Rebellion (1)
The union of the Uranus and Macedon families. As it was a grand event, there was much conversation between the families.
"The problem is that most of those conversations are being handled by my foster father, not me."
Marriages had been alliances between houses from ancient times to the modern era. And since this was a political marriage, it was nearly impossible for the parties involved—me and Zoi—to converse directly and prepare a normal wedding.
"At any rate, it's an event that needs to be widely announced to the public."
The marriage of the purple-blooded lineage. As a political union, even the frugal Basil II had to make the ceremony splendid. This was directly tied to the imperial family's honor. That was why the elders of each house had no choice but to step forward.
"In the meantime, I need to handle my work first."
The guild matters that were piling up. They would surely pile up even more during the wedding preparations, so it was best to chip away at them in the spare moments. As he focused on the paperwork, a knock came from the office door.
It was probably Alberto.
"Come in."
Alberto entered, opening the door. After greeting him, he spoke to me.
"Master. Um... there's something I need to tell you."
I stopped my paperwork and looked at Alberto, who was hesitating.
"What is it?"
"I wanted to tell you myself, but... it's just..."
Alberto kept glancing toward the door outside, as if gauging something. It seemed there was a reason for his caution.
"I see. Close the door so no one overhears, and tell me inside."
His eyes lit up at my words, and he nodded vigorously. He promptly shut the door and approached me, beginning to explain.
"The Imperial Guards suddenly arrived, saying they had been ordered by His Imperial Majesty to protect you."
"Imperial Guards?"
"Yes. It appears they've been assigned to safeguard you until the wedding."
It looked like a measure to prevent any issues with my personal safety or unexpected incidents. While thinking that, a strange feeling crept in. Was there really any need to go this far?
Since it was an order from His Imperial Majesty, there was no choice but to comply for now. Still, something felt off, so I questioned Alberto.
"Did you check the orders?"
"They said it was an urgent dispatch and they couldn't bring the documents right away, but they'd fetch them soon. So I kept them from entering the building until then."
"Good work."
I praised Alberto for following procedure.
"Understood. When the Imperial Guards bring the orders, I'll verify them myself."
"Yes, Master."
Alberto nodded and withdrew. After he left, I stood from my seat and gazed toward the palace where the emperor resided.
"All I can do is hope nothing happens while the marriage talks proceed."
The marriage to Zoi. It was the moment that would determine the fate of Eastern Roman power, so I couldn't let my guard down.
"The nobles are surely plotting something..."
It was inevitable that the nobles' influence would wane the moment I married Zoi. They would undoubtedly try something political. Several possibilities came to mind: pressuring me politically, swaying the co-emperor Constantine VIII, and so on.
Among these, the one that worried me most was a single option.
"Assassination."
That was my greatest concern. If they couldn't block it politically, assassination was the only path left for the nobles.
From ancient Rome onward, countless emperors had been assassinated by nobles.
"They wouldn't go that far, would they?"
Even if they assassinated the emperor, there was no guarantee the nobles would seize power. Because Constantine VIII was still alive.
"As long as Constantine VIII lives, the legitimacy lies firmly with the Macedon family."
To become Eastern Rome's emperor and grasp power, three things were needed: the military's support, the nobles' backing, and legitimacy.
The military's support depended on how many duces—the actual rulers of the military districts—had been won over. The nobles' support hinged on the cooperation of the administrative nobles, led by the Keroularioi. Finally, legitimacy, or orthodoxy. This could be resolved by being from the current imperial Macedon family or through marriage.
In normal circumstances, securing two of these three would suffice to claim the throne. But this wasn't a normal situation.
"Thanks to the power Basil II has solidified, lacking legitimacy means ultimate failure."
Basil II, the famed ruler who led Eastern Rome's revival. He had ended two civil wars, conquered Bulgaria and Georgia, secured tax revenues, and earned the overwhelming support of the Eastern Roman populace for the emperor.
"Moreover, with my marriage to Zoi already proclaimed, killing the emperor wouldn't cancel it."
