Chapter 314: translated
I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Episode 314
250 years after the imperial palace creation, the symbol of the Goldmile Empire, had become ruins, the garden in front of the palace had transformed into a scene of hell, far from splendor and nobility.
The bodies of Dawn Knights and devils were scattered together, and camellia flowers had shattered and fallen. This was the sight that Hudson saw when he returned to the imperial palace with the criminal Hilos.
Hilos stepped out of the carriage without even wiping off the Emperor's blood.
"The Empire has ended."
"...Please remain in the carriage. Hilos... Prime minister."
"You still address me with honorifics? Sir Hudson?"
Hudson drew his sword and pointed it at Hilos' neck.
"I am neither the Emperor nor a judge. Although you are caught in the act of assassinating His Majesty the Emperor, you have not been dismissed, so I show respect. However, if you no longer follow orders, I will execute you immediately."
"Where is the law in a country that has already fallen?"
Hilos looked once at the Emperor who had died bleeding black blood, then looked again at the Dawn Knights who had perished along with the devils.
"You should be free as well, Lord Hudson. No, you could cut me down. Or it might be amusing for you to become Emperor."
"Stop this insolence!"
"I can see that your loyalty far exceeds your swordsmanship. But stop now and live for yourself."
Hilos pressed his neck close to Hudson's blade.
"What do you want? To cut me down? If you wish to vent your anger for failing to protect your lord, I will accept it."
Blood from Hilos' neck flowed along Hudson's blade.
"Tell me. What is it that you want?"
"I..."
Hudson did not know the answer. After becoming a Dawn Knight, Hudson had sworn to live and die for the empire. He thought that was the right path for a knight, and believed it was his path. But not once had he anticipated that the Empire would fall before he died or was destroyed.
While Hudson hesitated, the brooch on Hilos' chest emitted light. And beside them appeared Caesar and Raven.
Raven glared at Caesar and said:
"I told you we should just find him like this."
"No, I thought he couldn't have gone far, so I wanted to search directly."
"If that was your plan, why did you give him the brooch?"
"I understand. Stop nagging now."
Caesar looked at Hudson who had his sword at Hilos' neck.
"By the way, what is this situation? Lord Hudson?"
Raven tapped Caesar's arm. Caesar shifted his gaze following Raven's fingertip. Inside the carriage that Raven pointed to was the Emperor, dead and cold.
"Hmm..."
An unexpected outcome.
Despite playing the Valent Saga countless times, Caesar had never seen the Emperor die by a fountain pen, nor at the hands of the Prime Minister.
And also never dying so alone and desolate. Who could have killed the Emperor? Caesar knew without using psychometry.
"What is happening here?!"
Prince Trika emerged from the ruins of the imperial palace. Behind Trika were Dawn Knights and Galahad.
"Sir Hudson! What are you doing to my uncle?! Put down your sword at once!"
Hudson knelt on one knee.
"Your Highness the Prince! You are alive?!"
"Yes. I have some memory gaps, but when I awoke, all the vicious devils were dead."
Trika said, looking at Hudson:
"Sir Hudson, more importantly, why are you pointing your sword at my uncle?"
"That is..."
Hudson looked at Hilos.
Looking into Hilos' eyes, his question echoed in Hudson's ears.
-Tell me. What is it that you want?
What did Hudson want?
What was Hudson's value in a fallen empire?
Hudson sheathed his sword.
"I was holding prime minister Hilos responsible for failing to protect His Majesty from a vicious assassin."
"What?"
Trika's gaze turned toward the carriage.
"Ah, Father!"
Trika and the Dawn Knights rushed into the carriage.
"...What are you thinking? Sir Hudson."
"You asked what I want?"
Hudson put his sword back in its scabbard.
"I will raise the Empire I serve to glory again."
Hudson looked at Trika who was holding the Emperor and crying.
"So, Your Excellency Prime Minister, you too shall serve the Eileen Empire until your death."
"...And if I refuse?"
"You cannot refuse."
Hudson's lips trembled.
