chapter_0067

67 – The Four Emperors

67 – The Four Emperors

The Capital of the Novarens Empire

The Imperial City – Novaresia

In the classroom of the Strategy and Tactics Department of the Empire’s top academy, “Plato,” an old man and a young man were playing ‘Go.’

This game, which came from the East, was much more complex than chess as it did not have the concept of a king, requiring far more intricate calculations.

Gaud Rockris, one of the Emperor’s advisors and a professor in the Strategy and Tactics Department at Plato, enjoyed this game.

He was playing Go with a young man who had black hair and appeared to be his disciple.

Dressed like a bard, a lute was placed beside him.

As they placed stones on the Go board, they conversed.

Clack—

“You’ve improved since you were only singing songs.”

Clack—

“The ruled count numbers, but the rulers sing. If Go is a game for the rulers, then it is only natural that my skills improve, Master.”

“Your mouth is still as sharp as ever.”

The young man’s name was Leo Arce.

He was Gaud’s disciple and recognized as the greatest genius and bard by him.

However, Gaud understood him well, knowing his circumstances.

Clack—

“Have you felt anything while traveling the world?”

“Nothing. The Empire was as terrible as I had imagined.”

Having become a bard, Leo had traveled the Empire for two years after leaving the academy.

There, he witnessed the harsh reality of the Empire he had learned about at the academy once again.

“The Duke of the North did not fulfill his duties. He intentionally neglected the monsters’ descent to attack the prince’s supporters.”

This was an incident that had not yet been officially announced.

The North had a harsh climate, but it was also where strong monsters were likely to appear.

And those monsters could gather and form a massive army, flowing down to the food-rich East and West.

Usually, to prevent this, the North would mobilize troops to execute large-scale extermination operations.

However, whether it was to protect the army for the Game of Thrones or to use the monsters in the Game of Thrones, the North did not take action this time.

As a result, massive hordes of monsters, consisting of Ice Bears from the North, descended into the Northwestern region, a far cry from the Deep Rock fish of the South.

Clack—

“In the end, the monsters neglected by the Duke of the North descended and caused great damage to the people of the West.”

“The prince must have had a hard time.”

As a result, there was a large-scale battle in the Northwestern region.

To protect the West, where his supporters were numerous, the prince led the Golden Knights into battle and slaughtered thousands of monsters.

While Calix was conquering dungeons in the Southwestern region, such events were unfolding above.

Clack—

“Yes, the thousands of monsters that descended were dealt with by the Golden Knights led by the prince. In retaliation, the prince reduced the food supplies heading to the North. As a result, the people of the North are suffering from hunger.”

In retaliation, the prince also halted the food supplies sent from the center to the North.

Of course, the North had already anticipated this and replied that they had not expected it.

“It is truly unfortunate. Reducing food supplies will only cause suffering for the commoners. Unless the granaries of the Northern Dukes in the East are dealt with, the North will not weaken due to the blockade from the center.”

Clack—

“Yes, it is a regrettable situation.”

“Yes, it is unfortunate, but we have no choice.”

The prince knew that if he did not send food, the commoners of the North would be the first to die.

Yet, if he took no action, it would tarnish his reputation.

He knew, but he had no choice.

Clack—

“So… in this era, how will you move?”

Gaud asked the question he most wanted to hear.

He was the only one among Gaud’s disciples who had not entered public office.

But he felt it.

The moment he would act was approaching.

“…I plan to head south.”

“South?”

At the mention of the south, Gaud thought of the lord there.

He was someone who was well-informed about news from across the Empire.

Naturally, he was also very familiar with news from the south.

Clack—

“Are you planning to go there?”

Clack—

“Yes, Master.”

“May I ask why?”

Gaud was curious.

The Crones Family in the south had recently become frighteningly strong, but there were still larger lords in terms of sheer power.

In response to Gaud’s question, Leo answered.

Clack—

“There are many great lords with power in the Empire. However, among them, only four are spoken of as potential future emperors among the common people.”

Bards are those who convey stories and listen to them.

And the tales of the emperor discussed among the common people were of the greatest interest to the bards.

Leo placed a stone in the center.

