Chapter 126 - : Betrayal
The three of us, Rufus, Leander, and I, just stare at each other. We are already sitting inside a private room in the restaurant they choose. We still couldn't believe what we have seen just now.
Leander is the first one who breaks the silence. "We really need to talk to the Saiven royalties. We need to know what happened between them and the Wrezatia Kingdom."
Rufus nods his head. "We also need to talk to Prince Fraser about this. I don't like that Prince Joachim. He definitely knows that he is doing something wrong, but he acts like nothing is wrong."
Leander takes a sip of his coffee before he responds to Rufus. "That Prince Joachim is definitely suspicious. He already knows what will happen if they continue to associate themselves with the Wrezatia Kingdom. What does he want? What will he get if they do this? Doesn't he think he could possibly risking the safety of his own Kingdom? Even if he is the forgotten Prince of the Yesian Kingdom, he is still a Yesian. How can he bear to do that to his own Kingdom and his own people?"
What Leander said is right. What will Prince Joachim get from doing all of these? It will only risk the safety of the Yesian Kingdom.
"Haven't you think? Maybe he isn't worried because they didn't plan to go against the Aeslaerean Kingdom."
My eyes immediately widen when I realized what Rufus is trying to say. Is the reason why they are associating themselves with the Wrezatia Kingdom? Because they never intended to go against the Aeslaerean. Instead, they would rather be friends with them?
"But wouldn't that betrayal? The Vrawyth Kingdom has always been good with the Yesian and the Saiven Kingdom. Why would they do that to their own ally?" I shake my head. I couldn't believe the Yesian Kingdom can do that. Without the protection from the Vrawyth Kingdom, I doubt if the Saiven and Yesian would exist till now.
Leander scoffs. "The Yesian Kingdom have always been friendly with us. Their King and their Queen have always been grateful to us. I doubt if it's concern about the whole Yesian Kingdom."
I frown at what have Leander said. What does it mean? Does it mean the real culprit of all of this is not the whole Kingdoms?
"Prince Joachim Brissaud, the forgotten Prince of the Yesian Kingdom," Rufus laugh. "I now understand it. Why would he even care if something happened with the Yesian Kingdom? If the Yesian Kingdom is the source of his own pain? Prince Joachim is always mocked and reprimanded by everyone because of his disability. Even his parents don't show love for him. The other Princes and Princesses always bully him every opportunity they can get. And even if people saw how terrible his situation is, they wouldn't raise a question and just shrug it off. Why would he even want to live in a Kingdom like that?"
Leander put his hand on his chin. "If he continues to associate himself with the Wrezatia Crown Prince and if this causes a great commotion among Kingdoms. It will definitely benefit him."
I frown. How can it benefit him? It will only put the Yesian Kingdom in a perilous situation, and that includes him. With his current state, does he think he could avoid execution?
"How can it benefit him? I don't understand."
Rufus carefully explains things to me. "If what he is doing causes the balance to be broken, then war will be inevitable. The Yesian Kingdom has always been the ally of the Vrawyth Kingdom. However, if a war broke down, do you think the Yesian Kingdom will take risk and continue allying with us? If that happens, the Yesian Kingdom will definitely side with the Aeslaerean Kingdom."
That makes sense. "However, didn't Leander said that the King and the Queen of the Yesian Kingdom are grateful towards us? Will they really dare to betray us?"
"You still don't understand how the monarch works, purplany. The Queen and the King's duty is to protect its people at all cost even if it includes betraying an ally."
Is that how the monarch works? I made this novel base on the surface knowledge I have about the monarchy. I couldn't believe the Rulers of the Kingdom will dare betray their ally just for their own safety. Isn't that too selfish for them? I know they are only thinking about the lives of many, but what will happen to their ally? After all the years of protection they get from them, they will set it aside like that?
"What about the things we did for all of them throughout these years? They will ignore it like that?"
"That is how a monarch rules, Lady Csille. Even if the King and the Queen are grateful for what we did to their Kingdom, it won't be enough for them to risk their safety."
I scoff. I couldn't believe what I am hearing. I have read enough historical manhua and manhwa, but I couldn't believe it also existed in my own novel. Although I have written a war among the Kingdoms but it's not too deep like this. "But what about their reputation? What would their people say if they knew that the Rulers of their Kingdom betray their ally? Wouldn't the people lose trust in them?"
Rufus shakes his head. "Why would they lose trust if the decision of their Rulers avoided them from a bloody war? Who wants to experience war? No one, right? So who cares about reputation if their only option is to choose between their reputation and their safety. A wise and sane King will never risk his people. What will be the use of a King if all of his people die in a war? They will are not dumb to risk it."
But isn't those typical historical novels, the King will rather die than to surrender to the enemy? Why does my novel become like this? It's really disappointing. I don't want to risk people's lives, but this isn't how I imagine a monarchy. Or maybe I got used to too much aggression from all the historical novels I have read before?