This made it nearly impossible to ascend without Macedon blood or marriage. For these reasons, I predicted the odds of the nobles assassinating the emperor were extremely low. The losses outweighed the gains.
However, since there was still a slim chance, I couldn't rule it out entirely. That was why I had ordered the Varangian Guard to bolster their protection.
As these thoughts swirled, a strange premonition hit me. The outside was too quiet. Eerily silent, like a graveyard, which was suspicious.
Suddenly, the premise that killing the emperor wouldn't stop the marriage resurfaced. They couldn't kill Zoi, the purple blood. So there was only one way to halt the betrothal.
"Damn it!"
I immediately looked toward the window. The building was surrounded in an instant. The Imperial Guards were no longer hiding; they advanced inside with weapons drawn.
"I was too complacent."
I had only considered the emperor's safety, not that my own life might be targeted. That complacency led me to concentrate all Varangians in the Uranus estate on imperial protection, creating a military vacuum in the Uranus household. The nobles had exploited that gap immediately.
"Where are Alberto and the others?"
First, I needed to assess the situation. Drawing my sword in case of emergency, I cautiously opened the office door and peered out.
"Everyone, get ready. These Varangians aren't ordinary foes—stay sharp."
Footsteps ascending the stairs. A man who clearly looked like the assassins' leader approached the office with a group of soldiers.
This location was on the third floor. Jumping out the window was impossible. The only way down to the first floor was the stairs.
A frontal breakthrough was possible, but it would draw attention. To escape safely, I had to slip away silently and stealthily.
"If I just run like this, they'll chase right away."
I opened a window in a dimly lit corner out of their sightline. Roughly twisting the curtains inside into a rope, I draped it over the sill. This would make them think I'd escaped through the window, buying some time.
After preparing, I slipped out of the office and cracked open the door to the adjacent storeroom. That was the second decoy, making them think I was hiding there.
Then, holding my breath, I actually concealed myself in the nearest blind spot to the stairs—a dark corner shrouded by its turns.
As I waited silently, the assassins appeared.
"One of you guard the stairs. The other covers the hallway for any surprises."
The leader assigned two as sentries. Then, he and two others headed into the office.
With the leader gone, this was my only chance to flee. But one enemy blocked the stairs.
The only solution was to eliminate that sentry. It would draw eyes, but lingering longer was riskier. Just as I moved to strike...
A familiar horn blast echoed from outside.
Bwooooooo.
The assassins in the office, along with the hallway sentry, rushed toward the sound.
"What is that?"
"Did they get spotted?"
I didn't know what was happening, but it was my golden opportunity. I bolted down the stairs to the first floor.
"That horn must have drawn all the assassins on the first floor away too."
Fortunately, the first floor felt deserted. Still wary of sudden enemies, I moved slowly and tensely.
After a short distance, in a corner, I found Alberto gagged and bound with rope alongside the servants, muffled groans escaping them. I removed his gag and sliced the ropes with my sword, freeing him.
"Thank you, Master. I thought we were done for, trapped like that."
Alberto looked on the verge of tears. I calmed him and had him explain.
The Imperial Guards had burst in suddenly. When Alberto confronted them, he was overpowered in seconds and thrown in here with the servants.
"Good thing no one's hurt."
No injuries so far. But with assassins still upstairs, evacuating unarmed servants was impossible. External aid was needed to save them.
"Stay here—the assassins are still above. I'll go call for reinforcements."
Alberto protested vehemently.
"It's too dangerous, Master."
"The estate is surrounded. If we all try to flee now, we won't survive."
"I'm sorry, Master. If only I'd learned the sword..."
Alberto expressed his regret. I patted his head and stood.
"Protect the servants until I return."
"Understood, Master."
From the office window earlier, the estate grounds had been encircled by Imperial Guards. To avoid detection, I slipped outside as stealthily as possible.
Outside, an unexpected sight awaited: Varangians overwhelming the Imperial Guards. And at their forefront, a woman wielding a weapon and cutting down foes.
"Zoi...?"
Zoi Porphyrogenita. She was leading the Varangian Guard.