Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Rising Flames
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Chapter 55
Chapter 55 The Rising Flames
Lucian felt pleased by the news of Genesis, yet an unnecessary worry stirred in one corner of his heart.
“I’m worried about Iriel.”
The more Genesis rampaged, the more obvious it was that Iriel, who was with him, would face threats as well.
It was a situation he had already anticipated, and he trusted Genesis to protect her well, but he couldn’t help feeling concerned.
He also felt sorry for pushing his younger sister into the vortex of the battlefield.
Reading Lucian’s mood, Lake spoke up.
“She’ll be fine. She’s so bold, after all.”
“That’s true. If anything, she’s too bold for her own good. I wonder if she’s getting along with Genesis.”
“That’s a good point.”
When they had left the merchant group, Iriel had hated Genesis so much she couldn’t stand him.
Genesis had treated her like a kitten he didn’t even bother with.
But Lucian knew her feelings well.
Part of it was disliking Genesis’s personality, but mostly, she hated that he used that name.
“By the way, he might really still be alive.”
The information they received wasn’t just about the White Lion. It also included secret news passed on by Genesis’s group.
“At first, I thought there was no way, but as time goes on, I can’t help but wonder.”
Lucian smiled wryly. It wasn’t confirmed yet, but there were witnesses who had seen the crown prince. The rumors were starting to seem a tiny bit plausible.
“The chances are extremely low, but we should certainly keep the possibility open.”
Lake said.
Of course, that possibility was as slim as finding a needle in a desert.
There was no reason they would have kept the crown prince alive this long.
If there was a reason, why hide it until now?
The answer was unknown.
Circumstantially, it was surely Halent’s scheme. But they couldn’t just sit idly by.
The crown prince’s survival was not something they could ignore, considering the unification of the independence army.
Even if his existence had nothing to do with Francia’s independence itself, it would wield great power regarding the independence army.
“If His Highness is alive, what do you plan to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“The throne.”
Lake said bluntly.
In truth, this was exactly what worried him. He intended to place Lucian on the throne.
Lucian let out a hearty laugh in response.
“That seat belongs to His Highness to begin with. Naturally, if he’s alive, he should take the throne.”
“My king is only you, Lord Lucian.”
“Haha. That’s touching.”
“……This isn’t something to take lightly.”
Lake’s expression hardened further.
For the usually impassive man to show his emotions on his face was proof of how seriously he viewed this matter.
“Are you saying I should usurp it, then?”
At Lucian’s question, Lake silently nodded.
“You’re a scary one.”
Seeing his loyalty, Lucian gave him a gentle smile, as if soothing a child.
“You say that because you haven’t seen him. Once you meet His Highness, you’ll know he has the qualifications to be king as well.”
“No. He’s a man from ten years ago. If he’s alive, he’s been a prisoner of the empire for the past decade. Even if he was like that ten years ago, he isn’t now. Think of everything you’ve accomplished in the last ten years, Lord Lucian. Ten years is no short time. I believe only you are qualified for the throne. And I will make it so.”
“I appreciate that. But it’s too early to judge that. We haven’t even confirmed His Highness is alive, let alone met and spoken with him. It’s good to prepare, but let’s not rush ahead.”
Lucian patted Lake’s shoulder.
Lake looked at him.
The man who always moved with composure.
Whenever he saw Lucian, Lake thought of a vast strait.
Below the horizon that divided the world, endless blue waves stretched out.
In that wide and deep strait, towering mountains and deep valleys were all equally submerged.
That was Lucian.
A man who could embrace everything.
This was the man who truly deserved to be king.
That was why Lake wanted to put Lucian on the throne.
For himself, and for the new Francia.
Lake continued.
“Then, let’s assume His Highness is not alive. That’s the more likely scenario, after all.”
Lucian nodded, and Lake went on.
“This time, it’s Genesis who’s the problem.”
“Indeed. What an interesting situation.”
Two people with the same name.
Coincidentally, both held the most crucial keys to the current situation.
“As I mentioned before, he will one day become a great threat to you, Lord Lucian.”
“A sharp blade is dangerous because of its edge. And he’s getting sharper by the day.”
Lucian nodded readily in agreement.
Not only his martial prowess, but he had now become the symbol of the Leonir Lancers.
His fame would rise higher with each passing day, setting all of Francia ablaze with hope for independence.
And with that, people would follow and revere him all the more.
More than himself, who aimed to be king.
There could not be two suns in the sky.
That was Lake’s concern.
“He says he has no interest in the throne now, but people’s hearts change. Who knows when he might suddenly decide otherwise? That’s why I agonized so much over making him the leader of the Leonir Lancers.”
“And yet you did it.”
“……Yes, I did.”
Even knowing what situations might arise ahead, Lake had done it.
He recalled the moment he spoke with Genesis.
Before explaining the plan to revive the Leonir Lancers, Lake had voiced these very concerns directly to him.
Genesis had scoffed in disbelief.
-Me, king?
-Even if you begged me because it’s a hassle, I wouldn’t do it.
-I get what you mean, but don’t worry about that.
-Like you, I intend to make Lucian king too.
Genesis’s eyes had been as resolute as ever.
He was not one to hide his true feelings, at least.
