Chapter 363 (Self Edited) – After the Nightmare, onto What Comes Next
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Soma sighed as he surveyed the scene before him. What lay there was a tumult, a chaos in the heart of Veritas’ royal capital. Soma’s sigh at the sight could be interpreted as acknowledging that they themselves were partly responsible for this confusion. It was because they had defeated the second prince that this chaos had erupted.
Three days had pa.s.sed since then.
Word of the Second Prince’s defeat or rather, his disappearance had quickly spread. Or more accurately, it should be said they had to share the news, as it was due to the people of the capital waking from a dream.
The people of the capital had been seeing illusions, thanks to the power of the Second Prince. Naturally, with the Second Prince gone, they had awoken from these illusions. However, until then, they had not realized that what they were seeing was not reality. The reality before them and the world as they perceived it. When these two differed, expecting no confusion was unreasonable. And yet, that was precisely what was occurring throughout the capital.
It was only natural that great confusion ensued. However, confusion primarily arises from not understanding why such things happened. Hence, they had to announce the truth about the Second Prince. That the Second Prince had used illusions to deceive everyone in the capital, and that he had already been defeated.
Given the relatively short duration of the illusion, this revelation had at least helped calm the chaos somewhat. However, understanding and accepting were different matters. Just as they had thought the civil strife had ended, they now found themselves losing the banner they should have been lifting. Rather than the citizens of the capital, it was now the upper echelons of Veritas who were in disarray. But that was a matter for the upper echelons. So, compared to that, the situation in the capital had actually improved quite a bit.
If it had improved to this extent, it would still take some time for the capital to return to normal or perhaps, if by “normal” they meant returning to how things were before, it might never happen again. The upheaval among the upper echelons was because they too had come to recognize reality correctly.
Yes, reality.
Due to the proclamation of the Second Prince, the entire Veritas was now in chaos worse than that of the capital. In any case, it would be best to act as though nothing had happened, but the damage that has occurred cannot be undone, and there is no guarantee that it will stop there.
Moreover, there is the issue of how to handle those responsible for the harm inflicted, those who destroyed something, stole something, harmed someone, or even killed someone. These are all matters that should naturally be held accountable for. However, they were merely following the directives set forth by the acting king. Holding them accountable would also undermine the trust in the inst.i.tution of the state.
On the other hand, doing nothing would undoubtedly erode trust in the country as well. Despite it all being the fault of the Second Prince, the general populace remains unaware of this fact. Nevertheless, these underlying issues are not likely to surface immediately. Well, it will undoubtedly become a pressing issue, and that is part of what Soma’s sigh encapsulates.
Despite being somewhat responsible for these events, they were attempting to leave the country without properly taking responsibility for their actions. Yes, Soma, Aina, and Sheila, the three of them were in the midst of the capital of Veritas, planning to leave this very city.
The reason is simply that it would be problematic for Soma and the others to remain here any longer. They are all individuals from nations hostile to Veritas. And that is precisely why they cannot and should not take responsibility. An enemy nation’s individuals, by whatever means, have defeated the Second Prince who quelled the internal strife. If such a thing were to become known, it would undoubtedly lead to war. Not just border skirmishes like before but the onset of a full-fledged war. Surely, that must be avoided at all costs. Thus, Soma and the others must leave as soon as possible.
In fact, they should have left immediately after defeating the Second Prince. It was the best and least risky course of action. At the time, the capital was truly in the throes of great chaos. Escaping would have been relatively easy. However, they lingered here due to a lingering sense of guilt amidst such turmoil. In truth, they could have stayed a bit longer—
“But still… I wonder if she’s going to be okay?” (Aina)
Aina’s worried voice caught Soma’s attention as she gazed towards the royal castle, her expression filled with concern. Perhaps she was thinking about the person who was there… Soma shrugged.
