Modern Weapons Cheat In Another World Kai

Intermission: To Be or Not to Be

Canaria Palace, Vallance
Kingdom of Canary Capital

"Kill her granddaughter," was all Queen Isabella Velhelm heard.

Thin, aged men argued back and forth with their pudgy and boisterous counterparts, spit coming out as they waved their hands in differing gestures meant to convince. And to think they wasted weeks to arrive, spent days wracking their minds, and splurged the next few days with verbiage, only to come up with that ultimate conclusion.

It's as if fate has played a nasty trick on her. Why has it come to this? Queen Isabella thought long and hard, but deep down, she knew. The moment her daughter, Crown Princess Aria, birthed Iris, she knew.

She listened, word for word, feeling a slight tinge of pain on her forehead with all those verbose speeches regarding recent changes and events in the domestic and foreign sectors until her longtime Prime Minister of twenty years, John Raven, cleared his throat.

"Your Majesty, gentlemen, I know how difficult this decision is for everyone...," Prime Minister Raven's voice trembled. "I can never forgive myself for supporting such a treasonous proposal, but...in return, I will offer my body and soul to face the Empire. I will make sure of it. Then I will accept punishment."

It was Lèse-majesté — debilitating as it was humiliating the ruler of the Kingdom. What would Aria think? Nobody dared to move as Prime Minister Raven lowered his gaze before the Queen's suppressed glare, but the Margrave of Kangdo raised his hand. Scars ran down to his eyes, neck, and underneath his vibrant clothes; A General of Canary's greatest investment of fifty-thousand standing men stationed at the Canary-Alsace border.

"It pains me to admit, but I agree with the Prime Minister's solution. Our hands are tied between responding to the monster breeding grounds or the Empire. To let...Her Highness performing the large-scale ceremonial magic on the grounds will allow us to shift focus on all of our forces to the border and commitments to our allies."

The slight pause before addressing Iris properly didn't escape Queen Isabella, but these were pressing matters, and there was reason in their words. The Alsace Magical Empire had the whole winter and spring recuperating from their campaign on the Beast Kingdom of Verajiral. Reports from their spies detailed the atrocities they've committed against the 'inferior subhumans' and the movement of troops to the Canary border.

"There is without doubt in my mind how bleak the future may be to let us sit here and discuss countermeasures. However," the rotund Viscount of Pyondo from the royal treasury sniffed, "not even our latest and most generous offer could convince the adventurers and commoners to volunteer."

No one is fighting the Empire for five gold coins.

"Lords from across the Kingdom can't even make up with their levies, stating low morale in the face of Alsace," another noble followed.

"Surely such cowardice should not go unpunished?!"

Once again, the room turned into a tavern past curfew despite the presence of their Queen.

Ever since Isabella's father and brother died from illness, she ascended the throne ill-prepared. The vassals questioned her ability to rule, going as far as to threaten their fealty, until Raven, a court retainer at the time kept them in line. For his actions, the Queen gave him the position of Prime Minister while putting her authority in obscurity. He made the ideal leader, especially in times like these. But as the years went by, she couldn't be sure anymore.

The image of her granddaughter flashed into her mind, young and fragile, giving Isabella an undeserving smile from afar during her visit. The horror after seeing the child's eyes was blue on the left and green on the right almost led to Aria's death, not because of disgust, but the terrible fate she will face.