Chapter 155

Chapter 155

[What do you think? Shall we have a dance as well? Isnt the first dance important?]

Nom nom. Cardmos, who had been preoccupied with eating, asked Logan, who was standing with his arms crossed.

Have you lost your mind?

Of course, he could only turn his head back towards the food while receiving Logans contemptuous glare.

[Look at that. Since youre not dancing the first dance, those young ladies over there are just waiting and watching, arent they? Poor things.]

He was right. Not only the guests from Delcross but also those invited from foreign countries, all the young ladies were uniformly casting admiring glances at him.

Its just that since he hadnt danced the first dance with a partner yet, they couldnt rashly ask him to dance and were only sneaking glances at him.

Perhaps Logan was the one receiving the most attention at todays banquet.

He was a strong candidate for the next Holy Emperor and had been gaining favor from people all across the continent through his diligent subjugation of sea demons.

Considering that many subjugated countries basically held a negative sentiment towards the imperials, it could be considered quite an exceptional case.

However

Do you think I would carelessly leave my seat, knowing what kind of trouble you might cause while Im away dancing? Just ignore it.

The problem was that his own attitude was so stubbornly unyielding.

[Anyway, hes so inflexible.]

Cardmos clicked his tongue.

[Hey, descendant.]

Dont arbitrarily call me your descendant.

Logans face was extremely stiff as he gave a rigid reply. Cardmos, who had been observing him carefully for a moment, asked.

[Why are you so angry with me? Despite my appearance, I am the one who drove out the demon tribes from the continent and laid the foundation for a thousand years of the holy empire. Shouldnt you show at least a bit of respect?]

No matter how reckless Cardmos was, he couldnt help but be a little concerned about the negative sentiment Logan had been consistently showing from the beginning. He was quite a likable fellow among his descendants, too.

However, Logans blue eyes looking at him were coldly sunken.

Respect, you say? Your expectations are high. What have you done thats so great?

[What have I done so wrong?]

If youre so curious, Ill answer you. Judging by how you arbitrarily impersonate the will of the gods and create a saint, it doesnt seem like you have much faith. Why did you establish such an absurd ideology of fully realizing the kingdom of the gods on this land when founding the empire? Thanks to that, the entire continent has been suffering from the empires internal interference for a thousand years. Do you even have something called a brain?

[Hmm]

He had nothing to say if he was asked like that.

He had merely engraved the mark in advance to make it easier to possess a body, but what could he do if people arbitrarily started to revere it as the reincarnation of a saint?

Well, its true that he left it as it was because it was amusing when they misunderstood.

As for the founding ideology, he had entrusted it to the subordinates who had been the main force in founding the nation.

-The more grandiose the ideology, the better!

-Lets attribute everything to the will of God! So that everyone can easily accept it!

When he left it like that, before he knew it, he had become a demigod who had liberated the continent from the demon tribes according to the will of God.

[Founding a nation is not such an easy task, descendant.]

Cardmos reproached him solemnly.

[Do you know how much suffering humans endured under the power of the demon tribes that had prevailed throughout the continent for thousands of years, from the era of the Three Ancient Dragons to the Primordial Pact? In order to persuade and drive out those forces and eventually establish a proper nation, various compromises were necessary.]

Then lets say that was unavoidable due to the circumstances at the time.

Logan continued, frowning.

Anyway, you ruled stably without any major problems for the next 300 years, didnt you? Couldnt you have corrected the mistakes and led the empire in a better direction during that time? If that was difficult, you should have at least handed over the imperial throne to a proper successor! Why did you have to appoint such a bloodthirsty lunatic as your successor, plunging the entire continent into turmoil?

The 2nd Holy Emperor, Remus, was also known by the epithet Blood Emperor. Both internally and externally in Delcross, wherever he went, a bloody storm always raged.

The first thing he did as soon as he took the throne was to execute all his blood relatives who had the potential to threaten his position. After that, he mercilessly slaughtered all the subjects who opposed him.

After extensively reorganizing the empire in such a way, he turned his eyes outward and launched a conquest war to subjugate various countries on the continent. In the process, he did not hesitate in the slightest, no matter how much blood was shed.

[That, too, is a misunderstanding. Remus was not originally the type to go that far.]

I bragged so much to Romaine before coming here, and now Im in big trouble.

The problem was creating a point of contact with the prince, but he hadnt even thought about the princess from the beginning. It was because he was confident he could make any woman fall for him in an instant.

But that princess now

Feeling an inexplicable thirst bubbling up from within, Leonard unknowingly tugged at his collar tightly.

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

At some point, the dance had ended, and with loud applause, the music flowing through the banquet hall gently changed.

As he was gulping down drinks one after another with a dejected face, he heard the clicking sound of high heels approaching him.

Leonard, who had absentmindedly turned his head, widened his eyes. Princess Amelia, who had approached him at some point, smiled so radiantly that it made him feel lightheaded.

Earlier, my brother was rude to you. You are Leonard of Rohan, right?

Yes, thats correct.

When he replied in a slightly hoarse voice, the princess gracefully curved her lips.

I saw you at last years birthday banquet as well, Your Highness. Im finally making the request Ive been wanting to make since then.

A slender hand slowly approached him.

If its alright with you, would you please dance the next song with me?

Although she was asking shyly, what emanated from her gestures was already the noble dignity of a queen. There was no way he could dare refuse.

Feeling a strange sensation welling up inside, Leonard kissed her hand.

Of course. Ill gladly be your partner. Princess Amelia.

And he couldnt help but acknowledge once again what he had been trying to deny.

The fact that he, Leonard, had fallen in love with this beautiful woman at first sight.

When several dance songs had alternated and the banquet atmosphere was at its peak.

Suddenly, the orchestras performance stopped as the empress, who had been sitting at the head table, nodded her head.

People who had been laughing and chatting stopped their conversations and turned their gazes towards the front in unison.

In front of the brightly illuminated platform stood Archbishop Wesker. As planned, it was to widely proclaim the existence of the empires prized saint to the people of the continent.

A few years ago, after Saintess Gracia returned to our side once more, she traveled around the country and served the people.

Her ringing voice echoed throughout the banquet hall even without the amplification of aura.

And not long ago, another saint came to Delcross in accordance with the will of the gods, which is nothing short of the glory of the empire and the prosperity of the continent! Now, the two saintess will bestow blessings upon all of you who have attended the birthday banquet!

It was something that had occasionally happened at the birthday banquets of previous Holy Emperors as well.

A simple event that ended with the saint uttering words of blessing and displaying sacred power.

However, the face of Sisle, who was stepping forward to the front of the platform, was unusually stiff with tension.

[Descendant. Has your mind still not changed?]

Cardmos asked while keeping his gaze forward. Sisle nodded and answered.

No. Ill do it as planned.

[Can you handle the repercussions? This will be the first time since the founding of the empire, so its unknown how the state church will receive it.]

At that, Sisle bit her lip tightly.

As Cardmos said, this would probably be an unprecedented declaration that would cause a stir.

But didnt Brother Morres clearly present a solution to her? She had agonized and agonized, but it seemed there was no clearer method than that.

Yes. I can handle it. So please help me.

The girl, who had made up her mind, raised her head and slowly took steps forward.

Sisle, receiving everyones attention, looked around the crowd with a slightly nervous face and repeatedly recited the words Seongjin had taught her in her mind.

And then.

Its truly a beautiful night.

Her voice, clear and transparent like crystal, unconsciously carried by the aura she had awakened, distinctly pierced peoples ears as if amplified.