Chapter 151
Q74MV“If I am to be honest with you, the situation in the imperial palace is not good.”qRkd
fmgtn1oCasval began to speak with a calm face, as if he had never mentioned the word treason before.5KMSN
pOdR0RIt gave the impression that, now that things had reached this point, he intended to pretend that the mistake he had made simply did not exist.N8OC
GxrMYA“As you well know, Duke, the First Prince is the legitimate heir to the throne. The previous emperor personally proclaimed him, and no one can object to his legitimacy.”IPYiy
avPl“And yet there are disrespectful movements?”19lCFt
n8oZMS2“The Second Prince has decided to abide by the will of the previous emperor and serve the First Prince as the next sovereign. However, the opportunists swarming around him continue to postpone the coronation ceremony and are inciting him.”K6Idr0
rOkIt was a strange way to put it.l8ah
Z7IOpQ6Basically, it meant that other courtiers were trying to place on the throne a Second Prince who supposedly had no ambitions of his own.Zjru
2E7ga7dLooking at history, it was not uncommon to see a puppet emperor at the forefront while the true powers ruled from the shadows.huD
XpP2uBut turning the Second Prince into a puppet? Someone who had proven himself far superior to the First Prince and enjoyed enormous support?M5a4Cj
trKgRS‘How ridiculous.’Z4W
zZ40tEIf the Second Prince truly had not desired the throne, he would have stepped forward long ago to calm the situation.Fx0dcn
8QKQolzHe was not so incompetent as to be dragged along by public opinion he did not want.FO3
tz4XThe fact that the atmosphere had not settled meant only one thing the Second Prince himself did not entirely dislike the current situation.HP75Q
hYnlYET“It is truly regrettable. If it were possible, I would like to rush to the imperial palace to offer my help immediately, but from this remote north to the capital the distance is simply too great.”W00NKNI
FhJ“I understand. The First Prince always praises the Duke’s loyalty and has said on several occasions that, if distance were not an obstacle, he would certainly have come at once to offer assistance.”svtw
3UZKCasval bowed his head, speaking as if he were sincerely regretful.DUCabBz
bUiFaced with such nonsense, Lucian almost burst out laughing, but managed to restrain himself.fby
cpMWhat? The First Prince speaking well of Lucian in private and expressing his trust?ZJH
HTc8‘If that First Prince were capable of saying something so sensible, he would have ascended the throne long ago.’ivCKm6
igUThe First Prince Lucian knew was the type who would have shouted that, if there was loyalty, distance did not matter and one should present oneself immediately.jIpRbLA
ZEECasval must have known this perfectly well, and yet he lied without the slightest shame.Z5MEV
u4RTS‘He may be one of the most brazen people in the entire empire.’Au0wu87
End7WQkUnaware—or pretending to be unaware—of what was going through Lucian’s mind, Casval continued speaking without blinking.pymVgMJ
sFI“However, unlike the trust the First Prince places in you, there is a faction that is slandering the Duke.”MzId
F811Kl“Slandering me?”U0jjA
MZgFI“Yes. The noble faction led by Marquis Bernhardt. They are pressuring the First Prince, claiming that it is suspicious that the Duke brought in barbarians from beyond the frozen wasteland.”n0oF
1LkcJ“I see.”2y7dj
niUZIKA truly ambiguous tone.qig7SV
7ABwJThey suspected treason, yet at the same time presented it as someone else’s accusation, shifting the responsibility.2FNgL
LFLAnd even so, they did not utter a single word in Lucian’s defense, merely wavering.mNYRtu
tlyj“Are you saying that I must prove my loyalty to avoid political attacks from others?”hSfI5
yZcW3“I am very sorry.”C8ZAWT
ic3X“Be specific. What exactly do you expect me to do?”scFRn2b
DySA3At Lucian’s words, Casval, as if he had been waiting for that question, went straight to the point.PZQR
AcUb“First, allow us to meet with the barbarians who came from beyond the wasteland. If they swear loyalty to the Empire and to the First Prince, there will be no problem.”6vvM3
NTNIt was an ambiguous condition.4Ar5I2
EZIAOxIt might make sense if they were knights or nobles, but demanding an oath of loyalty from barbarians who were little different from ordinary commoners unless they were integrated into the nobility would amount to nothing more than an empty ceremony.MW1VWX9
cdO9yP‘They are not seeking real loyalty.’szn
