Chapter 235: The Fall of the Empire (1)

‘Who knew I’d face such a loss towards the end of my life.’

Antras shook his head and let out a sigh.

A plan to retreat using the river at their backs while at the same time, feigning an attack and luring and annihilating the detached army.

Now that things were all over, the only thing Antras could say was that he had completely lost.

‘Even during the turbulent times of the Southern continent, there’s never been a strategist who ran circles around me like this. Did I get too old or…’

“Is there someone that talented under Grand Duke Forrest’s command?”

Antras let out a sigh. 

“Either way, luck seems to be on Grand Duke Forrest’s side.”

Antras faced reality objectively.

He looked at just how big of an advantage the Lester Kingdom had in this battle now. 

At the beginning of the war, the Empire had nearly destroyed the Republic and had even put diplomatic shackles on the Lester Kingdom; the Empire undoubtedly held supremacy in the continent. However, the Republic’s large-scale scorched earth tactic had dragged things out, and using that time, the Republic pulled in the Lester Kingdom. As a result, the Empire suffered tremendous damage, but up to then, things had still been fine.

‘The fact that they separately carried out military operations is evidence that their alliance isn’t built on trust. First, we should deal with the relatively easier Lester Kingdom.’

That was what Antras had thought and that was why he had concentrated the Empire’s entire army at the Lester Kingdom. He had believed they could easily win it and had taken a leisurely approach with it. 

Looking back at it, that was when Antras’s mistake started.

‘We should have tried everything to try and crush them then…’

This was the result of him giving his friend and the Empire’s strongest man a bit of leeway for the sake of their honor.

But now, the balance of power was leaning heavily towards the Lester Kingdom. Luck followed them. Talent followed them. And now, even the era was turning towards the Lester Kingdom. 

‘If we continue this war, it’ll be nothing but poison to the Empire.’

Antras could do nothing but acknowledge that this expedition was, in reality, a failure. He had thought his last achievement in his life would be to destroy the Republic, pressure the Lester Kingdom, and slowly provide the Empire a foothold for unifying the continent, but it had all failed. 

‘Thankfully, I was able to weaken the Republic’s influence. In that case…’

Antras took a pen and paper and began to write up a document. It took a while to complete all the paperwork, but afterwards, Antras called in Duke Sebastian.

“What’s going on?’

“I want you to deliver this to Grand Duke Forrest.”

“This is… a peace treaty?”

“As you can see, that’s correct.”

“Antras… this is too…”

“This can’t be helped. I don’t want to do this either, but continuing the war right now would only bring the Empire to ruin.”

Antras explained to Duke Sebastian what the Empire’s current situation was and what was waiting for them in the future if they were to continue with the war. 

“Hm…”

“The tide of times isn’t on the side of the Empire. It’s not good to go against this. It’s better to go with the flow and keep quiet right now.”

“I don’t know if the Emperor will allow this.”

“If his Imperial Majesty says this was a mistake, then I’ll take responsibility with my own head. But, this can’t be helped right now. This is the right way.”

“......”

“Fortunately, the purpose of this expedition was to suppress the Republic to some extent. We must consolidate with the Lester Kingdom while keeping the Republic in check at the same time. If the Lester Kingdom demands the former Strabus Kingdom’s territory as a condition for the peace treaty, then the central… no, it’s alright if we hand over all of it. Actually, that’d be better.”

“That’d be better?”

“Rather than the Empire sharing a border with the Republic, we have to have the Lester Kingdom face all of the Republic. Meanwhile, the Empire can gather our strength again.”

“......”

“The Empire still controls the southern region of the continent and has vassal countries. As time goes on, the Lester Kingdom and the Republic will be forced to use up their national power just by confronting and keeping each other in check. But the Empire is different. As time goes on, the Empire will accumulate power.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Although luck isn’t on our side right now, if we gather our strength and wait for the right time, then one day, the Empire will have a chance. Whether that’ll be the Emperor’s children or the generation after that, who knows… But if his Imperial Majesty truly wants to conquer the continent, then he has to recognize that it’s impossible to achieve in his generation. If it’s for that, then I'm willing to give up this old body of mine.”

Antras’ plan was to retreat and minimize damage for the current generation while looking forward to the future a hundred years later. 

Duke Sebastian greatly admired him when he heard the plan.

‘If he isn’t wise, then who would be called wise?’

He made up his mind.

“Before… What did you call our friendship? Sworn… what?”

“Sword friendship until death. But why… you can’t be thinking that?”

“Your life alone won’t be enough for his Imperial Majesty to give up his face. I’ll give up mine with you.”

“Unlike me, you’re a necessary and important person. So how can you…”

“What about it? If we really work with the Lester Kingdom, then there won’t be a war any longer for our generation, so what about it? It’s not like I’ll be here a hundred years from now.”

“No. You’re wrong. You are a Master. Your existence alone would be a deterrent. So…”

“Let it go. I may not be as wise as you, but I’m an old man who’s more stubborn than you are.”

“Sebastian…”

“We go together. I can’t let you go alone.”

And so, Duke Sebastian agreed to Antras’s plan. Although he may have to give up his own life in the face of the Emperor’s wrath, he was determined to go along with his plan.

***

Antras and Duke Sebastian made an important decision. How difficult must it have been to abandon their ambition and for the sake of the Empire, take on the blame and disgrace themselves? They had sacrificed all the honor and abilities they had built up throughout their lives, but they believed it was for the best.