At that moment, he was undoubtedly telling the truth.
The question was how long it would last.
He shared the same goal now, but unlike Lake, he had only recently met Lucian.
Lake hadn’t hidden his worries, and Genesis had replied thus:
-I know Lucian better than you think.
-Believe me or not, that’s up to you.
-So what will you do? Too scared of getting cut to even hold the sword?
Lake shook his head.
-Whether I believe you or not doesn’t matter.
-But hold me firmly. I’m the strongest under heaven, a blade that can cut anything in the world.
-When Lucian ascends the throne depends on how you wield this sword.
-If you wield it half-heartedly, I’ll cut your throat first.
Those unwavering words made Lake’s heart race for the first time in a while.
Just like when he met Lucian.
It felt like the threads of fate for a great cause were connecting.
Lake clenched his empty hand.
In that grip was the sharpest sword in the world, as Genesis had said.
A sword that could cleave anything blocking the path.
He knew no one else on the continent could wield this sword but Lucian.
And he knew he was the one who could wield it best.
It felt like the wheels of fate were interlocking. He sensed it instinctively.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Lake looked at Lucian and said,
“Honestly, I want to trust him. Completely, without a second thought. That’s why I’m afraid. He’s not just strong in martial arts—he’s insightful too. If he sets his mind to it, he could become king through his own power.”
Lucian nodded in ready agreement.
“He’s quite the guy, isn’t he? Where the hell did he come from all of a sudden? He’s not some divine beast, is he?”
“He’s not a divine beast.”
Lucian shook his head at Lake, who responded seriously even to the light joke.
“You’re something else too. Anyway, I get what you mean. But I want to say this.”
Lucian’s blue eyes stared straight at him.
“Just trust him fully. Even if it leads to death.”
Those piercing eyes, devoid of any doubt, pierced Lake’s worries in an instant.
“He’s looking in the same direction as us now. He’s not someone we can control anyway. In that case, just trust him. That’s the best way.”
The meaning in Lucian’s words was simple.
Use him to the fullest.
Even if his power grew beyond what they could handle, trust him.
Seeing that Lake understood, Lucian dropped the seriousness and smiled.
“And for some reason, I just have a good feeling about him. No particular reason. Hm… if I had to say, it’s instinct. I don’t know why he feels so familiar, but I just trust him. Could it be the name? If that’s the case, I can only hope I’m not fool enough to confuse him just because of a shared name.”
“It’s not that much.”
“Is that so? Good, then.”
“Lord Lucian, the day will soon come when you must prove yourself.”
“Of course I know.”
The higher Genesis’s fame soared, piercing the heavens, the more Lucian had to prove his own worthiness as king.
Who would want a puppet king?
Only if a man worthy of all to acknowledge as king took the throne could Francia become one again.
Imagining what lay ahead, Lucian lifted the corner of his mouth.
“It’s burdensome, but somehow anticipated.”
His eyes blazed blue.
“Honestly, I’m confident.”
* * *
“……A Sword Master.”
The governor-general, Halent Barrein, quietly mulled over the report he had just received. It was a written report from platoon leader Erka.
He had witnessed the battle with the Steppe Jackals himself, so it was credible.
But the contents were astonishingly hard to believe.
Just before capturing the dragon hunter alive, the White Lion appeared and slaughtered all the Steppe Jackals.
That overwhelming power was vividly captured on the narrow page. Erka’s sentences overflowed with praise for that strength.
“If he overwhelmed the Steppe Jackals alone, there’s no doubt.”
Halent knew their abilities better than anyone. No Expert of the highest level could handle them single-handedly.
At least a Sword Master could.
From Erka’s report, he wasn’t even a fresh Sword Master.
He was one who had reached full maturity.
‘Where did such a man come from…? Could it be him? No, that can’t be.’
Halent shook his head slightly.
One blessed by the emperor wouldn’t turn against the empire.
“……They were useful dogs. A bit of a shame to lose them.”
With a bitter smile, he turned to his adjutant, Alsredo.
“The north must be in an uproar.”
“Yes. They’re working to quash the rumors in case it sparks a revolt.”
“I imagine so.”
The White Lion Leonir Lancer was a divine beast to the Francia people—practically Francia itself.
He could guess the hopes the lowly masses would pin on its symbolism without seeing it.
It was probably intentional.
Halent easily recalled the north’s star, the old fox.
A man renowned as an outstanding strategist.
Now they held the national seal and a Sword Master in their hands.
They would move in earnest now.
“I’d like to see just what kind of man is leading them.”
A man who held both a Sword Master and the north’s star.
If the independence army unified, he’d likely stand at the forefront, leading them.
He was curious who it might be.
“Tell the Ministry of Justice to prepare Lordr Heiser’s public execution. I’ll attend as well.”
Alsredo’s pupils shook violently at Halent’s command.
He could easily guess what it implied.
Once Alsredo left to carry out the order, Halent stood and gazed out the large window behind him.
He murmured softly toward those still far away.
“Burning on your own isn’t bad, but I haven’t permitted it yet.”
It was a bit earlier than the time he had planned.
The flames that would engulf Francia had to blaze up at the moment he desired.
For now, he needed to firmly extinguish this heat.