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Chapter 30
Silence fell over the entire ballroom in an instant.
It was as if someone had cast a spell that sealed everyone’s mouths shut. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
No one dared to speak.
Even the orchestra quietly lowered their instruments.
Having completely seized control of the room, Rahik looked down at Marquis Rixen, who had curled into himself and lowered his head before him, and smiled.
Had the circumstances been different, it would have been a remarkably charming smile.
“When you crush people beneath overwhelming power and engrave fear into their very bones, no one ever dares to rise again.”
“Rahik…”
“After that, all you need to do is toss them a dog bone. They’ll fight one another over it, each struggling to become the better slave.”
No one present was foolish enough not to understand who he meant by “slave.”
Still clutching his broken arm, Marquis Rixen gritted his teeth as cold sweat poured down his face.
Rahik turned away from the old general and looked directly at Legria.
“That is what conquest is.”
“Ghh…”
“Isn’t that right, Rixen?”
“Y-Your Highness… p-please spare m— AAAAAH!”
CRACK!
Rixen pleaded pitifully, but Rahik merely stepped on his swollen fingers with an expressionless face.
He deliberately pressed down on the joints where it would hurt most.
A sickening snap echoed throughout the high-ceilinged hall as another bone broke.
“How disappointing. Truly disappointing.”
“You’re this weak, and yet you wonder why your soldiers don’t trust their commander and flee the battlefield.”
“Cough… I-I apologize…”
“Seven soldiers received wounds on their backs. That alone proves discipline within your army has completely collapsed.”
“And yet you boast about it?”
“How much more disgrace do you intend to bring upon the name of Belligreum?”
With a sigh, Rahik finally lifted his foot from the bloodied hand.
He then glanced toward the Holy Palace guards.
“This man’s incompetence will be judged before a military tribunal.”
“Take him away.”
“Y-Yes, Your Highness!”
“Lord Severake. Assign one knight from the Paladin Order to take over his command.”
“Bring down the soldiers he hung upon the walls and ensure they receive proper treatment.”
“You may collect the appointment papers for acting commander from Joshua on your way out.”
“…I obey.”
When had he arrived?
At Rahik’s command, a man dressed in a pristine white uniform stepped forward, his long silver hair flowing behind him.
He stood a full head taller than nearly everyone else.
His appearance possessed an almost supernatural beauty that naturally drew every eye.
The last time Legria had seen Lord Severake, he had seemed approachable.
Now…
There wasn’t the slightest opening in his bearing.
Only then did she truly understand that he was the commander of the Holy Knights.
Ah… our eyes met.
For only a moment, his violet eyes trembled as they landed on her.
But in the end, duty forced him to turn away.
So Joshua was Rahik’s aide.
She vaguely recognized the face.
“Now then.”
“Let the innocent continue the party.”
A servant hurried over and knelt to wipe the blood from Rahik’s shoes.
The orchestra resumed playing.
The guests continued their conversations as though nothing had happened.
The entire sequence unfolded so naturally that it sent chills down Legria’s spine.
It was as though Marquis Rixen’s removal had never happened at all.
Well… Rahik is rescuing those poor soldiers from the walls.
That part is good.
But… the way he did it was far too violent.
Was there truly much difference between what Rixen had done to his helpless soldiers…
…and what Rahik had done to Rixen?
If evil was being punished by evil…
Perhaps one could call it satisfying.
If only…
The man doing it wasn’t the one she was expected to marry.
If he weren’t the man she’d have to spend the rest of her life beside…
Perhaps she, too, could have accepted it without hesitation.
“Would you like some strawberry champagne?”
“…You.”
“You deliberately did all of this here so you could send Lord Severake away under the pretext of an assignment.”
“Who knows?”
Rahik casually tilted his head and handed her a glass of champagne.
As Legria accepted it, she became certain.
This had been a warning directed at Lord Severake.
She had already found it suspicious that Rahik had let the incident of Severake barging into the Holy Palace while he was away pass without consequence.
So this was your plan.
To crush him publicly.
Not only before everyone invited to the party—
But before her as well.
To make it unmistakably clear who held the superior position.
It was an unmistakably political move.
Having reached that conclusion, Legria turned completely away from Rahik.
A gentle smile remained on her face.
She wouldn’t allow anyone to think they were arguing.
But of course…
Rahik had no intention of letting her ignore him.
Still smiling pleasantly himself, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed his lips close to her ear.
His warm breath brushed against her skin.
She instinctively struggled to pull away.
“Why are you angry again?”
“You used me.”
“Did I?”
“Stop pretending.”
Legria merely answered quietly.
She wasn’t shouting.
Rahik had simply done what he intended to do.
Remove an incompetent general who had long irritated him.
Reaffirm that the Holy Knight Order stood beneath his authority.
That was why he’d allowed everyone to keep talking.
Waiting patiently…
Until Marquis Rixen made his mistake by looking down on her.
“If you swagger in, solve everything with violence, and defeat people for my sake…”
“Will he respect me next time?”
“He’ll have no choice.”
“Unless he wishes to have his neck snapped and be fed to wild dogs.”
“He’ll submit.”
“To you.”
“Not to me.”
And his resentment toward her would only deepen.
The mere thought exhausted her.
“There’s Shuman Bukovac.”
“You should go greet him.”
“Unless you’d rather I escort you to the imperial lounge immediately.”
“Don’t use what I want as leverage.”
“Then stop trying to compete unnecessarily.”
He usually called her you.
