Although having known him for over two years, the king was never particularly close to his protector.
Brain had been assigned as the king's personal bodyguard after besting Gazef Stronoff in combat the same day his daughter went missing. However much the king tried to separate the two, Brain's presence was a permanent reminder of his missing youngest.
Needless to say, Brain's character was too loud at times, a lively nature that the old man could never hope to keep up with.
A week had passed since he had protected Ramposa III from his would-be assassins. Now, the king was indebted to a man who he treated coldly for years.
Guilty, whenever time permitted, the king visited the infirmary to check on Brain's recovery. According to the royal physicians, it had been steady, with no lasting injuries.
Not soon after, the king's visits had become routine, and the first semblance of friendship had taken hold between the two of them.
Unlike the boisterous personality of before, the king's bodyguard seemed more reserved and contemplative. The clash with the assassins must've given him some food for thought, and there seemed ample time for reflection while recuperating.
Brain said he felt different after the encounter.
Ramposa had to admit, he wasn't feeling quite himself either.
In recent days, thoughts of Renner frequently surfaced. Aware of his own frail mortality, the very idea of never seeing his daughter again haunted him.
He regretted the days where he treated his daughter as nothing more than an ornament or political instrument. As much as he tried being a good father, he only recognised now that he had prioritised his obligation as king far more, only making rare exceptions.
Ramposa thought back to that dreadful day. His recollection of events was tumultuous and hazy, but he could clearly remember the sinking feeling when he first received the news. Caught between political strife, he only managed to sneak out a token search effort without "encumbering the nation's resources".
His only wish was to hold his daughter in his hands once more.
Nowadays, he found his memory faltering more frequently, blanking on the simplest of tasks. Whether it be mulling over the entreaties of magnates or daily court duties, his body seemed distant from mind. One moment, he'd be dressing for the day ahead; the next, he'd be dining at the table with a mouthful of chicken, no recollection of events between.
As much as he wanted to speak about it with someone, he ignored the idea.
He accepted it as a sign of ageing. Ramposa III was already nearing his sixties, and he was approaching the end of his rule. To reveal details of his ailing mind to the ravenous nobles would be political suicide.
The royal faction's power had dwindled after the princess' disappearance. The noble faction capitalised heavily on event, blaming the weakness of their monarch. So too was the court of public opinion swayed, civilians pointing fingers at the top to those who allowed such a tragedy to occur.
Not to mention, Baharuth was already breathing down their necks. After the humiliation of the Two-Minute War and the infamous Treaty of Katze, they were desperate to exploit any openings the kingdom showed. Spies were already crawling in Valencia Palace's walls, no doubt.
Re-Estize was in a dreadful state.
Not wanting to damage its image any further, Ramposa kept his condition to himself. In ill health, he needed to secure the line of succession soon. Perhaps because death seemed that much closer to him, whenever the king envisioned his eldest son ruling Re-Estize, he couldn't help but feel anxious. Maybe Zanac was a better choice than Barbro? As much as the king wanted to avoid a power struggle, it was something that needed to be settled before he became infirm.
Therefore, only a few short weeks after the attempt on his life, he called an assembly to resolve matters once and for all. Aristocrats from across Re-Estize convened in the great hall of Valencia Palace, eager to hear the king's proclamation.
From his seat on the throne, Ramposa could hear the snide remarks coming from the noble faction, easily three times larger than the royal faction. The crown prince, Barbro, sat to his left, and Zanac, to his right.
Just as the king cleared his throat, a courier interrupted the gathering.
Interfering with such an important meeting must herald disastrous news. The old man's immediately thought the worst had come to pass.
A declaration of war from the Empire?
"Your majesty, news from the castle gates!"
His fears abated when he heard the letter's origins. It wasn't official correspondence from another country. From the castle gates? It couldn't be a mundane report, otherwise it wouldn't warrant disrupting the meeting.
The messenger ran down the carpeted aisle toward him, the letter flailing in his hand. Creeping up the shallow steps under the scornful watch of nobles, the parchment was handed over to the king.
