Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Outbreak of War
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No matter how much hell I gave Sebastian, slacking off on work would get my tail stepped on eventually.
I'm handling official duties bit by bit whenever I squeeze in time.
It's not like I'm doing this out of pity for Sebastian. I just try to get as much done as possible.
If you ask why I'm dragging my feet like this... I've got nothing to say.
I let out a sigh and headed to the office.
Sebastian and Lily were inside, enjoying tea and chatting happily.
Seeing how close they'd gotten over the past few months brought a warm smile to my face.
Lily, who had been laughing merrily, greeted me with a smile.
"Your Highness is here?"
"Stay seated, Lily. Finish what you were eating."
"Shall I prepare some for Your Highness too?"
"No, I'm fine. Not hungry."
"You still need to take good care of yourself, you know."
"Yeees~"
"You've arrived, Your Highness."
I placed a hand on Sebastian's shoulder as he stood and bowed toward me.
To Sebastian, who somehow looked thrilled, I whispered softly.
'Feels good?'
'Who might this be? The great prince himself at the desk...
'Feels good?'
'Ahem... Yes.'
I patted his shoulder once and said,
"Sebastian, don't push yourself with that aching body. Go keep Lily company."
"As you command, Your Highness."
Sebastian flashed a thumbs-up behind his back before sitting across from Lily to sip his tea, clearly delighted.
Lily looked happy too as they chatted away.
I smiled warmly at the sight and was about to start on my work when...
-Bang!
A Shadow burst through the door and rushed to kneel before me.
As startled Lily and Sebastian, who had shot to his feet, approached from behind, the Shadow spoke.
"Your Highness, forgive my disloyalty. Intelligence report."
"Forgiven. What's the content?"
"Around 7 p.m. today, Grand Duke Damian Arsene of House Arsene was slain by the northern barbarians. His Majesty has convened an emergency council, and all nobles in the capital are heading to the palace."
This was a genuine crisis.
"War's about to break out."
"Likely to declare hostilities after the meeting. And..."
"Speak."
"Scouts from the Grand Duke's house report suspicions of an alliance forming between the barbarians and the heretics..."
Hearing that made my blood boil in reverse.
You can dodge shit on the road, but if someone's flinging it everywhere you go, you gotta grab the bastard and make him pay.
Just imagining the palace in chaos already gave me a headache.
"Lily, gather the kids in my room. Sebastian, compile reports every time a Shadow brings intel."
"Yes!"
"I'll... sigh..."
It was already starting to feel like a hassle.
"Heading to the meeting."
This wasn't in Jenia's intel.
Seems like pushing the heretics too hard made them bare their teeth in a desperate bid to bite something...
Felt a twinge of responsibility from the butterfly effect.
I dragged my feet toward the meeting to gauge what the First Princess faction nobles—faces I hated even looking at—were spouting.
The meeting hall was still chaotic. Nobles who worked in the palace daily had already rushed in and were catching their breath, while the imperial intelligence unit bustled about distributing documents.
I waved off the nobles trying to greet me and took the seat closest to the throne.
Emperor faction nobles sat in order of rank starting from me, while the First Princess faction lined up opposite.
Given the gravity of the situation, everyone set aside petty power plays and quietly awaited Father.
In the silence, the First Princess entered, her blue hair fluttering.
She sat right across from me, her expression calm, but she couldn't hide the panic in her eyes.
'This vibe new to you too? First time for me, man.'
I wanted to strike up a light chat, but my sister—whose hobby was collecting morons—probably wouldn't want that.
A voice echoed through the quiet hall.
"His Majesty the Emperor..."
"Everyone, sit. Given the urgency, we'll skip the minor formalities."
Father strode in with quick steps, dressed simply without his crown, just a cloak thrown over his shoulders.
At the sight, everyone grasped the severity and swallowed hard.
"Intelligence Chief, begin."
"Yes. Around 7 p.m. today, the Grand Duke—out on his quarterly subjugation—was slain by northern nomadic tribes allied with heretics. The enemy leader is Serimuk of the Karg tribe, a shaman who calls himself 'Ulu Shaman.'
According to surviving knights, the enemy numbered roughly ten thousand, but that's not their full allied strength.
The allied tribes remain unidentified; intelligence is working on profiles.
