Chapter 133 : Chapter 133

Chapter 133. Caesar Arena

At last, the many tedious matters had been fully discussed, and Federico announced the end of the Royal Council meeting.

The ministers felt as though they had been granted a pardon and rose one after another.

They respectfully bowed to the little king Aiden, who sat in the main seat with a blank expression, and to Regent Federico.

Then they withdrew in order from the oppressive council hall.

Before leaving, Prime Minister Marquess Rhein Graham deliberately slowed his steps.

Only after the other ministers had all gone out did he come to Federico’s side and lower his voice to remind him.

“Lord Regent, according to procedure, the trial by combat with Cons Montauban.

“Is scheduled for this afternoon at the old dueling ground on the city outskirts...”

He paused. “Please rest assured... I will not fight in his place...”

Federico nodded and thanked him. “Thank you, Rhein.”

Prime Minister Rhein smiled, then bowed to him solemnly.

“My grandson has returned... from the Western Frontier...”

“May the gods bless you, Lord Regent.”

After saying this, he too bowed and withdrew.

The vast council hall soon became empty, leaving only Aiden, who sat motionless in the main seat, and Federico, who stood beside him.

From the moment Aiden had barged in halfway through the meeting until its end, he had not uttered another sound apart from his first sentence at the beginning.

He had merely sat there blankly in that chair, which was far too large for him, like an exquisite puppet.

Federico looked at his grandson’s lost and dispirited appearance, and a hundred feelings tangled in his heart.

In the end, they turned into a helpless sigh.

He walked in front of Aiden. “Aiden, raise your head.

“You are the king. No matter when, you must never show such a weak expression.”

These words seemed to touch some sensitive and fragile nerve in Aiden. He abruptly raised his head.

His originally hollow eyes were instantly filled with anger and grievance, and he shrieked.

“I am the king! I can do whatever I want! I can show whatever expression I want! You cannot control me!”

Childish words of rebellion always carried a sharpness born after being wounded.

Federico was rarely provoked into anger.

He suddenly stood up, and his voice rose unconsciously, carrying an unprecedented severity.

“A king recognized from the heart by everyone is the true king!

“A person who needs to constantly emphasize his own identity is precisely proving his weakness and lack of confidence!

“Aiden! This is cowardice! This is incompetence!”

“Cowardice? Incompetence?” Aiden was completely stung by those two words.

The pressure, fear, and his grandfather’s severity over the past several days erupted completely at this moment.

Tears instantly blurred his eyes, and his voice carried a sobbing, hysterical tone.

“So you think I am not a qualified king! Is that it?

“You have always thought I cannot do it! You think my sister! Lynn should be the king instead! Is that it?

“That is what you have always thought in your heart! Wuu, wuu, wuu...”

He could no longer hold back. He slid down from the tall chair.

Then he fell seated onto the carpet and burst into loud sobs, his small body trembling violently from crying.

Federico looked at his grandson, who had broken down and was crying bitterly, with a complicated look in his eyes.

He coldly swept his gaze toward the palace attendants at the side, who had been frightened out of their wits and wished they could hide themselves inside the walls.

When those attendants met Federico’s icy gaze, it was as though a bucket of freezing water had been poured over their heads. They immediately dropped to their knees with a thud.

They rushed to swear one after another, “Lord Regent! We swear! We heard nothing! We saw nothing!”

“Get out.” Federico’s voice did not carry the slightest emotion.

“Yes! Yes!” The attendants felt as though they had been granted a pardon.

They hurriedly scrambled out of the council hall, then carefully closed the doors.

Only grandfather and grandson remained inside the hall.

Federico knew that what he had said just now had indeed been far too harsh.

It had deeply wounded this sensitive child, who had just lost his father and severely lacked any sense of security.

He was silent for a moment. In the end, his heart still softened.

He walked in front of Aiden, lowered his increasingly stooped body, and tried to make his tone gentler.

“No, Aiden. You are the king, the heir appointed by Augustus. This cannot be changed.

“But you are indeed still young. You need to learn and grow.

“I will find the best teachers for you and have them teach you how to become a true monarch.

“I believe that you, in the future, will surely become a qualified and even great king.”

He paused. “But before that, Grandfather will help you... help you clear away every obstacle on the road ahead.

“All those who try to harm you or shake the kingdom, I will deal with them for you.”

After saying this, he slowly stood up.

He looked at Aiden, who was still kneeling on the floor and sobbing quietly. After hesitating for a moment, he reached out, wanting to touch his head.

But in the end, his hand stopped in midair and slowly withdrew.

He sighed once more, turned around, and left the council hall with heavy steps.

In the empty and magnificent hall, only Aiden remained, still kneeling on the floor.

His shoulders kept trembling, and his suppressed sobs echoed through the silence.

Federico walked out of the council hall and instructed the attendants waiting carefully outside the door.

“Go in and take good care of His Majesty. As for what happened today, if I hear even the slightest rumor outside...”

