Judgment of the Princes
Unlike my previous visit to the Capital when I applied for an audience, one thing had changed: I had bought a mansion there, complete with a butler and servants to manage and live in it. It was certainly more comfortable than staying at a high-end inn. I could have submitted my audience request in advance and come only when approval came through, but arriving early on purpose and waiting around created a publicity effect of sorts. While awaiting permission, I treated the sick in the Capital and chatted with a few visiting nobles—a subtle show of influence. That said, none of the big shots I'd hoped for showed up.
A few days later, approval came, and I entered the palace to face the emperor.
"It's been a while, Your Majesty."
"So it has."
The emperor didn't look well. His health had been declining lately, and in fact, that was part of why I'd come.
"You're not in good health."
"Everyone gets like this with age."
No. The emperor wasn't young anymore, but this sudden decline had another cause.
"May I request a private audience?"
The emperor thought for a long moment, then gestured, dismissing everyone except one guard knight.
"Very well. What pressing matter brings you here?"
"It concerns Your Majesty's health."
"Have I been poisoned?"
Did he know? If so, why hadn't he dealt with it?
"Yes. You knew?"
"Who told you? The Guardian, I presume?"
"Yes, that's right."
The emperor bit his lower lip hard. He was a capable ruler, but one who had refused the Guardian's aid. It wasn't wrong, per se—he seemed to want to succeed on his own without relying on anyone. And in these peaceful times, he had managed it.
"Is that one still watching over the Ether Empire?"
The emperor muttered like he was sighing.
"First, let me treat the poison."
It was removed easily enough. It hadn't been a strong toxin to begin with—just a chronic one meant to build up slowly. He hadn't even ingested much yet.
"My thanks. Is this the power of a saint?"
"Something like that."
"So, what did that one say to you?"
I hadn't come with any specific instructions. If the current emperor died suddenly, the empire would fall into chaos, and I wanted to prevent that.
"Aren't you curious who administered the poison?"
"Hah, what good would knowing do? It was probably one of my worthless sons anyway."
Anyone could have guessed as much. But this time, the emperor was off the mark.
"It wasn't just one."
"What?"
His eyes widened round.
"The crown prince did order the poisoning, that's certain. But how do you think that was possible? The Imperial Intelligence Bureau isn't some pushover organization."
The emperor shifted his gaze out the window to the sky.
"The second prince was involved?"
"Yes. The crown prince might not even know, but the second prince handled the cleanup."
"I see. Was it a mistake to put the second prince in charge of the Intelligence Bureau?"
The crown prince had talent for military matters but little else. Being generous, he might make a decent officer—not emperor material. So the emperor had assigned the second prince to assist, handling intelligence operations. The second had no standout skills except befriending underlings—a talent he'd shown since childhood, keeping close ties with nearly every palace servant.
"And there's one more thing."
"Don't tell me the third as well?"
"You know the third prince has been mingling with the noble faction, right?"
"That was by design."
Of course it started that way. The third prince had pretended to be sidelined in the power struggle, infiltrating the noble faction opposing the imperial family as a sort of spy.
"It started that way, yes. But everyone has ambitions."
The nobles weren't incompetent fools. They'd seen through the third prince's shallow acting long ago—and genuinely won him over.
"I see. So the youngest had that in him."
The emperor now seemed beyond resignation, almost detached.
"The poison came from the third prince—or rather, the noble faction nobles. And he passed it to the crown prince."
In other words, all three princes were involved, knowingly or not, in this regicide attempt.
"If the crown prince's plan had succeeded..."
The outcome was obvious: civil war. The crown prince with legitimacy and military command, the second with intelligence and connections, the third backed by noble power—they'd have torn the Ether Empire apart. That's why I'd come to stop it. I could just kill off the princes without a second thought, but I wouldn't tolerate the destruction of the empire Ether and I had built.
"I see. So what do you want to do?"
"To be precise, it's the Guardian's will, not mine. I'll stay neutral, as always."
For now, I hid behind the Guardian. If House Akasha officially intervened, things could get messy—or simplistically easy. Whichever prince I backed would become emperor, turning me into either the shadow power behind the throne or the new emperor's first target.
"Very well. And what does the Guardian wish to do?"
"To properly preserve the Ether Empire."
"A tall order."
The emperor sighed again. Easy as emperor, hard as a father. Still, he had time left. As long as he avoided more poison, he could last at least another decade in good health.
