The Emperor Who Was Chapter 95 : Chapter 95

Chapter . 95

"If fighting breaks out in my territory, my people might die too, what kind of nonsense is that?"

"Then we'll kill those who killed your people and get revenge."

The warmonger got excited.

"Think about it. In a place far from the Imperial Palace or the capital Elan, you and I suddenly appear before them, unleash the power we've hidden so far to our heart's content, and wipe them all out. Afterward, we say they fought each other and were annihilated together. No one will suspect that a Prince with no faction like you could kill them. The illegitimate son, or rather the Emperor, would be suspected. Just thinking about it is aweso."

Honestly, I couldn't help being tempted by those words. The ti would co when I would have to draw swords against my brothers. Although I was prepared, I hoped they would kill each other rather than

killing one of them.

It's cowardly to jump into the battle for succession and yet not want to dirty my hands, but it's too hard to shake off such feelings.

"Is our Armatia so lacking in people capable of resolving this matter that we must send young Princes all the way there?"

At that mont, older brother Alexander stepped forward.

"I will go. Then, whether it's my half-brothers or full brothers, all the Princes will be safe in the Imperial Palace. Who knows what trouble might arise if they fight each other all the way there?"

Michelon clicked his tongue.

"That guy is interfering in my fight? Where did he throw away his chivalry?"

Although dragons didn't fully understand human culture, honestly, it was true that chivalry had such aspects. To them right now, we were won to be kidnapped or castles to be plundered, so if anyone wanted to intervene, they should fight under them.

"Why are you stepping in for my younger brother's matter?"

When Maximilian, who was close to coming of age, objected, Alexander grinned.

"Because that younger brother chose

as an ally? Ultimately, it is only right that I go. However, before I go, I am rely kindly informing the Princes that there is no need for you to risk danger."

Alexander was exploiting the alliance with

quite well. In fact, he had the best justification. No one believed that Maximilian or Desmond were going to my territory for my sake.

Going to soone else's uninvited territory, especially for a serious matter like the disappearance of a direct royal family mber, required an Imperial command.

"Your full brother is upset? Though your half-brother can just go according to the custom of alliance without needing the Emperor's permission or vows. If the Emperor stops him here, all suspicion will be directed at the Emperor."

"My Imperial Father's reaction isn't good either."

"Really, the feeling is different from when he received Maximilian or Desmond's vows? Is it because Alexander doesn't need to vow, and didn't?"

It was then. One person stepped forward. A tall man in black clothes like my Imperial Father.

"The Temple of Traneha also wishes to dispatch the Knights of Saint Romola."

Before the invisible eye could fully turn to him, Michelon guessed his identity.

"The one who forcibly kissed the back of your hand at the Great Temple without anyone asking."

"Cardinal Orlanto."

Anger surged just looking at that stone-like face. He must have colluded with the Empress to send the Knights of Saint Romola.

"If by any chance Prince Leontes has gone missing due to an attack by mages, this is the sin of our Knights of Saint Romola for failing to properly exterminate the remnants at that ti, and we will duly wash it away with death."

"Oh, His Eminence the Cardinal has also arrived."

"His Eminence showed an extre sign of affection to Prince Leontes during Michelon's rescue. The most pious one."

"It is truly moving to see him doing his utmost to help the Prince even now."

I only clenched my fist behind the curtain.

"That's not it! That guy is trying to vent his anger because I stopped the Knights of Saint Romola from turning my territory into a wasteland!"

"Calm down, why get so angry? He's a guy not even worth it. You endure it."

Michelon stopped . It was good to have a friend.

"I'll take his head tonight. Just endure until then. If you get angry on an empty stomach, it only hurts more."

I shouldn't get angry recklessly in front of the kid.......

"You can't kill him......."

"Not yet?"

"Not yet."

Let's explain later that if he dies, he will only be elevated to sainthood as a martyr assassinated by mages while trying to save a Prince.

"Then when?"

"...I'll tell you when the ti cos."

"Then his head is mine, right? You won't hand it over to soone else to take, will you? If you hand it over to Sir Rolf, Count Montova, or Yolande, I'll get angry."

"Okay......."

It was then. The invisible eye caught my Imperial Father's slight hand gesture.

The next mont, the Chamberlain stepped forward and announced loudly.

"His Majesty the Emperor commands!"

It was ominous.

When announcing an Imperial command to people, the Emperor's herald blows a fanfare once, reads the command aloud, and shows the Royal Seal stamped on the docunt to all directions.

But when the Emperor announces an Imperial command directly on the spot, the Chamberlain does it. Since it's hard to prepare a fanfare or docunt imdiately.

Also to distinguish between what the Emperor just said and a formal command. So that people like Michelon don't jump to kill soone just because of a word.

"Was it like that when he entrusted the Holy Relic matter to you?"

"No."

At that ti, he just gave the order, and a herald announced it later. Instead of the simple procedure my Imperial Father preferred, the hidden intention of doing this here—

My Imperial Father opened his mouth.

"I will bestow a great reward upon the one who saves my most beloved son, Prince Leontes."

"Oh, are you a princess captured by a dragon? The Imperial command is like a classic tale."

Michelon giggled. Friend or not, I have to say what needs to be said.

"Consider yourself lucky that you're my only friend. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been friends with you long ago!"

