Editing Kaze no Kishihime v1c6

'''Chapter 6 - Philippe III and Grand Duke Estache'''

Within the royal palace of Tristainia, the current king, Philip III, stared gloomily at the chessboard before him. A man in his late thirties, he possessed gleaming golden hair, carefully groomed beard, and a powerfully built frame befitting his epithet: the ''Hero King''.

His sharply carved features resembled an ancient marble sculpture, radiating an imposing dignity.

The heroic figure who had once personally led an army and crushed the mighty Germanian forces upon the lands of La Valliere still remained unmistakable.

And yet, that face now lacked vitality.

His brows remained tightly furrowed as he occasionally nodded, pretending to listen to the words of the chancellor. In truth, however, not a single sentence carried meaning inside Philip III’s mind. The man’s speech flowed through one ear and out the other like the prayers of some foreign religion.

“Your Majesty, are you truly listening to what I am saying?”

The one who spoke was a narrow-eyed man with black hair slicked neatly backward, around twenty-five or twenty-six years of age.

Though he wore black clerical robes that made him resemble a priest, the military wand hanging from his waist and the sharpness in his gaze gave him the aura of a battlefield commander rather than a holy man. And upon closer inspection, every piece of clothing he wore was clearly a luxurious custom-made article. Even the silver-glimmering wand at his side was finer than the one possessed by the king himself.

This man was none other than Grand Duke Estache, Chancellor of the Kingdom of Tristain.

“If there is anything Your Majesty finds questionable, I ask that you please say so openly.”

He bowed respectfully, his tone perfectly courteous.

“No matter whether I find something questionable or not, there is hardly any room for me to interrupt, is there?”

“How could Your Majesty say such a thing? You are the king of this nation.”

“The king? You mean me? A man whose only role is nodding approval at whatever policies you present is called a king?”

Philip spoke with open sarcasm, while Estache merely smiled.

“Without the glory of Your Majesty, the kingdom could never prosper as it does. Especially not through the efforts of someone as insignificant as myself...”

The king grimaced bitterly at those words.

Philip III was an unparalleled warrior. Wand in hand, he could scatter armies single-handedly. Leading troops, he had never once known defeat. He was a Hero King destined to be recorded in the history of Halkeginia itself.

But Heaven withheld from him a talent for politics.

Under Philip III’s reign, the strength of Tristain had steadily declined year after year. Naturally so, when his policies consisted of little more than reckless improvisation: introducing laws on a whim, increasing taxes without foresight, even waging wars merely to preserve appearances...

And just as the fury of the people neared its breaking point.

The man who slammed the brakes on the kingdom’s collapse appeared. It was Estache.

With astonishing dexterity, the Grand Duke took control of Tristain’s politics, diplomacy, and economy, carrying out reform after reform until the kingdom finally regained its former prosperity.

Yet none of that amused Philip III in the slightest.

The Hero King possessed pride worthy of his title.

But no matter what argument he raised, he could never outtalk Estache. Eventually, their disputes had devolved into little more than childish sulking, and by now Philip scarcely even wished to voice opinions anymore.

Still, resentment lingered in his heart, leading him to occasional acts of childish rebellion. During gambling nights, for instance, he became absurdly competitive over cards. Or at ballroom festivals, he would try to outshine the Grand Duke.

Yet even if he managed to defeat Estache in such trivial matters, the satisfaction lasted only moments before the inferiority returned once again.

“That is enough. Handle all political matters however you please. More importantly, it is your move.”

Philip III gestured toward the chessboard.

Estache moved a piece with complete indifference, whereupon the king once more sank into thought.

“Your Majesty, there is another proposal I wish to present—”

“Stop dancing around it. Call it what it really is: an order.”

Philip snapped irritably.

Estache narrowed his eyes. Though still young, his face possessed frightening sharpness.

“You wound me with such words... What I wished to discuss concerns the Unicorn Guard currently responsible for protecting Your Majesty.”

“Oh? That rigid bunch who act like templars? What about them?”

“I wish to offer them to Your Majesty.”

“What?”

Philip raised his head, only to shake it immediately with displeasure.

“No need.”

“And why is that?”

“I already have the Royal Mage Guard.”

“Is that not the force whose numbers now resemble a comb with missing teeth?”

“That is why they are currently being reorganized, or so I have been told. Once sufficient numbers have gathered again, I intend to return them to active guard duty. I have no need for a new royal guard.”