GvDqmbLucian immediately understood Casval’s true objective.nU5cU
NA0TaThey intended to explain to them in detail what the Empire was, how vast it was, and make them understand that they had options other than Lucian.eU08Qsr
u96From the perspective of those who did not know what had happened in the wasteland, Lucian would appear to have attracted the barbarians with land and goods.pH8u
eqmGjm4Their plan was clear tell them that beyond this inhospitable north there were great, prosperous cities, and disperse them far away from Lucian.spLWM
Br3After all, anyone would prefer warm, abundant regions over this hostile north.iQ6W
Z7WnHnOf course, they would only speak of that abundance; they had no intention of actually giving them anything.lys1
oF1Ckk‘What a way to be mistaken. It’s true that I promised them a prosperous life, but that isn’t everything.’Zpq8JR
0L8Lucian formed a faint smile and nodded, giving them free rein. There was no need to correct the other side’s misunderstanding.RetA2g
KOyI“If it’s just a meeting, I can arrange it whenever you like. If you wish, I can even gather them all in one place. That said, you can handle the oath of loyalty yourself. I see no reason why I should personally help explain the greatness of the Empire.”N7isr
23OXU“Of course. I appreciate your cooperation, Duke.”R43R4
8kVgVWith Lucian’s permission, Casval bowed his head immediately.2ot5
miwIf he had truly been seeking a sincere oath, he would have criticized Lucian’s distant attitude.YMA
lnMlvdrHowever, Casval seemed rather pleased that Lucian would remain uninvolved.17f
OaMnKJust as expected, his intention was to disparage Asagrim and exaggerate the abundance of other territories.vEUJx
9ZIt9LZ“Anything else? You said ‘first,’ so it seems there is another request.”mN1
Pbcs“It is simple.”L8oj75V
f6MUThough his tone was light, Casval’s face was clearly tense.rxA2lx
Q10“We ask that you attend the coronation ceremony of the First Prince, which will be held in one month.”smC
XdU***EVihA
DtMFaced with Casval’s demand, Lucian formed a bitter smile.2GwO9L
IXqKpFFor a high-ranking noble, holding the title of count or above, attending the enthronement ceremony of the next emperor was almost an obligation.1ACM
yEII8Seen that way, it could be said to be a completely natural request.fMq
O60bN‘That would be true if the empire were still functioning normally.’jYFZiTY
sJhhThe current capital was not much different from a den of demons. After the emperor’s death, all information flowing outward had been blocked, and every matter was being handled with the utmost secrecy.c9d
6rVRhIvIn other words, there was no way to know whether those holding power at the moment were Lucian’s allies or his enemies.PRcwyEQ
ucX7‘If my enemies have taken power, this would be me walking voluntarily into a trap. But questioning such a natural invitation would itself be disrespectful. They planned this move well.’ONhD2
RCNIt was a maneuver so well constructed that one could not help but admire it, as it forced one to fall into it even while knowing it was dangerous.SJ3lCA
wvlHowever, that maneuver had a crack.6Ra
xP0AC6A crack that only Lucian knew about within the empire.69Tge
G47“It isn’t something that needs to be requested of an imperial noble. How could I be absent from the enthronement ceremony? I will attend without fail.”lGl8
3Yi“Your Excellency the Duke is truly a loyal servant of the empire! Then—”nfcJBV
cZR“However, security has not been at its best lately, and moving lightly could provoke other territories. Therefore, I would like His Highness the First Prince to open the way for us.”1I8F
2Be“Huh?”z1AAM
nLakCCasval asked, bewildered. It was obvious that he did not understand what kind of way Lucian was referring to.VHNj
h9iWK“The way, yes. The same one the previous emperor used to open for us from time to time. Is it clearer if I say dimensional gate?”xV8
tGeH“Ah…!”hN82
TFw1“I’m glad you understood. Then, please convey the message.”Z9yfGsF
Nh6y“W-wait a moment, please!”ZHVA96
XPYMvqJust as the conversation seemed to be coming to an end, Casval hurriedly stopped Lucian.9av0
gTB6The surprise at that unexpected request was evident on his face. After hesitating for quite some time, as if he had suddenly remembered something, he opened his eyes wide and spoke.Ib1
xZ5NO3M“I’m sorry, but His Highness the First Prince cannot open the dimensional gate at this time.”qgYRi
6eO3n“What did you say? And why not? The previous emperor opened and closed it so easily…”pBU89U2
