Chapter 355
354. The Immortal and the Mortal (23)
It took Fernandez two months to leave Bülrang, traverse the inland regions of the Empire’s northwest, and reach Guir by land. While it might seem like a short time, it was almost an excessive waste considering the rapidly changing international situation.
Thus, he had to handle all possible alternatives before departing. For instance, coordinating operations with Iron Side in the Great Wilderness through Robert and Piel, and the Guimerin Dynasty’s fleet transporting supplies to the North Sea.
With minimal rest and a forced march, two months to Guir was more than enough. That time would also suffice for the Guimerin Dynasty to reach Guir’s outer harbor. There was no miscalculation in time or strategy.
He believed so. It was a meticulously planned route, controlling all variables.
But Partak disagreed. Two months was too long.
* * *
“Pah!”
“Haha, young lady. Saying such things puts me in a difficult position.”
“Pfft! Pah!”
“Hahaha…”
Partak sighed deeply, wiping the thin drool Ana spat out. For the first month, Ana cried almost every waking moment, and for the next half-month, she spent half her days in tears.
Every time he saw Ana’s swollen eyes, Partak’s heart sank. A cold voice echoed in his mind.
‘If Ana bites her tongue while eating, Partak, she might just call your name.’
He swore he did his best this past month. He hired a trustworthy nurse, thoroughly vetted for health and medical expertise, and scoured not just Bülrang but all nearby territories for the finest fabrics and toys.
From the moment Ana woke until she fell asleep, Partak had to attend to her while managing his duties.
Even if he perfectly controlled the Federation of Beastmen, there were always dissenters. What if some scoundrel tried to harm this defenseless child while he wasn’t looking?
If this child died, or even just got hurt, Partak shuddered at the thought that his own neck might be on the line for a mistake he didn’t make. He couldn’t sleep at night.
Ana was the future Chieftain. She would carry the first golden bloodline of the Hearttaker’s lineage. Naturally, there were more than a few among the hawkish elders who weren’t thrilled about that.
The result was this. To give Ana even a sip of water, five attendants had to inspect it first, and finally, Partak would pour a little, magically test it, and carefully feed her.
“Waaah… Waaah!!”
“Young lady!! Young lady, calm… calm down. Young lady, you mustn’t cry!!”
With trembling hands, Partak sat Ana down and gently patted her head. Her eyes were swollen from crying again. Not good. He bared his teeth and growled at the nurse.
“What are you even doing?! Why won’t the young lady suckle from you?!”
“It… it might be that she’s not hungry…”
“I don’t want to hear it! From what I see, you’re trying to starve the young lady to death. I see now. Did some elder put you up to this?”
“Elder Partak! No, no! Please… spare me! It’s not true!”
“Is anyone there?! Another assassination plot has surfaced! Find out who’s behind this!”
At his shout, warriors burst through the door, nearly breaking it. They glanced pitifully at the terrified nurse before awkwardly growling and dragging her away.
Partak sighed deeply. There was nothing trustworthy in this city. It seemed like no one welcomed the Chieftain and the young lady. What on earth was going on…?
Of course, if one were to assign blame, Partak bore the most for filling Bülrang with hawkish tribes and leading the political scene. But Partak genuinely frowned, concerned for the future of the Federation of Beastmen.
He gently patted Ana’s back.
“Abup!”
“Haha, young lady. Don’t worry. I’ve driven away that wretched nurse. I’ll find a new attendant soon.”
“Pah!”
“Our lord will be away for a while, young lady.”
“Pah!!”
“But… even if you say that, our lord won’t come. Young lady, please bear with it a little longer.”
Partak tilted his head, watching Ana call for her father. Even for family, something felt off. Hadn’t Ana and Fernandez only met for a few days? Why was she calling for her father instead of her mother?
Then, a soft knock was heard.
“Elder. Elder Goldentooth has arrived.”
“Ah, show him in.”
The door opened, and a sturdy middle-aged man entered. Partak didn’t even glance away from Ana as he spoke.
“Troublesome journey, Elder Goldentooth?”
“Seems so, Blackfang. I hear you’re in charge of the Chieftain’s child?”
“By the Chieftain’s orders.”
“I don’t know what schemes you’re plotting, but the Plains faction elders won’t agree. Hand over the child, Blackfang. We won’t stand by while you manipulate them.”
“How disappointing.”
The Plains faction was a new political group formed by the dove tribes exiled to the Great Wilderness. In contrast, the hawk tribes remaining in the city to lead the political scene were now called the “City faction.”
It was a somewhat disdainful term. To the Beastmen, the word “city” carried connotations of prisons or slave markets. It was almost a derogatory term for those who abandoned tradition and willingly became slaves.
