The Emperor Who Was Chapter 102 : Chapter 102

Chapter . 102

Evidence appeared on the cornerstones of the destroyed magic circle.

-Whether it is the dragon egg or Leontes, if others discover them first, snatch them unconditionally as prepared in advance.

Others were not fools, so it was unlikely they could be snatched unconditionally just because preparations were made.

However, if the Empress said so, she had truly prepared for it.

‘As expected... she tampered with the magic circle.’

When she made the Count a vassal, she probably added a device to the magic circle at her own will without informing him. Or perhaps when the Count refused the construction of the gambling house.

If a modification is made to an heirloom cornerstone magic circle without the consent of that family's head, traces remain. Although this magic circle passed to the Empress along with the castle, magic that has shared history with a family is loyal in ways that those who do not know magic cannot understand.

I cast a preservation spell on the evidence remaining on the magic circle with a hand gesture. Even though Giuliano did not have a mage to do such a thing, it would be the end of the matter if the Empress simply feigned ignorance.

Regardless, when I face the Empress head-on later, spreading even small pieces of evidence would be advantageous for public opinion, so I had to secure every single one without missing anything.

The Count approached and spoke.

“At first, I thought Your Highness's disappearance might be a sign of an estate war, so I have been preparing for a siege since then. Please take a look around.”

“Let us go!”

At the ntion of a siege, Michelon imdiately took the lead. He even sent Harald, who was sitting quietly on my shoulder, into the air to view the situation from above with a hawk's eyes. Since my friend was so excited, I beca excited as well, but there was nothing more to order; the Count's preparations were perfect.

“I have evacuated all the residents of Petrita Village to the castle as well. Since finding Your Highness was the priority until now, preparations for magical defense are not in place, but I believe it will be possible once Your Highness's two mages recover their strength. I have requisitioned food as much as possible, but it is insufficient. Also, the knights who cannot enter the castle will likely set fire to the fields or orchards. Even if the siege ends, the territory's people will have their farming ruined for this year. Then there will be a problem with the taxes to be paid to Your Highness.”

I nodded at the Count's report.

“Taxes are exempted until this damage is recovered, and I will resolve the food issue, so do not worry. You have done well so far, Giuliano.”

The Count's face, which had been pale until a mont ago, brightened. He directed the people with even more enthusiasm.

Michelon watched the Count with moist eyes and whispered to .

“He is a more decent person than I thought, isn't he? I look forward to undergoing a siege with him.”

I had just not brought it up yet, but I was keeping in mind the possibility that Montova had reported my ring to the Empress. Michelon seed to have forgotten what he had said himself.

“Your eyes are sparkling. Do you like sieges that much?”

“What?”

“If you had to choose between joking with a friend and doing a siege with an enemy—”

“Shut up—”

“Count Giuliano della Montova and the residents of Montova, hear this!”

Just then, a booming voice was heard from the sky.

“Your Highness, Count! It is a proclamation from His Majesty the Emperor!”

The sentry on the watchtower shouted and pointed at the sky. The soldiers on the walls, and everyone in the streets below, looked up at the sky in unison.

A giant banner appeared in the sky above the castle. A blue and gold banner fluttered, and a scroll containing the proclamation appeared.

“Receive the command of His Majesty Lombroso IV, the Emperor of the glorious Armatia Empire. To rescue the missing Prince Leontes, His Majesty the Emperor has sent knights led by the First Prince Maximilian, so the Count and residents of Montova must welco them and do their utmost to help them complete their mission. Those who disobey the Imperial command shall be punished according to the strict laws of the country.”

The scroll was large enough to be seen from the entire Montova Castle, and the voice announcing the proclamation was loud enough to be heard throughout the castle. This would likely float above the castle like a dark cloud until the Count obeyed the command, or in other words, until he surrendered. The reading of the proclamation would also be repeated at set tis.

‘Should I burn it away with magic?’