“I don’t know. Honestly, it’s hard to say. She claims to have received the minimum education expected of royalty, but…” (Sirius)
“…Well, on the flip side, it’s just that. …Half-hearted.” (Sheila)
“It might be easier to handle when you know less. Knowing too much makes it burdensome to bear, yet knowing too little makes it hard to rely on. It’s quite a predicament.” (Soma)
“But that’s unavoidable, in various ways.” (Aina)
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“Well, indeed. It’s not Cecilia’s fault that she only received the bare minimum education, nor is it Cecilia’s fault that there are no other royals to bear this burden.” (Soma)
Naturally, Aina’s concern was about Cecilia. Yes, Cecilia was not present here because she had chosen to be carried as the last remaining royal figure… to stand as the acting king. Perhaps the stronger reason for Soma and the others not leaving immediately was this. And while they could have stayed longer, they chose to leave.
Cecilia had told them. That everything would be okay. That she would show them this time, for sure. When someone says that with such a determined look in their eyes, it would be uncouth to stay any longer. However… no matter how determined one may be, whether it succeeds or not is another matter entirely.
“Just… regardless of whether it’s Cecilia’s fault or not, facts are facts. However, even if it made things difficult, as long as there’s cooperation from those around, managing the country itself shouldn’t be an issue… but whether that cooperation can be obtained is questionable.” (Soma)
“…Well, if you just look at the facts, Cecilia is a usurper.” (Sheila)
“If you just look at appearances, she defeated the Second Prince who should have been the victor of the civil strife and took the throne by force. Since we can’t publicize the fact that we a.s.sisted, we have no choice but to go along with Cecilia’s story.” (Aina)
Surely, this would not be amusing to those around them. To those who stood with the First Prince, as well as those who sided with the Second Prince, Cecilia would be seen as the leader of the opposition faction. Especially for those who stood with the Second Prince, this turn of events would come as a bitter disappointment. It’s not surprising if they lacked the inclination to actively cooperate, even if they were not actively hostile. Even though the entire Veritas was currently in turmoil due to the Second Prince.
“Besides, it’s well-known that the upper echelons of Veritas are corrupt. Still, considering they’ve managed to move such a great nation as Veritas, they must be somewhat competent. It would be good if Cecilia could handle them skillfully…” (Soma)
“…Well, that seems unlikely.” (Sheila)
“She’s quite impulsive, and she seems to dislike such things… In fact, she might even try to eliminate them…” (Aina)
“Well, they probably won’t rush into it immediately. It seems more likely they’ll get around to it eventually…” (Soma)
Of course, it’s a good thing in theory, but whether it will work out was another matter entirely. First of all, there’s the question of whether she could effectively govern the country. It was best to first ensure that things were going smoothly internally.
“Well, realistically speaking, it’s unlikely that the country would completely collapse. Even if there are no allies internally, there are allies externally.” (Soma)
“…Well, Radius and Diment.” (Sheila)
“Those two will certainly lend a hand. The groundwork for that has already been laid.” (Aina)
“No one could have antic.i.p.ated things would come to this point, but there’s no way we can overlook this opportunity.” (Soma)
After all, this was a chance to change Veritas from within, without resorting to destruction or conquest. Letting this opportunity slip by was unthinkable. Furthermore, if they were to request aid from the Imperial Kingdom, they would surely lend their support. Unlike before, with those two in charge now, they would not likely turn a blind eye. However, even so, there was no guarantee it would all go smoothly. After all, they’re dealing with the machinery of a nation. A ma.s.sive undertaking that no one can guarantee.
Well, regardless—
“All we can do is what we’ve done up until now. The rest is up to Cecilia.” (Soma)
“…That’s right. Besides, Cecilia said she would handle it herself.” (Aina)
“…Well, all we can do is believe.” (Sheila)
“And that’s that. Well then… shall we go?” (Soma)
With a nod from the two of them, they turned away from the spot and began to walk towards the outskirts of the city. There were things Soma and the others needed to attend to, so they couldn’t afford to linger. Their first step would be to head towards the Empire and provide a full report of what had transpired.
Then, they would return to the Holy Capital and make various other reports. Especially, they would need to make sure to inform about defeating the two Devils. It was a significant development that would affect their future plans. It needed to be communicated as soon as possible.
Additionally, they had been away for a considerable amount of time, so there might have been developments on the other side as well. Confirming such matters was necessary. And—
“There’s also what ‘he’ said.” (Soma)
They didn’t know what would come of it, but they were eager to see how things played out. With these thoughts in mind, Soma and the others left the royal capital of Veritas and continued on the road leading towards the Empire.
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