Editing Rakuin no Monshou:Volume11 Chapter2 (section)

=== Part 3 ===

In that moment when Gil knelt and spoke out, a different emotion swept through the hall. It contained a great variety of feelings all jumbled together, but, to summarise it in a few words, there was a sense of being ‘deeply moved’.

Tense as they were from this moment having finally arrived, there, before their eyes, was a young warrior, revived from the very abyss of death to stand against the emperor – the feelings that they were witnessing a scene from a heroic legend welled up within them.

There were many, also, who were reminded of the person that, not even a month ago, had knelt in the same place. A very young girl, who could still almost be called a child. Even though she trembled almost imperceptibly, in front of Emperor Guhl, whom all the retainers feared, the girl had stood her ground from beginning to end.

When the figures of the girl in their memories and the young man before their eyes closely overlapped, many of the officers and nobles there were unable to hold down the emotions that welled up within them.

Perhaps it was a sign of the future.

Then –

“It’s good that you’ve come,’ said Guhl, unperturbed by the intense emotions that had engulfed the hall.

Having reached this point, Guhl Mephius was not going to take any more of his time to negotiate or to play cat and mouse with his opponent.

“When I sent you to Apta, I did not think that you would be away from the capital for so long. That was not my intention. Too many things have happened. Some were unavoidable, but there are some that I do not understand. The same is no doubt true for the many retainers gathered here.”

“Yes,” the man who had once been a gladiator and who had been made to kill for the amusement of the masses, assumed the expression of a crown prince and answered.

“It was because I had chosen you to defend Apta that I had you leave Solon. It was clear that Taúlia’s lord, Ax, was awaiting his chance to take aim at our territory. And, in actual fact, I heard you fought him twice in Apta. The final outcome was that although you did not lose Apta, you arrogantly, and without permission, decided to form an alliance with the western Taúlia. Not only that, but immediately afterwards, and also without permission, you sent reinforcements to Garbera. Even though I had Ineli go as a messenger to warn you that you were not to do so. First, let me hear your explanation with regards to these two matters.”

The emperor had fired the first shot.

His head very slightly lowered, Orba answered in a firm voice.

“To start with, Apta is not a fortress that can be defended with only a small military force. When the first battle occurred, we did not have time to request aid from Solon and, I am ashamed to admit, we had fallen into a predicament from which we were rescued by the Garberan troops which had been about to pull out of there. However, it was not difficult to guess that Ax was likely to attack again without wasting any time, so I pulled our troops far back and deliberately lured him to Apta. Because of the fierce fighting, the fortress suffered partial destruction, however, we were able to deal Ax a serious blow. To avoid further mutual damage, we agreed to pull back our soldiers. And on that occasion, I came to an unusual understanding with Ax Bazgan.”

Orba took his time and answered at a relaxed pace. He continued –

“Around that time, I too heard the information that war was probably about to break out between Garbera and Ende. Garbera is, needless to say, the birthplace of my future wife, Vileena Owell, and thus a country with which we have formed an alliance. I also owed them a favour for helping me in Apta. Your Majesty, you were convinced that the conflict would not escalate, and you held the conviction that we should not recklessly take part and needlessly risk fanning the flames of war, so you sent Ineli with a message to ‘not send reinforcements’, however…”

At that point, Orba glanced up towards the princess for a moment. In actual fact, Ineli had deliberately delayed conveying the message to the crown prince. Of course, not only would emphasising that fact now simply sound like an excuse, also, and more importantly, even if he had received the message, Orba would not even have considered cancelling the reinforcements to Garbera.

In the instant that their eyes met, Ineli visibly stiffened, but Orba immediately returned his gaze to the emperor’s face.

“I too had already participated in some battles. I was convinced that if Ende saw that Mephius intended to honour the alliance, they would definitely pull back before the opening of hostilities. Although I cannot claim to have Your Majesty’s discerning eye, and although I now blush at my youthful recklessness, at the time, I believed it to be the best policy in order to protect the ‘cause’ that was our alliance with Garbera. I am of course young and inexperienced, but I had intended to fully accept the consequences. I am merely one of Your Majesty’s retainers; there was no way for me to excuse my crime of having disobeyed the orders that I had received from you, so I had intended to simply remain in Apta until you had formally handed down your verdict.”

