Editing Rakuin no Monshou:Volume9 Chapter5 (section)

=== Part 1 ===

In the Kingdom of Garbera, the seasonal winds were at their peak.

The strong winds that made the green meadows ripple like the blue water’s surface and that set innumerable petals dancing as freely as though they were white feathers fallen from the wings of fairies had, since long ago, been an oft-selected subject for poems and songs.

However, there were also days in which the sky was overcast with heavy grey clouds and the howl of the rising wind would play a strangely ominous melody.

It was on just such a day.
 


“Father!”

When Zenon Owell opened the door and stepped forward, King Ainn Owell the Second was utterly unable to hide his expression that said – ''here comes a troublesome one''.

Their location was a chamber for the exclusive use of the royal family within the palace. A terrace with vivid flowers extended outwards from it. Also within the room with Ainn was Zenon’s older brother, the First Prince of Garbera, Razetta.

“How disgraceful for the commander of a knightly order to walk with such rough footsteps.”

“I heard about Salamand. Why did you give that man the role of envoy?”

“Ah, yes, it’s that, is it?” Ainn repeatedly nodded up and down. “You’re a brother who loves his little sister. I should have said something to you. But since you were in Mavant and it was urgent, I decided to leave it to Salamand who had personally come to volunteer.”

''Volunteer nothing'' – whether it had come from volunteering or from something else, Salamand had managed things well this time around. That much was news that Zenon had long since caught wind of.

Salamand Fogel was the vice-commander of the Order of the Badger. He was a man who displayed peerless ability on the battlefield, but he was also a man who was not always able to control his ardent personality, who had disparaged the royal family a little too much in his admiration for Ryucown, and who had thus once even been imprisoned.

It seemed that recently, Salamand had frequently been approaching the King on the subject of Princess Vileena.

“My King, Mephius makes little of the life of a member of our august royal family. Even if we must do so a little forcibly, we should go and meet with the princess.”

As a matter of fact, it was doubtful whether Vileena was even still alive. But Salamand contented that since Mephius was delaying making any official announcement, they should go and verify things for themselves.

Unfortunately, at the time, Zenon had left for Mavant, where his troops were garrisoned, while there were a great many nobles and officers from the anti-Mephius faction at the Court. That was of course why Salamand had chosen that opportunity.

The image of his father growing flustered under the pressure of these many retainers suddenly appeared before Zenon’s eyes.

Salamand had further added, “And to think that they have accused Princess Vileena of the disgrace of being a traitor. At this rate, the people will also lose sight of the power of the Garberan royal family and who knows if the country might not likewise fall into chaos. I beg of you, please give me duty of envoy. I will without fail bring the princess back to this palace. And also, I would like to sit in discussion with Mephius to ask them for an explanation in the name of the King.”

Considering that his position was merely that of vice-commander in a knightly order, his speech made him himself sound like someone who made little of the royal family.

However, not even King Ainn could afford to ignore the rumours that were coming from Mephius. Whether it was because he was worried for his beloved daughter or for some other reason, if he dismissed them as mere hearsay, it would undoubtedly tarnish the prestige of the royal family. Equally however, if they forcibly took back the princess, it might put the alliance in jeopardy and led to a resuming of hostilities.

That was when a noble in the prime of life had intervened –

“Your Majesty, please be at ease on that point. Mephius appears to currently be in some kind of a dispute with the West. Moreover, it seems that the fight is harder than they had expected. They will not want to have to face our country in addition to that. We have also received information that the general who lost the battle has, in his despair, begun to claim that we instructed the princess to betray them. This proposal might allow us to gain the upper hand.”

Having received this explanation from a vassal in which in he had no little faith, King Ainn authorised Salamand’s proposal. The King himself penned a letter to the emperor and gave it into Salamand’s keeping.

''That damn Salamand; just when did he acquire that kind of political influence?''

Zenon had been completely astounded that Salamand, whom he had viewed as a hot-headed fighter, had bided his time to make that speech after he had increased the number of his allies.

However, that was proof that Salamand’s, or rather Ryucown’s, influence was still considerable. Or perhaps there was another ringleader somewhere, and Salamand had merely been chosen as the advance guard.

“Are you aware that Salamand is taking the entirety of his troops with him? If he is going as an envoy, what need does he have to command such a large number?”

“As to that,” the King explained, “Salamand said that he intended to take up station at Zaim Fortress until permission to cross the border was received. If we give a bit of a demonstration of our military might by strengthening our forces near the border, Mephius will judge that they can’t dismiss the situation and will receive our envoy.”

Zenon unwittingly raised his voice, “No! Once he receives permission from Mephius, that scoundrel intends to push through with his troops.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Salamand can’t do anything with the numbers he has under his command.”

“There are those within the country that want to continue the war with Mephius. If you include those who harbour the same wish in secret, the numbers become nothing to despise. There is no doubt that his actual intention is to create an opportunity to direct the mood within the country against Mephius.”

“Zenon, if we’re talking about those who want to continue the war with Mephius, aren’t you also one of them?” Razetta interjected. “Have you forgotten how many times I’ve rebuked you over it?”

“That was the case, but it’s different now.”

Zenon cast a glance towards his older brother. The Kingdom of Garbera’s First Prince was currently thirty-three years old. As his hair was bound back, his broad forehead was even further emphasized. His personality conformed to the gentle cast of his countenance and he was not knowledgeable about war.

He turned once more to their father, “Salamand has deceived you, Father. As evidence of that, that scoundrel loaded weapons into several ships and sent them beforehand to Zaim.”

“What? I haven’t heard anything like that.”

