novelraw Chapter 255
Chapter 255
Chapter 255. The Tumor of the Imperial Palace
In the Emperor's Chamber.
Upon seeing Eulsis appear there, Kaldrach felt a surge of anger rising within him.
After experiencing several rounds of 'repetitions', the part of him that could be called emotion slowly started to fade away, much like a sandy beach eroded by the waves.
However, the anger he felt toward 'Eulsis' remained unchanged.
"Don't call me your kin with that filthy mouth."
Kaldrach's voice was as cold as ice. Yet, an emotion akin to a volcanic eruption roiled within his eyes and mouth.
Abisha, who had never seen this side of Kaldrach, looked at him with startled eyes.
Unperturbed, Kaldrach shielded Abisha behind him.
Despite the venomous words that could make anyone flinch, Eulsis remained calm as if it was a regular occurrence.
"Your foul mouth hasn't changed, elder brother Kaldrach."
"And neither have you, Eulsis. Still the same obstinate bastard."
"With that filthy mouth of yours, isn't it any wonder the engagement with the Aldebaran family was annulled? Do you have any idea how pleased Emperor Adratan was to hear about the betrothal?"
Ignoring Eulsis's mumbling, Kaldrach turned his gaze to Emperor Adratan, who lay bedridden.
The emperor looked like breathing was all he could manage, like a man on the brink of death.
"The root of Andus."
Noticing Kaldrach's interest in the emperor, Eulsis cautiously opened his mouth to speak.
"Like its beautiful appearance, the root contains poison."
With a short chuckle, Eulsis continued, "Do you remember? My mother, who was poisoned by the tea served by Queen Alin, was intoxicated by the root of Andus."
Even as he spoke, Eulsis's voice started to take on a chill.
Kaldrach realized that the intense hatred was directed toward him, but he didn't care.
"It had nothing to do with me who was in the north. It was also an error in judgment by my mother, queen Alin."
Kaldrach continued to stare icily at Eulsis.
"Still, I want to apologize for that."
This unexpected response surprised Eulsis considerably.
"Are you apologizing for what happened back then?"
"Yes."
Kaldrach nodded once.
"If I had been there, I would have served you a whole cup of that Andus root tea myself."
At Kaldrach's sharp retort, Eulsis's brows furrowed.
"You bastard."
His fierce and spiteful words did not match his outward appearance or physique, and as they spilled from Eulsis's lips, Kaldrach finally smiled.
"It suits you. A face befitting a concubine's child."
"Watch your mouth, Kaldrach. It would be nothing to kill you on this spot."
At Eulsis's menacing voice, footsteps could be heard outside the emperor's chamber.
"...... I told you not to provoke him for no reason."
Apparently, Abisha also sensed the approaching figures, as she tugged at Kaldrach's clothes once more.
'Is it the Heavenly Reverence Guards?'
No, even if they were as obedient to Eulsis as his limbs, it's unlikely they would willingly invade the emperor's chamber.
If there's someone who would dare to come this far, it would have to be someone above the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards'. Probably, the 'Imperial Knights'.
"Until now, there have been plenty who have threatened my life or said they'd kill me."
As Eulsis's emotions became more apparent, Kaldrach's ridicule toward him became more pronounced.
"But what you just said is the most futile. More so than anything a barbarian ever uttered."
"...... Hey!"
Again, Abisha pulled at his sleeve, causing Kaldrach to snort.
Finally, Kaldrach turned his back as if he had nothing more to see in the chamber, or rather, with 'Emperor Adratan'.
"If you do anything unnecessary, emperor Adratan may pass away."
"Such petty threats don't work on me."
Without a backward glance, Kaldrach replied.
"My father, emperor Adratan, was already dead the moment he brought in a concubine and a diviner named Abigail into the palace."
Intent on leaving the chamber, Kaldrach bid farewell, a goodbye that wasn't quite a goodbye, to the Conqueror Emperor Adratan who lay as if collapsed on his bed.
"Even if only a little, wouldn't it be better to remain in place, Your Highness Kaldrach?"
Upon stepping out of the room, a voice immediately reached out to him.
Kaldrach turned his gaze toward the source.
"Kikubad."
At the end of his gaze was an old man with white hair pulled back.
The emperor's personal guard.
A member of the Imperial Knights, and the one considered to be closest to the emperor among the 'knights'.
But that was a story of the past.
Through 'repetitions', what Kaldrach witnessed most wasn't the magic of 'Flugel', but the sword of the old man 'Kikubad' standing before him.
'Tch.'
This engraved fear caused Kaldrach's arm to tremble slightly.
Even though he tried not to show it, the fear crept up on him unnoticed.
"This could potentially be the last time. I can't assure you that His Majesty will recover as he did before."
Though he spoke in a serious tone, Kaldrach thought that even Kikubad must have had a hand in keeping Emperor Adratan bedridden from poisoning.
If Eulsis's left hand was the 'witch' Abigail.
Then his right was this man, 'Kikubad'.
"It's appalling how the swordsmen of the East behave. Gnawing at the throat of the master who took them in."
Knowing this fact, Kaldrach shot a sarcastic remark at Kikubad. The old swordsman merely chuckled in response.
"That's why you're still chasing the shadow of the late Sword Saint."
Upon hearing the word Sword Saint, the smile vanished from Kikubad's face.
"This country is a land of ghosts. Everyone merely chases the names of the dead."
