Chapter 123: Chapter 123

Shan and Cheryn’s engagement was, for the time being, kept secret from the outside world.

If they were to suddenly present it right after saying they ‘thought of it as just one of the options,’ the ministers would consider the discussion in the meeting itself to be a deception.

Strictly speaking, it was indeed deception, but originally, politics was an art where one had to act as though one had not deceived anyone even while engaging in deception.

It meant that giving off the impression that meetings with the monarch were mere formalities was troublesome.

Of course, despite keeping it secret, rumors gradually spread word by mouth.

Once they crossed the line, the contact between the two became more natural and frequent than before.

They subtly held hands even in broad daylight, or walked side by side while linking arms without hesitation.

There were even stories that when conversing in places like the lounge, they did not sit facing each other, but sat with their shoulders touching.

In truth, the rumors quietly spreading from the maids serving the Queen were partly intended.

If she had truly intended to leave no gaps, Cheryn would have used her spiders to secretly observe the maids and caught and punished whoever spread the rumors.

Even if rumors spread like this anyway, it was difficult for the ministers to go to the Queen and question her about it.

For them, as men, to interrogate the Queen on whether she was having more than necessary contact with the Lord Protector carried a high risk of being regarded as harassment.

And so, about a week passed in such a somewhat strangely floating atmosphere.

Finally, the execution date of the traitors drew near.

“Come out!”

Clang! Those imprisoned in the royal castle’s dungeon winced at the bright sunlight they had not seen in a long time.

They received their sentences from the magistrates at the court situated on one side of the royal castle.

Treason against the royal family, attempted assassination of the King, illegal formation of a faction…

The outcome of all kinds of charges piled on was naturally death.

Cheryn observed this sight as a party to the trial and an attendee without a single change in her expression.

Seeing this, the ministers who came to observe simultaneously felt admiration and fear.

Surely, when plotting a scheme to kill someone, it was proper to show some emotion, was it not?

Even if it was not guilt, then at least a sense of accomplishment or anger.

However, on Cheryn’s face as she looked at the prisoners being dragged out, there was only a languid air as if she were bored.

If strangers looked on, they would have thought she was attending the trial of someone completely unrelated.

Leaving the court, the prisoners were immediately escorted by the guards to the central plaza of Hasra.

Wearing only rags in weather cold enough to see one’s breath, their entire bodies shivered violently.

The gathered citizens jeered as they watched the shabbily dressed prisoners.

“Dirty traitors!”

“Die!”

At the stones, rotten eggs, tomatoes, and the like flying from all directions, the prisoners grimaced and covered their heads with their shackled hands.

These attacks stopped only after the escorting guards grimaced and shouted several times for them not to throw things.

Dragged onto the execution platform, the nobles trembled at the gazes of the citizens looking at them.

The citizens did not wear excited expressions as if considering the execution a fun pastime, as was usually the case.

Their Queen who had restored peace and prosperity to Pendia, which had once been like hell.

The citizens who heard that they had not only disobeyed her, but even tried to kill her, were looking at the prisoners with expressions full of hatred and spite.

Even if the execution were canceled right this instant, they would probably fail to escape the plaza and die at the hands of the citizens.

At this sight, the young Duke of Ranpel unwittingly muttered in a low voice.

“Why on earth…”

Cheryn, that woman destroyed all the existing order.

She was a tyrant who robbed the noble rights rightfully bestowed by the Goddess and sought to enforce her own laws throughout the kingdom.

Therefore, anyone who knew righteousness ought to have striven alongside them to resist her and establish proper order.

Yet the uncivilized commoners, the ignorant fools who could not even read a single letter, were busy following such a Queen with joy while cursing and denouncing those who tried to undo it.

To wag their tongues and submit just because she filled their bellies a little… how was this any different from dogs?

Lice who did not even know what pride, honor, or loyalty were.

Now, this kingdom would perish under the rule of a vulgar mage Queen and a dirty, despicable Altoan duke.

Even if they realized they were right only then, it would all be after everything was over.

That fact was so deeply heartbreaking that Duke of Ranpel unwittingly shed tears the moment the rope was looped around his neck.

Before long, the flailing bodies of the nobles hung limp.

*

At the hour when the traitors were executed, Cheryn was not present at the execution ground.

Attending the trial was a necessary formality, but there were many tasks far more important than watching such fools die.

