Chapter: 260
The Emperor… no, the former Emperor was in pristine condition, except for the sword pierced through his chest and the blood oozing from it.
Just once. His life was undoubtedly snuffed out by the blade lodged in his chest.
Arthur, wordlessly removing the crown from the former Emperor’s head, gazed down with eyes filled with complex emotions.
Then, he slowly placed the crown atop his own head, and the Crown of Immortality began to radiate light shimmer.
As if the Crown of Immortality acknowledged Arthur, it started to exhibit its power.
With this, no one could question Arthur’s legitimacy.
Not even the knights sworn to protect the emperor.
So… I sink part of the wall I constructed into the ground.
Selecting and arranging suitable locations for castle gates to the east, west, south, and north.
Well then, shall we head off to meet Arthur, who has achieved his dreams?
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The name Lucius Altrius pops up three times in the genealogy of the Romanian Empire.
First, the King of Knights. Lucius Altrius Caesar.
He was the king who founded the Kingdom of Romania, the very first knight recognized by God as a hero.
Second, the last king of Romania, and the first emperor who elevated the Romanian Kingdom to an empire. Lucius Altrius II.
A great-grandson of the King of Knights, this emperor poured himself into stabilizing the nation of Romania and, tragically, he died young, perhaps because he sacrificed himself for his country.
And the third. Lucius Altrius III, the unfortunate crown prince who was robbed of the throne by his uncle, who had sharpened his sword for years and ultimately killed his uncle to reclaim the emperor’s seat.
Each of these three emperors has various stories tied to them, but perhaps due to sporting the same name, many historians wove all three into one grand narrative.
Among them, the most widely known book is undoubtedly the History of the Kings of Romania.
— Commentary on the History of the Kings of Romania.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
The news of the former emperor’s death spread swiftly.
The events that transpired in the Emperor’s audience chamber quickly circulated among the servants in the castle, and this news sped its way to the imperial knights, who were rushing back to Sirius.
“This can’t be happening….”
The commander of the Imperial Knights, who had been sprinting without a moment’s pause, burst into the Emperor’s audience room. The scene that greeted his eyes was nothing short of catastrophic.
The Emperor’s personal guards lay severed in half, lifeless, and the plush reception room was utterly stained and wrecked with blood of the deceased.
And then there was the Emperor, dead with a sword embedded in his chest, alongside a young man sitting on a blood-soaked throne wearing the Crown of Immortality.
“You…!”
Who would dare assassinate the Emperor of Romania?
Who has the audacity to snatch the Crown of Immortality and wear it so casually?
Who would sit on the throne of the Emperor?
Who dares? Who dares!
“You bastard!!!!”
The captain of the Imperial Knights, flaming with rage, drew the sword from his waist.
“For the crime of murdering His Majesty the Emperor! You will pay dearly for this!”
“Your Majesty the Emperor…”
Arthur’s voice was low as he regarded the captain.
“Are you calling someone who persecutes and kills a child and usurps the throne an emperor when they are utterly unqualified for the title?”
“What?!”
“How disappointing.”
In that instant, a flicker of rumor ignited in the captain’s mind.
“The son of the former emperor driven out by the emperor has returned.”
“You… No, you are….”
“I have come to reclaim what was taken from me long ago.”
Arthur rose from his throne, yanking the sword from the former Emperor’s chest, and declared boldly.
“My name is Lucius Altrius III. I am the rightful Emperor of Romania, a vengeful soul seeking to regain what was lost.”
With a swift swing, Arthur wielded the sword lightly, and the former Emperor’s head rolled off cleanly.
“The counterfeit emperor who robbed what was mine is dead, thus the throne of this empire is rightfully mine.
The virtue of my intentions and actions will be judged by Shamash, the deity of brilliant light, justice, and law.
“If I am not the legitimate heir to this throne, may the gods take their vengeance upon me.”
Thud.
The severed head rolled uselessly down the throne’s platform.
Perhaps completely unaware that it would end this way, the expression frozen on the severed neck carried emotions of doubt, disbelief, and confusion.
“How, how could this transpire….”
The captain was rendered speechless.
Both the Emperor’s death and Arthur’s sudden presence were incomprehensible.
Gazing softly at the captain, Arthur spoke again.
“Captain of the Imperial Knights. What are your plans now? Will you continue to pledge fealty to this deceased false Emperor?”
The captain glanced down at the former Emperor’s head lying lifeless on the floor.
Greed-filled as he might have been, he was still an Emperor.
