Reclaiming the Throne (2)
"This should be the last of it."
I gave a small nod at Arthur's words.
Three years. The time since leaving the forest to travel across all of Romania, accomplishing so much. Caring for the people, restoring barren lands, filling the bellies of the starving. The time it took to gather the people's support. The time to assemble those who doubted the disappearance of the crown prince who should have succeeded the late emperor. The time to rally the lords still loyal to the previous emperor rather than the current one. The time to secure support from external forces—other races and nations. And the time to spread rumors blaming the current emperor for all the troubles plaguing this land.
Three years. Long if you think of it that way, short if you don't. The ragged boy who had come to the forest carrying his little sister on his back had grown into a young man, now leading multitudes.
"Phew. It was a long road. Really."
"A long time indeed, if you call it that. Three years."
"Three years...? Ah... I meant the time it took to get back here."
"Hm? Oh, I see."
Eight years. The span of the boy's life that he could remember, excluding his forgotten infancy. At the end of that time, the boy—Arthur—had returned here.
"Now all that's left is to reclaim what was taken."
"Yes. This should wrap it up."
We'd done everything possible. Helped the people, spread rumors to shift public sentiment in Arthur's favor, pinned the blame for the famines on the emperor to stoke resentment. As a result, no lords would now rush to lead their soldiers for the current emperor.
At best... only the emperor's personal guard waiting in the capital, Sirius.
"Thank you for indulging my stubborn wish to avoid bloodshed as much as possible, Master."
"No need. I don't want rivers of blood in this land either."
I didn't want the people's blood spilled in the power struggles of the elite. That's why I'd suggested this time-consuming, legwork-heavy approach.
"And I told you to call me Gaia, not Master. Why the sudden formality?"
"It's just us now, Master. Forgive me."
"Honestly..."
I chuckled softly at Arthur's slight pout.
"Without you... I'd have died at the soldiers' hands eight years ago. You are the benefactor of my everything."
"Heh. Why say such embarrassing things?"
"I'm simply grateful. For everything... all you've done for me."
His words made me scratch my nose sheepishly. With a rustle, a stone fragment hidden under the illusion magic broke away.
Hm. Almost up, then. Still, I might witness Arthur reclaiming the throne before it fades.
"I have something to tell my benefactor... Hm... No, I'll save it for after everything's done."
"Hm? Something to say?"
"Not the time now. After it's all over."
I wondered what it could be... but after it ends, I probably won't hear it anyway. Probably just thanks and offers to repay me somehow.
"Anyway, it's about time."
In the distance, a beacon of black smoke rose, and Sirius's gates creaked open. The massive iron doors swung wide, spilling out a cavalry of knights—the emperor's last line of defense, the Imperial Knights.
"Vivi better do well."
"Trust your sister, Arthur. Vivi will handle it."
And it wasn't just Vivi. Companions from our three-year journey, plus soldiers from lords supporting Arthur—around three thousand troops marching from the direction of the beacon.
Of course, not to fight. Their role was simply to lure the Imperial Knights holed up behind Sirius's walls out into the open.
That was all.
"But really, is just you and me enough? There's the Epona Knights in Sirius too..."
"The Epona Knights won't move."
Closely tied to Sirius's temple, they couldn't act easily with Arthur—the late emperor's son—and Vivi, the Dragon Maiden, in the picture. Without Vivi, the emperor might have swayed them somehow. Unfortunately for him, no such luck.
"They haven't declared it publicly, but they'll stay neutral."
Honestly, picking a fight against the Dragon Maiden takes more than ordinary loyalty. The only reliable force left was the absolutely devoted Imperial Knights. Even Sirius's garrison probably had no stomach for battle.
"That's the power of a well-spread rumor. Remember that."
"Even now, you're teaching me."
"Heh. That's what masters do."
Though my time playing master is nearly over.
A little time passed. We watched the Imperial Knights charge out after the beacon.
"Let's move, Arthur."
"Yes, Master."
Maintaining stealth, we advanced. Good thing I'd taught Arthur stealth magic. We slipped past the guards to the gates undetected.
"Master, the gates are closing. What now?"
"Hm... What would you do, Arthur?"
He thought a moment.
"Simplest is slicing a hole in the gate or wall with my sword, but cleanup would be a hassle... So maybe just jam it enough to stop it closing?"
"Not bad, but your means make it tricky."
Sirius's gates were massive iron slabs, sliding open sideways by teams of soldiers. Hard to impede.
"Easiest is taking out the soldiers operating it... but you don't want blood."
"Yes. They're Romania's people too."
I grinned. His care for the common folk was already strong, even before becoming emperor. Arthur would make a good one.
"Then another way. The gates are huge, heavy, sturdy... but the hinges fixing them to the wall are weaker."
"Right... Sever those, and we could remove the gates."
"Even then, toppling them is another issue."
Those iron behemoths weighed a ton.
So.
"For now, a little trickery."
They weren't fully closed yet. Jam something in, and we delay it.
I raised a small rock in the narrowing gap, halting the gates briefly. Narrow, but enough for one person.
I stopped and pushed Arthur's back.
"In you go, Arthur. Face your uncle alone and reclaim what's yours."
"Huh? You're not coming, Master?"
"The Imperial Knights heading for Vivi and the troops will turn back once they realize no fight's coming. Someone needs to stall them."
A lie. Sending Arthur alone wasn't wise, but I wanted the emperor and Arthur confronting each other—thief and robbed, uncle and nephew, current emperor and late emperor's son. Their clashing tales would captivate many.
"You alone, Master?"
"No worries. Just buying a little time."
Until Arthur captures the emperor. It wouldn't take long.
"The emperor's on his throne. You know the way."
"Yes...!"
"Don't look back. No hesitation. Run. Leave the knights to me."
Arthur hesitated briefly, then nodded with resolve.
"I leave it to you, Master!"
"Hurry back, my disciple."
Arthur slipped through the barely-there gap. The rock crumbled, and the gates sealed shut.
Inside Sirius, Arthur ran without pause. A few guards noticed but didn't react. No one expected the prince to infiltrate the heart of the enemy alone. Just a trick of the eye, they thought, turning away.
Thus, Arthur pressed on through Sirius's streets toward the castle.
Toward his destiny.
Toward the emperor.
