episode_0070

“Why have you come here….”

Lemarode’s face stiffened as he shot me a guarded look.

It was a gaze filled with deep questions about my unexpected presence in this entirely unforeseen place.

Right now, I was sitting face to face with him inside the barracks.

Steam rose gently from the cup brought by the lieutenant.

As I raised the cup, his sharp eyes followed my hand so intently it almost felt rude.

Sip.

I leisurely took a sip, wearing a face that suggested there was no issue at all.

The well-brewed tea filled my mouth with a refreshing aroma.

“Lemarode, today I intend to pledge my allegiance to you.”

“Please leave now.”

He stood up abruptly and his resolute voice left me momentarily speechless.

It was a response far more decisive than a blade wielded by an enemy.

Slightly offended, I felt the urge to stand up and leave immediately.

But with such a small distribution of power, becoming an emperor seemed quite challenging.

After composing myself, I carefully voiced the words I had prepared.

“Though Terdoan is dead, you will not be able to inherit Shurain’s castle.”

The effect of my counterattack was not bad. Lemarode’s face contorted greatly.

He knew it well himself, but it was a truth he could not ignore.

And I had deliberately brought it to his attention.

“If you continue to provoke me, no matter how noble your status, I will kill you right here.”

The fiery gaze was undoubtedly fueled by anger.

But that heat was not solely due to his displeasure towards me.

From his father and brothers who had constantly treated him like a slave since childhood, to the prince who possessed an unattainable status as noble as they were, Lemarode had always hoped to receive Shurain’s castle in true recognition from his father.

He believed that only then could he truly become a part of a real family with his brothers.

However, the Shurain Duchy only needed obedient slaves, and Lemarode was well aware of that fact.

In the end, he was forced to be consumed by the shackles of an unbreakable status, meeting his death alongside Servis at the heart of the collapsing empire.

That was his original fate.

So, even at this moment, if someone were to extend a hand to him, proposing to give him what he most desperately desired, he would never be able to refuse.

“Do you not wish to become a duke following in your father’s footsteps?”

“That’s absurd… I do not want to hear this. Please leave now.”

Turning away as if he would no longer listen to me, for a moment, I distinctly saw it.

When I mentioned ‘wanting to become,’ Lemarode’s eyes trembled intensely.

“Servis has been dethroned.”

“What…!”

As Lemarode turned back, a deep sense of bewilderment clouded his face.

“The duke has also been confined to the mansion until his death.”

“This is unbelievable!”

“You will soon hear the news; why would I need to lie?”

“How on earth…”

“Why are you so surprised? Even if Servis were to become emperor, he would never grant you the title of duke.”

“Please refrain from speaking so recklessly!”

“As a commander, your perception seems clouded. Are you still dreaming? Though he may have called you his son, Servis only sees you as a servant. Do you still not realize that?”

Lemarode responded with silence.

He already knew it well.

If that was the case, then the situation had clearly shifted in my favor.

“The Emperor is considering me as the next rightful ruler.”

“But you are…”

With trembling eyes, Lemarode’s head slightly bowed.

The next words that would come to his tongue were well aware of the insult to the royal family.

“I have killed people. More than ten. All in just one night. And I did not hesitate to commit all sorts of wicked deeds afterward. That’s what you want to say, right?”

However, I knew well that what was reflected in Lemarode’s eyes was not just fear.

Perhaps a faint hope of changing his status was secretly embedded in those trembling eyes.

Yet, due to my notorious reputation, it would not be easy for anyone to deem me trustworthy.

“Do you know why I did that? No. It was a situation where I had no choice but to do so.”

“What are you saying now?”

“I didn’t kill anyone. It is true that I acted like a madman due to being poisoned by the empress, but in reality, I was just trapped in a scheme.”

Once again, Lemarode avoided my gaze. This was also because he had killed quite a few people on behalf of the empress.

He was well aware that such a possibility was not unlikely.

“If we talk about the merits I have recently established, you have probably heard of them as well.”

“Are you saying you’ve deciphered them?”

To see through intentions just by raising luck.

Indeed, Lemarode was someone who could lead an army even with humble status.

I simply nodded lightly.

“Even so, how can I trust His Highness the Crown Prince…?”

“What is there to believe or doubt? If you were to lead the army to Teragamon right now, by the time you arrive, you will have already received Shulain’s castle under the imperial decree.”

Teragamon was a viscountcy guarding the eastern border of Mersenne.