“If you prick up your ears a little, it’s the sort of thing that will naturally end up reaching them. Although, if you were a bit more cautious, Father, we wouldn’t have to be stopping them at the very last minute.”

“Watch what you say, Zenon!” Even Razetta, renowned for his gentleness, ended up raising his voice.

Zenon however continued to protest and to reason at length with the King that this was an urgent situation for Garbera.

“Salamand is essentially the same as a cannonball fired towards Mephius. It will fly towards its target then explode. The wind will fan the fire at the point of impact and Garbera will be showered with the sparks. Salamand intends to die. And with his death, he plans to tear through the curtain which had been brought down on the war against Mephius.”

The King and the First Prince, no doubt growing concerned, occasionally exchanged worried looks.

“S-So, what do you want?” Razetta asked.

“Permission for subjugation,” Zenon answered without a second’s hesitation. “Before he arrives at Zaim, I’ll get there ahead of him by ship. The crewmembers of the ships Salamand sent beforehand have probably seized possession of Zaim, or maybe they had collaborators already lying low there, one or the other. I’ll start by capturing Salamand, or subduing him if he resists. After that, I’ll wrest back control of Zaim.”

King Ainn Owell wore an expression of profound anguish.

What statesman did not fear divisions within his country? It was better said that all statesmen had to exercise great caution and vigilance. If what Zenon was saying were true, Salamand certainly had to be stopped, but right now, it was no more than speculation. If they over-reacted, it might instead stir the anger of those who harboured an unvoiced desire for war with Mephius.

“Your Majesty.”

“Wait. It is not yet certain that everything is as you say,” his father said. Whereupon – 

“When meeting Salamand directly, start by talking to him. Even if he is planning something reckless, he won’t turn his sword against a member of the royal family who has rushed over to reason with him,” his older brother added soothingly.

Zenon felt that it was as if, for the two people who were weighing the pros and cons in front of him, he himself was the danger that would bring division to the country.

''No matter how much time I spend here, nothing will come of it'' –  he concluded.

“Very well,” he assented for the time being. “May I have your permission to take a ship? I will start by hurrying to where Salamand is with only a few men.”

“Yes, doing it that way, you won’t put him on his guard any more than necessary.” Razetta was delighted at how reasonable his younger brother was being.

But when Zenon had said “start”, he had done so on the assumption that there would be more to follow.
 


Less than half an hour after leaving the royal palace, Zenon was at the air carrier launching ground.

Just as he had promised the King, he would “start” by flying to Zaim with a few men. However, he had already arranged for his own Order of the Tiger to ride in separate ships and to be ready to fly off from various different locations.

A ship that was originally used for transporting the troops of the Order of the Tiger had been prepared. Rinoa Kotjun, who had arranged for the ships in those various other parts of Garbera, had come to the port to see Zenon off.

Since talking together at the party, the two of them had rapidly grown closer to each other. When Zenon had been in Mavant, they had several times used Kotjun couriers to exchange letters and he had received the news about Salamand making his move from none other than Rinoa.

Zenon had immediately contacted his friend Noue Salzantes. Noue’s reply had been just as prompt. He had told Zenon that he should hurry preparations to send the knights of his Order to Zaim. And for that, Zenon had asked for the assistance of the Kotjun House.

“I’m grateful,” Zenon thanked Rinoa. “Even if my heedless father and brother don’t realise it, it’s practically certain that the scoundrel has bared his fangs against the royal family.”

As the launch ground for air carriers was in an elevated position, the wind was strong there. Rinoa had wound a shawl embroidered with gold and silver thread around her head.
“Don’t worry about it. The truth is… this might not be unrelated to my father.”

“What do you mean?”

Rinoa’s father, that was to say, the current head of the Kotjun House, was shrewder than the previous heads of the family and did not content himself with just Garbera, having secretly sent his private prospectors to other countries. According to reports, her father had found a yet untouched ‘dragon graveyard” in southern Mephius.

“In other words, untouched dragon fossils… There’s a vein of dragonstone?”

“In order to get his hands on it, my father, always under the guise of parties and starting with Salamand, gathered prominent members of the anti-Mephius faction and concluded a secret alliance.”

“To not notice that movement…”

“I’m very sorry. I was convinced that Salamand was only getting closer to my father because he wanted war funds.”

“Not you. It was my oversight,” Zenon shook his head. Considering that it was thanks to Rinoa displaying her inborn intuition that they had gathered information around Salamand, he should rather be saying that she had been a very great help.

''Each person has their own convictions.''

Even though those who were born and raised in the same country had the same love for that country, each of them had their own way of expressing it through their actions.

''Those who cannot recognise them all might not be fit to be king'' –  he thought.

''But we are not gods or demons, and there can be no such humans'' –  he also believed.

Right, he who was no god could do what he could with his own strength.

Just before Zenon flew off, Rinoa had said – 

“Salamand is a man whose broodiness makes him dangerous. In that respect, he resembles General Ryucown, whom he so admired. As Sir Salzantes has already told you, Prince, he has already made up his mind to die and intends to implement this plan thanks to his own death. Please bear that in mind.”

“I understand.”

Zenon took Rinoa’s hand and kissed it to show his gratitude.
[[Image:Rakuin no Monshou v09 175.jpg|thumb]]
After which, he boarded the ship and had soon traded the earth for the sky. He had arranged to meet up with Noue at a supply base along the way.

The ship had no weapons but it could carry over twenty fully armoured soldiers. Nor did it shake in the strong seasonal winds.

With the royal capital Phozon beneath it, the ship soared to the north.