Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Dealing with the Emperor
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Emperor Deus had been waiting these past few days.
For Reinhardt.
He'd heard that the crown prince had finally returned after his long wanderings in the north.
So Deus figured he'd send word on his own and come crawling back.
But there was no word at all.
Just to be sure, he ordered someone to check, and they said he was holed up in his room, calmly reading a book.
Deus couldn't believe his ears.
A book!
Books were things that required patience to read.
Reinhardt had been screaming bloody murder at the sight of printed pages since he was a kid.
At first, Deus thought it was an act.
A ploy to draw attention by doing something he never did.
Leaving the palace without a word and heading north was grounds for a severe reprimand, if not punishment.
Even if Sword King Croft had gone with him, Reinhardt's actions carried heavy political implications.
So Deus had planned to wrap it up neatly if Reinhardt came to him and admitted his fault.
And while they were at it, he figured he'd get the news from the north.
'Whatever.'
Why had he even held out hope?
If the boy could judge right from wrong on his own, he wouldn't be mad in the first place.
Deus let it go.
He could just hear about the north from Croft.
"...Is that Croft's secret son? He looks just like him in his youth."
He'd summoned Croft, but some young man showed up instead.
A very familiar face, at that.
Hearing Deus's words, the young man bowed his head solemnly.
"I am Croft, Your Majesty."
"What?"
Deus peered at him more closely in surprise.
The white hair and deep wrinkles were gone. Croft had transformed into a fresh-faced man in his twenties.
Having spent his youth with the man, Deus couldn't have mistaken him.
He'd thought it was a hidden son, but it was Croft himself.
No son could look this identical.
"Did you sneak off to the north and eat something good behind my back?"
"It's not exactly 'good,' but I did consume something."
"Any left?"
"You shouldn't. The curse was too strong—most who tried it died."
The curse of the Holy Land.
He'd overcome it and grown stronger, but he couldn't recommend it to others.
Deus clicked his tongue.
"Now I can't even tease you about your white hair anymore."
It was a shame.
He'd enjoyed ribbing the Sword Master with lines about how even he couldn't beat Father Time.
Mana showers weren't common for swordsmen or mages, but the imperial palace gathered the world's strongest.
He'd seen it plenty, so it wasn't that shocking.
But Croft had endured a mana shower long ago and hadn't rejuvenated.
He'd thought he couldn't leave the emperor behind to stay young alone.
This time in the Holy Land had been too chaotic to choose.
"I'm sorry."
"Nonsense. What do you have to apologize to me for? It's cause for celebration. With your youth restored, the empire's might will soar even higher."
Croft, once called the strongest.
Age had dulled his edge, but regaining his youth meant reclaiming his prime wouldn't be hard.
Deus got to the point.
"More importantly... I want to hear about the north."
Communications with his planted shadows had all been cut off, leaving the imperial family blind and deaf.
Unable to see or hear properly, it had been frustrating for the emperor.
Carlos Grand Duke had the nobles and soldiers locked down tight.
Then suddenly, the tide turned.
The arrogant grand duke opted for a strategic retreat.
But Deus hadn't approved the truce yet.
He couldn't just rubber-stamp it without knowing what was going on.
Croft recounted one event from the north.
"I found our detained shadows and freed them. Of twenty-six, only seven survived."
"Mm, a tragedy. See to their funerals properly, and richly reward the survivors."
Twenty-six elite shadows who'd infiltrated the north at the risk of their lives.
Hand-picked aces who could've lived luxuriously anywhere else.
Their deaths were a great loss to the empire.
Then Croft relayed the north's events to Deus.
The mass circulation of Devil's Whisper deaths.
The Holy King's appearance flipping the battlefield.
The Holy King subjugating the Devil Church's reach.
And so on.
"Is that all?"
But it was all vague stuff Deus already knew in broad strokes.
He wanted details.
Like the Holy King's identity or the ties between Carlos Grand Duke and the Devil Church.
"I'merely assisted His Highness Reinhardt at his side."
"You assisted Reinhardt...?"