Observing Kikubad's expression, Kaldrach continued.
"Some chase vengeance for a dead mother, others pursue a fortress they could never conquer. With such individuals at the top, how could a nation run properly?"
Turning away from Kikubad's gaze, Kaldrach continued.
"But one thing's for sure, the next Sword Saint won't be an idiot like you."
"...... Does Your Highness have someone in mind?"
"You should know who it is."
Upon hearing Kaldrach's words, Kikubad looked slightly taken aback.
"Yes, the one you're thinking of now."
As Kaldrach concluded his words and walked away, Kikubad offered a respectful bow.
After exiting the building, Kaldrach cast a glance back at the imperial palace.
Although there was a sense of deja vu pricking at him like needles, nostalgia for the landscape overwhelmed him first.
"Your Highness?"
When Abisha asked, Kaldrach shook his head.
"No, let's go."
***
Since Flugel was attacked, the barrier around the imperial palace was managed by a few mages from the Magic Tower and the 'witch' Abigail, yet it was still full of holes that anyone could exploit.
"...... Prince Kaldrach has left the imperial palace."
The speaker was T'alle, the proprietor of Bright Moon Pavilion and a vampire.
The scene witnessed by the familiars she had stationed in the palace. It was her ability to infer information based on that.
'You've really been using your head.'
The moment I heard that the emperor had fallen ill, the thought that crossed my mind was that one of the trump cards Kaldrach had was taken from him.
His intention was to redirect the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards' out of the capital.
As long they were around, any attack on Eulsis became near impossible, and should he wait for a total solar eclipse within that fortress, Eulsis would eventually summon the 'Demon God'.
'But with one horn on our side, the ritual should be impossible.'
Either way, it wasn't wrong to say that the initiative lay with Eulsis.
The one horn of the 'Demon God' in my possession. The one intending to seize it is 'Eulsis', which means 'Eulsis' will take the role of aggressor.
With the capital siding entirely with 'Eulsis', it isn't suitable for defense at this time.
"The distance from the familiar is quite far, so I can't make out the contents of the conversation inside......."
"Hmm."
T'alle tried to say something, but I delved into my thoughts, endeavoring to sort them out.
During that time, the sigh that escaped me caught her by surprise, and hurriedly, with anxious eyes, she began to inquire.
"S-Should I try to find out what was said anyhow?"
"No, it's fine. I can guess what happened."
Inferring what transpired within wasn't difficult.
While being aware of the emperor's weakened spirit, I hadn't felt it was so severe as to warrant collapsing from illness.
If so, why did the emperor fall ill at such a convenient time?
'Perhaps, Eulsis was waiting inside.'
Perhaps Eulsis played a significant role in the emperor's current state.
"...... A, a rebellious breeze seems to be blowing, Sir Yulian."
A peculiar energy was stirring within the imperial palace. T'alle sensed it too.
Being the proprietor of the 'Bright Moon Pavilion' and having exquisite knowledge of various circumstances, she must have noticed it naturally.
"Even a bit of a heads-up, even vague would be helpful, wouldn't it? If blood is spilled in the palace, creatures like me would be swept away quickly."
Doing her utmost to feign humility to extract any information, T'alle's words were humorous, especially given her identity as an 'ancient vampire', referring to herself as a 'creature' was ironically amusing.
'A storm of blood, really.'
Her words felt eerily accurate.
Perhaps, emperor Adratan would die soon.
Then again, he might not, but it wouldn't be long before he'd have a funeral.
'Kaldrach's method of redirecting the Heavenly Reverence Guards out of the capital.'
It's likely he will shed light on the 'turmoil' in 'North Pole' to enforce this plan.
With the influence of one of the 'Demon God's horns' waning, now would be the time to conquer the north and unlock the empire's future path.
Pulling out such grand words and narratives would be a strategy to draw the Heavenly Reverence Guards out for Kaldrach's intentions.
'Proclaiming conquest under the moniker of the Conqueror Emperor would have had the emperor gladly attach the Heavenly Reverence Guards to Kaldrach.'
Though the 'royalty' might grasp power, the rightful ruler is the emperor. Eulsis's power stems from the emperor.
Though he had brainwashed and manipulated the emperor as a pawn, regardless, the power remains with the emperor.
'And so, Eulsis placed the emperor in a coma.'
To prevent his pawn from redirecting the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards' out of the capital.
'If Kaldrach were to push his plan through.'
Then he would truly kill the 'emperor', giving a valid excuse for keeping the Heavenly Reverence Guards within the capital.
"Your Highness Kaldrach must be having a tough time."
The situation had become difficult. This realization caused a soft, inadvertent chuckle to escape my lips, which didn't go unnoticed by T'alle who watched me with startled eyes.
'Though it's not entirely without prospects.'
A final method to stop the descent of the Demon God by dealing with 'Eulsis'.
For this to work, Kaldrach must become a 'traitor'.
"Lady T'alle."
Would Kaldrach be able to abandon himself? While pondering over this, I called T'alle's name, causing her to jump in surprise.
"Ye-Yes!?"
"If the emperor and the prince fought over power, whom would you support?"
Merely a simple question.
The family of vampires who once terrorized the ancient continent. Truly deserving of the name 'noble blood', how would this vampire decide?
"Well, probably... the winning side, wouldn't I?"
Ah, how predictable.