The Daughter of Evil - Volume 4 - Chapter 2.18

chapter 2, section 1-hometown of misgivings; scene 8
  Praefacio of Blue, page 78-82

✥ Kyle Marlon ~The Country of Marlon, “Marlon Castle/Middle Tower Roof”~

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The royal family’s castle, Marlon Castle, was located on the bank of Methis River, in the westernmost section of the royal capital Bariti. It had a long history, said to have been originally built close to four hundred and fifty years ago as a fortress to safeguard against savage invaders. For that reason the stone walls that encircled its outside were high and of strong make, and when it came to its defensive capabilities it was top class among all the castles and palaces in Evillious.

The castle’s grounds were mainly divided into three sections. There was the "Right Palace”, which had things like the audience hall, banquet venue, and bedchambers. There was the “Left Chapel”, which had a place of worship and graveyard. And the one that I was in right now was the “Middle Tower”.

The “Middle Tower” served as a place where I could carry out my official business as king. When I stood on the roof of this tower that was surrounded by greenery on all sides, I was able to survey all of Bariti.

I spent almost my entire childhood in this castle. I hadn’t been here in so long, and it made me nostalgic.

So then, why can’t I calm down?

When would I be able to derive that answer? Would the day come again when I could accept this as a place I could come back to?

“So, this is where you were.”

A red-haired man who looked much like me was coming up the stairs.

“Arkatoir?”

He was my younger half-brother, but due to the anticipations of his mother, who didn’t want him to get embroiled in a conflict over succession, he was currently serving as one of Marlon’s parliamentary officials as an average citizen.

My late father was a lecher, and had mistresses in various places. And as he got them pregnant without reservation, I had many half-siblings. No–to be accurate, I used to.

Most of them died or went missing when I was a young boy. Naturally those didn’t occur by accident. They were murdered by someone.

I didn’t have any proof, but I had an inkling of the culprit. My mother, the Empress Dowager Prim. Such violent crimes out of wanting to have her own child succeed the throne…It wasn’t such an uncommon thing, if you followed the history of the royal family.

Thinking of it that way, you could say Arkatoir’s mother’s judgment was the best thing she could do. Though my mother didn’t think very well of him being involved in any important political office. Depending on what she decided, there was a real chance he’d wind up dead like the rest of my half-siblings.

Why then had he deliberately gotten involved in politics? I had asked him once. He had replied, “This is my own battle”. He told me in such brief speech that he was grateful to his mother for escaping from successional disputes, but he also resented that a little bit; he wasn’t going to spend his whole life tilling fields, so even if ruin was waiting for him, he had to set his eyes a little higher than that.

Luckily, excellent as he was he had drawn some approval from the Empress Dowager, and was able to continue legitimately working at the castle

“I hear you’ve handled things quite well while I was gone. Thank you, Arkatoir.”

When I gave my thanks, Arkatoir scratched the back of his head a little bashfully.

“Oh no, I didn't…The Empress Dowager took care of things too.”

“And where is my mother right now?”

When I returned to the castle, I had first searched for my mother. But I couldn’t find her anywhere.

“W-well…”

I could tell that Arkatoir was stiffening up out of nervousness.

“What’s wrong?”

“The Empress Dowager isn’t currently in the castle. She’s in the middle of recuperating at the holiday villa on account of her declining health.”

“The holiday villa?”

The holiday villa was the old structure nicknamed “Castle Hedgehog” in Marlon’s northwest. It was used by the Marlon royal family as a place for rest and recreation.

“It seems she’s gotten a bit worn down from all the hard work she’s had to do.”

“When did she leave?”

“Right after she received news that you were returning, Your Majesty. Perhaps she was able to lighten up her vigilance a little out of her joy.”

Upon learning I’m coming home she immediately heads to Castle Hedgehog?

The pirates on Hark Sea, and the giant octopus… They were all likely intended to go after me. I grew uneasy.

I asked Arkatoir how many soldiers there were on the Marlon mainland currently.

“We have about fifty thousand sailors, and about twenty thousand soldiers.”

“And how many can you call to Marlon castle immediately?”

“Including the soldiers already on standby here, only about five thousand.”

“Good. Then gather that many here.”

Arkatoir looked at me in puzzlement.

“What do you intend to do?”

“Nothing, I just want to be sure.”

Though I genuinely hoped it was a causeless anxiety.

I started to head to the stairs, intending to descend first.

“That reminds me,” I posed the question I had suddenly remembered to Arkatoir, “What happened to Abyss I.R.? Is she at the villa with my mother?”

“Abyss?”

I was surprised at Arkatoir’s suddenly panicked squeak.

“What? Is something wrong?”

I hadn’t intended to say anything that unusual.

“No, it’s just that it’s so rare for you to concern yourself with her, my liege.”

Now that he mentioned it, I realized that was true. Normally I deliberately avoided that ghastly sorceress. But this time it was my turn to be surprised, by the answer that Arkatoir gave me.

“She passed away the other day.”

“What!?”

“She was very old, after all. I hadn’t seen her outside the palace for a while, so I went to talk to her Majesty the Empress Dowager myself. Her funeral was held only for those close to her.”

Abyss was…dead!?

“It’s disrespectful of me to say, but frankly I’m a bit relieved. It was kind of creepy having a person like that prowling around the castle. Though I would never say that in front of the Empress.”

I could scarcely believe it. It felt far too soon for this act to be over already.

Arkatoir continued speaking, as though he could tell what I was feeling then. “She has a grave set up now. You can go see, if you like?”