As Orba spoke, none of the retainers uttered a sound. He sensed that their silence was not only due to fear of Emperor Guhl, but that it also stemmed from the intent of evaluating the next ruler.

While Orba was talking, Guhl did not brusquely interrupt him, nor condemn without listening to what he had to say.

What Guhl wanted above all else was a direct confrontation. In place of swords, guns, shields and battle formations, it was words that flew between the two, and that were arrayed around them. The emperor and Crown Prince were meeting on the premise that they would need to fight fairly.

Therefore, this too was war.

A single slip of the tongue would be the same as offering the enemy a chance to attack. Being at a loss for a single word was equivalent to losing an officer able to command a thousand men. And whoever ran out of words would be the one whose fate would have run its course.

This was the final fight that Orba had to overcome in order to raise himself up to the position of emperor of an entire country – he who had originally been a person whose birth and death would not be recorded in history, and whose life would only have been remembered by those who lived in his area, only to soon fade even from their memories. And it was a fight without swords or strategy, one in which he needed to prove to his only opponent, his “father”, that he was the real person, despite being an impostor.

Observing that the crown prince had finished talking for the time being, the emperor raised his eyebrows.

“Indeed, I immediately sent a messenger to Apta to invite you to come before the throne in Solon so that I could hear what you had to say. That much certainly happened. Yet shortly after having returned to Apta, my son was shot and lost from this world – that is what I heard. And in fact, I sent search parties to Apta, yet none were able to find Crown Prince Gil Mephius.”

“…”

“The grief I experienced then was shared by all of Mephius’ people. Yet now, you are here kneeling before me.”

From beneath his heavy eyelids, Guhl Mephius glared at the one who used the same name and had the same appearance as his son.

“Why did you deliberately feign your own death and deceive not only the retainers and the people, but even I, your own father?”

“Yes,” Orba once more lowered his head.

Princess Vileena had once asked him the same sort of question.

''You who were supposed to have died in Apta, what have you been doing until now and what led you to return? Well? Please do tell.''

That time, the muzzle of a gun had been gleaming right before Orba’s eyes.

And this time too, an invisible gun, blade, and guillotine were flickering from behind the emperor. Even as he grew tenser, Orba started to narrate “circumstances” which closely resembled those he had previously explained to the princess.

While he had been inspecting the territory, he had learned that the commander of the Black Armoured Division, Oubary Bilan, had in the past attacked villages in Apta’s vicinity.

While he was pursuing investigations, Oubary once more moved his troops to attack one of the villages by the border. Gil had caught wind of it just before it happened but, as he did not have time to gather his soldiers to hold Oubary back, he had no choice but to lay a trap in the village and to repel him by force.

“We just barely managed to defeat Oubary. However, when I was interrogating the captured soldiers from the Black Armoured Division, they claimed that he had planned to assassinate me and to make it look as though the west had done it. Well, from the start, his aim when attacking the village was to pretend that Taúlia was responsible and to once more re-ignite a war against them. Not only that, but they hinted that Oubary was not the only one involved in the plot.”

While he was imperturbably laying out these new “facts”, the retainers’ expressions revealed in turn surprise and confusion.

“Oh? So who was the one conspiring with Oubary?” Guhl asked, snorting through his moustache. “Among all the people here, is that person present?”
Orba briefly swept his gaze around his surroundings. For a moment, the hall was enveloped in a different kind of nervousness than earlier.

“Well, it seems that the rank and file soldiers were not given the name. Which is why I had no choice but to be very cautious. There was someone in Mephius who, unknown not only to myself but also to Your Majesty, was scheming war with other countries. And who was even willing to secretly kill me, a member of the imperial family, to accomplish that. I believed that it might develop into a plot equal to the rebellion that Zaat Quark had been scheming.”

“…”

“I should probably have immediately rushed to Solon with that information. However, and although you may laugh at my shallow and inexperienced way of thinking, I had only just defied one of Your Majesty’s orders. I was worried that if I were to then nonchalantly return to Solon, Your Majesty would find my words difficult to believe. Would I not instead be giving that heinous person, who was connected to Oubary, a chance to conceal the truth? On the other hand, if Your Majesty ordered me to return to Solon, and I once again disobeyed you, I was sure to forfeit even more of your trust.”