Yet now, at an official party, his form of address had subtly changed.
It was certainly better than openly speaking down to her before the nobles.
Still…
She couldn’t appreciate it.
Always exploiting people’s weaknesses.
I had planned to speak with Lord Severake here…
Now that opportunity was gone.
“Master.”
“My respects to the Little Sun.”
Shuman Bukovac was an elderly man whose gray hair had been combed perfectly back without a single strand out of place.
His hooked nose and sharp, intelligent gray eyes left a strong impression.
Rather than an artist…
He resembled a seasoned warrior.
Legria found herself liking him at first sight and decided to postpone worrying about Lord Severake.
“Your Highness, it is an honor to finally meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Marchioness Bukovac.”
“I’ve heard much about you.”
“Oh my, just call me Shuman.”
“Has that troublesome student of mine been speaking ill of me?”
“He told me you’re the greatest pianist in the kingdom.”
“Such praise is far too generous.”
“His Highness still insists on complimenting me only when I’m not around.”
So they’re quite close.
Even after witnessing Rahik’s brutality moments earlier, Shuman showed neither fear nor surprise.
He must have seen scenes like that often enough to become accustomed to them.
Another reason I absolutely cannot marry Rahik.
“Have you studied the piano?”
“I’ve always liked it.”
“How wonderful!”
“The future Crown Princess appreciating the arts is truly a blessing for our nation.”
Shuman chuckled warmly.
Legria smiled politely as well—
Until Rahik interrupted.
“You can play the cello as well, can’t you?”
“A little…”
“Then why not perform a piece for everyone?”
Rahik gestured toward the cello resting among the orchestra.
No one had touched it all evening.
It had clearly been prepared for her.
She knew parties usually followed carefully arranged scripts.
She simply hadn’t expected herself to become the main performer.
“Your performance should lift the atmosphere.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Rahik handed her the responsibility of repairing the mood after the disturbance he himself had caused.
Holding her hand, he led her toward the cello.
The gathered nobles watched with eager curiosity.
It’s fine.
She had already known she’d be expected to perform.
She had even chosen a piece in advance.
She simply needed to avoid losing herself completely in the music.
But just as she was testing the cello’s sound…
Shuman spoke.
“For your first piece…”
“Death and the Maiden.”
One of Schubert’s masterpieces.
However, it had originally been composed as a string quartet.
Performing it with a single cello was far from ideal.
The cello part alone couldn’t fully convey the depth of the composition.
And being such a low instrument, it wasn’t exactly suitable for a lively ballroom.
Even so…
Shuman made no attempt to withdraw his suggestion.
Apparently, he and Rahik had already agreed she’d play something “simple.”
“…Very well.”
If that was truly what they wanted…
She could always improvise.
Legria’s bow began to move.
The moment the performance started…
She disappeared into the music.
This was always her problem.
Once she began playing…
Everything else vanished.
It’s easier to play than before.
My new body is taller.
The melody climbed gently from her feet to her throat, wrapping itself around her.
Annoyance.
Anger.
Everything crumbled away.
Only she…
And the music remained.
Every obstacle disappeared.
It felt as though her body floated weightlessly.
Suspended in the air, she drifted effortlessly through the sea of notes.
She improvised as she played…
Growing ever deeper.
Deeper.
Deeper.
She no longer heard anyone speaking.
She no longer noticed the countless eyes upon her.
Nothing…
Could sever the connection between herself and the cello.
She simply wouldn’t allow it.
About fifteen minutes later—
As the first movement came to an end…
Silence once again filled the hall.
Legria slowly opened her eyes.
The vacant expressions staring back at her made her freeze.
Her face remained calm…
But her heart pounded wildly.
Why are they looking at me like that?
Was my performance really that bad?
I got lost in my own world again…
Did I only enjoy it by myself?
Her younger sibling had often criticized her for exactly that.
“You’re far too niche.”
“That’s why you’ll never catch up to me.”
This time must have been the same…
“What an enchanting performance.”
Yet…
Something unexpected happened.
Shuman began applauding sincerely, his face filled with genuine admiration.
Moments later, the others finally seemed to awaken from their daze.
One by one…
Applause filled the hall.
The overwhelming ovation left Legria herself bewildered.
People here are remarkably generous with their praise.
Reaching that conclusion, she carefully rose to her feet and placed one hand over her chest.
Rather than bowing, she offered thanks in the imperial manner Eos had taught her.
“You do far more than merely ‘play’ the cello.”
“Did you study under a great master?”
“Well…”
“No.”
“I taught myself.”
“…Yourself?”
“Surely you don’t mean…”
“That performance…”
“You learned the cello entirely on your own?”
She nodded silently.
There was no reason to lie.
“Then how did you first begin playing?”
“I truly wish to know.”
“It wasn’t anything special.”
“There was simply…”
“A cello that had been discarded.”
“So I picked it up.”
“…It was just lying there?”
“And you were able to play it?”
“Not at first.”
“I was terrible.”
“It took me nearly six months before I could truly perform.”
“Only… six months?”
“You mean to tell me…”
“You achieved that level…”
“In only six months…”
“Entirely self-taught…”
“Without a single teacher?”
“Well…”
“Yes.”
Legria instinctively took a step backward as Shuman’s excitement exploded.
“Good heavens!”
“If only every one of my students were like Your Highness…”
“Then Shuman Bukovac would be celebrated throughout the kingdom as the genius who produced geniuses!”
…Is that really something worth getting this excited over?
