The late emperor… No, the previous emperor was in a clean state except for the sword-pierced chest and the blood flowing from it.
Just once. His life was severed by the blade embedded in his chest.
Arthur silently removed the crown from the head of the former emperor and looked down with eyes filled with complex emotions.
Then he slowly placed it on his own head, and the immortal crown began to gradually brighten.
As if the immortal crown had recognized Arthur, it is now exerting its power.
There will be none who can deny Arthur’s legitimacy now.
Even if it were the knights guarding the emperor.
Thus… I sink part of the fortress wall into the ground.
I select suitable locations for gates in all four directions of the fortress wall and tidy them up.
Well, shall we go meet Arthur who has achieved what he desired?
—
In the lineage of the Romania Empire, the name Lucius Altirius appears three times.
First is the Knight King, Lucius Altirius Caesar.
The founder of the Romania Kingdom and the first knight acknowledged by the gods as a hero.
Second is the last king of Romania and the first emperor, Lucius Altirius II.
Grandson of the Knight King and the emperor who dedicated himself to stabilizing Romania. Due to sacrificing himself for the nation at a young age, he died prematurely.
And third, the tragic crown prince whose throne was taken by his uncle, but after long years of sharpening his sword, eventually killed his uncle and reclaimed the throne – Emperor Lucius Altirius III.
Each of these three emperors has various stories, but because they share the same name, many enthusiasts have woven their tales together into one narrative.
The most widely known of these is the “Romania History of Kings.”
—
News of the former emperor’s death spread quickly.
The events that occurred in the emperor’s audience chamber were rapidly disseminated by the servants working in the castle, reaching even the royal knights returning urgently to Sirius.
“This can’t be…”
The captain of the royal knights rushed without a moment’s rest into the audience chamber, only to behold an utterly desolate scene.
All personal guards lay hacked in two, and the luxurious chamber was awash with blood.
There stood the emperor with a sword piercing his chest, and a blood-soaked youth sitting on the throne wearing the immortal crown.
“You scum!”
Who dares assassinate the emperor of Romania?
Who dares steal the immortal crown and wear it?
Who dares sit upon the emperor’s throne?
Who, WHO!
“YOU!!!”
The captain drew his sword from his waist in a rage.
“The crime of assassinating His Imperial Majesty! You’ll never die easily!”
“His Imperial Majesty…”
Arthur spoke softly to the captain.
“To call someone who oppressed children and sought to kill them, who stole the throne, and who lacks the qualifications of an emperor – ’emperor’ – is disappointing.”
“What?!”
“Most disappointing.”
At that moment, a rumor flashed through the captain’s mind.
“The son of the former emperor, exiled by the current emperor, has returned.”
“You… No, you are…”
“I’ve come to reclaim what was taken from me long ago.”
Arthur rose from the throne, pulling the sword from the former emperor’s chest as he spoke.
“My name is Lucius Altirius III, the rightful emperor of Romania, and a seeker of vengeance for what was stolen.”
With a light swing of the sword, the former emperor’s head was cleanly severed.
“The false emperor who stole what was mine is dead. Now the imperial throne of this empire returns to me.
May Shamash, the god of light, justice, and law, judge the righteousness of my intentions and actions.
If I am not the rightful successor, may the gods punish me accordingly.”
Thud.
The severed head rolled helplessly off the dais beneath the throne, its expression etched with doubt, disbelief, and confusion.
“How… How could this happen…”
The captain couldn’t continue.
The emperor’s death, Arthur’s appearance – everything was incomprehensible.
Looking at the stunned captain, Arthur spoke softly.
“Leader of the royal knights. What do you plan to do now? Will you continue your loyalty to the deceased false emperor?”
The captain looked down at the former emperor’s head rolling across the floor.
Though greedy, he was still an emperor.
A descendant of great kings, still an emperor.
Now his head, deprived of the immortal crown, lay discarded helplessly.
