Chapter 552: Road To Kingdom 9: I Am Now

Translator: Nat

I encounter a mere four guards when I enter the palace through the front door.

They must have hurried to check what's going on after hearing the noise.

Their white armor and silver-decorated swords are no different than usual.

What's different is me.

I have never stepped into the palace fully dressed in armor geared for actual combat.

Not to mention it's absurd to be wearing blood-stained armor and dragging around a blood-stained sword.

I proceed as though the frozen palace guards don't exist and give them a sidelong glance as I pass by.

「H-heee!」

「Au......aau.」

They back away without touching their swords.

I can safely ignore them.

「I thought there would a barricade in the palace, but there's nothing.」

Don't tell me the king and the nobles are leisurely acting like everything is fine in this situation.

I expected the nobles in the palace and the bureaucrats to also help the guards to defend.

「The situation may not have been communicated to them yet――hah!」

Celia lowers her body as she runs and then leaps.

「Kyaa!!」

She took down a palace maid.

I hold her up, thinking what perfect timing it is for her to be here.

She begins to tremble as soon as I lay hands on her, likely because of the blood on my body.

「What's going on?」

I deliberately ask a vague question.

This way, she will start talking about events that left the strongest impression on her first.

「I saw a big pillar of fire outside the capital......the military commissioner dispatched a messenger, but did not receive a response......then the nobles made a fuss about how disrespectful he was and what a failure he is! Anyways, I don't know what is happening and what I should even do.」

So the palace has no clue what is happening in front of their eyes.

Has the transmission of news from the frontlines become a mess now that Erich was defeated?

「Then going in a straight line was the correct choice.」

「Is that blood from a wound......? You should go see a doc......wha-aah!?」

The maid finally recognizes my face and her face turns pale as she tries to squirm out of my arms.

「I-it's the rebel, Hardlett! Let go! I'm going to be violated! I'm going to be broken!!」

Something falls to the ground with a clunk.

「Ouch. I'd like it if you hold onto me properly.」

It seems Celia accidentally dropped Head-helmina.

「Eh, that's a severed......kyaa.」

The maid faints at the sight of the decapitated head.

「It's better if she's asleep.」

I lay the maid on a nearby sofa and follow the shortest path to the palace.

First I pass through the courtyard and the attached small reception room.

This place was a hangout spot......for civil officials employed at the palace, traditional nobles and bureaucrats under their influence.

「Mu, armor? Are you a messenger!?」

「I'll convey it to His Majesty. Tell me your message!」

「Damn Radhalde, where is he and what is he doing? Answer that first.」

Do they not recognize my face?

No, I guess the blood splatter and blood from my head injury has changed my appearance considerably.

Still......

「For you to be trying to earn points and find faults at this stage, I don't know whether to be disgusted or whether to feel respect.」

I wipe my face with a cloth.

「It's me, you idiots. Are you still going to convey my message?」

I'll be going myself if you don't do it anyways.

Everyone shouts a few seconds later.

Because of how grating they are to my ears, I don't listen to the end and slice the table carrying their tea and snacks in half with the Dual Crater.

「「「Hieeeeee!!」」」

They scatter like dogs who have been kicked in the ass.

There are actually a few who run on all fours.

「Cutting these guys don't mean anything.」

I walk at a brisk pace through the room.

「If Hardlett is here, does that mean the army was defeated!?」

「T-this is Lord Radhalde's fatal mistake......」

「There's no time for that! It is our duty as nobles to stop......him......call the guards! Engage, engage!!」

The sound of footsteps wearing steel boots come from the corridor on the right following the piercing shriek.

Coming from that position would be the soldiers stationed at the steeple next to the saloon......there are three of them.

When was it that I lured the soldiers in the steeple for a trivial errand and then climbed the tower?

You can see the servants' back yard from there so I wanted to take a peek as they washed themselves.

With me was Celia and......oh, it was Agor.

「Who would get the credit if he is stopped here?」

「That would be the guards and......me I guess for calling them.」

I kick open the door and step into the room, then cleave the guard in front of me with a horizontal slash.

Next I chop off half of the face of the second guard, and thrust my sword into the solar plexus of the third guard.

「Celia.」

「Hawa.」

I grope Celia's thigh for a dagger and throw it behind me in the same motion as I turn around.

The short sword penetrates the forehead of the man who chattered pointlessly and kills him instantly.

Those watching the development once again scream and run in separate directions.

「Why did you kill that guy?」

Celia asks curiously.

「If he's aiming to take credit, then he's going to get in my way. And I will cut down whoever gets in my way, that's all.」

That's also why I cut down Erich and Agor.

I can't turn a blind eye just because he isn't as important of a person.

「Let me write that down as a famous saying.」

「Don't.」

I flick Head-helmina's forehead before continuing on.

I pass by the shared conference room next.

This place is close to Erich's office and is a common area for new nobles to gather.

