Chapter 18: The Unbowed Part 2

Cough, cough!

He tried to hold it back, but eventually, the coughing burst out.

Carton’s body shook violently as the crystal orb slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor.

“Sir, Minister!”

Startled, the secretary hurried over with a handkerchief and a glass of water.

“I’m fine. Just choked on something.”

But the coughing didn’t stop.

Maybe it was because he had lost his temper for the first time in a long while.

Even after drinking the water in one gulp, his breathing remained rough, and his body kept trembling.

“Damn it, cough! The doctor’s going to scold me again.”

“Medicine…! Where did I put the medicine?”

Flustered, the secretary frantically looked around, unsure of what to do.

Just then, a long, slender hand appeared from behind her, placing a small medicine bottle on the desk.

“Take this. It should ease your breathing for a while.”

The calm voice didn’t quite match the situation.

“What… cough! What is this?”

“It’s a mixture of snail extract and herbs. In my homeland, we use it for sore throats.”

Without hesitation, Carton grabbed the bottle and downed the contents.

Almost immediately, the coughing subsided.

“Phew, getting old really does make it hard to even get angry anymore.”

As he finally managed to catch his breath, the owner of the long fingers spoke.

“Seems like I’m the only one who takes care of you, old man.”

“You’re also the only one who shows up unannounced at just the right time, Immigration Director.”

Looking up, Carton saw a tall woman standing before him.

Immigration Director Hailyn Metaharashin.

With her exotic features, typical of someone from the Western Desert, she picked up the fallen crystal orb and replied.

“I guess it was worth it. I got to see something interesting.”

The interesting sight she referred to was none other than Carton’s fiery outburst.

‘How long had it been since he’d gotten that angry?’

Despite the doctor’s warnings about his health, he had managed his emotions well for a long time.

But this time, he just couldn’t hold back.

“If you can get that angry, why not do it at the cabinet meeting too?”

Carton glared at her, looking dumbfounded.

“I don’t think that’s your place to say.”

After all, who was the one who spent two whole hours passionately arguing with the Inspector General and the Queen?

“The Central Bureau has made significant achievements over the past five years at the southern border. How can a single letter be enough to dismiss a public official so easily?”

The punishment for the immigration officer should indeed be execution, but such precedents mostly involved corruption or bribery.

Besides, they hadn’t even heard his testimony yet, making an immediate execution unjust.

Reflecting on the incident, Carton couldn’t help but sigh.

“At least we avoided the worst-case scenario.”

The Queen’s argument at the cabinet meeting was beyond unreasonable—almost reckless.

[The man named Nathan Kel from the Central Bureau has insulted the Pope and the Holy Church. This is a serious diplomatic blunder, and he must be executed.]

‘What kind of absurdity was that?’

And the so-called evidence was just a complaint letter from the Holy Church.

It claimed that Nathan had judged the pilgrimage group’s true intent as war and had denied them entry based on his personal assessment rather than protocol.

Carton wasn’t easily swayed by such claims.

No matter how official the letter was, it was unprecedented for the Church to dictate the handling of a state official.

‘Besides, it’s odd that the Pope learned about the pilgrimage incident so quickly.’

Even if the Saint was involved, it seemed unusually fast for news of the insult to travel from the southern branch of the Church to the capital.

Fortunately, others in the court had similar suspicions.

Thanks to reasoned arguments, a firm stance, and the support of other department heads from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Queen’s proposal was ultimately rejected.

However, it wasn’t a complete rejection.

It was decided that Nathan would be summoned to the royal court for a trial.

This compromise happened because some officials, including the Inspector General and the Finance Minister, sided with the Queen.

“Those damn traitors. They’re just trying to curry favor with the Queen.”

Carton spat out his words bitterly.

“At least none of my subordinates are aligned with the Queen. That’s a relief.”

In other words, there were indeed some officials outside his circle who supported her.

With a weary sigh, Carton muttered.

“How did the country end up like this…”

The Crossroads Kingdom he once knew was nothing like this.

It had never been so divided or so easily swayed by foreign powers.

Just a decade ago, the kingdom had a proud nickname: the Little Beast.

Situated at a strategic crossroads, it naturally attracted powerful nations, influential churches, spies, and lobbyists.