The ruler's eyes widened as he unfolded the paper. He scanned the same words over and over, drawing concern from his sons.
"And you have confirmed the contents of this message yourself?" The king murmured to the envoy.
Receiving a brief nod, to Ramposa III, it felt as if the world stood still.
Quite an entrance we made.
Renner led the way, and I followed just after. Zesshi and Clementine walked either side of me. Four individuals, but this procession was the culmination of my work.
Something I was most proud of.
To the intelligent observer, it would've been a sight to behold.
However, I wouldn't call our audience intelligent in the slightest. The mindless nobles of the kingdom were my witnesses. Even if the crystallisation of beauty was shoved into their faces, they'd too prideful to appreciate it in any way, shape or form. Too busy snickering to themselves, I took note of the most offensive faces and catalogued them.
Like any good country, a purge was required to keep corruption in check. Unfortunately, it appeared almost every inhabitant of the room was on my list. However, I had something more important than imaginary purges to deal with.
Renner had reassured me that she had everything handled, and I trusted her in that regard.
As we strode the length of the carpet, I looked up toward the royals seated at the head of the room.
Ramposa, Zanac, and Barbro.
Reaching the end of the room, the Renner curtseyed.
"Father."
The etiquette drilled into me during my first months in the Palace still hasn't left my body. One arm over my chest, one knee on the floor, eyes to the ground. Zesshi and Clementine copied me.
"Renner… I-Is it really you…?"
I raised my head slightly and blinked at the king, confused. There was too much emotion in his voice for it to be faked. The World Item transmitted absolute orders, one at a time.
Facial expressions, intonation, body language, what Ramposa displayed was incredibly natural. This level of nuance would be impossible to achieve using Downfall.
Don't tell me he wasn't really under control?
As I studied him, my eyes narrowed.
Whenever we experimented, there was a… strangeness to the subject's behaviour. Movements, sometimes stiff when given complex commands, emotionless at times.
Before me was somebody who had agency. A conscious, thinking being.
Had Renner made a mistake somewhere?
It was unthinkable; she was still wearing Downfall of Castle and Country. I hadn't seen her give any signal that her control had slipped.
Slowly, he descended, the heartbeat in my ears growing louder with each step he took.
And, upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, he embraced Renner.
…
This wasn't in the script.
I looked around, confused expressions filling the room. From the highest lord to the lowliest guard, they all stared at the interaction agape. Ramposa III had lowered himself to the same level as Renner, akin to saying he held no more authority than her.
Not royal protocol at all.
…
While I was confused, Renner wasn't in the slightest. I decided to follow her example.
I couldn't tell whether Renner was being calm because his actions were still within her calculations, or she was following a different plan from the one she told me. I've never seen her flustered before, so maybe it was neither case, and we were both in the dark.
After an uncomfortably long hug, the king pulled away, watery-eyed.
"My dear Renner," the king wavered.
Silence ruled the room.
Seemingly an innocent exchange, a horror story to anybody versed in court politics. Ramposa, in no less than a minute, had displayed emotional vulnerability, disregard for royal conduct and favouritism.
Wiping his eyes with a handkerchief, the king addressed the room.
"Please, everybody, do excuse this tearful affair. Recent events have left me quite… sentimental. Let us return to business."
How touching.
He hobbled back to his throne, his two sons staring in disbelief at their father's conduct. The nobles didn't take long to begin clawing into the king's 'disgraceful behaviour'. With a raised arm, he attempted to quiet the room.
"Although I am sure you are eager for a return to normality, Renner, some things must wait," he then turned to me with an indecipherable expression. "Climb, is there a reason your mission took longer than anticipated? Any ordinary kidnapping would have been resolved by now."
…
Huh?
A cold sweat ran down my neck.
My mission?
What on earth was he on about?
Equal parts of wild speculation and confused whispering came from the onlooking crowd.
Internally, I wasn't too different.
Did I hear him wrong?
