Ch.11839. Shadow of Dawn. Or Shade.

The woman he encountered in the Count’s office was not the one he had known before.

She was now a beauty with blue hair and blue eyes that blended together seamlessly.

This transformed woman stared directly at Dyke with a sharp gaze as he was escorted into the office.

“You look much healthier now.”

Her voice was firm, almost rigid.

There was something about her demeanor that didn’t quite match her casual tone.

Despite no particular malice or discomfort in her voice or attitude,

the air seemed to freeze the moment she opened her mouth.

“And you’ve changed a lot yourself.”

She had a commanding presence of her own.

But that alone wasn’t enough to unsettle Dyke.

He too was a knight who had overcome countless hardships while traveling abroad.

Among the descendants of heroes, the only one who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him was surely Princess Elhermina.

He had always strived to become a man worthy of her.

…And his decision to follow the same path as Kariel, to surpass him, had been entirely his own choice.

At any rate, the blue-haired, blue-eyed beauty standing at the threshold between girlhood and womanhood had, upon closer inspection, become the head of a Count’s family.

People say that having territory strengthens a Count’s influence, but the Esdina family had long established itself as a court nobility.

Moreover, though her father hadn’t survived to be counted among the Nine Heroes, he had been a warrior and hero who supported them from behind and stood shoulder to shoulder with them.

This was why the Esdina family could openly reject the Hero Emperor and the Radiant Knight, and why they could be the leaders of the nobility faction that opposed the imperial faction.

Above all, the Esdina family had built their power by securing wealth and rights instead of territory.

However…

Since more than half of those rights had been absorbed by the imperial family… it was clear that the Esdina family’s influence had significantly diminished from what it once was.

This was the superficial information he had gathered on his way here.

Above all, the biggest shock was that Seras had become the right hand of the Princess.

…Though he could guess why that had to be the case.

“Of all places, you rushed to see me first. Is it because of El, as I expected?”

“…Seeing how you’ve come to use her nickname despite hating her so much, I can’t help but feel how fickle the world is.”

“Spare me the small talk.”

“Isn’t that a bit cold for a childhood friend you haven’t seen in years?”

“Was it ever possible for you, an El follower, to be close to me?”

“You’re the same now, aren’t you?”

“…I’m not a follower. It’s a political alliance.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“We’re not communicating here.”

Her casual attire, though modest with little exposure and in a striking deep blue color, accentuated her figure beautifully.

Her hair had grown noticeably longer since he last saw her, enhancing her mature charm.

“I’m curious about El too, but what I really want to know about is Kariel.”

“…If it’s reached your ears, I guess it’s all over. Or should I say, you’ve established yourself quite well traveling between countries?”

“I have made a name for myself. After all… just the fact that I secured the Demon King’s legacy second only to El makes my value pretty obvious, doesn’t it?”

“That confident shamelessness of yours hasn’t changed. What’s more annoying is that you’re not even showing off.”

Seras visibly bit her lip.

Of course, she only pretended to chew on it, not actually doing so.

“When you secured the right to obtain it, Uncle Bariel was so pleased.”

“Father was?”

“He was openly proud. I guess he didn’t show it to you?”

“Even when I saw him earlier, he treated me as if I’d just been away for a few days.”

“That’s probably his fatherly pride. He’s always been like that, hasn’t he?”

“That’s… true.”

Dyke just smiled wryly.

“Did you know your father is currently the head of the nobility faction?”

“What?”

Wait, did I hear that correctly?

“It’s nominal, of course. Currently, the imperial faction is so dominant that those who oppose or need to be cautious around them have no place in the court. Baron Bariel mediates to make them somewhat useful.”

“…I remember that the previous Count Esdina used to play that role.”

“Grandfather is now spending his twilight years in a secluded place. Given the atmosphere at the time, he was fortunate just to have survived.”

Indeed.

“Have you heard that Alesius was sent to the northeastern border?”

“I’ve heard about it, though not in detail.”

“It wasn’t just a simple demotion. It was much more sinister.”

It must have been quite a shocking incident.

The public only knew that Prince Alesius had made a fatal mistake in internal politics.

Only now, through Seras, could Dyke grasp some of the details.

“Grandfather was not just ousted; he was essentially confined. And…”

Seras trailed off and sighed deeply.

“Eras was both excommunicated and exiled. Our family essentially took a severe blow.”

“You’re safe because you pledged loyalty to the imperial family? You had no other choice, whether you wanted it or not. Was this… His Majesty’s consideration?”

“More precisely… there was a compromise in the discussions about the relationship between El and Kariel. Our opinions aligned, so I received lenient treatment. If not for that… well, who knows.”

“…Again with the cryptic talk.”

As a childhood friend, Dyke had long known that Seras had feelings for Kariel.

The problem was that her competitor was none other than Elhermina.

…She must have known from the start that it was a battle she could hardly win.

Yet she chose to fight.

In a way, that was probably the fundamental reason why she disliked Elhermina.

