TCCIO 44

Chapter 44. Talk to Me

King Iorenti stood by the window of his office, gazing down at the royal palace. Just yesterday, the castle had been engulfed in chaos. The imperial army surged forward to seize the fortress. The royal guards struggled desperately to hold them back until the last moment. Courtiers fled in fear. The disorder they created together was like a scene from hell. Yet now, in just one day, it had become so quiet.

The Iorenti palace was asleep with a silence that made the previous day’s pandemonium seem unreal. Trampled flowers hung limp, and charred trees cast a gloomy atmosphere shrouded in silence. Seeing the traces of chaos left around the castle confirmed that this was no dream. What on earth was happening?

The king searched for meaning in the silence as he looked out the window. Reflected in the glass above the trampled garden was the figure of the queen.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

The queen approached from behind, wrapping her arms around the king’s waist. To calm her anxious heart, she rested her cheek on her husband’s shoulder.

“I was recalling yesterday’s events.”

“I can’t forget either. Why did that strange general lock us up here?”

“I have no idea. There must be some meaning behind it.”

“I thought they’d kill us, like they did to Royeni and Kirens.”

“I don’t understand his actions either. Why did he spare us?”

The king stroked the queen’s arms around his waist as he remembered yesterday. The general who came to the Iorenti palace had fiercely aimed his rifle, demanding cooperation.

“Hand over the crown.”

The king thought it natural to surrender the crown as a defeated monarch and handed it over. The general then demanded more cooperation.

“Both of you step down from the throne.”

The king believed this was standard before execution and stepped down from the throne. After that, the general asked them to leave briefly. From that moment, something felt off, but swept away by the general’s courteous demeanor, the king followed the imperial troops.

But what he really could not understand was the general’s last demand. As the king, leaning on his cane and dragging his uncomfortable leg, tried to leave the grand hall, the general spoke behind his back.

“We’ll have to list that cane under Collection No. 2947. You’ll have to give it to me as well.”

At that moment, the king thought, That general is not right in the head. He reluctantly handed over his cane, but the uneasy feeling did not disappear.

While the king was lost in thought recalling yesterday’s events, the queen’s worry continued.

“I’m uneasy because I don’t know what they might do. Why on earth have they spared us?”

The king turned to look at the queen. Her shoulders trembled thinly with fear and anxiety. He fastened the queen’s shawl that was slipping off and comforted her.

“Let’s wait for now. Someday, we will learn their true intentions.”

“I don’t like this feeling.”

“Still, they haven’t treated us roughly.”

Even the queen found the imperial army’s behavior strange. Though they threatened to kill anyone moving without permission, they allowed the royal couple to move. Despite tight security, they let them rest in the bedroom and even prepared warm food for them. But…

“That general’s manners are polite, but his eyes were anything but. Just thinking of those gray eyes still gives me chills.”

The queen’s weary murmurs were bathed in the red sunset light. Tears welled up, glowing with a mysterious light. Just as her tears were about to overflow again, the door to the office suddenly burst open with a bang.

“Mother.”

A familiar voice shook the room. Startled, the queen turned toward the entrance. The king froze at the unexpected visitor. Before he could realize who it was, the newcomer ran into the queen’s arms.

“I missed you.”

“Oh my.”

The queen was speechless, completely caught off guard.

“Del. Why are you here?”

The daughter sent to Boswell had returned—to Iorenti, now occupied by the imperial army. To the palace taken over by the silver wolf that could attack at any moment. The shocked queen hurriedly pulled Delia away and looked at her face. She checked her cheeks and body, touching her gently.

“Why are you here? You should be in Boswell. Why have you come back?”

Delia answered the queen’s question with another question.

“How about you, mother? Are you okay? The imperial troops didn’t treat you badly, did they?”

“Who’s worrying about whom now?”

“A child worrying about their parents is natural.”

The queen’s voice grew anxious and louder.

“That’s not the important thing. Why did you come back to the palace when you should be in Boswell?”

“You have to be able to trust Boswell. Since I didn’t think they would send reinforcements, I came here myself to rescue you.”

“How did you get past the strict imperial guards?”

“Yes. I told them to open the way.”

The queen wore a hollow expression at Delia’s calm answer. Was this the ominous feeling she’d had? Delia was someone who should never be here. Her daughter’s presence brought despair more than joy. The queen’s arms that had been desperately stroking Delia’s loosened.

