“We will arrive in two days from now.”

Penrel, who was at the forefront observing the route, said. Idren took the telescope from him and looked at where the knight was pointing. The gray walls surrounding Edegrun were visible in the distance. They were too small to discern the situation clearly, just barely perceptible.

“The weather is not good. It looks like it will snow soon.”

“It should be fine until we reach the castle.”

It seemed that way if they maintained their current marching speed. Idren dismounted after returning the telescope to the knight. In any case, they couldn’t continue marching much longer as the sun would set soon.

As he moved along with Penrel, who had dismounted after him, he asked.

“How long has it been since the dispatch arrived at Edegrun Castle?”

“At least four days, I believe.”

He had a bad feeling. Handing the reins to an approaching soldier, Idren thought about how long Sigrasal Castle could hold out in case of a siege.

It was true that the castle’s structure was specialized for defense, and that Risana, who knew the castle well, was inside. But the fact that there were few troops left in the capital worried him. He had left the 2nd Army led by Heizel behind, but the longer the standoff lasted, the more disadvantageous the defense would become.

Walking towards the tent, Idren said.

“We should have killed that messenger.”

On the night they beheaded Prince Hator, one of the soldiers had deserted. It was a move to deliver news to Nebel.

The same thing had happened when the night raid failed before, but at that time, Soer’s side, which had territory behind the border area, had pursued and killed them.

When he heard that Soer had missed the second messenger, Idren modified his plan to return after clearing the border. Instead, he selected troops to return to Edegrun with him first.

“I apologize.”

Penrel bowed his head, seemingly feeling guilty about the words. Idren shook his head at the second son of the Margrave.

“I’m not blaming your family. If I had managed the army properly, it wouldn’t have happened. We also sent a messenger immediately, so Salode must have received the news as well.”

As soon as Salode received the news, he would have locked the castle gates. As long as the heir was inside the royal castle, Chesa would also participate in the defense with all his might.

Although the always loyal Chesa might be upset if he knew, Idren did not fully trust Salode and his family. The same was true for Risana, the chief attendant who had served the royal family since the previous generation.

The reason they chose him was because he seemed like someone who could be a proper king, unlike the previous generation. Knowing that he couldn’t become a tyrant without a support base.

Since he had no intention of exploiting Aglante, their cooperative relationship would probably last until he stepped down from the throne, but the fact that priorities diverged meant that choices would diverge at important moments. Just as Salode and his family prioritized the country above all else, Idren was not confident that he could choose anything other than Ophelia at crucial moments.

Of course, this conflict would not arise if a situation requiring a choice between the two was not created. Even while prioritizing that, he couldn’t let go of his uneasiness, so Idren had ultimately left Heizel in Edegrun.

While seeming friendly and getting along well with others, Heizel often showed a ruthless side at critical moments. He had the personality to prioritize orders over beliefs.

But that doesn’t mean the uneasy feeling disappears. Looking at the distant castle walls, barely visible without tools, Idren said.

“We must reach Edegrun within two days no matter what.”

Even if there were stragglers, dealing with them would be postponed. No promise was as important as the one he made to Ophelia.

Penrel, standing beside him, bowed his head.

“I will do my best to fulfill your words.”

“…A letter has arrived from the castle.”

Heizel said as he entered the lord’s room. Siana, who had been reviewing documents she had only learned about in theory while sitting at the desk her father used to use, looked up.

It was the fifth day since they had taken over the castle of the Nebel family. The original plan was to return to the royal castle the day after killing her father, but that plan was modified because the royal castle was blockaded that very night.

Five days ago, when Heizel saw the signal fire announcing that the royal gates had been sealed, he sent a messenger bird to the royal castle. It was to briefly inform them of the situation here.

The reply to the message that the former lord of Nebel had died and they had taken the castle came back at dawn that day. It was to control the private soldiers being trained in Nebel so that they could not leave the castle.

There was no need to ask why. Right at dawn that day, several other elder families had united and begun attacking the royal castle.

Seeing the lords, who were clearly those who had allied with her father based on the circumstances, invading the royal castle, Siana was appalled.

“Are, are they crazy? Why are they all like this?”

They even demanded cooperation from Nebel and gathered below Nebel Castle. Siana made it clear to them that her father was dead and she had no intention of following a dead man’s wishes, but they tried to threaten her, saying did she think she would be safe.

“I, Heizel Chesa, guarantee that the current head of the Nebel family will not be punished for treason.”

After Heizel went out to the castle walls and said that directly, their opinions subsided.

However, that didn’t mean they could go outside Nebel Castle. It was because they couldn’t control the private soldiers confined in the castle except for the royal army. Even the king’s financial advisor, who is now helping the queen control the situation in the royal castle, told them to prioritize controlling Nebel’s private soldiers.

Recalling the current situation that felt dizzying the more she thought about it, Siana asked the knight who approached her,

“Wha, what does it say?”

“An army has been observed beyond the northern castle walls.”

The only army that could approach from the north was the royal army. It was good news for them, who were just waiting for the king to return quickly and resolve the situation. Feeling the tension ease, Siana leaned back in her chair.

“Then, then the Your Majesty will return soon, right?”

“It’s not certain if His Majesty is with them. But it’s certainly good news.”

Adding that they would probably know the definite circumstances within two days, Heizel put his hand on her shoulder. Patting her shoulder gently, the knight said,

“Please hold on just a little longer, my lord.”

The deliberately theatrical words were surely meant to encourage her. Siana looked up at the knight who had supported her from the moment she arrived at the castle and smiled.

“O, okay.”

After all, there’s no reason to give up here when even her father is gone. Looking down again at the documents covered in black letters, Siana thought of the promise she had to keep. Briefly recalling the fancy restaurant near the Governor’s Residence in Galicia, dazzling blonde hair, and a gentle smile, she picked up her pen.

“There will be an attack soon.”

On the night the royal castle was blockaded, Salode explained the situation after directing the inside of the castle to an emergency system.

“Aglante won the war, but there was internal strife during the process. Although it was a failed internal strife, those who instigated it won’t back down easily.”

It was predictable since only the death penalty would be imposed for such a clear rebellion with all the evidence.

“Did the king order a defense?”

“Yes. He said to keep the castle gates locked until he returns immediately.”

And Salode rubbed his pale face.

“Of all times for this to happen when Heizel, the corps commander, is away, the situation is not good.”

Since it was Ophelia herself who had decided to send Heizel with Siana, those words seemed to blame her specifically. Salode also seemed to notice the subtle tone of his words and immediately corrected himself.

“I didn’t mean to blame Your Majesty the Queen.”

“No, even if you did blame me, I would have nothing to say.”

After all, Idren had left Heizel and her troops behind in preparation for this kind of situation. She had scattered those troops at her own discretion, so she couldn’t refute even if criticized.

Salode looked perplexed even though she had readily admitted it. There was no reason to analyze the mood of the financial advisor she wasn’t close with, so Ophelia said nothing to him.

Fortunately, the situation improved a little before dawn that day.

“The head of the Nebel family has died. A messenger bird just came from Nebel Castle.”

Ophelia frowned at words she hadn’t expected to hear in this situation.

“Gilrod Nebel?”

“Yes. The exact circumstances aren’t written… but it seems he was probably killed.”