Ch.154The Declining Imperial Family (25)

Whoosh-

The rain soaked the dry ground.

Rain after such a long time was nothing short of a blessing.

The nobles were happy because they could collect abundant taxes this year, and the commoners were happy because they wouldn’t have to worry about starvation.

However, there was someone here who didn’t welcome the rain.

“First time rain has felt like shit.”

Damon let out a bitter laugh.

He was supporting Amelia.

Amelia, already heavy due to her armor, was even heavier now that she was soaked with rain.

Beyond the weight, he was concerned about her wounds getting worse.

“Let’s rest here.”

He managed to find a hiding place concealed between rocks. Damon barely managed to support Amelia and laid her down there. Amelia breathed weakly.

“Ru, Rui… Ruide.”

The sight of a sister calling for her brother while on the brink of death was quite pitiful.

Even Damon, who was far removed from ordinary people, felt sorrowful.

“Don’t worry about that guy. He’s someone who can bring even a revealed dragon to the brink of death in just minutes.”

“That’s… good.”

Did Amelia truly worry about Ruide?

What they had seen earlier was too extreme to be called human.

‘Who’s worrying about whom?’

Damon closed his eyes briefly. Soon after, Hersy descended from the sky.

She who always appeared clean was now covered in mud. She had hastily wiped only her face and rushed over.

“I’ve erased all traces. I can guarantee it. More importantly, is Lady Amelia alright?”

Hersy’s eyes were filled with concern.

“She’s alive. An ordinary person would have died long ago, but Windsors are different. However…”

Damon’s eyes lowered.

He wanted to say something.

But he only moved his lips without speaking.

Hersy was puzzled to see him hesitating, when he was always so confident.

“I’m sorry.”

In the end, that’s what Damon said.

Hersy’s eyes widened at hearing an apology for the first time.

She smiled faintly.

“It was something we all agreed to.”

“…That reinforcement wasn’t part of the plan. I never imagined Margrave Sheffield would be a dragon.”

Amelia being controlled—it was all Damon’s plan.

He didn’t have the power of the First Emperor.

If he had such a convenient thing, he would have used it long ago.

Amelia just played along.

In other words, it was all a trivial act.

If this had succeeded—it would have ended relatively peacefully.

If they believed he had the power of the First Emperor, Windsor would no longer be able to easily covet the empire.

It would have led to the outcome of him becoming emperor without much trouble.

“What will you do now?”

Damon paused.

Not because he had nothing to say.

For the first time, he was wondering if he should say this.

First, Damon said what needed to be done.

“Hersy. Return to your family first and request aid.”

“…That won’t be difficult. I am the heir, after all. But.”

She seemed reluctant to leave these two behind. What Hersy needed now was reassurance.

“What do you take me for? I am the strongest.”

“…Even at a time like this, you say such things.”

“I mean that you being here won’t help. But Hersy Minerva, who has the Minerva family behind her, is different.”

The Minerva family, one of the three great families, possesses immense power.

In this emergency, the only ones they could trust right now were the Minervas.

“…I understand.”

“Go now.”

Hersy turned away with anxious eyes.

She flew quickly through the air using wind magic.

Watching her disappear, Damon recalled Hersy’s question that he couldn’t answer.

-What will you do now?

Although the plan had gone awry due to the unexpected appearance of a dragon—

It wasn’t over yet. It was in Damon’s nature to look for possibilities even in moments like this.

And in reality, though the situation was terrible, it was still too early to end with a terrible conclusion.

‘Ruide was more enraged than expected. But the direction is right.’

“Cough!”

At that moment, Amelia coughed and spat blood.

“Lady Amelia!”

Hersy rushed over and used what little mana she had left.

Yes. The plan hadn’t failed. No, there couldn’t be a more correct direction than this.

But what he couldn’t be happy about was—

‘I shouldn’t have let her get hurt.’

Damon clenched his fist.

‘That’s why I must move forward. I can’t stop here.’

Damon steeled his resolve.

He approached Amelia and crouched down.

Half-delirious, Amelia barely managed to meet Damon’s eyes.

“Can you trust me? It’s too early to give up.”

Amelia spoke in a weak voice.

“I want to… ask just one thing.”

In this moment, she wanted to ask clearly.

“Can Ruide and I go back to how we used to be?”

“……”

“Him sleeping on my lap, me stroking his hair, and eventually falling asleep together. Can we return to those days?”

Damon spoke in the most solemn voice he had shown so far.

“I promise you, absolutely.”

**

The Imperial Palace.

Smoke rose from everywhere, and it was already difficult to recognize its former appearance.

The culprit who had reduced the splendid, beautiful palace to this state wasn’t Windsor or the forces of another kingdom.

It was the Black Mages.

The hidden forces that had been lying low in the empire finally revealed their blades.

The imperial forces, which had been mobilized for the war with Windsor, were helplessly defeated.

They suddenly appeared and reduced the palace to ashes.

But the empire was still the empire—

No matter how wounded, they didn’t lose everything to the Black Mages.

There was someone who stopped them all at once—

The Academy Principal, Clifford.

But this was his limit.

“Tsk, tsk, I thought something was strange.”

A clear trail of blood flowed from Clifford’s mouth.

Without even thinking of wiping it away, he glared at someone.

Irene, wearing a black coat, was walking toward him.

“That lazy fellow, though lazy, wasn’t evil by nature.”

Clifford’s kind-looking expression changed instantly.

“But suddenly he started a war and killed countless people. That weak fellow couldn’t have done that. Now I understand. All of this was your doing, wasn’t it?”

