WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Oblivious

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◈ Prince of Rage ◈

Chapter 51

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Castles were usually poorly lit. White light from the window cut straight across the room, but everything else was dark.

There were no customary refreshments for guests on the table, nor was there any wine. Valerie placed a golden cloak clasp upon the bare table.

“Valknutr...”

Count Aethelred murmured. Three overlapping triangles, the knot of the slain, the symbol of the Einherjar.

“Even if my identity is revealed now, it will no longer harm House Winslow. I believe this repays you for raising me.”

Valerie spoke. The white light dividing them concealed Valerie’s face perfectly, and Aethelred could not see it.

After a moment of silence, Valerie tucked the clasp back inside his clothes and continued.

“Perhaps I should say that I have been freed from the bonds called gratitude. It is not that I ever felt constrained, but what I mean is that there will be no further consideration from me. I highly regard how you handled the aftermath of the Duke’s death so cleanly. But that is all. Do you understand?”

Valerie meant that the counts should no longer take the lead in interfering with the ducal house’s succession or Gunnar’s punishment.

It was true that he held some fondness for the Count, the Countess, and the Winslow family. They had allowed him to learn what laughter was.

But as Valerie said, that was all. Private matters were private, and public matters were public. Valerie drew a clear line between them.

Perhaps sensing this, Count Aethelred spoke respectfully.

“I understand, Your Highness.”

Valerie turned to the window.

“Summon the retainers of the ducal house, its knights, and the other two counts to the castle. Leaving the ducal seat vacant for too long will bring no good.”

“I shall do so.”

Count Aethelred was now clearly in a position where he had to follow Valerie’s orders. He seemed well aware of that himself.

After bowing, Count Aethelred left and closed the door behind him. With the soft sound of the door shutting, silence filled the room.

There was nothing in the room but Valerie and a single quiet beam of light.

Upon hearing that Knut had arrived and that Count Winslow had urgently summoned him, the Count of Windale hurried back to the castle.

Armed knights and soldiers moved through the castle courtyard. They were not doing anything in particular, yet the place looked unsettled.

“What is going on? Where is the Third Young Master?”

Without even dismounting, the Count of Windale questioned a knight.

“There are orders to reduce the garrison within the castle.”

“Whose orders?”

“Count Winslow’s... And he ordered us to release all the retainers and knights of the ducal house.”

“What?”

The Count of Windale was dumbfounded. It wounded his pride that such a thing was being done without consulting him. Why would they release the ducal house’s retainers and knights?

All sorts of thoughts ran through his mind. Had something gone wrong? Were the other two counts plotting something without him? But first, he hurriedly dismounted to meet Count Winslow.

Then, accompanied by his escort knights, he climbed the hill.

When he entered the castle, people had already gathered in the first-floor banquet hall. The ducal house’s retainers and knights were there, along with the Counts of Winslow and Revi.

His heart skipped a beat. There were many knights belonging to the ducal house, a little over twenty of them, though fortunately they were unarmed.

More importantly, Harald, Winslow’s sole heir, was also present. That made it seem unlikely that there was some dangerous scheme at work.

In his confusion, the Count of Windale rather discourteously grabbed Count Winslow by the hem of his clothes and asked urgently,

“What is all this?”

“A committee has been convened. I believe a decision will be made shortly, regarding the treatment of the First Young Master and the succession of the next Duke.”

“So suddenly? Did you not say we should take it slowly?”

“Well, that is how matters turned out. I cannot explain it to you right now, but watch for the moment. I believe now is the time to keep our heads down.”

“...”

The Count of Windale thought it strange. Count Winslow was not normally like this. But as he looked around the hall, it seemed that the ducal retainers and knights were just as unaware of what was happening.

A short while later, Gunnar, the First Young Master, and Knut, the Third Young Master, entered the banquet hall. Valerie and his friends came with them.

They passed through the crowd and walked to the seats of honor. Naturally, everyone’s eyes followed them.

