Side Story 9 - Signs of Life
We greet a new sun in the Empire.
With the 2nd Prince of the Adratan Empire right by my side, it was not difficult to guess to whom these words were directed.
Normally, those words would be addressed to Osborne. That's the natural order of things.
'Why are they looking at ?'
The mbers of the Dawn Society, including Pintel and that lot, were clearly looking right at .
No way.
'They're not talking to , are they?'
No.
On closer inspection, it seed they really were.
Pintel, are you out of your mind and just aching to get killed?
Osborne's face contorted as he glanced at Pintel and the Dawn Society. The chief minister, Robert, who was assisting by his side, was the sa.
'Ah.'
This isn't good.
If I tolerate this situation, it's as good as admitting that I'm involved with the Dawn Society.
And, if a key mber like Pintel showed that attitude, they'd think I was the 'boss'.
That much, I had to prevent.
Kuheum.
I coughed and collected my emotions, then spoke to Osborne.
"It seems they, too, are aware of who the true master of this tumultuous empire is."
Osborne, slightly taken aback, began glancing between Pintel and .
"However, I have heard that your group has been causing unrest in the Empire."
I tapped the sheath at my waist as I spoke toward Pintel and his party.
"Sir Pintel, do you believe such conduct is acceptable?"
At my words, this ti it was Pintel whose eyes began to fill with embarrassnt.
Why are you looking at like that, you punk? Isn't it all your fault this ss happened?
"Yulian."
Osborne's voice ca from beside .
"Yes, Your Highness."
"How do you know that man is Pintel, the leader of the Dawn Society?"
Ah.
I made a mistake.
Got too carried away trying to get out of this predicant.
As I ran through the thought of steadying my emotions in my mind, I spoke again.
"I'm not a fool, Your Highness. Surely I know a bit about how the world works, don't you think?"
I tried my best to smile with my eyes, but the suspicion on Osborne's face wouldn't disappear.
Ah.
I shouldn't have opened my mouth at all.
"Prince Osborne!"
While I was busy gathering my thoughts, Pintel cut in. I wish he wouldn't say anything unnecessary.
"After the 4th Prince's Rebellion, the Empire was divided. The citizens are bewildered, and they yearn for a true leader!"
I knew it, this bastard is saying pointless things.
Pintel's voice was calm, but filled with conviction.
"That leader must not be one who clings to the glory of the past, but soone who can usher in a new era."
"Pintel, not only do you have no right to say such things..."
Robert glared at Pintel with wide eyes.
"Prince Osborne is precisely the true leader you describe."
"Robert, that's not the case."
"Then, are you saying there is soone even more suitable than Prince Osborne?"
"That is..."
Suddenly, Pintel rose from his seat and raised his head.
His gaze shifted to . There's no way, are you about to—
Hey! Don't!
"In whose presence do you think you are uttering such rude remarks?"
Just as Pintel was about to speak, I unleashed my mana across my whole body, scattering it in all directions.
Because of that, not just Osborne and Pintel but even the guards who had been watching the situation began to stiffen with tension.
So even showed colors of 'fear' above their heads.
"If you value your life, perhaps you should hold your tongue."
The air froze.
Pintel closed his mouth, but his eyes were still fixed on . As if to say 'Why?'
Why, indeed.
Why, you idiot.
* * *
The waiting room outside the audience hall. The mbers of the Dawn Society, including Twilight who had followed Pintel, couldn't hide their bewildernt.
"Sir Pintel."
One Twilight mber cautiously spoke up.
"Why did Sir Yulian... react that way?"
The other Twilight mbers nodded, sharing the sa question.
"That's right. After all, wasn't all this prepared to serve Sir Yulian?"
Twilight shifted their attention to Pintel. Pintel had his arms crossed and eyes closed.
"The ti has not yet co."
Though Pintel muttered the words, his voice was very clear. All Twilight waiting nearby could hear.
"What do you an, the ti has not co...?"
"It ans it might still be dangerous to step forward now."
It might be dangerous.
At those words, the others tilted their heads in confusion.
"Do you an Sir Yulian?"
"No, I an us."
Once again, no one seed to understand Pintel's words.
"The Empire is unstable now. Admittedly, we can't say we bear no bla for that."
"Yet we act to correct the faltering Empire."
At the Twilight mber's solemn response, Pintel nodded.
"But if we proceed with things by our thod now, clashing with the imperial family is inevitable."
The Twilight mbers nodded. In truth, there was little need for reminders—they were not ignorant of the situation.
During the 4th Prince's Rebellion, the Dawn Society had rallied the nobles and citizens, raising their level of support.
Had they not grown greedy, the Empire would be in a better state today.
But the reason they worked this hard ca down to one man.
Yulian Cryphart Frason.
Everyone believed that he would bring a new spring to the Empire, never letting catastrophes like the 4th Prince's Rebellion happen again.
"We were considering an all-out war, as well."
"Isn't that why we've been conserving our strength until now?"
"After all, we've absorbed a part of the military that supported the 3rd Prince."
