Chapter 225: Imperial Decree
by xennovel“Now you tell me this?!”
His voice, rising in anger, abruptly cut off.
Ardal, remembering he was speaking to the Emperor, slowly closed his eyes and opened them again to regain composure. His voice, now calm, resumed in a measured tone.
“Is that really your answer? How very confident of you.”
“It was just a simple question. Why wouldn’t I be confident?”
“Hah… is that so?”
It’s far from a simple question.
With this question, Elpidius made it clear that revenge took priority over the Empire. The question itself was also a form of pressure, probing Ardal’s intentions. He was making a calculated move.
Would Ardal quietly obey his will, or dare to defy the Emperor and risk everything?
“You’re not truly asking because you’re curious about my answer, are you?”
He already knew the answer he’d receive.
He knew Chancellor Ardal’s nature well.
“Nevertheless, if you insist on an answer, then yes.”
……
“I will bring you down. If the Emperor fails to fulfill his duties, isn’t that the natural course of action?”
Despite the veiled threats and warnings, Ardal’s gaze remained unwavering.
The one who sits at the apex of the nation must be the one who cares for it most.
That is my conviction. So, even now, abandon any foolish notions and quietly work for the good of this nation. If you lack the resolve, then step down before I am forced to remove you.
Chancellor Ardal had just dared to threaten the two royals.
…Ha. Aletea scoffed, a hint of incredulity in her laughter. Elpidius offered a wry smile, tinged with bitterness.
“You certainly are bold. Words not befitting before the Emperor, wouldn’t you say? You shouldn’t assume the late Emperor’s favor will protect you.”
“When have I ever acted presumptuously, relying on the late Emperor’s favor? I’ve merely stated my resolve. Your Majesty’s concerns are unfounded, both now and in the future. If my stance displeases you, dismissal is always an option, so I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from such insults.”
“…Very well. I understand your intent.”
Bring me down if I don’t prioritize the Empire, is that it?
Elpidius leaned back, resting his elbow on the right armrest of his chair, adopting a relaxed posture. Aletea, perched sideways on the left armrest, sword at her hip, narrowed her eyes at the chancellor in silent appraisal.
Both of them still wore amused smirks.
“For now, I won’t dismiss you. Finding someone as competent as you would be quite a task.”
“However, I won’t be following your dictates either. Your bold stance was… somewhat impressive, I’ll admit. But really, did you think such blatant threats would work on us?”
The chancellor’s threat was empty. Both royals had recognized it instantly.
Aletea stood up gracefully and strolled toward Ardal, her steps measured. Instead of approaching directly, she circled him slowly, like a predator circling its prey, closing the distance with a casual air, before she began to speak.
“Given the already chaotic state of the Empire, both internally and externally, you wouldn’t intentionally create more turmoil by replacing the Emperor, would you? Anyone else might, but you, Chancellor Ardal, who holds the Empire’s welfare above all else…”
……
“Even if you did contemplate such drastic action, to depose the current Emperor, you’d need a successor ready to take the throne. But I am the only viable option for a stable transition. And as I am firmly on my brother’s side, I certainly won’t be swayed by your… suggestions.”
“This isn’t a formal setting, you can address me informally for now.”
“Yes, Brother. In any case, you, who served the late Emperor so closely, are well aware that I am the only legitimate heir. The late Emperor made sure of that when he ascended the throne, eliminating all other royals except for my brother and me.”
Siblings, cousins—even their children were eliminated.
I heard he’d meticulously planned the purge, leaving no escape routes. No one got away.
Aletea’s clear voice echoed in the room, punctuated by the chancellor’s silence.
“Of course, if you were to search thoroughly, perhaps some distant relatives might surface somewhere. But placing such unknown figures on the throne would invite considerable risk and chaos. The nobles would surely be divided, creating factions for and against. This directly impacts the Empire’s stability. Ultimately, you wouldn’t make such a choice.”
……
“Of course, that’s assuming you don’t think we’re utterly incompetent… which you don’t. Honestly, regardless of our… mindset, we are quite capable, aren’t we?”
That was why they were sneering. The chancellor’s threat was simply ludicrous.
Having made her point and released the pressure, Aletea returned to her seat, perching back on the armrest. Elpidius leaned slightly to make room for her, then chuckled leisurely.
“And there’s something else the late Emperor used to say.”
……
“‘I am the Empire.’”
……!
Ardal froze, his body rigid. Seeing the chancellor’s expression also harden, Elpidius gave a bitter smile.
“So, do not defy my will. You haven’t forgotten the vow you made to me, have you?”
……
[I pledge allegiance to the current Empire.]
Even as he spoke the words, he felt a pang of self-reproach. His uncle had meant the phrase to signify his dedication to the Empire, treating it as his own body. But Elpidius was using it to assert his personal desires. How was he any different from a tyrant?
He knew he was corrupting the noble intent behind those words, but he had no intention of backing down. He stared at the chancellor’s now-grim face, and, yielding to a flicker of conscience, he abruptly added:
“Still, I do intend to prioritize the Empire’s stability, in accordance with the late Emperor’s will. So, don’t worry too much.”
“…Just maintain it, you say. I believe the late Emperor wished for a better Empire, not just revenge.”
……
He’d expected this. That’s why he’d hesitated to say it. Elpidius sighed inwardly.
See how quickly Ardal shifted from confrontation to persuasion, seizing on his words. Elpidius realized that intelligent people were the most troublesome when their goals diverged. He hastily changed the subject to avoid getting drawn into a debate or being swayed.
“Any news on Stigma Primiero’s whereabouts yet?”
……
The chancellor narrowed his eyes, fully aware of the change of subject. Elpidius met his gaze, feigning ignorance. After a brief silent standoff, Ardal relented with a soft sigh.
