Chapter 50: Revolution Era - Turning Point
Days had passed since the incident, in the drawing room of Christine’s
mansion.
“Indeed, being active feels better than just resting.”
Christine remarked, sipping her coffee.
“Honestly, I still think you need a bit more rest.”
She had insisted that she had rested enough and attended the National
Assembly, but to me, she still seemed unsettled.
“Thanks for your concern, but I dislike being treated like a delicate doll.”
With that rebuttal, I had no comeback, so I changed the subject.
“Maximilian Zidor was somewhat unexpected.”
“Indeed.”
Hearing my words, Christine glanced away, looking at the documents laid out on
the table.
Maximilian Zidor, who had missed the last assembly, attended this time. Yet,
he and the other members didn’t mention the incident at all.
Christine had prepared the documents in case he brought up the incident, ready
to respond, but they weren’t needed.
After a brief silence, Christine tilted her head slightly and spoke.
“Perhaps, for him, that was the utmost compromise.”
Compromise, indeed.
A situation where some from his faction had disregarded the laws of the
Republic and harmed the citizens and Christine in the heart of Lumiere, and I,
disregarding the law, had killed those who should have been judged according
to the Republic’s laws.
It seemed like a choice he made because he couldn’t outright blame me without
being hypocritical, given his principles.
-If an order can only be maintained like this, it’s better to let it collapse.
Words I had said with a sword pointed at Zidor's neck.
-So prove it. Show whether this republic truly holds values worth protecting.
A person who was confident in his righteousness and swept away those resisting
reform, claiming it was a necessary sacrifice for the few for the sake of the
majority.
Could such a person change?
It’s uncertain at this moment.
I let out a small sigh and apologized to Christine, but I was too late to say
what I said.
“I’m sorry about this incident, Christine.”
“What for?”
“...For killing all those you had strategically spared for your political
maneuvering.”
I had truly lost my senses then.
Maximilian Zidor and the National Assembly let it pass, but it could have
easily become a significant issue if they had chosen to pursue it.
Christine leisurely sipped her coffee.
Setting down her cup, she surprisingly smiled and replied.
“It’s okay, Pierre. I never intended to sweep away all the radicals with that
anyway.”
“...Is that so?”
Christine nodded gently in agreement.
“Yes. The justification isn’t sufficient, and if we were to completely sweep
away the radicals, it would only sever our alliance with the moderates. That
would leave us at a numerical disadvantage, wouldn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
Though currently, we and the moderates seem to be on the same side, our
alliance was formed primarily to check the majority radicals, not because our
interests fully align.
“What I wanted was to use the National Assembly as a means to issue a warning,
to sweep away only those with clear charges. I intended to entrust you with
this task, Pierre. Not just as a military commander, but also to cement your
influence within the National Assembly.”
Christine set down her coffee cup and picked up a cookie, biting off half and
chewing thoughtfully.
Seeing her, who usually had quick bread in her office for meals, living more
humanely made me relax naturally.
Catching my softened expression, Christine smiled slyly, swallowed her cookie,
and spoke.
“Anyway, the goal was achieved. The radicals are thoroughly intimidated, and
the assembly can’t openly oppose us as before. Honestly, I doubt my plan would
have been as effective.”
“...Is that so?”
All I did was lash out in a frenzy, and it turned out this way?
“Yes. In the assembly, your presence has become, um, something like a natural
disaster.
They think it’s better not to provoke you, not knowing what you might do if
crossed.”
“A natural disaster...”
Is that really a good thing?
As I began to feel a twinge of self-reproach, Christine poured more coffee
into her cup and continued.
“Considering you have an uncontrollable force and military power, making you
already difficult to deal with, and add to that your direct approach without
political maneuvering, dialogue, or compromise, it’s natural they see you this
way.”
I pressed my temples with my hands.
“...For the sake of public sentiment, I should probably exercise some
restraint for a while.”
“Yes, I’d appreciate that. But still...”
Christine chuckled softly and then spoke.
“You don’t have to worry too much for now, Pierre. Supporting you in that
aspect is part of my role, and surprisingly, your popularity in the streets of
Lumière has actually increased.”
“...Really?”
I was relieved not to be branded a mad killer, but why?
Christine responded with a playful smile, ditching her usual gentle and
elegant tone for an incredibly rapid pace.
“A knight, enraged by the attack on a lady he adored by villains using demonic
devices for terror, rushes to punish them, and proposes to the lady, who
barely survived, as soon as she opened her eyes.”
