Volume 4 Chapter 23 Careful, it’s hot
The spring sunlight was warm, but Lampuri Thirteenth didn’t feel that warmth of the comforting sunlight at all. Instead his body was completely cold and he couldn’t help wrapping himself tighter in his blanket.
Seeing Lampuri Thirteenth’s action, Dema on the side couldn’t help revealing a sad look.
His majesty’s body was getting worse with each day, but whenever Dema tried to convince him, he wasn’t willing to relax for even a second. He would always reply to official doc.u.ments like normal, taking care of all the troubles in the kingdom. It was like no different from when he handled the kingdom several years ago.
Oh, it isn’t that there’s no difference. His majesty held less meetings and even if he did hold one, it didn’t last long.
Even though Lampuri Thirteenth gave a decree and Dema as the palace manager had strictly instructed the workers, the news of his majesty’s illness had still been spread.
This news had already reached all the n.o.bles in Anvilmar City and it created unrest among the n.o.bles.
Anvilmar City looked calm on the surface, but under the surface, there were already undercurrents.
Everyone was waiting to see the king’s condition, waiting to see if he would…..die or not.
“Ke, ke.” Lampuri Thirteenth suddenly gave two coughs.
Dema’s heart tensed and he quickly came forward, but when Lampuri Thirteenth released his hand around his mouth, there was a dark red patch in the center of his palm.
“Your majesty.” Dema had a look of grief as he called out, but he couldn’t say anything.
Lampuri Thirteenth looked at the large patch of blood in his hand and gave a smile. He casually took a handkerchief from the side to wipe his hand before saying to Dema, “Alright, stop crying like a woman, you know I don’t like seeing this.”
Dema wiped his eyes and agreed. He took a deep breath and wanted to force himself to calm down, but seeing Lampuri Thirteenth’s face that didn’t seem to have any meat on them, he found that he was unable to calm down.
Seeing the change in Dema’s expression, Lampuri Thirteenth knit his brows, “Don’t just know how to cry, listen to me properly.”
“Un?” Dema was stunned before waking up. He quickly stood up and stared right at Lampuri Thirteenth.”
He had followed Lampuri Thirteenth for many years now, he knew that the king was about to give a very important order.
“First, send orders to Eric, Mifam, and Seveni, have them come back to see me.”
Dema agreed with a nod.
When he thought about how the king knew that he didn’t have long left and wanted to call his three children over to give them his final words, he felt sad again and his eyes misted over.
“I told you not just to cry! Listen to my order, you can’t make any mistakes!” Lampuri Thirteenth roared.
Dema quickly wiped his eyes again and took a deep breath as his expression returned to normal.
“Your majesty, please give your order.”
“Un, this is more like it.” Lampuri Thirteenth gave a satisfied nod, “Second, give Sowell City an order. Have Count Sean strengthen the defenses and stop the Sack Kingdom from entering the northern border.”
Dema was surprised, “The Sack Kingdom is being suppressed by the northern army, how could they possibly invade?”
Lampuri Thirteenth gave a cold snort, “That idiot Eric can’t see it, but you also can’t see it? If the Sack Kingdom was this easy to defeat, I would have already taken care of them.”
Dema fell silent.
Although he suspected that the Sack Kingdom was playing a ploy and leading the northern army led by his highness Eric into the Sack Kingdom, based on the news that came from the frontlines, the northern army had caused great losses for the Hungry Wolf Regiment and had entered the Sack Kingdom’s land.
Even if the Sack Kingdom had a plan, they wouldn’t let it go this far, right?
If it kept going, they might even have to pay for it.
“Third, have the kingdom’s second army go north and enter the northwest province, taking over control of the defenses for now.”
Dema was surprised by Lampuri Thirteenth’s third order.
“Your majesty, how can this be? If the second army also leaves, then wouldn’t there only be the royal guards and the first army left in Anvilmar City? With this force…..if something happens in Anvilmar City, what would we do?”
“Do you think there would be a change in Anvilmar City?” Lampuri Thirteenth took a deep look at Dema.
“Of course, if you……” Dema suddenly stopped.
“If I die, something might happen in Anvilmar City?” Lampuri Thirteenth gave a cold laugh, “This is not maybe, it is certain. There’s no meaning in leaving the second army here, it is more important to ensure the safety of the northwest province.”
“Your majesty, you have this little confidence in his highness Eric?” Dema found it a bit strange.
“I don’t feel a.s.sured about the fellows behind him.” Lampuri Thirteenth shook his head, “If they really fully supported the royal family attacking the Sack Kingdom, they wouldn’t need to wait here. In the end, that kid Eric has turned into a tool for them.”
Dema’s expression became more strange.
“Your majesty, since you know all this, why are you not willing to make your decision? If you determined the successor ahead of time, his highness Eric wouldn’t have been instigated into doing all this by the n.o.bles, right?”
Lampuri Thirteenth gave a deep sigh. He turned to look at the north west with a bit of helplessness in his eyes.