“I… No, I…”
The former emperor couldn’t be called a good person. Greedy, favoring his close associates over the royal knights.
There were suspicions about how the emperor’s seat became vacant when the crown prince and his younger sister disappeared one day.
But those suspicions couldn’t be openly expressed.
Because the oath of loyalty was sworn to the emperor seated on the throne.
Even if the faint light of the immortal crown on his head dimmed like fireflies, he was still the emperor.
The captain could do nothing but bow his head.
“I…”
The captain looked up at the young man standing before the throne.
The young man whose childhood features remained faintly visible, whose immortal crown shone brightly like the sun.
He was the legitimate and righteous emperor.
“I merely pledge loyalty to His Imperial Majesty.”
Thus, the captain of the royal knights could only bow his head again.
“However… Though a false emperor, he once ruled this empire. Please grant me the opportunity to properly collect his remains.”
To which Arthur thought for a moment before replying.
“His head must be displayed in the square of Sirius, his sins proclaimed so he may pay for them.”
“If possible, please allow us to collect his body minus the head for proper burial.”
At this, Arthur nodded slightly.
“Granted. And…”
Arthur said coldly.
“Bring me the son of the false emperor.”
—
“Arthur.”
I approached Arthur, who emitted a faint killing intent alone in the audience chamber.
“…”
“Arthur.”
I called Arthur’s name again.
“Master…”
“What do you plan to do with his son?”
“I intend to repay him exactly what was done to me and Vivi.”
“Repay?”
“Yes. The same suffering Vivi endured swallowing poison, the same fleeing I had to endure.”
I nodded slightly. I understood Arthur’s feelings completely.
But…
“Children cannot choose their parents, Arthur.”
“One shouldn’t transfer the sins of the father onto the child, Arthur.”
“But…”
“Arthur.”
I calmly spoke while patting Arthur’s back.
“For now, let’s focus on organizing the situation within the castle and wait for Vivi. We can deal with the aftermath slowly.”
“Master… You can say that because it’s not your matter…”
“Arthur.”
“For the past eight years, do you know how I’ve lived? Every time Vivi suffered, I wanted to suffer in her place. Many times while desperately fleeing, I thought that if I had died, Vivi might have been happier.”
The sticky resentment, the deep hatred that had built up in Arthur’s heart over years, poured out of his mouth.
“Why?! Why did that man covet the emperor’s position?! Was being the emperor’s brother and uncle not enough?! He used to be quite a decent person when we were young! Why on earth!!”
“Desire is an innate instinct of life.”
I slowly patted Arthur’s back while speaking.
“The desire to survive. The desire to fill one’s stomach. The desire to possess what one doesn’t have. The desire to bear children and continue one’s lineage. All these desires are life’s instincts to sustain existence.”
“…”
As long as one is alive, it’s impossible to completely go against those desires.
“He was merely swept away by such desires.”
“…”
Whether this would console Arthur or not, I wasn’t sure.
“Arthur. Send someone to bring Vivi and your companions here. And have Sirius prepared.”
“Master…”
“Arthur. You’ve done well. You’ve reclaimed what was yours, and there will be no one left to threaten you. So… Try to relax a bit.”
“But…”
“Arthur.”
I gently pushed Arthur to sit on the throne.
“So enjoy this victory for now.”
Honestly speaking, it was a victory crafted from rumors, strategies, and deception, not a proper battle.
Still, a victory is a victory.
“Master…”
“Yes, Arthur.”
“Could you… Hold my hand for a moment?”
The voice of Arthur, drained of strength like a limp noodle. Even after achieving the long-desired revenge, his voice was weary from the lingering resentment in his heart.
I carefully took Arthur’s hand.
“For now, just rest. Arthur.”
I’ll send Vivi a message to come here.
It seemed Arthur didn’t have the leisure to give orders right now.
“Have pleasant dreams. Arthur.”
Please, may peace return to the child whose heart had rotted away with vengeance, hatred, and resentment.