There was a chair at the seat of honor that only the Duke could occupy. Chairs had also been set on either side, and when Gunnar and Knut took their seats, Valerie spoke.

“With the ducal seat vacant, there is effectively a void in governance. Therefore, a committee has been convened to correct this. I ask that you all listen carefully.”

The dozens of people listened to Valerie in silence for the moment.

“Each of the three counts shall cast one vote. The entire retainer corps shall cast one vote, and all the direct knights of the ducal house shall cast one vote. The matter of succession to the duchy and the treatment of the First Young Master shall be decided by election. I ask that none object to the result.”

It sounded fair enough. But people did not understand why Valerie was setting the procedure. Was he simply speaking on Gunnar or Knut’s behalf?

Above all, the counts had been leading the political situation, so they could have shaped the procedure in whatever way favored them. Even if the process was fair, there was room for dissatisfaction.

Then Knut rose from his seat and spoke.

“I, Knut of House Viding, speak as a claimant to the duchy. From this moment, I renounce my claim and support my brother Gunnar as the next Duke.”

It was such a shocking statement that everyone was quiet at first, then soon began murmuring.

Then what would happen to the crime of murdering the Duke and its punishment? If Gunnar became Duke as the sole successor, it would be impossible to punish the Duke.

Valerie spoke again.

“Silence.”

Everyone closed their mouths and looked at Valerie.

“The succession of the sole heir who murdered the previous Duke may be called a flawed succession. However, that flaw can be remedied by the support of the family members, vassals, retainers, and knights. Once the flaw has been remedied, the succession becomes legitimate, and the crime and punishment for murdering the previous Duke naturally disappear as well. As I stated before, the committee’s decision shall be made by election. If it receives a majority, you will abide by that decision.”

Heavy silence filled the banquet hall. Then someone stepped forward. It was the Count of Windale.

Looking at Valerie, he asked,

“Who decided upon such a method?”

“I did.”

“Why should you decide a matter of such gravity? I saw your outstanding ability and achievements in Gringen with my own eyes. But that does not mean you are not an illegitimate child. His Excellency has been murdered, and we must decide who succeeds His Excellency. Therefore, only those with lawful qualifications should discuss and handle this matter. If an illegitimate child determines the procedure and method, is that not itself a flaw? Can a Duke who succeeds through such a process truly be lawful?”

The Count’s objection seemed valid. An illegitimate child had no place interfering in such a grave matter. No matter how fair the procedure, the fact that an illegitimate child had set it was itself a problem.

However, there was something he did not know.

Valerie neither grew angry nor felt ashamed. He merely stood at the seat of honor and looked at the Count of Windale.

Valerie drew upon the power of the runes, stirred by dragon’s blood. As he concentrated on the energy that began in his heart and coursed through his entire body, strength welled up within him, and his body seemed to grow lighter.

A faint wind began to blow. It was not as strong as the wind during the last battle, but it was strong enough for people to notice within a banquet hall where no wind should have been blowing.

Valerie’s hair stirred gently. Then light began to emerge from the depths of his eyes. It gradually grew clearer.

As everyone in the hall stared at Valerie, their hearts suddenly began pounding and goosebumps rose on their skin. Could it be?

Then Valerie spoke.

“Count of Windale, I am not an illegitimate child. I am a man of the Volsung clan, the fourteenth son of His Majesty Helgi, the current King, Valerie Helgisson. Would even a prince have a procedural flaw?”

The Count of Windale recoiled and took a step back. His legs nearly gave out beneath him. A prince? A prince? Why would a prince be here?

Those in the hall also trembled with shock, as though they had been struck by lightning.

Unless it was during a war of succession, or on the rare occasion that some accident or incident revealed a prince’s status, they had never imagined they would see one.

Thus, they could not take their eyes off Valerie. Seeing that unrealistically handsome face and those shining eyes, which no one dared meet directly, the so-called Star of Dawn itself, was both frightening and deeply moving.

The Volsung clan, or the Volsung royal house, was regarded as a family of living legends. Above all, to be of the Volsung clan meant to carry the bloodline of a god.