An Emperor descended from royal blood.
Yet his head, once encased by the Crown of Immortality, now lay discarded and forgotten.
“I… No, I….”
The former Emperor couldn’t possibly be called a virtuous man. He was selfish and kept his own inner circle even closer than his own knights.
Rumor had it that the Crown Prince and his sister disappeared suddenly one fateful day. And he simply slid into the vacant Emperor’s seat… doubt lingered.
But I couldn’t vocalize any of that.
For it was indeed the Emperor who occupied the throne and received my allegiance.
Even though the Crown of Immortality upon his head twinkled dimly like a firefly, he was still the Emperor who wore it.
The captain had no choice but to lower his gaze.
“I am….”
The captain lifted his head and faced the young man standing before the throne.
A young man, still vaguely reminiscent of his childhood. With a Crown of Immortality gleaming like the sun atop his head.
He was a legitimate and rightful Emperor.
“I am only loyal to His Majesty the Emperor.”
Thus, the commander of the Imperial Knights bowed his head once again.
“Yet… even if he was a false Emperor, he once governed this empire… Please allow a moment to gather his body for burial…”
Arthur pondered these words for a moment before responding.
“His head shall be displayed in the square of Sirius, and his crimes must be widely known and punished.”
“Then, please permit us to gather his body, excluding the head, for proper burial.”
Arthur nodded slightly at those words.
“I grant this. And….”
Arthur’s eyes hardened with an icy gaze.
“Bring forth the son of the false Emperor.”
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
“Arthur.”
I approached Arthur, who was alone in the audience chamber, giving off a faint sense of hostility.
“….”
“Arthur.”
Calling his name again, I stared at him.
“Master….”
“What are your intentions regarding that man’s son?”
“I plan to repay what we’ve endured, both for myself and for Vivi.”
“What have you endured?”
“Yes. Like Vivi who suffered while swallowing poison, like me who had to flee in fear.”
I nodded slightly, for I thoroughly understood Arthur’s feelings.
However.
“Children cannot choose their parents, Arthur.”
“….”
“We must not pass the sins of parents onto their children, Arthur.”
“But….”
“Arthur.”
I spoke with gentle calmness, patting his back gently.
“First, let’s tend to matters inside the castle, and await Vivi’s return. We can take care of the rest leisurely.”
“Master….”
Arthur seemed to spit out the turmoil bottled within his heart.
“I suppose that’s easy for you to say, seeing as it’s not your issue…”
“Arthur.”
“Do you know how I’ve felt over the past eight years? Every time my brother suffered, I wanted to endure the pain in his place. While desperately fleeing, I’ve often thought that maybe my death would ease my brother’s burden.”
Sticky resentment. The yearning for revenge built up over the years oozed out as thick resentment from Arthur’s mouth.
“Why! That man coveted the Emperor’s position?! Is being the younger brother and uncle of the Emperor not enough?! He was somewhat of a good guy back in the day! Why on earth!!”
“Desire is simply the innate instinct of life.”
As I softly patted Arthur’s back, I continued.
“The will to live. The hunger to fill one’s belly. The want for that which is unattainable. The desire to bear offspring and sustain the lineage. All of these cravings are intrinsic to the survival of life.”
“….”
As long as life exists, one cannot completely resist that urge.
“He was merely swept up in that kind of desire.”
“….”
I had no idea if my words would console Arthur in any way.
“Arthur. Send someone to fetch Vivi and her companions, and get Sirius in order.”
“Master….”
“Arthur, you did well. Now that you’ve reclaimed what’s rightfully yours, there’s no longer anyone to threaten you. So… allow your heart to ease a bit.”
“But….”
“Arthur.”
Gently nudging him, I encouraged Arthur to take a seat on the throne.
“So, for now, relish in this victory.”
To be honest, it was a triumph won through rumors, cunning, and deception, with barely a battle fought.
Yet still, a victory is a victory.
“Master….”
“Yes, Arthur.”
“Wait a sec… could you hold my hand?”
Arthur’s voice, drained and listless. Despite having finally achieved the vengeance he long yearned for, the resentment within him had yet to dissipate, leaving him weary.
I carefully took hold of Arthur’s hand.
“For now, let’s relax, Arthur.”
As for Vivi… I would send word to her to come.
It seemed that Arthur, at this moment, didn’t have the means to assign tasks to anyone.
“Sleep well, Arthur.”
May peace return to the child whose heart had been rotting, plagued by revenge, hatred, and grudges.
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