Chapter 64 - Forgive Us!

Hey there! Lumina Chis Chem here~ oops, I’m now called Lumina Chis Chem Dragonia. I don’t know how Dragonia got added, but since I know who the mastermind behind this addition is, I’ll take my time interrogating her later.

Right after I’m done announcing something.

Currently, I am sitting on a throne, and in front of me are more than a hundred kneeling people. Having this many people kneeling is really troubling. How do I stop them? Do you know how, Fafnir?

[Why are you asking me?]

You’re the King of all Dragons, right? Surely you’ve faced this situation many times, right? Right?

[The way we dragons show, pay, and earn respect is very different from how humans do.]

How so?

[To earn respect, we need to defeat others. To pay respect, we would do anything and everything they order us. And to show respect, we offer everything we have to them. This has not changed for millions of years.]

So you’re saying that the reason you became the king of all dragons is that you defeated all of your brethren?

[That is right.]

....

Okay, asking a dragon didn’t help. I guess I’m on my own here. What to do? Let’s try requesting them to stop kneeling.

“Raise your heads.”

“Yes!”

Oooh! That worked! Okay, let’s end this fiasco quickly and tell them the reason why I gathered them.

“Ahem--”

“Your Majesty, my name is Stewart Grantiosse. I would like to tell you how much I admire you for the things you have done for the country! With that in mind, I shall pledge my undying loyalty to you!”

“I, Keel Trenton, feel the same!”

“Me too!”

W-what is happening!? Why are they suddenly doing this?

[Isn’t it obvious? They’re pledging their loyalty to you.]

I know that! What I’m asking is why they’re doing this!

[Listen closely to what one of them said. He mentioned one of your past achievements. Try recalling all the things you did ever since I named you their queen.]

Hmmm... Since you destroyed the Royal Castle 2 years ago, most of the officials died, and almost all of the documents were destroyed. So I had to start everything from scratch. However, because I was only 12 years old at that time, I assumed no one would listen to me.

[And so, you decided to hole up in a study and let the fathers of your servants do your bidding?]

Yep!

[What exactly did you do? All I remember during those two years were your gibberish-like thoughts and different kinds of drinks.]

Maybe the answers lie in those thoughts!

[What makes you say so?]

During that time, my mind was moving quite fast. I was calculating the national budget while teaching the newly appointed treasurers how to multiply and divide, explaining what fertilizers were to the nobles with territories, delegating and creating new positions to improve the flow and chain of command, and reorganizing the structure of the army. There were also some other tasks, but I kind of forgot.

[You did all of that while sitting in that chair!? Fumu, it seems like my decision to make you their queen was correct!]

The way that sounds makes it seem like anyone would’ve been fine.

[It’s just your imagination. Anyways, look, it seems like they’re done pledging their loyalty to you.]

Hmmmm?

The nobles who were standing up earlier were now bowing in front of me. First kneeling and now bowing?

“Please forgive us, Lumina-sama.”

Forgive them? For what?

“We didn’t mean to arouse your displeasure by interrupting your announcement.”

Since I was failing to comprehend how this happened, I turned my gaze to Emilia, who was standing behind me.

“(It’s because you suddenly scowled earlier.)”

What!? They’re bowing down because I scowled!?

“(I didn’t scowl because I was displeased, though.)”

“(I know.)”

“(If you knew, then why didn’t you stop them from bowing down?)”

“(You expect me, your exclusive maid with the blood of a commoner, to order nobles!? That would get me killed, Lumina-sama!)”

“(Weren’t you ordering them around for the past two years!)”

“(It was only because I was speaking on your behalf, Lumina-sama. No noble would ever listen to a maid like me.)”

“(Stop lying! Weren’t you the one who gathered them all here in the first place!)”

“(I don’t know what you’re talking about.)”

“(....)”

Haaa~ it seems like Emilia doesn’t intend to do anything here. Let’s argue with her later. For now, let’s stop those nobles from bowing.

“Enough! Raise your heads! I didn’t gather you here to see you grovel before me!”

“Y-yes!”

Hearing my command, the nobles who were bowed down quickly stood up and fixed their postures.

[What’s up with your wording and tone? It’s quite different from how you usually talk to that servant and to me.]

I’m only acting based on how I thought a proper queen would. Ei! Stop bothering me for a minute, Fafnir!

“Listen, all of you, I gathered you here to announce a very important matter. It’s about the invasion of the dragons and the inevitable war we are going to face. First, I’ll tell you about the dragons that invaded us two years ago. Fafnir told me that the reason they came to our country was that the heavens instructed them to protect us!”

[WHAT!?]

The moment I said that, the nobles fell into a panic.

“From what?”

“The devils?”

“Our majesty mentioned something about war! Is it an interracial war with the elves or is it a civil war?”

“Please, not a civil war! I was just appointed as a baron. If war breaks out, my lands would definitely be burned to the ground.”

“SILENCE! Remember that you are all in the presence of Her Majesty!”

In the midst of their panic, one of the boys around me stepped up and silenced them. He had red hair and red eyes, and his face looked very familiar. Did I know him? Wait, let’s think about him later and focus on the matter at hand.

“You deserve my thanks.”

“Thank you very much.”

Why are you thanking me for thanking you? Is your mind okay?

“Now then, the one we will be (forced to) war with will be humans! I know you may think no human countries exist outside the Great Barrier, but the Dragon King Fafnir has told me of their inevitable arrival.”

[You forgot to add ‘Great’! No, before that, what’s up with us being sent by the heavens to protect you!?]

Shhh!

“According to Fafnir, they number in the billions and their reason for invading us is our fertile lands!”

“““!!!”””

“Once they come, they will take our fields, rape our women, and burn down our history. They will commit countless atrocities to our country where we were born!”

Hearing my speech, the nobles began whispering among themselves. Some had skeptical faces, while others were despairing because of my announcement.

“However, I, Lumina Chis Chem (Dragonia), the (founding) Queen (of Dragonia), shall rise up to protect these lands from the invaders!”

Did someone add something there? Huh?

“But, Fafnir and I can’t stop them alone. As such, I implore you all for your cooperation. Please help me protect our country.”

The courtroom was shrouded in silence. It lasted for seconds and then minutes. Then, one nobleman suddenly shouted and raised his arm into the air.

“I shall lay down my life for this country!”

That shout ignited the nobles next to him. It continued to spread to the people who stood beside them until all the nobles were affected. Seeing their response, I smiled and said, “Thank you.”

“Now then, go back to your territories and prepare for war!”

““Yes!””

They then exited the courtroom, leaving me, Emilia, and nine others behind.