Ch.130The Declining Imperial Family (1)

“The messenger is dead.”

The gloomy voice of Count Queensberry echoed through the great hall.

“The messenger I sent as a minimum line of defense has returned as a cold corpse.”

No one remained here who would argue with his words, and Lucius sat with his chin resting on his hand, appearing deep in thought.

“Your Majesty. Give the command. How long do you plan to indulge the Windsor Duchy?”

Fire seemed to spew from Count Queensberry.

“Calm yourself, Count Queensberry.”

“They killed my daughter and refuse to even perform the most basic courtesy…! How can I possibly endure this?!”

Lucius gripped the throne tightly.

‘Taking a stand against Windsor now would be foolish. The current Windsor is stronger than ever before. Moreover, Irene Windsor is ready to strike at the Empire’s throat at any moment.’

Lucius’s strong intuition was telling him that provoking Windsor at this timing would be excessively dangerous.

But—

“Your Majesty.”

“……”

The eyes of the nobles seated around the table were also speaking volumes.

Was the Windsor Duchy above the Empire? Naturally, no noble could stand above the Empire.

The moment he acknowledged this… he would lose the minimum qualification to be Emperor.

Therefore, Lucius had to make a decision.

“Prepare the soldiers.”

‘Ruide. That clever child will understand my intentions. I have no choice but to rely on that.’

“I authorize you to lead the Garter Knights, the new core of the Imperial Knights.”

Sending the knights created by Amelia to the North.

This also carried Lucius’s personal message that he didn’t want to antagonize Windsor.

He would do everything else he could, but the variable was still Irene Windsor.

‘…This is the worst.’

What would have happened if he had removed Irene Windsor back then?

No, if he hadn’t even attempted it—

But it was far too late for such thoughts.

**

Ruide was walking while holding Irene’s hand tightly. This wasn’t by Ruide’s will, but Irene’s insistence.

She hadn’t allowed them to be separated for even a moment since then. Ruide looked up at Irene with half-open eyes.

“How long are we going to hold hands?”

Irene answered with a quiet smile.

“I have something I want to show you.”

The place Irene headed to was the knights’ quarters. Compared to the 4th defense line, there were remarkably small buildings scattered sparsely.

Well-disciplined knights walked around, saluting. Among these places, they entered an area with pitched tents rather than buildings. Ruide noticed piles of snow that hadn’t fully melted yet.

“Where is this?”

“It’s the conference room. Is this your first time here?”

“Yes.”

Ruide rarely visited the 1st defense line. He mostly stayed at the 4th defense line, in the Windsor mansion.

Entering the tent, they found knights discussing something with serious expressions.

At a rectangular table, Charlotte and Amelia sat facing each other in the first seats. Amelia, in particular, sat with her back straight and rigid.

“Thank you for your hard work! The meeting preparations are complete.”

“Good. Sit down.”

“Yes!”

As Vincent ran off, Irene moved to the front while still holding Ruide’s hand.

After lifting Ruide onto her chair, she walked toward the map attached to the wall.

Ruide tilted his head in confusion. Why had they suddenly come here?

“Now, I will explain the situation.”

Irene began with a strange smile. She pointed at the map with one hand. There were numerous round black magnets marking magical beasts.

“A week ago, I set out on an extermination mission to prevent the approaching great omen.”

“Starting from the 4th defense line, I pushed toward the center. I’ve pushed them back to about here.”

Irene pushed the black pieces with her finger. Naturally, the pieces split to both sides.

‘…That many?’

The problem was that Irene’s fingertip didn’t stop. She had penetrated incredibly far.

As if reading Ruide’s thoughts, Irene raised the corner of her mouth.

“This is the result of consuming about 80% of my power. The situation was bad enough to require that much. I spoke with Mein and resolved things peacefully.”

Ruide was 100% certain that the conversation had been anything but peaceful.

“So as you can see—like this, the magical beasts have been dispersed to both sides.”

As Irene said, the black pieces on the magic board were gathered on both sides. It looked like quite a large number.

“The agreement was only with magical beasts that have some intelligence—those without intelligence will probably come soon. To thoroughly crush them. That’s the purpose of today’s meeting.”

Irene returned to her seat as if she had finished speaking. She sat Ruide on her lap.

“The confirmed number is 7,000 beasts. Magical beasts that have lost their homes are eyeing this place.”

Vincent spoke seriously.

“Did the head of the family go to the 9th defense line?”

“That’s right.”

After Irene answered, Charlotte responded.

“I heard there are more magical beasts at the 1st defense line… Will our captain be alright, especially when she’s not feeling well?”

“Would you like to spar if you’re curious?”

Irene responded smoothly. Charlotte flinched, making a strange sound.

“I’m sorry!”

Charlotte immediately shrank back.

‘Well, Irene takes sparring very seriously.’

Irene’s sword knows no middle ground. As a result, her sparring partners end up completely battered. Breaking something is commonplace. No matter how tough the knights of the North are, no one would welcome breaking something every time they spar.

“Well then.”

Ruide spoke up.

“I’ll handle it.”

Amelia’s eyes widened from across the table.

“Rui… you’ll take care of it?”

“Yes. Is that not okay? With 7,000 beasts, with one spell…”

Ruide blinked.

Because Amelia was looking at the floor with an expression that suggested she might cry.

