Ch.310Chapter 310 – The King’s Duty

“One who would be king should not speak of anything beyond that.”

At Sia’s sudden words, everyone’s gaze turned toward her.

And the princess quietly looked at Sia and spoke.

“…I’m still…”

“Just looking at your eyes, I think I know what you were about to say.”

Sia spoke quietly.

“So I’ll tell you quietly. It won’t do. The words ‘I want to flee’ are words a king must never speak.”

“What do you know about this?”

Gabriella snapped at Sia.

“…You know, don’t you? Within the resistance, I’m treated almost like an enemy, including by General Regis. They see me as the biggest obstacle to their devouring this country. …Not to mention the royal palace or the Emiris Order.”

“It certainly seems that way.”

“Even so, I could bear that. Because I alone would have to endure it, perhaps only my head would be required.”

Gabriella glared at Sia as she spoke.

“But they don’t just attack me; they attack and hurt the people around me too. In severe cases, they’re eliminated.”

“I see.”

“…Before I can properly repay the people who sacrificed themselves for me.”

After saying this, Gabriella heaved a deep sigh.

“To be honest, I couldn’t stand seeing people who worked for me getting hurt or sacrificed anymore.”

“So that’s why you chose such a risky option this time.”

“If I hadn’t accepted it that way, they would have surely targeted Lord Archery’s life in some manner.”

The princess sighed heavily and said.

“But at this rate, we’ll either suffer greater sacrifices or…”

“We all risk death.”

Sia said quietly.

“In an already disadvantageous situation, the enemy is reinforcing their troops and preparing weapons. It shows their determination to never let their guard down.”

The princess nodded.

“…I was too complacent. I knew it would be difficult, but I thought if we could break through a moment of carelessness and somehow cross the walls, we could fulfill General Regis’s proposal.”

“Princess Ella.”

“…Given the situation, we need another way…”

“But that way must not be escape.”

Sia glared at Gabriella as she spoke.

Gabriella opened her mouth with sad eyes.

“But…”

“Now that I think about it, there’s something I should have asked you first.”

Sia looked at Gabriella and said.

“From what I hear, you seem full of desire to become king. Then, why did you want to become king?”

“…Because it’s the only way I can repay those who sacrificed themselves for me, those who are still sacrificing.”

“Is that all?”

“For the sake of my father, mother, and sisters whose lives were taken by my uncle, I must reclaim the throne from him.”

Gabriella spoke quietly.

And hearing this, Sia…

Soon narrowed her eyes and said.

“How shallow.”

“…What?”

“I said it’s shallow.”

Sia spoke quietly.

“Let me ask you honestly. Did you decide to become king just for that?”

“If not for that, I can’t repay the people who cherished me. I wouldn’t be able to face my family who left me behind.”

Gabriella objected.

“As a princess, all I can do is ascend to the throne and reward those people.”

“Do you truly believe that?”

“…A king becomes one with the help of many people.”

Gabriella looked at Sia.

“And returning that help is only natural as a human being.”

At those words, Sia sighed.

“For an ordinary person, your opinion isn’t wrong.”

“What…”

“But a king is not an ordinary person. You shouldn’t bring ordinary common sense to it.”

Sia looked at Gabriella and spoke.

Then, after being lost in thought for a moment,

She looked at me and asked.

“Kay. I have a question for you, please answer.”

“What is it?”

“What do you think a king is?”

I was slightly taken aback as the arrow suddenly turned to me.

But this question isn’t difficult to answer.

“Someone who rules a country.”

“Anything else?”

“Someone who must protect the country.”

“Anything more?”

“Someone who must take responsibility for the country’s people.”

At my words, Sia gave a slightly satisfied smile.

And she quietly looked at Gabriella.

“That’s what I wanted to say.”

Sia spoke quietly to the silent Gabriella.

“A king must exist for the people.”

Sia spoke as if admonishing Gabriella.

“The first thing someone who wants to become king should think about is the people. Do you know why?”

Gabriella did not answer.

Sia’s blue eyes were looking at Gabriella.

And after a moment, Sia spoke again.

“Since you seem unwilling to answer, I’ll tell you the answer.”

Sia narrowed her eyes as she spoke.

And then.

“Because the foundation of a country comes from its people.”

She said firmly.

“Tracing everything back, people gather to form a society. That society, gathering more and more, becomes a nation.”

“That’s why you must not underestimate the power of the people. Every country is essentially created by them. And it’s because they support from below that a country can function.”

“If I had to compare, they would be like blood vessels. Blood vessels that circulate everything in the country.”

“Because they support so much, many things within the country can be accomplished.”

“Without them, the country itself wouldn’t exist. If they don’t work, many things within the country would be paralyzed.”

“That’s why you shouldn’t underestimate the power of the people, and why you must use your strength to protect them.”

At Sia’s admonishing tone, the princess’s expression softened slightly.

However, she still wore an uncertain expression as she spoke.

“But.”

“Listen. You still speak as if you must become king to repay debts of gratitude.”

