After stretching out lightly in the bed, I got up and left the private room, and headed for the living room.
It seems that my father and mother have already gone to work, and there were newspapers folded on the table.
I was about to walk past the usual scene to the kitchen as usual, when the headline entered the edge of my vision and I stopped moving.
“Looks like what Elina said was true…”
Muttering to myself, I picked the newspapers up and read its entire front page.
To summarize, the people who were disgruntled and distrustful due to the disappearance of the barrier and rumors that I was dismissed because I was a commoner, started a coup d’état because of their unrest.
In addition, it seems that a significant number of commoners were on the move, and many of them had already broken into the castle.
It is said that the nobles working in the castle were holed up in their own residences because of the sheer danger, and the King, who couldn’t get away from the castle, has fortified his private quarters with a large number of knights to protect him and his family.
I went to the bathroom and was getting ready for the morning, wondering if the minister would be able to return safely, when there was a knock on the door.
After a brief preparation, I hurriedly went to the front door and peered through the peephole to see my visitor, I saw the face of the former minister, who looked tired and hurriedly opened the door.
“Good morning. You look quite tired, are you okay?”
“Yeah… the Capital seems to be experiencing many difficulties, so…”
Letting out a tired sigh, the minister shook his head from side to side and held out one hand to me.
“Thank you for forgiving me for my foolishness. The truth is, I still have much to tell you, but I must return now.”
“… Be careful.”
The former minister smiled at me as he held my hand in his which was similar in size to my father’s, and turned his back to me, saying to the only knight accompanying him that they are leaving.
I thought that his back was somewhat like mine before I got dismissed.
I found myself holding the former minister back.
“…? What is it? Do you have something to say?”
“… Escaping from things is also important at times. I realized its importance the day I got dismissed by you.”
“I see… However, you see, I am the ‘former’ Chief Minister. I cannot escape from my responsibilities.”
“You think so?”
When I tilted my head, the former minister said, “Yeah,” in a short affirmation.
“I have already decided to be loyal to my country. From now on, even if they start calling for the execution of everyone who was a nobleman, I will work for my country to the end.”
“… You are exactly how I was before the dismissal.”
It is true that the former minister and I were in different positions and have different aspirations.
But when I looked at his exhausted eyes, it was clear to me that he wanted to be free from something, and I couldn’t help but see the overlap between him and me of the past.
Then the former minister smiled and patted me on the shoulder.
“I am thankful for your kindness. But this is my mission. I would be satisfied to die for my country.”
The former minister turned his back to me again and walked away without looking back, and I watched him blankly until I couldn’t see his back.
——I hope that one day he will be freed from that something.