Chapter 180
Athus, Aretion.
The words Nana spat out drifted in the silence.
If anyone else had been there, they would have been unable to contain their astonishnt.
Seven years after Emperor Ferbias's accession, the na of his once-proud confidant, Athus, had beco taboo.
It was a na never to be uttered before the emperor.
“……”
Ferbias fidgeted with his glass. He tilted the half-remaining wine back and forth, lost in thought.
Nana Nereyades bowed her head even lower and spoke again.
"It was Athus Aretion. I saw him clearly."
“……Hoo.”
Ferbias let out a deep breath.
Then he threw the glass.
There was a shattering sound.
The glass flew past Nana's ear, hit the wall, and broke into pieces.
Not throwing the glass directly at Nana was Ferbias's last ounce of patience.
Shards of glass struck Nana's skin.
The tough skin of a Ten Great General was unhard, but she couldn't avoid being dirtied by the wine that splashed over her.
"Nana Nereyades."
Ferbias said, almost growling.
"Do you know the weight of your mistake? Even for a Ten Great General, cutting off an arm would not be enough."
One of the Empire's grand plans, one of the four calamities, had completely failed.
It had even given the West a pretext and an opportunity to counterattack.
Ferbias did not hide his anger.
"Then why do you think I haven't disciplined you? And why do you think I agreed to your shaless request to et in person?"
The emperor's eyes blazed.
The brilliant light, imbued with the power of dominion, pressed down on the world. Ferbias's Ars, which shook the human spirit, 'Prince’s Eye, princeps oculus'.
It had been a powerful Ars to begin with, but after ascending the throne, it had beco unbelievably mighty.
Even Nana's soul, which cried out for freedom, was soon bound by it.
"Pity for you who has just lost her grandfather! And, respect for the hero of the Empire, the Whale of Hobel Bay!"
Everything was golden.
Ferbias's two eyes sprayed a fierce golden light.
Though he had never seen it himself, he was certain that Emperor Continua in his youth must have been just like that.
The golden light was so intense that Warden Kentil, who was waiting outside the room, trembled.
"And yet you, are you spouting nonsense? Just how much do you intend to disappoint !"
"Your Majesty."
Nana Nereyades raised her eyes.
Daring to look the emperor straight in the face, she continued.
"I have not spoken a falsehood. Everything is the undeniable truth."
“……”
"You already know, don't you? How could I not recognize him……."
She pleaded.
Ferbias too fell silent.
Ferbias and Athus had been the closest of friends during their school days.
But there were a few others who went around with them.
For example, the 11th Legion's Chief of Staff, Bukenos, and for example, the Nine Streams General Nana.
Ferbias and Athus, Bukenos and Nana.
The four who had spent their school days together.
No matter how much ti passed, they were bound to recognize each other.
Ferbias covered his face. The headache was so severe he felt like he would go mad.
"It was that man. It was Athus, Your Majesty. He had the Ancient Weapon of Arete Island's ancient god, the 'Breath of Light'."
"...You know the weight of those words."
"Of course."
“……”
Ferbias fell into silence.
Nana too closed her mouth again.
Having spent their school days together, she empathized deeply with Ferbias's feelings.
The emperor scattered a sigh that rose from deep within into the air.
"...Ha……."
He staggered and collapsed onto the throne.
"...Athus……."
His teeth ground on their own.
The sound was clear.
"...I thought he might be alive sowhere... yes, so you won't be satisfied until you've driven a knife into my throat, is that it……."
His heart ached.
There was also a sense of guilt.
Because it was Ferbias who had deceived Athus first.
But to this extent?
Was it not enough to betray and leave him, did he have to co and slit his throat himself?
The stabbing pain in his heart was likely proof that a sliver of friendship remained.
"Nana."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Ferbias closed his eyes.
The 'Prince’s Eye' was withdrawn.
"Your mistake is great. But I will not hold you responsible for now."
"I am grateful for your undeserved grace."
"You will have to work hard to make up for it."
Nana nodded.
Ferbias's lips parted.
"There is no change of plans. We will strike the West."
The emperor commands.
"Boost morale and gather supplies. Even though we failed to secure a pretext, the Empire is not at a disadvantage."
Ferbias rembered the ti right after he beca emperor.
When he surveyed the country that had beco his, he couldn't help but be surprised.
The Cordis Empire held more than three tis the potential he had known.
He couldn't understand why Emperor Continua had held back with such power.
But one thing was clear: the Empire had enough power to conquer the entire continent.
"The eastern conquest is in its final stages. As soon as the expeditionary force returns, declare war on the West. So that they don't even have ti to prepare."
"Your Majesty, please inform this inadequate servant. How many days should I expect it to take?"
"...Days, you say……."
Ferbias stroked his chin.
The beard he had grown to follow the Great Emperor now looked quite natural.
His deliberation was not long.
"100 days should be enough."
***
"100 days, Athus."
I said.
"We have to assu there are about 100 days left until the Empire's declaration of war."
"Didn't you say 300 to 400 days before?"
"I did."
I did not deny it.
"If this incident hadn't been so successful, it would have been."