"Then, one friend is enough, were you going to make more friends? Why are people so dependent?"

Michelon argued, then asked.

"By the way, what exactly is the reward? Tell him not to do things like Rhiannon, saying she'll give a reward but not saying what it is."

I was curious too, and just in ti, there was soone here who couldn't stand curiosity.

"Abamama, may I ask what that reward is?"

Even a tactless guy like that has his uses.

"Of course, Maximilian. To the one who saves Leontes, I will bestow Leontes's territory as a reward."

"What did you say? Don't touch my territory!"

"Calm down! Endure it! If you're going to say I can't take that guy's head tonight either, you endure it!"

I almost kicked the curtain and ran out, but Michelon held

back and blocked .

"It can't be possible. Taking away a territory not even bestowed by the Emperor?"

"There was an Emperor nicknad Red Beard. His cousin, nicknad the Lion Duke, expanded his territory through wars of conquest and ca to own a territory larger than the Emperor's direct domain."

"Just hearing the nickna, the cousin seems braver."

"Red Beard, who didn't help the Lion Duke's war of conquest, confiscated all of the Lion Duke's territories because he didn't help his own war of conquest. Whether inherited or conquered."

"Was that possible?"

"The Lion Duke went into exile at his wife's family ho, and only after the Emperor's death did he receive one territory back from the son and barely return to his hotown."

Even before that, there were monarchs who pressured vassals to give up new territories when their inherited territories beca too large.

"Conversely, vassals also rebelled aiming for the monarch's position. Whether feudalism or centralized power, it's all just law in the end. Emperor or vassal, they all want to manipulate it according to their interests."

At that ti, the Empress who gave

that territory spoke.

"Ah, Your Majesty the Emperor, it is truly a wise disposition. To bestow rcy so generously to cover my mistake, I am only moved to tears."

Even if she was scared once, it wouldn't be Rhiannon if she didn't try to squeeze through even a needle-sized opportunity.

"Hearing that, others would think the Emperor and Empress agreed on this beforehand?"

"Making it look like that is Rhiannon's specialty."

Honestly, I can't copy that.

"Then even if I rescue Prince Leontes, my most beloved half-brother might resent ."

Alexander said smilingly. Speaking without hesitation, yet laughing lively. He was the most, perhaps the only one among our brothers who was amiable to parents. Even before the regression, when he beca my adopted son.

Once, when Desmond sarcastically said it was because he was an illegitimate son, he retorted that he was originally the only one with a charming personality among the brothers.

"Acting condescending as if he already rescued you when there's no need to."

My friend got angry on my behalf.

"Leontes will receive a reward greater than his territory and stay in safe Elan."

And my Imperial Father's answer fell.

"Did you hear? I'll give you gold, your father says he'll give money too; you're now the richest in Armatia. But don't accept more money from your father than from . I'm your top investor, you promised."

"Also, if the one who rescues him is a noble, I will raise their rank, and if a commoner, I will bestow a title."

"Ohhh!"

"As expected, His Majesty the Emperor loves Prince Leontes the most!"

"Indeed. Of course, anyone who saves a royal receives a big reward, but to announce it in advance like this."

"It reminds

of ancient legends. Anyway, it's an opportunity an honorable knight cannot miss."

My Imperial Father left imdiately after proclaiming all the Imperial commands. The four factions, the Cardinal, as well as those who said in advance they would go to save , or those blinded by the reward, also rushed out.

"Now rabble from all over Armatia will gather in my territory and tear it apart."

I tore at my hair. I thought of the valley where gold was first discovered in Armatia. When people rushed in madly, the land owner lost everything, so everyone who made money there was essentially a thief or a fence. And now I was about to end up like that land owner.

But I couldn't appear now either. The discovery of the Dragon's Grave would be a great asset in the battle for succession, but revealing it now would only reveal Michelon's identity. Since it's already a place rumored to be the Dragon's Mountain, no matter how we explain it, suspicion would arise.

The connection with magic was even harder to hide. I considered fabricating a self-kidnapping drama, but if things went wrong, I could be falsely accused of falling into magic and becoming corrupt like before the regression.

'But if I don't co up with a solution quickly.......'

Just the thought of countless people from all over the country rushing in to dig up my territory to find gold, no, , was terrible.

"Robber knights, bandit knights, all sorts of ruffians wanting to beco knights will swarm in."

"Don't worry. I'll protect your territory from them."

A reliable friend's hand grabbed my arm.

"The thod is simple."

Michelon's eyes glead. His hand gripped my arm like a claw.

"You know how annoyed I was every ti I called Alexander 'Marquis'? Sa when I called Grimiati 'Duke'."

"Even if you beco a noble, it's the sa. Their ranks are higher than yours."

"If I put you on the throne, I'll be higher. I'll sit on their heads."

"Even if my Imperial Father bestows a title on you now, you're not higher than them."

"Anyway, I have to beco a noble now too. Even Sir Rolf is better off than . I hate being treated like a commoner."

"I intended to have you and Sir Rolf receive titles for the rit of this matter anyway!"

"Receiving directly from your father is higher than you arranging it, isn't it? Is a wolf of Petrafis equal to a Prince of Armatia? The rit is bigger on this side."

My friend's eyes looking at

overflowed with greed.