Chapter 163 : Chapter 163

Chapter 163. Public Opinion in the Royal Capital

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the grand and fervent engagement ceremony ended, Thorne City did not remain immersed in the lingering atmosphere of celebration for long.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍will for revenge was like a volcano that had been suppressed for too long, urgently needing an outlet to erupt.

After ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only two days of intensive war preparations, this capital of the Western Frontier displayed a war potential that made hearts tremble.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍vassals of the La Roche Family from every route responded to the summons, mobilizing the most elite troops they could muster and gathering them continuously into Thorne City and its surrounding regions like hundreds of rivers returning to the sea.

One ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍banner after another representing different families fluttered above the military camps, and the neighing of warhorses and the sounds of soldiers drilling replaced the usual clamor.

According ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍to a rough count, the total number of Western Frontier troops gathered in and around Thorne had already approached forty thousand.

One had to know that this was after Duke Federico of the Western Frontier had already taken part of the core main force to the royal capital.

This number alone was enough to demonstrate the Western Frontier’s deep foundation.

Just as the army finished assembling and sharpened its blades for war, Lucius publicly issued a declaration to the entire kingdom.

The Western Frontier’s army of one hundred thousand would soon march west, vowing to recover every lost territory occupied by Federation forces.

With the enemy’s blood, they would thoroughly wash away the humiliation the Western Frontier had once suffered.

This declaration, filled with iron-blooded resolve, instantly ignited the fury of the entire Western Frontier.

From Thorne City to the border towns, whether nobles, soldiers, or commoners, all were immersed in a fanatical atmosphere of avenging their past shame.

The war of revenge had already become a prairie fire.

As for Eli, after a brief farewell with Lynn, he did not delay in the slightest.

He immediately took the viscount promotion and fief documents formally signed by Lucius and embarked on the road back to Obsidian Territory.

Naturally, he had been assigned to the southern front, which was under the responsibility of Marquess Mellon Winterbourne.

The southern front’s assembly point had been set at the westernmost point of the current southern line under Western Frontier control: his territory, Lucerne City.

Thus, he needed to immediately return to Obsidian Territory, integrate his own forces, and head to Lucerne City ahead of time to conduct early preparations and reception.

Later, Marquess Winterbourne would personally bring his son and Baron Ron, leading more than eight thousand men of the southern line’s main force,

to Lucerne to rendezvous with him and jointly carry out the southern line’s clearing and advance mission.

However, on the day he departed, he drew an unexpected piece of urgent intelligence.

【Iman, the Hofgard commander entrenched in Kael City, took advantage of Storm City’s emptiness and brazenly launched a surprise attack, successfully occupying Storm City.

Afterward, Iman directly killed Paul Botticelli, who had fled back in defeat, and used thunderous methods to take control of the surviving Federation forces in Storm City.】

The intelligence also showed that the ambitious Iman was attempting to use Storm City as his base.

He was summoning and ordering the other Federation forces scattered throughout the Western Frontier, demanding that they abandon the cities they currently occupied and gather entirely at Storm City.

He was preparing to rely on Storm City’s renowned sturdy defenses, gather troops, and make a final desperate resistance against the Western Frontier Army.

“Iman… That fellow is ruthless enough, and decisive enough.”

When Eli learned of this news, his brows furrowed tightly.

If Iman was truly allowed to successfully gather all those scattered Federation remnants into Storm City,

then that massive city known as the “unfallen fortress of the Western Frontier” would undoubtedly become an incomparably hard turtle shell, an enormous problem.

He still clearly remembered the description of Storm City’s majestic walls, which stood tens of meters tall and were built from enormous stone blocks. They were absolutely a nightmare for any attacking force.

“We must be fast! We must destroy as much of their living strength as possible before they finish gathering. We absolutely cannot let them safely turtle up inside Storm City!”

Eli abruptly squeezed his horse’s sides, urging the steed beneath him to increase its speed again.

With five hundred vanguard troops, he sped along the road toward Obsidian Territory like an arrow released from the string.

……

In stark contrast to the shared hatred uniting the Western Frontier was the increasingly strange and oppressive atmosphere in Orlandia, the royal capital.

Previously, the former prime minister, Marquess Cons Montauban, had made that accusation of “usurper” during the trial by combat.

Like a poisoned dagger, it had completely torn apart the false veil of harmony that had covered the royal capital’s sky. It had also torn away the last fig leaf from the great dukes.

Under the deliberate promotion and fermentation of certain people, those words spread through every class of the royal capital like a plague.

In the past, the Royal Domain had naturally obeyed the king directly. It was the shield and spear in the king’s hand. But the current king was nothing more than a child.

The highest authority of the Kingdom of Orlando was also in the hands of a duke from the Western Frontier.