Sia spoke as if admonishing Gabriella.

“But that won’t do. Being king is not such a position.”

Sia spoke with conviction.

“A king is one who must take responsibility for, protect, and rule a country. One who must embrace the entire country, not just the palace.”

“That’s why you shouldn’t become king simply to repay favors or for your family. Someone who must embrace the entire country must know how to embrace more than just their surroundings, and must see beyond them.”

“Of course, it’s right to repay those who helped you. A king cannot do everything alone and needs much help.”

“But you shouldn’t let your vision narrow because of that. Someone who must take responsibility for, protect, and rule the people of a country cannot have such a limited scope of embrace.”

“I repeat, because a king rules a kingdom, not just a palace.”

Perhaps overwhelmed by Sia’s words?

Gabriella was quietly listening to Sia’s words.

“Now do you understand why I said you shouldn’t harbor thoughts of escape?”

“…Because a king must take responsibility for, rule, and protect the people.”

At Gabriella’s answer, Sia quietly nodded and continued speaking.

“As you say. That is the duty of a king.”

“A king has a duty to protect the people.”

“And choosing to abandon the people and flee is no different from saying you won’t protect them.”

“If a king doesn’t protect the people, they will inevitably scatter.”

“Meanwhile… your people will literally be consumed by the demons and disappear.”

Sia paused briefly.

Then she spoke firmly.

“That’s why you must fight. You must fight to protect your people. Because that is the most important duty of a king.”

At Sia’s words, the princess bowed her head.

And Sia quietly asked.

“Do you still think it’s okay to give up?”

“I…”

The princess’s eyes were wavering.

Watching the princess, I glanced slightly at Sia.

Seeing her nod, I quietly addressed the princess.

“Are you afraid of losing your precious people?”

“…Yes.”

The princess said quietly.

“Indeed, they must be precious for you to bind yourself with the thought that you must become king to repay them.”

The princess quietly nodded.

Having learned of the serious power difference through Cusia’s information, her current dark expression must stem from this.

Given that she had momentarily considered fleeing out of fear of losing her precious people, it must be difficult for her to firmly make up her mind.

I quietly spoke to her.

“Let’s make a deal.”

“A deal?”

“Yes, a deal.”

I smiled at the princess as I spoke.

“I will give you courage.”

“Courage?”

“The courage to resolve to fight a desperate battle for your people, to become king.”

The princess looked at me for a moment and then smiled slightly.

It was evidence that she was beginning to listen to my seemingly joking deal.

So I stated my requirements directly.

“In return, lend us the strength of you, Princess, and your precious ones.”

“But you all…”

“Though we are strong, we are few. To succeed, we need the help of many people.”

I spoke firmly while looking at the princess.

“We need your help, Princess. We need the help of the people under your command. Without it, we won’t be able to protect the people.”

The princess fell into thought at my words.

And she quietly asked.

“…What do I get in return?”

“Despite all my talking, what we can offer comes down to three things.”

I spoke quietly to the princess.

“The safety of Lord Archery and your precious ones. The future of Florence or the kingdom, and…”

“…The well-being of the people, right?”

Gabriella fell into thought.

And she quietly asked.

“…Can you do it?”

“We must.”

After saying that to the princess, I looked at Beatrice and said.

“If we fail, our comrade whose homeland this is won’t be able to leave with us.”

“Is that so?”

The princess looked at Beatrice for a moment.

Looking at the worried face of Beatrice, she soon muttered softly.

“…If my sisters could see me now, they would think I’m pathetic.”

Princess Gabriella said this with her head bowed.

And soon she looked at us and said.

“Thank you, everyone. I’ve been able to come to my senses a little.”

The princess’s expression changed.

It was a resolute expression, having made a decision.

“I declare: I will commit all forces under my command to this operation.”

“It’s dangerous, Princess Ella. The enemy has elite troops.”

Domestica immediately advised Gabriella.

But Gabriella seemed to have already made up her mind.

“Still, we must do it. I cannot tolerate my uncle’s tyranny any longer.”

After saying this, Gabriella quietly added.

“…This is our country’s affair to begin with. If I say I won’t even do that much, I wouldn’t be able to face our great ancestors.”

“Princess Ella.”

“…For the people who trusted and followed me. And…”

Princess Gabriella fell into thought for a moment.

And soon, looking at us, she said.

“…For the people of Florence and our kingdom.”

However, since it was such a brief moment, Gabriella, who didn’t see that scene, soon turned her head to look at me.

“Despite my shamelessness, I ask you.”

Gabriella bowed her head.

“Please, save our country, our people.”

After looking at Gabriella for a moment, I looked at my companions.

Eve, who had already heard the story, quietly nodded.

Sara, who was smiling at me.

I saw Chris quietly praying.

And as I slowly turned my head, I saw Beatrice looking at me with pleading eyes and Sia quietly nodding.

Soon, smiling, I said to the princess.

“I forgot to mention, we’re expensive. We’ll charge a high price.”

“Thank you!”

Gabriella said with a smile.