It took me a moment to grasp her words.
By the time I did, my ears were burning.
“That’s the story circulating around Lumière. It’s the kind of tale that would
be popular with anyone.”
The one who said it seemed amused, leaving the embarrassment solely to me.
It’s all true, so I couldn’t deny it.
So I really did act that way.
Realizing it made me feel mortified...
“The ones who died had committed unforgivable acts, and there are many in
Lumière and the Aquitaine trade guilds who have lost family to them. To the
people, decisive retribution, even if brutal, resonates more than lofty
principles.”
...Speaking so easily of someone else’s affairs.
Catching my direct gaze, Christine’s face reddened slightly as she averted her
eyes.
“I was quite shocked when I first heard it. I had to double-check to make sure
it wasn’t about someone else.”
“I didn’t know I could act like such a madman either.”
Saying so, I rose from my seat and moved to the sofa where Christine was
sitting, plopping down next to her.
“So, I hope such a thing never happens again. From now on, no matter the
benefit or intention, please avoid situations that could even slightly
endanger you.”
Christine was silent for a moment before nodding gently.
“I understand, Pierre. ...I won’t do such things anymore.”
The look in Christine’s eyes as she spoke was definitively emotional.
Gone were the dull, cold eyes that seemed capable of casually gambling with
her own life.
When I quietly reached out and took Christine’s hand, she asked,
“What will you do now?”
“The plan remains the same. You in the assembly, and I in the military, will
maintain our influence and protect this country against foreign threats.”
King Louis is still in power. We have yet to dismantle the last remnants of
that corrupt kingdom.
The Imperial Army of the Germanian Empire, led by Archduke Leopold, is a
formidable foe, and the military strength of the Northern Union Kingdom cannot
be underestimated.
The Abyss Corporation, which we thought had been quiet for a while, continues
to threaten us.
The reason they are so fixated on us is....
Honestly, there are so many possibilities that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly
why.
“But that’s just a means to an end. The Republic and the Assembly are tools we
consider necessary to grasp a better future.”
Joining the Republic was an unavoidable move for survival.
Our forces, having burned bridges with King Louis, were barely half the size
of the Republic’s, not to mention insufficient to stand against foreign
powers.
However, that didn’t mean...
Just because we joined the Republic, it didn’t mean they were right, or that
we had to unite our strengths solely to defend their Republic.
We couldn’t rationalize sacrificing our own people just to conform to them, to
bear losses for the sake of integration.
The sacrifice of a few for the good of the many.
Those who believe their ideology is the absolute truth inevitably commit
errors comparable to their fanaticism.
Liberty, equality, philanthropy.
I realized that even the man who defeated me, Raphael Ballian, had merely used
the values of the Republic for the people as a pretext.
“There is no ideology or cause that is absolutely right.”
The reasons I prepared from the beginning to persuade me and my people were
merely a means to survive by joining the Republic.
The moment we believed in that cause as justice and blindly followed it, we
were engulfed by the ideology itself.
“If their ideology and system prove beneficial to us, I am willing to join
hands with them. However, if they become a threat to us, I will not hesitate
to turn my sword against them.”
Ultimately, the most important thing is for me and those who have trusted in
me to survive this era of turmoil and secure a future befitting our efforts.
“It’s not about the Republic or the state. Christine, I will fight for you. I
will fight for those who follow us. ...I won’t sacrifice anything more.”
If anyone dares to threaten us with their version of justice,
Be it the Republic, foreign powers, or demons. Whoever it may be. Even if it’s
a god.
I’ll eliminate them all if necessary.
I lifted Christine’s hand and gently kissed the back of it.
Looking into her eyes as if seeking permission, Christine responded with a
gentle smile.
“As always, I’ll lend you my strength. ...Because I am yours.”
I smiled back at her. Together, we could surely accomplish anything.
As I thought this, Christine spoke up.
“Pierre, it’s time to return to the battlefield.”
“Yes. The enemies will threaten us again once they’ve regrouped.”
Christine hesitated uncharacteristically before speaking again.
“...You’re going with the saintess, no. The princess, right?”
“That’s right?”
Christine glanced at me, seemingly gauging my reaction, then hesitantly said,
“I trust you’re not the type to look elsewhere while engaged.”
What?
Look elsewhere? Me? With whom? ...Eris?
But more importantly, how did this topic emerge from the previous
conversation’s atmosphere?
“...All of a sudden?”
Christine’s face flushed.
