The Pathetic Second Male Lead in a Romance Fantasy Destroys the Empire
The imperial capital bore the name Alrenlicht, yet everyone simply called it the Imperial Capital.
Staring at the eastern wall of that capital, I directed the soldiers into formation.
A spot safely out of the imperial army’s range.
Yet close enough for our mages to rain down their spells.
In truth, ordering the mages to bombard the wall would have brought it down in moments.
But I had no desire to do so.
“Don’t follow me.”
“Understood, my lord.”
I broke away from the front line and rode toward the eastern wall.
Clip-clop. Clip-clop.
Only the sound of hooves striking the ground echoed in the silence. On the ramparts above, soldiers aimed bows and crossbows at me, their faces pale with terror.
They were all scared out of their wits.
Amplification magic had already been cast, so I shouted without hesitation.
“Imperial Guard Commander. I wish to speak with you.”
“What could we possibly have to discuss?”
The opposing commander, Maximilian, stood firm atop the gatehouse and answered with a voice equally magnified by magic.
“Any closer and we will open fire.”
“Maximilian.”
I called his name.
Even from this distance I saw him flinch.
I urged my horse nearer to the wall.
With a gesture to Celine, I had her strengthen my voice even further.
“Soldiers. Are you men who protect the emperor, or men who protect the empire?”
“Do not spout nonsense to my troops!”
Maximilian shouted as if pleading, but I ignored him.
After all, the transparent barrier Celine had layered around me would stop any arrow cold.
“I did not come here to burn the capital.”
“……”
“I came only to take the soldiers the emperor abandoned and hold him accountable.”
“Then what exactly are you trying to say, General Eisen?”
Even though I no longer held the rank, the Imperial Guard Commander still addressed me as general.
He continued to speak to me with respect.
What that told me was simple.
He, too, still saw me as the empire’s shield.
I shouted with absolute conviction.
“If you keep that gate shut, it won’t be me who turns the capital into a battlefield—it will be you!”
The soldiers atop the wall began to waver.
Hands gripping bows and nocked arrows trembled visibly.
Those holding crossbows shook less, but the difference was meaningless.
I spoke directly to them.
“Your families are among my army as well. Do not shoot. Are we not all countrymen?”
After I said that and simply waited, strange movements began on the ramparts.
“Damn it, we’re pulling out!”
“Mercenary captain! What the hell are you saying!”
“It’s obvious we can’t win! I’m saying we should surrender!”
“You think we hired you people so you could do that?!”
A brawl erupted on the wall.
Though inferior in quality to the Imperial Guard, the mercenaries overwhelmed them in sheer numbers and began causing chaos.
Maximilian squeezed his eyes shut.
“Even if fighting breaks out, we can win, Maximilian. Let’s not shed pointless blood.”
“……I will consider it.”
“Good.”
“I will consider it carefully.”
The consideration did not take long.
Soon the firmly closed eastern gate creaked open.
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
The revolutionary troops standing behind me burst into cheers.
Maximilian stepped out beyond the gate and looked me in the eye.
“General, what do you think of the empire?”
“The empire must fall.”
“Pardon?”
“Only then can the name Nicator truly protect its people.”
I gestured to Theresia, who stood behind me.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
The soldiers’ boots struck the ground in perfect unison.
And so, without any real battle, we entered the imperial capital.
On the road leading to the imperial palace, the streets were deserted.
Residents had locked every door and window tight and refused to look at us.
We took no action against them.
We simply marched while singing military songs.
From a third-floor building, someone timidly scattered flowers.
I saw the soldiers’ faces light up with joy.
The imperial palace was now close.
I wondered what Ulysian and Elysis were doing at this very moment.
They probably still couldn’t grasp the reality of the situation.
Maximilian’s Imperial Guard and the mercenaries remained at the eastern wall.
They claimed they could not face the emperor after what had happened.
When the army reached the district where soldiers’ families lived, the marching songs abruptly stopped.
The men could not hide the longing in their eyes as they gazed at the streets.
Their families were somewhere in those houses.
To those soldiers I gave an order.
“Do not stop. Do not lower your heads. We are not criminals. We have come only to hold Emperor Ulysian accountable.”
The soldiers did not reply, but their expressions grew noticeably brighter.
At last we stood before the walls of the imperial palace.
“Tell the mage corps to destroy it completely.”
“Yes, sir.”
The moment I said that to Theresia, the sound of mages chanting spells soon echoed across the area.
