Chapter 891
Chapter 891
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 891
Chapter Title: God's Atlantis
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“If someone else had dared to speak to Us in such a manner, We would have severed their head on the spot. But you are one of the five pillars upholding the empire. We do not doubt your loyalty. What reason do you have for demanding the crown prince's deposition?”
The old emperor's voice was calm. But that wasn't strange. He was the emperor who had ruled the Yustria Empire for a long time. This wasn't some ordinary empire—it was the empire of a world teeming with superhumans and monsters. It would be weirder if he showed emotion over something like this.
I glanced slightly toward the crown prince. He looked completely at ease. Not a flicker of change in his expression. No sign of agitation whatsoever.
...Did he predict Elena would come at him like this?
It could be an act.
Either way, it was clear the crown prince was no ordinary man.
“Crown Prince, Your Highness, has allied with forces outside the empire.”
“You mean the Angelus Legion? We know you yourself sponsor a legion as well.”
He openly mentioned the Angelus Legion. Not surprising, though. Everyone knew about the crown prince and the Angelus Legion's connection; they just hadn't said it officially.
“The relationship between Crown Prince, Your Highness, and the Angelus Legion goes beyond mere sponsorship.”
“Even so, there's no issue. Securing allies is part of a crown prince's ability. Unless they're beneath his station, that is. The Angelus Legion is certainly worthy of the imperial family's dignity.”
Fair point.
The Angelus Legion held one of the top positions in Atlantis. Some even called it, alongside the Barclay Legion, one of the two great peaks. Unlike the Barclay Legion, the Angelus Legion had a positive public image thanks to their charity, sponsorships, and aid.
“As Your Majesty says. If the Angelus Legion matched the imperial family's stature, I would never have brought this up.”
“...Do you believe the Angelus Legion falls short of the imperial family's stature? They are angels. Apostles of the gods. We judge their nobility and purity to be no less than that of the imperial family.”
The Angelus Legion's greatest strength was their angelic image.
A legion run by actual angels, straight out of scripture. The word “angel” alone was enough to win people's favor.
“Great Emperor, Your Majesty. I have uncovered their true faces and revealed their ugly truths.”
“Ugly truths? ...Intriguing. But words without evidence are mere slander.”
Elena didn't flinch.
“Of course, Your Majesty. I have secured all the evidence and brought it here. Before presenting it publicly, may I use magic in Your Majesty's presence?”
The emperor's eyes flicked briefly backward before returning. Behind him stood the Thousand-Year Duke. It felt less like gauging his reaction and more like confirming he was still in place.
“We permit it.”
At once, Elena cast her spell. With elegant gestures, a magic circle appeared in the air. Documents and tools began floating down from it, piling up on the floor. The mound of evidence soon rivaled Elena's height, like a snowdrift.
“...Duke Valdert. Is all of that evidence? It seems excessive...”
“I gathered every last detail, believing the empire's and imperial family's future hung in the balance.”
“......Too much evidence. Explain a few key pieces. We'll verify them separately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Snap.
Elena snapped her fingers. Blue butterflies fluttered around her.
A screen appeared before Elena. Shocking footage. Winged angels massacring humans. Even I hadn't seen this before. She really had been working behind my back.
The nobles gasped and murmured. Before it grew too rowdy, the emperor raised his hand.
“Silence.”
The room fell quiet in an instant.
“Duke Valdert, explain.”
“This happened about three months ago in Whirlwind Village, Sector 901. As you can see, angels from the Angelus Legion massacred the villagers.”
Sector 901. Outside the Yustria Empire's territory. A remote mountain village I knew nothing about.
“How was this footage captured?”
“I reproduced the survivor's memory via illusion magic and recorded it. The survivor is under protection at my estate.”
“......Leaving aside verifying the survivor and footage for now. Why would the Angelus Legion attack such a small village?”
“There was a gold mine beneath the village.”
“Indeed. But doubts remain. The Angelus Legion could have negotiated with the villagers. Do you truly believe they chose massacre instead?”
“Your Majesty, there was no reason for compromise. First, this sector is far from the empire, with no ties to it. No one to protect them. Second, monopolizing it yielded the greatest profit.”
“So you're saying the Angelus Legion massacred them purely for their own gain... We will not judge solely on your words, Duke. Fortunately, a representative from the Angelus Legion is here. We'll ask her. Gabriel, what say you to the Phantom Duke's claims?”
The emperor couldn't speak down to Gabriel. Her body was an avatar, but her mind was the true self. In short, Gabriel was a god.
Gabriel lifted her head slightly.
“They were heretics. Their ideology and spirits were tainted by heresy, requiring purification.”
Her voice was warm and gentle, soothing the soul. The nobles around nodded as if entranced. Not some special ability or skill—just innate divinity.
Elena let out an incredulous breath.
“Do you expect us to believe that? I obtained testimonies from nearby villages in Sector 901. They were ordinary villagers, neither heretics nor bandits. The Angelus Legion massacred them solely for profit.”