That was the simplest explanation. While rude, it was better than making a fool of myself. I lowered my head.
"Please accept my apology, your highness; regretfully, I seem to have misheard you. May I ask that you repeat yourself?"
I kept my eyes fixed on the ground beneath me.
"Mmm... then, I shall clarify for you. With the fact that my daughter has returned safely, I can assume that your mission was a success. I am only asking why it took two years."
So, I didn't mishear him.
…
Calm down. Think through this logically.
A test? Or was he just getting senile?
I didn't understand.
We've never spoken to each other before. This was the first time I'd been near him, other than our break-in. The only 'missions' I've ever been sent on were the ones I ran for the Theocracy.
The king supposedly sent me on a one.
To find his daughter…
My head shot upright, my attention entirely consumed by Renner standing ahead of me. Her back was to me, her expression a mystery.
Dammit.
If I could just see her face... I would know for sure.
It would be a gamble, but if what I believe turns out to be true…
Renner would become the most dangerous existence to grace this world.
…
I cleared my throat, locking eyes with the king.
I've ad-libbed before. This should be no different.
"Your majesty, it is as you say, princess Renner has returned to Re-Estize unharmed. Of the delay, there is but one explanation."
The king leaned forward, intrigued.
"Oh? And what may that be?"
So far, so good.
"It took me one year to locate the princess, and another making the necessary preparations for her escape. The reason? Your daughter was abducted by none other than the fanatics of the Slane Theocracy."
Onlookers roared at my allegation. Denial, accusations of lying, and insults were hurled my way. Ignoring them, I continued pleading my case.
"Your highness. As soon as I suspected the Theocracy, I prioritised discretion; the princess' life was at stake. While I infiltrated, I did everything I could to remain undetected. This meant limiting communication with outsiders; it is the reason you received no updates as I investigated."
He looked at Renner with a conflicted expression.
"So, the Theocracy were behind it all… If my daughter stands here before me, I suppose I have no right to doubt your words. And I assume the ladies who accompanied you are not citizens of Re-Estize?"
"Defectors of the Theocracy," I informed the king. "Both were indispensable in the effort to rescue the princess, something I could not have accomplished on my own."
He stroked his beard with a hum.
"It seems I was not mistaken for sending you off the same day Renner disappeared. Returning with such results, I could not have asked for more. Certainly, some sort of recognition is in order." He chuckled to himself, shaking his head.
…
I was correct.
Renner could implant false memories using the World Item. How fascinating…
How did she even manage to achieve such an effect? I needed to ask her later. I glanced at Renner, standing silently in the middle of the room. And unbeknownst to everyone present, in absolute control of the situation.
Though the implications were terrifying, I didn't let myself get hung up on it. I pushed the thought aside for now; the king was waiting for a reply.
"Your highness, while I am honoured by your words, however, I was only involved in recruitment," I gestured to Zesshi and Clementine. "They are the ones who did most of the work."
That sounded plausible enough, I hope. Some nobles had already been put off by the tale of some underage miracle worker finding their long-lost princess, much less staging a break-out of the most powerful human nation on the continent.
Ramposa closed his eyes and leaned back, mulling over my words.
"Very well; their rewards will be decided upon at a later date. There is much to be done with my daughter's return. Hahaha… It appears this meeting's original intention has been completely upended…"
That was reasonable. Distributing awards right in front of some of the most materialistic and greedy humans in Re-Estized would be a bit of a disaster. I could already see some of them glaring upon my two companions with jealous spite.
"As for you, Climb," the king recaptured my attention. "At a certain point, humility turns to meekness. For Renner's rescue, I shall grant whatever you wish, within reason. Is there something you desire?"
Oh?
I expected him to delay my offer as well. I should've thought about this more beforehand.
Wealth? Unimportant. I was probably nearing some of the most affluent people on the continent. That is… asset-wise. Having the liquidity to spend would be nice, but there were much better things to ask for. A decent cash flow can always be set up later.