“Yes, yes, yes! Please rest assured, Lord Regent! We will absolutely keep our mouths shut! We will absolutely take good care of His Majesty!”

The attendants were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They made repeated promises, then hurriedly pushed the door open and went inside.

...

The sun slowly moved across the sky, and the time quietly arrived in the afternoon.

Federico had already finished a simple lunch in the side hall.

Dining with him was a middle-aged man with an exceptionally tall and burly build and a firm, resolute face.

He wore his inherited family armor, and a blood-red two-handed greatsword was carried on his back. The fierce aura emanating from his entire body made him impossible to ignore.

He was the Cinderblade Knight, Count Bos, renowned throughout the kingdom for bravery and loyalty.

“Bos,” Federico put down his wine cup and looked at this old subordinate, “this afternoon... I will be relying on you.”

Count Bos immediately straightened his back. His right hand struck heavily against the left side of his chest, and his voice was resonant.

“Lord Duke! You do not need to worry at all!

“Whether it is that old fox Cons Montauban or the champion he finds to fight in his stead.

“As long as he steps onto the dueling ground, I will take his life within three moves! I will absolutely not disappoint you!”

His tone was filled with absolute confidence in his own martial strength.

Federico wanted to say something.

But at this moment, the guard outside reported at just the right time, “Lord Duke, the carriage is ready.”

Federico nodded helplessly and stood up. Count Bos immediately followed behind him.

The two boarded the golden carriage inlaid with the golden lion crest of the La Roche Family. Under the escort of the palace guards, they headed toward the outskirts of Orlandia.

Their destination was that ancient stone architectural complex which had almost been forgotten by the world—the Caesar Dueling Arena.

This place had once been used to resolve disputes among nobles and display valor and honor.

But as the ideas of the age changed and the center of the royal capital shifted, it had long since been abandoned for many years, and few people usually came here.

Yet today, because of an unprecedented trial by combat, it had once again become lively.

One participant was the previous Prime Minister before last, who had once held power over the court.

The other was the current actual ruler, the former Prime Minister, and the present Regent of the Kingdom.

Two figures standing at the peak of the kingdom’s power were going to fight a life-or-death duel to determine who was the kingslayer.

This could be called a strange tale even in the entire history of Orlando.

The news had already spread on its own, attracting large numbers of royal capital citizens who had heard the rumors.

Middle- and lower-ranking nobles who had failed to enter the core circle of power also gathered here.

The ruined circular stands of the dueling arena were already packed with people.

Even more people stood in the passageways and open spaces, whispering and discussing in small groups.

“I heard Marquess Cons prepared the best armor and sword for himself.”

“What use is preparation? At his age, how could he possibly be a match for Count Bos?”

“That is right. Count Bos is one of the few titled knights in our kingdom!”

“Tsk, tsk. I truly never expected that two Prime Ministers would decide life and death in a place like this...”

When Federico’s carriage arrived at the entrance of the dueling arena, a stir passed through the crowd.

People stretched their necks to look, and the whispers grew louder.

The person responsible for managing this place was an old adjudicator with graying hair, an ancient yet lowly office.

He had guarded this place for who knew how many years, but he had never seen such a lively scene.

He could only cooperate with the guards from the royal capital and carefully maintain order at the scene.

Then, with sharp eyes, he saw that symbolic golden lion carriage, and immediately burst out with a speed completely at odds with his age.

He quickly trotted forward, so excited that his entire body trembled slightly.

Federico and Count Bos stepped down from the carriage one after another.

The nearby crowd instinctively pressed closer, wanting to catch a glimpse of the Regent’s bearing.

But they were deterred by the cold gazes and imposing presence of the accompanying guards and did not dare get too close. They merely shouted from afar.

“Lord Regent!”

Federico’s expression was calm as he nodded slightly toward the surrounding crowd.

That old official seemed to draw strength from nowhere. He pushed his way through the crowd with great effort, panting as he squeezed to the very front.

He bowed deeply to Federico, and his voice stammered slightly from excitement.

“Lo... Lord Regent! Wel... welcome to your honored arrival!

“This... this humble official is the official in charge of this place—the adjudicator! My name is Pross!

“My... my mother was from the Western Frontier! She came from... came from Windhowl Town!”

Upon hearing “Western Frontier” and “Windhowl Town,”

A nearly imperceptible ripple flashed through Federico’s originally calm gaze.

He stopped and looked at this humble old official. Then, unexpectedly, he took the initiative to extend his hand toward him.

“Hello, Pross. Thank you for your hard work.”

When Pross saw that the dignified Regent had actually extended a hand toward him, he was so overwhelmed with gratitude that he nearly fainted.

He hurriedly wiped both hands hard against his old, faded official robe again and again.

Only then did he carefully hold several of Federico’s fingers with both hands, trembling all the while.

“It is not hard! Not hard at all! To serve Lord Regent is this humble official’s greatest honor!”

Pross’s voice carried a sobbing tone. “Please follow me! Everything is ready!”