Dawn of Vengeance — Chapter 58

STILL... I MUST GO.

IF I REFUSE, PARNASSUS'S PRESTIGE WILL BE DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD-

NO. I WON'T ALLOW IT.

?

Those Dopane bastards..

BUT THEN WHAT OF OUR REPUTATION...?

YOUR MAJESTY'S SAFETY IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR PRIDE.

I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO LET YOU WALK

INTO SUCH OBVIOUS DANGER.

DOPANE IS THE ONE STIRRING UP CHAOS AT OUR BORDERS TO BEGIN WITH.

AND NOW THEY WANT TO HOST A "BORDER SUMMIT"?

TO SAY NOTHING OF USING THEIR FOUNDATION FESTIVAL AS A CONVENIENT EXCUSE.

WHOEVER CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA...

...IS CLEARLY PLOTTING TO DRAG YOUR MAJESTY DOWN.

IF I DON'T ATTEND, PARNASSUS'S PRESTIGE WILL BE DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD.

THEY'LL POINT FINGERS AND CALL ME A COWARD WHO'S TERRIFIED OF DOPANE.

EVEN SO, I CANNOT ALLOW IT.

WE CAN'T EXACTLY MARCH OUR TROOPS INTO FOREIGN TERRITORY ON A WHIM, CAN WE?

AFTER FINALLY FINDING THE TRUE MASTER OF THE THRONE, I REFUSE TO PUT YOU IN DANGER.

W-WHAT,

ARE YOU DOING?!

I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE THE CHANCELLOR WEARING A MASK.

BUT IT REALLY IS YOU.

...HAH.

YOU ALWAYS USED TO DISAPPROVE OF ME SO MUCH...

WHAT'S WITH THE SUDDEN DEFENSE?

BECAUSE, AT THE END OF THE DAY... YOU ARE CAPABLE.

IT'S NOT EXACTLY EASY TO FIND A LIEGE OF YOUR CALIBER, ANYWAY...

YOU FINALLY RECOGNIZE MY TRUE WORTH!

TRUE WORTH, MY FOOT.

Get away from me.

ACTUALLY...

IT SEEMS MY SECOND SON HAS BEEN COMPLETELY CAPTIVATED BY YOUR MAJESTY.

HE SINGS YOUR PRAISES SO MUCH, MY EARS ARE RINGING.

AH~ ATHLYND?

THEY SAY BLOOD DOESN'T LIE. HE'S INCREDIBLY SMART, JUST LIKE YOU.

HE TRANSLATES DEAD LANGUAGES LIKE IT'S NOTHING.

I SUPPOSE YOUNG BLOOD REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

...ARE YOU AWARE THAT MY SON IS OLDER THAN YOU, YOUR MAJESTY?

IS HE REALLY?

SEEING HOW SHE'S DEFLECTING THE CONVERSATION...

IT SEEMS SHE IS DETERMINED TO GO NO MATTER WHAT.

I SUPPOSE I'LL HAVE TO SUMMON HIM.

HIM?

NO, LOOK AT IT, YOU PLANTED IT CROOKED!

EHH? I CAN'T REALLY TELL.

The flowerbed is what's slanted..

YOUR MAJESTY. YOU SUMMONED ME?

HM? I NEVER CALLED FOR YOU.

I WAS THE ONE WHO SENT FOR YOU.

GRAND GENERAL. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS LETTER.

...THEIR INTENTIONS BEHIND THIS PROPOSAL ARE HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS.

I ADVISE AGAINST ATTENDING.

THIS OLD GEEZER. HE CALLED IN BACKUP.

THIS ISN'T A MATTER OF WHAT I WANT.

I'VE ALREADY DELEGATED MY POLITICAL DUTIES SINCE THE CORONATION.

IMAGINE HOW IT WOULD LOOK IF I REJECTED AN OFFICIAL INVITATION ON TOP OF AVOIDING ALL PUBLIC APPEARANCES.

YOUR MAJESTY, YOUR SAFETY TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER PRESTIGE.

I AM WELL AWARE.

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING BOTH OF YOU ARE FAILING TO CONSIDER.

FIRST. WE CANNOT BE CERTAIN OF DOPANE'S TRUE ULTERIOR MOTIVE.

INVITATIONS MUST HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE OTHER MONARCHS AS WELL.

THEY WOULDN'T DARE TRY ANYTHING RECKLESS.

SECOND. AND THIS IS THE MAIN POINT...

THEIR ACTUAL TARGET PROBABLY ISN'T ME-

-IT'S YOU.

TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, I AM JUST A POWERLESS MONARCH RELYING ON HER GRAND GENERAL.

THEY INTEND TO USE ME AS BAIT TO LURE YOU OUT, THEN WIPE US BOTH OUT AT ONCE.

SO, IF MY GRAND GENERAL DOESN'T ATTEND...

...THEY WON'T DARE LAY A FINGER ON ME.

I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT.

WALTER.

IF I WERE TO BE HARMED... WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

I WOULD IMMEDIATELY INVADE DOPANE.

R-RIGHT.

YOU'D GO STRAIGHT TO WAR, WOULDN'T YOU? I expected that answer, but still...

AND THE GRAND DUKE OF DOPANE KNOWS THIS PERFECTLY WELL.

THEREFORE, I AM SAFE.

WHO COULD POSSIBLY WIN AN ARGUMENT AGAINST YOUR MAJESTY?

WILL YOU TRULY BE ALRIGHT?

WITH STEADFAST PROTECTORS GUARDING BOTH THE SKY AND THE EARTH... WHAT IS THERE TO WORRY ABOUT?

...I WILL HANDPICK THE SOLDIERS TO FORM YOUR ROYAL GUARD.

PLEASE... NEVER FORGET THAT YOUR MAJESTY'S SAFETY IS WHAT MATTERS MOST.

I SHALL KEEP THAT IN MIND.

AND...

WHILE I AM AWAY...

...THERE IS A PLACE THE GRAND GENERAL MUST VISIT.

THE NEXT DAY.

WHAT ARE YOU DIGGING SO INTENTLY FOR?

I WAS PLANTING SAPLINGS YESTERDAY WHEN A BRILLIANT IDEA STRUCK ME.

RIGHT HERE. DOESN'T IT LOOK LIKE THE PERFECT SIZE TO BURY A BODY?

WHEN THE TIME COMES, I'M GOING TO DUMP THAT BASTARD'S CORPSE RIGHT IN HERE.

A CORPSE?

THEN THE GRAPEVINES WILL ABSORB HIS ROTTING BODY FOR NUTRIENTS.

ONCE THEY GROW, I'LL HARVEST THOSE GRAPES AND MAKE THEM INTO WINE...

...AND THEN I'M GOING TO DRINK IT.

HEH HEH HEH.

IT WILL BE THE MOST EXQUISITE REVENGE.

I'M FREEZING..

IT'S ONLY NATURAL YOU'RE COLD AFTER WORKING UP A SWEAT IN SUCH A THIN DRESS .

COME CLOSER.

AH...

IT'S SO WARM.

JUST AS I THOUGHT... YOUR BODY RUNS SO WARM, LAFI.

INCH...

MY HANDS...

...ARE FREEZING, TOO.