"But what makes them so sure that the Aeslaerean would like to remain alliance with them? Their Rulers betray an ally before. Do you think the Aeslaerean will be so dumb to raise a tiger that could bite the hand of the one who feeds it? Doesn't they have a saying that once a traitor will always be a traitor?"
Leander smile at what I have said. "I never heard about that saying, but you are right. If that happens, death will be inevitable for the Rulers of the Yesian Kingdom. The Aeslaerean will never allow a traitor like that."
They will kill the King and Queen of the Yesian Kingdom? I gasped. "Prince Joachim knows this risk, but he still wants to do it? He is a Yesian too. How can he bear to do this to his own parents? What would Prince Joachim can get if he does this? Aren't we assuming too much? How can we be sure that Prince Joachim's true ally is the Aeslaerean Kingdom?"
I don't feel that Prince Joachim is a good person, but I don't think he would be this bad to even endanger the lives of his own parents? That is his parents. The reason why he is existing in this world. So, why would he do that?
Leander looks at me for a second before he sighs. "Lady Csille, you'll be the future Queen of the Vrawyth Kingdom. I hope you wouldn't be this soft hearted in ruling the Kingdom. I know having a good heart will greatly help, but it can be a disadvantage too."
Leander shakes his head. "Have you forgotten what Rufus has said? Prince Joachim Brissaud is the forgotten Prince of the Yesian Kingdom. Even his parents despise him for his disability. Do you think he would care for his parents, who didn't even make him feel that they love him? Prince Joachim's anger is deep rooted, and it cannot be healed with just a simple sorry. The King and the Queen are the reason why Prince Joachim becomes like this."
Leander paused for a minute. He looks like he is thinking the right words to say. "If the true intentions of Prince Joachim are not to ally with the Aeslaerean Kingdom? Then what is it, Lady Csille? Can you gave us a reason why Prince Joachim is doing all of this?"
I tried to think of a reason, but my mind couldn't think of one. Can Prince Joachim do that? I know he had a rough life throughout these years but is it enough to risk everyone and everything?
I feel someone holds my hand that is resting on the table. It was Rufus. Rufus smiles at me and gently squeezes my hand. "Csille, this is how the real world works. Didn't you say you want to create your own identity? Can you do that? Can you survive this cruel world?"
I got silent with Rufus' question. I only said those as an excuse so I could push Prince Fraser away. But come to think of it, can I do it? Can I really survive this kind of world? Where an ally can betray its own ally for its own safety? Where a child can kill his own parents indirectly?
I have seen the news about wars and murder in the real world, and I got used to it. Since I live in a safe environment but the environment I am living in now is definitely not safe. Without the halo of my father, the Count, and the halo of Prince Fraser, can I survive this world?
Leander clears his throat. "The issue is not about that. You can talk about that some other time. However, right now, we need to settle this problem with the three Kingdoms. The problem doesn't focus on the Yesian Kingdom alone. The Saiven and the Wrezatia Kingdom are also involved in this."
My eyes widened when I heard what Leander has said. "Even the Saiven Kingdom and the Wrezatia Kingdom?"
Rufus snaps his finger and nods his head. "Leander is right. This is definitely not a one man job. It also involves about the royalties from the two Kingdoms. How can I not think about that?"
I don't understand how the two Kingdoms are involved. "What do you mean by that?"
"Do you think the royalties from the Saiven Kingdom will be so dumb not to realized what they are doing?"
I remember the reaction of the two siblings earlier. What Leander said is true. The royal siblings of the Saiven Kingdom are not ignorant of what they are doing. I have only one question, though. "Why would the Royal siblings want to risk the safety of their Kingdom? This may result in the execution of their own parents too. I heard the siblings are loved by their parents. Why would they even do that?"
"What you said is right, purplany. The two siblings are definitely loved by their parents and the Saiven people. However, it is because of this same love why they do this. Their parents love them too much that they didn't let them do things in the monarch. They just let them do what they want and what they please."
But wouldn't that enough excuse not to harm their own parents? Their parents love them. I don't understand why would they do that to them? I can understand Prince Joachim's reason since he never felt loved by his own parents. But what's the reason of the siblings? "If they are love, why would they even do that to their parents?"
"It's simple, Lady Csille, too much something will never be healthy. The two siblings got bored with their lives and wanted to do their responsibilities as the Crown Prince and the Princess of their Kingdom. However, their parents wouldn't let them do that. It resulted for them to ask more."
I gasped when I realized something from Leander's words. "They want to remove their parents from their crown so they can do what they want."
I slump on my chair. I couldn't digest what I just have heard. I saw children from the real world disrespect their parent's but to even think of killing them? That's insane.