“Actually I already knew that among the three of them, only Seveni was right for taking the throne. But Seveni’s feelings are too soft and if she wants to take the throne, she must harden her feelings. I didn’t make this decision to give Eric a chance, but he…..has disappointed me.”
Dema was silent for a bit before giving a sigh, “Actually…..your majesty, if you explained everything to them, I think it wouldn’t have reached this situation.”
“Are you blaming me?” Lampuri Thirteenth looked at Dema and said with a faint smile, “Look at you, people can only speak the truth like this when you are dying, but it’s the easiest to listen to the truth. Dema, you have been with me for many years, this is your first time being this direct with me.”
Dema gave a bitter laugh and shook his head, “Anyway, I’m about to die, so there isn’t anything I don’t dare to say.”
“Oh?” Lampuri Thirteenth was a bit surprised, “Why are you about to die? Is your body also bad?”
Dema looked at Lampuri Thirteenth with a complicated gaze, “Because I’ve already decided that as long as your majesty leaves this world, I will follow you.”
Lampuri Thirteenth was moved. He looked at Dema for a while before revealing a smile.
“Alright, being able to have someone with me is considered quite good.”
Dema also smiled. After a while, he asked Lampuri Thirteenth in a relaxed voice, “Your majesty, this means that you’re calling the two princes and her highness Seveni to announce who will be the royal successor?”
“Un.” Perhaps it was because of Dema’s display, Lampuri Thirteenth didn’t hide it anymore and just gave a simple nod.
“Then….if my guess isn’t wrong, it should be her highness Seveni, right?” Dema asked.
Lampuri Thirteenth gave a sigh, “Eric has disappointed me too much, Mifam has always been not good enough. Although Seveni’s heart is a bit soft, her other abilities have no problems. Moreover…..she has a very important supporter who is Xu Yi.”
Hearing Lampuri Thirteenth mention the name “Xu Yi”, Dema couldn’t help being surprised.
“Your majesty, is this Xu Yi worth this importance?”
“Of course.” Lampuri Thirteenth said with a serious look, “If Xu Yi and his Frestech Chamber of Commerce appeared ten years earlier, I would have fully supported him because I’m certain that as long as I gave him and the Frestech Chamber of Commerce enough support, he could have changed the entire Lampuri Kingdom and the entire continent. But it’s a real pity that the time he appeared in wasn’t good. I can only hope…..that he can keep helping Seveni and slowly change the kingdom.”
“If Xu Yi knew that your majesty placed such importance in him, he would definitely be honoured.”
“That isn’t certain. That kid seems very modest on the surface, but I can tell that he is very proud deep down. Don’t forget, when those old fellows from the Royal Parliament wanted to take away his status as a n.o.ble, he didn’t care about it at all and wanted to throw it away. It’s a pity that I wasn’t there and couldn’t see those fellows’ faces at that time, it really would have been interesting. Ha, ha……”
After laughing twice, Lampuri Thirteenth suddenly broke out in coughs.
“Your majesty, do you want……to drink some more medicine?” Dema asked.
Lampuri Thirteenth knit his brows and hesitated a bit before nodding, “Alright, bring it over.”
Dema turned to a shelf and searched around.
When his hand touched the bottle inside, Dema had a complicated look on his face which quickly returned to normal.
After he took out the medicine and prepared it, Dema carried it over for Lampuri Thirteenth.
Seeing Lampuri Thirteenth prepare to eat it, Dema suddenly called out, “Your majesty…..”
Lampuri Thirteenth looked up in surprise, “What is it?”
Dema revealed a forced smile, “Nothing, it’s just…..be careful, it’s hot……”
Lampuri Thirteenth shook his head with a smile and drank it all down.
As soon as the medicine entered his stomach, Lampuri Thirteenth’s expression suddenly changed. His face filled with pain before also filling with rage. He glared at Dema with wide eyes, but he couldn’t say a word.
Dema gave a sigh and placed a hand on Lampuri Thirteenth’s shoulder before pushing him back down in the bed.
“Your majesty, rest well.”
[TL Note: Long live the king]
Seeing Lampuri Thirteenth’s angry look, Dema looked aside and avoided his gaze.
“Your majesty, I know that you must have many questions. I can only say I’m sorry and when this is over, I promise that I’ll leave this world with you. No matter what you want to do to me then, I won’t resist at all.”
Lampuri Thirteenth suddenly opened his mouth and spat a mouthful of blood on Dema’s face.
After that, he fell back in the bed and didn’t make a sound.
Seeing Lampuri Thirteenth’s wide eyes, the look of rage and unwillingness on his face, Dema gave a deep sigh. He reached out to close Lampuri Thirteenth’s eyes before pulling back the string by the bed.
After a while, a tall and strong figure entered Lampuri Thirteenth’s resting chamber.
“Manager Dema, it’s been hard on you.”
Dema looked at this person without any expressions, “Duke Stagg, you’re the one it’s been hard for.”