Chapter 79
JdzEq0rAint played the recording orb he had received from Fernan.lzJVk
qiJA roar of cheers filled the stadium, shouted by thousands of voices.YqcSwR
3jdg— His Majesty the Emperor!3JA
Nj8nWnAll that ovation was directed at the sovereign of that nation.PO4U75
3I084U6“…That man.”zUufUTI
RAl3kY— That is the current Emperor.toVVE
0ut1aTThe Emperor had blonde hair as bright as Aint’s and piercing gray eyes.6fc1mP
OMJVlOHis robust build resembled that of a warrior.2G9m
YdYmEven through the recording, the aura of power and dignity surrounding him matched the word “Emperor” perfectly.W70
yEXr“……”XhMWLZg
IAQwaPIf just seeing him through a recording conveyed so much, what must it have been like to witness him in person?swt
JIKQBJAint swallowed hard.rJAs6N
ENj6FThe Emperor slowly raised his hand to his subjects and began to speak. Each word he uttered dripped with such majesty that it inspired loyalty even in those who had none.BR4pXg
ZUwVofN— Judging by presence alone, I can almost understand why the Armians lost the throne.UyK
uvhCBX3— After all, nine hundred years in power was too much. Sooner or later, someone capable was bound to rise and take it.xK6Wu
tVJ7VGa“Eh?”YHkTX
00M05Aint tilted his head, confused. Those words clashed with everything Gardner had said until now.V9nw
gana— What surprises you?aer
ugSt— Objectively speaking, the Schwaben took the throne because they did a better job. Of course, you could also say the Armians failed.Yeknz
n0UBut deep down, that wasn’t the point.wmC
lr2kV— Not even the First Emperor expected the Armians to keep the throne forever.zBmUWZo
kTfHGWX— At most, three hundred years. The fact that they held it for nine hundred far exceeded any expectations.Wjw
4ZndThe structure of the Empire explained it.lH9
CDDu3— To defeat the demons, the divided kingdoms had to be united. But who would agree to become a vassal in exchange for vague promises?6czm
QVSFor an independent kingdom to join the Empire, it had to receive something equal to or greater in value than its own crown.hxw
MB6eJNot illusions—but tangible rewards.vC4y
IQo“And that was the throne?”fpZRGcO
NBFWx— Exactly.7qVw
xxIbZiA system where one could be a vassal, but with the hope that their descendants might someday ascend the imperial throne.RFd7UTm
4qemThus, the current Empire was born.HKQ
txA6XM— Some opposed it, of course. But at that time, humanity’s survival was more urgent than preserving the Armian crown.k4IgICE
SISYEven so, the fact that the Armians held on for nine hundred years was almost miraculous.RNgQj
Alm— It was a testament to the greatness of the First Emperor. And also proof that his descendants weren’t as incompetent as some might believe.9n5Zx
iVt8hFnAt the very least, none had shamefully tarnished his name. Gardner murmured softly.OlN
9jZAkn“…Then why did you tell me the Schwaben were usurpers?”H2sFC
XXeTG9— Because I’m not a servant of the Empire. I serve the Armians.IpDRqa
PkAAnd that made all the difference.aMU6nAr
LdbZTX— Even if the throne can belong to anyone, I wanted—and still want—it to remain with the Armians.E0TO7t
6UFThat was why Gardner became the ego of a sword. To stop the return of the demons and save humanity.IPBD
bU7— If we don’t stop them, all the First Emperor’s sacrifice will be for nothing.fIa
lMBqGjoAnd if the Armians had already lost the throne, then he would return it to them.K5x1PL
esTRwO— That’s why I will make you Emperor.zBflT
sj1U5aCIt was his last form of loyalty.8yWL6Dx
HgX3rcwFaced with that weight, Aint said nothing.XxeTW
i91“…Why do so much for me?”oCK5zR
3z9j— Because the First Emperor saved my life when I was sick and starving.qXl
kLvj8W— What’s wrong? Feeling uncomfortable now? Planning to reject me?Qs07i0
zyQORlB“It is uncomfortable. But I won’t reject you.”mqPft2