Ky3Zgy“Because only the sovereign of the empire can activate the magical artifact. And since His Highness the First Prince has not yet held his enthronement ceremony—”GM8Ryd
aEguXUpon hearing Casval’s excuse, Lucian had to suppress the smile that threatened to appear on his lips.H6BQCZH
kAMvJ‘Of course. One way or another, they had to pull out the excuse that it can’t be done for now.’BpB
Au2Most nobles, not knowing how the artifact worked, would accept any explanation and let it slide.R3X
FJinBut that would not work on Lucian.k1L
BcNY0knBecause he had heard directly from the previous emperor how that magical artifact operated.T489
NJUp1pKLucian held Casval’s gaze with an expression of sincere puzzlement.Yeh
fAkqDT“What does that mean? Isn’t any member of the direct imperial bloodline able to use it? The previous emperor explained it to me personally.”IbR
oBPFC“…!?”EYZes
iEbw“Aren’t you mistaken? Just in case, convey this to His Highness the First Prince. Tell him that he can activate it at any time and that he should try it himself.”IdF
2CHavaRCold sweat began to run down Casval’s face, as if he had never imagined that Lucian had received a direct explanation from the previous emperor.TSO
w8Kc3XSIf he said something incorrect at this point, it would not be mere suspicion—he could be branded a falsifier manipulating the emperor’s words.UamOl
sPUFXUnable to find a way out, Casval had no choice but to nod.FFkZp
0mQoF“I-I understand… I will inform His Highness the First Prince.”nwtNGuj
IqYF‘It seems the capital is completely in the hands of the Second Prince’s faction. The First is nothing more than a puppet whose name they are using.’a0gV4
4DEKyPWatching Casval withdraw unsteadily, Lucian was able to confirm that conclusion.6FD
f0vwKyIf the First Prince were truly leading the political situation as the legitimate heir, he would not have been so flustered.GsMbu
cxwcs4rIt would have been enough for the First Prince himself to say, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” to settle the matter.md4O
2NTgBut Casval had been cautious, fearing that a contradiction might arise between his words and Lucian’s knowledge.cuX
kG4EThat proved that he had no way to respond if pressed on that point.tf2
pol5‘Just to be sure, let’s confirm it one more time.’BJ7XBok
6q27NyyAfter seeing Casval off, Lucian immediately summoned the attendants and servants of the castle.d6i9Crg
k6wThey were people the previous emperor had sent some time ago under the pretext of supporting the administration, but in reality as undercover agents.aQt
1iA5gOnce everyone had gathered, Lucian spoke, addressing the spy whose face he still did not know.iXC
s1MWIdX“I suppose you’ve already heard that the imperial family has sent an inspector. Apparently there was some confusion, but His Highness the First Prince is leading the situation.”U9zk
ZEhTe“………”aXnK
gG2f7f“It’s reassuring news. They say the enthronement ceremony will be held in one month, so I plan to travel personally to Tibron to attend.”8pLa
33XuThe attendants and servants looked at Lucian with mixed expressions of fear and discomfort. They did not understand why the duke was saying such things to people of such low rank.7GYX
ocCj2fHowever, among them were some who, while imitating the expressions of the others, showed particularly evident tension.aDajbT
NeYrdY“I’m telling you this because I want to take some of you with me to the capital. That said, there is a possibility that it will be a one-way trip, so I will accept only volunteers.”qzQ2CkO
J0B“A o-one-way trip? What do you mean by that?”Cl5
9xH“That although the enthronement of the First Prince should be a cause for celebration, all of this may be nothing more than a deception. It’s possible my enemies are trying to lure me out of here with a trap.”mM96f
yskfh“…!”KOFm
67mw68B“But whatever the truth may be, as long as the excuse is legitimate, rejecting the invitation would be disrespectful. Therefore, only those who are willing to risk their lives—”0IbY
OTGIt was then that someone spoke.fgiBrk5
8CZ“It’s a lie.”GhdHIFP
nYIvGdA young attendant stepped forward, his face hardened.g4NuaO
bnv7Interrupting the duke was a grave crime, yet he showed not the slightest fear of punishment.ZIn
N6xIn his eyes burned only the determination to stop Lucian from going up to the capital.QqSu
wwH“Everything is a lie. It’s a trap. You must not go.”vYe9
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