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“Your Majesty…”

“So you’ve come…”

“Please get up. May you rise and rebuke your humble servant like before.”

In the room within the Bajran Empire’s Imperial Palace, where the ailing emperor was lying, one of the four dukes of the empire, Duke Garvit, came running to the bedside at the Emperor’s call.

“It’s already been 50 years since we’ve met… when I was young, you were like an older brother to me…”

“Your Majesty…”

In comparison to the other dukes, Duke Garvit in particular had shared a great deal of memories with the Emperor. The previous emperor and Duke Garvit’s father were friends, and thanks to that, Garvit came to the palace often to play and treated the crown prince back then, Prince Havitron, like a younger brother. However, after they grew older and Havitron ascended the throne, their relationship turned into one of sovereign and subject, leading to the current day. The Emperor was now gazing warmly at the duke while reminiscing on the past.

“My mind is especially clear today. I think it’s nearly time for me to enter God’s embrace.”

“What kind of calamitous words are those, Your Majesty! God’s embrace?! Even your old servant is this healthy, so how can you say such a faint-hearted thing…”

“Thank you for everything.” The Emperor merely responded with words of thanks. “It is thanks to you and my loyal retainers that my great empire could prosper. Among all my retainers, you, the one who trusted and followed me despite all my inadequacies, contributed the most.”

“Your Majesty…”

Upon hearing the Emperor’s warm, unusually frank words, the old duke’s eyes filled with tears.

“I called you today because I have a request to ask of you.”

Not a command, but a request from an emperor. He was ill and bed-ridden, but the Emperor held the authority to overturn the empire with a single command of his. Such a man was asking the Duke for a request.

“Please, command me at will. I will carry out your order with my life on the line.”

Duke Garvit was aware. He was aware that the next words could be the Emperor’s last will.

“Take care of the empire for me.”

“…”

Garvit’s eyes grew wide with shock.

“Even if I die, don’t take even one step outside of your territory. You have the advantage of age, so you can seclude yourself using senility as an excuse. Then, accumulate power.”

The Emperor expressed his will with such clear-headedness that it was hard to believe that the priests had said he would be passing either today or tomorrow. His eyes were filled with the sagaciousness of a wise man.

“And then… When the time comes, wield your sword, just once, for the sake of the empire. That is my last request.”

The Emperor’s request implied a great deal of unspoken meaning. If these words were to leak outside by any chance, it was possible that they would be treated as a conspiracy.

“Also, take this.”

“This is…”

“It is a directive stamped with the Imperial Seal.”

“Why are you giving me this?”

“The only person I can trust now in the Imperial House is you.”

“Your Majesty! How can you say such a thing?! No matter who it is, if they refuse your Imperial Mandate, this one will go and personally slit their throats!”

“Thank you… But now is not the time. You also know… that power is like endlessly flowing water.”

“Argh…”

How could he not understand what the Emperor was saying? In the Bajran Empire, the second greatest in authority and honor next to the emperor were the four dukes, after all.

“After you leave this room, immediately execute this directive. Without fail, no matter who tries to stop you.”

As if his strength was lacking to pass over a single directive, Emperor Havitron’s hand trembled like a leaf. Duke Garvit suppressed his tears as he received it with both hands.

“!! T-This is…”

“If the children are alive, the request I have made is valid, but if they die… then preserve your house.”

“Your Majesty…”

The Emperor was truly forcing him to speechlessness today. Holding the directive in his hands, Garvit looked at the Emperor.

“Cough, cough…”

Just then, as if he was done with everything he wanted to say, the Emperor’s face turned red as coughs racked his body.

“Your Majesty!”

“…I’m fine… I’m fine… now, get on out. And immediately… immediately execute my command… and then go back. It could be dangerous for you, too… Cough, cough.”

After forcing out some words, the Emperor coughed as red blood flowed from his lips. His eyes, which had been so clear just moments ago, were rapidly losing light.

“Your Majesty, this one, this one will see you on the other side…”

Thud!