DK2ni4Aint couldn’t fully grasp the depth of a loyalty that had lasted a thousand years.NHAJjC
1qhiQzpWas it devotion—or obsession? Perhaps both.XbBk
n0Ero4qBut as an Armian heir, he couldn’t deny it felt like an honor.hMI
GugLqLD“In the end, we want the same thing.”hxz
glnrmaAnd since Gardner’s will aligned with his own, he had no reason to push him away.NU1Wb3
tRL— I thought you were still a child, but clearly not. You are worthy of your Armian bloodline.DSYqK
QsxjkU“That throne should be mine.”AZcu
VCDaBJzAint fixed his gaze on the image of the Emperor within the orb.yP8GOFg
kBTb“And I can’t stay a child if I want to claim it.”XytuYd
EKhBEven if the First Emperor had foreseen this.yn2sZ
isHT2IMEven if losing the throne was inevitable.d2c
wZXpiDAint didn’t care.PNcn
887GbNuHe had grown up hearing that the crown rightfully belonged to the Armians.wufd
6CkThe orb continued to play the scene. Soon, the rector and Professor Rosalia appeared on the stage.qXIbM
lWu“This is it.”BeSS
sjnvBy then, Aint, Fernan, and Aria were already seated in the stands. That was when the news of the massive monster attack broke.7XAqLF5
MyPqThe rector canceled the announcement about the corrupted.IgGed
kpbhIf students heard that corrupted had infiltrated the Academy just as a monster army was devastating the borders, panic would be inevitable.9MLr6C
bwafV— There’s nothing you can do now. As that merchant said, the best thing is to wait.vCBw
xC5q“I know.”nFNDYG
mPFaM0He had already decided that himself.J8NArC
69R4wEven if the Academy was filled with tension, the students wouldn’t be mobilized. The Empire wasn’t so weak that it needed students for a real war.vChltJ
clkmQOT— Though… you never know. They might ask for volunteers under the pretense of offering experience.bV0gzQ
cfmyv“Could be.”Sdr
5Xox60That was perfectly plausible at the Academy.x5v
Xbi***rMJi
ZC2aThe inquisitors’ contact had been predictable.ruaEl4
5wwF9Even the fact that the head inquisitor himself came to Aint.mAYi0mW
RrIaLR4What no one expected was that a wave of monsters would emerge from the Taklakan Desert—and even less that magical beasts would be among them.FINNj8
E2bBecause monsters and magical beasts were different. And their combined assault posed a far greater threat than a simple stampede.OPUv0
Wf3230‘So they’re moving in broad daylight, now that they’ve been discovered?’D0z
0nPMaybe they preferred to wipe out an entire fiefdom with their army rather than wait to be exposed.IBY
Nve‘Or has the timeline changed? Or was it always like this?’R1h
KKiHe didn’t know. Whether it was a result of his interference, or if it had always been that way.7aVw
4tmB2Just knowing that would’ve helped him prepare.XZM
f8XX‘In any case, there’s nothing I can do now…’AgGOaf
CyVi0It was a matter far from the Academy, and a war of this scale would be handled by his father.8OiI
0XCAnd in doing so, his father would make a fortune. Because war always brought profit.0Psj
tLUWB‘I’m jealous.’x6v8y
gJrpYuFIf only that profit were his.W3Vs
KlVBZBut it was still too early to covet it. The war would grow, and with it, more opportunities would arise.H3p5
GxRB‘I could even found my own merchant company in times like these…’Anl5
dcGcpqeBut thinking it was different from doing it. The Golden Turtle Company backed him, and starting from scratch in a barren desert was absurd.MURkRAC
MwmBfHis father would never allow it.KGNF
Ya6lFs2‘For now, from the Academy’s branch, we’ll buy all the weapons, armor, and artifacts we can.’YkIvBG
C9kUNAt least that much authority had been granted to him.itM
0PlZAnd once he’d resolved that, his mind returned to the report.q8nsM
N62e‘Gismond wasn’t a corrupt. Was he really not?’TjXl
9EDKpAint had confirmed it through Gardner.3xCB
wU7rlZThen what was he?PeOGE
ZvxWhy had he suddenly appeared and disrupted everything?L5KWsm
