The Emperor Who Was Chapter 28 : Chapter 28

Chapter . 28

He laughed holding his belly. I ignored him with all my might.

"Sir Rolf, your loyalty is truly a model for knights. I will not forget it."

Saying that, I patted the bewildered Sir Rolf's shoulder.

"Wahahaha! Pushing away his half-brother while praising a knight, puhaha! I'm angry but still laughing ahaha!"

"If you do not stop laughing imdiately, I will consider it an insult to the Prince, and I will never acknowledge the blood relationship between you and

from now on."

Surprisingly, Alexander Steiner stopped laughing imdiately.

"Ah, that part is certainly not funny, Prince."

'I went strong knowing it wouldn't work anyway, but this actually works.'

The strange guy said slyly.

"I admit that hugging between brothers is certainly unnatural. So how about sending your knight away and having a conversation between brothers now? As a token that we will not make an issue of it anymore."

Alexander was a guy who didn't hold grudges, at least by our family's standards. But I have no reason to accept.

"If you want a private audience with , shouldn't you earn my trust first?"

Still, I signaled Sir Rolf with my eyes to stay far enough so the conversation couldn't be heard. Because the conversation between us brothers is harmful to normal people's common sense.

"Your Highness......."

But Sir Rolf looked worried. Because he wasn't confident in blocking a Sword Master if he was away from .

"It is fine, Sir Rolf. Mother protects ."

"Do not worry, Sir Rolf. The Prince is generous to ."

Truly a brazen bastard.

After Sir Rolf moved away, he changed his expression imdiately.

"Your Highness's knight is still a greenhorn. The more soone says such things, the more suspicious they should be."

"My knight just went believing my words."

"Exactly. Does he go just because you tell him to go?"

"If I tell him to go, he should go; isn't he faithful to

unlike you?"

Then Steiner glanced at , his mouth twitching. If he laughs again, I'll bury him in the magic circle instead of Michelon.

"My loyalty is expensive. If you are going to buy, please buy it at the highest price, Prince."

"Looking at your way of speaking, even a single gold coin would be enough no matter how highly I value it."

"Taking the way of speaking of the person who says that as a model, I will strive further. As for my price, wouldn't a head Your Highness likes be enough?"

"A head for a head, I suppose."

"If I dispose of Your Highness's real brother, shouldn't Your Highness also handle my real brother for it to be a fair price?"

Steiner grinned.

"I don't know why I should leave it to you. When I can do it myself."

"Are you serious?"

He raised an eyebrow.

Fratricide was viewed poorly even in Armatia, where the succession war surrounding the dragon was fierce. Courtiers judged that an Emperor who could keep at least a real brother alive, if not half-brothers, was truly capable. Just removing specific parts like eyes or testicles would suffice.

Their evaluation is not important. I don't particularly have the intention to kill my brother even if he tried to kill , but I will do it if necessary. That's what the resolve to beco Emperor ans.

"Are you not?"

When asked back, Steiner laughed heartily.

"Indeed, we are brothers of like mind. When I beco Emperor, I want you to be my Chancellor, Prince."

"I will think about it."

Instead of feeling offended, I nodded.

"But even if I beco Emperor, I will not make you Chancellor."

"Haha, you make

a more generous person."

"To think you don't say 'if you don't, I won't either'; are you really my half-brother?"

"Since Your Highness is skeptical about the alliance with , there is no helping it, is there?"

Even so, I didn't completely lack the thought of forming an alliance. I can do it when I need to.

"It was a rewarding conversation, dear Marquis."

Because Michelon is waiting.

However, Steiner grabbed

as I was about to turn away.

"When will the late Empress give a revelation about the dragon egg?"

I sowed the seed, but the harvest was earlier than I thought. If it were Rhiannon or Grimiati, they would have waited quietly for a better opportunity. Avoiding now when my popularity is at its peak.

However, even if he's pointed at as a reckless bastard for it, this aspect was Alexander's strength.

"If the revelation is true, since you found the holy relic, there is no reason you cannot find the dragon egg either, right?"

When I didn't answer, the unfilial son whined.

In other words, he didn't believe my revelation was true. Although he wouldn't be the only one.

He just acknowledged the obvious result. Whether I received a revelation or succeeded with a clever trick, since I have the talent to find a holy relic, find the dragon egg too.

'Do I owe him money or sothing?'

I threw an expressionless glance at Steiner. He also looked back at .

"Why should Mother do that?"

"Because it would be strange if soone who loves Your Highness so much did not give a revelation to truly protect Your Highness."

"That is your shallow thinking. That revelation could actually be fatal to ."

"Of course, irreverent people trying to find out where the dragon egg is might threaten Your Highness."

The unfilial son spoke as if he wasn't irreverent.

"But if Your Highness joins hands with , I will protect you. I swear on my sword that Your Highness will be safe."

Green eyes flashed. He was sincere. I chose him because I evaluated him as worthy of an alliance among the brothers. Rather than becoming a bastard who killed all legitimate sons.

If I hadn't beco stronger, his proposal might have been the best. He was a less harmful existence even before the regression.

But would he have made such a proposal if I hadn't revealed my strength through the thod of revelation?

"If there are people like you who think I can also give a revelation about the dragon egg, shouldn't I join hands with the one who pays the highest price, as you said?"

