Chapter 38

*Splash*

A woman, holding a piece of fabric so fine it could be turned into clothes on the spot, washed the pure white cloth in water with an expressionless face. The water was so clear that not a speck of dust could be seen, but this was no ordinary water.

It was holy water received from the Grand Church of the Three God Faith in Grantera. Dipping the cloth in this holy water wasn’t for someone suffering from illness or cursed by dark magic.

The woman was carefully cleaning a memorial tablet for someone already deceased. If even the slightest mistake were made here, countless people would seize the opportunity to tear her apart.

*Sigh.*

Knight Karneil swallowed a sigh. Letting it out? Absolutely not. If word got out that she sighed while cleaning the tablets, a political disaster beyond anyone’s control could strike.

This was the imperial mausoleum, and what she was cleaning were the memorial tablets of past emperors. For a mere knight to sigh? As if the countless achievements and merits of the past emperors were so pitiful in her eyes? If such an attack were directed at her, who had no connections or backing, she would lose her hard-earned position and plummet to the bottom.

“I became a knight to shine on the battlefield, not to do this kind of work.”

It was an honorable task, sure. But being a mausoleum guard knight came with nothing but that—honor and glory. Honor that no one really acknowledged. That was all. The pay wasn’t great either.

A path to success? Forget about it. Far from it, this job required constant worry about losing one’s head. It was a position far removed from those guaranteed a rise in rank.

No matter how hard she worked, it was meaningless. The past emperors wouldn’t appear in the current emperor’s dreams to say, “That knight is truly diligent,” no matter how devoted she was.

What kind of achievements could one even make here? At best, she could prevent problems from arising. If enemies were to attack the imperial mausoleum in the heart of the capital, it would mean the empire was already doomed. In that case, she’d have to run for her life, not worrying about achievements.

The empire was leaning in various places, but it wasn’t time for its fall yet. The likelihood of such a major event happening anytime soon was low. Her main enemies weren’t the demon race or armies from other nations at the borders, but terrorists and madmen.

When she caught an arsonist trying to set fire to the mausoleum, her spine chilled. If she had been even a little late, her life would have gone up in flames along with it.

This was that kind of place. One misstep, and it’s over. It’s the last promotion ground for those whose paths to success are blocked. That’s why all the previous knights assigned here resigned and left the capital. It’s a position with no real authority, no matter how much one wants to achieve something.

“If only Princess Ardein hadn’t been struck by divine punishment…”

The only one to blame was herself for choosing the wrong side. She missed her one chance and fell off the path to success.

There was a second chance, but she kicked it away and didn’t regret it.

Just yesterday, those who once served the same master changed their faces and urged her to betray. Karneil was a coward who fled when her master was in danger, but she wasn’t cold-hearted enough to stab her master in the back. She refused, showing her knightly pride, and they didn’t force her.

Well, it’s an old story. Some who switched sides rose in rank, while others didn’t. Betrayers aren’t always welcomed, after all.

Even among those who betrayed, Karneil, who didn’t, had no chance of rising. Her next assignment was the imperial mausoleum, and there would be no next assignment after that.

It was already a job where complaining was difficult, but lately, she had to be even more cautious. A top-secret the empire tried hard to conceal had leaked. How and where this secret leaked was under investigation by the imperial intelligence bureau, but finding the source wouldn’t be easy.

One thing was certain: an order had come from deep within the imperial palace to prepare a new memorial tablet.

When Karneil saw the name engraved on that tablet, she couldn’t speak another word. If even a single careless word escaped her lips, the consequences would be beyond her ability to bear.

The current emperor, though not yet passed, would soon be.

“Your Majesty, you must recover your health…”

Inside the palace, in the most secretive and hidden room. A white-haired old man groaned, and a beautiful woman burst into tears. Archbishop Armata, who served the Goddess of Healing, Hilrae, shook his head.

“His Majesty can no longer even handle divine power. He has already received the Goddess’s call. It’s too late for us mortals to intervene.”

This old man was Ardein’s father and the emperor of the Illumina Empire, but time had turned even him into a suffering old man. Managing state affairs was truly a blood-vomitingly difficult task. No matter how much work was done, there was no end in sight, and the tasks only kept piling up.

State affairs, if properly managed, have no end or limit. That alone is exhausting, but the ministers below have begun colluding with the church to gnaw at imperial authority. The regional generals have already become open warlords. The border lords are no longer as loyal as before.

Over the past half-century, the empire has gone through tough times, and the emperor hasn’t had a moment of peace. Now in his early sixties, he looked like an eighty-year-old man.

The emperor didn’t have a young wife either. The empress and emperor were of similar age. Yet, this beautiful woman still retained her youthful appearance, while the emperor had none of that left. He was just a tired and lonely old man, a withered tree that could fall at any moment.

The day had come for him to fall, as it was destined.

“Your Majesty, you must rise… truly, you must rise…”

The chancellor, Duke Albert Brandon, stood by and wept. Tears streamed down his old eyes. If this man falls, the empire will truly lose its center.