Falling roughly to one knee, Garvit gave the highest show of respect one could offer as a knight. Hot tears dripped from the old man’s eyes.

‘Without fail, I must protect this empire, as His Majesty wills! Without fail…”

After one last look at the Emperor, Duke Garvit opened the bedroom door.

“What are you lot doing! His Majesty the Emperor has collapsed. Call the priests at once! At once!!!!!”

Duke Garvit screamed with enough mana to send his voice ringing over the entire palace. At that moment, the suppressed stillness of the Imperial Palace transformed into utter frenzy.

The eyes in the darkness just waiting for the Emperor to breathe his last knew.

They knew that the collapsed Emperor would never rise again…

* * *

‘All that’s left is to put in this formula…’

After one hour of concentration, a big drop of sweat fell from my forehead onto the back of my hand. However, I couldn’t stop here. Holding the mithril welder, I continued to complete the magic array on the steel arrowhead.

Zing!

The moment the magic array was completed, the mana in the air resonated lightly.

“Phew…” I breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s done!”

The large, 2 meter-long bolt was a new weapon made to keep enemy wyverns and ground troops in check, one that would be installed on a ballista.

“I think I’m too smart, seriously.”

Even I was impressed with myself.

These past few days, I set my brain to drawing out plans to create our greatest means of defense due to us lacking wyverns, Skyknights, and war supplies. After all that brainstorming, I made a new weapon.

“Huhu. I don’t know who’ll have the luck of experiencing this baby, but it’ll be reaaaal spicy.”

Stroking the metal bolt in my hands, my mood brightened. Once the arrowhead was coated in mithril, we would no longer have to worry about wyverns, even from the ground.

“A weapon that allows any mana user to face a wyvern. Kyaa, niiiice!”

Our current situation was one where we had to face our enemies with poor defenses. We were all scrambling to install proper weapons for defense. The weapon in my hand was the work I devoted the most heart and soul into.

“This baby can bring out similar efficacy while costing 1/100 of the cost of a Blessed Spear. Huhuhu.”

Because of mana conductivity, Blessed Spears had to be entirely coated with mithril. However, the bolt in my hand was only fitted with a magic array that increased speed. The result was the birth of a monstrous bolt with an effective range of over 3 km.

“Maybe it’s time for a bit of rest.”

I was sure that the enemies had mostly figured out the tactics we used to face the Havis nobles’ troops. Therefore, we needed new trump cards, ones that could catch them by total surprise and send them to Hell in a single shot.

Whooosh.

I opened the window and was greeted by the refreshing breeze and view of the outside. Before I knew it, the morning sun was rising. I wasn’t inconvenienced in the least from missing one or two nights of sleep, so my body wasn’t that fatigued. I quietly watched the crimson daybreak, refreshed by the sight, and with a big stretch, I loosened all the muscles on my body.

“The bridge and fort are both complete, so all that’s left is to wait.”

It was winter, so we could not go all out and build a castle or fortify our defenses. All we could do right now was to foster new Skyknights and train the knights and soldiers. As soon as the new year’s meeting adjourned, the knights bravely threw themselves and their soldiers into training. I had warned them that it was possible that we would have to fight with the whole continent, so the knights could not help but be tense.

“But it’s been quiet the last few days. Something feels off…”

I’d never had such calm days of peace before. But there were no reports of invading monsters, and the entirety of the territory seemed peaceful.

“Makes me nervous.”

It was good that it was peaceful, but because I knew that peace wasn’t in my cards, I endeavored to figure out what was causing the unease running along my spine.

“Dammit, being too comfortable is a problem too.”

Scratching my head, I shook off my uneasiness. Everything was going as planned, so there shouldn’t be any problems. Besides this useless sensation of unease, that is.

“Shit… it’s on days like this that disaster strikes.”

I turned and headed to my bed in order to catch a little shut-eye. The foreboding that something bad was going to happen today made me frown harshly.

But what could I do?

