<Chapter 125>
“What…?”
The unexpected remark from the prince made the officials turn pale.
He had always been wise and gentle, admired by all—what in the world was he saying now?
“What did you just say?”
As expected, Orhan Einar let out a scoff, unable to believe what he had just heard.
“I said, I did not wish to accumulate sin. That is why I gave up the search for the lady and returned.”
“You… you’re truly mad!”
His terrifyingly fierce voice echoed throughout the audience chamber.
“So all that time you were obeying like a tame dog was all an act?! Ha, you don’t wish to accumulate sin. Don’t want to take a life?! You spout nothing but nonsense!”
“Your Majesty, the prince surely didn’t mean it in that way—”
“Silence! Even now you would defend him?!”
One of the officials tried to interject, but the king cut him off with a flash of his stormy gray eyes.
“I treated you leniently because you were my brother, but now you’ve become insolent beyond measure. Fine, then. I’ll use this chance to break that arrogance of yours once and for all.”
“Your Majesty! I beg you, please reconsider!”
At that moment, an elderly official fell to his knees in front of the king and pleaded desperately.
“Please remember the prince’s many merits. Even the common folk hold him in deep regard, for he ensured the poor never starved and the sick were treated. I beg you, please spare him from a punishment that goes too far!”
“Goes too far…? So that’s how it is. Now I see. In your heart, the ruler of Nisha isn’t me, but him! That’s why you dare to call my decision excessive. Guards! Seize him and throw him in the dungeon immediately!”
“Your Majesty! You mustn’t!”
“Lord Anad was favored by the late king for his abilities! How could you cast aside such a loyal servant of the realm?”
Contrary to Orhan’s plan of making an example, the officials, many of whom had remained silent out of fear, now began kneeling one by one, emboldened by the old statesman’s sacrifice.
“The prince has shouldered burdens too great even for a royal of Ilkai. Rather than punish him, should you not show some understanding?”
“Please, reconsider!”
Faced with this sudden and fierce backlash, Orhan’s face filled with confusion.
“Y-you insolent wretches…! Silence! I said be silent!”
“Please reconsider!”
Still, the officials did not stop.
Prince Khalid’s eyes swept over the kneeling men, condemning the king’s cruelty, before settling on the flustered Orhan.
Had he truly made up his mind, he could have taken the throne long ago.
“Silence! I said be silent…!”
But he had remained obedient, not wishing to abandon his duty.
The truth was that nearly all of Nisha’s officials supported him from the heart. The outcome was already decided.
“What are you all waiting for?! Arrest them all immediately!”
“Your Majesty…”
“Even you would defy my command?! Get them out of my sight at once!”
The guards hesitated, eyes full of guilt, and looked at Khalid. He slowly closed his eyes and nodded.
“…Forgive us, Your Majesty.”
“No! Protect His Highness!”
“Please, everyone, stop.”
As the guards approached to take him away, the officials looked ready to fight, but Khalid stopped them.
“…This is an order we must obey.”
“Your Highness!”
With his command, the officials could no longer intervene. Despite knowing they too could be imprisoned, they were overwhelmed by despair and rage at their inability to protect him.
Khalid looked past them to Irmak, standing by the entrance of the chamber. His lieutenant gave him a nearly imperceptible nod.
“Go.”
The first step of the plan had succeeded.
The next move belonged to Irmak—and the Chancellor.
***
“…Did His Highness the Prince truly resolve to claim the throne?”
The Chancellor of Nisha looked utterly haggard, as if he’d aged years in a single day, as he gazed at the prince’s lieutenant.
The day before, upon entering the royal castle…
‘Your Highness! Why have you returned? You mustn’t do this!’
He had shouted from the battlements, desperate to stop the prince. But when Khalid looked back with grim resolve, he had sensed something deeper at play.
‘Chancellor. There is something I must ask of you.’
‘…Yes?’
The moment he asked in a daze, the letter handed to him without a word contained only a short message.
