CH 18

“Her Majesty Queen Agnes Blanche Lumiere, the rightful ruler of the Kingdom of Kairos, stern judge, great warrior, and compassionate protector of her people, enter!”

Every noble rose from their seats and turned to face her. The knights slumped on the floor also scrambled to their feet.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of the echoing heels was as arrogant and majestic as a king, announcing her presence without flaunting it. Through the open door, the Queen entered. I quickly bowed my head, not daring to look at her face, and the other nobles did the same as she passed.

Her footsteps did not vary. She was in complete control of her body, and her weight was constant with each step. Her breathing was steady, and there was no wasted motion.

(…Strong)

The Holy Sword commented. It explained so much about her in so few words.

Agnes Blanche Lumiere is one of the most skilled sword masters in the Kingdom of Kairos. No, that doesn’t even begin to describe her talent with the sword. She’s one of the best in the entire realm, if not the world.

It’s a shame she can’t go out and hunt down Disasters herself. If she weren’t the ruler of a kingdom, she would have been a great addition to a party of warriors to help defeat them. In the original, she was only seen briefly when the Sixth Disaster struck the Kingdom.

She slowed her pace, stopping about five steps away from me. The Holy Sword’s lingering power was absorbed by her presence and dissipated. I quickly bowed before she could speak first.

“I greet Her Majesty the Queen.”

“Raise your head.”

The Queen replied without delay. I slowly raised my head. She, dressed in a simple white dress, slowly came into my view. She carefully inspected my body, from my head to my arms and legs.

Her face was as cold as frost on a glass window. Fine lines, fair skin, and jet-black hair. A mouth that wasn’t placed too low on her face but never seemed to rise, and eyes that dipped slightly downward, the pupils within them glowing blood red.

“It’s been some time, Hero Elroy. It hasn’t been long since you defeated the Third Disaster, but I still worry if I gave you a difficult task.”

Her voice was uneven, but it wasn’t hostile, either. I’m unsure what she thought of me, but she didn’t seem to hold it against me.

“No, Your Majesty,” I said, “While I am the Hero, I am also a citizen of this country. How could I consider this a futile endeavor?”

As I spoke, I gripped my Holy Sword and glanced at the man who had been trying to mess with me. Count Wallace ducked his head down to avoid my gaze, sweating profusely.

“Excellent. I’m glad you’re willing to continue.”

With that, she turned away from me and looked at the nobles. Her every move exuded power. ‘She has a firm grip on her subjects.’

“I apologize to Bishop Andrei, who has traveled all the way from the Holy Land, but we’ve shown something unseemly.”

Bishop Andrei shook his head with his ever-present gentle smile.

“There is no need, Your Majesty. It is something that happens when people can live in peace.”

The bishop’s reply was a masterpiece. I chuckled but replaced my desire to laugh with a smile.

“Your Majesty, since you must have heard the hearing from the beginning, you should know how carelessly and self-righteously the Hero has led the expedition….”

“That comment makes it seem you have a scab stuck in your ear. Minister of Home Affairs, did you forget that this is not your playground but a hearing with representatives of the Holy Land present?”

This felt oddly out of character, as he has not said anything since the beginning. ‘Your pride deserves to be hurt a little after being scolded by the queen.’ I glanced at his secretary, Count Wallace, who had suddenly gone silent.

“All the more reason, then-!”

“Enough. I’m not unaware of his self-righteous behavior in the past, but he has done much more for the Kingdom. Besides, his proposal has already ended with him proving himself worthy of being the Hero. There is nothing more you need to say.”

The Queen’s words contained pressure not to allow further objections. The Minister of Home Affairs completely crumpled his face and lowered his face. She took her eyes off him and looked around. The pack of wolves that had shut their mouths were now subdued puppies. She looked at them and let out a small sigh.

“Does anyone have any more questions?”

It was only met with silence. After a few seconds, the Queen looked up to where Bishop Andre sat.

“And the Bishop of the Holy Land? How do you perceive the situation?”

“Your Majesty, I don’t see anything wrong with the banishment of Iris. I will report it to the Pope accordingly. Still, we will need to discuss what further assistance the Holy Land can provide to the Hero.”

She nodded without asking further. There was no point in continuing this hearing if the relationship with the Holy Land was stable. The chairman then spoke.

“This concludes the hearing of the Hero Elroy, and I would like to thank all of the knights for attending….”

‘It’s over.’ I let out a deep sigh. I’d gotten some unexpected help, but it at least ended up according to my plan.

(There is one less hurdle. Well done.)

At Holy Sword’s words, I shook my head. I could hardly call myself over the hump after just one hearing. The Disaster campaign that awaited me would be nothing compared to this.

“Hero Elroy.”

I heard the Queen’s voice, cold and dry. I quickly bowed my head again. The nobles stared at the Queen and me, unable to leave their seats and holding their breath.

“Your Majesty.”

With that, she turned on her heel and began walking toward the council chamber doors, her words ringing clear in my ears.

“Follow me. I would like to speak with you for a moment.”

