Storm in the Parliament

"Dear esteemed members of the Parliament!" Alexander, standing at the podium, addressed the assembly.

"Last year, as you all well remember, a war nearly erupted right here in Roman due to the treacherous rebellion of the wicked Valorang."

This emergency session of the Parliament had been called at Alexander's urgent request. Since there were no other major items on the docket, almost every single member had made sure to attend.

They had gathered to verify whether the shocking rumors Pompeius had previously leaked to them were actually true.

"Cut the chatter and get to the point! The point!"

"Did the Grand Duke and the Emperor's Faction truly strike such a secret pact? Tell us at once!"

"You filthy traitors!"

The moment Alexander opened his mouth, the disgruntled MPs began shouting over him.

Sensing that the session was rapidly spiraling out of control, Speaker Charles slammed his gavel.

"Order! Order in the chamber! Any further disruption, and I will exercise my authority to restore order by force!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Mr. Speaker! Can you believe what is happening right now?"

"The Grand Duke has usurped authority, and the Emperor's Faction is about to receive vast territories in exchange for turning a blind eye!"

"Representative Alexander, speak! Is this really the truth?!"

"Silence! While I, too, am deeply curious about these allegations, this Parliament operates under strict rules of order. If this clamor continues, I will have no choice but to enforce order!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As Speaker Charles's icy warning finally quieted the chamber, Alexander resumed his speech.

"Ahem... Respected Speaker and esteemed colleagues! As you all know, we, the Emperor's Faction, once marched on Roman to ascertain the true intentions of the treacherous Anti-Emperor Faction!"

He paused briefly for effect before continuing.

"We marched here to resolve the chaos of Valorang's rebellion and to preempt any subversive attempts by Valorang's son to usurp the Empire. When those righteous souls loyal to the Empire arrived, His Grace, Grand Duke Deviang Francesco—the Imperial Consort—sought to avert war and recognize our loyalty. To that end, he promised us Epirus and Egypt, as well as a betrothal between Her Imperial Highness ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Princess Joy and Lord Philippos, the son of His Majesty King Yoanes."

"Boo! You dare speak of secret backroom deals as if they were honorable?!"

"Down with the greedy Yoanes and the Emperor's Faction!"

Alexander swallowed hard as he witnessed the sheer fury of the Neutral Faction. The raw rage burning in the eyes of the neutral MPs was so intense that he genuinely feared he might be beaten to death the moment he stepped outside the chamber.

Gulp.

"Ahem... Lest our pure intentions be misunderstood before the Empire's political situation stabilized, we kept this agreement confidential for a time. However, now that order has been restored, we have repeatedly requested His Grace to fulfill his promise. Yet, he continues to delay and procrastinate. Thus, we have no choice but to bring this before the Parliament, to demand that the Grand Duke honor his word..."

Mid-speech, something flew through the air and struck Alexander squarely in the forehead.

Thwack!

"Argh!"

The MPs had begun hurling the inkwells from their desks at him. Struck in the head by a heavy, thick glass bottle filled to the brim with dark ink, Alexander collapsed to the floor.

"Why on earth should we ratify such a thing?!"

"Go die!"

"Boo!"

Seeing the chamber descend into utter chaos, Charles hammered his gavel once more.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Order! I said order! Guards! Secure the main chamber immediately!"

At Charles's command, armed guards poured into the grand hall.

"I understand your outrage, gentlemen. However, as Speaker, I cannot tolerate violence disrupting our proceedings. Let the session proceed, and express your anger through your votes!"

Alexander, who had been cowering beneath the podium, crept back up and weakly continued his speech.

"Ahem... Therefore, I ask this Parliament to issue a formal declaration of support, urging His Grace the Grand Duke to honor his sacred vow!"

With a massive, swelling lump throbbing on his forehead, Alexander cut a thoroughly pathetic figure, completely devoid of his usual pompous dignity.

Duke Leopold of Dupoll felt a cold dread wash over him as he stared at the Nicaean forces deployed along his border.

Damn it. Where did they manage to gather so many troops...?

The absolute maximum force Dupoll and its allies could muster was less than twenty thousand. Confronted with intelligence reports that the Nicaean army massed at the border numbered nearly fifty thousand, Leopold was utterly at a loss.

They must be planning to finish us once and for all.

They were clearly playing for keeps this time. He had received reports that Nicaea was preparing so thoroughly that they had even redeployed troops from their borders facing the Babylon Empire.

Faced with such overwhelming numbers, his allies would undoubtedly hesitate to intervene.

In truth, his allies only supported Dupoll out of fear that Nicaea would annex the duchy and expand its influence. However, there was a massive disparity in scale between the Kingdom of Nicaea and a loose coalition of a few minor dukes and counts.

Nor did he expect any great nobles of comparable stature to take his side.

