9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 108 - The Boy King (1)

Silence descended upon the city.

There had been much chatter and debate over the military governor’s speech, but those voices did not leak beyond the walls of homes.

The commander showed unpredictable behavior.

He established a military government office and appointed officials, marched troops around and showed his face here and there, but…

Unlike everyone’s expectations, he didn’t crack down on newspapers, send secret police to control citizens’ tongues, or issue warnings through public executions.

Yet even without such threats, the city was gripped by fear, and people kept their mouths tightly shut wherever they were.

The makeshift military government office launched with creaking difficulty, but the half of the power holders gathered within constantly fought each other, unable to reach consensus.

Meanwhile, the nobles and ministers who had ignored the commander’s speech and refused to join denounced the military government officials as traitors and rebels, while the government officials shot back asking if they had any alternatives.

So the only place in the city that showed any vitality and made noise was the military government office alone. Ordinary citizens simply continued their usual work while trembling with anxiety.

And Military Governor Lucas Redan sat atop the highest tower of the royal castle, quietly watching this farce unfold.

***

“Gasp!”

Edvart Piast woke with a start from a terrible nightmare, his eyes flying open.

“Hah, hah……”

His entire body was drenched in cold sweat.

The fire that started in Carlton had spread throughout the entire country. His blood-soaked mother and father wailed, begging for revenge……

‘Why couldn’t you kill him! You stupid, weak fool! Kill him! Kill him, I say!’

His father, who had been nothing but gentle in life, raged and stormed about in fury.

His mother scolded him just as sternly as she had when alive.

‘You’re utterly pathetic. I raised you wrong. I should have thrown out those useless books and taught you the sword instead.’

Then the two figures merged and transformed into the military governor. He extended his hand toward Edvart with a weary smile.

‘Not the heart—stab the throat.’

The moment the throat was pierced by the dagger, Edvart screamed and bolted upright.

“Ugh!”

The boy clutched his head and groaned.

He wanted to cry out ‘please’ but all that came out were choking gasps.

The nightmare repeated every night, tormenting him.

Each time, he received harsh words from his parents and was stabbed by the commander. Even when he tried to resist, his body wouldn’t move an inch.

Edvart wiped the tears that had soaked his face and looked out the window.

A few fluffy clouds floating in the bright blue sky.

The weather would be quite beautiful today.

As he sat dazedly leaning against his bed, he heard movement from outside.

“Your Majesty, did you cough?”

Edvart immediately felt his body begin to tremble as he rolled out of bed.

“Come in.”

There was no attendant beside him now to speak those words for him.

He forced himself to walk over and open the door, where Lucas Redan stood in his usual neat attire with a polite posture and smile.

“Did you rest well last night, Your Majesty?”

Overcome with emotion, Edvart rushed to the table beside his bed. His fingers danced roughly over the small typewriter.

Whirr, click!

「What else do you need? Haven’t I done everything you wanted!」

Irritable sentences were printed onto the paper.

Edvart was still afraid of him. Nearly two weeks had passed since he first met him and attempted assassination, but his fear hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

Still, the reason he could raise his voice in front of him was because he had realized the truth that the commander was someone who would never lay a hand on him.

Someone who could hold and shake the king’s lifeline at any time, but would never do so.

The ambivalent feelings of fear and trust toward the commander were seriously eating away at Edvart.

Ten days ago, he had proclaimed martial law at the commander’s request.

It was simply a matter of stamping his seal on the decree the commander had politely presented.

Edvart tremblingly took the ring from his hand.

The royal treasure that soldiers had searched through piles of corpses to find after his father was blown to pieces. Instead of stealing it, the commander had returned it to Edvart.

He pressed the ring head firmly into the wax. The pattern emerged clearly. The beautiful full moon emblem symbolizing the Piast royal family seemed to reproach him.

The commander withdrew with satisfaction, but had continued visiting Edvart every morning since then.

At Edvart’s irritation, the commander looked puzzled with wide, round eyes. Having seen that innocent expression several times, he knew well what he would say.