“Still tracking him.”
For now, it was enough to know there was still room for persuasion.
Ideally, he’d resolve it quickly, but it wasn’t an immediate crisis. There was still time. He could try to persuade Ardal again later. Revenge wasn’t something people abandoned easily, so he hadn’t expected a quick resolution anyway.
Having gathered his thoughts, he continued.
“News of a green-haired Hero has surfaced across the continent, so tracking him isn’t difficult… however…”
“If this ‘Hero’ is determined to evade capture or hide, apprehending him will be difficult. In times when every soldier is precious, why would a Hero act this way…”
Stigma Primiero is currently missing.
In a continent ravaged by war, disappearance usually implied death. Yet, Elpidius was certain Stigma Primiero was alive.
His death hadn’t been confirmed. Individually, only a Heroic Spirit, a Demon King, a legion commander, or another Hero could kill a ‘Hero’. Any conflict between such powerful beings would not have gone unnoticed. Even if it were multiple opponents, it would have caused a larger disturbance, not a silent skirmish. Therefore, the odds favored ‘survival’.
Besides, the rumors of a green-haired Hero wandering the continent were circulating now.
The real question was why he’d left…
“First, we need to meet him to even have a conversation.”
“Still, it’s fortunate he vanished without disbanding the Primiero Knight Order.”
“Even though nearly half of them are dead, and very few remain.”
Since they were diligently pursuing him, there was little more he could do from a position of conserving troops.
Elpidius sighed, half in resignation, and resumed shuffling through the documents. He noticed the title of a report set aside and exclaimed softly, as if struck by an idea.
“Ah, right. Should have asked this sooner.”
…?
“Do you know anything about the ‘Demon Church’?”
“The Demon Church? I know it as a pseudo-religion with an ominous name that’s been expanding rapidly lately…”
“And it’s gaining traction among the Imperial citizens, isn’t it.”
For a pseudo-religion, of all things.
Tap, tap. He tapped the report with his fingers. Aletea picked it up from beneath his hand, scanned it briefly, and spoke.
“Perfect ‘good’ doesn’t exist in this world, and a pseudo-religion certainly isn’t ‘good’. Especially when it’s projecting such an overwhelmingly positive image to the masses, it’s practically guaranteed to be rotten underneath. It wouldn’t hurt to investigate it thoroughly, keep them in check.”
“Agreed.”
The Duke used to say something similar.
If something appears to be absolutely good or evil, it’s almost certainly wrong. Especially if it claims to be ‘good,’ be highly suspicious, he always said.
He was exposed as trash in that incident, and he was generally a terrible person, but he wasn’t incompetent enough to ignore sound advice like that.
Therefore, Elpidius commanded:
“You heard that, Chancellor? Investigate them.”
“Understood.”
The name ‘Demon’ had already been bothering him anyway.
Could it be derived from ‘Demon Hart,’ Deon Hart’s name in the Demon Realm? Ardal’s eyes gleamed with resolve to thoroughly investigate this time.
***
The protagonist revered by the Demon Church was currently sprawled on a sofa.
The Demon King had insisted on teaching him to paint and practically dragged him to the art studio.
Deon, with a lukewarm attitude, diligently conveyed his disinterest in painting. He eventually asked a demon servant to bring a flowerpot from his room, and then he lay down on the sofa in protest. The Demon King, amused by this display, picked up a brush and sat before the canvas, declaring he would paint an example first.
In the unusually peaceful atmosphere, the Demon King glanced at Deon, who was humming and stroking the flowerpot in his arms, and changed his brush before speaking.
“As the Hero, you’re bound to have talent, and yet, aside from talent, you seem utterly uninterested.”
“Yeah, well…”
“A little disappointing. If you dedicated yourself to art, anything you created would become a masterpiece for the ages.”
“…So, is that why you’re pushing art lessons so persistently? What’s the basis for that…”
“Be it poet, musician, or painter, works that endure in history are often born from the artist’s suffering. Whether you’re the ‘Hero’ or not is irrelevant.”
……
Squawk.
Deon silently pinched and shook the flower bud of the carnivorous plant, which resembled a mouth, between his thumb and forefinger. The plant thrashed its vine in protest, but Deon ignored it.
The silence returned, broken by a low voice that drifted through the room, shifting the topic entirely.
“Any contact from the Human Realm about joining us? It’s about time we heard from one or two, isn’t it?”
“Taehon Kingdom, a very small kingdom, has reached out.”
“Taehon Kingdom… the southern kingdom bordering the Human Realm, isn’t it? Not bad… but none among Sanguo’s vassals?”
“Not yet.”
“We were aiming for Sanguo… that’s unexpected.”
Snap. The plant nipped his finger.
“Oh? No blood, but that’s proper resistance. Deon’s eyes widened at his pet plant’s first act of defiance.”
“Sanguo must have taken preemptive measures. But it hasn’t been long; it’s best to wait a bit longer. Contact might come later, you never know.”
“Perhaps we need a more decisive catalyst.”
“We’ve even revealed you’ve become the Hero. What could be more decisive than that?”
“That’s more of a ‘whip,’ isn’t it? I’m talking about a ‘carrot.’ Take Taehon Kingdom for example. They probably made their decision shortly after the border was established, observing the behavior of demons crossing into their kingdom. The demons were quite docile back then.”
They’d delayed reporting the border’s establishment because they wanted to travel to the Human Realm and have fun themselves. They’d promised each other to behave, knowing any trouble would be immediately discovered.
The hand tormenting the plant busily resumed its antics.
“Squeak squeak! Eeeek eeeek!”
“…What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”