After we left the royal library, a carriage heading to hell - the royal carriage - was waiting for us.
It was a carriage drawn by four mighty white horses, and on its door was the emblem of the Kingdom of Rubria.
The decorations engraved with gold and jewels on the silver roof and wheels of the carriage sparkled splendidly.
I climbed into the cart with the feelings of a cow being led to slaughter.
With a half-stiff face, she glanced sideways at the Crown Prince and William sitting opposite.
As for Carlex, he decided to accompany the carriage on his horse.
The library director was busy reviewing a stack of papers, while the Crown Prince observed me with a relaxed smile.
“By the way, isn’t this your first visit to the Royal Palace, Librarian Erica?”
“Yes. I thought I would never visit him in my entire life, but here I am, visiting him this way.”
In the original story, she only visited the royal palace once, when she was interrogated as a member of the rebel forces.
Visiting the royal palace was like a trip to the other world.
So she didn't even glance towards the palace, for fear of bringing bad luck.
“Don't worry. You'll visit him often from now on.”
The Crown Prince said gently, as if to say there is no need to worry.
How insensitive.
The carriage drove steadily along the highway of the capital, heading towards the palace on the hill.
The flight was so comfortable that I closed my eyes to try to sleep, but then the Crown Prince spoke again.
“The road is boring, wouldn’t you like me to tell you a story?”
“Okay. As you wish.”
“Just as you told me the history of the royal library, I will tell you the history of this kingdom.”
Ludwig turned his gaze out of the carriage window and looked at the streets with an absent-minded glance.
“As you know, Ruberia, we have a major country in the north, with a high reputation throughout the continent, but for hundreds of years, the invasions of neighboring countries greedy for our fertile lands and resources have not ceased. The one who ended the long war was the founding king, Julius I.”
I once read a book about the history of Ruberia's founding in the library.
Ruberia had vast areas, abundant with silver mines, and its lands were fertile thanks to the many rivers.
For this reason, in an era in which great powers vied for dominance, it suffered from constant wars of conquest.
Julius I is said to have transformed the kingdom into a great power with his overwhelming charisma and peaceful rule, earning him the respect of the people.
Ludwig stared at the rapidly passing scenes of the capital with a blank stare.
“……There is a truth that has not been recorded in history.”
"…… What do you mean?"
“His Majesty Julius I was a king with the might of a warlord. He subjugated the continent using the power of beasts.”
Ludving's tone of voice was so calm that it took time to comprehend the meaning of his words.
Later I felt like my back was frozen.
“Use monster power? Is that possible?”
I immediately remembered what the monsters that obeyed my commands looked like.
I never would have imagined even in my wildest dreams that using monster power was possible.
But, the King of Ruberia actually used that power hundreds of years ago?
So, am I too...?
Maybe he thought my voice was shaking with fear.
Ludving changed his expression to be more gentle, as if trying to reassure me.
“Because hundreds of years ago, there was an era when magic was more powerful than it is now. His Majesty Julius I married the greatest witch of the era and with her power, he controlled the monsters and conquered the continent. This fact is only recorded in the royal historical records because there is no point in later generations knowing that the king used the power of monsters. Even within the royal family, very few know the truth.”
Can you tell me this?
William, who was just examining the papers, raised his head.
“Ruberia has become a prestigious superpower thanks to the monsters.”
I asked to hide my trembling emotions.
“Historical records say that brave knights valiantly fought monsters, and that Julius I closed a crack that appeared in the dimensional barrier in the Kraal Mountain Range, but the matter is completely different!”
William and the Crown Prince exchanged glances for a short while.
A deep feeling of guilt crossed the Crown Prince's face.
Perhaps it is the original sin that the kings of Ruberia must endure generation after generation.
“Some of them are true. The Ancestors spread monsters into the enemy countries, sent knights to fight as if they were defeating monsters, and closed the rift in the dimensional barrier, making Ruberia stop the chaos on the continent. Hence, Ruberia consolidated its position as a superpower guarding the barrier and possessing the Five Great Books of Magic. The neighboring countries, who were afraid of monsters, did not provoke war.”
“…So it was history made by the power of monsters.”
The Crown Prince smiled faintly at my murmur.
“After the death of His Majesty Julius I and the Queen, the ability to control monsters also disappeared. Peace lasted for hundreds of years, but twenty years ago, monsters began to appear again. As if a malicious monster curse had returned late, seven years ago, my eldest brother also… fell victim to monsters.”
The false peace made with the power of monsters was gradually crumbling.
After Richard, then first heir apparent, was killed by a monster seven years ago, the current king was bedridden, forgoing food and drink.
But the monsters did not disappear and kept appearing.
A heavy silence filled the place.
All that was heard was the sound of the wheels turning in a regular rhythm.
She said a word very carefully.
“Are you telling me this top secret information because I'm a book reader?”
The Crown Prince's gaze from outside the window turned to me.
His eyes were clear.
"no."
It was pure and simple, like a boy's look.
“Because I trust you and depend on you.”
***
The palace began to appear from behind the highway.
The bright white palace was surrounded by high towers and walls, radiating a solemn majesty.
I felt a majestic sensation as if looking at the royal capital from atop the hill.
The carriage climbed the hill road leading to the palace gate.
Magnificent high towers, and high, thick walls prepared for defence, barred the way before us.
