I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 3 - To Clear the Regret
“Chalize is dead…!?”
“Yes. A messenger just arrived with a report. The execution has already been carried out, and Queen Chalize has passed away…”
Before his subordinate could finish speaking, the man—Noah—swept everything off the desk in a fit of rage.
A loud crash echoed through the room.
Ink bottles, quills, documents, sealing wax—everything that had been on the desk fell noisily to the floor.
It was rare for him to show such agitation in front of others.
The knight was flustered by his master’s distress.
“P-Prince Noah…! Please, calm yourself.”
“How can I be calm!? Chalize was murdered! By that foolish king… and those idiotic citizens!”
“Your Highness!!”
The knight called his name, as if to rebuke him for openly criticizing both the king and the people.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
Before anyone could respond, the visitor entered the room.
Seeing the chaos surrounding the desk, the man let out a heavy sigh.
“…Your Highness. I understand your feelings, but please, compose yourself.”
The man, wearing a monocle, appeared to be in his mid-sixties. With a white beard and sharp eyes, he stared intently at Noah.
Under his piercing gaze, Noah fell silent.
“Losing control here will accomplish nothing. If your words reach the king’s ears, you will be sent to the battlefield for sure.”
“…I know! But, General McGregor—”
The elderly man—Johnson McGregor.
He was the former head of the McGregor family, an esteemed lineage of knights. Though he had passed on the title to his son, he had accompanied Noah all the way to this remote land, Utis.
Despite his age, General McGregor’s strength remained formidable.
Thanks to his abilities, what could have escalated into a full-blown conflict had been kept at a stalemate.
Seeing Noah’s distressed expression, General McGregor continued.
“You must not act hastily. The time is not yet right.”
“…Chalize…”
“Yes. Queen Chalize must have been filled with sorrow. She was taken before fulfilling her purpose. It is you, Your Highness, who must see her will through.”
“……”
For a while, Noah remained silent. Then, he clenched his fists tightly and raised his head.
The turmoil that had clouded his expression just moments ago had vanished.
He had forced it down—
The burning rage, buried deep within his heart.
His bright sky-blue eyes locked onto General McGregor’s.
“…I lost control. My apologies. …Cain, continue the report.”
Called upon, Noah’s subordinate, Cain, snapped back to his senses and quickly nodded.
“Yes. There will be no funeral for Queen Chalize. She is to be buried in a communal grave…”
“What…!?”
A royal being buried in a communal grave was unheard of.
Noah’s voice came out hoarse and low, making Cain break into a cold sweat once more.
General McGregor responded in a calm voice.
“Queen Chalize was executed as a wicked woman. The fact that she is even being buried at all is a mercy.”
“But…! Chalize was the daughter of the distinguished Duke Zenefelder! She was the queen! How can this be allowed!? What are the traditionalists doing!? They should be protesting this!”
The traditionalists were a faction that valued noble lineage and upheld ancient customs.
In contrast, the temple advocated a completely opposite ideology:
“Birth does not determine one’s worth. Talent and ability must prevail. Victoire must be reborn.”
Reformists and traditionalists—
The two factions stood in direct opposition, and Chalize had been the leader of the traditionalists.
Now that she had been unjustly executed by the king and cast into a communal grave, the traditionalists should have been rising in protest.
But when Noah turned to General McGregor for an answer, the old general only shook his head.
“They are afraid. They fear that Chalize’s execution is just the beginning, and that they will be next.”
“Damn cowards…!”
“Even if they wish to act, they cannot. The people believe in the temple.”
“Ha! They trust those traitors scheming to overthrow the kingdom? How idiotic! How utterly foolish are our people!?”
“Your Highness.”
General McGregor called out to him again, making Noah press his fingers against his temples.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to exhale slowly.
Otherwise, the rage boiling inside him would consume him.
He clenched his teeth tightly.
(…Chalize.)
That day, she had told him—
“I will fight from within. You will fight from the outside. We will reclaim this kingdom, no matter what. Don’t worry. Evil is destined to fall. With you and me, we can do it. I’ll be fine. Because I have the goddess’s blessing.”
(You held my hand and told me that.)
You said it—
Noah clenched his fists even tighter.
His nails dug deep into his palms, drawing bl00d.
Yet still, he did not loosen his grip.