Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Holy Empire (3)
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Atria.
That was the Third Princess's name.
She was still so young that she rarely ventured outside, so even the Holy Knights had little information on her.
I'd only vaguely pictured her personality based on the rumor that she'd troubled everyone by insisting on holding her birthday party in a special location.
"Thank you for accepting the invitation, Sir Sion."
The room I entered belonging to Atria was different from what I'd expected.
The space, neatly arranged in muted tones, was piled high with books.
Atria sat demurely in the middle of it all, hands folded neatly in her lap.
"I should be the one thanking you for inviting me, Your Highness."
I bowed politely to the black-haired girl.
She replied in a calm voice rivaling Estna's or Liz's.
"I've dismissed all the maids. So feel free to speak your mind."
"......"
Unsure what she meant, I glanced at her face for a moment.
"Please be honest with me, Sir Sion."
"What do you mean by that......?"
"Do you think the party can go ahead as planned?"
A cold question.
In that case, I'd give her a cold answer.
"Yes. With our current forces, we can repel any ordinary threats."
"And if it's no ordinary threat?"
"If an Archbishop-class foe from the Dialogue Church appears, it would be impossible to protect you one hundred percent."
"......Wouldn't it be the same no matter the situation if such enemies showed up? No one could guarantee absolute protection."
"That's true."
"So, as long as it's not that level of threat, there are no issues?"
"Of course."
"Then we can proceed."
Atria let out a sigh of relief.
"I wouldn't have thought Your Highness concerned yourself with such matters. Were you considering canceling?"
"I intended to agonize over it until the very end."
"......"
Atria's demeanor was not that of a ten-year-old child.
Surely she wasn't reincarnated with memories from a past life too?
"Your Highness, if I may be so bold."
"Yes, as I said earlier, don't worry about your words. Be frank."
"Does this party absolutely have to happen?"
"Yes."
"Why is that?"
"For the future of the imperial throne."
"......"
As I fell silent and watched her, Atria began her calm explanation.
"Not long ago, an incident occurred where my older half-sister, the Second Princess Serizad, had a quarrel with the only daughter of Duke Yostans."
"Duke Yostans?"
"Yes, one of the six Elector Princes, a great noble."
The Elector Princes, who held votes in the imperial election, were the highest-ranking nobles in the Holy Empire.
Depending on the era, they sometimes wielded power surpassing even the Emperor.
"It started over something trivial. A childish spat about whose birthday party was grander and more splendid."
"That's......"
In a way, it was an endearing scene.
"But a quarrel between a princess and a duke's daughter doesn't end as mere child's play."
"......"
"My half-sister and the Duke's daughter are both connected to children of other high nobles, forming peer groups. Those groups link to the older siblings and elders, creating massive factions."
I was starting to understand.
What began as kids bickering had escalated into a clash of factions' pride.
"As you know, being the Emperor's child doesn't place you absolutely above the offspring of other princes. They bow and call you 'Your Highness' to your face, but behind your back, they mock the imperial family as powerless puppets."
"Then at least the next birthday party must be grander than ever."
"Yes. If I hold my tenth birthday quietly in some corner of the palace, they'll sneer, 'See, even the princesses are nobodies.' Many noble children would flock to Duke Yostans's faction."
This wasn't just kids fighting over pride.
They were children now, but as they grew, they'd enter politics in earnest and influence the next imperial election.
She couldn't afford to lose the initiative from childhood.
"I know the location we've chosen is hard to secure. But since another noble's birthday party was held so lavishly not long ago, that was the only place that could top it."
"I see."
"From the Holy Knights' perspective, we must seem ridiculous. While you shed blood and sweat battling the Dialogue Church and rebels, we're safe inside squabbling over vain ceremonies and pride. It's truly shameful."
With that, Atria bowed her head deeply.
"I'm sorry for the trouble, Sir Sion."
Her jet-black hair cascaded down.
"I've heard so many rumors about you, Sir Sion. Hearing you'd step up put my mind at ease. For the sake of the imperial family's future, please bear with it just this once."
* * *
After my meeting with Atria, Igzard spoke to me.
[This is surprising.]
He seemed quite impressed by the encounter.
[I thought a ten-year-old girl would just throw a tantrum. But it was all to protect the imperial family's pride and secure the throne.]
'In Romancia's nobility centered around such games, this isn't just bravado—it's a matter of survival.'
In the past, emperors defeated in power struggles with Elector Princes had been dethroned and executed.
Given that history, they'd want to halt any further weakening of imperial authority.
[The kid's got depth. Sharp as a tack.]
'She really grew on you, huh.'
[Doesn't the future look bright? She'll be a big deal someday.]
'Maybe, but being that sharp at such a young age is dangerous instead.'
[What?]
Igzard sounded startled by my words.
[What do you mean?]
'Too threatening.'
[Ah, I get it!]
Igzard understood and let out an exclamation.
[With that level of intellect, she's a shoo-in for next Emperor! So rivals will want to eliminate her early!]
'Once she grows and builds her own power base, it'll be harder to take her out.'