"Because that is the only way I can forgive you."
When Hilos directly faced the knight's eyes filled with tears, his heart felt as if it had been pierced.
What was this emotion that stabbed at his heart?
The more Hilos savored this emotion, the more he felt as if his internal organs were being pulled down by strong gravity.
Hilos could tell that this emotion was similar to what he had felt when he saw the dying citizens moments ago.
It was guilt.
"Damn it..."
Hilos had thought that by completing his revenge, he had accomplished everything. He thought it wouldn't be a bad ending for his life to end at Hudson's hands.
But cursed guilt and Hudson's tearful forgiveness moved Hilos. Hilos passed by Hudson and approached the crying Trika.
"Have you finished crying?"
"Wh-what?"
"I said stop whimpering! Your Majesty the Emperor!"
"Wh-what?"
Hilos grabbed Trika's arm and lifted him up.
Then he wiped Trika's disheveled face.
"I will proceed with His Majesty the Emperor's coronation ceremony tomorrow."
"What? Tomorrow?"
"An empire without an emperor is meaningless. According to the laws of this country, all public authority stems from His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty the Emperor must exist for this country, which has become garbage, to function somehow!"
Hilos adjusted Trika's attire.
"Your Majesty, please give orders to Lord Galahad. We must summon the ministers immediately and bring the Capital Defense Commander to stabilize Vexilla."
"I am..."
"Your Majesty!"
Trika's facial muscles tensed, and he trembled.
No, he might have been terrified.
He doesn't know what to do now.
"It is alright if you do not know anything at the moment. Trust me and those who are here. We will help Your Majesty. So please, at least remain in that position."
Trika's pounding heart calmed down. Yes. He is not ruling this country alone. Aren't there many people willing to dedicate themselves to the Empire?
"This is an order, Lord Galahad."
Galahad knelt on one knee before Trika.
"Yes! Your Majesty! Please speak!"
"Find the ministers and bring them here. Also summon the Capital Defense Commander to devise future measures."
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
Galahad stood up and spoke to the Dawn Knights.
"Disperse immediately and find the ministers to bring them here. This is the solemn order of His Majesty the Emperor."
"Yes!"
All the Dawn Knights who could move their feet moved. What they thought was an extinguished bonfire seemed to show one tiny ember.
The Dawn Knights did not refuse to become the breath and kindling thrown to revive this ember. Hilos' gaze turned to Caesar.
"Sir Caesar, let's have a talk for a moment."
Hilos' eyes were sharp. It seems he has no intention of going into exile.
***
The place Hilos guided them to was the treasury of the Eileen Empire.
Fortunately, the treasury had not been looted, and soldiers were stationed there.
"Everyone withdraw."
"Yes, Your Grace."
Hilos entered the storehouse without hesitation. Upon entering, the imperial treasures were neatly displayed in drawers.
"I don't suppose the Spear of Penetration is here?"
"Why are you looking for the Spear of Penetration?"
Caesar looked at Hilos as if bewildered.
"Didn't you agree to give me the Spear of Penetration in exchange for helping Your Grace?"
"You should speak clearly. Wasn't it agreed that I would give you the Spear of Penetration in exchange for going into exile?"
"Do you really have no intention of leaving the Empire?"
Hilos did not hesitate.
"That's right. It seems impossible to escape this damn empire while bearing the name Goldmile."
No. You originally abandoned this empire and left.
Only the future has changed. If you ask whose fault that is... Caesar stopped thinking more deeply about it. There are more urgent matters.
"It's disappointing that you're acting like this because you changed your mind midway."
"How can I give something when the deal itself wasn't fulfilled? Since I didn't go into exile, there is no giving of the Spear of Penetration."
This feels like a blow to the back of the head. He could just grab the back of the fellow's neck and read the location of the Spear of Penetration with psychometry, but Caesar knew Hilos well.
Hilos never ignores or mistreats people who are necessary or influential. Hilos turned the drawer handle in the corner of the warehouse clockwise. Then the space behind the drawer opened, revealing stairs leading to a basement.