The earlier report was underwhelming, but Deus caught the shift in Croft's tone when mentioning Reinhardt.
And the content was telling.
'Not restrained him, but assisted?'
Deus had assumed Reinhardt's whim had dragged him north.
That Croft had followed to prevent political fallout.
And gathered shadow intel and northern news along the way.
But no—Reinhardt had led, and Croft had merely helped from the sidelines.
The difference before and after the north was stark.
What on earth had happened up there to earn Croft's trust like this?
"Your Majesty, you must shed your prejudices about His Highness Reinhardt."
"Prejudices? You mean his madness?"
"Just view him the same as the other princes."
"Do you think I haven't, Croft?"
Deus's voice grew heavy.
His mood soured.
The old Croft would've backed off.
But he just shook his head.
"You have, Your Majesty. I prejudged His Highness too, never bothering to learn what he excelled at or desired."
We just wanted him to fit the role.
Forcing the mold of a crown prince on him.
Even though he'd never sought the position.
"What are you getting at?"
"His Highness has changed."
"...People don't change that easily."
"Then let me correct myself, Your Majesty. His Highness has chosen his path."
Chosen his path.
Until now, he'd wandered without one.
His long wandering was over—now face him.
Deus sighed deeply.
Reinhardt had changed. If Croft said so, it must be true.
But what did it matter? Too late to change anything now.
"Talk to him once."
"You want me to go to him?"
Croft dropped to one knee.
Then spoke formally.
"If I'may be so bold, Your Majesty, I believe you two have never truly spoken. Please show your boundless mercy."
From Croft's view, this standoff was just parent-child posturing.
But with Reinhardt showing change, it was pointless.
They needed to recognize they were on the same side to counter greater threats.
Croft added,
"I have no children, but I know a parent must show grace first for the child to relax."
Children grow, parents age.
If they kept hating each other, no change would stick.
It might even worsen.
But distrust didn't vanish easily.
'This is the first time he's pushed his opinion this hard.'
The issue was Croft.
His shadow, moving only for the imperial family.
Never entangled in princes' power struggles.
A bystander, now fiercely defending Reinhardt.
A first in Deus's life.
What had changed him so?
"...Very well. Summon Reinhardt."
Time to see for himself.
*
An awkward silence hung in the air.
Everyone else dismissed, only Emperor Deus and Reinhardt remained in the palace.
"I trust you've been well, Your Majesty."
After a quiet bow, Deus raised a hand.
"Skip the formalities. You know why I summoned you."
Reinhardt met his gaze.
No hesitation like before.
As at the demonstration, his presence had shifted.
"I'm not sure."
"I'm talking about the north."
"Did I go to the north?"
Brazen denial.
But true enough.
Officially, Reinhardt had never gone north.
Deus might've been disappointed if he'd nodded along.
'He's not as thoughtless as I thought.'
Consistent answers no matter who asked.
Reinhardt had never left the palace.
"If you had, is there anything I should know?"
Rephrased.
Not about northern events.
Any fallout from Reinhardt's actions or ordeals there that Deus needed to know.
Traces of the crown prince in the north.
Problems arising from it.
Finally, the answer Reinhardt wanted.
"None."
None.
Perfectly handled.
Or any issues couldn't be leveraged.
No trace of doubt.
Anyone else, Deus would've scolded the arrogance.
But Reinhardt asserting himself like this? A first.
Bluff or genuine confidence?
"Many nobles from the northern expedition want a truce. Should I approve?"
Deus's eyes sharpened.
A test.
Nobles meant Carlos Grand Duke's will.
Reinhardt nodded casually.
"Yes. Approve it."
"Why?"
"Better than failing outright, no?"
Meaning continued fighting meant defeat.
Carlos Grand Duke led over 200,000 troops.
Reinhardt, having seen it firsthand, knew which way the scales tipped.
"That certain of failure?"
"Prolong the war, and the empire loses."
War was a money pit.
Extended, they wouldn't survive the famine in two years.
'The empire's defeat.'
Deus pondered it.
Not Carlos— the empire itself.