Main forces are nomadic cavalry and shamans. Forty percent of the Grand Duke's Silver Wolf Knights were annihilated. They're now blowing the war horns and advancing on the Grand Duchy. Estimated siege holdout is two months, so armies must arrive within that. To be safe, within one month based on current intel."
Gasps erupted here and there at the dire situation.
-Heavens! Within one month!
-Even at top speed, it's one month...
-Allied with heretics...
"Quiet!"
Father pinched his brow and silenced the commotion.
Closing his eyes to gather his thoughts, he spoke.
"Military Ministry, divide all troops except the Imperial Guard and assign to legions. Order the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Legions to depart at dawn. From the capital, conscript noble knights for a separate advance unit. Equip the separate unit with all available mages and send via teleport arrays. Intelligence, notify them to open the Grand Duchy's teleport array. Diplomacy, request aid from neighboring kingdoms."
"Understood."
"Effective immediately, attach Treasury, Diplomacy, and Religious Affairs temporarily to Military. Urgent finances skip my approval; just document in writing."
The department heads bowed and replied.
"Luminaria Empire..."
"Skip ceremonies. Nobles, execute orders swiftly."
"Yes!"
The ministers rushed out.
"Now, we'll conscript the separate unit knights. Volunteers, raise your hands."
Amid the hesitant nobles, Duke Ardell stood and shouted.
"Your Majesty! Grant me the honor of the glorious march! House Ardell pledges 150 knights!"
Duke Ardell—who'd been playing it shrewd since the sub-duke duel—volunteered first, perhaps thinking it his last chance.
"Permitted."
"Your Majesty! House Liter Marquis offers 100 as well!"
Not wanting to be outdone, one from the princess faction sparked a chain, and several nobles joined.
Their hesitation made sense.
Fail, and you're ruined. Succeed, and it's a windfall. High risk, high reward.
Four from the weaker noble faction and three from the Emperor faction volunteered.
Still short on numbers, Father glared at the nobles.
"You chatter plenty in peacetime. No more fulfilling your noble duty?"
A few more volunteered hesitantly, totaling around 800.
As legion-assigned nobles and weaker houses just watched, I spoke up.
"Your Majesty, let me lead the separate unit and halt the enemy's advance."
Father's face flushed red as he slammed the desk.
"Denied!"
"No one knows the heretics better than I do."
"Does the First Prince see this as some heretic extermination game?!"
"Send me."
"Prince!"
What father wants to send his son to war?
But feeling responsible for this mess, I couldn't sit idle.
Who knows what heretics who've swallowed the Grand Duchy might do... If the Empire falls...
Couldn't even imagine it.
Plus, one direct imperial line must join the war—for the pretext.
Can't be the Emperor himself; that'd signal total war for the Empire's fate.
Father knew that.
I calmly laid out why he had to send his son.
"Reached the sixth circle recently."
-Heavens!
-Sixth circle at his age... unbelievable...
Gasps burst out everywhere, but Father ignored them.
"Did I ask about personal prowess, Prince?!"
"I absolutely won't die. Please permit me."
Then the First Princess's voice rang out gravely.
"Father, let me go instead."
"Princess! This is war!"
Her courage was admirable, but honestly... the princess was all talk, no spine.
Now Father was cornered.
Had to pick between son or daughter.
Father closed his eyes and said,
"Command of the separate unit to the Prince... Nobles, prepare to depart at once. State Council, announce hostilities."
Everyone rose, bowed, and hurried to their duties—everyone except me and Father.
"Liam... It's not too late. I'll handle it, cancel the deployment."
Father called his son's name, so I answered as his son.
"Father... You know that's impossible. And the blame for this lies with me."
"Beat some heretics and start a war? Ha! Nonsense."
"This doesn't happen in the crown princess-to-be's foreseen future."
-Flinch!
"Even if so, it's not your fault."
"No, I must go regardless."
Father placed his cold hand over his eyes.
I couldn't guess his feelings—just endless silence.
Father, who valued pretexts so highly, exuded a terribly heavy air.
After a long silence, a low voice emerged from Father.
"...Liam."
"Yes."
"Don't die."
True feelings from our dry father-son exchange.
"I'll run if I have to."
"...Right."
Worse than not deploying was desertion, but that's how much Father wanted me alive.
Amid his ongoing anguish, I vacated the seat.
"I'll take my leave."
"..."
Leaving Father's silence behind, I went to prepare for departure.