That’s just how rivals are, isn’t it?

Just as he viewed Kariel.

“To be frank, it’s absurdly as if Elhermina yielded to me. But looking at how things are going now… I wonder if we did something unnecessary.”

“Could you explain it in a way I can understand?”

“Certainly.”

The summary she gave was quite simple.

Originally, after Kariel’s pilgrimage and his return after some time, the union between the two would have been confirmed.

Using that as justification and pretext, all previous charges would be dug up, followed by a massive purge and punishment.

The plan to completely refresh and reorganize the power structure of the imperial court, tilting all power decisively toward the Emperor, was none other than Elhermina’s.

On the surface, it was exaggeratedly reported that the Hero Emperor had orchestrated everything.

“The problem is that Kariel never returned. No, even before that, rumors began to circulate that Kariel was involved with, or had allied with, the Demon King.”

And one more thing.

“Keep this a secret. I’m telling you because it’s you. If it leaks, the suspect is obvious, so be prepared.”

“…Thanks, I guess.”

Is she trying to make me an accomplice? She’s learned some devious tactics since becoming the head.

But I’ve already stepped too deep to refuse.

…And my swelling curiosity is hard to ignore.

“Stop being sarcastic. Anyway… Lord Melineos had a prophetic dream, and what he saw and heard there was quite disturbing.”

The bigger issue was:

“His memory was temporarily sealed, and he said it was the work of the Demon King, the Golden Beast.”

“…That kind of story reached your ears?”

“El told me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known anything either.”

The problem was:

“…We had planned to secretly secure Kariel, but somehow this information leaked out, and coupled with information that Kariel had escaped abroad, there was considerable interference.”

“Hmm…”

“As a result, things started to unfold rapidly. Much faster than expected.”

If handled poorly, defending such a secret about Kariel could have instantly demolished the prestige and authority of a hero.

Political losses and disadvantages would have been the least of their concerns.

Moreover, Seras’s grandfather, who was the head of the nobility faction at the time, went so far as to deliberately criticize the Emperor about this, indicating just how serious the situation was.

“At this point, Elhermina, as if she had been waiting for this moment, openly brought up those who had plotted against Kariel and isolated him in the past, bringing the subject to the surface.”

This would implicate all the noble children who were involved, associated, or tacitly supported this.

But Elhermina had already made arrangements for some of them to confess and apologize to the imperial family, setting the stage in advance.

And very discreetly at that.

As a result, Count Esdina fell into a trap without being able to resist.

At this time, Alesius, who would have been their greatest shield, was sent away by the Emperor himself to a border guard post, setting a precedent that made it impossible to criticize this action.

If it had been a simple matter of sending him away, they might have protested, saying it was just a facade.

But the fact that it was the northeastern border region was crucial.

A most dangerous conflict zone with frequent local wars and disputes due to monsters and hostile nations.

Therefore.

If they were to question further crimes, it would mean calling for the death of the Golden Bloodline… and what difference would there be between a vassal mentioning that and a traitor?

“It seems my grandfather was indeed the one who led Kariel’s isolation.”

“…Is that true?”

“Yes. And besides that… Grandfather forced Eras to make a choice at that time.”

Whether to stand by Kariel or Alesius.

Apparently, Eras had such an opportunity at the time.

Though Seras herself didn’t know.

However, Eras never really had a choice.

Except to blindly follow what the head of the family, her grandfather, wanted.

Moreover, for the two young sisters, Seras and Eras, the head of the family’s scolding and punishment were too frightening.

If Seras had realized this fact earlier, wouldn’t she have at least shown some resistance or rebellion?

But her grandfather, being very cunning, had blocked even that possibility.

By the time she finally found out, it was far too late to reverse the situation.

“…”

It’s still infuriating to think about.

After his son, who should have returned as a hero, died, her grandfather completely changed.

All that remained were the two daughters left by his son.

If only he had returned alive from the final battle… he could have had everything.

“Especially after hearing that he died trying to protect mother, he became even more so.”

Mother wasn’t a hero, but I heard that all nine heroes respected her to the extent that her influence was significant.

Though I never really understood why.

Grandfather always kept silent, and because of him, the Esdina sisters never dared to ask others properly.

Only after grandfather ended up in that state… could they ask the Empress.

“…Enough about me. Anyway, the power structure was completely reorganized.”

The establishment of absolute imperial authority.

Even though it was already overwhelming before, there had always been criticism that the Emperor, who advocated benevolence and harmony, lacked decisive action.

At least during the period of settling chaos, such a conciliatory attitude had clearly united the vast empire.

Of course, if he had shown mercy without strength, he would have been looked down upon and ridiculed.

…The Hero Emperor could be more cruel than anyone when necessary.

And this was amply demonstrated through the war and several major battles against the Demon King’s army and cooperating nations.

He completely burned down a small country that had attached itself to the Demon King, reduced their land to ashes, demolished all standing buildings, and even uprooted or crushed all common weeds.

At that time, he was clearly more of a tyrannical overlord than a hero.

