Ch.84The Empire’s Circumstances (4)

Irene was gazing out the window of the rapidly moving carriage, resting her chin on her hand.

It was impossible to know what she was thinking. She just looked somewhat bored. Ruide, who seemed to understand the cause of her boredom, spoke.

“…Are you angry?”

Amelia, who had been sitting in the same rigid posture as Ruide, flinched and glanced nervously at Irene.

“Hmm?”

But Irene smiled brightly as if she had never worn such an expression.

‘That’s even scarier.’

“Because you stopped me.”

After Amelia won the duel, Irene had truly tried to kill everyone.

She looked exactly like the grim reaper coming to harvest promised lives.

Ruide thought killing them all seemed a bit excessive, so he stopped her. Irene wasn’t pleased, but when he intervened, she reluctantly sheathed her sword.

Since then, she’d been wearing that expression.

“A little?”

Irene said playfully.

She rested her chin on her hand again and looked out the window, speaking with an expressionless face.

“I think my siblings can be quite frustrating at times. I can understand Rui since he’s young.”

Irene turned to look at Amelia with a strange smile.

“But I wonder why my dear Amelia did that.”

“I-I’m sorry, sister.”

“Honestly, I thought two or three of them would already be dead. But not killing even one? Our cute Ria is just too kind.”

In front of Irene, Amelia was nothing but a small, cowering figure. Even now, she was holding her knees and hanging her head low.

Seeing this, Irene spoke.

“The Windsor family’s status has been declining generation after generation.”

“…!”

“When Father took the test, they say no one dared to meet his eyes. But these days, more nobles are looking me straight in the eye. It’s much worse than seven years ago. I suppose we’ve been forgotten. For ordinary commoners and nobles, the Windsor family is too distant.”

Irene poked Ruide’s cheek.

“It’s time to show them, Rui.”

Ruide stared blankly at Irene.

“To clearly show what the Windsor family is to those who have forgotten us. I’d like that to begin with your magic, Ruide.”

She looked quite serious.

But then Irene smiled brightly as if she had never been serious.

“Just kidding. As if I would ever think about world domination or overthrowing the empire.”

“If you did that, where would I sleep?”

“In my arms?”

Ruide’s face turned pale.

Just then, the carriage stopped.

But Irene didn’t move.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Stay a little longer.”

Ruide felt disappointed inside. She had come after so long, and he wanted her to stay a bit more.

Irene stroked Ruide’s head and shook her head.

“I can’t be away for too long. I came in a hurry, leaving just a letter behind. If my griffin goes without food any longer, it might die. Then I’d have to walk back.”

‘That’s a bit harsh.’

She must have ridden her griffin here.

Irene hugged Ruide and helped him out of the carriage.

“Goodbye.”

“Take care on your way back, sister.”

“Bye, sis.”

As Ruide waved his hand and was about to enter the mansion, he felt a strange current and looked back.

‘Something like a strange madness.’

However, Irene was just waving her hand with an angelic face.

‘Must have been my imagination.’

Ruide waved back once more and took in the sight of the mansion.

“Yaaawn.”

“Are you sleepy?”

“Yeah. I’ve been running around a lot lately.”

He stretched drowsily. Not seeing the steps, he was about to fall when Amelia caught him.

But Ruide’s sleepy state had already been activated, and he started nodding off.

Ruide thought without resisting the overwhelming sleepiness.

‘From tomorrow, can I sleep comfortably at the academy again?’

Without realizing it—that was, indeed, not a bad daily life.

**

On the day Ruide froze half of the imperial palace.

A state council was held in the empire.

A glorious occasion to discuss major imperial affairs.

The nobles gradually brought up the topic.

“What should we do about this?”

“Our relationship with Windsor is extremely important for the empire’s future. If they abandon the northern castle and leave, the empire will have no justification to stop them, and many of our precious talents will be sacrificed to stop the numerous magical beasts.”

Before long, the arrows turned toward the Emperor.

“How could you issue such an order to those who work diligently without any compensation?”

All of this was true.

The relationship with Windsor was important.

The reason past emperors maintained close ties with Windsor was not just because they liked the family itself, but fundamentally because of the importance the name “Windsor” carried.

“…Hehe, I’ve heard that there’s been talk among young nobles lately about Windsor being useless. Surely Your Majesty doesn’t believe such things?”

However, the reason these people brought up Windsor wasn’t because they were genuinely concerned about the empire’s future.

Until recently, there had been criticism that Windsor was receiving too much favor.

Their purpose was clear.

“Your Majesty, this problem arose in the first place because you personally own the powerful Teuton Knights.”

To check the Emperor’s power.

“If you had convened the Noble Council every time you gave them orders, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Therefore, we request that Your Majesty allow the operational command of the Teuton Knights to be moved through the Noble Council. This is based on the will of the First Emperor that ‘no human can be perfect.'”

The command authority over the empire’s strongest knights, the Teutons.

Ultimately, a weakening of imperial power.

‘The First Emperor always puts me in difficult situations.’

The First Emperor had said:

No matter how excellent a person is, they cannot be perfect.

Thus, he divided his immense power and distributed it among the nobles, creating the Noble Council to keep the Emperor in check.

In other words, the Emperor was not an all-powerful position. That’s how the First Emperor, who founded this Prime Empire, designed it.