Crown Prince Arsein and First Princess Ardein competed for the imperial succession, but both failed. Among the remaining princes and princesses, none had achieved anything noteworthy, and there was no one worthy of inheriting the throne. Only a few remained, those who could scheme in their rooms.

Advisors or strategists, fine. But not even a single general could be like that. So, how much more so the emperor? Would the world accept such an emperor?

The newly appointed Crown Prince, Third Prince Edmund von Illumina, lacked the stature to convince all his brothers. If he ascends the throne, countless rebellions will spread, and imperial authority will plummet further. The empire’s fragmentation has already begun.

“That unfilial daughter, what was so good about her? When you heard that child had left home, you became like this. Always causing trouble, and now…”

“Calm down, Your Majesty. His Majesty has already reached his limit.”

Ardein’s former nanny, Grandma Sophie, patted the empress’s hunched back to soothe her. Upon hearing that his beloved daughter had left the palace and disappeared, the emperor coughed up blood and collapsed, never to rise again.

In any case, he had already reached his limit in many ways. His beloved daughter’s running away was just the final blow. A fatal one.

“She was struck by divine punishment.”

Archbishop Armata, who had been about to leave, stopped and adjusted his glasses, muttering.

“His Majesty cherished such a princess, and the Goddess, angered, sent down trials.”

This wasn’t an attempt to bite at the imperial family. He truly believed this. Among the high ranks of the Three God Faith, it’s hard to find someone without faith. If one outwardly professes faith but inwardly disbelieves, would the Goddess not know?

Divine power would be taken away, and divine punishment would be meted out. In fact, there’s no need for that; just conveying the intention to the pope would suffice. No evidence or testimony is needed. The Goddess’s word is evidence, and above all, it’s the most certain judgment.

In the church country and the church, the unfaithful do not rise high. To have risen to the position of archbishop here, regardless of political skill, means one’s faith is acknowledged as devout. These are people who would give their lives for the Goddess’s will.

“Archbishop, such insolent words.”

“But, Duke, this is the truth. The princess was struck by divine punishment, and His Majesty, by shielding her, incurred the Goddess’s wrath.”

Even if the duke drew his sword and pressed it to his neck, the archbishop would answer the same. Even if his head were cut off, the words from his severed head wouldn’t change. This is why the church country is fearsome and why no one dares to ignore the temple’s power.

They fear no secular authority, following only the Goddess’s will. Though it seems the local nobles have joined hands with the temple, it’s only a temporary alignment of interests.

If they were to act against the Goddess’s will, the temple could always interfere. The temple is a place where the Goddess’s will, not human will, is paramount.

“What’s the point of saying such things now?”

The emperor’s loyalists were furious, but the empress stopped them.

“Archbishop, we are only grateful that you’ve done your best for His Majesty.”

“As a servant of the Goddess, I’ve only done my duty.”

The archbishop bowed and left. Priests of the Three God Faith kneel only for the Goddess, so they merely bow in respect before the emperor.

“Ardein, Ardein, you unfilial wretch!”

After the archbishop and priests left, the empress finally let out a sigh and lamented.

“Where are you now? Are you even alive? You heartless thing. Did you leave because you didn’t want your parents to see their child die first? Do you know how much that hurts your parents? Thanks to you, your father is…”

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty, please calm down.”

Several people rushed to stop the empress from uttering that ominous prophecy. But doing so wouldn’t improve the emperor’s health. It was old age, pent-up frustration, the onset of chronic poisoning from his youth, and an incurable wound of the heart. It was also the fatigue called life.

“Empress, why are you crying so?”

Even if he could rise once despite the hardship, how many good things had happened during his reign? How many bad things had there been?

The gap between the two overwhelmed the emperor. No matter how hard he tried, nothing improved, leaving him in despair. Yet, the emperor always maintained a kind smile. Even now, having just regained consciousness, he did so.

“Your Majesty! Quick, someone! His Majesty has awakened! Bring some porridge! And the elixir! Hurry!”

“Enough, enough. I know my body best. It’s all my lack of virtue. Would such precious things have any effect on me? How many more days would this old body last? Give them to those who need them more. If I take them, they’ll just come out as urine.”

When death approaches, people instinctively know. They know death has crept right beside them.

That’s fine. That’s fine.

Living is such a hard thing! If this is how it’s going to be, wouldn’t it have been better to live a life of luxury with the concubines, spending gold like water, no matter what happened to the empire?

Even if the nation lacked funds, it was only because the money needed for state affairs was astronomically high. For one person, the emperor, to live in wealth and glory, there was more than enough. Tax revenue is always seemingly insufficient, but for an individual, it’s an inexhaustible fountain. The emperor could have lived in luxury and decadence.

But he didn’t.

That’s why this empire still stands, and countless ministers remain loyal to the imperial family. There are still many among the empire’s subjects who love the imperial family and are patriots.

Their focal point is His Majesty the Emperor. Only the crown prince was qualified to inherit that position, but he left too soon before he could fulfill his potential.

If the emperor truly dies, it’s not just the death of one person. His death will mark the beginning of the empire’s end.