After crossing the drawbridge, the guards gave a military salute simultaneously.
The carriage started towards the western side of the palace and stopped in front of a huge temple-style building.
“Welcome to the House of Lords, Librarian Erica.”
The Crown Prince, who got off the carriage with a smile, motioned to enter.
When the court assistant, who was waiting anxiously in front of the council of nobles, discovered the Crown Prince, he rushed towards him in panic.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, have you arrived? Everyone is waiting for you. Please, from here.”
William and Carlex silently followed the Crown Prince as he entered the House of Lords.
As I walked in unison with my boss, William, I asked a question lightly.
“So cabinet meetings are held here? What kind of meetings are usually held?”
William adjusted his glasses.
The lenses sparkled sharply.
“Monthly Cabinet meetings are held attended by nobles of ministerial rank, and simply put, routine meetings are held daily. It is a meeting hell place all year round.”
Oh, my God.
I've never seen an organization succeed that just holds meetings nonstop.
As we entered, a vast marble hall opened up.
We crossed a long corridor covered with red carpets, and entered the large conference room, where the doors were wide open.
I was nervous inside.
Because I imagined what a cabinet meeting would look like.
Arrogant nobles would certainly sit arrogantly around a large round table.
But the place we entered was already,
“Where did the papers from Wilhelm's territory go?”
“Bring this year’s crop records quickly!”
“Arrange a request to support the Verdun County land reclamation project.”
Roar, Roar!
“Someone catch the carrier pigeon! And clean up its droppings, too!”
…It was a labor battlefield for employees.
The conference hall was said to be divided into a waiting room and a main meeting room.
Here, in the waiting room, dozens of lower-ranking employees were busy examining or sorting mountain-like piles of papers, looking very busy sending or receiving messages by carrier pigeon.
Because they were very busy, when the Crown Prince entered, they just made the traditional gesture of silence, and each of them focused on his work.
Moreover, two carrier pigeons were roaring loudly and flying chaotically at the ceiling of the waiting room.
I was stressed about work too.
Ts ts.
A pigeon feather fell on the Crown Prince's shoulder.
Ludwig took off the feather and said happily:
“This place is still very lively.”
One of the employees, who was carrying a pile of papers and books, almost collided with the Crown Prince as he passed by.
It seemed that his vision was so obscured by piles of papers that he did not know that he was the Crown Prince.
“Oh, excuse me.”
“On the contrary.”
This situation seemed to be familiar to the Crown Prince, as he coldly avoided them.
We too, of course, stood lined up against the waiting room wall.
“It's really hell. If I worked in a place like this, I would run away right away.”
When I saw people working hard and grinding down their souls, my eyes just became moist.
As an employee, I felt warm solidarity.
Whether in reality or in the world of fiction, the difficulty of making a living is the same.
I whispered in the ear of the Crown Prince standing next to me:
“Now I understand. Why does the Royal Family continue to function properly even when you live freely, Your Highness.”
“Hmm, what do you think is the reason?”
“Because the officials grind their bones and work hard.”
Upon hearing this painful word, the Crown Prince pretended that his heart was aching.
"These words hurt a little. It's like I'm a reckless prince who only wanders around in high society. I'm also trying to do my duties and shoulder my responsibilities."
William, who was standing next to the Crown Prince and examining the papers, said one word as if he had been waiting:
“You've seen it clearly, Librarian Erica. This is a battlefield protecting Ruberia with pens and paper. His Highness the Crown Prince sometimes comes by to check in and just offer encouragement.”
"Hey, Senior Advisor. I'm the one who puts the final stamp of approval."
“Do you think I don’t know that you often leave even the setting of the seal to Duke Reinhardt?”
“That, that……”
Tsets, it seems that our manager had a lot piled up against His Highness the Crown Prince.
While William was quietly pressing the Crown Prince, I approached the door of the meeting room.
Behind the slightly open door, a heated meeting was taking place.
It seemed that the nobles of ministerial rank were sitting in a circle, each offering his opinion and arguing passionately.
A monocle-eyed noble sitting in the front seat stood up and was conducting the meeting with a charismatic attitude.
He appeared to be middle-aged, with sharp features and a straight air.
“That person……”
Carlex came beside me without me knowing when he arrived.
“He is Marquis Welt-Reichen, Chairman of the House of Nobles and State Chancellor.”
“The guy mentioned in the book ‘Ruperia Policy Principles,’ right? He was great.”
“Yes. The current House of Nobles is almost the creation of President Reichen. Thanks to him, the affairs of state are managed through consultation in the meeting of the Nobles.”
I nodded, remembering the content of the Principles of Politics book.
It is said that Ruberia was originally an extremely centralized system of royal power.
But due to an incident where a group of monsters attacked the royal palace seven years ago, the Crown Prince and most of the high-ranking nobles were killed.
At that time, when even the foundations of royal power and noble society were shaken, the Marquis Reichen came forward and established the current decision-making system in the House of Nobles.
The king, who had lost his son, was greatly distressed and unable to carry out the affairs of state properly, and the situation was so turbulent that forces emerged looking to seize royal power.
Marquis Reichen sought to have Ludwig inherit the position of crown prince, established a council of nobles to assist the king in making decisions, and affairs of state quickly stabilized.
Also, in the border areas….
“Ah, that's right.”
“To be continued in the next chapter”
Loving translation