Turning Chapter 825

Chapter 825

"Seal off this carriage immediately. Herne will fully support the Cavalry and the Imperial Army until today's matters are resolved. Until then, no one from the Herne family shall leave."

Amidst the murmuring of the soldiers, Duke Herne erupted into laughter, seemingly incredulous.

"Oh dear, Myra, it seems I've allowed you to grow up not fully understanding your place. I am the head of this family. Do you think it's possible to restrain the head with just a few soldiers? And even if you manage to hold your ground, what difference does it make?"

"It makes a difference. A great deal."

With those words, Myra gazed down at her father with a cold look in her eyes.

"It makes a difference when the one who should bear responsibility does not turn away. You might not understand, always staying in the background."

During her journey here, after speaking with Kanna, Myra contemplated Duke Herne, the man she called father, and the image she had of him.

Duke Herne, belonging to one of the four great Ducal families interwoven with history, was unique in rarely staying at the family's main residence in the capital. His nominal reasons were health recuperation and focusing on the south, but this was somewhat incomprehensible.

Previous Dukes of Herne, due to short lifespans and health issues inherited through generations, often recuperated in the south. However, none spent as much time secluded in their own space as the current Duke. Nor was he particularly involved in caring for the south.

Duke Herne always maintained a step back in all matters. Observing from a distance, seemingly uninvolved, he would unexpectedly deliver a striking remark at the least anticipated moments.

His method of handling everything cunningly and ambiguously, yet selfishly, was evident during the selection of Crown Princess for Keilusa, where he pushed a candidate from another family to secure his own gains.

People were always fearful of his unpredictability. Myra too once believed there must be some reason behind it.

As the number of early deaths in Herne increased, it seemed natural that the Duke would focus on preparing a successor. People thought that doing this well was sufficient for a Duke of Herne. Myra tried to believe this, despite her dislike for her father, remembering she must earn his recognition to become his heir.

She had always suppressed her desire to resolve every issue herself, considering it a reflection of her inexperience and immaturity.

However, meeting visitors in the south and experiencing many events, Myra started to see clearly what had always troubled her.

Duke Peletta Kishiar La Orr resolved the southern issues Duke Herne had long ignored in just a few days by confronting them directly. He was not ashamed to take action himself. The mere presence of a responsible leader changed many things.

Duke Herne could have done the same, but he chose not to. Not for any profound reason. Myra coldly realized that her father simply turned his back on every problem, hiding in safety, fulfilling only his own desires.

Was there any reason to admire someone who has never stepped forward for anything?

Myra thought of her father, that man, as nothing more than a coward.

Unlike Duke Herne, who did not favor Myra's approach, Duke Peletta had fully made Myra realize through their cooperation that her way was not at all clumsy, that she was capable of moving the entire south.

How shocking and astonishing this realization was, no one could possibly know.

The power held by Duke Herne, the head of the family, was indeed tremendous.

However, it was Myra who had tirelessly worked for the people of the south over the past years, truly representing 'Herne'.

To Duke Herne, Myra might have been just a regrettable tool, unused and lucky to survive, now audaciously eyeing his position. But to most people in the south, Myra was dearly loved. And she had always strived to respond to the love they had shown her.

Even those who disliked her had to admit that she had worked hard enough to be considered a legitimate contender for the next Duke, dedicating herself to the south.

The time had come to show the weight of what she had built herself.

Standing atop the steps descending from the carriage, Myra surveyed her surroundings. In addition to the people from the Herne Family, many others had not yet left.

Most of them were ordinary people from the south, who had come heartbroken at the news of the death of the son of House Herne. They had come to pay their respects, unaware of the chaos that would unfold, and now, unable to leave, stood enduring the pelting sleet, their hearts heavy with the unfinished funeral.

Those who couldn't even enter the chapel for the ceremony, of too low status to offer condolence money, had come to pray for the deceased.

Myra raised her voice to address them.

"Brave souls who love the blue seas and harsh deserts of the south, I am Myra El Herne, the First Princess of Herne. I know many of you were startled by the sudden events that interrupted the funeral of the Second Prince Ashrav earlier."

"Is that Lady Myra, the First Princess?"

"It’s true! It's the First Princess. I saw her once before."

"What is she saying?"

At first, her shouts were muffled by the sleet. But as the murmuring crowd quieted, Myra's voice began to resonate and spread more powerfully.

"Currently, the Cavalry, His Highness Duke Peletta, and many others are working hard to prevent further incidents and to handle the intruders. I, as well as His Highness Duke Herne here, will naturally join in this effort."

"Myra...!"

Duke Herne, seated in the carriage, called out her name sharply from behind, but she did not stop speaking.

"We will stay here until everything is resolved and Ashrav's funeral is completely concluded. I promise to do everything possible to ensure that no one is harmed or killed, to honor Ashrav's final journey."

Her disheveled hair fluttered in the wind. Her black mourning clothes, stained and torn, might have seemed unsightly, but those watching her didn't feel they were dirty or shabby.

In that moment, she was the true heir of a family representing the south.

"However, we need your help to do this. To ensure that Ashrav's funeral does not end in loneliness or get interrupted midway, please stay and watch over us to the end. Lend us your small acts of attention and help for a swift resolution!"

As Myra's impassioned plea came to an end, a brief silence fell. However, this silence was not filled with a cold air.

Soon after, a tremendous wave of support and shouts erupted around the carriages of House Hern.

"We will help!"

"What can we do?"

"How can we leave first, knowing all that the First Princess has done for Charloin! That would be absurd."

Most of the ordinary mourners hardly knew why they had been evacuated in the first place. But now, there was no longer any sense of unease.

The previously chaotic atmosphere had suddenly become orderly, filled with a peculiar fervor. The people of the south had never before seen the entire House of Herne taking direct action in such incidents, and they were much more encouraged by this fact than they had expected.

Myra, looking at the cheering crowd, turned her head. She smiled slightly at her father, who was staring at her blankly, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Weren't you the one who said a few soldiers couldn't hold you back?"

"..."

"Now, you can't leave, can you? Watch and see what I do."

In a usual situation, Duke Herne's words might have overturned Myra's influence, as they had earlier. But not this time. The ordinary people outside, while plain, were also the entirety of the south that supported House Hern.

At the moment Duke Herne's face contorted, Myra didn’t wait for a response and closed the carriage door. She swiftly descended the steps and ran towards General Gino and Kanna in the distance.

"The situation outside will soon be under control. Let us know if there's more that Herne can do to help!"

—

At the same time, outside the temple where many had evacuated.

Kiolle da Diarca sat hidden in a secluded corner, clutching his head in agonizing pain.

"Why... why do I have to go through this here...?"