For Pintel and the Dawn Society, it was a blessing when the 3rd Prince who wielded control of the military, Kaldrach de Adratan, gave up the throne.
If he had declared his intention to take the throne, the Dawn Society would never have reached its current standing.
"But if we go to all-out war, there will be bloodshed."
What Pintel said was perfectly natural, but no one could respond.
Once sothing starts, it must go to its end. Since they had co this far, conflict was inevitable.
"There is no other choice."
"The 2nd Prince would never give up the throne, would he?"
"Kuhuh."
Pintel let out a small laugh at Twilight mber's pressing questions. The Twilight mbers faces betrayed their bewildernt at that crooked smile.
"I think the sa. There's no way Sir Yulian is overlooking what we think, either."
Moreover—
"If our strength is depleted by a civil war, foreign countries won't just sit by. The sly Holy Kingdom and the malicious Federation—they won't let a vulnerable Empire stand."
"Then what does Sir Yulian want with this kind of attitude...?"
"Do you still not understand, even after I put it this way?"
At Pintel's scolding, the Twilight mber shrank back a step.
"Why do you think Sir Yulian left the Empire? Why did he wander abroad with no destination?"
His voice turned into a speech.
Pintel began to captivate Twilight. All attention turned to him as if under a spell from his impassioned tone.
"Is it not to take the Empire for himself, without causing anyone harm!"
Everyone waited for Pintel to continue, curious as to why he was saying such things.
"I heard that Sir Yulian returned to the Empire accompanied by the Holy Kingdom's delegation and rchants from the Federation, didn't he?"
At Pintel's question, Twilight nodded. They'd already determined when and by what ans he returned.
"Why do you think that is?"
"One of the other Twilight mbers said Sir Yulian just t them by chance, according to what he heard..."
"Fool!"
Pintel snapped again.
"He is soone who played with all the bishops of the Dawn Society in the palm of his hand! The prince's rebellion, even the Sword Saint's defection, he knew it all—not just so chance encounter!"
Pintel clenched his fist.
"This too is part of his plan. To make the princes feel threatened by his ties with the Holy Kingdom and the Federation, and at the sa ti to show the two scheming countries that the Empire is stabilizing, warning them not to start any trouble!"
At first, so Twilight mbers doubted his words, but seeing Pintel's raw thoughts, their faces began to change.
"Th-That's true."
"As expected of Sir Yulian!"
"To have thought of what we could never imagine...!"
A new vigor spread through the waiting room.
"But..."
Amid that, a worried voice spoke up.
"It's unlikely, but... if Sir Yulian didn't want any of this... what then?"
Like cold water, the air of excitent imdiately cooled.
"If his dealings with the Federation and Holy Kingdom were really just coincidence, and he never wanted to found a new Empire..."
"In that case, how do you explain why Sir Yulian gave up all power and status and left the country?"
Pintel quietly fixed his gaze upon the speaker.
"Uh..."
The Twilight mber, now the center of attention, trailed off.
"Maybe... it was just for a change of pace..."
"Kwahahahahahaha!"
When the shrinking Twilight mber finished speaking, Pintel burst out laughing. The other Twilight mbers also joined in, as if mocking him.
* * *
Empire Diplomat Residence, quarters of the Holy Kingdom Delegation.
After the sun had sunk completely, priest Orlan sat in a room alone with Lyrik, slowly puffing on his pipe. A single candle faintly illuminated the room, casting flickering shadows on Orlan's wrinkled face.
"Lyrik."
"Yes, priest Orlan."
Orlan stood by the window, gazing out at the empire's night scene.
Distant lights flickered from the imperial palace, but his mind was tangled with thoughts of what occurred in the grand audience chamber earlier today.
"What do you think of what we saw today?"
Yulian and the Dawn Society. The subtle tension between them and Prince Osborne. Especially the overwhelming pressure of Yulian's mana—it was still vivid in his mind.
"There is sothing going on between the Dawn Society and Yulian."
"Be more specific."
"The look Pintel gave Yulian... it was not the look of an equal. It was cautious, almost as if facing a superior."
Orlan inhaled deep from his pipe and exhaled slowly.
"And yet, Yulian sided with Osborne."
At that mont, Orlan rose from his seat and walked toward the wall. He pushed aside a brick, revealing a small hidden space behind.
Inside lay a stone, intricately carved in the shape of the sun.
"This is..."
Lyrik gasped in surprise. All magical objects had been confiscated upon entry to the Empire.
"We have our collaborators within the Empire as well."
Orlan carefully retrieved the device.
"The teachings of the Sun God Solarun transcend borders. There are truly faithful even here in the Empire."
A look of understanding dawned in Lyrik's eyes.
"Then, is there a ssage from the Holy Kingdom...?"
"Yes. And it arrived just before."
Carefully infusing mana into the device, Orlan waited as runic letters appeared on the stone's surface—ancient script of the Holy Kingdom.
"Despite so complications, proceed as planned. Eliminate one of the current core figures of the Empire."
Orlan began reading through the words.
"Pintel Obradin."
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
They laughed at the one that had guessed Yulian's intentions.
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】
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