Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 103

It meant success. Duke Salachez jumped for joy and shouted to the mercenaries.

“It’s done. It’s done!”

“Congratulations.”

For the mercenaries, it was all about getting paid. They responded with shouts and cheers to their employer’s cry. Duke Salachez swung his fist in the air in anger.

“You scoundrels. I’ll add 20% more, show some enthusiasm!”

“Whoa!”

The mercenaries lifted Salachez up, carrying him on their shoulders as they exited the forest. Someone shouted from behind.

“We can toss you up in the air too. Twice for free, but any more will be 3 jere each…”

“Fine, ten more times!”

“Yay!”

It was as if he had unintentionally become the hero of the night, but Salachez’s mood was euphoric. Perhaps even more than on the day he rejoiced in gaining the duke title through underhanded means.

Rakane Crispin, who was moving through the forest, also heard the horn. The signal came too early, making her uneasy, so she decided to leave her father in the box for now.

“Go check the situation.” Rakane gestured to the deputy commander carrying the box. But the deputy commander was just as uneasy.

“Miss.”

Toven, who had been unable to even look at Rakane due to his difficulties, put the box down in a suitable place and approached her, grabbing her hand.

“I need a sign that you’ll keep your promise.”

Although she had used anesthetics, she didn’t want to discuss this near where her father was. Rakane pointed to the box, and Toven, understanding her intention, walked ahead.

After walking some distance and away from the box, Rakane asked Toven, “What kind of sign do you need?”

“Kiss me, at least.”

In the dark underbrush, Toven’s face was invisible. Rakane didn’t hesitate. Since she had already made up her mind, she willingly approached him and put her arms around his neck.

Toven, who had been hesitating, then embraced her desperately and kissed her.

“Miss… Rakane…”

Despite his desperate voice and pitiful actions, Rakane stared blankly at the moon with an expression devoid of emotion.

Rakane Crispin wiped the smudged lipstick from her lips as she and Toven reached the flat area on the mountainside where the tents were densely packed. Nobles stood in the center, while guards with torches moved about, shouting something.

However, unlike the overall atmosphere of quiet tension, there was a noisy group far away, tossing someone into the air in celebration.

“I’ll go find out what’s happening,” Toven said as he quickly walked over to a knight from another family and asked. The knight, who seemed to have a prejudice against the deputy commander of the Crispin Marquessate, frowned but lowered his voice to explain.

“Just past midnight, a horn sounded, and the guards went around announcing that there was an important announcement.”

“Who are those people?” Toven asked.

“Duke Salachez. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s his turn to go mad.”

Rakane’s face brightened. Seeing Duke Salachez associating with the Margrave indicated he was on their side. It was a good sign.

[T/N: In Korean, the term ‘왕’ (king) is used for both male and female monarchs and is addressed as ‘폐하’ (His Majesty), a term that, while typically used for men, is actually gender-neutral. In this context, no one is aware that the title 왕 (king) now refers to Queen Miesa; they still believe it denotes King Vermelique II.]

Tilberg emerged from the tent with trembling legs and called over a guard to give instructions.

“By order of His Majesty, arrest Count Carlisle, Count Sellas, Viscount Maleca, Count Limina, and Chamberlain Pariel.”

“Understood.”

The guards had long since stopped thinking for themselves. Questioning the king’s unreasonable actions or holding resentment changed nothing but their own lives. They raised no objections to the sudden order to arrest all the king’s vassals.

As the guards stormed into the tents, Eirik, wearing only a thin robe, walked out and approached Tilberg.

“Captain, how many from the Central Defense Force are stationed here?”

“Do you see the tents on the path leading down the mountain? There are thirty men, and I believe they change shifts at three in the morning.”

“We need to bind the hands and feet of those thirty men. We lack guards, so our knights will assist.”

“Agreed. Where is the Cladnier knight order?”

Eirik gestured to Cullen, who was observing from a distance, signaling their success. He also gave instructions to the knights disguised as hunters. Meanwhile, Tilberg tilted his head and muttered, “It’s strange that the high priest is not among those Her Majesty ordered to be captured. I should ask again.”