Everyone there was could understand the implicit meaning behind Gil’s words.

Orba did not need to look around the hall for them to be able to guess the identity of the “someone” who had plotted to invade the west.

Emperor Guhl Mephius.

Obviously, Orba himself was perfectly aware that what he was saying was not the actual truth. However, it was not hard to imagine that the emperor had long had designs on the west, and he had in fact been going to put them into effect after Gil Mephius had faked his own death in Apta.

And at the end of the day, it was a fact that the emperor had dispatched armed forces against Taúlia. No matter how much of his authority he used, that was one truth that Guhl could not erase.

“If I, the only one who knew truth, was placed under restraint in punishment for my crimes, that person might once more target my life, and I was afraid that might cause the country to take a wrong turn, and plunge it into a war with the west that neither the people nor the retainers wanted. Moreover, I myself had only just entered into an alliance with Sir Ax; just as with Garbera, I could not fail to uphold it. Therefore, I decided that, for the time being, I would pretend to have been shot by Oubary’s men, leave Mephius, and rapidly inform the west of what was going on.”

“So, in other words, while we were crushed with grief at receiving the news of the crown prince’s death, you were doing nothing less than making preparations in Taúlia to ambush our fine soldiers?”

“It was a bitter decision to have to make. The alliance with the west had certainly been made on my judgement alone, but, when I left Solon, Your Majesty had done me the honour of saying that you left the matter of Taúlia entirely to me. Both sides had suffered considerable losses during the fighting, but we had fought fairly and I had afterwards sworn friendship with its ruler, Ax Bazgan. I could not allow some ambitious person to trample that underfoot with their schemes.”

“…”

Unlike the kneeling Crown Prince, from whose back energy seemed to be rising like smoke, Emperor Guhl for some reason seemed to find this swift exchange of words troublesome. From an outside perspective, it looked as though he needed to muster all of his strength to open his mouth.

“In that case, it would have been best if, immediately after defending Taúlia, you had personally come to Solon and talked to me directly. Why did you feel the need to deliberately announce yourself in Apta and fight the troops which I sent there?”

“Your Majesty, would you have been prepared to listen to what I had to say?”

“If a son who was believed dead was to reappear, any father would listen.”

“No,” Orba flatly declared. As the people around them gasped, he continued, “How could I possibly believe that Your Majesty would be willing to lend me your ears when you had only just failed in your invasion of Taúlia? You might have arbitrarily decided that I was the product of evil western sorcery, or a body-double set up by someone who intended to rebel, and had me secretly executed.”

Guhl growled something. He was just about to break out into shouting but then gave up on the idea, or perhaps he realised that doing so would have been a mistake.

Orba could tell that those hostile to him were losing vitality. He could smell the mood that was drifting through the hall. He sensed instinctively that here and now, he should unsheathe the invisible sword at his waist and thrust with it. Unconsciously, he firmly straightened his waist and moved his knees forward.

“Just now, I said that it was a bitter decision. It was agonising to be the one to divide the country, but in order to ensure peace as quickly as possible, not only in the west but also in Mephius, I had to harden my heart and grasp a sword. And in fact, was it not only after I had announced myself at the risk of my own life, and slipped through blades and storms of bullets to take Birac and Nedain, that Your Majesty finally felt inclined to listen to me like this?”

“So you’re saying that you killed our country’s soldiers simply to prove yourself?”

“Repeating myself.”

Compared to the emperor, whose words somewhat gave the impression of prey being driven into a corner, everything that Gil said were almost tangibly full of vigour.

“… Is all that I can do, Father. I have already stated this several times, but it was unbearable for me to kill Mephian warriors. When I swung my sword, the soldiers whose helmets cracked open beneath it might have been the parents or the brothers of those gathered here. The soldiers whose breasts were pierced by my bullets might have babies who are even now crying pitifully in the towns and villages of these domains, or aged grandparents. No matter how uprightly my life is from now, the wounds caused by this war, both to Mephius and to myself, will not be easily healed. Which is why…”

Gil Mephius raised his head.

