The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 65: Audience with the King

His Majesty desired to see her—how did he come to know of her existence? What qualities did she possess that merited His Majesty’s attention?

Alice was momentarily taken aback, yet suddenly, she recalled that this was not the first instance of such an interest from the king.

When she had first emerged as a Special Grade Mercenary and revealed her true identity, His Majesty had once contemplated summoning her. However, lacking any religious affiliation, she was ultimately dismissed from his consideration. Now, with her circumstances transformed, the old memories resurfaced—perhaps because His Majesty had not forgotten the intrigue she once sparked.

With her new identity, the barriers that once stood in the way of an audience likely no longer exist, and those around His Majesty will probably no longer hinder his desire to meet with her.

Although Alice was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected gesture, it did not stir her nerves. She surmised that the king’s curiosity was simply a reflection of his regal nature, perhaps eager to glimpse a woman who might be both a mercenary and a knight.

Concerning her attire for the royal meeting, there was no need for elaborate preparation; as a knight and the duchess’ guard, her uniform was both fitting and appropriate. Nevertheless, before departing the following day, she pondered deeply and ultimately chose to wear the pendant she had acquired from crow.

According to the common belief, the King serves as the earthly representative of the God of Light. In the presence of such a divine figure, heightened caution was indeed prudent.

With all preparations complete, Alice accompanied the duchess and Miranda into the grand halls of the royal palace.

Prior to this moment, she had often passed by the grand palace, never imagining that one day she would find herself walking through its gates.

The palace consistently exuded an aura of splendor, especially at night when its myriad windows shimmered brightly, casting a luminous glow that could illuminate half the capital. For ordinary folk unacquainted with noble birth, the chance to meet the king was a rare and treasured achievement, worth boasting about for a lifetime.

Yet, perhaps because Alice had long been removed from the bustling currents of society, such ambitions held little allure for her; they failed to stir her into wakefulness.

When she accompanied the duchess to court, her curiosity was mild, but not fervent.

Miranda, though her age matched Alice’s, possessed a markedly different temperament. As Alice understood, the duchess’s servants had spent hours selecting her attire, a process that seemed to consume the entire night.

She couldn’t help but feel a touch of sympathy for Miranda, who had recently been denied permission to learn swordsmanship from her, and whose entire world now seemed to revolve around the chance to meet the king—a prospect that appeared to be the most extraordinary event of her life.

Fortunately, for Miranda, who hailed from a distant, rural region, the opportunity to meet the king itself was a source of great excitement.

The duchess graciously permitted her to wear the jewelry she cherished from her youth on this special day. Her servants, with their impeccable taste and deft craftsmanship, had prepared her with extraordinary elegance.

Educated with refinement, Miranda carried herself with dignity and composure as she strolled through the royal palace halls; her bearing was on par with any noble lady from the royal capital. Yet, the sparkle of wonder in her eyes betrayed her status as a first-time visitor to such grandeur. Nonetheless, no one witnessing the youthful radiance and genuine excitement of this lovely young lady could find cause to mock her.

As the duchess was an esteemed guest, their audience was scheduled promptly, with no need for delay. Guided by palace attendants, the duchess and her party proceeded to the king’s audience chamber, passing by a throng of courtiers awaiting their turn, and attracting many admiring, envious glances along the way.

Alice trailed behind the duchess and her attendants into the grand audience chamber, where she beheld the king for the very first time.

In his early forties, the king possessed a fair complexion and a striking crown of luminous blond hair. Compared to many noblemen of his age, he was notably fit and vigorous, a testament to his meticulous attention to his appearance, refusing to permit any flaw to mar his handsome visage.

The duchess and the king shared a history; they were old acquaintances, having known each other since the time when the king was still the crown prince. Back then, the duchess was merely the daughter of an earl, her status markedly different from that of the heir apparent.

Now, elevated to the rank of duchess with vast territories under her sway, she stands in a position that, while still nominally beneath the king’s authority, allows her to sit almost on equal footing with the monarch himself.

Perhaps their long-standing familiarity fostered a relaxed atmosphere; the king, in a manner unbefitting of regal decorum, lounged comfortably upon his throne—an image that, given his sovereign status, seemed entirely within his rights to indulge.

The crowd bowed to him, and the king waved his hand.

“Please, be seated, please, be seated,” he said. “There are no strangers here, so we need not observe these formalities. Is this your niece?”

“She is the niece of the late Duke of Felix,” replied the duchess. “This child was born in the countryside and is new to the royal capital.”

The duchess did not explain to the king the reason for Miranda’s visit to the royal capital, but it was obvious.

The king nodded and glanced briefly at Miranda, but then turned to the duchess, “The Felix family is very beautiful, and this niece will surely charm all the young gentlemen in the royal capital. It is only a pity that the duke himself has no children, otherwise things would be even better in West Felix than they are now.”

