The Daughter of Evil - Volume 3 - Chapter 3.11

Chapter 3, Section 1-The King and the Girl; Scene 1
Praeludium of Red, page 142-152

✥ Kyle Marlon ~In the Lucifenian Palace, “Hall of Mirrors”~

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Long ago, I had wanted to be a painter.

A private room on the second floor of Marlon castle was my studio when I was young.

As a boy I liked to paint pictures, and when I found free time I would paint the likeness of the castle denizens. If pressed, I would say I loved painting people and animals more than any scenery. It was more fun to depict things that could move, that were alive.

Why was it that I liked painting?

The reason I found when I tried to recall was perhaps because everyone praised me for it. It was a pleasant feeling to be appreciated for something I myself did, rather than as a prince.

When I was fourteen, the woman who was my tutor praised me a great deal. She told me my use of light color was wonderful. She’d been referring to a picture I had painted of a relative of mine who had stayed at the castle for a short period at the time. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen that blonde girl since then. What was she doing now?

I had kept charge of that picture like it was a treasure. I had fallen in love with my tutor. She was a green haired, lovely Elphe woman. Her wise bearing had deeply captivated my young heart.

When I grow up, I’m going marry you, Mrs. Margaret.

While at first she seemed a bit troubled when I announced that to her, afterwards she smiled at me. Thinking on it now, I’d said something foolish. It was only natural that it would bother her.

Mrs. Margaret was already married.

Her husband was a high-ranking official in the Marlon government. He held a great deal of influence even in the royal family, and apparently around then he would often quarrel with my father–the king–and the Empress Dowager on matters of governance.

When I was fifteen, she and her husband were arrested as political offenders. During their imprisonment they drank poison and died.

How had she gotten poison into the prison? There was nobody who would answer my question.

Around then, having heard rumors of the man Keel Freezis, who would undertake anything as long as you paid him, I dispatched him to investigate into it.

What had happened in the jail when she died?

Keel found out everything for me. That the jailer had given her poison, and that they’d done it under the orders of my mother, the Empress Dowager Prim…

After that I ended up immersing myself in painting all the more. It got to where I wanted to be a painter for real–where I wouldn’t even mind leaving the throne if that was what it took.

My mother’s actions had likely been done with the best interests of the country of Marlon in mind. I knew that.

But I came to tremendously hate being under her thumb.

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While gazing at the painting titled “The King and the Three Heroes” that decorated the ceiling of the Hall of Mirrors in the Lucifenian Palace, I recalled the memories that I had regarding it in my past.

Nikolay Tolle. That was the name of the artist who made this ceiling painting.

During critiques he had disparaged my painting as rubbish. It was the commentary of a painter who boasted immense authority in the art world. He had enormous influence. I gradually lost my place there.

In the end, I had no choice but to give up on my dream of being a painter.

I despaired my lack of ability.

I had been conceited in thinking I had any skill. Of course I wasn’t anyone worthy of being praised. If it wasn’t for me being a member of the royal family I would have been worthless garbage.

–Such feelings went around inside my whole body at the time.

And I burned up all of the paintings I’d made up until then.

All but one. I couldn’t discard that painting that Mrs. Margaret had praised. On the other hand, it was too painful to keep in my possession.

Unable to just watch, Keel told me that he would purchase that picture from me.

“You can buy it back from me someday when you’ve put your feelings in order. I’ll look after it until then…I’ll be doubling the selling price, though.”

He was a man whose feelings I couldn’t read, but even so among all the people around me Keel was the one I could trust the most.

Though over ten years have passed since then, I still haven’t been able to buy that painting back.

It was quite a while after that when I learned that the great painter Nikolay having scoffed at my paintings the way he did had been after receiving money from Empress Dowager Prim. Seems the old man was a genius as a painter, but contemptible as a person.

I fulfilled my obligations to the royal family and inherited the throne after my father died.

“A puppet controlled by Empress Dowager Prim”, “A powerless dimwit king”—I knew that I was being gossiped about being my back.

But I absolutely am not a fool. I am not some worthless person.

Haven’t I obtained the most territory for Marlon ever by annexing Lucifenia, as proof of that?

I will make my country much, much stronger. I will build it up to be the most powerful of all of them.

I know that everyone will respect me when I do.

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In the Hall of Mirrors right now there was me, several guards, and General George Ausdin.

He was once a famous general of the former Lucifenian Kingdom, and now he was one of my underlings. The countless scars that adorned his body told of his long military service.

"Apparently Retasan Fortress has been conquered,” George informed me in a carefree tone.

“‘Apparently’, huh? Sounds like it’s someone else’s problem, General George.”

I said it intending to be sarcastic, but it didn’t seem to have much effect on the veteran general.

“It is someone else’s problem. I was currently in the middle of fighting that lot from Asmodean, after all.”

“Even if I’m in charge of it right now, this is your country. You need to treat this more seriously. Or are you reluctant to obey Marlon like the other factions of old Lucifenia?”

“Certainly not.”

George ran a hand through his swept-back hair.

His behavior certainly didn’t have the conduct of speaking with the king of one’s country. But that wasn’t because he had any rebellious feelings towards me; rather it was a result of his personality. He’d be that way towards anyone.

At any rate, I wasn’t the kind of person to go around beheading people like that tempestuous Princess Riliane. The way I heard it, during her reign George had wholly dedicated himself to the country’s defense, and so rarely showed his face in the palace.

“The other generals have lost a bit of their morale, following you making that amateur lass a commander.”

By that I knew he meant Ney Phatipe, who had recently been made the new commander of Retasan Fortress, and who had recently had that fortress successfully stolen from her.