“''Which is why'', Your Majesty, please heed my words. So that these wounds that Mephius bears will not be in vain. So that no more young blood need be spilled in this fight. Your Majesty, having taken Nedain, I am far from being at a disadvantage, so why is it that you nevertheless asked me to come before your presence? Why is it that you are having me exchange words with you, Your Majesty, in front of all the commanders and lords gathered here?”

''Why?'' – Guhl no longer spoke.

As though wanting to use that silence as a foothold to leap even further, Orba’s tone grew firmer.

“I have heard that Allion is moving to invade Ende. And that a request for reinforcements has come from Ende. Your Majesty, please give me the order. With your permission, I will immediately organise a military force and will show you how I put a stop to Allion’s ambitions.”

Within the hall, finally unable to contain their agitation, the retainers exchanged glances. They had heard the news of Allion’s invasion. The great power in the east. All of them naturally feared that it planned to gain a foothold in Ende, from where it would bring its warhorses to the centre of the continent.

Even while receiving a princess from Garbera as a wife for his son, the emperor had been manoeuvring to draw closer to Ende. He might, therefore, have been expected to immediately respond to the appeal for help, but there was a reason why Mephius was unable to simply send soldiers. And that reason was the matter concerning Gil Mephius.

And now, Gil himself was offering to lead reinforcements to Ende. Moreover, in order to do so, he had chosen to leave an advantageous encampment and had come to Solon, which was the same as handing himself to his opponents.

How did the people there see Gil Mephius now? As a peerless hero or as a fool unmatched in all of History? Whatever the case, having seen him like this first-hand, his name and figure certainly loomed much larger than before in the mind of the commanders and nobles there.

It was indeed because of the fact of Allion’s invasion that Orba had come to kneel before Emperor Guhl even at the risk of his own life. At the same time – and just as he had once said to Pashir – this was also something that he saw as a bright ray of hope.

Allion had become a common enemy for both Guhl and Gil. Therefore, he had made use of it. Orba had, in a manner of speaking, prepared a “way out” for the emperor.

If things turned into a life-or-death battle, the emperor would inevitably strike down with all his might. Solon would be turned into a sea of flames. As Pashir had pointed out, he might also once again take measures to dispose of Orba in secret.

And so, he had deliberately avoided the issue of victory and defeat.

He judged that if Gil Mephius did not display an attitude of being desperate for victory, the emperor would weigh the situation and take that “way out”, resigning himself for the time being to sending Gil to Ende, which was certain to have a considerable effect on the retainers.

“Your Majesty, your decision, please.”

It looked as though the colourless, odourless smoke rising from Gil Mephius’ back would soon engulf the pitiable old man before spreading its dominion to every corner of the hall.

“Indeed,” Emperor Guhl Mephius blinked his heavy-lidded eyes.

A moment passed.

With that pause in their exchange of words, Guhl’s tone of voice suddenly softened.

“It’s true that you have a valid point. As a father, I was enraptured as I listened. I believe it was good that I summoned you and that we talked face-to-face like this. When I first heard the messenger, I wondered what kind of fool it was who was pretending to be my son, but, indeed, that look of yours is worthy of the crown prince of Mephius, and you have a proud soul. I can see why Rogue, Odyne, and the others joined your side.”

''Oh'' – The court shook once more.

A smile appeared on Guhl’s lips, which were partly hidden behind his moustache. The emperor too was finally recognising that the one kneeling before him was undoubtedly his real son, the true Crown Prince of Mephius.

This truth would determine Mephius’ future.

Orba lowered his head respectfully.

He sighed secretly, as though to wring every last drop of air from his lungs. For now, this marked a turning point in the fight. First came cooperating with Ende to push back the might of Allion. Not only would this protect Mephius, it would also consolidate Crown Prince Gil’s achievements and…

“One more thing.”

Guhl’s voice was strangely sharp as it cleaved through the harmonious atmosphere that had been starting to pervade the hall.

In that instant, Orba felt like a beast which had been holding its breath until now had abruptly reared its huge form from behind Emperor Guhl.

“There is just one more thing that I want to confirm.”

“That… What on earth is it?”

“I want you to remove your clothes, here and now, and show me your back.”

Guhl’s voice echoed for a long time.

At least, that was how it sounded to Orba.



<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Rakuin no Monshou:Volume11_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Rakuin no Monshou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Rakuin_no_Monshou:Volume11_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>