The Emperor Who Was Chapter 84 : Chapter 84

Chapter . 84

The doors leading to the balcony were wide open, allowing the wind and sunlight to flood in. On that balcony, a blond boy transitioning into youth sat on the railing. He could fall and die at any mont, but he looked as comfortable as if sitting in an armchair.

Even though he sat with his back to the sun, his eyes shone even brighter in the shade, and his features were surprisingly handso.

‘Michelon.’

-He is the first close friend of the Second Prince, who grew up without noble friends of his age due to his unfortunate childhood. Since the Prince calls him and Nanette not just dear ones but insists on calling them milk-siblings, even if people do not believe it, who would go against the Prince? This also signifies the Prince is building his power.

Just as a monarch favored a half-brother born of his mother's adultery to increase trustworthy subordinates, the Prince is also starting with commoners upon whom he bestowed grace.

When they barged into the room, both the Count and Sir Rolf drew their swords. The mages also raised their staffs. Only Michelon, perched on the railing, sent a bright smile as if welcoming them.

-His martial arts are so outstanding that even Sword Masters admired him. Judging by his appearance and innate elegance alone, he must be an illegitimate child of royalty or nobility, but growing up as a commoner, his freewheeling nature is unavoidable. Riding on the Prince's favor, he not only indulges in luxury but also shows the temperant of a prodigal weak to pleasure. He is already captivating many people with his unique charm, so there is a high possibility he will grow into a rare playboy in the court.

However, he is undeniably one saved in the sanctuary; remind him of that point and guide him to the right path. Even after becoming the Second Prince's right hand, guide him not to forget Traneha God's grace and listen to God's call. Treat him as a brother even among brothers.

The brothers, listening carefully, all nodded. Indeed, a brother with hawk eyes.

However, when it was the brother's turn to speak about the Second Prince, he shut his mouth.

-All brothers, see and judge for yourselves. Then tell

your thoughts. Then I will also tell you my thoughts.

The unique subject about whom that brother spoke like this, Prince Leontes, was sitting alone on a chair.

Hair black as night, eyes like blue waves sparkling with silver foam. The Prince instantly drew the gazes of the holy knights who were busy grasping the aides they had heard about beforehand in order.

Originally, the procedure of mage hunting was to deal with ard aides before the central figure. Because once the subordinates are dealt with, the central figure alone can be easily broken.

But Prince Leontes shattered their instinct-like habits honed from childhood in one go.

“Haha, how docile you are.”

The Prince had a hawk perched on one arm and a wolf at his feet. Even without wearing protective gear, he stroked and adored the hawk without any sign of fearing its sharp claws. At his feet, the wolf was crouched like a dog.

The Prince, who adored them, did not even glance at the holy knights who kicked the door open and entered. He was neither angry nor despairing about being caught at the scene of corruption indulging in magic like others. Just... what should I call this…….

“Sir Rolf, the door is open, have a servant close it.”

Only looking at the hawk, the words he finally addressed to another were such.

“Yes, Prince.”

When Sir Rolf spoke and signaled the steward wringing his hands at the doorway, he said.

“I, I apologize but... the door does not close. The holy knights broke the door.”

Sir Rolf nodded to the steward and reported to the Prince.

“He says the holy knights broke the door so it cannot be closed.”

“Impossible. For holy knights to break the door of the Prince who discovered Saint Marcella's relic, Traneha God would never forgive that.”

The Prince was reprimanding them with thorough disregard. Although better than those who draw swords and attack them in anger…….

Immanuel stepped forward.

“Prince Leontes, forgive the rudeness I committed. I am Immanuel, a faithful servant of Traneha God and the Commander of the Knights of Saint Romola. My brothers and I rushed here urgently hearing news of a mage here to hunt them, but when the door did not open, assuming the worst situation, we ended up committing a sin.”

“What worst situation do you an? To commit such rudeness to the Prince without evidence, how do you intend to pay for that sin!”

At that mont, the Count of Montova strongly objected, aiming his sword at Immanuel's neck. As the person with the next highest status after the Prince here, his words carried considerable weight.

-Although said to be abandoned by the Empress, the Empress is famous as a politician who controls people's hearts at will. It is said she offered a condition to accept him back if he acted as a spy while pretending to pledge loyalty to the Prince.

The Empress, who had prevented mage hunting claiming it was her direct control territory until now, spared no help to the temple this ti, and the Count is also part of that help. Utilize him to the fullest and expand the scale of the hunt as much as possible.

Currently, the goal is to hunt mages operating secretly in that area for a long ti aiming for the mont the estate owner changes, but keep in mind the truth that God's eyes always see farther and God's wings soar higher.

These were the words given by the brother who conceived and commanded this operation.

“We only worried that mages might confine and threaten the Prince.”

But at Immanuel's words, the Count beca more enraged. It didn't seem like acting to force his loyalty upon the Prince.

