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Chapter 362

The Hubalt Empire’s nobles stared wide-eyed at the woman who had just entered the palace.

“Lady Li-Lilith…!”

It was Lilith Aphrodite. This beautiful silver-haired woman was the deceased cardinal’s only daughter. No one had been sure if she was alive or dead. Even the prideful nobles couldn’t take her lightly due to her social class and skills, but… the Emperor and the nobles on his side currently held power in the Hubalt Empire

“…I didn’t know the rebels would voluntarily walk into this place,” Carlsberg, the current emperor of Hubalt, coldly mused atop his throne. “Knights, what are you doing? Arrest the criminal!”

Despite the Emperor’s order, no one responded. It wasn’t just the nobles who were unresponsive.

“Can you not hear me?!” Emperor Carlsberg shouted again. He sprang up from his seat.

At that moment, Lilith took another step forward.

“It’s meaningless, so why don’t you stop, Your Majesty?”

“…What?” Carlsberg asked.

“Can’t you see, Your Majesty?”

“What nonsense—” Carlsberg stopped mid-sentence as he noticed something else. “That’s…”

Instead of Lilith, who was coldly facing down Carlsberg, everyone in the council chamber was looking at the big, half-opened entrance behind her.

“Come in,” Lilith said, signaling hundreds of knights in white full-plate armor to pour into the chamber. Carlsberg and the nobles knew who those knights were better than anyone else.

“Pa-paladins?”

“How are they here…?”

“The surviving paladins were banished to the outskirts of the capital…”

In contrast to the nobles who couldn’t hide their bafflement, Carlsberg flew into a rage.

“What were the knights doing when these many people were entering the palace?!” he roared.

“That is why I told you it’s meaningless,” Lilith said.

Carlsberg’s eyes slowly widened. “Yo-you’re…!”

The three men that just entered the council chamber were enough to make even Carlsberg petrified. Distrust, shock, despair… Various expressions flashed across Carlsberg’s face.

Carlsberg instantly understood the situation as soon as he saw the man in a robe standing on the left of the three men. He was quite handsome, and his light green hair accentuated his looks. However, that made the fact that he had only one eye stand out even more—yet it made the man look more mythical. There was no one else on the continent with such a unique appearance.

“I received a request.” Theta, currently the one and only Class 8 Archmage, shrugged.

“We’re going to dethrone you by force if you’re going to continue, Emperor Carlsberg,” Christian, the man standing next to Theta, growled.

Although Christian openly mentioned dethronement, the people in the chamber still couldn’t say anything—the last man’s presence utterly paralyzed them. The man had a deep eye-catching sword scar across his face. Maybe even the divine power wasn’t enough to heal the wound.

When he took another step forward, the nobles flinched. Carlsberg was trembling as if he were going through a seizure.

“Chrysler…” the Emperor blankly murmured, “you were alive?”

The Knight of God’s beautiful face was long gone. Chrysler looked around the council chamber with freezing cold eyes.

“…I repeat,” he said. “This sick war is going to end today, Carlsberg.”

* * *

While Lilith chose to use force to reclaim the empire, Ulabis decided to persuade the people of the Swallow Empire—he was going to bring more trouble in the end if he resorted to force. Technically, Ulabis was a citizen of the fallen Thran Kingdom, not a citizen of the Empire. Although the kingdom was merged into the Empire, the Empire\'s citizens discriminated against and alienated the people from Thran. Over time, their discrimination worsened, making the kingdom\'s citizens\' lives even more grueling.

It was already a chaotic age, and Ulabis had no justifiable cause to meddle in the Empire\'s affairs. Besides, he knew very well that he could gain nothing if he used force in a situation like this, so…

“I’m surprised, Ulabis. I didn’t know you would visit me yourself…” a noble lady murmured with genuine surprise. It was clear that she held a very high social status.

“Actually, I’m more surprised. I requested a private meeting with you, but I never thought you would agree, Lady Cerona.” Ulabis quietly chuckled.

Cerona bel Grace, the First Princess of the Swallow Empire and Grand Duke Lucifer’s wife, smiled. “As you already know, the current state of affairs isn’t good.”

“Well…” Ulabis trailed off.