The duchess shrugged slightly, “Your Majesty also said there are no outsiders here, so let’s dispense with the formalities. As I understand it, you don’t like to see West Felix as a united state, and a full heir would only cause you headaches.”

This is of course the truth. The king is unable to unify the south, and West Felix’s unification can only become a thorn in his eyes. If the duchess had not been childless and from the royal capital, he might have sent someone to assassinate her.

The king laughed awkwardly twice, “Sylvie is always like this, not giving any face at all.”

Sylvie was the name of the duchess before she got married. He called her by her name this time, obviously trying to win her over.

“You don’t have to tell me that,” the duchess said with a smile. “I once promised Your Majesty that I would never betray you in this life, but if I die, it’s hard to say what will happen next.”

“Of course, of course,” the king also laughed, not at all embarrassed by the conversation just now. “Your Grace is from the royal capital and the daughter of the Earl of Quint. How can I not believe you?”

The duchess nodded and said nothing more.

After that exchange, the atmosphere in the drawing room was a little awkward.

The king, wanting to change the subject, turned his gaze to Alice, “Isn’t this your famous knight, Alice? I’m surprised you gave her your maiden name. I think you spoil her too much.”

“I’m not surprised,” the duchess said gently. “It’s not like the old days. How can you keep someone if you’re not honest?”

The king laughed, “Listen carefully. You poached her from the Mercenary Union. The Earl of Rachel wasn’t very happy about that.”

The Earl of Rachel’s unhappiness clearly made him happy, as he appeared cheerful again when discussing the matter.

The duchess pouted and said sarcastically, “If Rachel can’t keep someone, that’s his own problem.”

Her expression and tone pleased the king greatly, and he laughed heartily, “I can only offend Rachel when I’m with you.”

After saying this, he paused, his smile fading, and a slightly sad expression appeared on his face, “The people around me just remind me to be mindful of my words and actions, and not to say anything that would upset the Earl of Rachel. I really don’t know how much he usually gives them. Do you think if I doubled the price, I could convince them to change their minds?”

The duchess pointed out, “First, as far as I know, the Earl of Rachel donated about half of Your Majesty’s treasury. Second, the people around you are loyal to Your Majesty, and only say such things to improve Your Majesty’s life.”

“Forget it, forget it,” the king waved his hand angrily. “There is no one here now, so drop all these loyal platitudes. You and I both know that I am merely an empty shell, a mere tool for the high priest and the Earl of Rachel to play their games with. Where is the so-called orthodoxy of the God of Light? No one takes me, the king, seriously.”

The conversation turned to a subject he did not like, but the duchess, knowing his temperament, simply smiled at him silently, waiting until he was in a better mood.

Alice had been looking at the king while the duchess spoke to him. She didn’t quite understand the conversation, but she was now very interested in looking at the king and wondered if he really looked like the King of Hearts, as depicted on the deck of cards.

It took her a while to realize that his hair and skin were the same color as Etienne’s. If the king were twenty years younger, he would look just like Etienne. However, Etienne’s expression, always so serious and almost unchanging, was so different from the king’s that she didn’t notice immediately. It was hard to believe such a coincidence existed.

She was so engrossed in contemplating the similarity between the king’s face and Etienne’s that she didn’t notice the king had already changed the subject, “Please don’t mention Rachel again. His name makes me sad. I am clearly his king, yet he insists to the world that he has other masters to whom he swears allegiance… This does not lead to unity. Let’s talk about the young knight you took from him… I never thought she was such an interesting person before I met her… In my opinion, she resembles some of the Flamel’s. What do you think, Liliel?” The king, turning his head to the left to seek counsel, inquired.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” from behind the throne, a woman’s voice responded, prompting Alice to realize that, beyond the three of them and the king, there was yet another woman present in the chamber.

Seated quietly in the shadows beneath the king’s throne, the woman had remained silent, unnoticed by her until that moment.

A sense of unease washed over Alice—her role as a guard should have kept her vigilant, yet she had failed to perceive the presence of this mysterious figure upon entering the unfamiliar chamber.

Breaking the silence, Liliel, the woman concealed in darkness, spoke with quiet authority, “Judging by the girl’s hair, she is undoubtedly a member of the Flamel family, Your Majesty.”

She then leaned forward, her pale face illuminated faintly as her striking red hair, tinged at the temples, came into view. To Alice’s astonishment, she recognized that fiery hue—an unmistakable resemblance to her own.

“And she became a knight,” the king laughed. “But she still wears the God of Darkness’ necklace. It’s really wonderful. I like this feeling of being lost. It makes the world more interesting.”

“What? I don’t understand,” Alice looked blankly at the king, as well as at the woman behind him.

“What does the Flamel family do?” she asked in a low voice.