13 Chapter 13: Royal Audience (II)

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*

Hearing Giliath and I introduce ourselves cordially in front of the royal army and Her Majesty, a smile bloomed on her face. She then stood up from her throne and greeted us. It was here this royal audience went underway.

"You did well to come here, General Osborne. It is indeed our first meeting like this. But you have proven yourself against Colonel Bright here on multiple occasions. I see no fault, so you have been granted an audience.", Queen Alicia responded to him.

"Surely you jest, Your Majesty. I merely know how to respond to whatever is sent my way. Becoming a General was but a result of that.", Giliath responded coyly.

'Father is definitely buttering up to Queen Alicia. He always knows how to choose his words. As expected of a villian...And he is trying to pass that onto me...', I inwardly retorted in my mind.

'My new little brother Rean will eventually become the protagonist in the cold steel saga. With me added into the mix, father will probably end up giving me his teachings since it has started already...'

'So where will I end up? There are a couple of key places I want to visit before the sagas start taking place, but after that, I have no plans.'

'Father is still part of the Imperial Army, and has yet to take over the Intelligence Division and become the Chancellor. That means he has yet to meet Rufus Albarea and create the Ironbloods. Perhaps Giliath will make me an Ironblood. That remains to be seen...', I inwardly thought to myself.

As I thought that, Queen Alicia continued to smile while speaking out again.

"You may say that now, General Osborne. But becoming a General is no easy feat. And that isn't your final goal now, is it, hmm?", Queen Alicia asked.

"I follow wherever His Majesty requires of me.", Giliath simply answered while I continued to watch their exchange in silence. Yet this time a third voice spoke out, sounding even more stern than the Head Maid Hilda.

"Hmph. Your words of flattery will get you nowhere, General Osborne. May I remind you that you are currently treading upon foreign land? Right now you are bound by international law. We can persecute you if we find you guilty of treason.", General Morgan spoke out with a heavy voice, clearly with an implication of sorts.

"I understand that very well, General Morgan. It is good to see the War God still in good health.", Giliath simply responded as his eyes crossed paths with General Morgan's. Wouldn't it be something to see the War God clash against the future Blood and Iron Chancellor? But now definitely isn't the time for that.

That exchange of words didn't seem to budge Queen Alicia though. She simply gave General Morgan a command.

"At ease, General Morgan. These two are not here without reason.", Queen Alicia explained to him.

"As you command Your Majesty.", General Morgan responded before he turned quiet again. She then continued to speak, turning to Colonel Bright next.

"Colonel Bright, what we will be discussing next will be a matter of national security, a nationwide secret if you will. Take your men from here and help secure Grancel's perimeter so tomorrow's Send Off is successful. You may participate in it with your family. I will schedule another audience to meet them at a later date.", Queen Alicia spoke in a firm tone.

"So it really is like that...As you command, Your Majesty.", Colonel Bright said, giving her a salute. In the next few moments he descended, taking the soldiers with him. Before long, only Giliath, General Morgan, Queen Alicia and me remained. General Morgan was the one to speak next.

"For what we are to discuss next, why is General Osborne still permitted to be here?", General Morgan asked, still disbelieving in him.

"Because he is a direct party involved."

"Is this not about the Shining Ring then?", General Morgan asked.

"Perhaps it may." Queen Alicia said. "Come here, my child.", Queen Alicia asked, which caused General Morgan to look my way. As for me I looked up at father, who nodded his head.

"Go, Naoto.", Giliath said.

Hearing that, I left father behind, and stepped forward, bringing myself closer to Queen Alicia. Unexpectedly, Queen Alicia bent down, stretching her arms my way and gave me a hug.

"Your Majesty, this child, he looks just like Her Highness...", General Morgan said as he got a good look at me. Another feeling of familiarity spread through me as I was hugged by the Queen. It made me relaxed.

"Colonel Bright was able to deduce the outcome based off of his investigations. Surely you must have realized it too by now."

"That brat Cassius was able to figure it out? Then this child really is...", General Morgan spoke out. "This definitely must be kept as a national secret. It is no wonder you dismissed everyone.", General Morgan surmised.

"Indeed. But if you still want to see for your own eyes...", Queen Alicia said, only reach into her bosom. She pulled out a fancy metal key if sorts.

"That is!", General Morgan responded in shock. "That's the key to The Treasury!", He continued to exclaim.

"It is yes. A key passed down from generation to generation, to protect what is kept within. General Osborne, it is unfortunate but I do not wish you to see this.", Queen Alicia said to father.

"It is understandable you do not wish to share your country's secrets with a neighboring nation, Your Majesty. I did not come here to stir trouble today. Only to give my condolences in tomorrow's passing. Should you require further proof of my son, you may take him with you.", Giliath spoke out to Queen Alicia.

"Thank you for your understanding, General Osborne. You may return to the guest area until tonight's banquet. You will be able to meet with the princess then.", Queen Alicia said, which also drew my attention then.

"Then I will wait for tonight and take my leave. I leave Naoto in your care.", Giliath said, giving Queen Alicia one more bow before he left the throne room. It was now just us three.

"Princess?", I decided to ask, which brought a smile to Queen Alicia's face.

"Yes. It was fortunate for her to survive this tragedy by not going. She is my granddaughter, and is about the same age as you in fact. You will be able to see her tonight.", Queen Alicia explained to me.

"Is that so? I look forward to tonight then.", I also responded happily.

"Hmph. I have still not recognized you as His Highness yet. Let us do the test at once, Your Majesty.", General Morgan said, urging her.

"Very well. Please lead the way to our Treasury, General Morgan."

"As you command.", General Morgan said with a salute.

The three of us the left the throne room. As we navigated the ground floor, we spotted no one along the way. The soldiers probably made sure to clear things out so no one would disturb us. As such, it didn't take long for us to reach the basement.

This place was very special. It was the focal point of sky's first chapter and a lot of its second chapter. General Morgan brought it up earlier regarding the Shining Ring.

We approached the Treasury, only to come across a silver marbled sealed door with a pillar on each side. The Liberl royal family emblem could be seen carved in its center. There could also be a small key hole seen, that seemed to fit the key Queen Alicia currently had in her hand.

This was the Treasury. Beyond this would have many treasures stored that belonged to Liberl.

But most importantly, this was the final entry point to the Aureole, which laid deep underground beneath Grancel Castle. Estelle, Joshua, and the gang would eventually make their way here to stop a certain villian from activating the Aureole...

And only members of the royal family who had this key could open it. It was read by a very specific orbal energy wavelength. In sky's first chapter, Queen Alicia's spare key was used and they probably had a matching wavelength to open this sealed door somehow. And now...

It looks like Queen Alicia wanted me to use this key to open it. Doing so would confirm I had the blood of an Auslese running through me.

Except there was one teeny tiny problem with this key in my hand.

Trying to tiptoe upward, I couldn't reach the lock!

"Your Majesty...", I said, complaining a bit. This earned a laugh from her.

"Haha, I couldn't help it. Let me help you, Naoto, was it?", Queen Alicia said, only to pick me up into her arms. General Morgan let out a dry cough seeing this, acting as if nothing happened.

My sight soon matched the empty socket. Extending my arm forward, the key suddenly out a light glow of light, before I inserted. Click.

A simple click was all it took for gears of the Treasury door to start opening before our very eyes. General Morgan's eyes turned wide seeing the entry point of the Aureole open before us...

*

Expecting a reaction from the Aureole, hmm?