Thus, the audience came to an end.
For Ermes and the others, it had been a valuable opportunity to properly assess the opponents they would soon be fighting. Above all, recognizing Laplace — the man from the organization serving as the First Prince's aide — had been a significant gain.
Being able to identify the King, as well as the First Prince and the Second Princess, was also beneficial.
They hadn't learned everything about these people's pasts or ideologies, but at the very least, they now knew that leaving things as they were would be absolutely unacceptable.
More than anything, Liliana had been able to look at the situation anew and reaffirm the necessity of fighting.
All in all, it could be said that the audience had yielded the information they needed.
And now, at last.
The Liliana faction, led by Ermes and the others, would join the fray between the two great powers — Helck's camp and Leila's camp. In some form, it would become a three-way struggle.
Various grudges, various schemes, various feelings would entangle, and many clashes could be anticipated.
Such a violent battle — the war of succession to the throne —
—
Before it began,
it ended.
The night the three candidates finished their audience.
In some location within the Royal Capital, a flat male voice echoed.
"...I wonder if the Trackia lot are busy speculating about why I showed up at the audience."
Walking through the dark corners of the Royal Capital, beneath the shadows of buildings where no light reached, the man — Laplace — continued.
"As for their guesses, let's see... applying pressure, wanting to confirm something there, or diverting attention from other important matters — something along those lines, probably?"
They were probably capable of coming up with that much. It was reasonable enough, and if you looked hard enough, each of those guesses contained elements that weren't entirely wrong.
But.
Beyond that — or rather, having absolutely nothing to do with any of that —
Laplace smiled as he revealed his true reason for being present.
"There was none."
That's right. There was no reason.
Because whether Laplace appeared at that gathering or not, nothing would have changed.
In that case, he'd thought — very casually — he might as well take a look at the faces of the other candidates and those who followed them. Beyond that, there were minor objectives like sizing up that silver-haired boy, properly identifying that princess... but none of it was something he absolutely had to do. In the end, it didn't matter.
How could he think about it so carelessly?
He answered that question in a cruel voice.
"Because — it's already — long since — over."
Therefore, being there had been meaningless. If anything, it was nothing more than a "victory declaration."
He spoke, then turned into an alley.
"'I am already in the First Prince's inner circle.' The Trackia family should have taken that meaning a bit more seriously. ...Not that it would have changed anything even if they had."
Yes. He would say it again — everything was already finished.
And so, in the faint glow of light, Laplace looked up at the largest building illuminated by the thin light of night — the Royal Palace.
Turning his gaze toward where he believed the person he had in mind would be, he had this to say:
"— Isn't that right? First Prince Helck."
◆
At that same moment.
In the King's office on the top floor of the Royal Palace.
The King, Fried, had been working late into the night on affairs of state and was putting away documents when a voice echoed from the entrance to his office.
"...Father."
The King raised his face and stared at the person before him with surprise.
"— Helck."
The speaker — First Prince Helck — had his face hidden in the shadow of the door, impossible to see.
Despite this, the King addressed him in a somewhat stern tone.
"What are you doing here? Even a member of the royal family cannot simply walk into the King's office without knocking—"
"Father. I know."
But.
Cutting off the King's words, First Prince Helck continued. His voice carried something like a fever dream, like a grudge — emotions impossible to fathom, delivered as a barrage of words.
"That you, Father, believe you are not suited to be King. That you still think the Sky Witch — your former sister — was the one truly fit for the role."
"...Helck."
"And so, you sought unshakable heroism in the next King — strength untethered by anything. That is why you let Aster do as he pleased... and that you had already given up on us, who lacked Aster's talent, from the very start — never letting it show on the surface."
Click, click — the First Prince walked forward.
"I don't resent you, Father. Your assessment is correct. Liliana, of course. Leila too... and even I. None of us are the vessels you described. None of us can become exceptional — we're nothing but what fits within a fixed mold. ...Now that Aster is gone, the vessel of a King that you seek no longer exists."
And then, Helck's face, illuminated by moonlight, came into view.
"But. Even so. I am the First Prince. I am one obligated to stand above this nation. I have a duty to do something about this country that is already beyond saving."
His expression was utterly indescribable.
As if weeping, as if raging. As if lamenting, as if casting aside.
And so, the prince who now held the highest claim to succession in the land declared:
"— Then I will become it for you."
At the same time — clank, clank.
Multiple footsteps approached the throne.
"I will become the hero you desire. By any means necessary, at any cost. — Even if I must sell my soul to the devil!"
And then, multiple knights burst into the office.
— All at once, they leveled their swords at the King.
"—"
"Is this what you wanted, Father?"
His voice trembled, but his will was ironclad. First Prince Helck declared:
"You can't do it. You've already given up. You've given up on changing anything and can only think about maintaining the status quo. We don't have the luxury of fighting fairly — we must act immediately. Therefore—"
He hurled the words of revolution.
" The beginning of a royal usurpation. — Steel yourself, former King."
That day.
Mysterious private soldiers who appeared from nowhere seized control of the entire Royal Palace as well as all major government facilities by force.
The series of events — swiftly plundering all political functions — might not technically qualify as such, given that it was led by the First Prince, who held a legitimate claim to the throne. But—
Seizing power through force. It was, without question, a coup d'état.
◆
"...There was never any need to bother with a proper succession contest."
After everything had been secured, a man strolled through the Royal Palace, speaking to himself as he made his way toward the Audience Hall.
"Siblings fighting over the throne is absurd. There is no meaning in having them compete to forge a true vessel of the King."
He arrived at the Audience Hall, opened the doors, and continued.
"If one truly cared for the nation and genuinely wanted to eliminate pointless conflict — one should have simply seized the throne from the start."
In the center of the room, addressing the man who now sat upon the supreme seat — the former First Prince — Laplace spoke.
"Isn't that right, Your Highness? ...Or perhaps I should now address you as Your Majesty?"
"That would be rather premature, Lord Laplace."
Helck, though his voice was slightly strained, denied the suggestion.
"Where is the former King?"
"He's been kept alive and confined. Not out of sentimentality — there are still things I need to extract from him. ...Isn't that so?"
"That is correct."
After offering a polite bow, Laplace straightened his expression and continued without letting his guard down.
"The seizure of all major facilities is already complete. The preparations for Your Highness to begin operating as King are in place as of tomorrow. The first phase has been successfully concluded."
"Yes, well done. However—"
"Yes. There are still things left to do."
From here, the First Prince took over.
"That's right. If this gets out, there are people who certainly won't stay quiet. We did this to avoid unnecessary conflict — we can't afford to botch the follow-through."
"Then—"
"Yes. That is why I chose today — the day of the audience, when 'both of them are certain to be in the Royal Capital' — as the day to act."
With a heavy nod, First Prince Helck briefly let his thoughts wander.
—I believe in you. Brother. Sister.
(...Not that believing in you now changes anything.)
He recalled those words, and a bitter expression crossed his face for just a moment.
But he swallowed it down and declared:
"...I've already sent private soldiers to Leila's location. So, Lord Laplace."
Toward Laplace, who wore an unfathomable smile, the usurping prince delivered the decisive words:
"Send your forces to the other one.
Destroy Trackia — and Liliana."
The third chapter begins.