The King clutching his head.

King: "So, where is Harris now? Is he still in Biero?"

Prime Minister: "No, Your Majesty. The prince left Biero after surrendering the city to the enemy forces. He appears to have already returned to the capital."

King: "Then bring Harris here immediately!"

Prime Minister: "I have already sent someone to fetch him. He should be arriving shortly."

Just then, a messenger arrived with word that Prince Harris had arrived.

...

...

...

Following the King's instructions, Sophie and her companions hurriedly hid in the waiting room of the throne room. They decided to let the King and the Prime Minister meet with Prince Harris first.

Harris: "Your Majesty, I have come as you summoned me. What is the matter today?"

King: "What is the matter? Harris, I entrusted you with the defense of Biero. Why are you here?"

Harris: "Biero is peaceful, so it's alright to be away for a little while..."

King: "I've received reports that Biero has been occupied by the Chagamga Republic's army! I hear that our knights surrendered the city to the Chagamga army without putting up any resistance. Is that true?"

Harris: "Ah, about that. It's a misunderstanding. The Chagamga Republic did not invade. They have stationed their troops as a friendly nation."

King: "……What are you saying?"

Harris: "We are protecting the city together. Since they are friendly forces, there's no need for combat."

Prime Minister: "We've received reports that the Chagamga army is using Biero as a base to build up their forces and invading surrounding towns. This is a clear act of aggression."

King: "I've heard that three cities have already fallen. Currently, the Fourth Prince Marim and the Fifth Prince Trim are leading armies to defend them. Harris, how do you intend to take responsibility?"

Harris: "My King, I have repeatedly said that we should strengthen our friendship with Chagamga and cooperate. If we accept the Chagamga army and avoid unnecessary resistance, we will not shed any more blood."

The King and Prime Minister are unable to understand what Harris is saying. They even wonder if Harris has gone mad.

Harris: "Didn't our ancestors seize half of this country that originally belonged to Chagamga? It's a history that even children in Chagamga know. When I learned about it, I was ashamed. King, we must correct our mistakes! Return the territory, apologize to the people of Chagamga, and beg for forgiveness."

King: "Foolish Harris… That's a history fabricated by the Chagamga Republic…"

Prime Minister: "There is no historical record of this country's territory belonging to Chagamga…"

Harris: "That's precisely the history our royal ancestors fabricated!"

Sophie: "Stop it, brother!"

At that moment, Sophie burst out from the waiting room and shouted.

Harris: "Sophie?! You… What happened to the necklace I gave you?"

Sophie: "I removed the collar of servitude, I won't be manipulated anymore!"

King: "Harris… You believed fabricated history and led in the enemy army. You will be tried for treason!"

Prime Minister: "Aiding and abetting an enemy is a serious crime. If found guilty, you will be sentenced to death!"

Sophie: "Father, it was the man named Gil who instigated this. The collar of servitude was registered to Gil as the master! And he commanded me to obey my brother Harris!"

King: "Gil? The man Harris recently appointed as his close advisor? I heard that he was recruited in Biero and brought to the royal palace. Was he a Chagamga operative and Harris was brainwashed?"

Harris: "I have not been brainwashed… Enough, it's troublesome. It's inevitable now that it's been exposed. King, you will retire. I will take over the country."

As Harris raised his hand, a large number of knights rushed into the room. They were Prince Harris's private knights.

Prime Minister: "A coup!"

King: "What happened to the royal palace knights?"

Prime Minister: "I apologize, Your Majesty. To devote as many troops as possible to the defense, we left only the minimum number of knights in the castle."

Harris: "The ones who remained in the castle were all killed. My elite knights made short work of them."

King: "I received reports that you were forming a private knight force, but their funding was a mystery. Was it Chagamga's money?"

Harris: "More than 80% of my knights are Chagamga warriors. They are better than the knights of this country."

King: "I see. But what will you do? Even if you kill me here, the kingdom's nobles won't stand for it."

Harris grinned and gestured with his chin.

Then, nobles began pouring in through the door opened by the knights.

Harris: "These nobles here are those who support my becoming King. From now on, the kingdom of Gariza will become one with Chagamga and flourish even more!"

King: "Foolish man… foolish people. What will you do when you surrender the country… You will only be trampled upon, massacred, and destroyed…"

Harris: "I have a promise to marry the Chagamga princess. The Chagamga royalty and the Gariza royalty will become one, and I will become the king and unify the country."

Prime Minister: "How foolish… Do you think that promise will be kept?"

Harris: "Now, old king, declare your abdication before the nobles and witnesses. It's the birth of a new king."

King: "I have no intention of giving you the throne."

Harris: "You are my father by blood. I didn't want to kill you, but if you resist, I will kill you."

The knights drew their swords in unison.

Sophie: "Do you think you can do it?"

Mary, Betty, and Alice rushed out from the waiting room and stood in front of the King and Sophie, drawing their swords. (They had received the swords that Ryu had kept in his inventory.)

Harris: "Hmph, only three of you…"

But another figure who had come out from the waiting room was slowly walking towards them.

At the sight of that person's face, Harris's face contorted in pain.

Harris: "……Ryujin…"

… … … … … …

To Be Continued

Next Episode

Ryu stands before Harris's knights

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