Chapter 139: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (3)
Chapter 139: Dragon's Eye, Human Heart (3)
The dignity of the Imperial Family was absolute throughout the entire continent.
No matter how influential a noble might be, they had to bow their head before the Emperor. Lords were merely individuals to whom the Emperor had delegated the right to rule their territories.
This meant that if the Emperor so desired, he could confiscate any and all lands.
Not just in name, but in actual practice.
Lords were permitted to raise only enough troops to maintain public order. Even then, thirty percent of the soldiers who completed their training had to be incorporated into the Central Army.
Consequently, in some impoverished territories, there were barracks filled with nothing but trainees.
Lords who lacked the resources to hand over their hard-trained soldiers to the Central Army chose instead to never let them officially complete their training.
Of course, the Central Army was deployed to regions where local forces were insufficient to maintain order, but no lord in the Empire welcomed their presence.
This was because the commander of the dispatched Central Army was considered equal in rank to the lord.
Naturally, these commanders followed only the Emperor’s orders and were not pushovers who would cater to a lord’s every request.
In any era, the foundation of power was authorized violence. One who could not move an army at will could not be called a ruler.
In other words, if a lord wished to maintain even a shred of independence, they had to squeeze out every bit of military strength they could.
This was why some lords went as far as using legal loopholes to maintain their forces.
The Imperial Family was not entirely merciless, however. Depending on the circumstances of a territory, they often turned a blind eye to such obvious deceptions.
As long as they did not cross the line.
If it was judged that the authority of the Imperial Family might be compromised, the retribution was thorough.
They didn't even need to get their own hands bloody. The Imperial Family had the Five Great Noble Families as their instruments to act on their behalf.
Once even one of the Five Great Noble Families began to move, there was no force in the Empire that could withstand them.
Whether through military might or financial power, any territory that offended the Imperial Family would soon find itself suffocated.
Such was the absolute power held by the Imperial Family.
And since the Empire was the undisputed strongest nation on the continent, the Imperial Family could be considered the greatest power in the world.
Cien was a member of that very Imperial Family.
Though she was the 5th Princess and far removed from the line of succession, the fact remained that she was a princess.
The blood flowing through her veins was noble. Therefore, envoys from all nations were expected to bow and show her proper respect.
This was a fact so natural from the moment of her birth that Cien had never even questioned it.
The only exceptions were the Archbishops of the Holy Kingdom or the royalty of the Southern Kingdoms. Even they, when standing before Cien, were preoccupied with reading her mood.
This was no different at the Academy, which nominally advocated for equality and fairness. Cien deserved the respect of countless students by virtue of her bloodline alone.
Furthermore, for certain reasons, Cien was a master of human psychology. For someone like her, playing the role of the ideal princess was effortless.
In less than a year since her enrollment, the Academy was filled with voices praising the Princess.
This was exactly what Cien had intended.
A positive image was helpful in many ways, especially when it came to gathering people to her side. Cien was using this foundation to recruit talent within the Academy.
Of course, this didn't mean she was interested in the throne.
In the first place, her rank in the order of succession was so low that she couldn't even dream of the seat of power, and Cien despised her older siblings who were obsessed with the throne.
Rather than becoming a person who spent their time plotting to kill their own kin for power, Cien chose to distance herself from the throne. She only wanted enough power to protect herself.
However, even for that modest goal, power was necessary.
Countless royals had died simply because they held a right to the throne. The Empire's political landscape was cold-blooded, and absolute power did not tolerate a second authority.
Before her name could be added to the Imperial Family's hit list, Cien needed to build a superior organization. Otherwise, she would be recorded as just another victim in the bloody political history of the Empire.
Gathering brilliant talents to form a faction, lending her strength to a likely successor at the decisive moment, and then spending the rest of her life in comfort somewhere far from the capital.
That was Cien's goal and her dream.
To achieve this, she needed numerous talented individuals. This was why she had no choice but to enter the Academy, where geniuses and prodigies from all over the continent gathered.
Above all, Cien herself was a raw gem with a remarkable talent for magic. The Academy had more than enough potential to turn her talent into a brilliant jewel.
And so, one day, while she was smoothly continuing her life at the Academy after her enrollment...
An interesting rumor reached Cien's ears.
"Ian Percus, is it...?"
On a leisurely afternoon, the Princess sipped fragrant tea while scanning a document.
It was a file containing someone's personal information. Starting with a physical description of a handsome man with black hair and golden eyes, a long list of information about him followed.
It was a record full of interesting feats. A strange light flickered in her pale gray eyes.
"...Can the second son of a rural viscount really achieve this much in less than two months?"
As she muttered to herself, a knight standing behind her spoke up.
It was a woman with blue hair tied neatly back. She shook her head slightly with a bitter smile.
"It is highly likely that the information is exaggerated."
"Hmm, is that so?"
The Princess made a curious sound and set down her teacup.
If it were anyone else, she might have doubted them, but the words of the woman who had just spoken were trustworthy.