This caused the citizens of the Royal Domain and the royal capital to feel an extreme lack of security at this moment.

Recently, voices among the citizens of Orlandia demanding that Regent Duke Federico return power to King Aiden I and Prime Minister Marquess Rhein had become increasingly intense.

Not long ago, a sizable citizens’ march had even broken out.

At the time, Marquess Toscana had nearly mobilized the army to suppress it by force, but Federico had urgently stopped him.

Federico knew very well that at such a sensitive time, any forceful suppression would escalate the incident.

It would allow the opponents secretly pushing everything forward to find a more sufficient excuse, causing the situation to slide into an uncontrollable abyss.

In the end, that march ended hastily after being forcibly dispersed by the Royal Capital Garrison. The best outcome was that no bloodshed occurred, which was already a blessing amid misfortune.

Federico understood that those incited citizens were merely chess pieces being used to create pressure through public opinion.

Inside the Regent’s office, the atmosphere was solemn.

Federico sat behind the wide desk. This Duke of the Western Frontier, once known for his iron hand and wisdom, now looked older and more exhausted than ever before.

Aside from him, there were only two people in the room—Marquess Leon Black of the Royal Domain and Marquess Toscana.

Marquess Leon’s expression was grave. “Lord Federico, I am very grateful for your appreciation and promotion of Eli. This is an honor for the Black Family.”

“But judging from the current situation… the Western Frontier’s army has already been entirely transferred west by Sir Lucius to recover the lost territories.

As for public opinion in the royal capital… you have seen it as well.

Although Marquess Rhein is highly respected, he is old, after all, and his energy is failing…

I fear… those restless nobles of the Royal Domain will take this opportunity…”

He paused, seeming to consider his final wording. In the end, he still spoke hesitantly.

“In my humble opinion, at this moment, you may need to… temporarily avoid the sharpest edge. Advancing by retreating may be the wisest choice for the present.”

After saying this, Marquess Leon did not remain any longer. He respectfully bowed, then quickly turned and left.

The office fell into an even deeper silence.

Marquess Toscana looked at Leon’s departing back and let out a heavy sigh, his face filled with worry.

“Your Grace. Sir Lucius… should not have been in such a hurry to launch a full counteroffensive. This has practically emptied the confidence we could rely on. Why not…”

The more he spoke, the more feasible his idea seemed, and a trace of hope lit up in his eyes.

“We can take the Western Frontier army and His Majesty Aiden back to the Western Frontier together!

Once we reach the Western Frontier, absolutely nothing can go wrong! There, we can calmly make arrangements and wait for the right opportunity…”

“Heh. The Western Frontier needs revenge, and Lucius needs it as well. This is not Lucius’s fault, and he cannot stop it either.”

“…Take the king to the Western Frontier?” When Federico heard this suggestion, he first froze slightly. Then he actually let out a bitter laugh.

“Hahaha… Thank you for still trying to amuse me at a time like this, Tos.”

His laughter abruptly stopped, and his gaze became deep and cold.

He raised his hand and gently patted the armrest of the chair beneath him, his voice calm.

“Tos, you must understand. Aiden… is not Caesar Aurora, nor is he his father.

He has no presentable achievements or prestige sufficient to convince the masses. What he possesses is merely the righteous legitimacy brought by the title of king.

That seemingly noble broken chair in the Blazing Sun Palace is his only support.”

He paused. “If he gives this place up, leaves the Blazing Sun Palace, and leaves Orlandia, then his identity as king will immediately become empty and illusory.

He will no longer be the symbol of the kingdom’s authority, but merely… an ordinary nine-year-old child who abandoned the throne.

At that time… if we become the traitorous ministers and rebels who abducted the king in their mouths, what do you think will happen?”

Marquess Toscana was left speechless, and cold sweat instantly broke out across his back.

Only then did he realize how naive and dangerous his suggestion had been.

“Then… Your Grace, what should we do?” Toscana’s voice carried a trace of powerlessness.

“Leon risked so much to come warn us… I fear the friendship between us has reached its end.

And Leon’s warning is definitely not groundless. I am afraid the nobles of the Royal Domain have already begun secretly linking together.”

Federico did not answer immediately. His gaze turned toward the window, looking at the gray sky above the royal capital.

After a long while, he slowly spoke. “Has there been any reply from Claude and Bernard?”

Toscana shook his head. “Not yet… The Southern Frontier has remained silent the entire time.”

Federico gave a soft “mm” and said nothing more.

He sat upright again, but the office fell into a long silence. Only the vague noise belonging to this vast city could be faintly heard from outside the window.

In the end, Federico said only two words, as though he had entrusted everything to fate and time.

“Then… wait.”