“…I can’t handle it with one spell. I guess I’m not up to it after all. Unless it’s a spell that would blow away the entire 1st defense line, it’s impossible. Amelia, you take this.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

Amelia’s expression brightened.

Indeed, Amelia is simple-minded.

‘…I wonder if they’ll be alright though. 7,000 is not a small number.’

Considering that a typical wave brings about 3,000, this is quite a large number.

Moreover, they couldn’t utilize Irene who had consumed her power.

The 1st defense line has minimal troops remaining after a wave has passed.

While Windsor family members can freely come and go through gates, it takes over two weeks to travel here from the nearest 2nd defense line.

“I wouldn’t have allowed Ruide to participate in the battle anyway.”

“Huh?”

The northern family never imposed any obligations on him, but they were always happy when he participated.

Ruide looked at Irene with puzzled eyes. Irene stroked Ruide’s head and said:

“Ruide, you and I have something else to do.”

“Something to do?”

“Yes.”

Irene’s eyes filled with killing intent.

“We need to give a wonderful gift to the Empire that has crossed the line without knowing its place.”

“…Huh?”

Ruide was bewildered.

Because he had no intention of destroying the Empire.

While he agreed to Damon becoming Emperor, he had no particular desire to help. He disliked fighting, so he didn’t want to get involved in that aspect.

He only intended to save the First Emperor through research with Ella and fulfill Dellin’s revenge.

“That’s…”

“I’m not saying we should go destroy the Empire right now.”

Irene said in a chilling voice.

“Since they’ve stepped on our land, we’ll simply hold a welcoming ceremony.”

**

‘You should have said that from the beginning. Making people misunderstand.’

Ruide walked while grumbling and placing his hand on the back of his neck. Irene had temporarily left, saying she had something to prepare.

She had said that an imperial messenger was coming. An official delegation. However, what worried him was that the scale of the forces was quite large.

Perhaps because they perceive the North as a dangerous place?

‘Surely they wouldn’t be foolish enough to cause trouble in the North? They wouldn’t, right?’

Ruide walked with a light heart. He had separately assigned Miho to Amelia, so he thought she would probably be safe.

“Ruide!”

Just then, someone shouted and ran toward him. It was Hersy.

“Ah, Hersy. I was actually planning to meet you.”

Because he felt he’d been too negligent recently. However, Hersy shook her head.

“No. I’ve been doing intense training, so it would have been difficult if you came. I wouldn’t have had time to make myself presentable.”

“You don’t need to make yourself presentable just to meet me…”

“…So you’re not interested in seeing me looking my best.”

Hersy’s pupils trembled, and tears welled up.

‘From Irene to now, what’s wrong with women these days!’

Ruide felt extremely awkward. He waved his hands and said:

“That’s not what I meant.”

Fortunately, tears didn’t fall from Hersy’s eyes.

Instead, she spoke with a serious face.

“I saw the knights moving. Is there an attack coming?”

‘As expected, she’s quick to notice.’

Ruide’s gaze turned toward where other students were gathered.

Seeing how peaceful they looked, they hadn’t noticed at all. He nodded and said:

“That’s right.”

“Please, Ruide.”

Hersy spoke with a somewhat tense tone.

“Let us participate in the battle too.”

“…This isn’t a simple attack this time. It’s a bit dangerous.”

“If we come all this way and do nothing because it’s dangerous, nothing could be more dangerous than that.”

Hersy bowed. Ruide’s eyes widened. It’s not easy for a noble to bow.

“Please. I want to improve further.”

“Hmm.”

Ruide was concerned.

But seeing Hersy’s desperate eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

‘…Mages will just use big spells from the rear anyway, so it should be fine.’

Ruide reluctantly nodded.

“Alright. I’ll tell Irene. Get ready and go to the base of the wall.”

“Thank you!”

She was so pleased that she jumped once, then hugged him briefly before running off somewhere.

Ruide sat on a nearby wall while yawning. Hersy was gathering students and talking enthusiastically.

However, the conversation didn’t seem to be going well. There was an atmosphere of fear. Just then, Damon approached with his hands in his pockets and said something.

The students, who had grown even paler, quickly began to prepare. Ruide was impressed.

“His leadership is remarkable. Is it because he’s of imperial blood?”

Anyway, before long, the academy students formed lines. They walked with Hersy and Damon at the lead.

“Don’t interfere, my friend. Those cattle are mine.”

“…I wasn’t planning to touch them anyway.”

“Thank you for your permission!”

Damon and Hersy each said something as they passed by.

Ruide stretched and rubbed his eyes.

At that moment, Justin’s smiling face entered his view.

‘Come to think of it, he’s been very quiet lately. Given Justin’s meddlesome personality, in this situation he wouldn’t just…’

Ruide felt an ominous premonition.

Sophia had died. Though he had managed to revive her, she remained unconscious. It wasn’t a good situation.

Sophia was Justin’s heroine. Despite their falling out, for him to be smiling like that…

This wasn’t the Justin he knew.

Ruide reached out toward Justin. Then he clenched his fist.

“Ugh…!”

“Ru, Ruide.”

Justin’s body floated. He twisted his entire body, clutching his throat in apparent agony. Ruide pulled Justin toward him with an expressionless face. When he opened his hand again, Justin tumbled down.

Ruide got down from the wall, grabbed Justin by the collar, and pulled him close.

“Who are you?”