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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Ruby
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“You have awakened! Your Imperial Majesty!”
“*sob*… Finally, finally you have awakened, Heart of Astes.”
The heart of the empire, Emperor Agareth von Astes, slowly became aware of the lifting veil of darkness.
“Emperor Agareth!!”
Agareth slowly raised his right hand.
“Be… quiet. It’s noisy…”
The voices of the men calling out to the emperor abruptly ceased.
After a moment of silence, the murmuring of the retainers resumed.
“It’s truly His Imperial Majesty!! His mind has fully returned!”
The words from the emperor’s mouth were so impertinent that one could hardly believe they came from him.
But the retainers were overjoyed to hear them.
This was because Emperor Agareth’s speech had always had a touch of irreverence to it.
“I said be quiet…”
Agareth, muttering weakly, quickly organized his thoughts.
“How long has this one been asleep?”
In response to Agareth’s question, Marquis Kairos, who was on his left, immediately spoke up.
“It has been well over 6 months, Your Majesty.”
“…I see.”
Agareth exhaled deeply.
The wrinkled-faced emperor furrowed his brow sharply.
“The throne has been left empty for far too long.”
The most important matter came to mind.
His body was already aging, and the speed of his thoughts was gradually slowing.
That’s why he had intended to pass on the throne earlier.
But right after making that decision, he had lost consciousness for nearly 8 months.
“Call Schwarze and Brigitte.”
“Understood.”
The Imperial Palace.
The Emperor’s chambers.
A few people began to gather in that majestic place.
This was because only a select few nobles in the empire had heard the news that Emperor Agareth had regained consciousness.
With the empire quiet now, the emperor felt it was time to tie up the loose ends of imperial succession.
Brigitte glanced sidelong at Yuma walking beside her.
Yuma, his black coat fluttering as he climbed the stairs.
The man who still observed the world with an indifferent expression, even in the face of the imperial palace’s splendor adorned with countless golden ornaments, was very reassuring.
However, there was someone who halted Yuma’s noble stride.
“I pay my respects to Grand Marshal Yuma, protector of the Empire.”
The knight guarding the front of the imperial palace bowed at a right angle.
*Thud*
No, all 50 or so knights in front of the imperial palace knelt on their right knees and paid their respects.
It was a show of reverence for the Grand Marshal who had protected the empire.
“However, you cannot enter here. Only Imperial Princess Brigitte may enter.”
The extreme show of respect and the official procedure were perfectly distinguished.
And from the imperial family’s standpoint, this was the natural course of action.
Yuma gestured with his chin towards the door.
“Go on in.”
“Alright, I’ll be back.”
Brigitte entered.
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Brigitte gazed at her two-year-older brother sitting on the left.
The 26-year-old First Prince Schwarze.
“You were here first.”
“Yes.”
Schwarze answered indifferently.
“Don’t worry, just because Father has awakened doesn’t mean I’m going to covet the throne I’ve already given up on now.”
Schwarze continued.
“I’ll admit it. That I lost to you.”
Brigitte silently listened to Schwarze’s words.
It seemed Schwarze didn’t expect a reaction to his words either.
The two siblings waited like that in silence for their father’s summons.
*Creak*
After about 5 minutes had passed, the door opened, and Marquis Kairos, who had always been like Emperor Agareth’s right-hand man, appeared.
“Both of you, His Majesty says to enter.”
Brigitte and Schwarze stood up without either going first.
And they opened the door and entered the emperor’s chambers.
White hair.
Agareth, his hair grown quite long and swept back, looked over his children he hadn’t seen in a long time.
“It’s been a while, Schwarze. Brigitte.”
Agareth looked at them both in turn.
Schwarze and Brigitte both approached Agareth without hesitation.
“Are you alright, Father?”
Brigitte examined Agareth’s wrinkled face.
“How is your health, Father?”
Schwarze looked over Agareth’s body.
“Yes, while waiting for you two, I heard from my retainers. That a great many things happened while I was unconscious.”
Who could have told Agareth about what had happened in the empire until now?
Right now, in the emperor’s chambers, all other vassals and retainers had withdrawn except for the two imperial family members.
Only one retainer remained by the emperor’s side.
Schwarze and Brigitte simultaneously looked at one noble.
The very person who had just opened the door to the emperor’s chambers, and who had also been present at the previous Oracle’s Seat – the highest-ranking noble.
It was Marquis Kairos.
Brigitte slightly furrowed her brow.
‘If Marquis Kairos relayed what happened in the empire until now.’
There was a high probability that Yuma’s defeat of the god Incrinew had also been conveyed.
Agareth slowly opened his mouth.
“Yuma.”
And spoke the name of one man.
“Who exactly is he?”
Agareth gestured with his chin towards Marquis Kairos.
“Kairos told me. Of his unbelievable achievements.”
Two months.
It had been a whirlwind time for both Yuma’s group and the Astes Empire.
“Decimating half of the Ten Seats, the empire’s greatest military strength…”
Agareth’s eyes turned to First Prince Schwarze.
Schwarze bowed his head, his golden hair prominent.
Brigitte beside him also bowed her head, her snow-white hair swaying.
