unitarian nobility who beat the townspeople. Immediately after returning from Sampston, Clovis officially protested to Chancellor Yugdrasil, and he also received an answer from the Chancellor that he would investigate the behind the incident and present it to the Heilland side as soon as possible.
With that in mind, Clovis had told Alicia that the Empress might cancel her departure today, avoiding pursuit from Heilland. But when I opened the lid, I was surprised even at this one, as she appeared on the horse with refreshment.
"And that's Kingsley Castle. In that, politics, the military, the economy, everything about it. If you say so, the castle sends blood through a network stretched around the heart of our country, the castle, and brings to life a giant creature called Aardar. - Of which, what is a king?"
Emperor Elizabeth, spinning her words as she sang, shifts her gaze from the streets under her eyes to frizz.
"What is a king? What do you think royalty is in the nation"
"It's a force, it's a symbol"
With soft blonde hair in the wind, Prince Fritz answered indulgently. Somehow he glanced at Alicia and then smiled at her mouth.
"A long time ago I didn't have to know, and now that the king has all the power, a king is the nation itself. Fame and gold, more importantly, power. The king will embody them, and he will see them in the people, and in the king himself."
"I see, that's the way I see it. What do you say, Alicia? Let's ask the same question. As a man who aspires to be King of Heilland, he knows what a king is.... Why would you want to be king?"
What is a king? The reason for going for king is something. Alicia stared at the empress riding the black horse, a symbol of the founding of the Aaldar nation, often thinking about it.
The future that I aspire to is a world in which the people and kings do their best to unlock the potential of a new kingdom. To do this, I intend to bet everything about myself, and that determination remains unchanged.
On the other hand, however, Alicia has rebelled many times over the past few days about stories heard on the road to Kingsley until Emperor Elizabeth took the throne. And the malice, the stigma, the fear directed against herself, the reign that turns everything into power, she also began to think of herself as one of the ways of a king dedicated to her country.
Needless to compare, myself and Emperor Elizabeth are very different types of people. Besides, even if Emperor Elizabeth did the exact same thing in Heilland, he wouldn't always succeed.
But it is certain that, as kings, as protectors of the country, sometimes ruthless judgment is required. I knew it on my head, but I actually met her and the idea got stronger.
So, again, Alicia asks herself.
What is a king? Why do you want to be king?
To a silent Alicia, Emperor Elizabeth joyfully clings her red lips. But as one of her squire approached her and struck her in the ear, she raised her eyebrows.
"Unfortunately, it's timed up. Then I'll show you something nice."
"Which way are you going?
Alicia asked Emperor Elizabeth, who had rounded the horse's head. This outing itself is only heard to be a stroll through the woods on the outskirts of Wangdu. Looking softly at Clovis, he was surprised to see the Empress again, too.
Emperor Elizabeth then put his index finger on his lips, as if he were one of those who shared a secret.
"Don't be dramatic, there's no danger. … I'll see if I can qualify as a trader."
Soaking the woods with a horse For a while, a stone wall appeared on the lid. At the end of the road Alicia and the others go, there's like a barracks, and when they go through it, they put it inside the wall.
Soldiers with armor stand on both sides of the barracks. The giant spear that its hand held was ferocious, reflecting and glowing dull on the leaking day.
As Alicia had always approached, the soldier laid down his spear and knelt on the spot. The Empress spoke from the horse to a man who could still see the size of her body even if she gave in.
"I let Yugdrasil do the use. You're listening to me."
"Of course, Your Majesty. We'll take you right to the north tower."
"Good. I know how to get there. More importantly, it's a place to know."
To Emperor Elizabeth with an ironic grin, Alicia found out where it was.
Fort Dansk Castle - commonly known as the Wall of Mourning - is a prison. It was used in the past as a castle fort to protect Kingsley, but now it is used as a place to shut down special sinners, such as political prisoners who are high ranking sinners or plotted treason.
Once Emperor Elizabeth was also locked inside for about a month by the measures of the First Prince when he contended for kingship. With Beatrice turning her hand, she was soon freed, but then, conversely, it would be ironic that a fateful hoax could be formed that the First Prince lost his life inside the castle fort, being shut down for his plot to assassinate Elizabeth.
But why did Emperor Elizabeth bring herself, for example, to the wall of mourning? As the anxiety in her chest gradually grew, Alicia also stepped down the horse, taking the queen forward.
Unlike Kingsley Castle, which has a gorgeous exterior, Dansk Castle Fort is an old type of castle with a boneless construction. Although of different sizes, it can be said that it is somewhat close to Egdiel Castle, where Alicia lives.
But there is no sign of a person on a properly quiet property, and somewhere only the crow chirps. It may be due to preconceptions, but cold stone floors and heavily closed dark windows seemed to be stained with signs of an impending reaper, shaking Alicia small.
"Dear Alicia, Are you okay?"
Clovis whispers softly in his ear when he realizes Alicia's complexion was bad. But Alicia shook her head saying it was no problem.
Emperor Elizabeth brought Alicia here to make sure she had the qualities of king. I don't know what's in jail, but I'm not going to get out of here on the way any more than I've been tried.
Now, apparently, the Empress was aiming for the north tower of the four prominent towers that soar in the castle.
The air in the dark castle is very different from the fresh forest winds. I'm just going to be in this for a long time, and I'm going to get sick. Alicia thought about that several times, but in the first place, there's so much quiet here that it's wondering if people are really captured inside the castle.