"Shall I ask the Guardian on your behalf?"
The emperor hesitated. He'd run the empire without the Guardian's help so far, and succeeded. But that worked with a capable emperor; whichever prince took the throne might desperately need that aid.
"Would you?"
In the end, he yielded to his own wishes. I withdrew from the palace, then returned a few days later.
"The Guardian will select the prince most suited to the empire's revival."
In the interim, I'd observed the princes closely. I didn't want to play power broker, but it seemed unavoidable. I'd known they weren't exceptional, but their personalities and talents were worse than imagined. At this rate, picking the most obedient one and directing him might be best. The princes were incompetent, but their aides—many descendants of the Guardian's children I'd once scouted and entrusted to Ether—were solid talents scattered among them. Occasional key advice shouldn't be too burdensome.
The emperor nodded silently. Even if he refused, there was no stopping the Guardian anyway.
"Still, it's a relief. I half-expected the Guardian to take an easier route."
Did he see through me? Killing all but one would be quickest.
"Even so, if possible, convey that I wish for help like in the late Emperor Ether's days."
A tough request. He wanted legitimacy granted to whichever prince ascended—without anyone dying. Doable, but it'd mean more work for me.
"Understood. I'll pass that along."
I withdrew without refusing. I'd try, and if it failed, so be it. Maybe one prince would wise up suddenly. I decided to contact the crown prince first.
None of the imperial direct line were ignorant of the Guardian, so approaching wouldn't be hard.
Or so I'd thought. I sent an avatar that night, lightly tapping the crown prince's head as he headed to bed.
"Who's there!"
He snatched a nearby sword and yelled, drawing his guards in a rush.
I moved a prepared pen across paper:
-It's the Guardian.
But then the unbelievable happened. He swung his sword, slicing the pen, and shouted,
"What the hell does some petty ghost want?!"
Is he insane? Has he never read Ether Empire history? I seriously considered just killing him then. Instead, I restrained myself, blasting a mana bolt into his head to make him foam and pass out.
Then I added a note:
-You're out.
The crown prince was eliminated. He would never take the throne.
The next day, I visited the second prince. He was in his Intelligence Bureau office, reviewing reports. Compared to the crown prince, he at least worked diligently—though not competently. His subordinates redid everything he touched. The worst kind of boss in a way, but his knack for loyalty kept complaints low.
I wrote in front of him with the pen:
-It's the Guardian.
He blinked a few times, then looked around frantically. Avatars aren't visible that way. I wrote again:
-Second Prince, why did you allow the emperor's assassination?
His face drained white. He snatched the paper like a hawk grabbing prey, stuffed it in his robes, and bolted out.
He'd run away.
"Ha!"
Back at my Capital mansion, watching via avatar, I was so dumbfounded I couldn't speak for a while. I'd thought they were all hopeless, but not this bad.
The next day, I went to the third prince last. He spent more time in the noble faction's salons than the palace. They had everything he craved: booze, women, sycophants. Naturally more comfortable than court.
I had low expectations. From observation, his personality was the worst—riddled with inferiority and victimhood despite his brothers' mediocrity.
I entered the salon at morning and made contact right away; otherwise, he'd be drunk all day. Sure enough, he downed a stiff drink the moment he arrived.
-It's the Guardian.
Paper and pen appeared, writing before him, but he eyed it indifferently. He poured another drink, downed it, and rubbed his eyes like nothing happened.
"Am I already drunk?"
Something sour rose in me, but I gave him another chance.
-You're not drunk. I am the Guardian.
"So what brings the Guardian to a wretch like me?"
Finally, a prince who could hold a conversation, state be damned.
-Why did you pass the poison to the crown prince?
He snorted.
"To eat and die, obviously? If Father or big bro kicks it, I might get the throne. Hahaha!"
Patricidal, sure, but par for throne games. Kings and emperors needed ambition to claim the seat anyway.
-If you became emperor, what would you do first?
He filled his glass, gulped it down, and smirked crookedly.
"Kill them all. Everyone who used me, looked down on me—not a single one lives."
True or not, he was wrong too. I incinerated the paper on the spot. He chuckled at the flames, poured another, and raised it to empty air.
"To the late Guardian!"
This bastard just crossed the line.
The next day, I saw the emperor again. Citing health checks since the last audience, approval came swiftly. I reapplied healing each time, just in case.
"Your Majesty, forgive my impertinence, but... have you ever had an affair?"