But thanks to that resolute decision,

Many countries began to refuse or show reluctance in responding to the demands and cooperation of the Demon King’s army.

With a single decision, the human alliance was somehow able to bypass numerous or dozens of wars and wasteful battles.

“The first thing he did after drawing his sword was to demote his own son, the Prince, while simultaneously stripping him of his right to succession to the throne, making him pay the price… Now he could punish his accomplices in the same way.”

The shield was gone.

Now they had to face it bare.

But the problem was that the charges brought up by the imperial family were quite heinous.

They reversed the justification that the nobles had intended to bring up against the imperial family.

And made it even more heinous.

Collaboration with demons.

Heresy and rebellion.

Hosting cult meetings to conspire for the revival of the Demon King.

The charges against them poured in like a flood breaking through a collapsed embankment.

“If that had been the end, it would have been fortunate.”

When inquisitors dispatched from the Papal Office were added to the mix, people began to be implicated one after another without rhyme or reason.

With the Emperor and the Church deliberately combing through everything, who could have remained unscathed?

The Emperor had long ago written a death list and was just waiting for the opportunity to draw his sword.

Otherwise, how could he have handled matters so swiftly and openly?

Those who were charged and confirmed as suspects received very resolute punishments.

Large-scale public executions.

Due to guilt by association, entire families were ruined, and branch families successively inherited the main families.

Those who became the new heads of these families all pledged loyalty to the imperial family, and to prove it, they began to internally manage those who had once belonged to the main family.

All of this happened in less than 30 days.

Moreover, they turned anxiety and fear towards the imperial family into hatred.

By pinpointing each and every crime and meticulously conveying it to the people, they established the reason and justification for the purge, and the realization and implementation of justice that came from carrying it out.

Here, the innocent truth had no meaning.

Some truths were exaggerated, and even small crimes were openly transformed into capital offenses.

Above all, all of this was the painful decision of the Hero Emperor.

The Emperor, who had consistently taken on hardships for the sake of the people, had treated even the nobles well, considering them as both people and vassals.

Yet they had committed such atrocities without hesitation, and brazenly boasted of being nobles with blue blood!

Eventually, the Hero Emperor, who had finally drawn his sword after much patience, seemed to have saved up and preserved his righteous and fair perception for these moments.

He unleashed all the anger and harshness he had accumulated.

And so,

The people actively supported the Emperor’s noble decision.

“At that time, cheers swept across the entire empire. Saying that finally, the greedy and corrupt blue-blooded ones were paying for their crimes.”

This too was probably because the people had long been exposed to the Emperor’s will and intention to push forward policies and agendas for the people.

He had subtly spread to the people and intellectuals that the nobles had tried to push forward policies and agendas that would antagonize the people for the establishment of their own interests and rights.

For a long time.

For a very long time.

In fact, there were not a few people who openly cursed the Emperor for his complacency in consistently yielding to the nobles.

So, what meaning would such a resolute response have given to the people who had been frustrated?

“You should have seen it firsthand.”

As the great chaos subsided,

The surviving nobles began to realize:

That the Emperor had done nothing without meaning.

That the Emperor had never feared them or felt threatened by them.

That he had sown seeds appropriate for both the people and the nobles, and had patiently waited for each crop to grow.

Thinking about it that way, so many things fell into place.

By the time they realized, they were already deep in the swamp, with mud pushing up to their throats.

It was too late.

But were there really none who wanted to struggle even if it was late? That wasn’t the case.

But,

…Who was beside the Emperor?

Even without him, what about the Emperor? The Empress?

Knowing all this, those who attempted to struggle as if they had no choice,

…Ended up in an even more miserable situation.

For them, their entire family was erased.

No exceptions for main or branch families.

“The reason why the current empire moves with one heart and one mind, with everything decided and handled swiftly, is all because of this.”

Thanks to this, the empire was rapidly developing.

Even the lowest of central nobles had no small amount of wealth stored in their pockets and warehouses.

Collecting, distributing, newly appointing talents, and pushing forward policies that had been postponed,

The workload increased significantly, but the empire began to buzz with vitality.

The empire had entered its golden age.

When politics functioned properly, it showed how it could make a nation robust, agile, and efficient.

It was often said that the development was so visible that it changed day by day.

“No wonder people’s expressions are full of vitality.”

From Dyke’s perspective, the empire was still the empire, and the imperial capital, the heart of the empire, was no exception.

However, what he felt while moving around and looking inside was that there was more vitality flowing than before.

Above all, the cleanliness of the capital, the clothing of the citizens, and their demeanor had changed noticeably compared to a few years ago.

Buildings and facilities that weren’t visible before had also increased significantly.

…However.

“As mentioned earlier, only the matter concerning Kariel didn’t go as expected.”

At this, Seras let out a small sigh.

“Because of that, El is currently arguing with His Majesty about temporarily leaving the capital.”

“What?”

“And now you should know who you need to persuade, without me having to explain further.”