[The birthday party might actually draw real assassins targeting her!]
I'd thought it might pass without incident, but that optimism was probably naive.
"Sion!"
Upon arriving at our assigned lodging, Sena rushed out in a panic.
"I just got word—the southern branch is sending support troops too."
"The southern branch? Suddenly why?"
"Who knows? Maybe because Branch Chief Gretus was assassinated, they changed their stance? Anyway, it's a relief they're helping."
As Sena said, knights from the southern branch would be useful.
At least better than the noble young masters in the Imperial Guard.
But......
'Sending reinforcements at this timing?'
It smelled fishy.
* * *
The purge knights arriving at the Holy Knights' southern branch were all caught off guard.
Avilon Aleyas, who greeted them, was far too cooperative.
"To think Branch Chief Gretus colluded with Dialogue Church affiliates—it's a disgrace to the southern branch. Please investigate thoroughly."
"Deputy Branch Chief Avilon—no, acting Branch Chief...... Gretus was your father, wasn't he?"
"Gretus Aleyas was a Holy Knight of the Order before he was my father. If he's done something shameful as a Holy Knight, it must all come to light."
"If you're cooperating, that's a relief for us......"
Purge knights usually conducted investigations aggressively.
If the other side resisted, they'd use it as an excuse for harsher measures—that was their standard tactic.
Such willing cooperation left them flustered instead.
"We understand your stance as acting chief. Very well, we'll investigate thoroughly."
"Yes, the southern branch will cooperate fully."
"By the way, I heard your branch is providing guards for Her Highness's birthday celebration......"
"Correct."
"Work well with the knights from headquarters. Finish without incident, and it'll bode well for your branch's future. You get what I'm saying?"
"Of course. Thank you for your consideration."
"Hmm......"
"Then I'll take my leave. I need to organize the unit for guard duty."
As Avilon departed, the purge knights muttered among themselves.
"I thought he was arrogant, but not today."
"He knows he has to grovel to survive. One wrong move, and he could be stripped of his rank too."
"His father and direct superior committed heresy. He's just trying to contain the fallout."
"We can't rule out Avilon's involvement. Let's start by combing Gretus's office and tear the place apart."
"We need results before Helena Supreme Commander's direct knights from HQ arrive. Let's move."
With that, the purge knights began their full investigation.
* * *
Romancia's underground sewers.
In one tangled corner, two figures conversed.
"What a strange turn of events."
The speaker was Avilon Aleyas, who had just dealt with the purge knights.
But the one talking to Avilon...... had the exact same face as him.
"I knew Father was in league with Bishop Collins, who defected from the Dialogue Church, but for it to blow up at this timing......"
"You're not bothered by Gretus Aleyas's death? Your father?"
"A man who had to die someday."
"Cold-blooded."
"But how long are you keeping that form?"
"Ah, sorry about that."
The "other Avilon" changed shape.
No longer a tall, pale-skinned man, but a medium-height woman with brown skin.
She was draped head to toe in flowing fabric, underneath which she wore clothes made of reptilian hide.
A woman in bizarre attire impossible to spot on the streets.
"Better now?"
"Much."
Avilon nodded slowly.
"Anyway...... Father's death has made things easier to proceed."
"Yes, deploying southern branch forces to the princess's party is smoother now."
"If Father were alive, it would've been tough. He'd have cursed us as Ianus's grandchildren playing dress-up."
With Ianus dead, Avilon had seized real control of the southern branch.
Now he could move its knights at will.
"Don't get too comfortable. Purge knights are prowling—be more cautious."
"I know. But no matter how much they dig into Father and Collins's ties, they won't uncover our connection."
Avilon smirked coldly.
"They'd never dream that I, Avilon Aleyas, deputy chief of the southern branch...... am secretly allied with Archbishop Brishura of the Dialogue Church."
Brishura.
That was the woman's name facing Avilon.
One of the Dialogue Church's representative Archbishops, she had risen rapidly as a key figure in the infiltration faction by mass-producing assassins using special drugs—and as a researcher.
"Good, Avilon."
Brishura extended a hand to him with a smile.
She placed it on his waist and whispered seductively.
"We're in this together. Let's make it a success."
"Yes, Brishura."
Avilon pulled her into an embrace.
Burying his face in her golden hair, he said in an excited voice.
"Let's celebrate the princess's birthday with blood and fire."
"It'll be spectacular. The Dialogue Church headquarters will be thrilled."
"If we pull this off...... you'll give me that, right?"
"Of course."
Brishura nodded as she yielded to Avilon.
"One of our church's greatest secrets...... I'll teach you the ultimate mana control technique to become the strongest being."
Avilon trembled at her words.
"Finally, it's within my grasp......"
"Yes. With that power, you won't need the Holy Knights anymore. Branch chief? Knight Order Leader? Those titles mean nothing."
Holding the excited Avilon close, Brishura whispered sweetly.
"The Dialogue Circulation Method...... Seize that power no one has ever mastered, and become the world's strongest."