“What should I do, Seneschal-dono?”
Standing before my desk was Marquis Marcel-Ene-En-Froisbourg, the Seneschal, with an expression that perfectly fit the description “pale as death.”
Short-cropped red hair. Cheeks cleanly shaven, leaving a mustache below his nose and on his chin. No overwhelming physique. An entirely average man in his fifties. Those gentle eyes left traces of his daughter Braune-san.
As someone in an appropriate position with wealth, there’s nothing particularly distinctive about him. But I very much value this man’s moderation and good sense.
“—Your Majesty, with all due respect…”
This weakness was unusual for him, who typically speaks in reserved but clear words. I generally know what he wants to say. In fact, I want it too. But it’s hard to say, isn’t it? To the victim of the attack. So I’ll say it.
“Seneschal-dono, I don’t mean to belittle anyone, but I personally was the victim in this matter. So I’d like to state my opinion.”
Behind the Seneschal-dono are two other relevant high officials. The Minister of Internal Affairs and the Commander of the Royal Guard.
“An unfortunate accident occurred. It’s a trifling matter, so no particular official response is necessary. That’s what I think.”
Fortunate in our misfortune, the garden was sparsely populated. So it’s possible to act as if nothing happened. Even if information leaks from the mouths of servants or soldiers, it can be stopped at mere rumor. If this had been during an official ceremony or royal procession, there would be no way to cover it up. In that sense, I’m almost grateful to the culprit for attacking at just the right place.
By the way, my hands really are in severe pain. The doctor sewed them up for now. Good thing the concept of disinfection exists. They washed the wounds with water before sewing. Currently wrapped in bandages. Both hands.
“Your Majesty, with all due respect, Your Majesty, though it is the height of disloyalty, we also wished to express the same opinion that Your Majesty has stated.”
“That’s good, Seneschal-dono. May I consider that everyone shares the same view?”
Attempted high treason. If we define it that way, it becomes tremendously troublesome. The police are responsible for not preventing it beforehand, the Royal Guard is responsible for not preventing it on site, and together, these become the Seneschal’s responsibility. At minimum, we’d need to dismiss these three people. Furthermore, their treatment would similarly affect their subordinates.
Problems would also arise among the people. The king’s body is sacred and inviolable. And the king is the embodiment of the Santeneri Kingdom. This way of thinking is still quite strong.
Not just in Shtrois but potentially throughout the land, baseless anger and excitement could fill the air. They would regard the fact that I was harmed as “the Santeneri Kingdom being harmed.” Furthermore, that “they themselves, as citizens of Santeneri Kingdom, were harmed.” With national sentiment unstable due to shifts in foreign policy, control would likely be lost.
An attack on the king is subject to the crime of high treason. Rather, there is no other target for it. High treason means the culprit won’t get off with mere beheading. It’s the application of corporal punishment that makes one sick to even imagine—amputation of limbs and disembowelment. Such punishment hadn’t been carried out here in Santeneri for a long time. The usual extreme punishment of execution is by beheading. This is carried out relatively frequently and citizens are accustomed to seeing it. But high treason is another matter entirely. People would crowd the square to catch a glimpse of this “event of the century.”
Unstable public sentiment, a bloody spectacle inviting excitement. Enormous crowds of spectators. Anything could happen.
I deliberately didn’t ask the Commander of the Royal Guard and the Minister of Internal Affairs for their opinions. Both can read politics. They should understand that the optimal solution is as I indicated. However, if they affirm it, that would make them appear self-serving.
“Yes. After consultation with the relevant ministers… On that basis, I request that this Marcel be dismissed from his post. At an appropriate time, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Commander of the Royal Guard should also retire…”
“Marcel-dono, you understand why I called it an accident, don’t you? I’m not asking you all to take responsibility in such a way. What could I do when you all disappear together?”
I can hear my own voice taking on a terribly cold tone. I was angry for the first time in a long while since coming to this world. This dark emotion surging through my entire body is truly for the first time in ages.
As a company employee and even when I was president, I’ve experienced subordinates’ resignations a fair amount.