We had blocked the 'Calamity from the Sea'.
Neither the horde of fishn, nor Nana and the three Cordis legions, nor Niko Nereyades clad in the power of an ancient god, had managed to inflict any significant damage on the West.
It was no ordinary great victory.
However, because we had achieved such a great victory, Cordis had no choice but to be wary.
Even if they hadn't yet reached the conclusion that I was the 5th Prince Zionis, Athus's existence would have been revealed.
Ferbias was an arrogant and impatient man, but he was no fool.
He was more than capable of judging that he shouldn't give the West any more ti.
"Besides, the news from the eastern part of the Empire is also unsettling."
I handed Athus a parchnt.
From the West's perspective, the eastern part of the Empire was very, very far away.
It was difficult to obtain proper information.
I too would not have been able to get detailed information without my master's help.
"I heard Horm was cut in half."
"...Isn't it a country more powerful than any of the great nations of the West?"
"Yes. That large country has beco half its size. Though it's probably still about the size of Maesh."
And yet, the West did not know.
It was because the Empire was blocking information in the middle.
Perhaps the news would only be delivered after the declaration of war on the West.
"The leading figure in this brutal conquest of Horm is……."
I raised the corner of my mouth.
"...The young general, Secundus Debius."
Below the parchnt, there were a few more nas.
Secundus's adjutant, Kateka Keshulei.
Things like the two hundred strong n of the military who followed him.
"Secundus, who was once the 2nd Prince, is certain to receive the title of a Ten Great General in recognition of his achievents in this conquest."
I chuckled.
"So unhelpful."
"You seem to be in a good mood."
"It's your imagination, Athus."
I held out my hand.
Athus handed a pumpkin pie.
I devoured the pumpkin pie with great pleasure.
Though my body had lost its sense of taste, I could still taste sweetness.
Though it had to be a sweetness that was almost numbing.
"Are you all packed?"
"Mm."
"It's a good thing we have Valziart. I can leave rion in her care."
The girl in the black dress listened to my commands.
She was a noble of the shadow dinsion, incomparably stronger than any ordinary human, so she was worthy of being entrusted with rion.
"Schizen first, or Maesh first?"
"Maesh. The order is important for this."
"More importantly, Shion, I have a question."
"What is it?"
Athus asked.
"The West's military strength is overwhelmingly inferior to the Empire's."
"Yes. Is it even a tenth?"
"But before……."
At the word 'before', I took out the tal case.
It was to prevent our conversation from leaking out.
When we said 'before', it ant before the regression.
It was a secret shared only by Athus and .
"...How was the war able to continue for seven years back then? It doesn't seem like they have that kind of potential at all."
"There were three heroes."
Rembering the old days, I smiled bitterly.
"What's to hide, one of them was ."
Shion Pollinglight, hero of the West.
The man who faced the Empire with seven secrets.
He was so used to fighting many alone that he would often hold off thousands by himself.
But Athus was not easily convinced.
A war where hundreds of thousands of troops were moving was not sothing an individual could handle with brute force.
"Even with you, with this much difference in military strength……."
"Ah. Was this the first ti I've ntioned this?"
The regressed prince massaged his temples.
"Of the three, I was the weakest."
“……!”
Athus's eyes widened in surprise.
He had known for a long ti.
That statent was not a lie and probably, it ant that even including the 'Hunchback' and 'Soul Fire', he was the weakest.
For Athus, who knew how intense and mighty the secrets I held were, the astonishnt was even greater.
"Why weren't people like that known?"
"At this point in ti, they're complete wrecks."
And it's not like they were completely unknown either.
"You know, I was really disappointed with the timing of my regression."
I continued.
Thinking of my old comrades, an endless stream of bitter smiles erged.
"Because there was no way to stop any of the calamities except for the Calamity from the Sea, the third one."
"...Wait a minute."
Athus interrupted.
"This calamity was the third? This is the first I'm hearing of this too."
"Is that so? Then listen now."
Athus couldn't reply to my words.
No matter how casually we spoke, I was the master and Athus was the servant.
Revealing secrets or not was entirely my prerogative.
"The first calamity was 14 years from now, and the second was 11 years from now. Since I regressed 7 years ago, there was no room for to intervene."
"...Your Highness……."
Athus's voice sank.
"...I don't understand……."
He spoke respectfully with caution.
Athus's lips were trembling.
"...It's as if, these calamities, these wars were prepared by……."
"You're right."
My blue eyes were fierce.
"It was all started by Emperor Continua."
“……!!!”
I revealed the outrageous secret so easily.
Athus felt a shock as if a blade had been stabbed into his lungs.
He had wondered why I hated my father so much, and only now, after seven years, did he understand the reason.
"Ferbias just inherited his plan."
"...Your Highness……."
"Enough. There's no more ti to talk."
I cut Athus off.
Even if it was Athus, I felt I might have revealed too many secrets.
I deactivated the magic of the tal case. It was a declaration that the secret talk was over.
"We need to move now."
The regressed prince shot up from his seat.
"I need to wake the two heroes from their slumber within 100 days."
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