Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Soul Sword (2)
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"Stand by nearby."
"Yes, understood."
Raymond issued the standby order to his Imperial Guard, then stepped into the conference room alongside the two Tower Lords.
The eyes of those already gathered in the room turned toward the trio. Among them was the 3rd Prince.
He didn't approach first with the sharp threats like he used to in the past, but his gaze swept over Raymond and the Crimson Tower Lord with a faint murderous intent.
Of course, Raymond paid no mind to that gaze brimming with hostility and took his seat with the two Tower Lords.
"It seems your brother held you in high regard?"
Raymond asked, lightly wetting his lips with the beverage his attendant had brought. Berenus suppressed a twitching smirk and opened his mouth.
"He even assigned a few assassins to watch over me—that's how much he cared."
"Not exactly for protection, then."
"You know the 2nd Prince's temperament well enough."
'Oh, I know it all too well.'
Raymond nodded in agreement with Berenus's words.
He didn't even need to recall the setting details; just observing the man's actions over the past few months made it obvious.
The Crimson Tower Lord, Berenus, didn't elaborate, but Raymond could guess what had happened.
It was partly due to the setting book, but more than anything, the man's current expression gave away his feelings.
Berenus Kyle was one of the rare high-ranking mages in the Philius Empire, elevated to Tower Lord for his exceptional prowess.
Yet he hadn't noticed mere assassins surveilling him?
No—he had known, but turned a blind eye because of the 2nd Prince, who was aligned with the 3rd Prince.
"What did you do about the surveillance assassins?"
Raymond asked in a calm voice. Continued monitoring would be a problem.
"No need to worry about that."
Berenus replied.
He hadn't been unaware of the assassins assigned to watch him, nor lacked the ability to deal with them.
He had simply endured it to avoid clashing with the 2nd and 3rd Princes' factions.
But now that he had decided to side with the 5th Prince, Raymond, there was no need to tiptoe around them anymore.
His decision was swift.
He immediately selected elite mages and Mage Tower knights from the Crimson Tower—among the best—and purged the assassins. Some he handled personally, as the Crimson Tower Lord.
"His Majesty the Emperor is entering!"
The doors opened, and the chamberlain who entered first announced in a resounding voice.
Everyone rose from their seats. Soon after, the aged emperor appeared, escorted by the Royal Guard.
Given what had happened in the banquet hall, a repeat here wouldn't be surprising, so the Royal Guard vigilantly scanned the surroundings. Watching them, Raymond sighed inwardly.
A mighty empire that once dominated the ancient era had declined to the point where it fretted over assassinations even in its own imperial capital. It felt all too poignant, mirroring the Philius Empire in the weary old emperor before him.
"Be seated, all of you."
The emperor spoke as he took his seat first. His voice was stern, but he looked utterly exhausted now.
He tried not to show it, but some nobles might have noticed.
"The Northern Central Army commander, rise and report the situation."
At the emperor's command, a middle-aged man in military uniform shot to his feet and bowed his head.
A new face, but Raymond knew his profile.
'William Acon, Count.'
A promising talent in the military, risen from a senior knight in the northern border forces with distinguished service.
Not a hereditary noble with lands, but he held a count's title.
"We have deployed one legion near the northern border. In the event the border forces come under attack, we can provide support within four days."
One legion meant 6,000 troops. Considering the Philius Empire's current strength, it was a significant forward deployment.
'But they won't advance any further.'
The Haipel Empire was no pushover. They had long eyed opportunities to escape their barren far-north lands. With a proper casus belli, they had the army and funds to pierce the perilous Monster Forest and march south.
'But the Philius Empire lacks the power to cross the Monster Forest.'
Not yet, at least.
'Unless I become emperor and activate the Empire Reconstruction Plan, we can't stand against the Haipel Empire or the Three Kingdoms Alliance.'
This decaying empire had one hope: the 'Empire Reconstruction Plan' legacies slumbering across the continent.
The contingency left by the founding emperor—if gathered in full—could raise the Philius Empire once more as the continent's hegemon.