For instance, summoning and rewarding those who had been mobilized for the previous Demonic Realm expedition.

“Here, this is your share.”

“…Thank you, may you live long, Your Majesty!”

First, to the priests and mages, she provided funds that could be used for the operating expenses of their respective monasteries or the research budgets of their schools.

To the knights and squires, she promised to craft powerful magic devices for them.

It was an ample amount, enough for all of them to praise the Queen’s generosity, saying their hard work had truly been worthwhile.

After all, a reputation for generosity sounded far better than one for stinginess, and in truth, the results obtained from this expedition carried immense value.

Of course, proper compensation ought to be granted to the Lord Protector, who had performed the greatest merit.

The Queen’s lounge.

Sitting side by side with Shan on a long bench, Cheryn explained the method for utilizing the gains obtained this time.

“A magic device using True Gold?”

“Yeah. I plan to use about half of the amount we got this time, plus the True Silver we obtained last time, to make it.”

During the Battle of Mount Aman, several of the knights of the Ajun Kingdom whom Shan killed used weapons made of True Silver.

That was because they were descendants of those who had performed great deeds during the ancient True Silver War.

The weapons captured at that time were still stuffed in the royal vault, and the plan was to melt them down to extract True Silver for use this time.

Since the foolish Ajun bastards had not even imbued magic power into the True Silver anyway, it was better to use it like this.

“But why a shield?”

“Thousand Shapes was used openly last time and rumors spread, right? If you’re going to use that freely, weapons are fine, you have plenty of spare swords, armor is hard to fix right away, so that leaves only a shield.”

“Aha.”

“Besides, a way to make good use of True Gold’s characteristics came to mind.”

Cheryn even added hand gestures as she explained the functions of the shield she was designing.

First, the first function was changing between several forms, just like the armor.

Normally, it could be worn as a bracelet, and then switched to a small buckler or medium shield form for use.

From the medium shield upward, being able to grip it with a hand for stable use was an added bonus.

“Then while using the shield, you’ll also be able to quickly switch to a two-handed weapon.”

“Oh… You haven’t even learned martial arts, yet you think of such things so well.”

“One knows all this without trying it.”

Her cute appearance as she held her head high and puffed up with pride made Shan kiss her cheek without realizing it.

Her eyes widening in surprise, Cheryn embraced Shan as if refusing to lose and kissed him back.

After their hands intertwined with fingers laced together for a while, Cheryn lightly patted his shoulder.

“…Haa.”

“Only this far?”

“Yeah. For now.”

Though harsh for two young people in full flame, Cheryn was surprisingly strict in moral standards on this point.

It was due to her rebellious feelings against her sexually licentious father, as well as being regarded as easy since childhood due to her appearance.

Because if she acted like a truly easy woman, it would prove that the groundless accusations directed at her were correct.

Therefore, only kisses and light contact during engagement, and going further than that after marriage.

Considering that southern noble ladies thought little of playing with fire with men several times even before their coming-of-age ceremonies, it was a principle so rigid as to be quite prudish.

Suppressing the inner shout to jump the Queen right away, Shan cooled his heated body.

Cheryn carefully wiped off the makeup on Shan’s mouth with a handkerchief and spoke.

“And second is the function of adapting to the enemy’s attack. The True Gold coated on the surface reads incoming attacks and manifests resistance against them.”

If it was a physical attack, as hard as True Iron; if flame, flame resistance; if cold, cold resistance; if corrosive attacks like poison or acid, resistance according to that…

The possibility of a shield that changed and defended according to incoming attacks being pierced was virtually nonexistent.

Unless physical force on the scale of an entire castle wall collapsing was applied.

“Such a thing is possible?”

“Of course. Even this is merely an extremely primitive method of using True Gold. I wish there had been a better way.”

Cheryn spoke with a regretful expression.

Though he did not fully understand, it seemed to be a matter of wounded pride for her.

Afterward, the conversation continued about what to do with the remaining half.

Due to True Gold’s characteristics, it was good to share as a substitute in various previously blocked studies, so she intended to utilize it in that direction, and there were quite a few among them that seemed fairly useful.

Exclaiming in admiration several times and giving reactions that satisfied Cheryn, Shan brought up the words he had been thinking while she briefly quenched her dry throat with tea.

“Come to think of it, I plan to visit the northwest region this time.”

“The northwest?”

“Yes. Didn’t you say it’s been noisy lately because those Ajun Kingdom stragglers stirred up the Blade Mountains before?”