If a hit was coming, then it was better to get hit and get it over with, so if something was going to happen, it wasn’t a bad thing for it to just suddenly happen.

After all, there couldn’t be much worse coming for me in my life.

TN: Don’t you know that’s a flag?

“Y-Your Majesty!!!!!”

“His Imperial Majesty has passed away!”

“Y-YOUR MAJESTY!!!!!”

After the Emperor collapsed yesterday, the Bajran Imperial Palace had been as quiet as a mouse. That silence was broken with the wailing cry of “Your Majesty,” before the declaration of the Emperor’s passing echoed through the palace walls.

Thu-thu-thud.

“Your Imperial Majesty!”

“Sob, sob sob.”

Emperor Havitron was considered by most accounts to have been a benevolent emperor, so at the news of his passing, the Imperial Knights and soldiers guarding the palace fell to their knees, calling his name, and the maids collapsed on the spot, weeping bitterly.

“Quickly bring His Highness the Crown Prince, no, His Majesty the Emperor!”

The moment the Emperor died, the Crown Prince automatically became emperor. Leaving the Emperor’s bedroom in a hurry, a priest urgently called for the Crown Prince.

“E-Esteemed Father!!!!”

But he needn’t have. As if he’d been waiting for this moment, Crown Prince Poltviran rushed into the Emperor’s bedroom, running with his face a mess of tears towards the Emperor laying with his eyes closed.

“You mustn’t, Your Majesty!”

The priests hurriedly tried to stop the Crown Prince.

“Esteemed Father! How can you leave me and go like this! How can you leave the fate of Bajran in my hands when I still have much to learn!”

Crown Prince Poltviran sank to his feet, wailing loudly. To anyone’s eye, it was the sight of a filial son mourning his father’s death.

‘Huhu. What a shame that you finally croaked. Any later, and I would have become an undutiful son who killed his own father.’

In contrast with his flowing tears, on the inside, the Crown Prince could hardly contain his infinite joy.

A short while after the Crown Prince’s entrance, Queen Elmiane ran in like crazy. And then, like the Crown Prince, she ran to the Emperor’s corpse.

“Your Majesty! Ohhh! O’ Majesty, my shining sun! Where are you! How can you leave this inadequate one and go first into God’s embrace?!!”

“Quickly go serve Her Majesty the Queen!” barked Duke Ormere to the queen’s maids, having come in at the same time. “Your Majesty, your humble servant, Ormere, is here. Please, quickly rise… Argh.”

Duke Ormere knelt in front of the Emperor’s corpse. Even as he mourned, his eyes were roving around quickly.

‘There was no last will from the Emperor. After the departure of Garvit yesterday, no one entered this room.’

Even if Garvit received the Emperor’s will, it would be useless. In order to execute an emperor’s last will, at least two dukes and five nobles of count rank or higher, as well as three priests from different temples, had to witness it. However, nothing like that happened.

“How can the master of the empire stay kneeling. I beseech you, quickly rise.”

Turning to Poltviran, who was kneeling next to him, Ormere pretended to be surprised. As soon as their eyes met, they shared joyful gazes.

“What are you doing, not respectfully serving the Emperor of the Great Bajran Empire?!” roared Duke Ormere at the Imperial Knights and nobles quickly gathering outside.

“Your Majesty, please rise.”

The Imperial House Chamberlain, charged with assisting the emperor, hastily ran forward to help Poltviran to his feet.

“Let go! How can I rise to the position of emperor when my Esteemed Father is still alive!”

Poltviran was obviously acting out an exaggerated drama. However, the priests watched with regretful gazes. In order to become emperor, it was customary to receive the blessings of cardinals, so Poltviran was acting rather distastefully.

“Y-Your Majesty…!”

Just then, a certain woman approached the bedside with a sharp cry. It was the empress of the Bajran Empire, Nermis, who had gone to the temple every day to pray for the Emperor’s recovery. Staring blankly ahead, she slowly approached the Emperor as he lay with his eyes closed.

