"What kind of person should a king be?"
Marcus suddenly asked.
Encrid didn't ponder deeply.
He simply said what one would expect from someone who had lived his life to seize what he wanted.
"Whoever wants to be one, does it."
In response, Marcus didn't comment but brought up something else.
"Up until a few months ago, I thought the same way."
"And now?"
If not the one who desires it, then who should be?
"May I answer that?"
It came from outside the dining hall.
Marcus wasn't alone. Encrid's gaze shifted outside.
"I unintentionally caused a bit of a spectacle, Marcus Visar."
A man shouted from outside the dining hall.
"It was my intention as well. I rather enjoy such attention, so don't worry."
Marcus replied, turning his body slightly.
The man outside came into everyone's view.
The Lord of the castle didn't recognize the face, Krais thought it looked familiar, but Encrid knew exactly who it was.
It was a blonde man.
As the man lingered, the guards standing outside the dining hall looked at Encrid, silently asking if they should let him in.
There were no onlookers.
There was nothing particularly interesting to see here – just a gathering for some tea in the dining hall, not a duel.
Besides, Krais had already dismissed some of the people nearby.
They didn't want too many ears listening in on whatever might be said.
This was also why two trusted guards were stationed outside the hall.
The man outside looked at the two guards and gave a faint smile.
It was a smile as if asking to be let in.
His attire wasn't particularly noble. He wore a plain brown shirt and loose-fitting pants.
The guards were unsure.
Should they let him in?
"Let him in."
It was Encrid who answered. The Lord of the castle didn't object either. He didn't seem to know the man, and the man didn't appear to be particularly close to Marcus.
The man's boots clacked as they walked across the stone floor laid in the dining hall.
The blonde man stopped in front of Encrid.
He had a decent height, an easygoing expression, and striking blue eyes.
The man spoke.
"It's been a while."
"Are you here as a noble?"
Encrid stood and raised his tone.
The last time they had briefly stayed in the same barracks, he had been a soldier. So what now? Encrid's question implied as much.
"Let's keep things casual. Now I'm just a drifter, a wanderer."
"And your name?"
"Still Krang."
The man brushed his blonde hair back and formally greeted him. He extended his hand. It was a handshake.
A handshake was a greeting that originated to show neither held a weapon in their hand.
Encrid grasped his hand, shook it lightly, and then let go.
Only then did Krais remember who the man was.
Krais rarely forgot a face, but this was someone he had seen ages ago, and they had barely crossed paths.
It was only because Krais was Krais that he managed to remember.
"That infirmary from back then?"
Krais asked instinctively.
"That's right. You have an excellent memory for a soldier."
Krang answered and gave the Lord a small nod in greeting as well.
"And who are you?"
Graham awkwardly stood up and asked, his large frame rising slowly. Marcus echoed Krang's earlier words in his response.
"A drifter, a wanderer, and to add one more thing, ahem..."
Marcus paused to take a sip of tea, only to realize the taste was terrible. He cleared his throat and then spoke again.
"An illegitimate child."
Marcus didn't seem to have any intention of standing up. Seeing this, the Lord also half-rose from his chair before sitting back down.
Encrid and Krais also sat. Krang naturally took a seat as well.
The Lord didn't notice it, but at the mention of the word 'bastard', Krais seemed to catch on to something, his expression briefly changing.
Krang smiled at everyone once again. It was the same smile as before.
It was sly in a way, but also friendly enough to make one feel at ease.
Encrid noticed a faint scar on his cheek, but his expression remained unchanged.
"This winter has been unusually cold. How have you been holding up?"
Krang asked.
Encrid answered the sudden question.
"When you're out there rolling in the dirt, you forget about the cold."
"I heard you've had quite the fiery time."
"And it seems you've been keeping yourself warm as well?"
"I've always dreamed of spending my winters rolling around with warm furs and spending my springs on flower-viewing picnics."
Krang spoke with the same smiling face, and Encrid found him fascinating.
A bastard, but whose bastard?
As mentioned, a bastard from the Visar family, someone they used to draw attention.
A noble family, with the bloodline of the Thumb Family.
"Royalty, then."
Krais gave his answer.
From the start, the other party didn't seem to have any intention of hiding it.
It was a conversation filled with enough hints to allow for speculation.
When they spoke of the cold winter, Encrid was referring to the battlefield he had endured, while Krang, though not on the frontlines, was implying that he had fought his own battles behind the scenes.
Krang merely smiled at Krais's answer.