“Delia.”

At the king’s heavy voice, Delia flinched and straightened.

“Yes, Father.”

“Explain what happened.”

Delia looked at her stern father and swallowed nervously. Her blue eyes rolled, searching for the right words. Where should she start? The incident of opening the letter from the king to Boswell without permission? Being caught after foolishly trying to rescue fake parents tricked by the enemy? Or her complicated relationship with the enemy general? Nothing was easy to explain.

“Well… what happened was…”

Trailing off, Delia looked out the window behind her father. The beautiful sunset reflected on the glass contrasted with her father’s sharp, questioning gaze. Unable to endure his stare, she averted her eyes. Her gaze slid up the large pillar on the wall to the painting on the ceiling. The artist who painted it had persistently chased her, begging to paint the portrait of the Iorenti princess. Delia remembered how she had sweat nervously running away from him. She hoped the artist was doing well now, and hadn’t been hurt in the war.

“Delia.”

The king’s stern voice called her back from evading questions.

“Yes, Father.”

“Answer my question. What happened?”

“Well, I…”

Aaron, who had followed in, saved Delia from her embarrassment. Removing his military cap, he walked in leisurely and spoke with a casual tone.

“I think that’s something you should discuss with me.”

Annoyed, Delia whipped her head around to glare at Aaron. Reading her fierce look, Aaron hurried to clarify.

“Talk to me about it.”

Aaron’s sudden change in tone caused a slight twitch in the king’s brow. Delia fiercely glared at the enemy general, who changed his tone in response. The king glanced back and forth between Aaron and Delia, then sighed deeply. It seemed the story would be long.

“Queen.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Take Delia out with you.”

At the king’s unexpected order, Delia frowned.

“Father, I want to stay and listen too.”

“You will have your turn soon. But as king, I need to speak with that general first.”

“Father, but…”

Delia started to argue, but Aaron interrupted.

“Dyke.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Escort the princess outside.”

With the king and Aaron united, Delia was pushed out. Frowning, she wondered why she was being sent away when her story was about to come out.

“As the princess of Iorenti, I have the right to participate in this conversation.”

Though protesting indignantly, Delia soon fell silent.

The queen gripped Delia’s shoulder firmly.

“Del. You and I will talk—just the two of us.”

“But Mother.”

“Come quickly.”

The queen grabbed Delia’s hand and led her away. Dyke’s gaze pushed her out. The king, queen, Aaron, and Dyke all acted as one to expel Delia. Meeting their united eyes, Delia could only answer weakly.

“Yes, Mother.”

In the end, Delia had no choice but to be dragged out of the office. Thud. After the queen, Delia, and Dyke left, the heavy door closed. Only Aaron and the king remained in the quiet office.

Aaron nodded lightly, greeting casually.

“Now we can talk comfortably.”

As Delia disappeared, Aaron’s tone instantly returned to its usual bluntness. The king stared at the still arrogant general, both yesterday and today.

“Now I can hear what’s really going on.”

The king of Iorenti and the Stilreiz Empire’s general locked fierce gazes in the air.

The king’s cold blue eyes scanned Aaron from head to toe. The enemy general sat as if the king’s office was his own place. He sank into the sofa’s backrest, resting his arm on the armrest with an air of ease. But his hands clasped together as he stared at the king were sharp. Even the experienced king could tell that the imperial general was no easy opponent.

“Sign the surrender documents.”

The polite demeanor he’d shown with Delia was gone. The general who groaned under Delia’s cold gaze now revealed his true nature with no restraint once she left.

“Acknowledge Iorenti’s defeat and sign the documents transferring all royal power to me.”

The Stilreiz Empire general was as ruthless as when they conquered the southern three kingdoms. His demand for signing surrender was arrogant.

“Our discussion will begin after that.”

A very arrogant and firm order. But… it was not harsh. He spoke formally and with decorum. The king carefully observed every action and finally spoke.

“I just can’t understand. Explain it so I can.”

At the king’s words, Aaron slowly rose from the sofa. He walked at a leisurely pace to the window glowing with the beautiful sunset. His lax gaze fell on the garden outside—the same view the king and queen had looked at earlier.

“Do you know why the empire hastened the conquest?”

“I know well enough that the empire is greedy to expand its land.”

“Of course, that is part of it.”

The king’s face hardened at Aaron’s strange nuance and asked.

“Are you saying there’s another reason besides that?”