“A woman being commander was the case with her predecessor, wasn’t it?”

“Come what may with her, Lily was Gaston’s daughter and an elite soldier. In some way or another she had real power as a general. Even if Ney is the adopted daughter of Mariam of the Three Heroes, she was a maid up until several years ago. You can’t compare the two.”

Mariam Phatipe had been a covert operative hailing from Asmodean. It was said that she engaged in secret intelligence activities, hidden in the shadows.

I’d heard Keel had once paid her a great deal for those abilities, exchanging a large sum in the hope that she would teach him her ways. Though it seems she’d coldly refused him.

And it was also said that Ney was adopted by her after finding her when she was young.

“According to what I’ve heard, there were times when Ney aided in Mariam’s work, wasn’t there? In that case her own abilities must be…”

“You mean in her secret intelligence work? Acting behind the scenes and leading from the front lines are two different beasts entirely.”

It was clear that George basically wanted to say that it was a blunder to make Ney Retasan’s commander.

“This incompetent king should butt out of his people’s affairs. …That what you mean?”

“No no, that’s not it at all…”

It wasn’t that I couldn’t understand George’s dissatisfaction.

But there were certain circumstances now that made it so I had to do this.

Though, George and the other generals aren’t likely to agree even if I told them.

“Well, what shall I do now?”

George made no attempt to hide his irritation, clearly wanting to finish up the meeting quickly. He probably wanted to head to the battlefield as soon as possible. He had great enthusiasm for his work.

There had been a localized strike from Asmodean in the east at the same time as the havoc in Retasan, but that was quieted down due to George’s efforts.

After the death of their commander, that country lost all of its cohesion. Occasionally they would attack, as though trying to stay relevant, but they weren’t that big of a threat anymore.

At any rate, they would be assimilated into Marlon like Lucifenia.

I explained my plan of attack to George.

“Beelzenia will likely use Retasan Fortress as a staging point for attacking Lucifenia. Join forces with the surrounding army and make sure that doesn’t happen. As long as you’re leading them the other generals will follow.”

“Wouldn’t it be faster to just take back Retasan?”

“We will. But first get ready the battle power within the country while maintaining our defense. Once we’ve made preparations, we’ll take not only Retasan but the entire Beelzenian Empire.”

“Hah…That’s quite a plan there.”

George’s tone was closer to scorn than amazement. “Do you plan to unite the entire Evillious region?”

“Eventually, yes.”

Perhaps because what I had replied was surprising, for the first time today I saw the smile leave George’s face.

“King Kyle…May I say a few words out of turn, with your permission?”

He was serious–this wasn’t the joking tone he’d been using up until now.

“That’s a little late for you at this point. Go on, say it.”

“I have…always thought that people are born having a certain status, or means. Uniting Evillious–that is a grand undertaking to have, I think. But I’m afraid there is a limited amount of people who’d be able to pull that off.”

“You’re saying I don’t have the means to do that?”

“I think…He’s already long dead by now, but Princess Riliane’s father–King Arth the First–he might have been able to pull it off. But if you try, Your Majesty, you’ll end up warping things. It can only end in tragedy. If you intend to persist even so, then that’s not ambition. It’s mere 'Pride’.”

At that point George seemed to realize that he’d been speaking in a way quite unlike himself. He once more returned to his foppish grin.

“But what’s a guy who keeps in high spirits while killing people in war saying? I’m speaking out of turn. Sorry–please disregard that. If you can’t stomach me you’re welcome to have me beheaded.”

“I said it earlier, didn’t I? That’s a little late for you, at this point.”

I was not like Riliane. I was not the kind of small person who gave in to his fury and idly executed his underlings.

Even so, before I knew it my tightly gripped right fist had started trembling.

“Thanks for that. Well then, I’ll be off to go chop off the Beelzenian soldiers.”

“You’ll be entrusted with twenty thousand men as your main force. I’m counting on you.”

After lifting his right hand in response to my words, George calmly left the Hall of Mirrors.

Because the country of Marlon was on an island surrounded by ocean, the main country’s soldiers had never fought a land war. For that reason it was bound to fall behind in battle on its own soil.

In order to keep up with others it was vitally necessary then to have the cooperation of Lucifenia’s old famous generals, starting with George.

My personal guard, Clive, passed by George and entered the Hall of Mirrors. He knelt before me.

I had once secretly joined in the revolution using the fake name of Karchess. Clive was a senior soldier who had acted alongside me then.

“I have news. Lady Ney has returned.”

So, Ney Phatipe was back.

Well then, I wonder what excuse she’ll come up with for letting Retasan fall?

“I see…I’ll receive her in the Hall of Sounds. Bring her there.”

“Yes sir!”

Clive stood and once again departed.

Watching him go, I was reminded of that revolution.

Has it really been five years since then?

The revolutionary army led by the red swordswoman Germaine Avadonia had smoothly defeated the Lucifen dynasty, saving the people from their tyrannical rule. She had become a hero that everyone praised.

Her value was such that even now that Germaine had become a wanted woman due to the “Witch Hunt Order” that I put out, there was no change in her reputation among the common people. Each time I heard them speak of her, my heart was filled with irritation.

Why did everyone admire such a criminal as that…?

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Mere pride, huh…?

Maybe it was just as George said. What on earth was I hoping to accomplish?

 …I couldn’t become weak. I put my hand on the hand mirror in my pocket.

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Give over everything.

Give over everything to your feelings.

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A voice came from the mirror. Upon hearing it, my heart relaxed a great deal.

I am not mistaken about anything.

I am just.

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I will persist on bringing justice, if it’s for that.

I will even become evil.