Editing Rakuin no Monshou:Volume5 Chapter3 (section)

=== Part 2 ===

Within the castle hall, Bouwen Tedos was having an audience with King Jallah. Beside whom was Queen Marilène.

Bouwen had also heard a great many rumours, but, he reflected, as to whether they were true or not, the only one he could currently confirm was that of her jewel-like beauty.

Cherik's royal family had a close relationship with one of the coastal countries, Libra, and Marilène had also inherited foreign blood. Her skin was as pale as ivory, her hair and eyes as black as jet. Somehow just from her being there, the place seemed almost stiflingly filled with the fragrance of flowers.

As for Jallah, he was a pot-bellied man whose eyes slanted downwards. Not matter how much he dressed up like a king, his appearance was uncomfortably close to that of a nervous middle-aged man who had been forced to perform the king's part in a play.

Be that as it may, Jallah offered the customary greetings.

"Still, hasn't Sir Bazgan's decision come a little late?" Greygun cut in.

No matter how richly he was being paid for his services, a mercenary was a mercenary. Bouwen was a little taken aback by his manner which was like that of a king. And because of his youth, he couldn't hide his surprise.

"I-Isn't it fine, Greygun? Since with this six hundred soldiers have hurried over."

Jallah intervened to smooth things over. Even from an outsider's perspective, it was obvious that he couldn't help breaking out into a cold sweat from being caught in a difficult position between the two.

Seething anger born from surprise welled up within Bouwen's breast.

"Sir Greygun is acting exactly like the country's general." He said, his words mixing exaggerated praise and sarcasm.

Greygun's expression however didn't change in the slightest.

"I am a man fit only for fighting," he boasted. "In times of peace, I'm not good for anything but during a war, indeed, I will show you that I am just as competent as any country's general. As for my having flown from Cherik, with all due respect to him, King Yamka II was showing a weak attitude towards Garda's army. I judged that I would be able to fight to my heart's content here in Helio and so I came."

His manner seemed easy-going as he fiddled with his beard, but his eyes both overflowed with energy and held the cool glint of beaten steel. As he said himself, he looked like a person who was competent when it came to battles.

"Oh, what a reliable ally we've acquired. And what bad luck for Garda's army that such a great hero exists in Helio."

"My performance will be suitably outstanding." Greygun smiled disdainfully.

Damn cub – That feeling could clearly be seen through his smile. Bouwen was certainly young and was on the verge of flying unthinkingly into a rage.

At that moment, a person rushed in. One of Greygun's subordinates. He kneeled at a distance.

"It's fine," Greygun gave his permission and beckoned him to his side. He didn't appear to care that they were in the presence of the king. "What!" Greygun exclaimed as the man whispered in his ear. Then after an interval, he looked towards Bouwen.

"W-What is it, Greygun?"

Asked King Jallah, unable to bear the tense atmosphere.

"This is quite a problem," Greygun stroked the hair on his chin. "It seems that no sooner had they arrived than Sir Bouwen's soldiers began running amok in town."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm told they were out drinking, drunkenly picked a fight with my men and injured seven of them."

"Nonsense!"

Bouwen growled, but while Greygun truly did seem troubled, it was clear from his expression that he found this development amusing.

"King Jallah, it appears my men have seized the scoundrels and are bringing them nearby. Is it alright if they haul them here?"

Although he asked for the king's decision, it was obvious from the tone of his voice that he knew what the answer would be. His eyes glinted like a naked blade when Jallah weakly nodded "Y-Yes".

Before long, three young men were lead into the hall. In that instant, Bouwen ground his teeth.

''Shit!''

The ones with their hands tied behind their back were undoubtedly Taúlian mercenaries. He didn't remember the face of each and every one of them, but there was no mistaking the appearance of that masked soldier. Reading Bouwen's expression, Greygun smiled,

"It certainly appears that they are Taúlian soldiers."

Laughter broke out from an unexpected direction. Ringing out as clear as chimes, that voice did not fit the occasion.

"M-Marilène."

While Jallah cringed, the beautiful queen lifted her plump lips into an enchanting smile.

"As seven were said to have been injured, I was wondering how many people there were. Were the brave heroes of the Red Hawks bested by only three people?  Taúlia has also gathered powerful warriors here."

"Y-Yes." Bouwen was unable to give any other answer.

Greygun of course did not find the comment amusing. Squaring his shoulders, he approached the three of them.

"Given that he has his face hidden, he might be a spy for the sorcerer. Or he might have used some suspicious art. Anyway, show us your face!"

Greygun smoothly unsheathed the sword at his waist and instantly pressed it against the masked soldier's – against Orba's neck. Orba didn't stir a single muscle. Greygun mockingly slid the sword's blade over the mask.