bM4B‘Did he really get that strong just from elixirs—right to the brink of exploding?’twutV
V42KWas he insane?AzoyX0
CzoriHe didn’t seem like it.YmqE
sZdhX1The only explanation was that he had found a large amount by sheer luck and consumed them recklessly, stopping just before dying.6bGrJg
U21nEjBut even that didn’t fully add up.DE3t9op
gltu‘And they weren’t even all the same type.’ZFW5Y2O
TFPHe couldn’t have obtained them all at once, and they didn’t come from Count Vamond either.ZcXx4YQ
OMNX7sThat fiefdom lacked the resources.6wgVQ
r9kqSo where did they come from?u1QhDlC
qtAe‘Damn it, what a pain. Everything about him is a mystery.’VC40yej
tKUE— Kyu?IQl0GLy
SwLvFernan, lost in thought, felt something touch his cheek.KU1
pbwqIt was Wuden, who had taken his doll form and was looking at him worriedly from the collar.jKOpw
q9B“…I’m fine. Just thinking.”d4hHIP
1md— Kyu?Eps
tO867“Really. You’re the only one here, so go play a bit if you want.”XQ57NUC
mUkdThe golem leapt off the table with a thud that cracked the marble floor.F1TLj
GZvqZ“Stop! Do you know how much that marble costs?!”hWP6L9y
XlG0Dp6And then—dxB5
1ifz──!sphzZOu
3IN66eA lightning bolt shot through his mind.zp94qTM
rQXiQA chill ran down his spine, followed by an unbearable headache.cwuwkLD
ncCUw“Urgh…!”HWW2Rp
PJpB7OFernan realized what had finally arrived.E3AOYN
WnpmCMaybe because he had anticipated it, even though the pain was intense, it was bearable.FOq6c
aRsOUInside his mind, the prophecy book unfolded.ThW8its
R9Z1U[Rumors of the horde of monsters and magical beasts that burst from the Taklakan Desert spread throughout the Empire.GBb9HyP
nyNMBqnThe Academy was no exception.GTgq
Lbw“The rector has decided to send students to the front lines—only those who volunteer.”4bw0W2
uJjm9KThe Academy officially decided to dispatch students to the battlefield.caa9Sv
vun“Decide carefully. The professors will accompany and assist as much as possible, but on the battlefield, everyone must look after their own life.”EtOWLi
2qKVThe warning that they could lose their lives stirred the students.T6vNY
XeWy— Go. You must go, no matter what.fqqi
Emvs‘Yeah, I know. I can’t let this opportunity slip by.’tp3c
N2UTAnd at the same time, some were filled with determination.3ZS
EkXNV‘So it ends up like this.’bVR
GlWwewIt made sense. The rector was one of the few who knew that what had happened wasn’t due to the corrupted, but to demons.vpUd
ArTHe would have deduced that Andromalius wasn’t the end, but the beginning.2PY
BWKSending students to the front was a way to prepare them for the great war looming ahead. The difference between having and lacking real experience would be enormous.qxufZRm
aH6b7wA[“…What a nuisance.”l7n8W
16azEFd“Your Highness?”Z54jJ
dVwp“Aint Armian, a descendant of the Armians, heading to war against monsters. That’s the kind of story that drives the people wild.”TNJ4LRa
mSneHwLudger Schwaben’s eyes turned cold. It wasn’t a trivial exaggeration.7u2
hjBjaThe monsters had returned after a thousand years, and an Armian was marching against them.GIUO
lqx7lUALetting that go unchecked was unthinkable. The result was too obvious.W3Hghc
sjgU06K“Bring me the request form. I’ll go as well.”BHdgZN
3PcW7EAint had to be eliminated, no matter what.C1YM2
LalSB6nNoblesse oblige. As crown prince, the highest rank beneath the Emperor, he would personally join the front lines.]z6n
pNAca01‘Of course Ludger would act this way. He’s no fool.’bGd
2q9H6[“What is this…?”zUN
11ArHj“A spirit plant?”tfqAN
ing6kU“There’s a spirit plant over here!”vSWNmWF
AfTkhuThe stem radiated pure, gleaming mana.zqdHq
dz0Yja2“I found it, so it’s mine.”gqU
3jiThe one who discovered it was Ludger Schwaben. By rule, what one found belonged to the finder, so his claim was valid.pNEuC