Graham began to wonder if he even belonged in this conversation.
"Graham, do you have good tea prepared in the office? Let's go enjoy a proper cup."
Marcus rescued Graham from his thoughts.
"Yes, I do. It will suit your taste perfectly."
He had secured some high-quality tea leaves, hoping to offer them to Marcus, who had handed over the position of Lord to him.
Led by Marcus, only the guards with whips remained behind as the rest rose to leave.
"What is this about, Lord Marcus?"
As they departed, Graham whispered to Marcus.
"What do you think it is?"
"It looks like one of those things where it's better to pretend not to know, even if you do."
"Exactly."
Graham was a man who understood his place well, and Marcus appreciated that greatly.
Even with someone like Encrid under his command, Graham was a man whose will would neither bend nor break.
"Just serve the tea."
"Yes, let's go."
Without further words, Graham moved his feet.
After Marcus, Graham, and the guard who had taken a blow left, Krais remained still.
Even if he left now, his Commander wouldn't say anything strange.
No, even if strange things were said or done, he wouldn't suddenly declare allegiance to either side.
But there was always the 'what if'.
There was always the 'maybe'.
As anxious thoughts began to rise, he decided that at the very least, he would stay and observe.
From the moment Krais realized the man was a royal bastard, he simultaneously considered dozens of possibilities.
Naturally, he also thought of how to respond.
For example, if the man suddenly ordered him to join his cause.
Or if he suggested joining some nonexistent Knight order.
Or if he demanded loyalty to the Royal Family.
Or, perhaps, if he offered a pile of Krona.
'Wait, would that be such a bad thing?'
If enough Krona were involved, selling loyalty for a short while might not be so bad.
If it were enough to establish five salons in the Capital?
'No, that's not right.'
Krais's thought process was as fast as Encrid's swordplay and as simultaneous as Rem's ability to wield multiple weapons at once.
In other words, as soon as the concern arose, the conclusion came just as quickly.
'You should never trust the words of politicians.'
This man was seated here with Marcus backing him.
He had brought along a bastard from one of the five families that upheld Naurillia, specifically the Thumb Family, to use as a decoy for attention.
It was also clear how this royal had entered here. His attire and behavior told the story.
'He's traveling while concealing his identity.'
But why would he hide?
'He's being hunted.'
If his life was in danger, he might covet Encrid's sword, his hand, and everything he had accomplished.
So, how should he view this man now?
If we're talking about civil war, is this royal bastard another contender for the throne?
Is this a battle between the King of the Frontier and the royal bastard, both aiming for the crown?
'Which side should I take?'
Which would benefit him more?
For now, it's best to remain neutral. That's the safest course of action. No matter what the royal bastard offers, even if he presents a mountain of gold, he should refuse with bitter tears.
'Or should I take the advance payment and then wash my hands of it?'
Krais briefly entertained the idea before discarding it.
His Commander would never go for such a scheme.
Without showing any change in his expression, Krais sorted out his thoughts.
He was now ready to counter whatever words might come next.
"Do you know that our Kingdom has lost its 'voice'?"
But what an unexpected statement this was.
It was a question that was difficult to read, or rather, it wasn't even a question.
Krang wasn't posing a riddle.
He was simply continuing to speak fluidly. Krais found the man's voice strangely pleasant to listen to.
It had a quality that seemed to draw you in.
The way he projected, the way he enunciated—it all seemed to carry some sort of enchantment, compelling the listener to focus.
Krais had encountered a few people like this before.
'A natural talent.'
People who knew how to captivate others.
Their voice, their gestures—everything about them seemed designed to seize attention.
Krang tapped the table lightly and continued.
"Why is it that the languages used across the continent are all the same?"
Krais had spent his life thinking strategically since he was a child.
He did so to survive, using his wits for both survival and Krona.
But he had never thought about this particular question. It was the first time he had heard it. If he had taken even a moment to think about it, it would have been obvious, but he had never paid it much attention.
He only knew what others knew.
"The same language?"
Encrid muttered, almost to himself.
"Yeah, the same. It's frustrating, isn't it? Shall we walk? The sky is clear today. After constantly worrying about assassination attempts, it feels like a shame to stay cooped up on a day like this."
Encrid rose without a word.
Assassins? That word had become familiar to him. He had faced such malice more than once.
The first time he encountered an assassin had been because of Krang.
If Krang was still being pursued, it meant someone still wanted this royal bastard dead.
But wait, the current ruler was a Queen. So, who gave birth to him? It was a trivial question. He set it aside for later.