The corners of Irene’s mouth rose endlessly.

Right now, she looked happier than ever.

“I regret that you’ve only realized now.”

“Disgusting woman!”

Clifford pointed his staff with a grim expression.

“Even if I burn here right now, I must kill a devil like you for the sake of humanity.”

“If that’s possible. Please do.”

Irene bowed her head respectfully. At the same time, a barrage of fireballs rushed from Clifford’s staff.

What started as one fireball soon split into dozens.

This demonstrated how immense Clifford’s magical talent was.

However, Irene merely placed her hand on her sword hilt without even raising her head.

Slash-!

There was a sound of something being cut.

The dozens of fireballs were erased without a trace.

It was Irene drawing her sword. However, Clifford couldn’t even see her unsheathing it.

Unfazed, Clifford cast another spell in succession.

“Wiz, Grid, Piercing Spear.”

A dense forest caught Irene’s ankles. Simultaneously, a swamp spread widely across the floor. Irene drew her sword, held it in reverse, and struck the ground.

Clang-!

With that simple action, all the magic was broken. Though one might be flustered, Clifford calmly continued chanting.

“Rune Eyes, Thousand Barriers-“

As a consequence of casting spells in succession, Clifford’s staff glowed red hot. It was a sign of overload. If this continued, Clifford would self-destruct.

Irene knew this too.

“Are you alright? For a hero who declared he would punish evil, you’re too weak.”

She approached Clifford. Very slowly, with dignity.

‘This is beyond imagination.’

He knew Windsor was strong. Just look at Ruide. But this was too strong, even for someone strong.

Meanwhile, Irene’s expression looked bored.

Clifford thought as he felt the mana in his empty heart.

‘Is this truly the end?’

Could he have won if he had been in better condition?

No, Clifford knew the answer.

It was impossible.

He hadn’t even seen a small fragment of Irene’s power.

Nothing would change.

Rather, because of that—he was calm.

‘I won’t go alone.’

Clifford closed his eyes and cast his final spell.

A forbidden magic that might not even exist anymore—

A self-destruction spell.

A type of black magic. The moment Clifford’s heart stopped, the magic circuits he had honed for decades would reverse and explode.

No one would be able to escape death.

But—

He felt nothing.

Clifford opened his eyes.

Irene’s sword was in front of Clifford’s neck.

“Why didn’t you kill me? You’re not the type to hesitate when killing someone.”

“Well.”

Irene was concerned.

“If I kill you, wouldn’t Ruide be sad?”

That wasn’t a lie.

Irene was genuinely concerned.

Goosebumps rose on Clifford’s aged skin.

“…You’re twisted.”

Irene thought for a moment, then raised the corners of her mouth.

“Ah, of course.”

“……”

“Since Ruide is a pure child, I can just say the Black Mages killed you. Then-“

Irene’s figure disappeared.

Clifford turned around.

She who had been in front of him just a moment ago was now drawing her sword, and red blood was dripping from it.

Clifford touched his neck with a blank face.

“Goodbye.”

Slash!

The sound came belatedly, and Clifford’s world turned upside down.

At that moment—time flowed slowly.

As soon as Clifford’s death was confirmed, his magic circuits went berserk and exploded instantly.

In the slow-moving time, Irene’s pupils moved. But it was already too late.

By the time she realized, a large hole had already formed in her chest.

Until his dying moment, Clifford had concentrated the explosion magic on a single point in case of any unforeseen situation.

Shortly after—

A lovely, innocent girl appeared.

The girl tilted her head, seeing a large crater about half the size of the palace.

Then, seeing Irene standing in the distance, she ran over in one breath, happy to see her.

Irene sensed her presence and turned around.

But wait, wasn’t there a bloodstain on Irene’s white blouse?

“A-are you hurt?” Lilith asked in panic, and Irene smiled.

“It’s not my blood.”

**

The empire is falling.

The empire that had shone for a thousand years was reaching the end of its life.

Emperor Lucius could not bear this burden.

He had used all his options. It was his limit.

Even if he fought this war again, the outcome would be the same.

“I’m sorry, ancestors.”

Lucius shed tears pathetically.

Embracing the Crown of the First Emperor, his hands trembled.

The moment of his final choice had come.

The empire’s ultimate weapon that takes even the life of the emperor who uses it.

The time had come to use it.

“Please forgive my sins.”

A human facing death cannot help but be afraid.

Even if that human is an emperor.

But for Lucius, the fear of the thousand-year-old empire crumbling like a sandcastle was greater than the primal fear humans possess.

“You are needed. The promised time has come. Great ruler, eliminate all threats to the empire. Help the empire exist for ten thousand years. The role of the humble Emperor Lucius ends here.”

Many thoughts came to mind.

There were clearly many choices.

What if he had chosen the imperial knights to dispatch to the academy better at the beginning?

What if he had handled the aftermath more cleanly?

What if he had made his brother Damon emperor instead of himself?

Things that have passed always feel regrettable. All of those remained as lingering attachments.

But it was too late now.

Lucius had only one choice left.

He placed the ‘Crown of the First Emperor’ on his head.

“Ugh…!”

Lucius’s body convulsed once, violently.

Soon after, he went limp like a dead person.

After a while—

“……”

Lucius opened his eyes.

His white hair had turned black, and his red eyes had also turned black.

That alone made him distinctly different from the original Lucius, but his gleaming eyes and twisted mouth corners filled with madness made him seem like a completely different person.

No, he was a completely different person. He was no longer Lucius.

The man who created an empire with a thousand years of history.

The man who, for a brief moment, had the entire world.

He had returned.