“It’s not sudden. You’re often seen together when I’m not around, so it’s
natural for me to be concerned. It’s important to me.”
“But you seemed unconcerned until now?”
Christine looked exasperated, then averted her gaze slightly before speaking.
“I pretended not to care because I wasn’t in a position to. But that girl,
even I can see she’s strikingly beautiful.”
“Don’t you consider yourself to have a striking appearance as well?”
I narrowed my eyes, looking at Christine who seemed to have lost her usual
composure, fidgeting restlessly.
Eris and I do trust each other and share common goals, but...
“...Christine, did you ever harbor romantic feelings serving the king as a
noble?”
Christine looked somewhat incredulous.
“If the king were young, looked like you, and was as kind as you, maybe.”
Ah, that didn’t work. Dropping the playful tone, I continued seriously.
“...Eris despises power and truly cares for the people of this country. Her
ideology is much more for the people than mine, or even the Republic’s.
Imagine if she were to become queen and marry someone with military power like
me. What do you think would happen?”
“A saint queen and a war hero. It would herald the return of an exceptionally
strong monarchy.”
“Yes. So, neither Eris nor I have ever considered such a thing.
If I had such plans, Eris would’ve fled immediately. ...And.”
Having said that, I pulled Christine closer and kissed her.
Her surprised black eyes slowly closed, and I let the moment linger, pouring
all my feelings and care for her into it.
Breaking away from the soft, sweet contact, I felt her breath slightly
quickened and said,
“You taste sweet.”
Christine’s face flushed deeply, recalling the cookie she had just eaten.
“Do you understand now? How sincere I am about you. Such doubts sadden me a
bit.”
She couldn’t lift her face, and as I smiled satisfactorily and was about to
pull away, she caught my sleeve.
“Christine?”
“It was just a bit sudden.”
With her face flushed to the point of no return, Christine looked at me and
pleaded,
“...If you do it once more, I think I’ll understand for sure.”
“....”
I can't take her to the battlefield like this, right?
To think I’d come to realize I truly am of the damn blue knight’s lineage in
such a manner.
***
In the church of Lumière, within a dark and cramped room, Bishop Richelieu,
once a leader of the Republic and respected by the people, was deeply
engrossed in prayer, kneeling.
The candlelight illuminating the room’s darkness flickered precariously.
“O Father, Lord, we have committed grave sins.”
When Sieyes’ encouragement had made him a central figure among the people,
Richelieu believed he could guide them towards a better path.
He had faith that by enlightening the people and uniting their strength to
voice righteousness, even a king who had turned away from God would reconsider
and heed their words.
“Forgive the sins of your flock, who serve You.”
However, the reality diverged from his expectations.
When the concept of human rights was etched upon the accumulated anger from
years of oppression and exploitation, the people transformed from powerless
and naive sheep into a pack of wolves starved for blood.
Richelieu turned his eyes away from the bloody revolution that blossomed from
the seeds he had sown and retreated into seclusion.
He trembled in fear daily at the terrible sound of the guillotine falling and
the frenzied cheers of the crowd witnessing the severed heads.
“Please, look upon us with mercy.”
When terrorism using the tools of demons erupted in broad daylight in the
city’s streets, Richelieu was seized by a profound sense of despair.
The revolution should never have occurred.
Perhaps he had preached too fervently about liberty, equality, and
philanthropy.
The governance by the people, democracy, might have been proclaimed too soon.
Perhaps, it’s eternally unsuitable for mankind.
“Please, guide us.”
Perhaps, frail and foolish humans ultimately require someone to lead them.
Yet, he failed.
Who could possibly lead the masses, now corrupted by power they had never
tasted, intoxicated by strength they had never wielded, their once pure
foundations shaken?
What kind of hero would it take to guide such people back onto the right path-
“Ah-!”
A sudden gust of wind blew through the open window.
The weak candlelight flickering in the dark room was helplessly extinguished,
and the newspaper on the desk fluttered wildly in the air.
“Is this my punishment for my folly, O Lord?”
After the wind passed, Bishop Richelieu rose to his feet and looked down at
the newspaper that had fallen at his feet.
More precisely.
He saw the portrait printed on the newspaper, illuminated by the moonlight
that was invisible when the candle was lit.
Raphael Ballian, who had defeated the armies of three nations and had rapidly
become a hero to the Republic and its people.
Gazing at the moonlit portrait for a long while, Richelieu knelt down again in
front of the holy statue.
Previous Chapter〣Index〣Next Chapter