兩位公爵的決斷 - Vocaloid Kamui Gakupo Megurine Luka

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 The Dukes’ Resolve The royal capital had once been the most prosperous place in the entire kingdom.The towering white walls gleamed under the sun, and the spires of the palace could be seen from miles away.But now, for those standing outside the city gates, the first sight was not splendor—It was the long lines of commoners waiting for porridge. It was the elderly in tattered clothes, their faces gaunt. It was mothers clutching their children, whispering prayers for the next piece of black bread. It was streets that should have been filled with merchants and carriages, now left with only a scattering of stalls.The treasury had long been emptied. The granaries held little grain. Yet the officials still held banquets in the palace. The nobles still wore lavish gowns, drank expensive wine, and prepared one extravagant feast after another for the royal family. And the royals could not even be bothered to ask how many outside their walls were starving.This kingdom finally saw the rise of two who would wait no longer.Kamui Gakupo. And Megurine Luka.Both were heirs of ducal houses. Both were among the few who still possessed enough soldiers, wealth, and prestige to shake the royal family’s rule.They did not even conspire together. For on the same day, each made the same decision.Since the royals were no longer fit to govern— They themselves would end it.Thus, without prior agreement, a coup began from two directions at once.Gakupo led his knights to storm the northern wing of the palace. Luka advanced from the southern gate.The royal guards tried to resist, but when they saw the commoners outside rallying behind the two dukes, many laid down their arms.The palace gates fell one after another. The royal chambers, banquet halls, treasury, and council rooms were all searched. Hidden ledgers were uncovered. Embezzled gold and silver were counted. Secret documents of corrupt dealings were laid bare.And those royals who had always stood above all others— In the end, not a single voice rose to defend them.Before nightfall, the palace had completely changed hands.Yet strangely— No one sat upon the throne.The throne remained empty.Until two sets of footsteps echoed in the central hall.Gakupo entered from the north. Luka from the south.They stopped at opposite ends of the long red carpet. Between them stood the throne, symbol of royal power.Gakupo glanced at it, then at Luka. “So, you came too.”Luka lifted her gaze. “That line should be mine.”Her voice was soft, yet carried clearly through the vast hall.Behind them, their knights stood in silence. No one drew a blade. For all understood— There was no need for another meaningless war.Gakupo spoke after a pause. “I thought I would reach the palace first.”“So did I,” Luka replied. “I even wondered how I might drive you away from the throne if you arrived before me.”A faint smile touched Gakupo’s lips. “And now?”