Eirik stopped Tilberg from re-entering the tent and explained, “The high priest is needed for the consecration ceremony right now. His punishment will come later.”

“But the high priest has insulted Her Majesty numerous times…”

Tilberg seemed frustrated, but Eirik firmly grasped his arm. “We don’t have time for that now. Her Majesty needs to establish her authority immediately.”

Two ceremonies were needed for the coronation. First, the consecration ceremony held quietly and privately right after the previous king’s passing, and then the grand coronation several months later.

Instead of following this exactly, Eirik proposed a more disruptive plan, and Miesa readily agreed. He briefly explained this plan to Tilberg.

“We have few people and a simple plan. We need to strike quickly to confuse everyone and then push forward immediately.”

From a distance, Cullen blew the horn loudly. Moments later, cheers erupted from somewhere in the forest on the mountain ridge. Tilberg blinked and asked, “Who are they?”

“Ah, that’s Duke Salachez. He has a lot to do now,” Eirik replied. While organizing the personnel deployment in his mind, the Royal Guards began dragging out the captured traitors in restraints. In the distance, members of the Central Defense Force were also being led out one by one, disarmed.

Eirik, more alert than ever, confirmed this and spoke to Tilberg in a calm tone, despite the tension, “Now, have the guards go to each noble’s tent and announce that His Majesty has an important announcement.”

Tilberg stared blankly at Eirik for a moment. He seemed to have something to say, but instead, he swallowed whatever was rising within him and nodded with a bitter expression.

“I will do so.”

***

Despite the many people on the dew-covered grass, not a single one made a sound, not even a cough. Other than the crackling of the torches, it was completely silent.

“Enough. Stop it now,” Duke Salachez said, finally noticing the stares of the people after being swept up in the cheers and tossing. The looks directed at him were so cold that his excitement evaporated. He grabbed the arm of a mercenary who was about to lift him again and urgently exclaimed, “Get off, now.”

“Well, then, we’ll wait over there,” the mercenary replied.

“Ah, don’t go too far. Stay where I can see you,” Salachez instructed.

Doid Salachez straightened his disheveled clothes and ran his hands through his tangled red hair a few times before blending into an appropriate spot. Of course, as he approached, people stepped back, creating a circle of space around him.

Still, I’m a hero. Though all I did was wait tonight, didn’t I support Cladnier so he could focus on the big task? Salachez thought to himself, looking around proudly. Then he caught the eye of Rakane Crispin, standing far away.

Come to think of it, his friend Eirik had mentioned involving that woman at the last moment. Should I greet her as a fellow hero?

Salachez forced a strained smile but quickly saw that Lady Crispin was looking at the platform with a lofty expression.

Well, of course. A noblewoman like her wouldn’t suddenly acknowledge me. I got too carried away with the celebration, he thought, finally calming down. Since the success of the coup, his excitement had been building. Salachez cleared his throat and turned back to face the front. The space created by people distancing themselves made his view quite clear.

Just then, a man pushed through the crowd, walking towards Salachez. Recognizing the familiar face and the bandaged wrist of someone who had delivered a wine crate to the Salachez estate, Salachez remembered it was a knight who had visited with Eirik Cladnier. He couldn’t recall the knight’s name, but he noticed bandages on his wrist.

“Your Grace, a message from the Margrave. Your role is crucial from now on,” the knight conveyed.

“Ah, yes. Of course,” Salachez replied.

“First, the consecration ceremony will be held. During this time, your mercenaries…”

The knight whispered, and Salachez listened while glancing around.

The curious and intrigued looks from people who had been regarding him as a fool made Salachez smile slightly. It was worth the risk of associating with Cladnier.

Eirik Cladnier, now in armor, appeared. However, he stood below the platform, while Tilberg, the captain of the guard, climbed up.

What’s going on? There were murmurs of confusion as people wondered if the Margrave had truly submitted to the king, even as his parents lay on their deathbeds. Why would the Margrave suddenly guard that position like the king’s knight?

“The king will be here soon,” the captain announced, heightening the nobles’ curiosity. Then, the person who appeared, escorted by knights, made them doubt their eyes.