Even in this meeting, the Emperor could only refuse but couldn’t freely promote what he wanted.

The nobles’ consent was necessary. Even refusal would be greatly condemned without a valid justification.

For example, if he kept rejecting proposals made by the Emperor.

Lucius wore a bitter smile.

Imperial power under Lucius’s reign was quite stable. Among the ministers of the Noble Council, just under half were imperial faction.

Moreover, Lucius was of perfect bloodline without flaws, so there wasn’t much justification to check his power.

In fact, before this incident, few nobles expressed opposition to Lucius’s proposals.

However.

‘As soon as I show a weakness, they immediately bare their teeth.’

In this situation, Lucius had few options.

There was no best choice. But there was a lesser evil.

Bringing in a third force.

That was Lucius’s choice.

Creeak-

The door of the great hall opened. The knight guarding the door announced with a trembling voice.

“I-Irene Windsor, Acting Duke, has arrived.”

The condition for the Noble Council was that all members must be nobles of a recognized position.

Windsor met that requirement and had the right to participate in the Noble Council.

However, they had never participated even once in hundreds of years.

Lucius spoke with dignity.

“Let her enter.”

The eyes of all nobles in the meeting hall turned to one place.

Amidst countless gazes, Irene entered with a strange smile.

In her right hand was a bloody bundle, and her left hand was poised to draw her sword at any moment.

The presence she exuded took the nobles’ breath away.

Irene stood before the Emperor. As if familiar, she looked directly at the Emperor.

She knelt on one knee in slow motion.

“Irene Windsor has arrived here by Your Majesty’s command.”

“W-Windsor.”

Gulp-

They swallowed.

For most, this was their first time seeing an actual Windsor.

“Welcome. What is that in your hand?”

Lucius spoke clearly. Irene answered with a smile.

“Since you seemed quite displeased with my previous gift—I was concerned.”

Irene rose and said.

“I’ve brought a new gift.”

“Most interesting.”

Lucius’s eyes lowered.

“Yes. Take it out. What is it?”

Lucius knew what was in that bundle.

Having experienced it once before, he wasn’t particularly surprised.

Irene didn’t answer for a moment, then glanced at the nobles and said.

“However, I’ve changed my mind. I heard the meeting from outside. This gift should be shared with everyone.”

Eavesdropping on the Noble Council meeting was disrespectful. Yet none of them could express displeasure to Irene Windsor.

She was dangerous.

That’s the thought that naturally comes to mind when a normal person sees Irene.

“The operational command of the Teuton Knights, is it.”

Irene turned her back and faced the table.

“That’s troublesome.”

“…!”

The noble who first brought up that proposal shrank back.

“Because.”

Irene extended her hand over the table with a quiet laugh.

She held the bundle upside down and poured out its contents.

Thud-

With a squishing sound, several nobles retched.

It was a human face.

A mangled human face.

Karon Maximus.

“I just killed the Vice-captain of the Teuton Knights on my way here.”

“……”

“How regrettable. What gift should I prepare next as a sign of apology?”

Irene smiled brightly.

She put her hands behind her back and took about two steps backward. Turning gracefully to the Emperor, she bowed.

“As the representative of the Windsor Duchy, I propose.”

“…Speak.”

“The Teuton Knights have committed a grave sin. Pointing a sword at the person they’re supposed to protect is a serious crime. I’ve only dealt with one person involved for now, but the rest who didn’t stop it are also guilty. Originally, they should all be executed, but since the victim didn’t want that, I suggest.”

Irene straightened her back.

With an expressionless face, she said.

“The Windsor Duchy requests the dissolution of the Teuton Knights.”

“……”

The important thing was to secure a ‘strong’ military force that could be operated ‘freely’ without going through the Noble Council.

The dissolution of the knights was actually what Lucius wanted. After all, he could create a new order. This would allow him to escape this agenda and bury this mistake.

Irene probably aimed for that too.

However, Lucius felt something peculiar.

She had reduced it from dozens of necks to just one.

As if she didn’t want more than that, she prevented the weakening of imperial power.

Nevertheless, Lucius couldn’t help but doubt Irene Windsor’s intentions.

‘Her way of handling matters is excessively cruel.’

Her actions were by no means what someone with a normal mindset would do.

Even looking through the documents of past Windsors, there had never been such an heir.

That’s why Lucius didn’t want Irene to become the heir.

She was someone who would bring countless storms of blood.

She regarded human lives as less than insects, and the number of people she had killed so far was uncountable.

In wartime, there couldn’t be a more excellent talent, but in peaceful times like now, she couldn’t be welcomed.

Lucius hid such emotions deep inside and said.

“Very well. I accept Irene Windsor’s proposal. Any objections?”

The nobles bowed their heads, as if not wanting to antagonize Irene.

Lucius smiled.

Looking at Irene, he said.

“Convey my gratitude to the Duke of Windsor. Thank you for handling what could have been a difficult situation.”

“Not at all. The Windsor family is loyal.”

The two looked at each other and smiled.

But behind those smiles, knives were hidden.

‘The heir to the Windsor family must be Amelia Windsor. This might even determine the fate of the empire.’

A thought he had been considering for some time.

With this incident, that recognition was firmly embedded in Lucius’s mind.