“Your Majesty, this foreign minister has come to pay morning respects.”

Edvart frowned briefly, then swallowed a sigh and nodded.

「I am always well thanks to you. How are you?」

“I too am peacefully living thanks to Your Majesty’s grace.”

“……”

“……”

“……?”

“……?”

Edvart stared fixedly at the back of the commander’s bowed head as he remained silent.

Normally he would have finished his greetings and quietly withdrawn.

After a moment of awkward silence, the commander spoke.

“There will be a funeral today.”

His heart suddenly lurched and ached.

He had certainly heard about it.

A joint funeral for those who had died in the bombing.

At the commander’s request, Edvart had simply nodded once to give permission.

But he had forgotten about it.

When he thought about why he had forgotten such an important matter, he didn’t want to remember it. He felt like he would scream and wail.

That no funeral was necessary, just go away. Everyone go away, and restore Cortana to what it was.

Look at this beautiful castle that had become ruins because of them, no matter how sad music they played or heart-wrenching eulogies they recited, it wouldn’t lighten their sins……

“Huu……”

However, Edvart failed to shout like that.

The commander had raised his head at some point and was looking at him with unreadable eyes.

Even if he hadn’t lost his voice, even if he broke down crying and screaming now, those eyes would never change.

Instinctively realizing this, Edvart swallowed the lump of emotion in his throat and moved his fingers.

「I understand. I’ll prepare.」

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll call the attendants. Then I shall take my leave.”

***

The plaza in front of the great cathedral was bustling with countless people. Perhaps 200,000 of Cortana’s 2 million citizens were here.

People who had come after seeing the proclamation or hearing radio news, family members who had received letters from the military government.

There were worries that something terrible might happen with so many people gathered, but still, this was a ceremony for the respected royal couple and the victims. They simply couldn’t stay away.

In front of the crowd packed so tightly that not even a needle could be inserted, expressionless soldiers stood guard.

The Schufaben military band played solemn music. In place of the vanished Cortana military band.

Grumbling and slightly discontented words emerged here and there, but soon the sound of carriages approaching from the distance quieted the commotion.

A massive, ornate carriage was bringing two equally massive and ornate marble coffins.

The stone coffins surrounded entirely by flowers gave off a sorrowful feeling in themselves. The carriages following behind, the long funeral procession.

Leading the procession carrying hundreds of the dead—some identified, others still unknown—was Military Governor Lucas Redan.

His awkward and precarious appearance, as if unaccustomed to horseback riding, was not amusing in the slightest.

Had they passed halfway down the road leading to the plaza?

An old woman broke through the silent crowd and came running out.

“You, you demon! You who devoured my son!”

Before the surrounding people could even notice what was happening, the gun in the old woman’s hand spat fire.

Bang!

Thud!

“Neighh!”

Red blood burst from the commander’s chest, and he slumped and fell from his saddle.

“Commander!”

The soldiers escorting the funeral procession cried out in shock and barely caught his body. Almost simultaneously, with a thud! sound, the old woman groaned and collapsed. The female adjutant beside the commander had broken the old woman’s arm.

“Kyaaah!”

“Hieuk!”

People who hadn’t been able to follow her with their eyes belatedly realized the situation and screamed.

At that moment, the commander clutched his chest and squeezed out a shout with all his strength.

“Stop!”

The adjutant’s sword, which had been swinging fiercely, froze in midair.

“Bring her here……”

At the commander’s gesture, the adjutant dragged the old woman like a sack and threw her down in front of the commander.

Amid everyone holding their breath.

The commander’s calm eyes met the old woman’s eyes burning with rage.

“What is this about?”

Though his voice was not loud, it could be heard clearly.

“Don’t you know?! Every citizen of this country wishes to kill you and comfort the souls of the dead! You will receive divine punishment! You vile demon who plunged Cortana into the pit of hell! My son, kinder than anyone, died because of you! Don’t think I’m the last—everyone will aim for your throat!”