The eyes around me now turned back to me. I gave a quick nod to Bishop Andrei, gave Georg, still standing in a daze, a pat on the back to wake him up, and walked out of the council chamber after the Queen.

***

After the commotion at the hearing, the palace grounds were silent. The Queen stood by a rose bush and fiddled with its petals. Her fingertips touched a rose that had just begun to bloom, and its fragile petals shivered.

“The rose is beginning to bloom.”

The words might have sounded sentimental, but her voice contained no sentiment; it simply stated that the rose was blooming. It was a statement of fact.

“In a while, this whole area will be covered in roses. Then the air of the garden will be overwhelmed with the smell of roses until you can’t breathe.”

Strolling, she let go of the rose, which had the same color as her eyes.

“It’s a sight that never gets old, year after year.”

As she spoke, she looked back at me. Her red gaze seemed to pierce through me, and then her eyes moved to my right arm, which was still wrapped in bandages, but now that I could move it somewhat, I had removed the cumbersome splint.

“You hurt your arm.”

I reflexively hid my right arm behind my back. Her gaze rolled down my right arm and then back to my face.

“This isn’t an injury you got against the Third Disaster, right?”

“Yes, those have already been healed by Saintess Iris.”

“How did you injure your arm?

I looked to the side, then hesitantly spoke.

“An injury sustained while hunting a monster for training. I’m ashamed to admit it’s for no good reason.”

“Explain everything. Don’t lie. Do you not know that a Hero’s injury, no matter how insignificant, should not be taken lightly?”

I told her the whole story, except for the fact that I was able to talk to the Holy Sword and that I had deliberately forced its awakening. I told her I went on a monster hunt alone to train, stumbled upon three adventurers, and invited them to join me. Then I talked about my encounter with Arachne, how the adventurers escaped, and my battle against the spider monster.

After I finished talking, she shook her head and exhaled thinly.

“As a Hero, what do you think is more important: Subjugation or Salvation?”

I knew what I had to say.

“I am the Protector, the shield of the people. I hope that answers your question about what should come first.”

“…I see.”

The Queen was silent momentarily as if she had something to think about. Through the silence, the Holy Sword’s voice came through.

(Why were you reluctant to reveal that you saved them?)

‘It’s not that noble, really. If I hadn’t accompanied them in the first place, they wouldn’t have been in danger.’

(You’re humble in a strange way, but that’s why you are my master.)

‘What are you talking about?’ I questioned, but there was no response. Then, as if switching places with the Holy Sword, the Queen spoke again.

“Can you guess why I have granted you so much power?”

To be honest, I had wondered the same thing. Something about outward prestige and pretense didn’t quite explain it. The original Queen had supported Elroy until he died to the Fifth Disaster.

“…To be honest, I don’t know.”

“Isn’t being called the Hero harsh?”

She asked.

“It makes you sound like you are the one who must save the world. All alone.”

At the dryness of her voice, I made no reply.

“If I can’t help you, I will at least not stand in your way.”

With that, she turned and walked away. A large plaza and a vast fountain were at the end of the garden, where the roses had begun to bloom.

“We do not have much time left before you go on your journey to the Fourth Disaster.”

She looked at me.

“You won’t be bothered by the High Council anymore. I assure you, you can devote yourself to preparing against the Fourth Disaster.”

This is something I needed. It will keep the other nobles from meddling with me politically, and I won’t have to deal with any pesky faction fights.

“Instead, make sure you are strong, for how can the Hero who fights a monster and breaks his arm win against a Disaster?”

“…I will keep that in mind.”

The words hit me like a blow to the heart. The Holy Sword put the final nail in the coffin of my wavering heart.

(That’s right, I’ll train you in it soon enough, so make sure you are ready.)

Sorry. I think that just demoralized me a bit. Can I go back to a normal life?

***

“So much for vacation.”

It’s been a week since the hearing. Georg started returning to work three days ago, and Daphne went out to train with me. I took off my bandages completely and started wielding the sword again. My pain hadn’t been in vain, as I could now open the first level easily.

“Isn’t it time we settled our bet?”

Georg asked me bluntly. I jerked my head toward Daphne, who was watering a potted plant by the window.

“You mean Daphne?”

“Yes. It’s time to prepare for the Fourth Disaster, so we might as well check our bets.”

I smirked and turned back to Georg.

“What, if you win, you’ll do exactly what you said last time?”

Georg frowned and shook his head in confusion. Apparently, over the past few weeks of constant contact, he had begun to recognize Daphne as a coworker.

“…I won’t report you to the higher-ups or anything like that. But a wager’s a wager, and it’s only fair that you give me at least one thing I want.”

I let out a wry smile and nodded. ‘Well, I suppose you could say I’d already won by not kicking Daphne out, and I’d much rather have her than that damned wizard.’ At my laugh, Georg gave me a nervous look, and as Daphne watched, I heard someone stomping up the stairs.

“HERO!!!”

A shrill, ear-splitting voice. Georg turned his head toward the door, and Daphne’s shoulders hunched in fear. I smiled a rotten smile and prepared myself to greet whoever was approaching.

The one person I really needed to kick out of this party, the damned wizard, was on her way here now.