“…”

No one stopped the Empress’ approach. Everyone watched the Empress, the only one here who was truly sad over the Emperor’s death, with bated breath.

Reaching out, the Empress stroked the Emperor’s face.

“You’ve worked hard… Rest easy now…” Nermis whispered into her dead husband’s ear. As she spoke, she pressed her own face against his cooling one.

And then, clear teardrops ran down the Empress’ face, falling one by one onto the Emperor’s closed eyelids. It was a solemn and noble sight.

Poltviran’s lips twitched as he watched. Then, he yelled at the attendants in the room. “What are you all doing! Quickly guide the Empress to her room!”

“As you command!”

That was a command from Emperor Poltviran, no longer a crown prince under the empress, but an emperor who stood over all others in the empire.

Before the maids could run forward, the Imperial Knights moved.

“Sir Ormere, you shall announce the imperial funeral and gather every noble in the capital at once. Relay that from this moment forth, any movement of soldiers will not be allowed without my express permission.”

“I humbly accept your mandate!”

The two people were busy carrying out a two-man show. Duke Ormere bent deeply at the waist at Poltviran’s command.

In that manner, one emperor disappeared into the annals of history, and the continent witnessed the birth of a new emperor. It was the arrival of Emperor Poltviran von Bajran, a man inundated with the violent temperament of a tyrant.

* * *

“W-What did you say?! Princess Igis and Prince Razcion received an imperial mandate yesterday afternoon and left the Imperial Palace?!”

“Y-Yes. Because the Emperor ordered utmost secrecy, we only discovered it now.”

BAM!

“That fucking old fart! So that’s why he retreated to his territory yesterday!”

Duke Ormere slammed his fists onto the table, glowering with rage. Despite the chaos following the Emperor’s death, the very first people he sought to clean up were Princess Igis and Prince Razcion, the ones who would be the greatest future threats. However, to his shock, he was told that the two had received a mandate and had left the Imperial Palace yesterday. That would have been impossible without Duke Garvit’s meddling. Most of the military and the nobles were already in his clutches, but with the weight of an imperial mandate and a duke’s command, it was possible to hide the princess and prince’s disappearance for a day.

“Where did they go? How many people are guarding them?”

Feeling urgency in his chest, Ormere pressed the reporting noble for more information.

“We do not know their exact destination, but they are said to have left with Count Irene and the ten Imperial Guard Skyknights under her command.”

“I-Irene?! How can it be that inflexible bitch…”

If urgent news was sent out from the capital and traces of the group were found, it was possible to find them in a day. But if they flew at max speed for two days straight, it would be difficult to chase them from the capital.

‘Where the hell could they have possibly gone… It’s too dangerous to cross the Litore Mountains, and it should be politically impossible to go to a different kingdom…’

All the kingdoms neighboring the Bajran Empire were treading carefully around the giant in their midst. There was no way such kingdoms would accept burdensome political exiles.

“!! S-Surely not!”

But just then, Duke Ormere recalled the face of a certain man.

“Kyre! They’ve gone to him!!” Ormere felt his head throb at the mere thought of Kyre’s name. “Send a command at once to all the territories in the direction of Nerman! By the command of the new Emperor, the Princess’ group and Imperial Guard Skyknights on Black Wyverns heading to Nerman should be stopped. And if they resist, it is fine to eliminate them for the grave crime of defying an imperial mandate!”

“As you command!”

His commands came down immediately. That was just how grave the current situation was. If, by any chance, the Princess and Prince were to hide themselves in Nerman, Poltviran’s position could be weakened away from prying eyes.

‘By all means, they must be caught! By all means!’

Ormere clenched his hands into fists, feeling a blaze of determination. In his mind, he saw the face of Kyre smirking at him.

‘And soon, you will also… be buried.’

Fueled by Ormere’s resolve to become the invisible shadow emperor of the Bajran Empire the moment his nephew Poltviran became the emperor, in that moment, yet another storm began to brew and bluster towards Nerman.