“We need all the help we can get. Besides, you’re one of us now, so I have no reason to reject a private meeting with you,” Cerona elegantly said.

When Cerona said “one of us,” Ulabis smiled bitterly. He noticed how clearly she drew a line on the matter regarding the Thran Kingdom’s independence.

“I see no need to waste time, so let’s cut to the chase, shall we?” Cerona straightened her back. “You’ve been hunted for years, but you came to visit me in spite of the risks. Therefore, I assume you have a good reason, so tell me. I’m ready to listen to any advice or suggestions.”

Ulabis knew that Cerona was definitely not an easy opponent. He quietly sighed.

“I’m not here to give you advice or suggestions, Lady Cerona.”

“Then…?” Cerona tilted her head slightly in confusion.

“I’m here to make a proposal,” Ulabis declared.

Cerona froze with her teacup halfway to her lips.

“Did you say… a proposal?”

“I’ll help you, Your Highness,” Ulabis said, intentionally using Cerona’s previous title.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” Cerona narrowed her eyes slightly.

“I’m going to aid you in any way I can so that the imperial family’s power will be restored—and you’ll become the first woman to rule an empire in history.”

Cerona’s eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

“…Are you proposing a deal?”

“What…?” Ulabis asked back, confused.

“In return, you want the independence of Thran, don’t you?”

Finally realizing what she meant, Ulabis shook his head.

“No, I don’t,” he replied. “I have zero intention of aggravating the current state of affairs.”

“Then…?” Cerona no longer had the slightest clue as to Ulabis’s motivations.

Ulabis shrugged. “I just wish for someone with strong leadership to put an end to this war so that no one has to suffer like my people did.”

“…Is that true?” Cerona cautiously asked.

“Of course, if I can be a little more greedy…” Ulabis trailed off for a moment. “...I want no one else to suffer in this land just because they’re from Thran.”

Cerona silently looked into Ulabis’s fiery eyes, thoughtful.

“I’ll gladly accept your kindness, Sir Ulabis,” she said after some time.

“That means…?”

“No, actually I should be the one who asks for such a favor.” Cerona quietly stood up from her seat and… suddenly bowed to Ulabis. “Please help me.”

Ulabis’s eyes widened.

“Please, this is too much,” he protested. “Don’t do this.”

“It’s not a deal when only one side gains something. I’m not sure I can call this returning the favor, but I can tell you that the title of Prince will still exist in this Empire. If the country completely stabilizes, I promise you Thran’s autonomy.”

“Wh-what…?” Cerona’s remark was enough to break Ulabis’ poker face. “Are you saying… you’ll choose one country, two system policy?”

Cerona readily nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

Just like a female ruler, there was no precedent of an empire choosing to have two systems of government.

* * *

On the other hand, Joshua’s group and the Wilhelm Knights were moving quickly…

“Your Majesty, the Swallow and Hubalt Empires made a joint statement just now,” Kingaitu reported.

Joshua remained silent, but Kingaitu was unbothered; he knew Joshua’s personality better than anyone.

“One, the empires declare that the war is over and that they will try their best to restore the damages caused by the war. Second, the empires will not invade any other countries for the next fifty years. If the empires violate this, they will provide monetary compensation a hundred times the amount of the financial damage. And third…” Kingaitu glanced at Joshua for a moment before continuing. “The empires will permanently give up on the region currently called Erhaim, previously known as Reinhardt.”

The Wilhelm Knights had been quietly listening in to Kingaitu’s report. Their eyes opened wide with surprise.

“Reinhardt belongs solely to Joshua Sanders, the great hero who ended the Continental War. The empires will not accept anyone else ruling over Reinhardt apart from the successor that Joshua chooses. This will remain the same if the Masters’ Battles resume in the far future. Unlike before, the king of Reinhardt will never change…”

The last part was basically the empires’ vows. They trusted and respected Joshua unconditionally.

“…There are other detailed provisions, but these three points are the main points of the statement. So the only thing left is…” Kingaitu trailed off, looking up ahead.

It was still far away, but they could clearly see the palace of the Avalon Empire, one of the three empires.

“…Let’s go,” Joshua quietly said.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Kingaitu energetically answered. His face looked brighter than it had at any moment in the past three years.