Ch.132The Declining Imperial Family (3)

# The 9th Defense Line

Victoria, who hadn’t even wiped the blood from her sword, asked Rosalie.

“Is Ruide alright?”

“Yes. Lately, he seems to be spending his days taking naps again.”

Rosalie respectfully offered Victoria a handkerchief.

Victoria accepted it with an indifferent expression, wiped her sword, and returned it.

After sheathing her sword, she asked Rosalie, “What’s the Empire’s response?”

“They came to the 4th Defense Line, but Irene handled it.”

“We can’t avoid an all-out war, then.”

“What do you plan to do?”

Victoria glanced at Rosalie.

“If they cross the line, they must be punished.”

“War?”

“It won’t go to extremes. However, the Windsor Duchy has been quiet for a long time, so it’s time to show them what we’re capable of.”

Rosalie’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Is there a problem?”

Victoria’s eyebrow twitched.

“No.”

Rosalie bowed at the waist.

“Everything according to the head of the family’s wishes.”

“I will keep my promise.”

Vampires, the highest-ranking Mains.

Rosalie and Ruby were purebloods among vampires, known as “true ancestors.”

The reason these formidable beings served under a mere human was simple.

A contract.

The two vampires wanted the extermination of Mains—

And Victoria wanted eternal loyalty to the Windsor Duchy in return.

They reached an agreement, leading to the present situation.

But—

“Yes.”

‘The current head is too cautious. With Windsor’s current strength, we could push back about half of the monsters in the North.’

That agreement was slowly beginning to crack.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

“Yes. Take special care not to wake Ruide.”

“Understood.”

Rosalie bowed respectfully before descending from the wall of the 9th Defense Line.

Knights who had finished their battle were chatting casually, but when they saw Rosalie, they all saluted at once. Rosalie quietly nodded her head and headed toward a less populated area.

“Rosalie.”

Ruby, dressed in a maid’s uniform, appeared from the shadows.

“Why did you lie?”

Ruby’s expression was stern.

“Ruide killed 5,000 people.”

Rosalie leaned against the wall with her arms crossed.

“Irene ordered it. It wasn’t Ruide’s will.”

“It’s a breach of contract, Rosalie.”

Rosalie remained silent.

“I’m against it. Victoria Windsor is strong. There’s probably no human stronger than her.”

Rosalie didn’t answer.

Ruby continued walking as if she hadn’t expected an answer anyway.

“I’m not suggesting we betray Victoria Windsor.”

Ruby stopped walking.

“That’s what it sounds like to me.”

“It’s not. I’m just helping Irene Windsor for a while. When this is over, we’ll return.”

“By ‘this,’ do you mean Ruide’s corruption?”

Ruby shook her head.

“Rosalie. You’re mistaken.”

“…”

“Victoria Windsor’s feelings for Ruide go beyond mere blood ties. If this is discovered, it’s unforgivable. You need to tell Victoria the truth.”

Ruby tried to walk away again.

But then—

“I’m sorry, sister.”

Rosalie’s eyes turned red.

Small black wings emerged, tearing through her maid uniform.

“I can’t let you go.”

Ruby bit her lip.

The true ancestors Rosalie and Ruby.

They were twins, but Rosalie was born with strength, while Ruby excelled in other areas.

From the beginning, Rosalie was the strongest vampire among their clan.

Ruby wasn’t one to make reckless challenges.

Instead, she looked up at the sky.

Vampires cannot see the sun because they were abandoned by God.

But they can estimate its position. The sunlight isn’t visible, just obscured in a dark form.

Ruby reached her hand toward the sun. She had always been full of longing to see it someday.

This was similar. Recently, Ruby often thought she might be trying to obtain something unattainable.

“Trusting Irene—”

Ruby said in a small voice.

“Is not a good choice.”

**

“I want to go see the defense line. I’m curious how Ame is doing.”

Ruide kept pestering Irene.

But Irene was firm. She spoke with her usual smiling face.

“No.”

“…Why?”

“Let’s give Amelia time to grow.”

“I just want to take a look.”

“Your mere presence would be a great support for Amelia.”

“…”

That was her logic, in essence.

Ruide sighed and sipped orange juice through a straw.

“I wonder if the Empire is in chaos by now.”

“Do you regret it?”

“No.”

Ruide said coldly.

“They tried to disrupt our home, so I don’t regret it.”

“How admirable, Rui.”

Irene’s face flushed. She opened her arms and tilted her head.

Ruide grimaced and backed away.

Irene’s image had changed recently.

Originally, she was a bit crazy but still a kind sister.

Now she was just scary.

‘…But this must be affection too, right?’

Ruide reluctantly hugged Irene with an uncomfortable expression. A pleasant scent tickled his nose.

“Rui, do you know about the Crown of the First Emperor?”