"I think the imperial finances will be tight. Rebuilding the imperial palace and restoring the damaged imperial capital will require astronomical amounts of money and manpower."
Hilos strode down the stairs.
"Even if you sell most of the treasures up there, it will be far from enough. The already emptied treasury seems about to break through the basement."
"So you're saying you can't give it to me?"
"I'm saying let's redefine the deal."
A heavy iron door blocked the end of the stairs.
Raven immediately recognized the nature of that iron door.
"...That's entirely anti-wizard."
"Not just anti-wizard, but also contains For Honor. You could say this door itself is a treasure."
Hilos took out a ring from his index finger and fitted it into the keyhole of the door handle. And when he turned it strongly, the door opened with a click.
As the door opened, a brilliant turquoise light burst forth.
"Arch Duke plans to become independent from the Imperial Province and establish a new country, right?"
"That is correct."
Hilos pushed the door open forcefully with his shoulder and went inside.
Caesar followed Hilos inside.
Inside the storehouse were so many magic stones that one's jaw would drop. All were top-grade magic stones, so numerous that it was difficult to estimate their count.
Raven was so surprised that her mouth fell open.
"...How are these in the imperial underground treasury?"
"Emperor Michael Goldmile thought that magic was the key ingredient to immortality. There's nothing that circulates infinitely and changes as unpredictably as magic. So he scraped together magic stones that contained pure magic."
This crazy old man. Even though the treasury was scraping the bottom, he collected this much? If they had sold all of this to prepare war reparations, they would have paid off most of the costs of the Demon Realm War.
"Tell the Arch Duke. I will sell all these magic stones for him if he doesn't become independent."
"Did I hear you wrong? You'll sell them? Not give them?"
"You want to just take this much? Do you have a conscience?"
"Isn't His Excellency Hilos the one without conscience? In the current situation, how many people do you think would side with the Imperial Province?"
"Don't do it if you don't want to. What did that Eligos fellow say? Something about Emperor Denver? If the Denver I know is Prince Denver of the Dior Kingdom, and if that person has established a country of devils, wouldn't that mean the matter of the demon realm and magic stone distribution is completely lost?"
This bastard Hilos... He knows Arch Duke's situation too well.
In fact, Caesar was also in an awkward position now that the Dior Kingdom had revealed its true colors too quickly. The only way to reach the demon realm was to follow the Eileen River through the Dior Kingdom, and Denver would certainly not allow passage easily.
"Well, if you cut off Elijah’s head and completely pacify the Friedrich region, a new trade route connecting to the demon realm could be established, but I'm not sure if that's possible."
Caesar thought deeply. Is it really acceptable to maintain relations with the Goldmile family?
To be honest, the Imperial Province has rotted beyond repair, making it impossible to find any solution. It's also frustrating that the fearful and stupid Trika has ascended to become Emperor.
"I'll try to discuss it with them..."
"What's lacking?"
Still, isn't the enemy of my enemy a friend? The current Empire shares the same enemies as Caesar. Elijah and Denver. Even though they're insufficient allies, if Elijah manages internal affairs well, couldn't they provide at least some help? Caesar made a mental decision and rubbed his fingers.
"Is there nothing in it for me?"
Raven looked at him with an expression that questioned whether this guy was serious.
"Something for you? Of course there is."
"Oh, what is it?"
"The Spear of Penetration."
"Pardon?"
"I'll lend you the Spear of Penetration. But only on the condition that you use it exclusively against the Imperial Province’s enemies."
So this was the reason he refused to lend the Spear of Penetration.
"Let's revise that. Not the Imperial Province enemies, but at my discretion."
"I'll throw in a good suit of armor as well."
"...Armor? I don't need armor."
Hilos grinned.
"No, if I were you, I would accept it unconditionally."
Hilos opened a new door in the corner of the magic stone storage room. Beyond the door, a suit of armor emitting a red glow by itself was hanging in a closet.
"It's not just any armor, but a magical armor made from Sturungarden's scales."