Partak found their coalition laughable. How ridiculous it was that the dove tribes, living in poverty in the Great Wilderness, gathering fruits and raising pigs, still clung to their pride.
Partak shrugged and said, “Ask the Chieftain, Goldentooth. I have no reason to obey you, and handing over the young lady isn’t something I can decide on my own.”
“What have you done to the Chieftain? We heard you dared to challenge him to a succession duel.”
“Dared? You who claim to respect tradition, ignoring the succession duel?”
“Was that a duel respecting tradition? Huh? Since when do we use dozens of warriors to oppress one in a succession duel?”
“And the Chieftain defeated them all alone. With him so robust, I can govern with peace of mind.”
“You…!”
As Goldentooth stepped forward, hand on his sword hilt, Partak pointed a finger straight at him.
“Don’t come any closer, Goldentooth. You’ll startle the young lady. If she cries again, I might just kill you.”
“…Why did you call me?”
“It’s time for your Plains faction to return to the city. We need to reorganize the Federation.”
Partak couldn’t trust the hawk elders. Their stupidity had never felt more unsettling. Fools always managed to exceed expectations.
While they were useful as thoughtless cowards, they now posed a terrible threat when it came to protecting Hearttaker. He desperately needed the dove tribes’ strength.
In that sense, Goldentooth fit all the criteria. Respected within the Federation, intelligent, and proven loyal, having led legions with Kirhas since the late 50-year war.
“Pah!”
At that moment, Ana suddenly looked at Goldentooth and…
He shouted. Partak flinched in surprise and turned his head to look at her. Ana was smiling brightly. He felt something was off, and at that moment, a thought flashed through his mind.
– “Did you see that, Blackfang? This guy already recognizes me.”
‘No way.’
Partak wiped the drool from Ana’s mouth and thought to himself. If the “pa” Ana was saying was just a casual greeting she gave to anyone she saw, then Fernandez, who would naturally assume she was calling him “dad,” and—
‘Chieftain. You… are a scary person.’
Kirhas, who had raised Ana without ever leaving her side, couldn’t have been unaware of this. Partak swallowed hard and recalled the Chieftain’s seemingly innocent face.
Fernandez has a somewhat complicated relationship with women. Partak, of course, was one of the people who knew this. Apart from the woman named Abel, he knew that many powerful figures in civilized society held personal affection for him.
What advantage did Kirhas have when dealing with such people? Putting aside looks, even in terms of power, she couldn’t possibly rival the Emperor of the Empire. Therefore, her strongest card would likely be Ana’s existence.
Partak recalled Fernandez’s warm smile. Even that cold-hearted man seemed to cherish his own child, and if she had used her daughter’s manner of speaking to further provoke his attachment—
‘Indeed, the undefeated one.’
She had read the path to victory and coolly played her hand from the very beginning.
* * *
Fernandez felt as if he was the only one drinking and accepted another glass. The banquet, which had started in broad daylight, continued until sunset and had now turned into a drinking session.
Since no one could refuse the Emperor’s toast, more and more ministers were being carried away, drunk. Fernandez took a sip of wine and watched Rene, who was laughing and chatting.
“Is it alright to drink this much from midday?”
“Haha, Lord Sernerd. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve enjoyed a vacation?”
“You must have been overwhelmed with work.”
“Of course. Ever since someone told me I had to become the Emperor, I’ve been working non-stop, year-round.”
Rene laughed as she spoke, almost singing. That night in Ribue, long ago. During a secret conversation with Robert, then the Crown Prince, Fernandez had suggested that the next throne should be given to Rene. It felt like a distant memory now, but as she looked at the evening sky during the banquet, it came back as vividly as if it were yesterday.
Back then, she thought it was a malicious joke. Even though the throne wasn’t strictly hereditary, discussing the next throne in front of a perfectly capable Crown Prince was almost a diplomatic insult.
But before she knew it, Fernandez’s words had become reality. As if by magic. She reminisced and muttered absentmindedly.
“If you went that far, shouldn’t you take responsibility…?”
“……What do you mean?”
“Well, if someone who was supposed to live as a normal noblewoman, marry a suitable partner, manage her territory, and raise heirs was instead overworked like this, wouldn’t it be fair to expect some compensation?”
Rene’s eyes began to sparkle. She poured wine into Fernandez’s glass and quickly continued.
“Come to think of it, it’s unfair, isn’t it? Like my happiness was stolen? You know? Lately, I’ve been really unhappy. No vacations, no friends, no family, no fulfillment. The treasury is empty, the economy is in shambles, and I can’t even raise taxes because it’s not due to my extravagance or indulgence. It’s utterly miserable.”
