Chapter 735: The King is too Charming
The capital of the Joya Kingdom was unlike anything in Fiore.
Compared to the last time Rhodes had passed through six years ago, the city now seemed sturdier, grander, yet somehow heavier, as though its walls bore the weight of unease.
People lined the streets to watch the lavish royal procession. Whispered speculation rippled through the crowd: ’Who could merit such an escort?’
Some of the onlookers knew the answer. A few whispered excitedly, some frowned in thought, and others quietly slipped away into side alleys, to report what they’d seen.
The knights escorting the carriage kept their faces taut with discipline. Their gazes swept both sides of the road, wary and tense, as if expecting an assassin to leap from the crowd at any moment.
Rhodes couldn’t help feeling increasingly curious about the true purpose behind this king’s invitation.
No disturbances arose along the way, and before long, the carriage came to a smooth stop in front of the royal palace.
Led by an attendant, Rhodes and Mira entered the grand reception hall arm in arm.
Inside, a young man rose from the throne-like chair at the far end, a warm smile on his face.
"Mr. Rhodes, Mrs. Mira," he greeted them gently, "you must be tired from your long journey. It is an honor to finally meet you. I am Jun Danton Shagotte, King of Joya."
Rhodes noted immediately that the man had done his homework—he had even used the Fiorean naming order correctly. Smiling politely, Rhodes bowed slightly.
"Magician Rhodes and his wife, Mirajane, greet Your Majesty," he said smoothly. "We apologize for arriving uninvited and for any inconvenience we may have caused."
Mira followed with a graceful curtsy, her tone demure but composed.
In truth, both of them were rather startled by the King’s appearance.
The white-haired young man wearing the crown looked barely twenty years old. His refined, handsome features gleamed under the hall’s golden light, and the jewel-like markings around his eyes added to his air of nobility.
But more than that, his eyes, his markings, his very bearing, were almost identical to those of Queen Shagotte of the Exceed Kingdom.
Rhodes and Mira exchanged a glance. ’Could this Jun Danton Shagotte be the human counterpart of Queen Shagotte from this world?’
Once they took their seats, attendants brought in fragrant tea and delicate pastries.
As expected, the King soon began by expressing his gratitude. He had clearly been briefed by Captain Panther, for he thanked them profusely for subduing the Makhno Gang and for their past deeds in Fiore.
Rhodes was mildly impressed—the man had even dug up their exploits from six years ago.
After several polite exchanges, Rhodes raised the question that had been on his mind.
Jun Danton smiled faintly, then gestured for the attendants to withdraw. As the heavy doors closed, his expression grew weary.
"To tell the truth," he said quietly, "although I am the King, my position is far from secure."
Mira tilted her head slightly. "Because of the gangs?"
The King nodded. "Yes, but that’s only part of it."
His hand clenched on the armrest, knuckles pale. "The Petryula Gang, for instance, they were originally funded and supported by one of my own nobles."
Mira blinked in disbelief. "Nobles... supporting gangs?"
Rhodes’s brow furrowed slightly. He thought of the phrase ’raising bandits to prove one’s worth’, an old tactic he’d heard whispered about in certain darker guilds, and of a few old acquaintances who had tried similar tricks. He said nothing.
Jun continued, his voice low and bitter. "Nearly every major gang in this kingdom, large or small, was once backed by a noble house. Those that survived long enough to grow strong all had noble patrons."
He paused, then added quietly, "When my father passed away, I was only nine years old. Though I inherited the throne with the help of loyal ministers, the true power, political, military, and financial, was seized by the noble factions."
It seemed he had carried these words inside him for years, waiting for a moment when he could finally speak them aloud.
Rhodes found it almost odd, this complete openness toward a man he’d just met. ’Does the title of Wizard Saint automatically come with a trust aura now?’ he wondered dryly.
Still, the King’s story was simple enough to follow:
A child monarch succeeds the throne. The nobles seize power. To maintain influence, they fund gangs and private armies. Now, the country teeters between corruption and rebellion.
Although he had a group of loyal ministers supporting him, the King was still young, and the real levers of military and economic power lay elsewhere. As a result, his position had become increasingly precarious.
Once Jun Danton came of age, however, his authority changed things. The aura of an adult king made some people rethink their loyalties, and a number of factions began to return to his side. Jun Danton intended to reclaim the reins of power, but the nobles fought dirty.
Many ministers who remained loyal found their families targeted by gangs. Such kidnappings became more frequent as the struggle between crown and aristocracy escalated; the gangs’ methods turned brazen, and they even began attacking ministers directly.
In the darkest days, some loyal ministers were driven into death, exile, injury, or flight. The King used the royal forces to push back, but slaying dozens, or even hundreds, of bandits did little to change the balance. The nobles simply sponsored a new wave to replace those lost.
Then, the gangs themselves began to overreach. By repeatedly targeting ministers and their families, some gangs grew ambitious. They learned that no amount of rank could keep a man alive, one knife could topple any "high and mighty" lord.
That escalation culminated in the Petryula rebellion. The sudden upheaval shocked both throne and nobility. For a time, the nobles were even more frightened than the King: if the kingdom fell into anarchy, their own comfortable lives would be at risk as well.
Consequently, the very nobles who had first fostered the gangs became the chief force trying to crush them. What followed was prolonged chaos: Petryula was routed, but other gangs simply metastasized, and kidnappings of minor nobles’ families multiplied. A bizarre equilibrium emerged, an uneasy balance between gangs large and small, nobles’ private forces, and the King’s guard.
The King wanted the gangs gone and the nobles’ power broken. The nobles wanted the gangs weakened enough to occupy the King’s attention. The gangs themselves had no long-term vision: they lived day to day, daring anyone, but disorganized enough not to truly topple either side.
Rhodes nodded slowly. "So, Your Majesty, when you said my mere arrival was already a contribution, you meant that my presence would act as a deterrent?"
"Exactly," Jun Danton said. "Your very presence convinces them I have serious plans. Inviting a Ten Wizard Saint signals I will not be trifled with."
Jun Danton’s eyes shone with resolve. "Panther was truthful. I am prepared to bestow upon you the title of Earl and grant you the finest fief outside the capital. You will have no duties to attend to personally, the grant will not sully your name or obligate you to anything. With this show of support, I can crush those parasites."
At once the King’s weariness vanished; he spoke with bright energy and renewed confidence. Rhodes couldn’t help but notice the change, this young monarch could inspire faith when he chose to.
Rhodes hesitated a beat, then asked bluntly, "And what if I, like some nobles, have my own agenda?"
Jun Danton met him without a flicker of doubt. "I don’t think you do. Even if I were wrong, things wouldn’t get worse. Frankly, if the country fell into your hands, it would be better off than under the current lot."
Rhodes laughed. Despite his caution, he found he liked this King.