Synopsis

After his victory against the Great Empire of Galed, Slaine is crowned the King of Hasenvalia. The young monarch spends the early days of his rule in comfort, preparing to marry his aide-turned-lover, Monica—but a shocking betrayal and an empire-backed coup attempt threaten to drag his tiny kingdom back into strife and unrest. If Slaine wishes to hold on to his crown and protect his people, he must devise a cunning plan to dismantle the empire’s impregnable Sauerland Fortress from within—and thwart the nefarious Imperial Prince Florenz once and for all. The second installment in the Crown of Rutile Quartz series, a fantasy saga chronicling the cutthroat politics and harrowing battles a clever young king must face in his rise to power. Follow Slaine as he uses his wit and knack for strategy to beat impossible odds. (Source: J-Novel Club)

A Battle for the Impenetrable Fortress!

Picking up where the first volume left off, The Crown of Rutile Quartz’s sequel finds that peace still evades Slaine’s reign. With the empire’s first invasion foiled, Slaine’s latest challenges as king include a coup from one of his own and Prince Florenz’s latest attempt to capture the kingdom.

Slaine’s challenges in this volume begin with a coup. Orchestrated by the Duke of Wahlenheit and those unhappy with a former commoner as king, it shows that Slaine has yet to convince everyone of his leadership abilities despite an overwhelming victory against the empire.

Unlike an invasion, the coup poses new dilemmas for the young leader, as this battle will see him fight against his own citizens. Slaine’s inventiveness shines through once again, winning by highlighting the differences between a trained and a citizen army. What is more striking than this still is the interactions between Slaine and Julius. While they may have been on opposing sides, it is clear that the two of them, in their own way, want what’s best for the kingdom. Unfortunately, Julius’s extremist views regarding who should lead who are what seal his fate. Allowing Julius to live after the coup would forever forge fractures within Hasenvalia’s society.

After dealing with the coup, Slaine is offered a small window of rest. Despite a lull in the action during the mid-sections of the story, the author, Surume Enoki, ensures that not a page of the story is wasted. During these moments, there is a renewed focus on the main cast as well as the world-building of the continent.

By the second volume, the romance between Slaine and Monica has blossomed at a blistering pace, and the story reflects this. As the volume progresses, their love affair becomes serious, and they plan to marry

Meanwhile, the second volume also offers an interesting insight into the dealings of the empire. Through the scenes that we are shown, it is evident that the current emperor is losing strength. His heirs are each planning their own ascension through power games. Florenz, as seen in both this and the previous volume, is using his influence to try and topple Hasenvalia. Additionally, this volume also introduces readers to another prince, Maximilian. A more level-headed royal, his campaigns for power have been focused on battles to the east.

Florenz’s quest for power once again covers the volume’s climax. Raising the stakes set from their first encounter, Slaine’s victory lies in the successful capture of the impenetrable fortress, Sauerland. Slaine’s unique point of view makes this an enjoyable battle sequence as he takes advantage of the situation by having men on the inside, ultimately exploiting the fort’s weakness.

This battle between Hasenvalia and the Empire provides an important lesson in compromise to Slaine. In capturing the fort, he had to make a deal with Ulvheznar mercenaries. Known to be a rough-and-tumble bunch, having to hand over territory to them is a bitter pill to swallow, but one that inevitably saved their nation.

Overall, The Crown of Rutile Quartz’s sequel instalment continues to develop its potential from its strong foundations. While the offering of new battle scenarios tests Slaine’s mind and resolve, the volume also has plenty to say when it comes to world-building and relationships, as both the Empire and Slaine’s love affair get a closer look-in in this volume.

I Give the Crown of Rutile Quartz: 9/10