"Is the situation so dire that you've pulled one legion from the Northern Central Army for forward deployment?"
A noble ventured cautiously.
"Can't you tell just from the Mountain Duke's absence here?"
The emperor replied.
The North's grand lord, the Mountain Duke—recently spending more time in the capital to solidify his base—had returned north. That alone spoke volumes of the crisis.
"How is the troops' morale?"
"Haipel Empire ranger units attack our patrols several times a day, accumulating casualties and plummeting morale."
"And the Black Mountains front?"
"The same. The Free Isirian Kingdom seems to have hired elite mercenaries and sent them to the border."
The emperor pondered Count Acon's report.
Sending princes to the border would boost border troops' morale, but dispatching his sons to potential death traps was no easy choice.
"Your Majesty! It's not too late! Send royals to the borders with the Haipel Empire and Free Isirian Kingdom!"
Someone spoke up. Raymond turned toward the voice.
He couldn't recall the name, but it was clearly a noble who had stuck by the 3rd Prince at the banquet.
"I agree! With the princes at the front, Haipel and Isirian won't dare provoke us recklessly!"
Well now? This time, a noble from the 2nd Prince's side raised his voice.
"Then who should go?"
The emperor asked the nobles. With the 2nd and 3rd Princes' factions speaking in unison, he couldn't simply ignore them.
"Your Majesty, for this matter, I recommend sending Serak to the Haipel Empire border, and Raymond to the Free Isirian Kingdom border."
The 3rd Prince, Aloken, who had been silent, stepped forward.
The belligerent 1st Prince nodded without displeasure, while Raymond regarded Aloken with a complex expression.
'The nobles will back me. Go ahead and throw your tantrum.'
Aloken smirked inwardly, expecting Raymond's outburst and ready to mock it—but Raymond's thoughts were elsewhere.
'Talk about a gift from the heavens.'
A perfect excuse to leave the imperial capital temporarily.
And to the Black Mountains, where the Soul Sword slumbered... This was ideal.
'No one will help you.'
Watching the silent Raymond, the 3rd Prince, Aloken, let slip a vile grin.
He hoped Raymond would beg to live, showing his ugly side and turning the nobles away.
"I'll follow Brother Aloken's suggestion. I'll go to the Free Isirian Kingdom border."
But it defied expectations. Raymond rose from his chair without hesitation, declaring his intent. His bold stance drew favorable looks from the military nobles.
His past as a wastrel didn't matter.
The 5th Prince was volunteering for a border that might become a battlefield—for the empire.
That was enough to win the military's goodwill.
"Ho?"
The 1st Prince, Serak, who had remained silent, showed curiosity at Raymond's declaration.
"Raymond, you're volunteering?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll make the Free Isirian Kingdom realize the Philius Empire still stands."
"We'll assign Imperial Army troops, but not many."
The Philius Empire's central forces were strained.
Local armies were barely maintained by lords, but the Imperial Army and central troops had dwindled compared to the past.
Even for Raymond heading to a dangerous border, they could spare only about 100 Imperial troops.
"Your Majesty, for this border mission, the Crimson Tower's finest mages and Mage Tower knights will accompany the 5th Prince."
"Aren't you the Crimson Tower Lord?"
The emperor looked shocked.
It was no surprise—the Crimson Tower Lord, yesterday aligned with the 3rd Prince, now stood by Raymond.
"The Crimson Tower Lord with the 5th Prince?"
"What in the world is going on?"
The nobles reacted similarly to the emperor. Only a few who had seen the Crimson Tower Lord enter with Raymond maintained composure.
"Your Majesty, the Azure Tower will accompany the 5th Prince as well. Have no fears."
Not just Berenus, who had received a subtle heads-up from Raymond—the Azure Tower Lord, Risefield Dior, also stepped forward, pledging support.
"Th-this isn't... right..."
The flustered one was actually the 3rd Prince, Aloken.
