Walking down a corridor far too wide and tall for mere humans, I followed a few steps behind His Highness Chronos, the prince of this country. Under normal circumstances, this would be an unbelievable situation. Having an audience with the king was already an extraordinary event, but to be personally escorted to the audience chamber by the prince himself was beyond imagination.

──── Normally, wouldn’t a retainer, a royal knight, or a vassal handle this?

Whether he volunteered for this role himself was unclear, but given the circumstances, that was the most likely explanation. After all, he had a habit of looking after those close to him and was remarkably kind.

──── I had heard stories about this in my first life.

Even in my first life, Chronos Chronostaria cherished his retainers and comrades, always surrounded by people drawn to him. Never did I imagine that in this life, I would find myself among them. But given the situation, it was inevitable.

A crimson carpet stretched endlessly before us, and we walked across it without hesitation. Up to this point, not a single shadow of a person had passed by—or rather, there was no trace of anyone at all. One could almost mistake the royal castle for a quiet, lifeless place, but that was far from the truth.

Normally, the castle was bustling with officials, servants, and patrolling knights, making it rare not to encounter anyone. Yet, today, the corridors were utterly deserted—this was all due to the aftermath of yesterday’s events, the grim reality brought forth by that damned lizard. Everyone was holding their breath, fearing the return of that dreadful dragon.

“Are you nervous?”

The oppressive silence grated against my eardrums. Breaking that discomfort was the voice of His Highness walking ahead of me. I took a moment to consider how to respond.

“Surprisingly… not really.”

I realized I was unexpectedly calm. Upon hearing my response, His Highness glanced back at me briefly before turning his gaze forward again.

“──── I see.”

Despite his short reply, he seemed somewhat unsettled… to put it bluntly, he appeared nervous.

Even if he was meeting with a family member, an audience with the king—his father—was not the same as a casual visit. Under normal circumstances, I would have been far more nervous than him, probably to the point of feeling sick.

But the current situation didn’t allow for such luxury. It wasn’t that I was particularly composed—rather, it felt like I was still trapped in a lingering nightmare, my feet sluggishly sinking into a murky mire.

After that brief exchange, neither of us spoke further. Before I realized it, we had arrived at the entrance of the audience chamber. Flanking the grand doors stood two knights, clad in armor and bearing swords, standing as guards. Upon seeing His Highness, they immediately saluted.

“We have been expecting you, Prince Chronos!”

“King Lycas awaits you inside.”

“…… I see.”

The knights’ heavy demeanor hinted at the tense atmosphere within.

“Are you ready, Clay?”

“Yes.”

His Highness looked at me one last time, as if for final confirmation. His expression remained anxious, tense. Firmly pressing his lips together to mask his unease, he stepped forward into the chamber. I followed close behind.

The audience chamber was magnificent and resplendent. The floor was paved with white marble, and large windows flooded the room with natural light, illuminating the red banners swaying from the ceiling.

Flanking the room stood numerous knights, the elite warriors known as the Seven Peerless Swords, standing in perfect formation to protect their sovereign. Further beyond them were high-ranking nobles and ministers who served the kingdom, their gazes openly scrutinizing us. Among them, I spotted my father—Zeke.

At the farthest end of the room, atop a raised platform, sat the throne. Seated there, staring directly at us, was the ruler of this land—King Lycas Chronostaria. As we advanced to a designated distance, His Highness immediately knelt before the king. I promptly followed suit.

“Chronos Chronostaria and Claym Bradley humbly present themselves before His Majesty.”

“Raise your heads.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

After the customary exchange, His Highness and I lifted our heads. I hadn’t noticed upon entering, but now, looking directly at the king’s face, I was struck by how unwell he appeared.

“I apologize for summoning you to such a place, Claym Bradley.”

“Not at all. If His Majesty calls, then I, Claym Bradley, shall always answer.”

His complexion was visibly pale, his features worn and weary. He looked as if he might collapse at any moment.

“Hah… just as I’ve heard, you are quite eloquent. And to think you also possess exceptional skill in swordsmanship—Zeke, is this the result of your teachings?”

The king forced a smile, though it lacked any real energy, making it almost painful to witness. My father, addressed so suddenly, remained composed as he responded.

“I am honored by your words… however, my son has reached this level not by my guidance alone, but largely due to the influence of his granduncle.”

“Is that so────”

The king nodded deeply at my father’s humility, then surveyed the room. After clearing his throat, he spoke.

“The reason I have gathered you all here is none other than the manifestation of the Shadow Dragon’s remnants yesterday—and the official declaration of the Dragon Slayer War.”

“……”

With the announcement of the main topic, the atmosphere in the audience chamber grew even heavier. As if everyone present fully understood the weight of those words, a collective silence fell upon the room.

Then came the words that left everyone breathless.

“This morning, we received an official declaration of war from the Empire.”

“────!!”

That meant war with the Shade End Empire.

──── But why? How did it come to this?

I understood that the damn lizard had challenged me and this kingdom. I also knew that the Empire had ties to that creature. But why would the Empire so readily follow along with that monster’s reckless challenge? Instead of a battle between the dragon and the kingdom, this had escalated into a war between the dragon-backed Empire and the kingdom.

──── That would mean…

That would mean the Empire was completely under the control of that damned lizard, being dragged into a needless war against its will. No… that was already evident. The fact that they served an entity that looked down upon the world meant they had accepted this fate.

“……”

Even so, I couldn’t accept it. How could they so easily involve countless innocent lives? Moreover, given the term Dragon Slayer War, it was clear that this was no ordinary conflict.

────

I wanted to question the meaning behind those words, but given my position, it was difficult to speak out. One of the reasons I had come here was slipping away from my grasp.

As I struggled with frustration, His Highness spoke up.

“Your Majesty, Clay and I do not fully understand the precise meaning of the term Dragon Slayer War as used by the Shadow Dragon yesterday. If I may be so bold, could you explain it to us once more?”

“Indeed. You both must know… my apologies.”

His Highness had boldly addressed the king directly, saving me from my hesitation. The king, looking remorseful, nodded before continuing his explanation.