The Saint Disappeared with Her Memories — Her Broken Engagement Decided the Kingdom’s Destiny - Chapter 38

The day the plan would be executed had arrived.

It would probably be fine. But I had some concerns. Was it really okay to leave it to the temple faction? Considering past events, they weren’t very trustworthy. If anything happened, I needed to be prepared to respond immediately.

I sat on the throne and waited for reports. If things went according to plan, I would finally be able to bring the Healing Association under my control. If I could secure that organization, my authority as king would become absolute.

“Your Majesty, it’s terrible!”

A minister came running in, flustered.

“We have reports of people running wild in the city!”

So, it begins. The plan was finally in motion. While smiling inwardly, I put on a surprised expression outwardly and responded to the minister’s report.

“What?! Mobilize the soldiers immediately! Prioritize citizen safety and suppress them!”

“Yes, sir!”

Mobilize the troops. The minister who heard the order ran off. Perfect. After the suppression, I would expose the temple’s misdeeds. I would claim that temple remnants might cause further incidents. To resolve things quickly, I would request assistance from the Association. All that remained was to wait for them to accept. Everything was proceeding according to my plan.

“Your Majesty! It seems the Association members have taken action too!”

“What?!”

Sometime after the incident occurred, another minister reported with a happy expression. I unintentionally stood up from the throne. Too fast. Their response was far too quick.

“What’s the soldiers’ situation?!”

“Well, it seems everything was already over by the time the soldiers arrived.”

“Everything was over?”

My voice rose. This wasn’t part of the plan.

“Apparently both citizen rescue and the capture of the ringleaders were completed. Viscount Lucius’s soldiers were stationed at the incident site and had established a state of alert.”

Had I been beaten to the punch? The Association had captured the rioters, and nobles had soldiers waiting? This was bad. This might be a very dangerous situation.

“Withdraw the troops immediately! Right now!”

“Y-yes!”

I held my head. What a disaster. This was a complete failure from the first stage of the plan. This is why I shouldn’t have trusted the temple faction. To think they’d get captured by the Association members. This wasn’t in the plan. They might even be confessing to this staged incident.

Before that happened, I had to eliminate them. But how? Demand the Association hand over the captured rioters? On what grounds? If I moved carelessly, I could be suspected.

Anyway, I had to significantly revise the plan. I would stick to the original plan of cutting ties with the temple faction and maintaining that I had no involvement whatsoever.

Several days later. After the temple’s incident, similar incidents occurred in various places. The Association members resolved them instantly. This wasn’t part of my planned scenario. The locations and timing of the incidents were terrible. There was no way things would go my will like this.

Moreover, the Association’s reputation kept rising, and rather than cooperating with the royal family, they seemed to be strengthening their independence even more. Where exactly had the plan gone wrong?

“Your Majesty.”

The heavy doors opened, and several nobles entered the throne room with dignity. Their expressions were severe, clearly this wasn’t an ordinary audience. None of their usual respectful attitude was visible.

“Your Majesty. You’ve done something outrageous.”

The leading duke spoke in a cold voice.

“What do you mean?”

I maintained my composure as I asked in return. I had my suspicions, but I hadn’t given up hope yet.

However, that hope was completely shattered the next moment.

“Playing dumb is useless. This contains detailed records of Your Majesty’s secret meetings with the temple.”

The duke held up documents in front of me.

“Everything has been exposed. Including how Your Majesty used the temple to endanger citizens.”

“……”

To think they’d found out. How much did they know? Had the temple faction leaked it? They were utterly useless.

This was quite a dangerous situation. But I was the king, and they were nobles. I should still be able to use our difference in status.

“There is no such truth.”

I denied it with a resolute attitude.

“But it would be bad if this spread to the citizens. Somehow suppress these false rumors.”

“Do you intend to deny that this is the truth?”

The duke’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“Of course. That’s just the temple’s nonsense.”

“Is that so.”

The nobles exchanged meaningful glances before bowing deeply.

“Understood. We take our leave.”

After that exchange, the nobles withdrew. I breathed a sigh of relief. Had I managed to deceive them? But this couldn’t continue. I had to do something.

The nobles’ expressions bothered me. They had looked like they’d resolved themselves to something.

Several more days passed after that incident.

“Your Majesty! It’s terrible!”

A minister came running in, his face distorted with terror.

“The nobles are approaching the palace with soldiers!”

“What?!”

“They’re declaring they will ‘overthrow the wicked king who disregards human life’!”

I was stunned. How had it come to this? Until just recently, everything should have been proceeding according to my will. I should have brought the Association under my control and established my authority as king.

“Quickly gather the troops! Defend the palace!”

I desperately gave orders and tried to command the soldiers to resist somehow. But it was all futile effort.

The nobles’ forces were more numerous than expected, and well-coordinated. In contrast, my soldiers’ morale was low, with some even throwing down their weapons and fleeing. Apparently, their loyalty to me had been lost long ago.

“Your Majesty, this is the end.”

One of my aides said with a pale face.

“Please surrender.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! I am the king!”

I tried to draw my sword and resist, but was immediately restrained. My dignity as king was nowhere to be found.

“King Eric! For the crime of conspiring with the temple to endanger citizens, we condemn you!”

“Stop! I am the king! The king!”

The nobles’ cold voices echoed. I continued to resist, but heavy chains were placed on my hands. There was no escape now. This was my end as king.

Why… why had it come to this…?

It was all to secure the Healing Association. To strengthen my kingdom. Even sacrificing citizens was all for the country’s sake.

Why couldn’t anyone understand that?