I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

Plum Swanstorm, the Forgotten Prince, and the eldest of the King's children sat on the Throne with discontentment.

Almost a year had passed since he was found by Raffaelo Jun and thrust back into the world he was banished from, and quite frankly, he didn't like any of it.

Politics and War– The King's domain.

Day after day, he was drilled and prepared for the inevitable revolution of the Kingdom.

The day when the Greedy King shall be dethroned not by words but by the unbiased blade of the sword.

It was a period he anticipated, and at the same time, the day he feared the most.

Why? Because he would be there, in the Throne room.

Surrounded by the same walls… perhaps different people, but the same family.

He would face them, persecute them if found guilty… and inherently kill those who pose a threat to his rule.

The typical plan of every King, but he was prepared to do it– or so he thought.

'Why did this girl come here?'

His expression failed to reveal the distress that bit at him within as he watched her struggle against the effects of Ziza's mind suppression.

'Is she not aware of the complications?'

The Prince was aware that Raffaelo had only set out to find him due to Meadow's request.

But he had set it aside.

After all, the news had long since spread far and wide, reaching them moments ago before she was found defending herself against the Greater Beast.

'She appeared at the same time the Castle was covered in a curtain of blood.'

His brows furrowed by an inch.

'I can tell why these two would be suspicious, but…'

His gaze landed on Meadow's and their worlds collided.

'...Meadow… has always been different.'

A sigh escaped his lips as he tapped Ziza.

"Enough."

The white haired maiden glanced at him with an arched brow, and so did Safara and a few of the masked figures who dared to turn their heads.

"Your Highness, I realise that I may be using unorthodox means, but her arrival is suspicious."

Ziza explained.

Safara's gaze jumped between the two before she coughed lightly and turned to Meadow.

"She's right, Plum. We can't trust her, even if she is your sister."

Plum sighed heavily as he rubbed his temples.

"You two are so inflexible at times." He muttered slowly before gesturing with his arm.

"Stop torturing them with your mind control, Ziza."

Ziza Ruggard froze for a second.

Eyes flared open, then she nodded once.

"Very well."

And the air lifted like a curtain raised by a breeze.

Ban, who was anchored to the wall, fell to the ground with a light thud.

Coughing and wheezing out blood as he rose to his knees.

Meadow was finally able to relax her muscles and straighten herself back up.

Her gaze had never changed once.

Pure rage directed the trio.

Plum could only shake his head at that.

"Forgive them, Meadow. They may have gone overboard."

Meadow arched her brow.

"May?"

Ziza narrowed her gaze.

"You realise you're surrounded by enemies, Princess Meadow."

She spat with venom.

"Control that tongue in this place, and perhaps you may keep more than your pride when we send you off."

Meadow's gaze hardened.

She glanced around, scoffed, then shook her head in disgust.

"How far I've fallen for you to treat nobility like this."

Safara chuckled.

"Nobility or not, Princess, we have one King."

She placed her palm on the Throne where Plum sat.

"Unless you take this Throne, you'll get the respect you earn."

Meadow stared in silence.

Her gaze drifted between the young man and the two ladies beside him.

"You've gathered quite the allies, elder brother."

Plum's gaze sparked with surprise and something else.

Warm and familial.

A biological effect from a word he had not heard in ages.

"I suppose so." He replied. "Elder brother, huh? It has been a while since I heard that."

Meadow shrugged. "You never stayed enough to hear it, did you?" Her lips twitched.

"You know.. with the banishment and all."

Ziza's frown deepened and Safara's lips twisted into a smirk.

It was evident that the latter was nearly pushed to the brink of her character.

She had almost laughed.

But Ziza wasn't having any of it.

"If this is your reason for finding us, then you must be aware of the fruitlessness of that endeavour."

Meadow slowly turned to her.

Her expression was plain and relaxed.

And her thoughts spun.

"You talk too much."

Ziza stood with a deeper stroke of self-restraint. Evidently grasping at the walls to hold back what could have easily whipped Meadow off the map of existence.

"Do your explanation right and you don't have to hear me at all."

The room became silent.

After throwing word after word, it seemed like they had finally run out.

Leaving a stillness that crept against the walls and the figures within the walls.