“Now?” Luka’s eyes fell upon the cold throne. “Now we are both here.” She paused. “So the problem is simpler.”Gakupo said nothing. Luka stepped forward, her heels striking the stone floor—one step, then another. Her gaze held no longing, only weariness.“Do you know why I overthrew the royals?”“I do,” Gakupo answered. “Because you saw the people.”Luka stopped. “Not only them.” Her voice lowered. “I once went to the northern lands. Last winter, many died there.”Gakupo’s eyes darkened. “I know.”“No, you don’t.” Luka turned. “You know the numbers. I saw the people.”Her tone was calm, yet heavier than any shout.“A father gave his last food to his child and starved to death outside his door. A child watched his mother die for lack of medicine. And that very day, the palace held a banquet.”Silence filled the hall. Gakupo did not argue. For he too had seen.“I went west as well,” he said at last. “The miners there worked three months without pay. Their master told them the king would repay them someday. But when I asked in the capital, I found the money already in noble pockets.”Luka watched him quietly. “So that is why you acted?”“Yes,” Gakupo replied plainly. “I endured for long. At first, I only wished to force reform. But I realized—they did not care. As long as the throne remained, they would never admit fault.”Luka closed her eyes briefly. “So we did the same thing.”“Yes.”Both turned to the throne. Once revered as the highest power, it now seemed like a masterless, even laughable ornament.Luka suddenly smiled. “But now there is a problem.”“What?”“We both want to sit upon it.”Gakupo looked at her. “Will you yield to me?”“No.” Her answer was instant.Gakupo smiled too. “Funny. Neither will I.”The tension between them softened into a strange calm. No hatred. No true enmity. Only two who refused to entrust the kingdom to the other.Luka unfastened the sword at her waist. “Then we decide the simplest way.”Gakupo placed his hand on his hilt. “A duel?”“A duel.”“The victor takes the throne.”“And the loser?”“Assists the victor,” Luka said firmly.Gakupo hesitated. “You would accept that?”“As long as the victor can truly raise this kingdom again,” she replied without wavering. “I would.”Gakupo nodded. “So would I.”Luka gripped her sword. “But I have one condition.”“Speak.”“No matter who loses, neither family shall be punished.”“Agreed.”“Nor shall our knights slaughter each other over today’s outcome.”“Agreed.”“Nor shall the loser be humiliated as a mere subject.”Gakupo studied her. At last, he answered softly: “If you lose, what I need is a duke to govern with me. Not someone kneeling at my feet.”Luka blinked, then smiled. “Then I feel the same.”Both stepped back. Their knights withdrew to the sides of the hall.No one spoke further.Luka drew her sword, the clear ring of steel echoing in the throne room. Gakupo unsheathed his blade as well.They faced each other across several paces. The throne loomed behind them.Outside, the bells of the capital tolled. Once. Twice. Thrice.As if bidding farewell to a decayed era. As if awaiting the birth of a new ruler.Gakupo lowered his blade slightly. Luka raised hers into stance.Their eyes met in midair. Neither yielded. Neither struck first.Until the final bell faded.The palace fell silent, save for their breathing.And the battle that would decide the throne— Was about to begin. --------- Traditional Chinese 王都曾經是整個國家最繁華的地方。 