At the old woman’s curse, the commander only showed a slightly sorrowful expression.

“Ma’am……”

Every time he spoke, blood welled up from his chest.

“Commander, we must get you treatment quickly!”

But the commander shook his head.

“Your son’s name……?”

“Marek, Marek Saprik.”

When the old woman answered reflexively, the commander continued. Though buried in wheezing breaths and frequently interrupted.

Slowly, word by word, with persistent effort.

“I apologize to you like this, ma’am. You may resent me as much as you wish. But now is the time to honor the victims. If only to send Mr. Saprik to God’s embrace. Please allow us to hold this funeral.”

The old woman’s eyes wavered. Tears rolled down her wrinkled face drop by drop. The commander took her gnarled hands.

“May this funeral bring you all some small comfort……”

He couldn’t finish his words and lost consciousness.

***

The brief commotion was calmed when the commander was taken to the hospital and the old woman was released after receiving simple treatment.

The funeral procession that resumed arrived in front of the great cathedral.

The archbishop in pure white vestments knelt before the royal couple’s coffins. The priests surrounding them sang hymns.

Hymns composed in Cortana’s ancient language, rarely used now.

Only then did the tears people had been holding back burst forth.

Ugly sobbing mixed with the beautiful melody echoing around them.

Whether they thought the country was ruined or believed this was just a temporary trial that would pass, everyone cried the same tears.

The archbishop called out the names of the dead one by one and prayed for their journey to heaven.

Edvart thought the pure white funeral attire was cumbersome.

Getting out of the carriage, he hid his palms covered with wounds from constantly digging his nails into them and walked toward the archbishop. He couldn’t hear the people’s crying or the archbishop’s words of condolence.

He just stared blankly at the coffins, then climbed onto the platform. Far, far away, he took in the sight of the crowd filling the city to capacity.

What words could he say to them to make this shattered heart hurt a little less?

When he asked what he should say, the commander who had requested the speech thought for a long moment before answering.

‘As long as the words come from the heart, anything would be good, wouldn’t it?’

Choking sounds leaked from his throat. Tears were already streaming down pitifully.

Amid everyone’s focused attention, he who had only been sniffling opened his mouth.

“Ha……”

Unlike the voice that filled his chest to bursting, all that came out was a pitiful breath.

An attendant nearby handed him the typewriter. He slowly raised his hands and pressed the buttons.

「I’m sorry. Citizens. I’m sorry…….」

There was only one thing he wanted to convey.

Sorry for failing to protect the country.

Sorry for stamping the seal on the surrender document.

Sorry that such an incompetent person became king.

The crowd, startled by Edvart’s crying, began crying again along with him. They were truly heartbreaking sobs.

“I’m sorry. Citizens.”

When the attendant read the words aloud, the crying grew louder.

The mute king.

The fact that he had lost his voice was the royal family’s intimate secret. So the people simply cried.

Whether it was more shocking that the country had ended or that the king was disabled—even they couldn’t tell.

***

“Bulletproof vest or not, it still hurts.”

I looked down at my bruised chest and grumbled. After wiping off the fake blood and wrapping bandages, I went out to the terrace where a cool breeze was blowing.

So now I can even do things like this. Gambling with my own life as the stake.

I had shown my face at the funeral to soothe public sentiment, hired the old woman to stage the assassination incident…… I had even somewhat predicted what kind of speech the young king would give.

Everything went according to plan, so why did I feel so awful? Like I had crossed some line.

I bit my lips and leaned against the wall. At that moment, something suddenly dropped from the upper floor railing.

For a moment I almost screamed thinking it was a ghost, but the face of the person who got up brushing himself off was very familiar.

“……First Lieutenant Philip Decker?”

“That’s right.”

“Are you the Ossel operative who’s been working in secret?”

“Yes, but?”

He answered bluntly and pulled out an envelope from his jacket to hand to me. Obviously it would be from Queen Rubellia.

I took the letter and held it, then looked at him for a moment before speaking.

“If you have cigarettes, just one.”