Until–

"Fine," Meadow replied. "I was instructed to come here. After all…"

Her gaze darted to Plum.

"I was the one who wanted Plum back in the Kingdom, and also the one who wanted a Rebellion."

The room began to stir.

"What?" Ziza muttered with a startled tone.

While Plum and Safara stared in amazement.

"Oh?" Plum said. "You want to rebel against the King, your father?"

"My father? Yes. The King? Yes.

Both are nothing to me, and the man is bad at both jobs."

Her gaze turned deadly cold as she stared deep into the golden eyes of her elder brother.

"Why suffer the rule of a deadbeat King when you have the power to change it… right?"

The room gawked.

With the silence and masks that lingered within the figures, it was difficult to tell what expression they made or how they felt.

But their leaders weren't repressed by that.

Without their mask, and their faces clear as day, their expressions revealed genuine shock.

And if her words affected the Leaders, then who were the followers?

A long minute passed, before Ziza ended it.

"Who…" She began, pulling the attention of the Princess. "Who sent you?"

Meadow watched her carefully with a curious expression.

She tilted her head sideways, slowly as if contemplating.

'I see… so, they either believe me and want to confirm… or they don't and they want to confirm.'

Meadow had begun her explanation with 'I was sent', meaning she wasn't the only one who knew about them.

Depending on who that individual was, Meadow could either be a spy sent from an enemy, in which case, they would be right or an ally… who they had chained and embarrassed.

'I wonder what Raph would think when he gets back.'

She sighed as she replied.

"Of course, Raffaelo Jun."

She shook her head.

"He had told me he had gathered some people here, but I didn't think it would be this efficient."

She stared at Ziza, then Safara.

"Both level 100s, and from the likes of it…"

She glanced around.

"A lot of 90s."

She nodded her head in satisfaction.

"With these numbers, we should be able to take down the King…"

Then she pulled the chains upwards.

"Well, of course, there's always the option of locking the Princess and using her as a bargaining chip."

A smile played on her lips.

"Though, I'm not sure I'll be worth much."

Safara chuckled and Plum hid his face behind his palm.

Ziza, though, stood without any evident physical response to her taunt.

Just a probing stare.

Meadow didn't mind this at all.

In fact, she egged on with a wide, cracked smile.

"How about it?"

The quiet came once again. Only this time, it was less heavy than the last and ended quickly.

Safara turned to Ziza.

"Is she telling the truth?"

Ziza rubbed her temples as she began to gesture to the masked figures.

"Yes."

The figures moved.

Walking in orderly fashion towards the door.

"You two, free the Princess and her Guard."

She instructed two who had nearly left.

And they began to do their task in earnest.

"Would you look at that?" Safara laughed out in excitement. A wild grin plastered on her face as she leisurely strolled down the stairs.

"I guess I won the bargain this time."

Ziza scoffed from behind.

Turning around towards a portal and walking into it.

Seconds later, she had reappeared through another portal with a familiar-looking Feline.

Merthy walked in with two vials of condescending liquid, which both shimmered with light.

Plum stood from the Throne at the same time the Room sparked with life.

"You should have started with that, Meadow."

He said with a heavy sigh.

Meadow slowly glanced up from watching her shackles get undone.

"Would you believe me if I had replied in an agitated state?"

Everyone glanced at each other.

"No."

They chorused, then continued with their task.

Merthy, the female cat demi-human with red hair and tail, had fed the vial to Meadow and Ban, which quickly healed the wounds endured from their assault.

A table formed on the aisle between the two poles that stood at either side of the room and chairs began to spark to reality in accordance with their numbers.

Meadow took a seat without a word, then suddenly frowned.

"I still don't know the reason for your prick-like behaviour."

Plum chuckled wryly.

"Hah, that…it was because of the situation at the Castle."

Meadow's expression grew stale.

She glanced at Ban, who shrugged at her questioning gaze.

Then she turned back to them.

"What situation? The trial?"

The trio froze on the spot.

They glanced at one another.

Holding similar expressions of interchanging surprise and suspicion.

But nothing would be resolved… unless they asked.

"Are you not aware that there's a dome surrounding the castle…"

Meadow's brows furrowed.

"...with the King and all Heads of the Great Families within it?"

Meadow's eyes bulged open.

"What?