The Emperor, who was living through the poorest period in the Empire’s history, began to grumble. Throughout the Empire’s long history, there had been times of poverty.
But never had the Imperial Palace itself been poor. Almost all the imperial families had always been wealthy. Essentially, inheriting the throne meant being the grand lord of a vast territory and an Elector, and the Emperor, who could simultaneously embezzle from both the Empire’s treasury and the family’s domain, was a position that couldn’t possibly be poor.
However, the Carvelier family had been impoverished fallen nobles even during their time as dukes, and Ribue was a land half in ruins after the 50-year war. In the midst of this, military expenses were drained to maintain the civil war and defense lines, and now the treasury was being emptied again to restore the devastated land.
Of course, the Imperial Palace’s poverty was due to Rene’s diligence, but conversely, Rene realized that her diligence was what made her poor, and she felt extremely wronged.
‘If only I had accumulated wealth, indulged in some luxury, and then passed the throne to return to Ribue, it would have been easier.’
Fernandez looked at her and chuckled. In her past life, and now in this era, Rene was the best Emperor the Empire could have.
“Are you laughing at me now?”
“Do you regret it?”
“Regret? Hmm… Well… What do you think? Should I regret it?”
“You should be proud.”
“Right? Hehe.”
Rene clinked her glass with Fernandez’s and laughed. She took a sip of wine and poured more into Fernandez’s glass.
“In your eyes, was I a daughter my father could be proud of?”
“Absolutely.”
“And to the people of this country?”
“Of course.”
“……And to you?”
“Yes.”
At his words, Rene hesitated and fidgeted with her glass. Perhaps because she was drunk, her cheeks were flushed red. She slowly pulled her chair closer to Fernandez.
“I think I’m a little…”
“Wait, Your Majesty. I’m worried about my lord. Your Excellency, oh dear. You should think of Ana. If you drink this much, you’ll ruin your health.”
Kirhas appeared, blocking the space between Fernandez and Rene. She snatched the glass from Fernandez’s hand and quickly continued.
“You…”
“Ah, Your Majesty. Have you heard? Ana is my daughter’s name. I was wondering if the position of Elector Regent is hereditary. Since I named her ‘Sernerd’ after her father, it’s a bit ambiguous.”
“Minister of Justice!!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!!”
Rene’s expression turned terrifying. The impression of a young noblewoman lost in memories just moments ago had instantly transformed into that of an iron-blooded Empress. At her shout, a noble who had been dozing off drunk in the corner of the banquet hall sprang to his feet.
“Is the regency hereditary?!”
“No, Your Majesty!!”
“So it is, Chieftain. The regency is for one noble only. What a pity. If there’s nothing else you’re curious about, step back. If there is, discuss it with the Minister of Justice.”
Rene glared at Kirhas as if she wanted to kill her, then sharply turned her head. Even the half-drunk nobles were frozen in shock at Rene’s shout. She scanned the banquet hall and let out a long sigh.
“The mood is ruined. I apologize to you all. Those who wish to enjoy themselves, please do so and have a comfortable day. I plan to retire to my chambers with the state documents—”
-KWAAAAANG!!
Just as she was about to continue naturally, a deafening cannon roar echoed from the distant coast. The knights guarding the outside of the banquet hall rushed out with spears, and the nobles covered their heads and crouched down.
The banquet hall was instantly thrown into chaos. Protect His Majesty! What’s happening! Report! The nobles, now completely sober, began running around in panic.
Soon, the door burst open, and a guard from Gurr rushed in and prostrated himself.
“Your Majesty, I apologize! The Elven Fleet has appeared at the harbor and is firing blank shots!!”
“……Blank shots…?”
“Yes, Your Majesty! Please don’t worry. They’re just making noise, firing blanks. They always do this when entering inland ports!”
Fernandez held his forehead and sighed. Ah, Leia. Please. Even Rene, who had been informed of her arrival in advance, was stunned by the report.
Sure enough, the cannon fire soon subsided. Nobles were condemning the barbaric and rude behavior, while ministers were relieved and patted their chests. Rene’s hands trembled as she quietly spoke.
“Count Tremule.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“If we were to wage war against them, would we stand a chance?”
“No, Your Majesty. None. No one but the Elves themselves can guarantee victory against the Elven Fleet at sea.”
Especially now that the Elven Triarchy is unified. Everiz answered with a smile. Rene looked at her face and bowed her head deeply.
“I don’t want to be Emperor anymore. Really.”
![[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/TS-Obsessed-Gamer-The-Ultimate-Return2.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] Obsessed Gamer: The Ultimate Return")