Irene naturally stroked Ruide’s head as she brought up the topic.

“…The Crown of the First Emperor?”

“It’s a sacred relic. The most valuable item the Empire possesses.”

‘Of course I know.’

The Crown of the First Emperor.

One of the three great sacred relics in this world.

If it falls into the hands of the Black Mages, they could resurrect Dellin, the greatest archmage in human history.

“I know about it. Not much though.”

“According to legend, if the current Emperor wears that crown, the First Emperor can be resurrected.”

“…Huh?”

Ruide’s eyes widened at this unfamiliar story.

“He can be resurrected?”

“Yes. Are you interested?”

The corners of Irene’s mouth curved upward slightly.

“A little. Well, my goal is to revive the First Emperor.”

He wanted to ask him.

If you possessed someone, why not just come and go quietly? Why try to introduce that clumsy democracy?

“They say the crown has magic cast by a dragon. Normally, just keeping it provides blessings to this land, but its original purpose…”

“Its original purpose?”

Ruide’s eyes sparkled.

He hadn’t considered it before, but perhaps using that could help achieve his goal faster.

But Irene didn’t continue.

With a somewhat cruel smile, she put Ruide down from her embrace.

Then she stood up and partially drew her sword.

“Sister?”

As Ruide asked in confusion, Irene gently closed her eyes.

“It’s best not to go near that child. Though they seem defenseless, your sword energy couldn’t cut a single strand of their hair.”

Just as Irene finished speaking—

Clang!

Ruide could hear the sound of metal grinding behind him.

When he turned around, there was a foolish person trying to push a sword into an invisible barrier.

It was a man wearing a black mask that clearly screamed “I’m an assassin.”

Screech!

The blue sword thrashed about. However, not even a scratch appeared on the barrier.

‘I wondered why I couldn’t sense their presence, but there was no need to.’

Ruide blinked.

This felt like watching an ant climbing up a shoe.

Too insignificant.

“What are you doing?”

“Damn it.”

The assassin jumped back. Ruide complained:

“Sister, why didn’t you help?”

“What do you mean?”

Even with the barrier, it felt unpleasant.

Such a scary blade was aimed at him. It was just a bit of sulking.

But Irene only gave a strange smile. Ruide looked up at her with a dissatisfied expression.

Irene shook her head.

“You misunderstand, Rui.”

Then she nodded toward where the assassin had retreated.

“I already killed him.”

“…!”

Ruide’s eyes widened.

Where Irene had gestured—

The assassin lay dead, his upper and lower body separated.

**

“Damn it all!”

Crash!

Lucius struck a glass on the table with his arm, his face contorted with rage.

Red wine dripped from his sleeve.

Mikael, who was reporting, swallowed dryly.

“Is it true? Is Count Queensberry really dead?”

“…Yes. A letter arrived.”

“A letter? Explain in detail.”

Lucius wasn’t one to lose his temper easily. But this time was different. His entire body trembled uncontrollably.

“Well—”

Mikael couldn’t help but hesitate.

But he couldn’t refuse the Emperor’s order either.

“In a bundle, his face…”

“Are you certain it was Count Queensberry?”

“…Yes. I confirmed it personally. The cause of death appears to be a sword cut to the neck.”

Lucius bit his lip until it bled.

“Irene Win—!”

Bang!

He slammed his fist hard on the table. The table, at least 300 years old, shattered and scattered.

Yet Lucius’s anger showed no signs of cooling.

“I tried to resolve this amicably, yet how could she commit such a cruel act! How many troops remain?”

“…None exist.”

“What, what?”

“Total annihilation.”

Lucius felt strength draining from his entire body. He wiped his forehead.

“You’re saying 5,000 troops were annihilated? Not just soldiers, but 5,000 knights?”

“Yes. …However, I believe the Garter Knights are still safe.”

“Unbelievable.”

Lucius’s pupils trembled.

5,000 troops was no small number.

Moreover, Count Queensberry was a Margrave.

He belonged to a family that protected the Empire from barbarians at the frontline.

Thoughts tangled in his mind—from how to fill that vacancy to whether he should really risk all-out war with the Windsor Duchy.

“Damn it, damn it.”

Lucius clutched his head. It throbbed with pain.

‘Was it such a wrong choice? To lose 5,000 troops overnight?’

This was nothing short of a nightmare for Lucius.

If it had been any other noble, the impact would have been less severe.

But Count Queensberry was a Margrave.

Filling that void would not be easy.

The current Empire was the result of lords doing their best in their respective positions.

‘Am I… incapable of becoming a true Emperor?’

If it had been the First Emperor instead of him, would the outcome have been different?

No, Lucius was certain it would have.

All of this stemmed from his own inadequacy.

“I am… a foolish Emperor.”

Lucius looked at Mikael with dark eyes.

“I must use it.”