First, cases where they quit seeking better treatment or work content. I can somehow come to terms with this. Honestly, there’s a “feeling of being abandoned,” but if you ask whose fault it is, it’s mine.
Next, cases where someone quits because a problem occurred and they’re responsible. This one’s worse. I even feel resentful. The bigger the problem, the more anger wells up. That’s because they’re not taking responsibility—they’re merely abandoning it. It’s still better if they consciously use it as a pretext because they want to abandon the responsibility—that is, the painful and long process of resolving the problem. What I hate most are those who truly believe it from the bottom of their hearts. This is a form of deception.
“The royal body is sacred and inviolable. We are incompetents who harmed the Santeneri Kingdom itself. We have no qualification to engage in politics.”
“Marcel-dono, Marcel-dono. So everyone is incompetent—that is, worthless? Then your tenure and dismissal would have no value either. Despite that, will you offer that worthless thing and ‘take responsibility’? If you are worthless beings, it could never compensate for this great problem. Because you’re worthless. —On the other hand, if you take pride that your existence has enough value to compensate for the damage caused by the problem, then why won’t you fulfill your responsibility? Answer me.”
They’re all politicians more experienced than me. They should understand the logic. I thought this was a sort of ritual. But what came back was completely unexpected words.
“Then Your Majesty! Please impose official punishment upon us. Despite bearing the duty as Seneschal of the Lerois, we have this disgraceful state of affairs. We wish to be granted official death.”
Death? Granted official death? What’s this about death? The Seneschal dies over a mere hand wound. That’s nothing but self-intoxication.
I can’t take it anymore. My lips started trembling a bit. I couldn’t suppress it.
“I see. So Marcel-dono truly wishes to harm the Santeneri Kingdom, not just with this tiny cut. Then shall we do that? Seneschal, Minister of Internal Affairs, Commander of the Royal Guard—after granting you all death, what becomes of this country? As you know, I am powerless. I can only rely on your abilities. Yet you all will disappear from this world! The country won’t be settled. The continent won’t be settled. Santeneri will perish under the dim lord Grois XIII!”
“No, it will not perish! You say dim lord, but there is no king anywhere on the continent who compares to Your Majesty’s wisdom. We who have long been engaged in politics know this well. We have not a shred of anxiety about the future of this country, which is fortunate to have Your Majesty. And there are plenty of replacements for us…”
I am king. Every gesture, every hand movement takes on meaning. That’s why I’ve refrained from grand gestures as much as possible until now. A quiet voice and calm smile. I worked hard not to break them. Sitting idly on the throne was my job. But that ends here.
Every damn one of them is messing around.
I stood up indignantly and shouted with all the anger contained in my viscera.
“Ah, fine. Marcel-dono, is that what you want! Then die! All of you should die! That’s fine. And then throw this country in terrible shape at me and take everything away. Should I kill Braune-dono too? Should I behead Mary-dono as well? Will you take them from me? Don’t make me laugh!”
I was waving my hands around and yelling. I felt no pain. These guys are trying to throw everything away and end the conversation. They’re adults. They must have families and honor to protect.
If they’re publicly executed, their relatives won’t escape unscathed either. A crime worthy of death with atonement by a high-ranking great noble occupying the position of Seneschal can only be high treason. And high treason defines the annihilation of the entire clan as its punishment.
“You all are fine, you think you can just die. But I won’t let go of Braune-dono and Mary-dono! Then I have no choice but to keep their fathers alive too. And Clemens-dono, only you who has no daughter will die. I am a dim lord. I’ll let those who offer women live and kill those who don’t. Will you saddle me with such a despicable fool’s infamy!”
I didn’t really understand what I was saying myself. It’s strange logic.
“Listen everyone! The King of Santeneri commands you. Process this as an accident. Minister of Internal Affairs, investigate the culprit’s background and report. I won’t accept resignation or suicide. And Seneschal and Commander of the Royal Guard, have your daughters serve at the Palais-Lumière (Palace of Light). As you can see, my hands are somewhat uncertain. I need care. Especially Commander of the Royal Guard, send Mary-dono immediately. Immediately!”