The female knight was a member of the renowned Imperial Guard Knight Order and a daughter of the Lupemion family, one of the Five Great Noble Families.
Irene Lupemion—that was her name.
She was Cien's closest confidante and was in charge of overseeing Cien's security at the Academy.
Though, thinking about it, it was a bit of a funny situation.
Irene had graduated from the Academy long ago.
As expected of someone from one of the Five Great Noble Families, she had secured early admission to the Academy at the age of seventeen.
While she wasn't the top or second-ranked student, she had consistently achieved excellent grades and graduated with an enviable rank three years ago.
Afterward, she served as an Imperial Guard Knight before being selected as Cien's aide. When Cien decided to go to the Academy, Irene ended up returning as well.
Irene still remembered how she felt that day.
Life is truly unpredictable, she thought with a bitter smile.
When she graduated, she had said her goodbyes as if she would never return.
Lost in thought, Irene subtly tested her master's intentions.
"...Do you find that man to your liking?"
"A little. First of all, he has no background. As the second son of a rural viscount, it'll be hard for him to inherit a title, so he's perfect to use as one of my people."
It was a blunt assessment. A faint smile spread across Irene's face, as if she had expected that answer.
After a moment of silence, she gave the answer Cien was looking for.
"The evaluations may be exaggerated, but his growth is noteworthy. Of course, the rumors about him defeating the successor of the Yurdina family or subjugating a Fiend alone are likely untrue."
"But there are testimonies, aren't there?"
"The more people someone forms favorable relationships with, the more generous their evaluations tend to become. That part is impressive... It's just a deduction, but he might have excellent qualities as a leader."
The Princess closed her eyes upon hearing that. It meant she had started calculating the possibilities in her head.
Soon, she looked at Irene with a smirk.
"If we succeed in recruiting him, wouldn't that be good for you, Irene? He's handsome, after all. And you're reaching marriageable age..."
"Your Highness, I have decided to marry my sword."
It was a cold outlook on life for a woman only in her mid-twenties.
Cien let out a deep sigh, looking as if all the fun had been sucked out of the conversation.
Then again, it was her mistake to joke with Irene. She was a woman who had trained with the sword so much she had become a fool who knew nothing else.
That quality was good because it meant she wouldn't harbor ulterior motives, Cien thought as she quietly organized her ideas.
Regardless of the rumors, she felt she needed to see the man's face at least once.
Then she would see. What kind of person he was.
Cien absentmindedly touched the corner of her eye. Soon, a melancholy curve appeared on her lips.
Irene looked at Cien with a puzzled expression. It was only natural, given that her master had suddenly put on such a pitiful smile.
The Princess was not one to miss such a reaction. She quickly decided to change the mood.
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she threw out a trivial joke.
"According to the documents, his nickname is the 'Hand Axe Murderer.' Will it be okay? What if he attacks me?"
At those words, Irene shook her head as if she couldn't believe it.
She soon replied with a faint smile and an unwavering voice.
"You need not worry, Your Highness. Your escort knight is not so incompetent as to be bested by a mere novice."
And she was right.
Cien burst into giggles to show she was joking.
In truth, even as she said it, she realized how ridiculous it was. It was a scenario with zero possibility.
Cien was a princess. Based on her background alone, she wasn't someone a mere second son of a rural viscount could touch.
Furthermore, four Imperial Guard Knights, including Irene, were escorting her. As was typical for the Imperial Guard, they were all renowned experts on the continent.
And he would break through that ironclad defense to attack Cien?
It was nonsense. She quickly cleared the useless thought from her mind.
Instead, she fell into deep thought. Come to think of it, there was something the Imperial Family had asked of her.
Since she now had a reason to go see him anyway, there was no reason to hesitate.
Cien stood up without delay. Taking action as soon as a decision was made was one of her strengths.
It didn't take long for the Princess to find Ian.
On a wooden bench on Central Avenue, a man was holding a canteen and examining it intently.
Black hair and golden eyes—he looked exactly like the description in the documents.
It was Ian Percus.
He was observing the canteen from various angles with a very serious expression. No matter how one looked at it, it was impossible to tell why he was so interested in such an ordinary object.
Not that it mattered. Even a three-year-old in the Empire knew that meeting the Princess was more important than some canteen.
Cien let out a cute, fake cough to announce her presence. At the same time, the man's indifferent golden eyes turned toward her.
A flicker of surprise crossed the man's face as he took Cien in.
Then, with a slight furrow in his brow, he slowly rose from his seat.
The man placed his left hand over his right chest. Then, he bowed his head politely.
It was a flawless greeting.
"...I greet Her Highness the Princess."
A look of satisfaction appeared in Cien's eyes.
She had been worried since he was the second son of a lower noble, but his etiquette training was unexpectedly thorough.
At the very least, she wouldn't have to worry about being criticized in social circles for having him as a confidante.
In that moment, Ian's evaluation in her mind was adjusted upward.
Up until this point, Cien thought today's meeting would go well.
Yes, up until this point.
It was only a few minutes before Cien would regret underestimating the man.