“Prince Leontes appointed

as the captain of this castle's guard. Are you daring to insult

by saying I exposed this castle to the threat of mages without being able to protect the Prince?”

If Montova were on the Empress's side, he would have addressed Immanuel as brother instead of you. Because devout nobles willingly participate in the temple's titles instead of being called by their titles. If the Count also excused himself saying he was just devout, it would be hard for the Prince to find fault.

“It is presumptuous, but if so, why did you not respond to the steward's call and open the door?”

Immanuel's question was legitimate, but the Count retorted with a cold face.

“I told him to do so. If you waited with courtesy until the Prince permitted entry, he would treat you generously, and if you behaved insolently to the Prince, he should cast you out imdiately. I advised so!”

…It was the Count's trap. Creating suspicious circumstances to look like a scene where magic was taking place, and counterattacking imdiately when they, trusting the Empress's promise, fell for it.

Going this far, the Count could no longer be said to be loyal to the Empress. Following his opposition to the construction of the Empress's gambling den, he must have refused to beco a spy as well.

What the Empress promised went wrong. But the mage hunt shouldn't stop here. Raiding the scene failed, but it was too early to give up. Immanuel would take responsibility, and other brothers just had to keep pushing forward.

“Breaking the door is sothing I committed alone, so I will accept any punishnt willingly.”

Immanuel said unhesitatingly.

“Knight Commander Immanuel, are those words true?”

The Prince asked back. Holy knights differ from secular knights so the honorific ‘Sir’ is not attached, yet respect was felt in the Prince's call attaching the title. For a mont, enough to make one wonder if the Prince was swayed by the Count and ignorant of their ploy, perhaps too ignorant. Of course, if he is that naive, that point must be exploited…….

“That is correct.”

“How about you all, are Knight Immanuel's words true?”

“That is correct.”

While Eric spoke as a representative, all brothers nodded.

“But I cannot help but doubt whether the one who broke the door of the discoverer of holy relics truly received Traneha God's blessing. Who can guarantee that you yourself were not put under a spell on the way here.”

Immanuel bit his lip. He always charged first and didn't care what price he paid. Even if mages managed to evade arrest for the mont, they could never overco his surprise attack. Rampaging claiming innocence, they expose weaknesses.

The Traneha religion always won, and the more he bled, the brighter that victory shone. Therefore, whatever price the Prince demanded, he wasn't afraid. Even if tortured by nobles, eventually the temple saved him through negotiation. And an opponent missed once was not missed the next ti.

But the implication that the saint's son was a person to fall for magic was an insult itself.

When he wanted to know for the first ti what on earth the Prince was going to demand, the Prince finally opened his mouth.

“If Knight Immanuel is a sinner, other brothers who failed to stop a brother from committing a sin are also sinners.”

It was the Prince's shallow trick. Mage hunting was the toughest fight. Not because brothers betrayed him, but because as the strongest knight, he just had to sacrifice himself.

“That is not so. They tried to stop , but I didn't listen.”

“No! Those people joined in too!”

While the steward glared and retorted and the brothers remained silent as always, Immanuel defended his brothers.

“The brother's testimony and my testimony are different.”

The Count glared at him, but this ti the Prince opened his mouth.

“Is it true? Can you swear by Traneha God that your words are true?”

“I swear by Traneha God that my words are true.”

He lied without hesitation. The Holy Emperor had already granted indulgence to the Knights of Purity. Especially for the dirtiest deeds inevitably committed while hunting mages.

“Then since Traneha God still loves you, He might forgive your sin too.”

…The Prince's words all made sense. Indeed, noble befitting the discoverer of holy relics. Only touching his sixth sense honed as a holy knight in an unknown way.

He forgot for a mont that as a holy knight, he should answer a secular person's questions fluently, and stared at the Prince's face.

“If Traneha God forgives you, I will also forgive you.”

The Prince spoke like an angel and also smiled.

“So, Knight of God, show Traneha God's love before .”

I would willingly, but how? The only way he showed God's love was with the sword. But he couldn't swing a sword at the Prince speaking of God's love, could he?

Even he, the strongest holy knight, didn't know what to do for a mont, but the Prince stood up unhesitatingly and approached him. With a hawk on his shoulder and a wolf following behind.

“The residents of my estate Petrafis captured this wolf claiming it is a mage.”

And the Wolf of Petrafis taken to the castle by the Prince saying he would punish it himself.

Thanks to that, they were able to investigate not only the village where the wolf was caught but also the Prince's castle.

“Bestow a blessing upon this wolf in the na of Traneha God.”

“…Are you telling

to bestow a blessing upon a wolf?”

He was a holy knight. Bestowing blessings was not his duty.

“If Traneha God loves and forgives you, you should also be able to show God's love and forgiveness to a beast that is also God's creature. Then I will also show you my love and forgiveness.”

The holy knight's honed sixth sense raised its head again. That it was an extrely cunning trap.