Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Chapter 22: Strengthening Imperial Authority (3)
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"Are you nobles of the Philius Empire? Or are you mere vanguard for the Tripartite Alliance?"
A sharp retort pierced the nobles' hearts. A heavy silence descended upon the audience chamber. With mouths sealed as if locked by iron padlocks, everyone held their silence—until Raymond stepped forward once more and spoke.
"I understand you may not be pleased with me. But does that mean you intend to abandon the loyalty you swore to the great Philius Empire? The empire is shaking right now, and there are no surviving royals. Even the collateral lines have been thoroughly wiped out. Your actions in trying to check me now are no different from toppling a sandcastle of an empire."
The nobles' reactions split. Some, realizing their error, bowed their heads. But others gritted their teeth and lifted their chins, their faces boiling with defiance.
"Your Majesty! Mind your words!"
It was Viscount Ripit, a noble under the Mountain Duke. If the setting book memories surfacing at the sight of him were accurate, Viscount Ripit also had ties to the nobles under Duke Valencia.
Blasphemy, huh. Quite the flashy word choice.
"Has imperial authority decayed this much? Or did it crumble after the Bloody Funeral?"
Raymond muttered to himself. According to the setting, it was the latter. Imperial authority had waned, but not to this extent.
With Ronald's death and the Bloody Funeral erupting, the imperial authority he had barely maintained until the end collapsed, turning the empire into chaos.
-The Mountain Duke seems to be up to some trickery.
It was the voice of Crimson Tower Lord Berenus Kyle. From the corner of the audience chamber where he had been observing, he relayed the information received from Count Potas via magic.
"This is in the emperor's presence!"
"How insolent!"
Nobles still loyal to the empire stepped forward and shouted, but Viscount Ripit didn't flinch. He had a reliable backer behind him, allowing him to maintain composure amid the tense atmosphere.
"Even in the emperor's presence, shouldn't Your Majesty be aware of the empire's circumstances?"
There were still plenty of nobles loyal to the empire. Yet Viscount Ripit strutted with confidence. No matter the backlash, he trusted the steadfast Mountain Duke to handle it.
'Is it time to reveal it...?'
With a mad dog running wild, it was time for stern punishment. Raymond's eyes gleamed coldly.
As he raised his hand, Royal Guards wearing golden masks and golden cloaks appeared. Their number exceeded fifty.
Emerging from the shadows, their presence shone brilliantly.
"Royal Guard?"
"Are there that many?"
The rebellious nobles stirred. It wasn't just golden masks mimicking the Royal Guard—the aura emanating from them was extraordinary.
"Who dares rebel against imperial authority?"
Marquis Blizzard spoke in a voice laced with chill. The Royal Guards sharpened their presence. Only then did Viscount Ripit's face pale.
He was too weak to withstand the killing intent of experts who had wrought atrocities in the emperor's name.
"Cough!"
The sharp, murderous aura tore into Viscount Ripit's innards. He vomited red blood and trembled in pain.
There was a setting where one could lose their life crushed by mere aura. Raymond intended to watch it clearly with his own eyes, but just before Viscount Ripit fainted, two men in light armor stepped forward.
They were the Mountain Duke's escort knights.
"Your Majesty. Everyone is tired, so how about ending today's audience here?"
The Mountain Duke, who had been smirking from behind, stepped forward with a grave expression.
"Perhaps we should discuss making the Valencia Dukedom a direct imperial territory tomorrow."
"Not a bad idea."
Raymond replied. By revealing the Royal Guards awakened from their seal, he had shown that imperial authority hadn't completely crumbled. That was sufficient for now.
"Today's audience is adjourned."
With his solemn declaration, the nobles bowed their heads. Raymond rose first from the throne and left the chamber, followed by Gestain and the Royal Guards.
The audience disbanded, and they returned to their estates or guest quarters.
"We did as Your Excellency commanded. But there shouldn't be any issues, right?"
In Mountain Duke Belphang's estate, Viscount Ripit was drenched in anxiety. Thanks to the mage, his internal injuries had healed, but his face remained pale.
"Don't make a fuss, Viscount Ripit. Remember I have your back."
The Mountain Duke's firm voice eased Viscount Ripit's mind.
"You did well today. Now, if we just persuade the northwestern border forces, our grand plan will be more than half complete."
"Will the border lords yield so easily?"
Viscount Ripit cautiously voiced his concern. Since ancient times, the border lords and their armies were renowned for their unwavering loyalty to the empire.
"That's not for you to worry about."
"M-My apologies."
Shaking his head at the bowing Viscount Ripit, the Mountain Duke dismissed him.
"You may go now."
It was a blatant dismissal. Viscount Ripit left the Mountain Duke's estate with his four escorts. He boarded his waiting carriage, while the four escorts mounted their horses.
Viscount Ripit wasn't wealthy enough to have a separate estate in the imperial capital or inner citadel, so he headed to the modest guest quarters provided by the palace.
"Something's off."
The sole mage among the four escorts sensed something amiss.
"What's wrong?"
The veteran escort knight approached and asked. The mid-tier mage rolled his eyes quickly before speaking.
"This is the imperial capital. With the current unrest, does it make sense that there are no patrol or guard soldiers anywhere?"
"Draw your swords, all of you."
The knight belatedly read the ominous atmosphere and ordered. The escorts drew their blades in unison. The mid-tier mage cautiously gathered mana.
The moment blue mana converged around the mage, a dagger flew from somewhere and pierced his throat.