"Oh ho, you don't beg for your life? It's also said that the sorcerer's puppets have no heart." Still talking nonsense, Greygun swiftly raised the sword over his shoulder. "My Lady Queen, will a puppet die if you slice off its head? Don't you think that would make for a very interesting spectacle? I will show it to you right now."

Marilène kept a faint smile on her face and seemed about to rise to her feet to better see the execution. Shique held his breath and even Gilliam was about to shout out when,

"Wait!"

An old man appeared in the hall. He was clad in a luxurious blue toga but his footsteps were unsteady and a soldier was propping him up on either side. An uneasy tremor passed over Jallah's face before he smoothed it over with a courteous smile.

"Well, well, Lord Hardross! It is unusual for you to come here. And your health, are you well?"

Hardross Helio, father of Elargon, the previous king. His thin chest heaved up and down. Although he had lost both his position and title as royalty, he still had considerable influence. To the people, the exploits of Helio's royal family and of Hardross himself were unforgettable, and if Jallah wished to reign peacefully, he would have to be careful about how he treated Hardross.

At present, he was in a state of house arrest. He was allowed to move relatively freely within the palace but soldiers under Jallah's command kept a strict watch over him and he couldn't take a single step outside.

"Am I well?"

The old man's voice shook as he spoke. The wrinkles all over his face were like hollows carved by anguish. But his eyes were firm as he glared at both Jallah and Greygun.

"Even if I were not well, such a racket within the Court could not fail to spur an old man into action. Greygun, or whatever you're called, I will not allow more blood to be shed needlessly within Helio's royal court. News of the racket your soldiers raise in town has also reached my ears. There will be no talk of leaving it at having these three shouldering the entire responsibility alone."

Greygun for the time being adopted a respectful posture and sheathed his sword. Focussing his eyes at the last on Marilène, Hardross said,

"Now is not the time for inside quarrels. Any day now a fearsome foreign enemy might destroy the walls of Helio. Our duty is to protect the people. In a situation like this, to raise one's sword because of a town brawl is..."

Having spoken that far, Hardross started coughing violently. Jallah seized the opportunity and clapped his hands to have him expulsed.

"Sir, you should not overdo it. Here! Escort Lord Hardross back to his room."

"Wait, Jallah. There is still..."
[[Image:Rakuin no Monshou v05 109.jpg|thumb]]

Even as he was being almost violently jostled, Hardross started to say something when Marilène gently swept up the long hem of her dress and rose from her seat.

"My lord, please be at ease. I will take responsibility for welcoming these brave heroes from a foreign country and there will be no more bloodshed in this place. Isn't that right, Greygun?"

"Yes."

As the queen had declared that she was taking Orba and the others as her own guests, Greygun could not interfere. Marilène turned her eyes from the mercenary commander back to her former father-in-law and smiled sweetly.

"There, please return to your room and recuperate. The most important thing that you must do for this country My lord, is to please take care of your health."

"You vixen!"

During another furious coughing fit, Hardross glared rigidly at Marilène. When his figure finally disappeared, the temperature in the hall abruptly seemed to drop by two or three degrees.


Not long after, Greygun also excused himself from Jallah's presence. Running after him, the vice-commander of the mercenaries complained bitterly,

"I didn't think that the queen would interfere."

Greygun snorted and his moustache swayed slightly at the breeze.

"We're talking about that wanton queen. I'd say that tonight for a change, she'll be inviting the likes of mercenaries to her bedroom."

So he said but the look in his eyes was nowhere near as calm as his words and he always took an unusual amount of interest in Marilène. And also,

''That masked bastard. Even when I thrust my sword at him, he stared straight back into my eyes''.

The look in the eyes of one worthless soldier had left Greygun irritated.

A while later, the commander of the mercenary troop left the vice-commander and returned to the spacious room inside the castle that he had been allocated. There a man with a cloth wound around his head who looked like nomad was waiting for him. Here in Helio, he was always near Greygun. Although their relation was probably that of master and servant, he didn't turn around when Greygun entered and was peering into some kind of crystal ball that he held in his hands. Not seeming to mind, Greygun asked,

"Can you see something interesting?"

The shape of the crystal ball that the man was holding resembled a skull, but one slightly different from a human skull.  It had a long snout and on either side of the forehead there was a protuberance resembling a horn. The shape was like something between a human and a dragon. Looking into the sunken eye sockets, the man said,

"The arrangements are complete."

''Oh'', hummed Greygun. He had forgotten his earlier irritation and his eyes blazed with light.

"At last. I'm tired of being an army commander. That a sorcerer with devilish power should once again hold sway over the world, truly, this era has become much more interesting."

Stroking his dark blue beard, Greygun struck the pommel of his sword as though unable to suppress his excitement.