But there was someone who didn’t agree with them. 

“Consolidate? What do you mean ‘consolidate’?”

“Yes, sir. Consolidate, Your Grace.”

“That crazy old man…”

Duke Dominic Florian clenched his teeth. Recently, Duke Florian had begun to question Antras’s ability. He had even secretly planted some of his own people around Antras. It had been easy for him to convince a few knights onto his side since he came from a duchy known for their knights.

Now that he knew Antras’s plan, he was furious.

“Consolidate? Ha… haha… The Empire is to be the first one to extend a peace treaty to the Lester Kingdom? Does he know how much damage that could do to the Empire?”

Dominic Florian wanted to run into Antras’s barracks and argue with him. 

But when he thought about it objectively, he knew that Antras wouldn’t listen to him. First of all, Antras was the one who had command over the military, so he didn’t have the justification for it. And even if he tried to force Antras, it was clear that Duke Sebastian would stop him.

‘If I can get Marquis Gotham on my side… no. He’s not a person who'll move from his neutral position.’

It would have been reassuring if he had his son at a time like this, but unfortunately, his son had been taken as a prisoner by the enemy. When he remembered that it was also because of Antras’s mistake, Duke Florian became even more furious.

‘The military’s command shouldn’t have been given to a foreigner in the first place.’

Duke Florian believed that Antras was wrong. He believed that the only person making the right decision right now was himself.

In that case, for the Empire’s sake, he needed to do something, otherwise, there would be serious damage to the Empire’s reputation and status. 

Usually, if a person continuously thinks about something, then that thought will pick up speed and only burrow itself deeper in that person’s mind. But the problem was, the conclusion of that thought wasn’t always correct.

“I can’t continue to leave the Empire in the hands of an outsider.”

Duke Florian believed that Antras’s mere existence was a threat to the Empire. 

“I need to… deal with him. For the Empire.”

Having come to a conclusion, a cold murderous intent began to exude from Duke Dominic Florian.

***

The next day.

Duke Sebastian’s face turned red. 

“What… what did you just say?”

“Th… that’s um…”

“Tell me immediately!”

Duke Sebastian showed a violent temper towards the messenger reporting to him.

“Um…”

Even though it was growing wet between his thighs, the messenger still wanted to live and repeated himself.

“D… during the mi… middle of the night… the… the Silver Sage was… was assassinated… sir.”

He barely finished his report before fainting. 

Duke Sebastian ran to Antras’s barrack in one breath. Knights were already surrounding the barrack and with them were Duke Dominic Florian and Marquis Baker Gotham.

“Duke Sebastian, Your Grace, inside…”

“Get out of my way.”

The knights who tried to block him stiffened at his murderous intent.

His eyes widened when he moved past them and entered the barrack. In front of him was Antras, dead, with a dagger to his heart. 

Duke Sebastian’s eyes turned bloodshot and from his whole body exuded a bloodthirstiness that made it seem like he was going to kill someone. 

Just who on earth said this man was a reflection and symbol of a knight? At this moment, Duke Sebastian was looking more like a wild and savage beast as he exuded such bloodthirsty murderous intent.

“...Who did this?”

He sounded like he had just crawled out of hell. The knights around him shook in fright and didn’t dare to speak. 

But then…

“You won’t tell me?!!”

With a loud cry, Duke Sebastian drew his sword. Without even realizing it, the knights stepped back. Some of them even collapsed straight down.

Duke Sebastian was just barely managing to hold onto a strand of reason. It seemed like he would swing his sword and very easily kill them.

Fortunately, there was someone who was willing to intervene.

“Your Grace, please calm down.”

Cautiously, Marquis Baker Gotham spoke to Duke Sebastian.

“Is this something I can calm down about right now?”

“Although there’s no evidence, based on the circumstances, it’s probably the Republic or the Lester Kingdom that assassinated the Silver Sage.”

Besides them, who else would assassinate Antras?

“What the hell were the knights who were supposed to be guarding doing?”

“They said they didn’t feel or see anything last night.”

“Incompetent bastards…”

Duke Sebastian clenched his teeth. Then, he approached Antras and held his hand. When he felt the cold temperature of his friend, hot stinging tears flowed from Duke Sebastian's eyes. 

“Antras… I’m sorry. It’s all my fault you died.”

He had been the one to bring his friend to the battlefield when Antras had just wanted to spread the last years of his life in peace. He had clung to his friendship because he believed that the Empire needed Antras’s abilities. But because of that, a dear friend he had gained in his later years had been brutally murdered.

He grabbed the dagger that was stabbed through Antras’s heart. 

“Your Grace, if you disturb the body…”

Marquis Gotham tried to stop him, but Duke Sebastian had already pulled out the dagger. As soon as the dagger was pulled out, blood gushed out and splashed onto Duke Sebastian’s body.

Duke Sebastian gripped the dagger as he shouted.

“I am Hector Sebastian. At this place, I swear I will return this dagger that stabbed through the heart of my friend in the heart of the one who put it there! If anyone tries to stop me, then whoever it is, I’ll never forgive them!”

Everyone who heard Duke Sebastian’s vow here bowed. They were acknowledging his vow and determination.

At this moment, the peace treaty that Antras had been planning completely disappeared from Duke Sebastian’s head.