Royal Audience

Even with dozens of candles lit, the air inside was cold. Wooden benches lined each side of the room, like those in a church, separated by one of the huge columns supporting the roof. In the center of the room, there was a long red carpet running from the entrance to the podium at the back. Two thrones made of gold and red velvet stood on the podium, one of them being slightly smaller than the other. On the larger throne, a middle-aged man was seated, dressed in the most luxurious clothing that I had seen in Fira up to that point. He had a large brown beard and his narrow eyes were a deep red, just like Kia’s. However, the most important thing about him was the golden crown he wore. He appeared unhappy—almost scornful—towards us, and the tension increased greatly as we walked towards him.

“My daughter, did I not prohibit you from leaving Gehenna? How come, despite that, you still ignore my order?”

Kia clicked her tongue, clearly not amused by her father’s words.

“Glad to see you too, father. I expected you would have left that in the past by now. However, it appears even now you enslave yourself to those outdated rules of yours.”

Fire was visible in the king’s eyes, and judging by the noise, it wasn’t the first time that Kia and her father had been arguing with each other, though the air was so tense that I felt as though I would pass out.

“You better choose your words carefully. Or have you forgotten who you are talking to?”

They stared at one another with such bitter looks that you could see sparks jumping between them; I was frightened that if I didn't intervene, they would rush and attack each other, but my body would not allow me to move. Luckily, their stare-off did not continue for long, as Kia turned her head and wore a look of pure frustration, like ink on a piece of paper.

“Shall I take it that the person who you brought with you is your guest?”

“The boy’s name is Shako Ikitayashi. I found him unconscious when I was climbing Sharp Peak. He claims he has lost his memories, so – in an act of kindness – I offered him a place to stay at our home for the night.”

“My dear daughter,” he said, “must I remind you once again that we are rulers of this realm, not its charity workers? You see a young man in need, and your first instinct is to help him. Though admirable, have you ever considered the kind of message it would send if the royal family began extending its hands to everyone burdened by misfortune? Do you believe our people will grow stronger from it, or will they simply wait for us to solve every hardship that befalls them?”

Kia stayed silent. The king sighed softly, then went on.

“Kindness is a virtue, but do not let it cloud your judgment. A ruler who lets emotion dictate every decision will soon find themselves unable to make difficult choices. You cannot save everyone, no matter how much you wish to.”

He kept his gaze on Kia.

“Every act of mercy comes at a cost. Every resource you spend on one person is a resource you can no longer spend on another. Before you extend your hand, you must ask yourself a simple question: Will this truly help them... or will it only postpone their suffering?” He paused before adding: “A compassionate heart is admirable. An irresponsible ruler is not. The people do not need a monarch who pities them. They need one who can make decisions that preserve this kingdom, even when those decisions are painful.”

His expression did soften a bit.

“One day, this realm may become yours to govern. When that day comes, you will learn that the burden of a crown is not measured by how many people you can save, but by how many sacrifices you are willing to bear for the sake of everyone else.”

He paused for a moment.

“So I ask you again, my dear daughter… have you truly thought this through?”

She said nothing, instead tightly clenching her fist and biting down on her lip in frustration.

“I… I…”

She desperately wanted to say something, but all she could manage under her shaking voice were a few simple words. I was sorry to see her in this state and couldn't shake the idea that it was entirely my fault. If she had not been so kind to me, she wouldn’t be in the situation she was in now. Therefore, I moved forward without thinking.

“E-Excuse me, Your Highness?”

The king looked in my direction, his eyes showing annoyance.

“Speak!”

For a moment I went stiff. With all the attention now focused on me, my mind suddenly became empty. What was I really meant to say? I remained silent for a few seconds, trying to work out the right reply. In the end, I decided it was probably better to stop overthinking and go with what I felt. Then I took a deep breath.

“I realize that you’re angry with Kia for having helped me and that you consider me to be no more than an uninvited visitor. However, what Kia said is true; I have no memory of what took place before she found me. Still, Kia chose to offer her assistance to me—even though she had every right not to. And—” I broke off halfway through because I was embarrassed. “And I would like to find some way to repay that kindness.”

It must have sounded rather cheesy, but I truly meant it; everything I said came straight from my heart. Both the king and Kia seemed surprised by what I had said. For the first time since I had walked into the room, I noticed the tension in the air beginning to fade, and it made me feel calmer too. A few seconds of quiet passed before the king spoke again.

“I am delighted to hear my daughter displayed great hospitality towards you. Nonetheless, my decision remains unchanged. I cannot make an exception to the rule just because my daughter begged me to.”

“And what if I started working here?”

I have no idea why I should have asked that or where it came from; it was simply a thought that came to me, and before I could stop myself, I said it out loud. Nevertheless, the king was completely stunned by it.

“Pardon?”

The king looked at me as if I had just proposed something entirely absurd.

“I said... what if I started working here?”

“I heard you the first time,” he answered, his expression still one of disbelief. “I simply cannot understand why you would suggest such a thing.”

“Well, if the issue is that you can’t make an exception for me, then let me earn my remaining stay at least until I have my memories back. Though I’m not very good at cooking or looking after the clothes, I can handle simple tasks such as cleaning, carrying things, or running errands.”

His serious look somewhat softened.

“You would truly be willing to work for your place here?”

I nodded.

“If that’s what it takes.”

“And you do it simply to repay my daughter’s kindness?”

I nodded once more. The king looked at me carefully, as though he were studying me. I could feel his eyes going over my whole body.

“For generations, our family has trained its servants to be among the best in the world. Know that your training will be brutal and that indolence will not be tolerated. Our royal family only accepts sheer perfection. If I witness but a moment of inattention from you, I will have you thrown out immediately. That said, are you still prepared to work here?”

I took a moment to think it over. Since there was no other possibility remaining, I bowed low and replied:

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The next few seconds seemed to last an eternity. I took a deep breath and waited for what he was about to say. Only after what seemed like a long time did the king finally break the silence.

“Daughter, please show our new servant to his bedroom.”

“Does that mean…?”

The king sighed wearily as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Go, before I change my mind.”

For a moment I stood there, not quite believing what I had just heard. Then Kia ran over and took both of my hands. Before either of us could say anything more, my stomach gave a loud growl. Kia looked at me with a slight smirk and said:

“I do not know about you, but I am feeling quite peckish. Would you mind accompanying me to the dining hall?”

I placed my hand on my belly.

“Perhaps that’d be a good idea.”