Yoanes maintained an excellent public reputation, and given the sheer national power of the Nicaean Kingdom, most would find it far more advantageous to align with him rather than fight on behalf of a minor duchy like Dupoll.

Leopold despaired at the grim reality. Yet, he could not simply surrender without a fight.

The blood his family had shed to win independence from Nicaea, coupled with his pride as a noble, made it impossible to throw everything away so easily.

"First... I must issue orders to all units."

Defense. Only a stubborn defense offered any hope of survival. Clinging to that thought, he hurriedly began drafting letters to his generals.

Commander William of the Golden Knights was deeply displeased with the orders the Grand Duke had previously sent him.

It was a secret command to assist Dupoll and halt Nicaea's advance should they invade.

Damn bastard.

The Golden Knights answered to the Empress alone. Neither the Imperial Parliament nor the courts ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠held any authority over them.

Yet, Valorang's rebellion had dragged the proud honor of the Golden Knights through the mud.

Valorang had launched a sudden assault and taken the imperial family hostage. To save the Emperor's life, the knights had disarmed and accepted banishment from Roman.

They had trusted the treacherous Valorang's promise that he would spare the Emperor. Believing that even a rebel noble would honor his word to keep the sovereign alive, they had departed Roman.

But Valorang had shamelessly broken his oath, dragging the Emperor out like a dog to be executed.

How William had burned with rage back then! How bitterly he had wept, blaming his own incompetence for the death of his lord!

As the commander of an order revered as a living piece of the Empire's history, William bore the double disgrace of losing Roman so easily to Valorang and failing to prevent his master's death.

When news arrived that Valorang had been slain by his own flesh and blood, William had deemed it poetic justice.

Since Valorang himself knew nothing of loyalty, it was only natural that his son would harbor none for him.

Witnessing that betrayal, William had come to loathe the Lion family from the very depths of his soul.

Yet, William's trials were far from over.

Deviang, the son of his mortal enemy Valorang, had seized power and forced a marriage upon the current Empress.

Worse, he had somehow manipulated the young Empress into issuing orders that forced the Golden Knights to intervene in the civil war against the Anti-Emperor Faction.

To be frank, William had resented those orders. But because she was his sovereign and the legitimate heir of the master he had failed to protect, he had obeyed.

Even so, being ordered around as if they were the Grand Duke's personal private army filled William with simmering resentment.

And now, the Grand Duke was commanding them to block the Nicaean forces. William had absolutely no intention of complying.

After all, no such order had come from the Empress herself.

He might reconsider if an official imperial decree arrived, but so far, the Empress had sent nothing.

Unless it was a direct command from the sovereign, he would not move a finger.

Deviang was a man far more insidious and cunning than his father.

Did I not already lose one Emperor by trusting those beastly Lions? Do not think for a moment that I will meekly dance to your tune.

After all, the law was on his side.

As he brooded over these thoughts—

"Commander, a messenger has arrived from Roman."

"From Roman?"

Is it one of the Grand Duke's men? Knowing there was no one else who would seek him out at this hour, William stepped forward.

"Bring them in."

The moment he spoke, a woman entered the tent. Looking at her, she appeared to be in her early twenties, and William felt a wave of confusion.

There is no reason for a woman like her to be in a military camp...

As William watched her warily, the woman dropped to one knee.

"Greetings, Commander. I am Livia, a maid in the personal service of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Theodora."

The Empress's maid?

William stared thoughtfully at the woman. She had short brown hair, and her hands were wrapped in blood-stained bandages. What business could a maid of the palace possibly have out here?

"By Her Majesty's secret decree, I have been commanded to deliver this letter to you, Sir William."

William stiffened in surprise.

The Empress has sent me a secret letter?

"Hand it over."

The maid pulled a plain white envelope from her robes and offered it to him. His brow furrowed at the lack of any official wax seal, but he tore it open and began to read.

"This is..."

It was a brief letter, but its contents carried immense weight.

A chill ran down William's spine. The Empress was commanding them to strike Roman, explicitly stating she would bear the consequences even if her own safety was put at risk by their rebellion.

Though it lacked the imperial seal, the letter burned with a raw, desperate passion.

"Is this... truly a letter from Her Imperial Majesty?"

The woman, Livia, nodded solemnly.

"Yes. I witnessed Empress Theodora write it with her own hand."

"Then why... does it bear no imperial seal?"

The imperial seal was impossible to forge. Had it been stamped upon the parchment, he would have accepted the order without a single shred of doubt.

"That is because... the wicked Grand Duke has seized Her Majesty's seal. S-Sir William! Please, do not abandon the Empress. She waits for you in agony, praying for your aid."

"Wait here for a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠moment."

With those words, William resolved to compare the handwriting with the official correspondence he had previously received from the Empress.