“Unavoidable bloodshed arising from the two’s struggle for the throne… Yes, we’ll have to gloss over it like that. For now.”
It was a matter of Master-level powerhouses belonging to the empire dying.
It couldn’t possibly be such a simple issue.
However, given the current situation, the emperor judged it right to bury it for now.
After decimating half of the Ten Seats.
The things that had happened in the empire, the things that the being called Yuma had accomplished, were far too many.
“Killing Chronos the Sword Saint, a former Ten Seat who was under a being that tried to rule the transit city of Akan.”
“Single-handedly killing the Black Dragon that had devoured Count Rubeldt’s body and was posing as the count while eating the territory’s people.”
“Defeating Conquest King Kamet. Single-handedly eliminating 400 warriors under his command. Leading the war against the barbarian nation of Phaeneton to victory.”
“The being who killed Incrinew, the god this empire has believed in until now. Are all these accomplishments truly the work of this Yuma?”
The emperor who had opened his eyes after about 8 months asked.
Brigitte slowly opened her mouth.
“It is true.”
Brigitte spoke the words she had to say.
Words not directed at her father, but to Agareth, the emperor of this empire.
“Yuma, he is my sword, Your Majesty.”
“Tsk tsk tsk…”
Agareth clicked his tongue.
“My beloved daughter.”
There was dignity in Agareth’s blue eyes.
Royal blood.
The charisma possessed by bloodlines that rule nations.
“A sword is called a sword when its owner can control it. You cannot become the owner of this Yuma.”
Agareth sighed.
“No one in this empire could become that fellow’s owner.”
Brigitte remained silent.
Because the emperor’s words were true. An obvious fact.
“I must treat him as a benefactor.”
“…What?”
When these completely unexpected words came out of Agareth’s mouth, Brigitte let out quite a dumbfounded sound.
Agareth continued without minding.
“Brigitte, did that Yuma come with you?”
“Yes.”
“Bring him in.”
There was no hesitation in Agareth’s decision.
*Creak*
And in accordance with the emperor’s will, Yuma entered.
*Thud…*
His footsteps were noble.
Dark gray hair.
And eyes that looked similar to the ‘blue eyes’ characteristic of the Astes Empire’s royal bloodline, but seemed deeper with the navy blue engraved within them, were imprinted in Agareth’s mind.
Agareth raised the corners of his mouth in a grin.
“Are you Yuma?”
Yuma nodded.
“Yes.”
Still, this was before the empire’s emperor.
Following the latent consciousness that remained as a modern person, he tried to bend his legs or bow his waist, but his body didn’t respond.
[Noble] – You are the noblest being in this world. –
The noble do not prostrate themselves before anyone.
It was because the Noble trait didn’t rest for even a moment.
“I am Agareth, the emperor of this country.”
“I’m Yuma.”
“Sit.”
Yuma sat before the emperor.
“It’s a pleasure, Grand Marshal. I am very pleased that someone like you exists in the empire.”
Agareth gazed intently into Yuma’s eyes.
“It seems it’s also thanks to you that I was able to wake from my deep sleep.”
“What do you mean?”
“The god, Incrinew.”
At Agareth’s words, the eyes of the three except Yuma widened.
“My loss of consciousness was that god’s doing.”
Agareth continued, recalling his memories.
“A body well past sixty years old. Fatigue was commonplace. But that day, my body was terribly unresponsive. As if I were standing before Medusa. And then a voice rang out in my head.”
– Emperor, let yourself sleep for a while. –
– There may be some bloodshed, but in the end, very talented individuals will gather in the empire. –
– When you regain consciousness, the next emperor will have been decided. –
– Because one of the two will be dead. –
– The First Prince and First Princess, they might both be dead, but then you’d have to choose from among the dregs. –
At the end of those incomprehensible sentences.
“This one’s consciousness was cut off.”
Agareth turned his head towards Marquis Kairos.
“If Marquis Kairos’s explanation is true, given the circumstances. That wicked voice that rang out in your head must have been the god Incrinew’s.”
Yuma examined Emperor Agareth with [Searching Eye].
It seemed he had indeed regained consciousness properly.
There were no concerning elements.
Curious about what Special Perception was, he tapped on it, and it turned out to be an exceptionally keen intuition.
The power to distinguish whether a person will be helpful or harmful to oneself just by looking at them.
‘It seems that didn’t apply to the god.’
Agareth continued speaking to Yuma.
“This one would like you to remain by Brigitte’s side.”
At Agareth’s words, Brigitte’s shoulders trembled.
She probably didn’t expect the emperor to suddenly say such a thing.
Agareth had already made up his mind during the time Brigitte and Schwarze were coming.
After hearing through Marquis Kairos about the conversation between the god Incrinew and First Princess Brigitte at the Oracle’s Seat.
And after confirming with Duke Balzac via magical communication device that Kairos’s report was true.
He was able to decide on his successor very easily.
“This one will step down from the current position of emperor, and become the Emperor Emeritus.”
This time, the shoulders of all three except Yuma trembled.
“Brigitte will become the emperor of this land.”
“…Father.”
Brigitte’s pupils shook violently.
It was already a predetermined matter.
However, having it directly declared from the current emperor’s mouth carried a different weight.
It was the moment the next emperor was decided.
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