‘My god… Your Highness, what is this…?’
Back in his office, the chancellor stared blankly, murmuring in shock and fear after reading the letter.
***
“The prince’s renown surpassed the king’s long ago. And yet, he never once harbored the thought of usurping the throne… Just what in the world has happened?”
To the chancellor’s earnest question, Irmak replied in a low voice.
“…Even I do not know everything. But one thing is certain: His Highness no longer wishes to be bound by this irrational mission.”
“…”
Einar was to inherit the throne.
Had things gone as they should have, the prince, a loyal servant to the royal family, would never have gone against the will of his ancestors.
But…
“I’ve watched since he was young. The current king is not fit to rule this country in peace.”
A long-held wish, always surfaced within his mind whenever he stood before the current king:
If only Prince Khalid Ilkai had been born into the Einar royal family…
Then, perhaps, there would be no need for such fear and unrest.
“His Highness is a merciful man. He released the priestess of Annushka… and chose to imprison, rather than execute, even the tyrannical members of the Einar line.”
“I know his character well. He would never covet the throne for selfish reasons…”
This was the only chance to reform a nation that had long since begun to rot from within.
“Very well. I shall cast my lot with him.”
With a fierce gleam in his eyes, the Chancellor of Nisha chose the Ilkai prince as his sovereign.
***
“Is His Highness safe? Please, answer me!”
“…I’m sorry. I cannot disclose any information regarding His Highness.”
“You stubborn fool!”
Bang!
The elderly official slammed the iron bars blocking his way, clearly enraged.
“…You are imprisoned as well, Minister. Shouldn’t you be more concerned for your own safety…?”
“You impudent child, trying to lecture your elder?!”
“…Forgive me.”
As the imprisoned official bickered with the guard, others nearby sighed and tried to calm him down.
“Please, that’s enough. What good will anger do us now?”
“But… if I don’t at least let off some steam, I’ll suffocate from the frustration! What else can I do?!”
The noisy prison gradually fell into a gloomy silence. Even without saying it aloud, everyone shared the same sentiment.
Even the guard began sweating nervously as he glanced around at the dozens of imprisoned officials, unsettled by the oppressive atmosphere.
Clack, clack.
Then, footsteps echoed against the stone walls of the underground prison.
A superior officer, perhaps?
The guard stiffened, standing at attention in nervous anticipation.
Creeeeak.
A chilling creak sounded, and everyone in the prison turned toward the entrance.
“…You?!”
“Why… Why are you here, Your Excellency?”
To their shock, the person who appeared was the Chancellor.
“After all that chaos yesterday, you were nowhere to be seen. And now you show up here?”
Minister Anad asked harshly, clearly displeased.
“I am the Chancellor. I represent and lead all of this nation’s officials. Are you saying I should not visit those imprisoned here?”
The Chancellor replied with a gentle smile.
“…Such hypocrisy.”
Known for their long-standing rivalry, Minister Anad turned his head away in disgust, refusing to speak further.
“Chancellor! I’m so glad you’re safe. Might we ask… how His Highness is doing?”
The younger officials looked up at him with hope-filled eyes.
“Hmm… I do know. But with so many ears listening, I cannot speak freely.”
“…You can’t make me leave.”
The guard, seeing the Chancellor’s intentions, stiffened and replied firmly.
“…A pity. Then I suppose there’s no other choice.”
The guard, eyeing the Chancellor cautiously as he mumbled something incomprehensible and approached, suddenly groaned—
“Urgh…”
“Don’t worry. It’s just paralysis for a few hours. He won’t die.”
Having pulled out the poisoned needle stuck in his waist, the guard collapsed, face pale.
Thud.
“Wha…”
The officials, stunned by everything they’d seen, stared blankly at the Chancellor.
Wiping his hands with a white cloth, the Chancellor smiled slightly and got to the point.
“His Highness, Prince Ilkai, has a message for you all.”