Raymond and his faction's response was unforeseen. Even with Azure and Crimson Towers' aid and a hundred Imperial troops, the border and Black Mountains were no picnic.
'Has that fool finally lost his mind...'
The emperor reacted positively to the Towers' pledges.
The 5th Prince's border deployment was all but decided. It should have been cause for joy, but Aloken's face was icy.
He had wanted to crush Raymond's momentum before sending assassins—but it hadn't gone to plan.
Even if the assassination succeeded and Raymond died, the court and nobles would remember his positives first.
What the 3rd Prince, Aloken, wanted wasn't mere death for Raymond. He wanted utter ruin—as revenge for stealing the Crimson Tower that once backed him.
'No choice but to make it as agonizing as possible. Brother Deneb will send torture experts, heh heh.'
Imagining Raymond in torment already filled him with ecstasy.
The 2nd Prince, Deneb, watched Aloken shudder with that eerie grin from behind and shook his head with a brief sigh.
Unlike his once-brilliant past, Aloken was rapidly dimming lately, his jealousy and envy twisting into something grotesque.
"Your Majesty! With the Crimson and Azure Towers' elite mages and knights, the 5th Prince will return safely from the border! Please send the two princes to boost troop morale!"
Breaking the brief silence, a noble from the 2nd Prince's side raised his voice. While Aloken fumed alone, he had swiftly gathered his thoughts and stepped up—driving the wedge per the 2nd Prince's scheme and 3rd Prince's greed to send the 5th Prince to the border.
"Your Majesty! No need to hesitate! Throughout our empire's history, royals have gone to the frontlines in times of crisis!"
Another noble spoke—a 3rd Prince ally. He even invoked imperial tradition.
Indeed, the Philius Empire was renowned since ancient times for its emperors and royals joining armies at the forefront during crises.
This fostered deep military loyalty to the imperial family, beyond even the deification from the Colossal Divine Soldiers.
Since then, the Philius Empire hadn't followed strict primogeniture.
Even a youngest son could be named crown prince if his abilities shone.
'They really can't wait to ship me off to the border.'
Raymond let out a subtle sigh and shook his head.
Invoking imperial tradition showed their eagerness.
'If you're playing dirty like this, I've got plans too.'
He withdrew his cold gaze and rose from his chair.
All eyes focused on him. Under everyone's attention, Raymond spoke calmly.
"Your Majesty, if you'll permit it, I'll bring back the Free Isirian Kingdom's vanguard banner."
That single short sentence threw the conference room into chaos.
"Bring back their vanguard banner?"
"I thought he'd changed a bit, but he's still that wastrel at heart."
"Exactly! Spouting off without a thought for the consequences..."
Some whispered,
"5th Prince! Do you even know what claiming the Free Isirian Kingdom's vanguard banner means?"
Others questioned openly.
"Of course I do."
How could he not? He knew full well—that's why he said it.
In the Philius Empire, royals were sacred; in the Free Isirian Kingdom, they had the vanguard banner.
"You know...?"
"Isn't it the symbol of the heavy cavalry charge that has guarded the Free Isirian Kingdom for generations?"
"Do you know any other meanings?"
An elderly noble pressed on. Raymond nodded calmly and replied.
"I know it was bestowed—one to each of the 21 heavy cavalry captains—by the founding king of the Free Isirian Kingdom."
"Then you must know those 21 have never once been taken by enemies in history."
"Of course."
"And that seizing one could spark war?"
The elderly noble finished, smirking. Now Raymond saw—he was from the 3rd Prince's side. It was a sharp question, but Raymond remained composed.
"Our enemies have already struck down our own 'vanguard banner' first—why cower to foreign eyes!"
His eyes flashed as he raised his voice, and the hitherto-silent military nobles all leaped to their feet.
"The 5th Prince is right!"
"We can't just take it lying down!"
"It's time to pay them back!"
"Long live the Philius Empire! Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live the 5th Prince!"
They chanted for bloody vengeance, hailing the emperor and 5th Prince.
True to their belligerent nature, the military faction erupted.