MrQKUrwHe took the fruit, while the stripped plant looked desolate.Woju3y
hMLmc— He only took the fruit?9xXW
uQuIs‘Is that strange?’pE2
nwe2MB— Of course! The fruit of the Itarium is a powerful elixir, but the root is even more valuable. Itarium grows by absorbing mana from the land—the essential part is in the roots…swKPG2
M87— Has no one spread that knowledge in a thousand years? Even better. Aint, take the root in secret.O8YRM
kYcZk— Also, wherever Itarium grows, there’s always a nearby vein. It feeds off the mineral’s energy.aZmJV
oh1EsF‘A vein?’o4X
dEhVY5nThere was no such thing as a useless vein. Even through the throbbing pain, Fernan’s eyes lit up.bhlH4Se
BvqSuddenly, the vision shifted—even the perspective changed.wiFg
sfp[“The Academy has brought students under the pretense of giving them real-world experience.”peuDU
pRT2z“Real experience? How decadent. Peace has made them soft.”y5al
Cnn6The man laughed mockingly.frEDK
Mlknj“Aint Armian is among them.”ltE
lGqdaKf“Aint Armian…?”bABj6K5
xeXJyWHis eyes widened.aBHV6
TXoQMsAn Armian. The natural enemy of demons. The cursed bloodline.AGvCQ
YhVA“This is an opportunity…”NIl
SvsaBang!ZVcFo
r1uThe man slammed the table. Papers, an inkwell, and a golden ashtray marked with stellar symbols fell to the floor.a3LfzVA
IEWp“A perfect chance to devour not only Aint Armian, but the entire future of the Empire!”IkSsuR
0kLuVhThe Academy was known as the cradle of the Empire. Its future leaders were raised there.aQtYiNT
MDr5LThat’s why they had tried to destroy it by summoning even the 72nd demon, Andromalius—and had failed.TJ4yJ2p
bBw50BeBut if they succeeded this time…cjpw
Qvbd3r1“I’ll receive an even greater blessing!”xCQDO
7hyThe man didn’t hide his euphoria.wulYBs
A14p2“Contact His Excellency immediately and request support. Even if we lose everything, we must exterminate everyone the Academy has sent! Especially that damned Aint Armian!”HFpc3S
OimyR0BHis crazed scream echoed through the chamber.Ga4
YQNyLGg“Heheh… After being trapped here for so long, finally—a reward.”erFp0a
49yRHe pulled open the curtains.7u7
OrSBetween the folds, the silhouette of a colossal bell appeared. It was a cursed object that had once tormented demons.Y9a4ejC
qrBHe had made that place his den, waiting for the chance to destroy it.]uZLBA
n9ozel0For the first time, Fernan saw a prophecy from someone else’s perspective—that of a corrupt.e5qImz
jhay“…”w2Yi
aNbKz‘So the book doesn’t limit itself to Aint’s point of view.’afzUT4
7XJTySIt was possible. Chronicles were rarely told from just one viewpoint, even if there was a main character.n6uusB
rJk3“Wait a second…”MseYXA
lWLFernan replayed the scene in his mind.kCEvpb
5EMe[Between the parted curtains, a gigantic bell could be seen. A cursed weapon, created to fight demons.RcW
vfUHTo destroy it, he had made that place his lair.]VL6kQ
zMNWuA bell. A cursed weapon. Its destruction.RwAO
SKJZwHe didn’t need any more clues.74Oz6dP
SWGk3ln“I think I know where it is.”LZ3I2
im0swIn the Empire, there was a bell left behind by the First Emperor—a weapon forged to fight demons.EUd
Q8rWhen he opened his eyes, Wooden, now in his doll-sized form, was wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.7aawt
xUbH— Kyu?omesCJC
atqHe tapped the floor nervously, worried something might be wrong.3dsBf
UCwuy“Stop it, Wooden. You’ll crack the marble.”biiCGl
BqvA— Kkung?xkKPCO
ra5Xo“I’m fine. Thanks for wiping my sweat.”Xcd
kc2JKtFBut something else was more important.xzZXQus
SDX“Maybe soon, you’ll get the chance to be unleashed again. Didn’t you want to return to your original form and fight one more time?”MTo
JpdZ3etFernan’s eyes gleamed with fierce determination.f0jj5
d61— Kkung kkung!Qcy
fpa4aunWooden nodded enthusiastically.bKBF32U
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