“Ordinary folk can't distinguish heretics. We are angels. We've fought heretics for thousands, tens of thousands of years. Only we can identify them perfectly.”
Gabriel spoke. It was a forced argument. Yet more than half the people here accepted it. Were they fools? No. It came from an angel's mouth. Angels had credibility by default.
“So she claims.”
The emperor said flatly. That's when I realized it. The emperor wasn't impartial. He wasn't on Elena's side.
This was hard to grasp. An emperor who'd ruled Yustria for ages should be warier of external forces like the Angelus Legion approaching the crown prince than anyone.
“...The Angelus Legion's crimes don't end there. They've brainwashed children, enslaved them, and profited from human trafficking. Here's the evidence.”
This, I knew. Impossible not to. I'd handled it at Elena's request.
Sector 1,220, the White Lands. Ruled by the Angelus Legion. I'd captured the hypocritical bishop Herpo, ruler of that sector, and handed him to Elena. Captured the angel Ariel alive. Ariel had sealed herself away since. No telling when she'd awaken.
Elena explained the events in Sector 1,220, omitting anything about Ariel. She even showed footage of children raised there and sold off. Some nobles quietly slipped out, retching.
“Gabriel. Can you explain this?”
“Of course, Emperor. This was the work of corrupt humans. We judged those humans and will ensure it never happens again.”
Tail-cutting.
“...Corrupt humans? From what I know, a human gave those orders.”
“That angel must have fallen as well. Regrettably, we angels are not flawless. We will punish that angel alongside the humans.”
Admiring exclamations erupted here and there at her firm declaration.
But some nobles fell silent.
The difference between humans and angels.
Humans die for good. Angels have avatars—even if one dies, it's just a vessel. Not true purification.
“Your Majesty. The Angelus Legion's sins go further still.”
Elena presented the evidence she'd amassed, denouncing the Angelus Legion's corruption and atrocities. For over an hour. Gabriel's stance never wavered. She kept pinning it on killed humans as heretics or promising to punish fallen angels.
By now, the mood had shifted. The pro-Angelus atmosphere had vanished completely.
This left the emperor no choice but to hold the crown prince and Angelus Legion accountable. Some of their corruption involved the empire, after all.
“Enough.”
The emperor silenced Elena.
“That's sufficient. We understand your point.”
“...Then, Your Majesty, you must decide. Sever ties before the Angelus Legion's shame stains the imperial family further. For the future, punish Crown Prince, Your Highness, and restore the imperial dignity.”
Elena's true goal wasn't the Angelus Legion—it was deposing the crown prince. Deal with the legion if needed, but the crown prince had to fall.
“Duke Valdert. We acknowledge your loyalty. But the crown prince's position is secure. He alone will succeed Us.”
Elena faltered. Not just her—the nobles buzzed. The emperor had just endorsed the crown prince as next emperor. A fire under the feet of nobles backing the second and third princes.
“...My shortcomings prevent me from grasping Your Majesty's will.”
“You advocated banishing the Angelus Legion and deposing the crown prince for the sake of the imperial family and empire.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I did.”
“Yet the empire needs the Angelus Legion's power. Nay, not just the empire—the entire world does.”
“......I cannot comprehend.”
“Not just you—others seem lost as well. Crown prince, explain yourself.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The crown prince stepped forward at the emperor's command. He smirked at Elena. A frown creased her brow.
“Nobles of the empire, what do you think of the empire's future?”
“......”
The nobles held their tongues. This was between Elena—one of the empire's five dukes—and the crown prince. No place for lesser nobles to interject.
“Do you predict peace for a hundred years? A thousand? Believe the empire's history eternal? As crown prince, I say: Discard such delusions.”
“...Crown Prince, Your Highness. Are you... belittling the empire now?”
“Phantom Duke, you know better. Our world has already perished once. Atlantis has an end too. The next cycle might not come in ten years. Atlantis could end in three. We've experienced the end—never forget that.”
“......Crown Prince, Your Highness. What pact did you make with the Angelus Legion?”
“The Angelus Legion promised Atlantis's survival and the empire's prosperity. Even if Atlantis ends, we'll live on. Look far ahead, everyone. We must see far. The Angelus Legion—the angels—will save us.”
The nobles' mood swung toward the crown prince. A bead of cold sweat trickled down Elena's cheek.
“Your Majesty. The Angelus Legion's ultimate goal isn't salvation—it's husbandry. Do you intend to turn imperial subjects into livestock?”
“That's an exaggeration. The angels seek our faith. Offer faith, and we gain their protection. Phantom Duke, do you know this is Atlantis's eighth iteration?”
“...Yes. I know.”
“Then you know how the previous seven ended?”
“......”
“They perished. Some exiles returned to the original world, of course. But we're not exiles. We're continentals. This world is our home, our reality. And its end is inevitable. There's one way to escape destruction: the angels' aid.”