“That is true.”

This happened to be an item brought up in this morning’s meeting as well.

Not long ago, the remnants of the Ajun Kingdom’s army stirred up the Blade Mountains, and ended up giving the creatures living inside a taste of human flesh.

Thanks to that, monsters kept sluggishly crawling out of the mountains and prowling near areas where people lived.

It might be fine now, but as time passed, immense loss of life would undoubtedly follow.

Since the already desolate northwest could not solve it on its own, sending an army from the capital was necessary.

At Shan’s words that he would command it himself, Cheryn replied with a somewhat unenthusiastic expression.

“Honestly, this isn’t something you need to go for…”

Of course, having Shan step forward personally was better for preventing potential damage.

Since it was common for ordinary knights to die or get injured against powerful high-tier monsters.

Strictly speaking, it was also the duty of the Lord Protector who guarded the kingdom.

However, frankly speaking, she did not want to send her lover, with whom she had just begun dating in earnest, out into the field.

Eating together, conversing, and sharing warmth while sitting shoulder-to-shoulder like this made her so happy.

Even if the northwest was relatively close to the capital, they would still have to be separated for several weeks, would they not?

Of course, the same went for Shan, but he had something he wished to accomplish even if it meant leaving this sweet life.

“I want to become a person worthy of you, Sister. It won’t be easy, but if I perform more deeds and build up merit, even a little bit, I can get closer to that.”

The ambition to slay more monsters, accumulate more honor and achievements, and stand proudly beside Cheryn.

Hearing this, Cheryn chuckled, placed her forehead against Shan’s broad chest, and spoke.

“Even without doing that, you’re already a person too good for me.”

Cheryn, laughing with a sweet expression, was so vastly different from the person who watched the execution judgment with an expressionless face just this morning.

*

By the Queen’s order, the Lord Protector’s departure consisted of an army of exactly three hundred men.

Five knights, five priests, and two hundred ninety soldiers.

In truth, this was a somewhat large number for merely setting out to hunt monsters.

Since there were not many opportunities for ordinary soldiers to active against powerful monsters anyway, expanding the scale would only slow down the marching speed and consume lots of provisions.

Yet the reason so many troops were mobilized was that monster hunting was not the sole purpose of this expedition.

While setting out anyway, Cheryn wanted Shan to tour and inspect the entire western region, starting from the northwest down to the southwest.

‘Since there might be factions rebelling against the mass execution of the central and western lords this time, take control of that area along with the monster hunt. Also check if my deputies are governing properly.’

The visit of the Lord Protector accompanied by armed elite troops would be enough to give them a sense of vigilance.

In the west, where almost all armies had been disbanded during the previous war anyway, no one could oppose such a force.

The four knights accompanying Shan were Roden, Lug, Vico, and Tavera.

Turning his head to see familiar faces following, Shan smiled and spoke.

“Now then, shall we get going?”

“Sounds great!”

“Honestly, there’s really no rest, is there?”

“Ten days was plenty of rest, what are you talking about?”

As they conversed while departing Hasra’s West Gate, Arwin let out a roar while lifting her front legs in excitement.

They proceeded straight west, crossed a large bridge built over the river, and moved north along the river.

Being near the capital and easy to obtain water, there were exceptionally many villages in this vicinity.

Whenever they passed such places for meals and lodging, they received an enthusiastic response.

“M-M-May Your Majesty the L-Lord Protector be blessed!”

“Drop ‘Your Majesty.’ That is a title only the master of the kingdom may use.”

“I-I am so sorry! This humble one is an ignorant fool to commit such rudeness!”

At the sight of the village chief trembling and bowing with his head pressed to the ground, Shan wore an embarrassed expression.

Then again, if a mere village chief faced a Duke of the kingdom and the Lord Protector, such a response was only proper.

Even the knights under his command, greenhorns like Vico or Tavera, were beings above the clouds to commoners.

Considering that being refused lodging in this vicinity when crossing over from Libert in the past was a mere few years ago, it was truly laughable.

Fortunately, the villages they passed were prosperous enough to support an army of several hundred without issue.

Among them were a few places being rebuilt after collapsing during the civil war, but it was thanks to enjoying the effects alongside Cheryn as she developed Hasra.

Around the time they passed several villages while marching north, Shan felt a strange sense of incongruity.

“Why does it feel like the number of Altoans has increased compared to before?”

