Gi Gu’s mad charge had the royal palace of Pena in a state of panic. Most of the elders that could be considered the executives of Pena have already been killed during Brandika’s revolution, and though the Blue Knights were still in good health, they were only half as strong as they used to be.
As for the mixed army, they were crushed when Brandika used them for his purposes.
With Pena having lost most of the people that could manage the country, the Elder Council had no choice but to declare that all decisions would be left to the queen’s discretion. Because of Queen Raksha El Pena’s friendship with the knight commander, Allen, the people believed that she would issue an order increasing his authority, but what she issued instead was an order to intercept the goblins.
An imperial command was given, declaring that the authority of the attack be given to the Blue Knights. As such, Allen was entrusted with the duty of strategizing the defenses of Pena.
“But…”
Within his private room, Allen pondered on whether they could resist the goblin forces. What was headed toward them now was only one of the four goblin generals, and the main force should still be at Elrain Kingdom, but there was no end to reports from the north of the goblins increasing their strength.
Could Pena really defeat them if they were to use that power?
After being entrusted with Pena’s defense, Allen came up with a plan, and on the next day, requested an audience with Queen Raksha. She received him at the throne room. Allen knelt while Queen Raksha sat on her throne. There was no one around them, causing an air of desolation to fill the space.
“Please allow me to use the Holy Sword Guradion.”
“…You can’t use it.”
The queen’s voice was colder than usual as it resounded throughout the throne room. Allen recalled the legend.
The Holy Sword Guradion was entrusted during the distant age of the gods as a sword to protect the country. When a chosen one wields it, it bestows its wielder peerless power, but when an unchosen one uses it, his life will be forfeit.
The sword is enshrined during the selection process, and the bearer is decided according to the light of the sword when held. When Aizas passed away, Allen himself tried for the selection, but the light did not show any signs of following him.
The moment when he realized that he was not special and had to leave was still fresh on his mind.
“I am aware, Your Highness. But without its power, there is no saving this country.”
Queen Raksha remained silent, and Allen continued.
“Princess… No, Queen Raksha. Please bestow the holy sword upon me and allow me to take vengeance for Aizas—!”
Allen felt the queen stand up as he was speaking, so he caught his tongue.
“…You speak of vengeance? But the one who killed him was you!”
Allen never thought that she would say such a thing to him, so he ended up meeting her gaze from below. Such conduct would be considered rude, but fortunately, there was no one here but them.
“Princess, I…”
It was a trivial matter to deny her words. But Allen couldn’t say it. She was right. If he were only stronger, then he wouldn’t have been delayed by the goblins for so long and Aizas wouldn’t have had to die.
Tears poured out of Raksha despite her attempts to stop them. She looked as if she were both laughing and crying.
“It’s not just Aizas. You abandoned Brandika too! Right!?”
No, Raksha was crying. That much should’ve been obvious, but it took Allen a lot of time to realize it. The words that left her lips next left Allen frowning and bewildered.
“Brandika? Why do you care about him?”
Allen couldn’t understand it. The Red King, Brandika Rual Fatina. He was their invader and their conqueror. There shouldn’t have been any reason for her to love him. If anything, she should hate him.
“…Brandika was kind to me. He consoled me. While I was lonely from Aizas’ absence, he was there for me.”
“Absurd! He was the one who stole this country! Please open your eyes, Princess!”
Allen sidled up to Raksha while kneeling.
“Don’t come! You took two of my dearest people. And yet! And yet! I…!”
Allen had no choice but to watch dumbfounded as Raksha sobbed.
With Rashka sobbing atop the throne, it was clear that right now, she was not a queen, but the little girl whom he spent his childhood with. Allen stretched out his hands from the floor and was about to hug this little girl, but the doors suddenly swung open.
“Your Highness!”
One of the elders pushed open the doors to the throne room as he led the imperial guards with him. With their intrusion, it was no longer possible for Allen to hug her.
The elder quickly moved to where Raksha was and looked back and forth between her and Allen, then he glared at the latter.
“What is the meaning of this, knight commander!? Her Highness has been laden with anxiety. Can you not understand that much!?”
As Raksha continued to cry, the elder clicked his tongue in annoyance and ordered the imperial guards.
“Bring Her Highness to her room! I will speak to the knight commander!”
The waiting maids almost had to drag Queen Raksha back to her room. When she couldn’t be seen anymore, the elder dropped his shoulders and spoke to Allen.
“I heard you arguing. I was hoping it wasn’t the case, but it looks like something bad happened.”
“Everything is because of my immaturity.”
“At least you have a good attitude, given that you’re not trying to make excuses. So, did you talk to her about borrowing the holy sword?”
“She refused. But… we have to do it.”
Without the holy sword, it was impossible for the people of Pena to truly cooperate with them. That was how much the bearer of the holy sword meant to the people of Pena.
“A rescue request came from one of the satellite cities awhile ago. The goblin army is approaching. They number roughly 500. Can you do it, Allen?”
“…For the sake of the country, for the sake of my queen, I will offer even my life.”
With the fate of Pena on his shoulders, Allen wielded the holy sword.