It also meant being born with the destiny of blood, the destiny of a human burdened with the noble and tragic fate of waging war against kin and slaughtering one’s own kind in order to lead people to heaven.

In other words, they were half human and half divine.

Valerie’s friends were equally shocked. Knut’s eyes widened, while Valerie’s past achievements flashed through Arne’s mind.

Part of him even thought, Of course. Valerie had accomplished things that were that impossible.

As people stood in confusion, not knowing what to do, Aethelred, Count of Winslow, was the first to kneel on one knee.

“I greet Your Highness.”

Then the knights of the ducal house fell to their knees in a rush, bowed their heads, and spoke with trembling hearts.

“I greet Your Highness.”

The retainers and the Count of Revi also knelt. The Count of Windale dropped to his knees as if he were about to collapse.

Valerie’s gaze found Harald in a corner of the hall. His eyes were shaking uncontrollably. Before those shining eyes that seemed to pierce his heart like a spear, he too knelt.

“I greet Your Highness...”

The friends nearby also knelt. The only one who did not tremble was Gunnar, who was a little slow. He simply accepted it as it was. He had thought Valerie was an illegitimate child, but he was actually a prince.

In the end, everyone in the hall was kneeling, and Valerie alone remained standing. Thus, no one knew that there was something sad in his eyes.

The faint wind circling the banquet hall stopped. Valerie sat in the Duke’s chair as though it had always been his place.

“Everyone, rise. Speak freely and cast your votes freely. I, a prince, shall guarantee the result, so I ask that none of you object.”

Valerie lowered his head slightly, as if tired.

However, with a prince guaranteeing the committee, there was no need for a lengthy meeting or debate, and a decision was quickly made.

Anyone with sense could understand the prince’s intentions from what Knut had said.

Whether it could truly be called a freely made decision was another matter, but regardless, Gunnar was unanimously chosen as the next Duke of Eldeira.

There were no cheers, and it was not a celebratory atmosphere. It was solemn, but there was also an unmistakable sense of bitterness.

It was not that no one wondered whether it was truly all right to let the murder of the Duke pass without consequence. But with a prince stepping forward, no one could press the matter to the end.

A more fundamental reason was that no one had felt such deep loyalty toward the late Duke Sven. They had submitted to his authority, but they had not felt loyalty or affection for the man himself.

When Valerie told him to say what he wished, Gunnar stood and addressed the people.

“Uh... I know this must have surprised you all, and I am sorry. That day was... I do not know how to say it. But as you all know, I am lacking in some ways. If you help me, I want to listen to you and govern Eldeira well. I would like to thank the three counts. Especially the Count of Windale, you worked very hard with me during the siege. I do not think I ever properly thanked you. If the three counts permit it, I would like you to serve on my advisory council. I will work hard. This is all so sudden, so I cannot speak very well. That is all.”

There was something strangely appealing about Gunnar that could not be explained merely by saying he was slow. Perhaps it was his innocence. It was impossible to say.

Moreover, his hollow appearance from having barely eaten properly for days made people feel even more sympathy for him.

Some of the knights shed hot tears. Having served the ducal house for a long time, they knew how difficult his life had been.

And everyone who knew anything knew that he had fought harder than anyone in this war. Had he not stood shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers, digging with shovels and pickaxes while being struck by arrows?

He had never merely issued orders from behind. No one could deny that Gunnar had fought at the very front.

Though they had met as enemies, Valerie respected him for that.

Clap, clap, clap...

Someone began applauding. Gentle applause spread through the hall, then gathered until it became loud.

Valerie applauded as well. Then he took Gunnar by the hand and led him to the Duke’s chair. The applause grew louder.

Thus, Gunnar was absolved of the crime of murdering his father. As a result, Knut had no reason to regret or grieve, Winslow and Windale put an end to their long enmity, and peace finally came to Eldeira and Gringen.

The price for all of it was one person’s solitude and loneliness.

Chapter 12: The One Who Leads to Heaven. End.

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