Chapter 67: One Week Left
In the heavy atmosphere, Prince Lucas uttered those words.
…A civil war, huh.
The faction of Prince Slay is supported by the private soldiers of the nobles aligned with him. Prince Brute’s faction has the military and guards as its backbone. And in Prince Lucas’s faction, there is the Royal Knights Order. Each faction possesses its own military strength, and they are in a delicate balance.
“While Prince Brute’s faction has the largest number of soldiers, most of them are militia, which means they are inferior in terms of equipment and training. Prince Slay’s faction also has a considerable number of troops, but the quality of their equipment and training varies depending on which noble’s private soldiers they are. There’s no cohesion as a military force. Our faction, on the other hand, has the Royal Knights Order, which overwhelmingly surpasses the others in equipment and training, but…”
“We’re outnumbered, after all. There’s nothing we can do about that…”
Roan shrugged, picking up on Lily’s words.
The total number of the Royal Knights Order is just under a thousand, and about twenty percent of them are engaged in border security and as commanders. Considering that the other factions have tens of thousands of troops, we are at a significant disadvantage in numbers. However, compensating for that disadvantage with superior equipment and training is quite impressive.
“No faction has a decisive advantage in military strength. That’s why, while our father is still alive, this balance of power has made my brothers hesitant to use military force.”
“But once His Majesty the King is gone, that will no longer be the case…?”
“We can’t leave the throne vacant forever. Someone has to become king. But if a discussion could determine who would take the throne, we wouldn’t be in this succession war, would we? If it can’t be settled through discussion, then we have no choice but to fight for it.”
The Kingdom of Reese is an absolute monarchy. Power is concentrated in the king, and there is no parliament like a senate or noble assembly in this country. If there were a parliament, perhaps there would be a way to elect a king through a majority vote, but… that would likely lead to conflict as well.
“That’s why this situation is the worst. No faction has the military strength to deliver a decisive blow. If a civil war breaks out, it will undoubtedly become a quagmire, and eventually invite intervention from other countries. The flames of war could spread, potentially leading to a world war that engulfs the entire continent.”
A world war reminiscent of the chaotic times over a hundred years ago that led to the establishment of the Royal Academy… It sounds exaggerated coming from Prince Lucas, but it’s not entirely impossible.
“Did you call us here to prepare for that civil war…?”
Lily asked hesitantly, and Prince Lucas shook his head.
“Indeed, preparation for a civil war is necessary. We’ve been making arrangements for that for some time now. …But don’t you think the best course of action is to avoid a civil war altogether?”
“No way…!”
A sudden realization struck me, and I involuntarily stood up from my chair. Prince Lucas turned to me with a smile. It felt unsettling, as if he were observing me closely from behind that blindfold.
“……Ah, so that’s what you mean.”
Lily seemed to finally understand as well, placing her hand on her forehead with a grimace.
“I had been wondering why I was called along with you, Hugh…”
That’s right. If Prince Lucas intends to take some action upon the king’s death, there wouldn’t necessarily be a reason to summon Lily. He knows about my Skill, so calling just me should suffice.
Lily’s Skill, Tactician, has limited opportunities to shine. While I believe she would be invaluable once the civil war begins, Prince Lucas has stated he doesn’t want a civil war in the first place.
Avoiding a civil war and the reason for calling Lily here. If the survival of His Majesty the King is a prerequisite for avoiding a civil war, then the answer becomes clear.
“You intend to have Lecty treat His Majesty the King, don’t you…?”
“Correct, Hugh. To cure my father’s illness, and ultimately for the sake of this country and its people. I would like to borrow the power of your friend, the Holy Maiden. That’s why I called you here today.”
…Lecty’s healing abilities must have been well known to Prince Lucas through Alissa. He must have heard about how she healed Brown’s fatal injury without leaving any pain or aftereffects.
A fairy tale where a girl with the Holy Maiden Skill saves the day. The power of the Holy Maiden Skill that can even cure diseases. If Lecty can do the same, it might be possible to extend the king’s life, if not completely cure him.
“You called us to persuade Lecty, didn’t you?”
“I had heard from Alissa that you two are close with Lecty. I thought it would be more peaceful for you to persuade her than to issue a summons as a prince.”
That may indeed be true…
For Lecty, it would be easier to accept a request for treatment after hearing about His Majesty’s condition from us than to receive a summons directly from Prince Lucas.
…However, having Lecty treat His Majesty would inevitably involve her in the succession war.
If we’re going to involve Lecty…
“I’ll say this first. Hugh, I don’t intend to use your Skill.”
“…!”
“If your Skill were to heal my father, how do you plan to explain that to my brothers and to him?”
“That is…”
“If your Skill is revealed, there’s no doubt my father would eliminate you. Even if you are his savior. I don’t want that kind of ending. I’d even think a civil war would be better than that.”
Prince Lucas stated this without a hint of hesitation. I’m not sure how serious he is, but with those words, I had no choice but to back down.
Glancing at Lily beside me, she was also shaking her head. It seemed she agreed with Prince Lucas.
“Of course, I understand your concerns. I can see why you wouldn’t want to involve a friend in the succession war. So, consider this: it’s also to protect Lecty.”
“To protect Lecty…?”
“Sooner or later, my brothers will hear about Lecty’s abilities. They might have already caught wind of it. If that’s the case, it’s only a matter of time before they send her a summons. They wouldn’t want my father to die at this time either.”
Everyone in our class knows that Lecty healed Brown’s fatal injury. It’s not impossible that someone among them would tell their family about Lecty’s achievement, and that it would eventually reach the princes’ ears.
If a summons were to come from Prince Slay or Prince Brute, Lecty wouldn’t be able to ignore it. Refusing a summons from royalty could even lead to a death sentence.
“If Lecty responds to a summons, she would undoubtedly be drawn into their faction. She might gain the great achievement of healing my father, and her Holy Maiden Skill has various uses. There’s no reason not to draw her into our faction.”
“If Lecty were to join Prince Slay or Prince Brute’s faction, we would become enemies…”
“To avoid that, we have no choice but to draw her into our own faction…”
Not to involve her, but to protect her.
I know that this is a convenient argument. Prince Lucas likely wants to seize Lecty’s power for himself as well.
…Still, it’s undoubtedly better than having Lecty taken away by Prince Slay or Prince Brute.
Lily and I exchanged glances and nodded.
“…Understood.”
“We will persuade Lecty.”
“Thank you. For the sake of my father and this country, I’m counting on you.”
Prince Lucas’s usual dubious smile was absent from his lips.
Was the situation truly that dire, or was he hiding something else…?
Author’s Note:
Thank you for reading this far! Your support through comments and follows always motivates me to keep writing. I hope you found it even a little interesting!