Defeat was unthinkable.
He'd love for Carlos to die mid-campaign, but Deus knew it was unlikely.
"Because of the Holy King?"
Holy King. That arrogant bastard had invaded the palace.
If not for Raunel, Deus would've killed him then.
Reinhardt shook his head.
"Not just that. Carlos Grand Duke has lost the will for conquest— that's bigger."
Lost the will.
Deus blinked in confusion.
Reinhardt smiled.
"You know why he pushed the northern expedition, right?"
Installing Reinhardt as crown prince.
For that, Carlos forced the campaign.
Not solely, but losing the Holy Land's purpose and Damon sapped his drive.
'He knows everything.'
Deus was stunned at Reinhardt piercing it all.
He knew Carlos started it for the crown prince seat, trading with the emperor.
A deal never told to him.
Yet Reinhardt asks if he'd forgotten.
Deus was getting confused.
Wasn't this the mad crown prince his whole life?
This sharpness was new today.
Now he saw why Croft urged a talk.
"Carlos Grand Duke will lead the truce talks. If he does, imperial authority shrinks further. Still approve?"
"He won't lead them."
"Why?"
"The Holy King and northern tribes won't let him."
Carlos, gains from conquest gone, wants quick truce.
To lead it himself for maximum profit.
But truces need both sides.
Delays make him desperate.
The more bogged down, the more openings.
"How can you be sure?"
"I have the Holy King's promise. This is proof."
"...!"
Deus's eyes twitched.
Reinhardt pulled a blue vial from his robes.
The very potion the Holy King made to heal Pagans.
The item that made Pagans revere him.
Carlos knew. The palace knew.
'Unbelievable, but I have to believe it.'
He knew the Holy King. Close enough for secret potions.
Meaning deep involvement in northern events.
Believe or not?
"When they stall the truce, move the Holy Church."
"Use the Holy Church to tangle with the Devil Church?"
"Just show movement. If Raunel leads a major probe, Carlos can't ignore imperial demands."
A slight Holy Church nudge on Devil Church cleanup would spook them.
It was an empire-Holy Church joint purge before.
Ultimately, a new delegation formed per northern demands.
Raunel as witness.
Tough under pressure.
Issue was northern tolerance, but Holy King's promise made it feasible.
'Damn...'
Not the Reinhardt he knew.
Could people change this drastically?
Deus calmed himself and eyed Reinhardt.
Awakening? Path chosen, as Croft said.
He was demanding.
'Put me in the new delegation.'
If reformed as planned, include him to lead.
Crown prince spearheading talks...
Solidifying his throne.
Reinhardt chose, now Deus must.
Trust and approve, or deny.
Approve and fail? Boosts Carlos.
But Reinhardt leads? Pin reparations on Carlos.
'You were right, Croft.'
The talk.
View like other princes.
He got it now.
'Gonna cut loose, huh.'
Reinhardt was stretching his wings.
A boldness Raunel, Kazan, others lacked.
Should oppose, but Croft's words echoed.
His change, faith.
'Fine. Go wild then.'
*
Long talk over, heavy steps exiting.
More words today than a lifetime with Emperor Deus.
Out of the palace, wind in his face, replaying the words.
—In seven days, a grand party under Empress Josephine. Attend.
Social debut, basically.
V Versailles betrothal off, marriageable age—pick one himself?
'What party... Oh.'
Cloistered in palace, no clue on parties.
But he'd heard of a 'grand' one around then.
Face soured instinctively.
'Right. Princess Carmnel's coming-of-age.'
Princess Carmnel.
Other princesses married abroad; she was the last unmarried.
Rare for a princess to stay till adulthood.
Why Empress Josephine (third empress) hosted second empress's daughter's rite? No idea.
But empire-wide flock to see last princess? Obvious.
Me showing? Cold winds guaranteed.
'No choice.'
Emperor Deus's will was iron.
Reinhardt had demanded too, so he'd comply.
Just attend, right?
No plans to ruin Princess Carmnel's rite.
Sincerely.
End of "Dealing with the Emperor"