Some political influence would also be worth considering. I had to admit, my current position as a "mere commoner" is something I'd like to change. Although I already had Renner to act on my behalf, a noble title would grant some freedoms to me, where her royal status acted as a limitation rather than advantage.
Nevertheless, what I wanted was power. And that was the one thing the king, unfortunately, could not spare. He didn't have legendary equipment to hand out like candy. Of the kingdom's national treasures, they belonged to Brain. I don't think they have any more artefacts of Yggdrasil.
So, it boiled down to two options.
Wealth or authority.
Both, very enticing things that appealed to base instincts.
…
However, false dichotomies were something I had little interest in falling for.
There was always a third option.
As was the tradition of rewards being something directly given, there was always the other side of the coin. Rather than piling up more and more on my plate, I should look to secure and consolidate what I already have.
Sacrificing some meagre cash and influence now may yield stellar results in the future.
"…I have but one request."
"Mm. You may speak."
…
"Before we escaped the grasps of the Theocracy, I made a promise to someone, your highness. A promise I intend to keep."
"…"
"Whether knowingly or not, for most of their lives, they've been treated little more than a tool. Locked away from the public eye, there might've been an expectation they'd simply lie down and accept their fate."
Although directed at the king, my little speech was also meant to be heard by Zesshi. Hopefully, it'd be enough to gain just a bit of her loyalty.
"I told her that once we flee from the Theocracy, I'd be honoured dine in the halls of Valencia Palace together. And since we have come so far, it would be improper not to ask… if your highness could host us?"
…
The feeling of having all eyes in the room trained on the back of your head isn't a pleasant one. Like having a hundred spiders crawling on your scalp, it felt itchy. Funny how I could sense it now, clear hostility radiating from the piggish nobles behind. A bonus that came with higher levels?
Eventually, the king opened his mouth.
"You ask of me to oversee a private banquet? Climb, do you understand what you ask for?"
I nodded.
"It is what I vowed."
"…"
I winced at the hollow silence that followed. Out the corner of my vision, I thought I saw Renner shift just slightly.
"Climb… that is quite the momentous ask."
Hm, was it really too much? I didn't think it was overstepping boundaries, but it seemed so. The king easily ignored royal protocol just now, but he won't make an exception now?
I just wanted some extra good food to eat. While the Theocracy's food was alright, nothing beats royal cuisine.
"This is something I am quite reluctant to grant, even considering your feat. There will be many objections to this… and it will become a rather messy affair. Moreover, the princess' feelings will have to come first; she's just returned from what must've been an arduous journey. Being thrust back into things so soon is something I'd like to avoid veritably."
"Ah, no need to worry about that, your highness. I've already spoken with the princess on the topic, and she encouraged the idea wholeheartedly."
…
Apparently, my words managed to stun the king into silence. The brothers were staring at me strangely too. Was getting her permission really that surprising?
Ramposa cleared his throat.
"Renner, my dear. D-Does Climb speak the truth?" His voice was shaky. Was feeding my party really that big a deal?
She giggled to herself.
"While I think Climb was being just a bit hasty with the proposal… he is my saviour, after all. How could I say no?"
Nice save, Renner.
Zesshi should be pretty pleased with the effort we've made to get a fancy meal on the table for her. I never expected wrangling a single plate from this old man would be so difficult.
"…The youth of today…" The king lamented.
He collapsed into his throne with a conflicted expression on his face.
Really, the people of this kingdom were far too sensitive. It was just a single meal sponsored by the king, but no, their dignity wouldn't allow it. Asking for cash would've been a much smoother affair.
"Renner, you are still young; there are many years still ahead of you. Do you realise what you are bringing upon yourself? Even considering your circumstances, you still cannot escape responsibilities as a member of the royal family."
"Yes, father. This is not a snap decision; it is something I have carefully considered. On a larger timescale, I believe it will prove beneficial to all parties involved."
"Hmm…"
I looked around the room, noticing that every. single. noble. was staring daggers at me. Apparently, letting a commoner eat in the same room as the king was like I personally visited each of their holiday homes and spat on their front porches. I would if I could.