Clack—

“The first is the legitimate emperor, Prince Kailos.”

The first prince, the Empire’s greatest swordsman, and the leader of the Golden Knights, he was the universally recognized legitimate heir.

He had the largest power among all candidates and also the most enemies.

Clack—

“The second is the Emperor of the Strong, Duke Ark.”

Leo placed a stone in the north.

The Emperor’s brother and protector of the North, Duke Ark, governed the North by implementing policies that favored capable individuals, gathering many warriors under his command.

Not only in the North but also among lords dreaming of a world of strength, he was an attractive candidate for emperor and was currently gaining power.

Clack—

“The third is the Emperor of the Magicians, Princess Selenia.”

Leo placed a stone in the east.

The second princess and the Empire’s greatest magician, recognized by the Golden Magic Tower, Princess Selenia was a candidate for emperor backed by the support of magicians.

Although her power was smaller compared to the previous two forces, her hidden strength due to her status as a magician was by no means inferior, and through the power of the princess’s palace, she had a better grasp of the Empire’s hidden information than anyone else.

Clack—

“And lastly, the Emperor of the People, Lord Calix.”

Leo placed a stone in the south.

The only figure unrelated to the royal family, and in fact, a power so small that it was embarrassing to compare with other forces, yet among the common people, Calix was becoming a song as a candidate for emperor.

“Why do you think that is, Master?”

“Because of ideology.”

In response to Leo’s words, Gaud answered.

Leo nodded and said.

“Yes, the ideology that unites people is the greatest strength that Lord Calix possesses.”

What could be the greatest strength of Lord Calix?

The Crimson Sorcerer Sharen? The Dragonkin warriors of Dreyhart? The abundant salt of the South?

Or perhaps the bow that pierced the heart of a dragon?

Leo thought none of these were correct.

The greatest strength of Lord Calix in the South was ideology, a new thought.

“Lord Calix has become the candidate for emperor desired by the people, surpassing other great lords through his pro-people policies that overturned the existing concept of territorial management. And that power is still unknown in its extent.”

The prince and the Duke of the North were not ideologically special.

They were the emperors within the existing rules.

The princess supported by the magicians was somewhat different, but ultimately limited to the elite few known as magicians.

However, Lord Calix’s policies for the people were a new ideology that had never existed before.

In a feudal era where it was natural for nobles and royalty to lead, Calix’s actions centered around the people gave hope for a new future to countless ordinary citizens.

It gave them hope that they too could live well.

That hope was gathering and heading south.

Leo, wandering as a bard, witnessed this.

Clack—

“But no matter how much Lord Calix’s reputation rises, he is still weaker than the three of them.”

But there were certainly limits.

New ideologies inevitably clash with existing ones.

As the influence of the Crones Family grew, people who could no longer sit idly by began to emerge, and they would gather on the opposite side of Cron to become his greatest enemies.

Gaud placed a stone in front of the southern stone Leo had placed.

Then…

Clack—!

“So, I will go.”

Leo said as he placed a stone in front of Gaud’s stone.

With that final move, the game of Go came to an end.

They calculated the score at home, and the result was revealed.

“We’ve drawn again.”

“Yes, Master. That makes it 124 games, 124 draws.”

Gaud had played countless games of Go with Leo until now.

And every match had ended in a draw.

Neither winning nor losing, but drawing—Gaud understood well what that meant.

Gaud was afraid of his disciple Leo.

His immense talent seemed like it could become poison for the Empire, and he had thought about killing him several times.

But more than that, he wanted to see him emerge into the world and make his mark in the Empire.

As Leo packed up the lute, Gaud said.

“Well then, are you going?”

“Yes, I will go, Master.”

With those words, Leo departed.

The Strategy and Tactics Department had an unwritten rule.

They were machines for winning wars.

They were not allowed to have personal feelings, nor could they be lenient due to motivations.

Thus, once they set out, they did not return to this place.

The only one who had returned multiple times was Leo, and even he would not come back after today.

That day, the strategist “Leo Arce” headed south.

A Word from the Author (Author’s Note)

A new character heads south.

Thank you for reading today as well!!!

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