Mary-san is clearly in a dangerous position. Standing guard beside the king while unable to do anything. Even though we’ll officially settle this as an accident, there’s no telling what might happen to her. With her father in this state, she could be “dealt with” as “a family matter.” And above all, there’s a high possibility of suicide.
“Everyone, withdraw. The king’s orders are concluded. We’ll meet again at tomorrow’s conference.”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
As the momentary frenzy cools, the pain in my hands comes surging back. It really hurts.
I leaned back in the fluffy chair and licked at strong distilled liquor bit by bit. I want to get drunk quickly.
I’m weak against sudden events. At first I was handling it calmly, but then the Seneschal-san suddenly said he’d “die” and I panicked. Honestly, I didn’t think it would go that far. Settle it as an accident. Investigate the culprit’s motive, examine the background, and take countermeasures. Done. Judging from the state of that woman who tried to stab me, it doesn’t seem like an organized crime.
From the Seneschal-san’s words, I truly understood the “sensibility” of the people here in Santeneri. For them, “the king’s body is sacred and inviolable” isn’t just lip service or anything. Harming the king’s body is harming the Santeneri Kingdom.
Actually, until I understood that, I hadn’t worried about Mary-san at all. Just something like “I made her witness a splatter scene.” I’ll comfort her next time we have tea. That level.
But if I hadn’t realized, it would have been really bad.
The order for Braune-san to serve was completely momentum in the moment. It’s close to a hostage to retain father the Seneschal. This isn’t right, is it? Normally it’s the opposite. Kings, you know, threaten daughters using their fathers as leverage. Like “For your father’s position… you understand, right?” This time it’s completely reversed. “I’m holding the daughter. So you all, work properly.”
The Minister of Internal Affairs is fine. He has work. Interrogating the culprit, clarifying the full picture—while that exists, he’ll work properly. But the Seneschal-san and the Commander of the Royal Guard…
They certainly have loyalty to the Lerois house, or to the king. But at the same time, they’re seasoned politicians who probably have some dark secrets and have done ruthless things at times. They might have even anticipated my reaction.
But that’s quite a dangerous gamble. If I’d said “then die,” it would be over. There’s no point in betting their lives on something that could be settled peacefully.
They must have talked it over in advance, the three of them. When the Seneschal-san said he’d “die,” the other two weren’t fazed at all. So what was their goal? For nobles, clan annihilation is the absolute worst ending to avoid. What did they want so badly that they’d weigh even that possibility in the balance?
My head ached thinking about what comes next. Not metaphorically—physical pain. The professional politicians are fine. Those people can handle it well. They’re professionals. They might even be thinking calmly “well, good thing nothing happened” by now. I hope that’s the case. Impossible, maybe.
The problem is Mary-san and Braune-san.
Mary-san is naturally involved as both witness and party, but Braune-san will also hear today’s events from her father. And Mary-san will be covered in feelings of self-blame, while Braune-san will live here at the Palace of Light covered in a sense of debt. Moreover, since I said something like “let them care for me,” they’ll probably genuinely care for me.
My stomach churns. I’m also a man, so living with two princesses might have been a little nice “if nothing had happened.” But that’s only “if nothing had happened.” I have no confidence I can have fun with two women carrying huge burdens of debt. None at all.
And lastly. My anger was unjust.
I was angry at them for “lacking responsibility.” I reproached them, saying “will you throw everything away?” That’s a terrible deception. They say when people are shown their own guilt, they fly into rage. It’s exactly right. I threw away all kinds of responsibilities and jumped from my apartment. I hated myself for not being needed by anyone, escaped into alcohol, and casually chose death. The circumstances differ, but I have no right to yell at people trying to do something similar.
I was vividly shown the meaning of what I once did in this other world.
—It would have been better to let that person accomplish their purpose.
The distilled liquor I drank down should be quite strong, but for some reason it’s not hitting me at all. I’ll drink wine too. I’ll drink beer too. And erase my consciousness.
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