Currently there are five of them house-sitting.

「Y-you're Hardlett!!」

「No way! His Excellency's headquarters hasn't moved from the front of the gate! He shouldn't be able to reach the palace!」

「Does that mean he outmaneuvered the defense strategy!? But the military commissioner's command has no holes......」

Obviously they would recognize me.

Each of them grab a candlestick or fire tongs.

They aren't equipped with a sword because they must not have thought an enemy has made it to the palace yet.

No matter how you look at it, that's too slow of a reaction. The royal army is surprisingly lax.

I peer in Erich's office.

That's where he got upset at me countless times, where we secretly drank together and where women......no, he wouldn't.

「Erich――has been killed.」

There is a moment of silence and then-

「I-it can't be! No, but if Lord Hardlett is here, it's possible!」

「Hardlett! You owe Lord Radhalde a big debt!」

「Don't you know how hard His Excellency worked...... for your sake......kuuh!」

I don't let the unpleasant noise enter my ears.

And I declare in a firm but intimidating tone.

「Move.」

I rest the Dual Crater on my shoulder.

I'm not being careless. If I felt like it, I could sweep my sword in a circle and wipe them all out.

「......」

The eyes of the new nobles dart back and forth between my eyes and their own weapons.

Then they back away after staring long and hard at me.

Only one person, gripping tightly to a pair of fire tongs with charred tips, stands in my path.

「I won't move! Even if I don't have a sword or any chance of winning! My pride won't allow me to step aside for the killer of His Excellency......this is not about being a noble. As a warrior, my pride will not tolerate it!! If you want to pass, you will have to defeat me first!」

How thrilling.

It is a perfectly reasonable choice to run when you have no chance of victory.

Fighting an unwinnable battle and getting killed does nothing to stop the enemy. It is futile.

But a person who stands in the way despite knowing they can't win is quite a cool sight.

「Well said.」

I hack the man through his tongs, pick up the whining Celia and run.

As expected, knights and guards are starting to gather, sensing the abnormality.

It's not impossible to fight against multiple fully armed opponents, but it will take time.

Rather, it's strange I was able to get this far without much difficulty.

I run along the corridor, pass the saloon and cut across the flower bed.

My angry bellow chases away flustered servants, and a kick clears out the speechless bureaucrat.

On the way, I feel a presence hiding in the shadows and stop.

「Gh!? It's him after all. Argh, so it was true that damn Erich was defeated!? The information officers are also not working――I don't know if there is enough time to suggest an escape.」

「What should we do, my lord? The throne is beyond this point. If we don't stop him, His Majesty will――」

It's a familiar voice I hear.

I won't mind if you attack.

「If we stand in his way, we'll die helplessly. Concealed weapons are also useless.」

「So you're saying we have no chance. We can either flee from the capital or perhaps we can try this other idea I have.」

After brief whispering, the presence disappears.

「What a gloomy voice.」

I snicker and run off once again.

I run through the grand corridor, and finally arrive in front of the door which leads to the throne.

The two knights protecting the door are immediately sliced in half as soon as I meet them and they fall lifelessly at my feet.

「Gulp――」

I hear Celia swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Inhaling, I announce in a loud and confident voice.

「This is Aegir Hardlett. I am now entering!」

「Waah! Seriously!?」

I waited for a few seconds, and received a reply by the time I adjusted the grip on my sword.

「Enter.」

It is the voice of the king himself.

I refrain from destroying the door, and push it open with both hands before stepping into the room unreservedly.

The king is seated unashamed on the throne with Rosario next to him and trembling servants on the far side.

「「Haaah!!」」

Knights charge in with slashes from either side.

I grab one of the swords and deflect the other with my gauntlet.

I thrust the sword I grabbed into the face of the knight on the opposite side, then break the neck of the knight who tries to quickly pull his sword out.

「Pardon my intrusion!」

My voice matches the sound of the knights collapsing to the floor as I proceed straight towards the throne.

The king simply watches from the slightly elevated throne.

「Attaaaaccck!!」

Four spear-wielding soldiers emerge from behind the curtains.

I stab the Dual Crater into the floor and lift my body up in the air before the spears approaching from all four directions can pierce me.

The spears collide with the Dual Crater's blade.

I regain my posture in midair and land on top of all the spearheads.

「See ya.」

My Dual Crater sweeps across the knights whose weapons are rendered immobile.

The faces of three knights slide to the floor, and with my hand I squeeze the head of the one knight who I couldn't slaughter due to the angle.

His skull is crushed and moments later, so are the contents of his head.

Five objects fall to the ground with a plop.

An attending maid faints and falls along with the dead knights.

I walk until I am ten steps away from the throne, quietly bend a knee and bow.

Celia, copies me, though she's confused, and Head-helmina folds her hair like hands in front for a polite bow.

「Haaaaaa!!」

A final knight jumps out from the throne's shadow.