“Is that so? Come to think of it, there are indeed many, for sure. I don’t think even Beshalia had this many.”

Lug, who had never been to this vicinity before, looked around with a puzzled expression.

The one who answered was Roden, who had been listening quietly from the side.

“I heard that lately, many Altoans have been coming over from Libert.”

“Really?”

“Civil war is still ongoing over there. To be precise, one should say they took a break… Besides, stories that discrimination against Altoans decreased due to your influence have spread far and wide.”

Unlike Pendia, in Libert, an Old Faith nation, Altoans were merely a wandering people without even a settled dwelling.

Their number was about several thousand.

A considerable portion of them heard Shan’s fame, crossed Solod Castle, and were settling throughout the western region of Pendia.

Normally, the westerners, who were mostly Old Faith believers, would have beaten such a group thoroughly and driven them out, but with the Altoan Duke’s fame resounding throughout the kingdom, doing so was difficult.

Furthermore, the deputies currently appointed by Cheryn to govern the western region also actively supported the settlement of this population.

In Pendia, where young men had died off in the midst of the civil war, even a single pair of hands was precious.

At the fact that such a thing was happening due to his fame, Shan asked in surprise.

“Why am I hearing this for the first time?”

“Perhaps a report was sent up to you, but you didn’t look at it?”

At Roden’s words, Shan feigned ignorance, turned his head, and averted his gaze.

*

After several days of marching, having left Hasra’s domain, they now stopped by cities with somewhat larger scales one by one.

Originally, the lords of this region governed by Conrad and Duke of Morayen had mostly surrendered their governing rights to Cheryn, so her deputies were ruling them.

Shan met with them to discuss whether there were uncomfortable points or problems to solve, while checking if they were exploiting the people or unrighteously wielding power.

Of course, most of this type of work was handled by Roden.

“Why are the ledger details a bit strange? Here, why doesn’t the grain sales payment match the receipt? Where did the difference go?”

“Huh? Uh, th-that is…”

A few deputies who had not prepared after hearing only rumors that those following the Lord Protector were merely common soldiers and an ignorant band of knights suffered harsh treatment.

Those who committed relatively light corruption ended with a reprimand and a report, but those who committed atrocities at an intolerable level were ousted from their positions on the spot.

“Ugh!”

“Lock this bastard in prison and contact the capital to send a new deputy. Meanwhile, the local chief magistrate will take the position.”

“I-I am a deputy appointed by Her Majesty the Queen! No matter how much of a Lord Protector you are-“

“Here, this is the appointment letter signed by Her Ladyship personally. As the Queen’s Inspector, I strip you of all your rights, so if you wish to keep even your teeth intact, do not show yourself before me.”

At the harsh threat, the deputy could not speak further and bowed his head.

Of course, the deputies also commanded dozens or hundreds of soldiers in their respective cities, but they did not dare trust in this to hold out or resist.

Because fighting against the Lord Protector and the royal knights leading a genuine army behind them (clearly on a different dimension from soldiers roughly gathered for maintaining order) was nothing short of suicide.

In the first place, they were not lords carrying long history and tradition, and no fool would follow the words of a deputy appointed by the Queen to die together.

This fact was conveyed to the citizens before long.

“Long live Her Majesty the Queen!”

“Long live the Lord Protector!”

“Finally, that trash bastard is being dragged out!”

At the story that the deputy who had been accepting all sorts of bribes and committing atrocities was kicked by the Lord Protector and tumbled down the stairs, people cheered without exception.

How many things were as enjoyable as the story of a high-and-mighty figure coming down and refreshingly wiping out corruption?

Even those who regarded the Lord Protector, an Altoan, with somewhat lukewarm feelings laughed and talked about it over drinks.

Not a few prayed for him to quickly come to their city as well.

Passing several cities like that, news of the problematic monsters was finally delivered at the center of the northwest region.

A deputy who received evaluations of having worked quite faithfully spoke to Shan with a heavy expression.

“Starting a while ago, no one who entered the nearby forest has returned alive. Even several errant knights were all done in…”

Fortunately, thanks to a guide who guided the knights, the identity of the creature lurking inside was confirmed.

He said he saw the bodies of the knights who rushed forward shouting bravely stiffen as they were turned into stone.

At the story of the monster with magical eyes that turned anything into stone the moment they met gazes (the basilisk) the knights wore excited expressions.