That wasn't the important issue right now.
"Have you ever wondered why the entire continent speaks roughly the same language?"
"No."
"Yeah, most people haven't. But have you heard of the group dedicated to finding the Royal Language?"
"I've heard of them in passing."
He had indeed seen a few people in the marketplace carrying something that resembled a dictionary woven with sacred words instead of sermons.
Krais had seen them as well.
Borrowing Gilpin's words, they weren't particularly troublesome people.
He'd heard they mostly kept to themselves.
Krang stood up and walked outside.
Just as he had said, the weather was clear.
"The outside might be more dangerous."
The guard warned.
"But it's stifling in here."
Krang replied, pulling out a bottle from his waist and taking a drink.
That simple act revealed something.
He couldn't even eat or drink freely.
He likely only consumed food and drink he prepared himself.
Encrid walked beside Krang, matching his pace.
"Don't get too close."
The guard warned.
"Don't interfere."
Krang silenced him instead.
"Care to join us?"
Krang asked Krais. Krais looked at his Commander for a moment.
"Follow."
Encrid said.
"Yes."
Krais made it clear whose orders he followed.
Only after Encrid's approval did he fall in behind them.
"Don't worry too much, soldier. I didn't come here to cause trouble."
Krang spoke, his eyes narrowing slightly into a soft smile that suited him well.
If he wasn't here to target his Commander, then why had he come?
"I'm here for a visit."
Krang said with the same smile.
Encrid remained silent, while Krais nodded on the surface but became even more suspicious inside.
A royal bastard, a key figure in a civil war.
Could such a man really be here just for a casual visit?
But Krang's actions seemed to align with his words.
He wandered around the barracks, circling the training grounds, chatting away.
And yet, he didn't say a single word about choosing sides.
"It's because of the Empire. The Empire buried the Royal Language. Erased it."
"Unifying the language is considered one of the Empire's greatest achievements."
Krais voiced a natural question during their conversation. The unification of the language by the Empire was hailed as a great achievement.
Yes, that was true.
But shouldn't they have respected the Royal Language in doing so?
"What is language, soldier?"
"Words, words... hmm."
Krais paused for a moment, as deep thinking was his specialty. His thought process was different from others, much like how the thoughts of those called sages also differ.
"Culture, a part of the culture has been lost."
"Exactly, soldier."
Krang smiled softly. Seeing that smile, Krais thought that if this man weren't royalty, he'd make a perfect player in a salon.
The Royal Language had been buried by the empire's tyranny.
The reason? To strengthen control.
So why would the empire do this?
Were they trying to unify the continent?
No, it was to exploit the benefits that come from watching Kingdoms fight among themselves.
Not for the unification of the continent, but for some other gain.
What was that gain? He didn't know. But he could roughly see the structure of it.
The removal of the language? It was to control the Kingdoms and move them according to the Empire's will.
From a political standpoint, it was a brilliant move.
"It's a troublesome matter."
As Krais listened, he felt a sense of unease.
This was because…
'He's already assuming he'll become King and is planning for the future.'
Krang had already defined the Empire as the enemy.
He was right. Krang was confident of his victory. He took it for granted that he would inherit the throne.
And if he failed?
Why would he care? The Royal Family would be of no concern to him after he was dead.
"Count Molsen is quite formidable, isn't he?"
Encrid also hit the core of the issue. Was Krang not worried?
"Well, things will work out one way or another."
Does he even have a plan?
Krang seemed puzzled by the question.
"Things will work out?"
Krais asked, bewildered.
At that moment, Krang stopped walking.
He stood there and raised his palm, facing backward.
Seeing this, Encrid, the guard, and Krais stopped as well.
Krang took a single step forward, distancing himself by two paces from the group.
"The Kingdoms are at war with one another, and those who aspire to be Kings are everywhere. The continent is overrun with monsters and beasts. Within the Royal Family, the voices of nobles rise above the Queen's head, yet there are too few hands to bring them in line. Those called Knights are barely managing to fill the gaps in the Demon Realm. Many have abandoned their loyalty in pursuit of their own greed, and they are scattered everywhere."
His voice, at just the right volume, spread through the bushes beside the barracks.
The sound reached the ears of those who had stopped.
It was as if a spotlight had been cast on him in a dark theater, drawing all focus toward him.
Krang had done this with just a few steps, a few gestures, and a few words.
After capturing everyone's attention, Krang spoke again.
"My task is to ensure that doesn't happen."