I could shoot it down, but damaging a proclamation was treason.

If this appeared, even ignorant commoners who could not read and knew nothing of politics would be reluctant to disobey the Imperial command. It was the most certain way to break the morale of the defenders.

“My heart is racing, you know? We are going through the procedures of a siege one by one together!”

Except for the dragon who didn't need morale itself.

A proclamation being hung over the territory was sothing that would be pointed at from all directions for a long ti. Such a thing happened in my first territory, yet the friend beside

only had thoughts of a siege in his head.

“Your Highness… shouldn't we inform His Majesty the Emperor of your return now…….”

Giuliano spoke, turning pale. Although I did not know the history of the Montova family well, surely this wasn't the first ti a proclamation had floated above Montova Castle…….

“Did I not say my return must be kept secret? Until I catch the culprit who ambushed .”

The Count gritted his teeth and nodded.

“So, you shall write a proclamation.”

“Pardon?”

“Preparations are made. I had Yolande do it before she fainted.”

Saying that, I took out a magic scroll I had prepared in advance. I had made it using the Throne Magic Circle, thinking that if we did this, the enemy would do that. Since a proclamation is such a basic procedure, there was no harm in preparing one.

“W-What am I supposed to say? To the Imperial family mbers and high nobles who were blocked by the magic circle when trying to co here, and then had the castle gates shut in front of them even after taking a detour, what on earth can I say…….”

“You can write that if they do not get out of our castle right now, you will strip their bare bottoms and set fire to their rumps.”

Michelon, who had taken a liking to Giuliano, gave affectionate advice with his own rhetoric, but the Count only sweated more.

“I will dictate it, so write it down.”

A mont later, another banner fluttered in the sky of Montova. An identical blue and gold banner. Since I was both the Lord of Montova and a Prince, there was no need to use only Montova's banner.

“Count Giuliano della Montova, the most loyal subject of the glorious Emperor of Armatia, His Majesty Lombroso IV, and the subject of Prince Leontes whom He loves most, proclaims. The master of this castle is Prince Leontes, and before he left, he ordered that no outsiders be admitted until his return. As the deputy lord, not the lord, how could I dare disobey the order of Prince Leontes, whom His Majesty the Emperor cherishes most? For His Majesty the Emperor would also not oppose the will of his most beloved son. If you are one who upholds the Imperial command, please find Prince Leontes first and have him give

a new order to gladly welco you. I rely remain loyal to both my master and His Majesty the Emperor, as I always have.”

Speaking thus, Montova also recited and attached the written order I had supposedly given in advance. Although he was writing it just now.

While I was dictating, Michelon snickered every ti an embarrassing modifier appeared in the order, but they were modifiers my Royal Father himself had used first. Since I had to listen to them constantly afterwards, I had every right to use them again and again.

It wasn't exactly a proclamation, but a counter-response was possible. However, a proclamation consud a lot of mana and was a troubleso magic.

Therefore, it was only possible for the Imperial family which possessed magic towers. Even if castle lords had mages who knew how to perform proclamation magic, it was better to focus on defensive magic.

“My goodness, the size and clarity do not lag behind His Majesty's proclamation in the slightest. It will be very good for our side's morale.”

Giuliano marveled. Floating sothing small and blurry next to sothing big and clear would only look pathetic like a loser's white flag, but mine was equally big and magnificent.

People who had stopped their busy work and were wrapped in worry when the Royal Father's proclamation appeared, now pointed at my proclamation in unison and chattered excitedly.

When my hawk flew up from my shoulder and circled once above my proclamation, cheers erupted from below.

“Whoaaaa!”

“Waaaaah!”

“A bird flying in was originally a sign announcing victory.”

Giuliano, whose face had turned pale just thinking about facing the knights of the Imperial family and high nobles, looked at the proclamation and the hawk with sparkling eyes.

-War must be beautiful, Royal Father.