But when I climbed the long stairs and the empress stopped in front of a certain door, there were signs of people for the first time. Beyond the thick door, I heard a slight groan. As soon as it is heard, Prince Fritz's gaze is pointed at the Empress, as if by accident. He's made room on the surface, but apparently the prince doesn't understand the purpose of this visit either.
The Empress grins deeply, glancing at Alicia and the others who instantly made her nervous.
"Don't be so frightened. Those inside will not strike them. There's no way that you have that kind of energy left."
As soon as the soldier who had refrained in front of the door opened the door, he always knew the meaning of the Empress's words.
Alicia was unable for a moment to determine what was happening to the different sights that had jumped into her sight. I almost stepped out of my foot, and as soon as I did, Clovis slipped my body in front of Alicia subtly to inhibit it.
"The mastermind who directed the people to make the noise the other day, is it?
"Yes, I just want to say, unfortunately, a little different. This man is neither a unitary nor a nobleman nor anything. We gathered the people to make a scene in front of the Foreign Minister's residence, and we paid them, but this guy was only hired. And about the pivotal mastermind......, he said he didn't have that much information. It's the end of the premise of cutting."
Questioned Clovis with a hard voice, the Empress flaunts her shoulders like nothing. Listening to it, Alicia looked again over Clovis' shoulder, inside the dark little room.
There is only one tiny window in the room with an iron lattice. So the whole room is dim and the air is starving. In it, the smell of blood mixes slightly.
In the center of the room, there is one man. The first unusual impression was made because the chains stretching from the ceiling tied the hands of the man, dangling the body of a sloppy, powerless man. I can't see his face because he's pointing his back this way, but the man seems to be unconscious, and occasionally there's a groan that doesn't make sense. I'm sure the soldiers lined up along the walls naturally hear that voice, but it's microscopic. Instead, I don't move one facial muscle. That made the anomaly more and more prominent.
"For the rest, I'm sorry about Heilland"
The empress drops her head when she says it's troubling. When Alicia glanced at her with her voice, her deep green eyes combined with her gaze.
"I'm pretty sure this guy doesn't have any information. It's pathetic that you can't throw up anything, even if it hurts you so much... But Kejime, who threatened a neighboring guest and trampled the ties between the two countries on the ground, yes because someone had to take it. Hey, Alicia. If it's still there, what about it? How can I apologize to Heilland?
"If I, Your Majesty..."
"That's right. Yes, but if it was King Aardhar."
Let's see what the king's qualities are. The words said to the Empress on the hill, whoops, echo in her head.
Alicia looked at the hanged man's back again. At the tip of his hand tied to the chain, black blood creeps up. The clothes that turned into blubber cloth were torn everywhere, and painful wounds peered.
"... to atone with life. Yes, you'll tell him."
To Alicia's words, Clovis turned slightly over here. The purple eyes shook when I said something, but I was immediately bowed down. Alicia was just a little relieved by that. He didn't stop himself. I just told you. If so, it's not wrong.
"For the sake of the bond between the two countries, - to show good faith and majesty, he should be executed. And you tell the unity that lurks in this country and the people who are blinded by the immediate interests. King Aardhar says he will not acknowledge the claims of the Unitarian faction."
My mouth dries and my heart strikes an early bell.
Still, there was no stray in Alicia's eyes, looking straight at the Empress.
Someone has to take responsibility. The Empress was right.
The path Aardar can take is more limited than not being able to go back and find out behind the incident. So the answer was decided. After the answer had been decided, the Empress asked Alicia whether she was prepared to make a ruthless decision as king.
In prison, silence fills. Slightly, the Empress hung up her red lips.
"I see. That's a good idea. Get the execution bench ready immediately. This man will atone for his sins with his life after confessing his sins before the people"
"Ha."
With the Empress's life, the knights put their hands on their chests. A few of them tried to make a move to run a preaching order to the castle, that was then.
"That's only if I was King Aardhar. And as Princess Heilland, I have another idea. … Our country does not want the life of that person. Please, let him go."
Rin's voice echoes in a cold prison. The knights who were about to exit took their feet perfectly and their gaze was directed towards the Empress, who slammed to the center. As the air strained, the glance of the retrospective empress was so lacking in warmth that it froze all those on the spot.
"Why?," Emperor Elizabeth replied briefly.
"Is this man's life worth so much? You think it would be beneficial for Heilland? Do you mean to offer the majesty of the kingdom for boring sympathy?"
"No. Taking the life of a man who knows no one anywhere will not clear our country's worries. There's only one thing I want Heilland for. - It's not loose, it's the truth."
"You think it's true?
"Yes."
An empty eye shoots straight through the empress. The Empress also narrowed her green eyes as she tried to find sincerity. In a wave of twitching tension filling the room, the knights did not pinch their mouths, not even Clovis and Fritz.
Eventually, the Empress opened her eyes, as she came to think of something. Alicia just stepped in on top of the change, "Please, Your Majesty".
"Just a moment, please. Just the two of us, there's something I'd like to put in His Majesty's ear."
"Wait, Alicia. If you have something to say, you just need to be clear here and now. If you don't want the knights to know, at least I'll have them present."
"Keep it down, Fritz. Alicia's talking to the rest of us."
Pisces blocked the words, and Fritz opened his eyes to surprise for a moment. And I saw Alicia. If Alicia had turned her gaze to him, she would have seen a quiet flame shake in his eyes. But when she confronted the Empress with a tenacity, she never noticed it.
"Fine," replied the empress with a grin of relief.
"Why don't we discuss this carefully? Just the two of us."