"Where...?"
Sweat beaded on the veteran knight's forehead. One escort down, yet no mana fluctuation or presence was felt.
"Wh-What's happening...?"
"My lord, it's dangerous!"
As the carriage door opened and Viscount Ripit poked his head out, the veteran knight panicked. Hidden projectiles could fly from anywhere. Staying inside the carriage with its engraved defensive magic circle was safest.
"Gah!"
The coachman collapsed. Jet-black projectiles followed, piercing the horses pulling the carriage.
"Wh-What in the world!"
Viscount Ripit whimpered. Despair reared its head. One escort fired a signal flare, but even that was swallowed by the deep darkness.
"Damn it!"
One escort cursed—and toppled over. A black projectile was embedded in his breastplate.
Now only the veteran knight and one young knight remained. But that didn't last. The young knight fell to a flying projectile, dying instantly, leaving only the veteran.
"Show yourself!"
The veteran knight swung his sword at the air and shouted. He thought a frontal clash might offer a chance, but it was an illusion.
The moment Shade emerged from the darkness, the veteran knight despaired.
'I can't handle this.'
He squeezed his eyes shut. It felt like standing before a deep abyss. Even encountering Hashashin from Edriger Kingdom hadn't been this overwhelming. The sheer difference crushed his will to fight.
When he opened his eyes again, Shade stood before him, face hidden by a black mask. The thick killing intent pouring from those visible eyes alone sent chills down his spine.
Shade, standing still, took a step forward. With a flick of his hand, a projectile shot out and embedded in the veteran knight's forehead.
Another flick sent a black slash that cleaved the carriage roof. The mid-tier defensive magic circle was meaningless to Shade.
With the interior exposed, Viscount Ripit was visible, trembling in terror.
"Pissing yourself too?"
Shade said. Viscount Ripit had no reply. No—fear had eroded him, rendering speech impossible.
"Wh-Why are you doing this to me?"
"You truly don't know?"
Shade's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Confess your sins now."
He raised his right hand holding the dagger.
"First, you dared to test the sacred imperial authority."
Slash.
"Gaaaaah!"
Something thudded to the ground. Realizing it was his left arm, Viscount Ripit screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Scream and wail all you want. No one in the imperial capital will help you."
Shade said coldly. He shook the blood from his dagger and took another step toward Viscount Ripit.
"Second, you insulted His Majesty the Emperor."
Judgment fell again. This time, his left leg.
"G-Gaaaah! P-Please, stop!"
Viscount Ripit begged through agonized cries, but Shade didn't stop. From the moment they insulted the emperor, mercy was forgotten. The viscount deserved fitting punishment.
"Third, you were disloyal to the empire."
His right arm flew off.
"Fourth, you dared to plot treason."
His right leg vanished. Now too exhausted to even scream, Viscount Ripit merely gasped weakly, limbs gone.
He was on the verge of losing consciousness from pain, but Shade's mastery of torture prevented even that respite.
"I could press more sins, but... this will do."
There was nothing left to punish. As Shade raised his right hand, Viscount Ripit's life ended.
The next day's audience proceeded as scheduled. News of Viscount Ripit's death had spread widely, reaching even the Mountain Duke's ears, but he remained silent.
Seeing that, it seemed Viscount Ripit had been a mere sacrificial pawn from the start.
As Royal Guards in golden masks and cloaks cast stern gazes, nobles entered the audience chamber one by one.
"His Majesty the Emperor enters!"
Raymond appeared last. Was it the rumor of Viscount Ripit's mutilated corpse? Or awareness of the Royal Guards? The nobles' eyes on Raymond differed from yesterday.
The audience began. In place of the incognito Count Potas, a noble from the Central Intelligence Agency stepped forward and reported evidence linking the Valencia Duke family to the Bloody Funeral.
"The evidence is clear! We cannot overlook this!"
Unable to contain his emotions, Count Dancihi—who had attended despite his busy schedule—raised his voice.
"Indeed!"
"Punish them immediately!"
"Only by exterminating the Valencia Duke family will imperial authority be restored!"
Empire faction nobles raised their voices. Even supporters of the 1st Prince who had once judged Raymond joined them, and those watching the tide lent their support to strengthening imperial authority.
Unexpectedly bolstered, the Mountain Duke bit his lip until blood seeped.
'I thought it was a kitten, but it's a full-grown lion.'
Relaxed yesterday, he was different today.
"Your Excellency, are you alright?"
A noble from the Rider House cautiously checked on him. The Mountain Duke waved him off lightly and let out a short sigh. His gaze toward Raymond chilled.
"Viscount Kasso."
He called one of the Rider House nobles. Viscount Kasso, at his side, approached carefully.
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"Prepare to return to the territory as soon as the audience ends."
"I'll ready the retinue."
Viscount Kasso withdrew discreetly. As he coordinated with the retinue, the Mountain Duke forced calm over his nearly crumbling expression and turned toward Raymond.
Calls to make the Valencia Dukedom a direct imperial territory were in full swing. Spotting an opening, the Mountain Duke's eyes sharpened like a wolf sighting prey.
"Then, Your Majesty! What of the Valencia Duke family's retainers? As long as they live, strong resistance is highly likely. As you know, the Valencia territorial army is renowned as elite in the empire's west."
Pressing sharply, Raymond remained composed.
"No need to worry about that. I've sent experts."
A chilling voice echoed through the audience chamber.