“Just by moving the troops, would there be a big problem if I don’t keep my promise? But if you receive provisions from Count Tenafel and move there. It’s said that you can become the Duke of Shulain by today. Everything about the duchy will be solely yours. How about it? Isn’t it better to cut your losses?”

I reached out my hand.

After much contemplation, Lemarode finally knelt before me, showing the respect of a vassal.

Then, he cautiously extended both hands to shake mine.

“My lord, I will dedicate my life to you.”

***

I returned to the palace through a process completely opposite to the one I had taken when I left.

The sun was already high in the sky.

“Where were you! Again!”

In the prince’s palace, Astia was glaring at me.

“I, I was just playing around nearby for a bit. I-”

His demeanor was so menacing that I almost called him ‘big brother’ without realizing it. No matter how you looked at it, his actions made him seem like a real older brother.

“I had Astiano call you back. Why do you always go alone? What if you get hurt again?”

“Enough. Now I am stronger than you-”

“What? Want to try me?”

Honestly, I wasn’t confident.

At all.

Thwack!

“Ouch!”

What is this, seriously…

With each clash of swords, two feet drew parallel lines.

After returning from Ribengard, Astia had been diligently training whenever he found the time, and he had become incredibly strong.

He hadn’t used mana, yet he was being pushed back so severely.

As expected. He possessed exceptional talent, enough to become a companion of a hero in the future.

“It seems like I’m stronger, Your Highness. So, please make sure to take me with you whenever you go out from now on.”

“Got it. As long as you use honorifics properly, there should be no reason not to take you.”

“I will serve you sincerely, Your Highness.”

Astia, with a sword resting on one shoulder.

Clad in armor, she elegantly greeted me like a princess in a dress.

“Astia!”

While returning to the prince’s palace with Astia, we encountered Gwynter Marquis Elaine walking together.

“Uh… Pruna?”

Astia pretended to know her first.

Pruna’s eyes widened like a startled cat.

“Ah? Astia? How could this happen! You’ve really grown up, haven’t you?”

“What? Grown up?”

“You used to be like this in the old days. Just like a little mouse.”

With such harsh words flowing out, I briefly doubted my ears.

“Oh, right, then. So, back when I was acting like a little mouse, crying after getting hit, were you the offspring of that little mouse?”

“What? Offspring of a mouse? Are you done talking now?”

“I’m not finished yet. What. What. What are you going to do?”

The sight of noblewomen from aristocratic families butting heads like fighting rams was truly difficult to adapt to.

Astia was somewhat spared by wearing armor, but Prunna, dressed in a gown, made it truly challenging to adjust.

While Elaine laughed heartily at something amusing, as the only man present, I might end up being dragged into a pointless quarrel like a shrimp caught between two fighting whales.

After exchanging a glance with Elaine, I discreetly slipped away and headed towards the Emperor’s chambers.

***

“You want to make Lemarode into Duke Shurain’s successor?”

The Emperor looked slightly perplexed.

Lemarode was the illegitimate child of Duke Shurain.

Even commoners knew him as the Duke’s hunting dog.

To make him Duke Shurain’s successor—what could be the intention behind this?

“Why?”

Of course, it wasn’t difficult to understand.

After dismissing Service and appointing Duke Shurain, a considerable number of nobles had subtly shifted their allegiance.

It was a new formation of the pro-Emperor faction that had been hiding in the shadows.

“I believe Your Majesty is unaware of Service’s intentions.”

Indeed.

The Emperor was well aware.

And that was the problem.

Service commanded a force of 60,000.

Although divided into four parts to guard the borders, trusted individuals appointed by Service led each division.

If Service were to gather them again, it was easy to predict a challenging situation arising.

Thus, he had considered such scenarios.

Killing Service within the palace.

However, that action alone could lead to serious consequences.

Acting without justification was a fatal mistake that could not be overlooked.

If one proceeded without justification, it provided others with a pretext to act.

Those who commanded Service’s forces.

If Service were killed, it could serve as a rallying point for them to attack the palace.

Hence, it ended with mere internal measures within the palace.

Of course, now the soldiers of the newly pro-Emperor nobles could be mobilized to counterbalance.

However, it was evident that significant sacrifices would have to be made in return.

In such a situation, Eos had said:

“Tell me, what do you plan to do? You know as well as I do that Lemarode is Shurain’s hound.”

“As a sign of loyalty, I have decided to grant him his deepest desire.”

“How long will he remain loyal?”

“It doesn’t matter if he remains loyal or not.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Once his army reaches the eastern border, there will be no further issue. Ultimately, he will sincerely pledge allegiance to me.”