The unfilial son's words ca to mind.

-Whether it is armor, swords, spears, or even the symbol of victory, everything must be decorated beautifully. Only then will people willingly throw away their lives without knowing that war is ugly. Didn't they say in ancient tis that the God of War and the Goddess of Love were a couple?

-That is the thought of Eros Thanatos—

-Such words are the moldy nonsense of scholars; war must be beautiful. That is how you win.

Alexander had admitted that Maximilian was the only one who understood that point instinctively.

-He did not undergo bone-carving training to beco a Sword Master like , nor is he well-versed in war theory studied from childhood like Desmond; all he did was hang out and play with knights, yet he has an instinct that is annoying to the point of being unlucky. Accept that His Majesty's older brother, my uncle, is hard to kill, and start by taking out even one eyeball or testicle, eliminating him step by step.

‘What would that guy say if he saw my first battle…….’

“Oh, it looks pretty floating side by side. I wish we could shoot arrows down from that position.”

Michelon's words, heard just then, shook off my distracting thoughts. I smiled brightly at him and spoke implicitly to the Count who was agreeing with him.

“I will give you a chance to speak your opinion honestly now. Can you defend this castle until I catch the ones who attacked

and bring them back? The fate of the people, as well as your family, depends on it.”

“Your Highness, if you say that… are you leaving again?”

The Count asked back about sothing else while we were discussing the issue of the castle residents.

“They dared to ambush

in my territory; naturally, I must catch the mastermind.”

“But wouldn't it be dangerous?”

“I was only defeated then because I let my guard down. I will leave only you and Sir Rolf in this castle and take the mages and Jero. If you lock the castle gates, everyone will search Mount Petrafis first to find

rather than waging a siege without justification. With Jero as a guide and using invisibility magic, I will catch my attackers.”

It would be more reassuring for the residents, who ca under siege as soon as their lord changed, if Giuliano took charge of Montova Castle.

“Your Highness… surely you do not an to use yourself as bait now?”

“I am already doing so in a way.”

“Your Highness! You cannot! I agree with not revealing your return until the enemy is caught. But there is no need for you to go out to the mountain where you went missing. Montova Castle and all its troops will fight for Your Highness.”

“You only know Her Majesty the Empress, but I know all the Princes and I know how to deal with them. So it is right that you stay here and I go out to fight. Do not worry.”

“But—”

“I will not be done in twice. I am going to catch them to ensure that.”

“But the difference in military power is too great.”

“I will only disrupt from the rear and secure evidence of the mastermind; I will not fight head-on. So I must not take too many with .”

This was a lie. But I felt Giuliano would not let

go unless I said that.

Honestly, I was getting annoyed. Because he wasn't obeying my words. Even if it hadn't been long since he started being loyal to , he shouldn't disobey .

If he acts like this, the conjecture that he was the one who reported the ring to Rhiannon gains strength……. Destroying the magic circle might also be an act of excessive loyalty to make up for temporarily swaying to Rhiannon.

However, I intended to beco a politician who surpassed that cruel teacher who taught distrust of humans. I was strong, and that was also the power to trust people.

I, too, am a Valaskaion of the Armatia Imperial Family after all; it seems my blood boils before a battle. Even the sounds of worry sounded annoying.

“I will go with you too. Please allow it, Your Highness.”

Turning my head at the sudden voice, Sir Rolf was there, having co up at so point. He still looked exhausted, but he had washed his body, changed his clothes, and grood himself. So that I couldn't refuse him telling him to rest.

“My loyal knight, Sir Rolf.”

I placed both hands on his shoulders.

“I am deeply moved by your loyalty. Therefore, I wish for you to guard my first castle like an iron wall. While knights are flocking from all over the country like clouds, I cannot leave such a heavy responsibility only to Giuliano.”

I missed Sir Rolf too, but this operation was my first magic battle.

I wanted to fight without restraint.

I intended not to hold anything back.