“I have heard the recruits consist mostly of thugs and street rabble. Frankly speaking, I often wonder whether a collection of criminals can truly serve as Your Majesty’s protectors. If they were dissolved entirely, the kingdom could even spare itself unnecessary expenses.”

Philip III’s brows tightened sharply.

He still held deep attachment toward the Royal Mage Guard that had protected him for so many years. It was a knightly order passed down from his ancestors, steeped in tradition. Furthermore, although its captain Jervul now lay ill, he had once been Philip’s own mentor in the art of the wand.

Disbanding them had never once crossed his mind.

“Do not be ridiculous! Listen well, Estache. I will tolerate almost anything you say because I know well enough that you are smarter than I am. But the Royal Mage Guard is another matter entirely! Once their numbers recover, they will return to guard duty. On this point alone, I will never compromise.”

Grand Duke Estache slowly shook his head.

“Even so... if they are to guard Your Majesty, they must be an elite force. Even after reorganization, there is no guarantee the old veterans will return. My Unicorn Guard, on the other hand, consists solely of carefully selected warriors. I understand Your Majesty’s attachment to the Royal Mage Guard, but if something were to happen to your safety, the consequences would be irreparable.”

Philip fell silent with a low grunt.

Everything Estache said was correct.

And yet, his pride could not bear the thought of even his personal guard being manipulated at the Grand Duke’s whim.

“There is no need to worry. True warriors still remain among them.”

“Warriors, you say? Does Your Majesty know what members of the Royal Mage Guard did at an inn just the other day? They violently attacked innocent Germanians. To avoid causing an international incident, the Germanians reportedly did not even draw their wands. Truly pitiable. And yet your guards continued beating them regardless. Counting both serious and minor injuries, there were over ten victims. The ambassador has lodged severe protests.”

Philip stroked his beard with obvious annoyance.

“They have already been punished. I ordered their wages reduced. Besides, calling the Germanians innocent is nonsense. I heard they struck first.”

“Ah, well, these matters always become a matter of conflicting stories. Neither side ever admits fault. In any case, if your guard consists merely of violent men eager to brawl with foreigners, that is rather troubling...”

At that very moment, a young page burst into the chamber.

“Your Majesty! Terrible news!”

“What is it, Dipere?”

The page glanced nervously toward Estache.

“There is no need to hesitate,” Philip said mockingly. “Even if you tried hiding something from the Chancellor, he would discover it soon enough anyway.”

Even such blatant sarcasm failed to disturb Estache’s calm expression.

“T-Then I shall report it! It seems members of Your Majesty’s Royal Mage Guard have violently clashed with Grand Duke Estache’s Unicorn Guard!”

“What?”

Philip III’s eyes widened in shock.

And for the first time, even Grand Duke Estache’s brows drew sharply together.

“And then? What happened afterward? Which side won?”

“Yes, Your Majesty! It appears the Royal Mage Guard emerged victorious. Four against fourб and every one of them won! They even displayed the enemy wands they seized as trophies and held a celebration afterward!”

Light gradually returned to Philip III’s face, though he quickly forced himself back into a stern expression.

“Hmph! I see! But fighting against the personal guard of our greatly esteemed Chancellor is unacceptable! And holding a celebration afterward is even worse! Put a stop to it immediately! At once!”

Even so, the delight in his heart could not quite be concealed, and he kept sneaking glances toward Grand Duke Estache.

“I see now, Chancellor. Perhaps you truly were correct after all! What an utterly troublesome group they are!”

The page seemed to grow more excited as well, puffing out his chest as though boasting about his own achievements while continuing the report.

“Yes! And among them was apparently a mere trainee boy! Yet he moved like the wind itself and even defeated Sir Angelo!”

“What? Angelo? I have heard he was an exceptional fighter!”

“That is exactly the case! And this youth may not even have reached fifteen years of age yet!”

Philip III could not help clapping his hands.

“What a splendid young man! He sounds exactly like I did in my youth!”

Then he turned toward Estache with open pride still written across his face. The king seemed overwhelmingly delighted that his own royal guard defeated the Grand Duke’s elite force.

“Honestly, the Royal Mage Guard are nothing but violent brats who constantly cause trouble. But yes, I see it now—if they were weak, they could never hope to protect me. Just as you said earlier.”