"If your conviction is absolute, then I shan't contend your judgement. Your elder sisters were married off for political reasons… what Climb said has resonated with me deeply. Renner, I shall make this decision as your father, and not your king."
His gentle, melancholic smile told me he was resolute in following through with his word.
"Climb," the king turned to me with a booming voice. "You will get your wish, and I shall host that banquet you so desire. However, should I notice even the slightest indecorum, I will deem you unfit to proceed."
"Uh… of course, your highness."
Why was he being so defensive?
With a great sigh, the king stood from his throne and addressed the room.
"Those of Re-Estize, hear me. Two years ago, my Renner was taken from me. Yet, I continued to put Re-Estize first; such is the duty of a king. And by the grace of the four, today she has returned. And yet, what is the first thing I must do? Give her away again!" he chuckled disparagingly.
I don't understand.
Noticing his joke(?) had fallen flat for the crowd as well, he cleared his throat and continued.
"In half a year, I reinvite you to Valencia Palace. When you return, the most extravagant celebration feast in our history shall be prepared!"
Why was this old man inviting the nobles to our Sunday brunch? I think just looking at their faces would put me off the food, no matter how well prepared. And what was up with that absurd timeframe? Half a year?
The nobles murmured among themselves, the king waving his hand placatingly.
"Save your protests for now. I am aware this is unprecedented behaviour for a commoner, after all. Therefore, I shall make things easy."
The mood in the room suddenly changed.
If it was bristly hostility before, it was downright bloodlust now. The nobles were absolutely seething at the king's words, even though I had no clue what he meant.
"Climb, no name of family, neither history, parentage, nor lineage. Step forth."
I took two steps forward, reaching alignment with Renner, who now stood beside me. I bowed.
"Yes, your highness."
"Your request was dangerous. Should you have gone without Renner's support, you would have found yourself strung up on the outside palisades… Nevertheless, it seems your wish is my daughter's wish too. Thus, I must yield."
Politics is hard.
"By this utterance, I grant you the provisional title of Marquis."
…
What.
"In my observation, there will be nobody foolish enough to claim that a marquis is unworthy of a princess' hand."
…
What.
"A private banquet shall be held tomorrow, where you shall be free to court Renner from that point forth. The wedding ceremony shall be held in six months, should you succeed."
…
W h a t.
"For the past two years, I have had much time to contemplate my daughter's treatment. Climb, when you spoke so passionately about how Re-Estize viewed her as nothing more than a political tool, I then realised you cared deeply for her. Placing your reputation at risk by asking me is commendable."
He turned to Renner.
"I see that since the last time we talked, you have grown tremendously, my dear Renner. The strength you have displayed to endure such tribulation is a scarce trait that should be cherished. It would have been my privilege to have witnessed your proposal. Alas, the punishment for neglecting my parental duties is such."
Ramposa was misunderstanding. By a vast margin.
"There was a line of potential suitors prepared in the event of your return. They are all sons of local and foreign lords alike, personally vetted. Full of potential and bearing house names that'd strengthen the Ryle Vaiself claim. Can you say that Climb is better than them?"
The thought of some snobbish child getting their grubby hands over Renner was enough to send a visceral reaction through my body. Yeah, that wasn't happening.
Involuntarily, I glanced over at Renner, who had an unassuming expression. She was currently wearing her 'innocent princess' exterior. It was almost impossible to gauge her hidden feelings at times like these. She spoke.
"Of these suitors mentioned, did any of them traverse half the continent in search of me?"
The king paused, before relenting.
"I suppose they did not."
…
Damn.
What a way to get engaged.
AN: Climb certainly has a way with words. Just wanted an elaborate picnic, but got quite a bit more than he bargained for. All's well that ends well?
Our protagonist has been thrown back into the political ring of Re-Estize, now with a sizable target painted on his back.
In other news, Zesshi will finally get her promised meal.