高聳的白色城牆在陽光下閃耀，王宮的尖塔甚至能在數里之外看見。 可如今，站在城門外的人，第一眼看見的卻不是輝煌。 而是排著長隊等待施粥的百姓。 是衣著破舊、面容憔悴的老人。 是抱著孩子、低聲祈求下一塊黑麵包的母親。 是原本應該充滿商旅與馬車的街道，如今只剩下稀稀落落的攤販。 國庫早已被掏空。 糧倉也沒有多少存糧。 官員們卻仍舊在王宮裡舉辦宴會。 貴族們依然穿著華麗的禮服，飲著昂貴的葡萄酒，為王族準備一場又一場奢侈的宴席。 而王族甚至懶得詢問，城外究竟有多少人正在挨餓。 這樣的國家，終於迎來了兩位不願再等待的人。 Kamui Gakupo。 以及 Megurine Luka。 兩人都是公爵家的繼承人。 也是王國之中少數仍然擁有足夠兵力、財力與聲望，能夠撼動王族的人。 他們甚至沒有聯手。 因為兩人都在同一天，做出了相同的決定。 既然王族已經無力治理這個國家。 那麼，就由他們自己結束這一切。 於是，一場沒有事先約定的政變，在王都的兩個方向同時開始。 Gakupo率領麾下騎士攻入王宮北側。 Luka則從南門進軍。 禁衛軍原本還想抵抗，可當他們看見城外那些支持兩位公爵的百姓時，許多人最終放下了武器。 王宮的宮門一扇接著一扇倒下。 王族的寢宮、宴會廳、寶庫與議事廳全部被翻查。 藏在密室裡的帳冊被找了出來。 被挪用的國庫金銀被清點。 官員們私下交易的文件一份又一份被攤在桌面上。 而那群平日裡高高在上的王族，到了最後，甚至沒有人願意替他們說話。 夜幕降臨以前，王宮已經徹底易主。 然而奇怪的是—— 沒有人登上王座。 王座仍然空著。 直到王宮中央的大廳裡，傳來兩道腳步聲。 Gakupo從北側走來。 Luka則從另一側走出。 兩人在長長的紅毯盡頭停下。 他們之間，只剩下那張象徵王權的王座。 Gakupo看了一眼王座。 又看向Luka。 「原來妳也來了。」 Luka輕輕抬起眼眸。 「這句話應該由我來說才對。」 她的聲音並不高。 卻在空曠的大廳裡清楚地傳開。 兩人身後，各自站著自己的騎士。 但沒有任何人拔劍。 因為所有人都明白。 這裡已經不需要再打一場毫無意義的戰爭。 Gakupo沉默片刻，緩緩說道： 「我原本以為，會先抵達王宮的人是我。」 「我也是。」 Luka看向他。 「我甚至已經想過，如果你先到了，我應該怎麼把你從王座前請走。」 Gakupo唇角微微揚起。 「那麼現在呢？」 「現在？」 Luka的目光越過他，落在那張冰冷的王座上。 「現在我們兩個都到了。」 她停頓了一下。 「所以問題反而簡單了。」 Gakupo沒有回答。 Luka慢慢走了幾步。 鞋跟敲在石地上，一聲，又一聲。 她看著王座，眼神裡沒有憧憬。 只有疲憊。 「你知道我為什麼要推翻王族嗎？」 「知道。」 Gakupo說。 「因為妳看見了那些百姓。」 Luka的腳步停下。 「不只是因為他們。」 她低聲說道。 「我曾經去過北方領地。」 「那裡去年冬天死了很多人。」 Gakupo的眼神微微沉下。 「我知道。」 「不，你不知道。」 Luka轉過身。 「你知道的是數字。」 「而我看見的是人。」 她的聲音依然平靜。 卻比任何怒吼都沉重。 「一個父親把最後一點糧食留給孩子，自己餓死在門外。」 「一個孩子因為沒有藥，只能看著母親死去。」 「而王宮那天正在舉辦宴會。」 大廳陷入沉默。 Gakupo沒有反駁。 因為他也曾親眼看見過。 「我也去過西境。」 他終於開口。 「那裡的礦工三個月拿不到薪水。」 「礦場的主人告訴他們，只要繼續工作，國王陛下總有一天會補償。」 Gakupo抬起眼。 「但我去王都詢問的時候，發現那筆錢早就進了貴族的口袋。」 Luka安靜地看著他。 「所以你才動手？」 「嗯。」 Gakupo回答得很直接。 「我忍了很久。」 他看了一眼身後。 那些騎士默默站著。 「我原本只是想逼王族改革。」 「但後來我發現，他們根本不在乎。」 「只要王座還在，他們就不會認為自己有錯。」 Luka輕輕閉了一下眼睛。 「所以我們做了同一件事。」 「嗯。」 兩人再次看向王座。 那張王座曾經被無數人視為最高權力。 如今卻像一件沒有主人、甚至有些可笑的裝飾品。 Luka忽然笑了一下。 「可是現在有個問題。」 「什麼？」 「我們兩個都想坐上去。」 Gakupo看著她。 「妳會讓給我嗎？」 「不會。」 回答沒有絲毫猶豫。 Gakupo也笑了。 「巧了。」 「我也不會讓。」 兩人之間原本緊繃的氣氛，竟在這一刻出現了一絲奇妙的平靜。 沒有憎恨。 沒有真正的敵意。 只有兩個同樣不願把國家交給另一個人的人。 Luka伸手解開腰間的佩劍。 「那就按照最簡單的方式決定。」 Gakupo也將手放在劍柄上。 「比武？」 「比武。」 「勝者登上王座。」 「敗者呢？」 Luka看著他。 「輔佐勝者。」 Gakupo沉默片刻。 「妳願意？」 「只要勝者真的有能力讓這個國家重新站起來。」 她的目光沒有退縮。 「我願意。」 Gakupo輕輕點頭。 「我也是。」 Luka握緊劍柄。 「不過我有一個條件。」 「說。」 「無論誰輸，都不許清算對方的家族。」 Gakupo毫不猶豫。 「同意。」 「也不許因為今天的勝負，讓彼此的騎士互相殘殺。」 「同意。」 「更不能因為輸掉王座，就把另一個人當成臣下來羞辱。」 Gakupo看著她。 片刻後，他低聲回答。 「如果是妳輸了，我需要的是一位能與我共同治理國家的公爵。」 「不是一個跪在我面前的人。」 Luka怔了一瞬。 隨後，她笑了。 「那我也一樣。」 兩人各自向後退開。 騎士們也默契地退到了大廳兩側。 沒有人再說話。 Luka緩緩拔出長劍。 清脆的金屬聲在王座大廳中響起。 Gakupo也拔出了自己的劍。 兩人隔著數步距離對望。 王座就在他們身後。 窗外，王都的鐘聲正好敲響。 一下。 兩下。 三下。 像是在為一個腐朽時代送行。 也像是在等待下一個時代的主人誕生。 Gakupo微微壓低劍尖。 Luka也擺好了架勢。 兩人的目光在半空中交會。 誰都沒有退讓。 誰也沒有先出手。 直到最後一聲鐘響落下。 整座王宮安靜得只剩下彼此的呼吸。 而真正決定王座歸屬的戰鬥—— 即將開始。