After that, the war came to an end, and Eirene achieved a victory without precedent.
Valcion, Nereia, and the petty states of the east hurried to send documents of surrender one after another. I began “cleaning up” their territories piece by piece, laying the foundations for the kingdom’s future prosperity.
At the same time, I carried out the executions of those who had spearheaded the war, bringing a definitive end to the chaos.
Thereafter, the news of our triumph rode the wind, spreading across the entirety of Greece.
Valcion’s iron mines and Nereia’s fertile plains fell into my hands, and the petty states of the east opened their gates of their own accord, submitting to my rule.
I sank deep into my throne, scanning the ornate letters piled atop the desk in my study.
These flattering gifts, arriving before the screams of war had even fully died down, were so smooth they were almost nauseating.
“The ones who held their breath when they smelled blood on the battlefield are suddenly so quick on their feet.”
At my cynical murmur, Medea, who was pouring tea beside me, let a faint smile touch her lips.
“That is the survival instinct of the lawless, Your Majesty. From now on, they will lose sleep wondering what you think of them.”
At Medea’s words, I let out a short laugh.
“...Then it should be quiet for a while.”
With that, I picked up a letter from Valcion.
At first glance, it was a politely sealed document.
And yet, the sensation at my fingertips felt subtly wrong.
“...Is this a method you've seen before?”
I asked, my eyes never leaving the parchment.
Medea tilted her head slightly and stepped closer.
“...”
Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she inspected the secret missive.
“Your Majesty. That letter...”
Before she could finish, I had already broken the seal.
Riiip—
A brief tearing sound.
In that instant—
Whoosh—
A sharp crack split the air.
From inside the letter, a short iron needle, no longer than a finger, shot out.
It wasn't fast enough to be seen clearly, but the distance was far too close.
An unavoidable distance.
Thud—
“...”
The sensation of the needle driving deep into my shoulder.
Only then did Medea’s hand seize my arm.
“Your Majesty!”
Her voice shook more violently than I had ever heard it.
I lowered my gaze.
The short needle was embedded in my shoulder, and from its tip, a black liquid began to spread.
“...Poison. Those bastards. To think they would prepare something like this.”
Having been struck by a moment's carelessness, I spoke with a strange calmness.
But Medea reacted instantly.
Her magical energy surged, pressing down around the wound to suppress the toxin.
“Do not move.”
Her voice was low, but it was unmistakably trembling.
“...It is not immediate. But...”
She didn't finish the sentence.
Someone as brilliant as she was already knew the outcome.
I let out a short breath.
“...Valcion, then.”
“Most likely...”
Medea’s eyes turned cold and sunken.
“...So they don't think it's over yet.”
I leaned back and slowly closed my eyes.
“...Good.”
A tiny, cruel smile formed at the corner of my mouth.
“...I have one more thing to clean up.”
***
After returning to the capital, I attempted to control the spread of the news regarding my poisoning.
However—
“We must retaliate against those despicable wretches!!”
“That’s right, Your Majesty! We must make the bastards of Valcion pay...!!”
Once the retainers and knights learned of Valcion’s treachery, they looked ready to storm out of the palace at any second.
“...First, I agree that Valcion must be dealt with. Beginning with the public execution of those who orchestrated this... cough...!”
Just as I was delivering my judgment, the poison surged, and I coughed up blood right in front of my subordinates.
“Your Majesty!!”
“My King!!”
The retainers were far more panicked than I was, rushing forward to check my condition.
“Court physician! Summon the physician at once!!”
“If he doesn't arrive in time, throw him out of the castle!!”
They scrambled to find the royal doctors.
“No... I can still endure for now...”
“Please, just stay still, Your Majesty!”
“That’s right! We will handle the Valcion bastards ourselves!!”
Insisting that I needed absolute rest, they forcibly escorted me to my room, laid me on the bed, and dragged the physicians to my side.
The meeting was brought to an abrupt, forced end. Immediately, the knights began checking their weapons, preparing everything necessary to march on Valcion this very instant.
All of this had happened in less than an hour since I had first coughed up blood.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register