I grab my Dual Crater while my head is lowered and my knee is bent, and bisect the leaping knight in midair.

His momentum drops blood and guts on me.

「I've come to visit, Your Majesty.」

As I slowly get on my feet and raise my line of sight, the king also stands.

「You rebel. You, rebel, has betrayed my trust, your irreplaceable friends and the Goldonia which everyone has defended together.」

Since he speaks to me in a cold voice, I look at Celia.

「This isn't the place for that!」

Unless I joke around, this is going to be hard for me in a variety of ways.

Besides, it seems a bit of expression has returned on the king's face.

「I was interested in you. Within me were feelings not limited to those between a king and his retainer. You even killed Erich, your close friend of the past......who was like a brother to you, exactly what do you desire? Do you dislike my peaceful reign that much?」

I had that conversation with Erich already.

So I'll answer in a way that takes everything into account.

「Yes.」

The king's eyes widened in surprise.

「......my eyes were clouded too. What doesn't please you? Tell me with your traitorous mouth.」

「It's one thing, that I am not on the throne.」

Our gazes meet.

The king's expression wavered from astonishment, to dismay, and finally to acceptance.

「I see......if you're aiming for the throne, then there's nothing I can do.」

I nod silently and rest a hand on my sword.

The remaining servants scurry to the corner of the room.

「I didn't expect you to win over Rebecca too. Until now, I thought Erich would bring back your head in the morning. I couldn't have predicted that you would be so well prepared to take the throne.」

「Mu? Mmm......I guess.」

I really don't know what he's talking about, but I agree anyways.

Suddenly, there is knocking on the door to the throne room.

The knights and guards must have ran back to check on the king.

Celia propped swords and pieces of armor against the door, but that won't last long.

「It appears we are out of time. May I have your decision?」

「Decision? Are you telling me to yield the throne?」

I nod.

「Then I wouldn't have to kill you.」

If you're not in my way, there's no point in cutting you down.

The king chuckles.

It seems he has already provided the answer.

「Ever since I had ambitions as a prince, I've always looked at the benefits over feelings and logic. No matter how much of a just fight people proclaim it to be or how much they cry about mercy or revenge......I never stopped thinking about the underlying benefit. That is until I met one woman.」

I lower my head without saying anything.

The king steps down from the stage his throne sits on and bellows at me.

「Nevertheless, I will not lose my dignity as a man. How could I ever bow down before a rebel!?」

I nod slightly and smile.

「You have my respect, Your Majesty.」

This might be the first time he spoke from his heart.

Rosario brings the king a sword put on display behind the throne.

「This is the sword I was entrusted with when I became an adult. It is simply a fine sword without any legends or tales associated with it. Even so, it is one that I have always worn on the battlefield.」

He kisses Rosario and unsheathes the sword.

「Come, Hardlett. Let me see your prowess firsthand.」

I pick up the Dual Crater.

Only the frantic pounding on the door can be heard in the tense atmosphere of the throne room.

When I glance at the king, he doesn't appear to have any intentions of buying time.

Of course not.

Agor and the others could have stopped me if they fought better.

And Erich was also a man who rose up by the sword, he wasn't an opponent I could take it easy on.

However, while the king's stance is straight enough not to be embarrassing, his center of gravity and the placement of weight is in no way, shape or form on my level.

There is not even a slim chance he can win against me.

I can kill him in one second if I feel like it.

It's not a problem if I let my guard down and I can hold back as well.

Perhaps――it's also easy for me to defeat him without killing him.

「Here I go, Hardlett!!」

But I can't do that.

The king is coming at me with determination.

I can't shame him further by not ending this properly.

That would be a truly ungrateful thing to do.

The king lets out an ear-splitting shout and thrusts his sword at me.

I swing my Dual Crater from below to meet the center of that sword.

With a dry metallic ring, the king's sword snaps, sending the blade flying.

My Dual Crater continues rising up, and I adjust my grip as I prepare for the next downward slash......the final strike with all my might behind it.

I catch a glimpse of the king's face at the last moment and relief seems to wash over him.

Then he mutters something only I could hear.

The king's sword shatters to dust, his body is torn, and my Dual Crater slams all the way to the floor, heartlessly smashing the beautiful stone.

The resulting tremors shake dust onto the carpet, make the chandelier sway and crack distant windows.

I pull the Dual Crater up from the sunken floor and bow to the king who perished instantly.

That all felt like clumsy acting, but I don't think I could have found peace of mind unless I did it.

Rosario carefully drapes a cloth over the deceased king.

It just so happens that the entrance to the throne room is destroyed at that moment, allowing several people to flood in.

I step onto the carpet stained with the king's blood. Then I sit on the throne decorated with splashes of red.

「Alexandro I has met his demise.」

I lean back and cross my legs, still covered in blood and guts.

「I am now......the new king.」

I declared as I looked down on the king's corpse from the bloody throne with a blood-stained sword in hand.