I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 22 - The King’s Brother and the Temple ②
“Lady Chalize… has not returned for three days.”
“…What?”
Noah immediately stopped moving.
General McGregor furrowed his brows and continued, looking troubled.
“Lady Chalize went to the Utis Forest three days ago, with Prince Lawrence Arkana of the Arcana Empire, the third prince.”
“Arcana…!? Why, at this timing?”
“Lady Chalize said that the long-standing conflict between Arcana and Victoire may have its cause in the Utis Forest. Therefore, she went to the Utis Forest with the prince of Arcana.”
“I don’t understand. Why would Chalize go to Arcana… and of all people, the prince of Arcana!? Why would the prince of Arcana appear in Utis, Victoire at this time? Is this a declaration of war!?”
“Please calm down, Prince Noah. Lady Chalize has her reasons. If the cause really lies in the Utis Forest… finding it might end the conflict between Victoire and Arcana. Right now, the two nations are in a temporary ceasefire, but what if Arcana attacks…?”
“Are you saying that’s why you let Chalize go?”
Noah suddenly realized and turned sharply to General McGregor.
“…Wait, was she alone?”
It was said as if Noah didn’t believe it.
General McGregor quietly answered.
“She was accompanied by her knight, Louis. He’s the second son of Count Zyler and was once your personal knight, Prince Noah.”
“Louis, huh… So, the two of them haven’t returned after three days? Were they taken by Arcana?”
“I… don’t know. However, Lady Chalize said this: She would definitely return with a report beneficial to Victoire.”
“I get it. What you’re trying to say is…”
Noah interrupted General McGregor’s words.
He sat down in his office chair, covering his forehead with his hand.
“…You want me to do what I can, right?”
“I understand your feelings, but right now—”
“But—what you’re saying might not be true. You might be lying, just like you kept quiet about Chalize.”
“That is—”
“Why would you think I’d trust your words after you’ve lied once before?”
“Prince Noah…”
General McGregor fell silent.
He had expected Noah to say something like that.
Noah placed his cheek on his hand, leaning on his desk. Then, in a calm voice, he said to General McGregor.
“What you did… is what it is, General. You lost my trust with a single lie. You weren’t my loyal subject.”
“…I acted for my own purpose. I prioritized my goal over my lord. …Prince Noah, will you punish me?”
“I said I would overlook it… But I won’t be able to trust you like I did before. …But, now I realize, I should have done this. I think I trusted you too much.”
Noah’s words weren’t an accusation, but his voice was surprisingly cold.
Finally, General McGregor understood.
What he had lost wasn’t just Noah’s trust…
Noah had lost his ability to trust people altogether.
After this, Noah would probably become paranoid.
From now on, he would never fully trust his subordinates, and even if they betrayed him… he would act as if it were not a problem.
To rule an unstable Victoire, that might be for the best.
Because General McGregor lied, Noah had abandoned the naivety of trusting others without guard.
To Noah, General McGregor had been like a parent who had taken care of him since childhood.
When Noah was unjustly ordered to go on an expedition to the borderlands, McGregor chose to follow him without hesitation.
Thanks to General McGregor’s help, the conflict with Arcana had been brought to a temporary ceasefire.
Noah owed him a debt.
But that didn’t mean he should trust him completely. Noah had learned that.
Now, Noah had no one he could entrust his heart to.
This was probably true for every king.
Noah, like them, had stopped trusting others easily.
Ironically, this incident made him more king-like.
General McGregor bit his lip.
He didn’t think what he had done was wrong.
—For the sake of Victoire, this was the right decision.
But what about for Noah?
“I’m heading to the capital.”
Noah calmly declared.
General McGregor widened his eyes slightly.
(…Chalize doesn’t lie.)
“Don’t worry. Evil will definitely be destroyed. You and I can do it, I’m sure. I’ll be fine. After all, I have the goddess’s protection.”
Just like those words, she hadn’t left Noah behind.
So, she should be fine now too.
It was more of a hope, a prayer, than a certainty, but Noah decided to trust her.
Just as she had trusted him.
After a brief silence, Noah said to General McGregor.
“But at this rate, my uncle won’t back down. Before the temple makes its next move… General McGregor. I’ll kill him… Aidan Lips.”