Looking up as he left the inn, the sky was split in two thirds vermilion and one third indigo blue coloring. Tigre was deep in thought as he vacantly stared at the sun slowly vanishing beyond the horizon. The air, as it was in the process of switching towards night temperatures, felt pleasant on his skin, but it didn’t manage to cool his heart. Eugene’s words had delivered a considerable shock.
──Though I was also surprised when I was approached about a similar offer by Her Highness Regin.
However, this time it had even more of an impact as it was about him taking the throne of a foreign country. Him who was already hesitating about taking the throne of his own country. Hence he required time to collect himself.
“Things have become quite absurd, haven’t they?” He mumbled to himself.
He felt like he was being forced to stand at the edge of a bottomless cliff. Tigre wanted to answer Eugene’s feelings and hopes. He also had to make up for his own blunder. But, accepting the request to become the ruler of a foreign country was too heavy and too big a burden for Tigre.
“──It sure looks like you’re troubled,” a voice suddenly addressed him from behind.
Once he looked back, he found Elen standing there.
“What do you think about this?”
Tigre also wanted to ask her why she was here, but this was the question he should currently prioritize above everything else.
Elen lined up next to the youth with a laugh, and stared at the distant horizon.
“Currently I don’t want to tell,” her silver hair dyed by the setting sun, Elen quietly continued, “this is something you must consider and decide upon by yourself.”
“Yeah, you’ve got a point. Sorry,” apologized Tigre frankly.
Just now he had tried to use Elen’s opinion as a reference. That was a bad idea since it was a problem he had to decide himself. Otherwise, he would inexcusably wrong Eugene whose flickering flame of life was about to go out.
He breathed in. As if to spread the cool evening air into his heated head. He recalled each and every single word Eugene had told him. And he noticed that there were unexpectedly few of them.
Probably because he had wrung them out while chipping off his slowly-waning soul, Tigre suspected. Still, can I really put my weight behind matters that have to be done for the greater good of Zhcted’s people? Very likely this question lies at the core of the hesitation weighing down on me. Fighting for Brune didn’t worry me, and if I believe something has to be done in order to protect Alsace, I’ll do it regardless of appearances.
Tigre turned his eyes in Elen’s direction. She looked back at him, her head cocked in puzzlement.
As soon as he stared straight into her ruby eyes, Tigre realized a certain fact. He extended a hand, and drew her into a tight embrace.
Elen appeared to be surprised by this abrupt action, but she didn’t resist him. Rather, she put her arms around Tigre’s back, and entrusted her weight to her lover.
Tigre could place his entire trust on her, without a fragment of doubt. He knew that Elen would walk and stand by his side. Even if it might be a path littered with corpses.
“You’re too much of a worrywart, Tigre,” whispered Elen into Tigre’s ear.
That short comment allowed him to perceive that his own conclusion hadn’t been wrong.
Elen is going to stand next to me. And I can give my all if it’s for the sake of Elen. For me, Zhcted is Elen and the many people I’ve met through her. If I run for king as a non-Zhcted, many people will become my enemies. It’ll very likely lead to many battles and lots of blood being spilled. The hatred and resentment will also engulf those supporting me.
And yet, I must walk onward, Tigre had decided. Not for someone else, but only for himself.
◆◇◆
When Tigre and Elen entered the room again, Eugene was still sitting up on the bed just as he had when they had left a quarter koku ago. Marina and Alyssa stood at his side, their eyes red and puffed. Lim and Gaspal also were present, standing at the wall.
Tigre sat down on the chair in front of the bed, facing Eugene.
“I will become the king of Zhcted.”
“What are you going to do about Brune’s throne?” Eugene asked, his voice hard, not allowing any weasel-words.
This time Tigre answered without getting overpowered.
“I don’t intend to give up on that either.”
Still, I have to admit myself, I’m quite the greedy guy, am I not? Even though it’s already very gutsy to just desire the throne of my own country, I’m actually reaching for two thrones. But, just Zhcted’s throne wouldn’t be sufficient. If I plan to protect those precious to me in Alsace and Brune.
Probably reading the youth’s determination on his face, Eugene put on a smile, “Very well, then I shall leave the rest in your capable hands. I’ll endorse you as the next king. All those present here will stand witness. And──I wonder whether it’d be fine for me to make a small request. Watching you woke the wish in me to state just one more selfish desire.” When Tigre nodded, Eugene’s face relaxed, “I’d like you to take care of my wife, my daughter, Pardu, and the people living here.”
“Regard it as done.”
If Eugene still had any future, he’d have never voiced such a request, and instead carried it out with his own hands. Precisely because he knew that, Tigre had to protect this land and Eugene’s family to the bitter end, as the one who had inherited his will and as the one who had stolen his future.
◆◇◆
On the next morning Eugene calmly passed away amidst the tender care of his wife and daughter. His face looked hollow, but so gentle that anyone would believe he was simply sleeping and might wake the second they called out to him.
“Thank you very much, Lord Tigrevurmud,” Marina bowed deeply at Tigre.
He answered with a sorrowful expression, “I haven’t done anything that would deserve your thanks.”
Those were Tigre’s true feelings. He believed that Eugene had entrusted Tigre with his own will because Tigre was unable to rescue him properly.
Marina shook her head, “This is my request. Please regard him entrusting his will to you with pride.”
Tigre stared at Marina, taken aback. Despite her face being haggard and washed with exhaustion, she smiled at him. This caused Tigre to curse himself. He had been encouraged by the person who should grieve over Eugene’s death more than anyone else and who had more right to blame Tigre than anyone else.
She managed to withhold her tears, but couldn’t hinder her body from quivering. Tigre took Marina’s hand and bowed deeply.
She told him in a gentle tone, “Please do everything you wish to do and only you can do. And then, someday…”
I’d like you to entrust the will you inherited to someone else.
Tigre had definitely heard the will she never put into words.
◆◇◆
Eugene’s remains were bedded in a coffin, placed on a carriage, and transported to Litomysl. On the way Tigre asked Elen and Lim why they were here and not in the north. While at it, Gaspal told Elen and Lim what had occurred since their departure from Arma Zirnitra.
Tigre and his group had two tasks. Announcing his candidacy as next king, and attacking Adelaiyda’s army which would soon arrive in Pardu.
Translation Notes:
That’s a story I know. It’s a children’s story about people trying to pull out a turnip, and since the original farmer doesn’t manage alone, more and more people, animals, etc. show up to help him, forming a huge line of pullers. It’s kinda funny, but I don’t think it’s a common children’s story in the West. Rather, it’s more popular in former Soviet countries as it’s an older Russian story called “The Gigantic Turnip.”
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