Since its founding, there had never been a time when no one tried to bring the kingdom under their influence.

But despite this, the land, the people, and their autonomy had been preserved.

That was because a leader always stood firm, determined to fend off any external pressure.

A small nation with a fierce spirit.

“When King Rio Castor took the throne, things weren’t like this.”

The master of all roads leading out into the world—King Rio Castor.

When Katon was still the head of the Intelligence Department, not yet the Minister of Foreign Affairs, he once witnessed the true nature of King Rio.

It was 15 years ago when the Holy Order launched a grand crusade in the southern region.

After their defeat, the remnants fled north, using it as an excuse to demand the opening of borders.

[Follow the agreement. I will grant you passage. If it is for peaceful purposes, anyone and anything shall be permitted.]

[However, if your spears and swords must inevitably cross my borders—if you intend to trample the agreement that I and my ancestors have guarded for generations with your overwhelming might—!]

[I will leave not a single grain of rice, not a single cart, not a single inch of road on this land.]

[Yes, we are weak. Compared to you, we are insignificant. But our spears and swords are more than enough to destroy ourselves!]

[Choose! Violate the agreement and cross the ruined valley, or return to your own land!]

It was a terrifying threat to break and sever the pathways of the world.

In the end, the Holy Order had no choice but to abandon the remnants and preserve their forces in the south.

That once fearsome small nation now seemed weaker than a rabbit in the field.

“In those days, there was no room for compromise or surrender. But now… how did the queen become nothing more than the Order’s mouthpiece?”

Lost in nostalgia, Katon clicked his tongue.

Hailyn slumped into a chair and replied.

“How do you think? Ever since His Majesty became that way, it’s slowly turned out like this.”

He clenched his fist and lightly tapped his chest a few times—a mourning gesture unique to desert people.

“They call it ‘chamcheok,’ right? When a father buries his son.”

At those words, the minister remained silent before briefly responding.

“It was a tragedy.”

“A tragedy indeed.”

There was no need for more words.

It was truly something no one could have foreseen.

And on the day the prince’s funeral ended, King Castor’s spirit and ambition were buried in the ground as well.

“Follow the queen’s will…”

All that remained was an empty shell, with only a woman holding real power while comforting that soulless husk.

It’s been so long since he secluded himself that no one remembers how long it’s been.

“If only there had been another son to appoint as crown prince, he could have curbed the queen’s overreach, but there’s only one daughter.”

Hailyn spoke with a hint of regret.

“That daughter, too, has lived under the queen’s oppressive influence since childhood.”

A nation ruled by a man who abandoned all state affairs and clung only to the memory of his deceased son inevitably became an easy target.

As a result, the Crossroad Kingdom started drifting away from its position as a neutral state—just as it is now.

“In this situation, anyone who doesn’t try to please the queen would seem strange.”

Katon let out a bitter laugh.

“Like you and me?”

“Yes. Unless His Majesty rises again, the nation will continue to be swayed like this.”

Hailyn spoke with a serious expression.

“A dark age is approaching. That’s how it feels.”

A heavy atmosphere filled the room.

“…I really hate that thought.”

“Well, if there’s a golden age, there’s bound to be a period of decline. What can we do? There’s only one thing we can do at times like this.”

She fiddled with the crystal orb on the desk.

“Delay the decline as much as possible, and hope that when the time comes, a new golden age will emerge.”

Looking at the crystal orb, Katon finally realized who she meant by “when the time comes.”

He asked what he couldn’t ask earlier.

“Will it be alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“You could have given him some words of encouragement—like ‘Hang in there’ or ‘I’m watching over you.’”

Hailyn’s laughter filled the room.

“What a cheesy thing to say. That child will do just fine. I firmly believe so.”

“Everything is going against us, yet you’re so optimistic.”

“The more chaotic it gets, the more order and principles shine. Think about it. Even during the National Assembly, we once opposed the queen’s will, didn’t we?”

She was right.

No matter how upside-down the world becomes, no matter how mad it turns, some things remain unbreakable.

“And people like us have a duty to protect those orders and principles. We have to protect those who uphold them.”

The minister nodded.

“Like the old King Rio Castor.”

The Director of Immigration added.

“And like the central council.”

Even in this turbulent era, there were still those who did not compromise with the world.

And now, it was time to protect such people.