The more Steiner sees only utility value in , the more doable it is to hide my power and pretend to be weak needing protection. It used to be just annoying before, but now it even feels interesting; is he being filial even now?

"I am confident that I am that highest price. Because whatever others promise, they will not keep it."

Then he suddenly approached and thrust his face close, saying.

"Especially if you are deceived by your real brother, I, who was greatly impressed by Your Highness today, will end up disappointed."

"I am already disappointed in you for approaching rudely to say such obvious things."

I pushed his face away and said. Soday the day will co when I push him away with a whirlwind.

"It is truly reassuring to hear you say that. Please keep that resolve until the end."

"I will watch whether you join hands with your real brother and return to your mother's embrace."

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

The unnecessarily large guy held his belly and laughed. Not elegantly.

"Indeed, as soone who grew up without a mother, you do not know. What it is like to be cast aside by a mother."

I heard a lot that I grew up without a mother, but it's the first ti hearing it like this.

"I really hate it."

"That is exactly the spirit. Then, see you again next ti."

As he bowed with exaggerated movents and strode away, Sir Rolf approached hurriedly.

"Be careful, Your Imperial Highness."

When I looked back, Sir Rolf added with a worried face.

"So knights have specific opponents they show particular favor to."

"Is that so?"

So what does that have to do with ?

"So they want to stab them once with a sword. Saying because I like that person, I want to kill them myself."

"......."

"It is true. Or they feel favor because they want to stab them once with a sword so much."

"...Understood."

"Ah, of course I am not saying I am such a knight!"

"Of course not."

***

Michelon must be waiting, but I had to solidify preparations in advance.

To do that, I had to collect every single price I obtained.

"Welco, Prince Leontes."

Maximilian's residence, entered under the guidance of a servant, was incomparable to my room in luxury. Portraits of Mother and Maximilian painted by the most famous painters, and portraits of Mother and Father attracted attention.

However, the biggest painting was a portrait of Maximilian standing with Juratio in front of a dragon.

A painting reaching from floor to ceiling, with Maximilian life-sized. Even though it was a large room with a high ceiling, it wasn't as huge as the Audience Chamber, so the dragon didn't appear in full body but only its lowered head.

'Only if the dream is that big, will shattering it feel good.'

In the past, every ti I saw this painting, I felt unlucky and annoyed, but now that my mindset changed, even laughter ca out.

"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness."

"Greetings to Your Imperial Highness."

The First Prince's knights bowed to . Just at the audience, they avoided my eyes and ignored

with all their might, but now it was different.

The faces looking at

were so reverent, as if looking at a confessor priest.

'Are they afraid I might accuse their misconduct through a revelation?'

Inspiration given by the enemy should always be accepted gratefully.

"Have you all been well? May God's blessing be with you."

I accepted their greetings with a smile. Patting their shoulders too. Perhaps because they were collateral royals, so had a little magic power.

"I was truly sorry back then, Your Highness."

"I sincerely apologize, Prince."

"Please forgive us, Your Highness."

Then the knights vied to apologize.

Ignoring

all along and only watching the mood, apologizing only after I accepted their greetings looked unsightly.

"I will forgive you this ti. For your sake."

I spoke generously and added.

"If such a thing happens a second ti, only God knows what will happen to you."

Of course I know too, but in return for the inspiration, I should cultivate the enemy's imagination.

"It will never happen again. I swear, Your Highness!"

"I swear, Your Highness."

The knights vied to speak.

They were still arrogant royals who didn't bend easily. But thinking I, who received a revelation, converted to religion, they concluded they could swear. Because I was still not a candidate for succession in their eyes.

"The God Traneha has heard your vows."

There was no need to rush in correcting the enemy's misunderstanding. It was comndable to see them reinforcing my Word Soul Magic on their own.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"We will not forget Your Highness's grace!"

While laughing and chatting briefly with them who were rejoicing, my cousin Reinhard spoke stiffly.

"I will escort you to Prince Maximilian, Prince Leontes."

He apologized to

but didn't swear. Also not forgetting that I was keeping my brother waiting while hanging out with his knights.

I nodded and received his polite guidance, arriving at my brother's bedroom.

"Your Highness, Prince Leontes has arrived."

Maximilian was lying obliquely on the bed. Even knowing of my visit, he wasn't dressed properly, with his shirt unbuttoned down to his chest. His long flowing hair was disheveled. Only his riding leather boots were worn properly.

People revere the First Prince, who inherited the blood of two Imperial Families, as the noblest imperial lineage.

'Actually, he is the most ill-mannered among our brothers.'

People just don't know because he appears at banquets or official events like the Crown Prince of old, but this is his true color. A lazy bastard who is practically half-naked and can't even fasten his front in his own residence.

Knowing the truth, all trends harming the good morals of this country originated from my brother.

-It is a sha for a man to grow his hair long. You knights who grow hair like won! Will you abandon that vanity only when that long flowing hair is caught in the enemy's grasp in battle!

Priests had raised their voices condemning the long hair of knights.

-Only when hair is long can one protect the nape from enemy attacks. Moreover, if secular people have long hair, the holiness of priests with shaven heads will be revealed better, so male long hair also contributes to God's glory.

Maximilian thus beca the guardian of long-haired knights.