The walls of the capital and the walls of the imperial palace carried very different symbolism.
The palace walls could be torn down.
Before long, spells hurtled toward the palace ramparts.
Boom—!
Kwaaaaang—!!
Flames and earth-attribute magic slammed into the palace walls and detonated.
Soon after, a section of the imperial palace wall collapsed.
No one inside offered any resistance.
We simply walked past the broken wall and headed for the palace proper.
And there, inside the imperial palace, I came face to face with Ulysian—his expression twisted with rage—and Elysis, who looked as though she still could not accept reality.
I stormed into the emperor’s office at the head of armed troops.
Once I took the seat of honor, I had Ulysian and Elysis sit on either side of me.
Claudia, the Minister of War—the empire’s only loyal subject who had not resigned—stood in attendance as well.
Ulysian glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.
“Leon Eisen, you dare……”
“Whoa, whoa. Your Imperial Majesty, calm yourself. Though you won’t be emperor much longer.”
“I’ll kill you!”
He drew a dagger and charged at me.
Clang—!!
His dagger was deflected by Katarina’s spear and flew into the air.
It embedded itself in the ceiling.
“Please restrain yourself.”
“Haa… haa… haa… haa.”
“Did you really think you could beat me in single combat, Your Majesty?”
Elysis was still denying reality.
“Leon… this is a dream, right?”
“It’s not a dream.”
“The Leon I know would never do something like this……”
“That Leon died a long time ago, I keep telling you.”
I arrogantly propped my legs up on the table.
I took out a pipe and lit it.
Tobacco smoke quickly filled the entire office.
I immediately dropped all honorifics toward Ulysian.
“Ulysian. Do you want to live?”
“……Just kill me!”
“Katarina.”
“Yes.”
Katarina raised her spear and pressed the blade against Ulysian’s throat.
When she applied pressure, the edge sliced lightly into his skin.
Red blood trickled down.
“Aaaaaaaaargh!”
“Let me ask again. Do you want to live?”
“……I want to live.”
“Good.”
I had Natalia bring out the documents we had prepared in advance.
I thrust them in front of Ulysian and Elysis.
“The current emperor, Ulysian, hereby abdicates the imperial throne to me, Leon Eisen. Sign this and you may live.”
“Leon, you bastard… so you really did harbor treasonous ambitions…!!”
“You’re the one who turned the country into such a mess.”
I pointed toward the window.
Revolutionary troops stood in perfect ranks, filling the palace gardens.
“What crime did those men commit that they should be treated like defeated remnants?”
I rose from my seat and snatched the crown from Ulysian’s head.
I took his necklace and rings.
I ripped the jewels from his uniform.
I dumped them all onto the table in a clattering heap.
“What was the point of treasuring this garbage?”
“They symbolize the dignity of the imperial family…!”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“This isn’t imperial dignity. It’s just your luxury goods. And Elysis.”
I looked at the jewels dangling all over her body.
“You’re the same.”
Elysis kept her head bowed, muttering unintelligible words to herself.
She was still refusing to accept reality.
But that was none of my concern.
I spoke to Theresia.
“Prepare the abdication ceremony.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The moment the revolutionary army occupied the imperial palace and secured the emperor and empress, the fate of the Nicator imperial family was sealed.
In the spring of the 208th year of the imperial calendar.
The abdication ceremony was held in the grand banquet hall of the imperial palace.
Ulysian von Nicator, the second emperor of the Nicator Empire, abdicated the throne to Leon Eisen.
At the same time, both Ulysian and Elysis were stripped of their titles as emperor and empress.
All that remained for them was the title of King and Queen of Nicator.
And the instant Leon Eisen inherited the throne, he abolished the imperial system.
He restored the Nicator Empire to a kingdom and took his seat upon the throne.
“Hoo…”
It had been a surprisingly easy revolution.
The moment Leon Eisen, now the legitimate king of Nicator, sat upon the throne, countless lines of text appeared before his eyes.
Looking at them, Leon Eisen smiled.
Conditions Met
Leon Eisen has been recognized as the sovereign of the Nicator Kingdom.
Personal Status Window has been unlocked.
National Status Window has been unlocked.
Monarch-Exclusive Authority has been unlocked.
Permission to view sealed documents has been granted.
You may now read the Book of Prophecy stored in the imperial underground archives.
Staring at the glowing text, Leon Eisen murmured softly.
“……So it really was there.”