Grand Duke Estache lowered his head deeply, while Philip III turned toward Dipere.

“This troublesome bunch clearly requires personal discipline from me. Tomorrow, bring those brave warriors... no, those unruly ruffians before me. Understood?”

Dipere bowed and hurried out of the chamber at once, while Estache himself also prepared to leave.

“Then, Your Majesty, it is nearly time for you to rest. I shall take my leave now...”

“Mm. Good work! Ah, Estache—provide some compensation in my name to the wounded members of your guard. Tell them to rest well!”

Philip III said this with a broad smile.

After leaving the palace, Grand Duke Estache stepped into the waiting carriage at the royal coach station. Heavy curtains covered the windows so that nobody could peer inside.

The carriage began moving silently the moment he sat down. Behind it rode two unicorn knights serving as escorts.

“Have you finished saying everything you needed to say?”

The woman seated opposite him spoke once they left the palace grounds.

She was a beautiful young woman around eighteen or nineteen years old. Her long golden hair fell in soft curls nearly to her waist. Gentle drooping eyes and soft, supple cheeks gave her an irresistibly warm charm.

Her full feminine figure was wrapped in black nun’s robes, and the overall image radiated maternal tenderness... like a saint stepping forth from a religious painting.

“Novelle, things have become troublesome. It seems the Royal Mage Guard actually won. That fool Angelo knew only how to boast.”

The woman called Novelle smiled sweetly. It was the sort of warm and gentle smile capable of capturing the heart of any man who saw it.

“My, just as I expected. Those three cannot really be dealt with through ordinary means.”

“So it is them again...”

“Yes, those same violent little troublemakers from before. There are hardly any spirited people left besides them anymore. As long as they remain, it will be difficult to completely uproot the Royal Mage Guard.”

Her expression resembled that of an older sister delighted by the exploits of her younger brothers.

“And the ‘puppet’ I borrowed from you turned out to be useless.”

“What?! You already deployed him? How impatient you are!”

A strange glimmer shone briefly in her eyes, causing Estache to shake his head.

“Of course I did not reveal his true nature to anyone. I simply had him mixed into the ranks disguised as a knight. It was also meant as a form of experiment.”

“Honestly... I kept wondering how you intended to use him. Did I not already tell you? ‘Puppets’ are only effective when used in groups. Sending out a single one accomplishes nothing at all.”

“I know,” Estache replied bitterly.

“But how marvelous! Men like them truly deserve to be called heroes!”

Novelle sounded genuinely delighted.

“You seem awfully fond of them.”

“Yes, I rather like them. Despite possessing such strength, they still stubbornly remain with the Royal Mage Guard instead of abandoning it. Everyone else fled long ago.”

“What incomprehensible fools. If they were merely a little more clever, they could live far better lives...”

“But is that not exactly what makes them charming? To ignore profit and loss for the sake of something more important. Men ought to be like that.”

Novelle laughed cheerfully.

“Still, it seems it is not only those three.”

“What do you mean?”

“There appears to be another—a trainee boy. Apparently he was the one who defeated Angelo.”

“My! What an extraordinary child! To defeat Sir Angelo... I would dearly love to meet him.”

Watching Novelle’s innocent delight, Estache could only smile wryly.

“Honestly, sometimes I cannot tell which side you belong to.”

“What are you saying? Of course I stand on Your Grace’s side. Though enjoyment is an entirely separate matter... that is all.”

“This is not some game. In any case, the Unicorn Guard must become the official royal guard as quickly as possible.”

Estache glanced sideways toward the woman beside him.

“I am an impatient man, Novelle. That is why I wish to entrust something to you.”

“I am not particularly good at staging ‘accidents’ or manipulating people into provoking riots and brawls, you know. I am not nearly clever enough for such things.”

For a brief moment, Novelle wore the innocent expression of an ordinary young woman while saying something utterly horrifying.

“There is no need to worry about details. We no longer have time. How you accomplish it is up to you, but failure is unacceptable.”

“Plans are always vulnerable to the whims of the god known as ‘disharmony.’ For humans to pursue perfection is rather beyond our place, don’t you think?”

“And yet, I know you can do it.”

Estache spoke those words because he fully understood that the woman sitting before him was among the most terrifying individuals on the continent of Halkeginia.

“My, my... it seems I have been greatly overestimated.”

Novelle replied in a voice overflowing with delight.