Chapter 124

Chapter 124

Huff! Hah!

A man sprinted down an opulent corridor, clutching a stack of documents in both hands, his body drenched in perspiration. His face bore the weight of disappointment as he realized he was running behind schedule, not just any delay. The mans thoughts gravitated towards the individual awaiting his arrival.

The Emperor of Magentano.

Asterion Testarosa Magentano.

The supreme ruler of the continents most formidable nation would not just be waiting; he would be seething with impatience. The mere contemplation of this made the mans legs nearly give way.

Yet, he summoned every ounce of resolve, thinking of his children, who cheered him on like enthusiastic rabbits, and his wife, who possessed the strength of a bear. With renewed determination, he hastened his pace. Finally, he reached his destination, the innermost chamber of the imperial palace, the Emperors quarters.

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As he entered, striving to appear presentable, a single word struck him like a heavy blowit was the Emperors commanding voice. Once again, the mans legs threatened to give way, but he held his composure and swiftly spoke to save himself.

Your Majesty, the rightful ruler of this land, Im here to report. I had every intention of arriving on time, but I committed a grave error by gathering and summarizing additional incoming information.

Additional information, you say.

It concerns the Crown Prince, Your Highness.

Proceed.

The Emperors tone softened.

The man, the empires chief of intelligence, finally felt a wave of relief wash over him. Simultaneously, he harbored a secret resentment toward Crown Prince Raciel.

The reason was straightforward.

Since Crown Prince Raciel had departed for Anbouaz, the man had been reporting to the Emperor nearly every day. Without fail, the Emperor demanded updates on the Crown Princes whereabouts.

Had the Crown Prince arrived safely in Anbouaz? Whom had he met? What had he done today? Had he eaten breakfast? Had he tossed and turned at night? Had he coughed in the changing seasons? And so on.

It was driving him to the brink of madness. Now, even the mere mention of the Crown Prince was enough to rouse him from sleep at night. Yet, he had no choice; he was the chief in charge of intelligence, and the Emperor was his employer. So, he dutifully submitted his reports.

Today marks the 107th routine report, Your Majesty. To begin, five days ago, the Crown Prince departed from the Anbouaz kingdoms field hospital camp, known as the Healing Camp.'

He left the Healing Camp? Is that so?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Why?

At first, we couldnt discern the Crown Princes motive. So, it took time to collect and analyze additional information. The conclusion weve drawn is

The conclusion?

Your Highness appears likely to return to Magentano in the near future.

Is that the case?

The Emperor maintained his impassive demeanor. However, his bare upper body leaned forward slightly.

The chief of intelligence continued.

Yes, according to our confidential sources embedded in the Healing Camp, the Crown Prince dispatched a letter about two days ago. This forms the basis for our assumption of his impending return.

A letter is the basis. What were the circumstances?

We obtained the letter discreetly, checked its contents, and then resealed it before sending it to its original destination.

So, to whom was the letter sent, and what did it convey?

It was a farewell letter to the Anbouaz princess.

Farewell?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Continue.

Your Highness informed the Anbouaz princess that it appears he has completed all his duties there and its time to return to the palace. Additionally, he requested her to ensure the safe shipment of Queen Vesparos honey wine, stored in a large oak barrel, to the palace.

Hmm. Is that so?

Yes, Your Majesty. That concludes todays report.

I see. You may depart.

Your grace is boundless.

Following the conclusion of his report, the chief of intelligence exited. The Emperor, now alone, fell into contemplative silence. He pondered the report he had just received and rested his chin sternly on his hand.

Then, he glanced around discreetly.

No one was in sight.

It would be safe to allow a smile to grace his lips.

Hmm, hmm.

From within his thick beard, his lips turned upward towards the heavens.

At long last, I can bid farewell to the days of worry and sleepless nights.

The Emperor was genuinely elated. His son was on his way back. The son who had ventured into the battlefield was returning unharmed. This simple fact couldnt have brought him more joy. If his attire werent so extravagantly adorned, he might have felt like dancing right there.

In truth, he had been terribly anxious all along. When he sent him off, he hadnt expected to experience these emotions. He had merely thought it would be a valuable experience for his eldest. However, unforeseen feelings overwhelmed him after his departure. He had suffered from insomnia for days. Even when he did manage to catch a brief nap, he was plagued by nightmares, dreadful dreams of his son encountering some calamity.

Anxiety gnawed at him. No matter what he did, it seemed like nothing was going right. His days were filled with worry and restlessness.

But then, the news arrived that his eldest was returning.

His heart swelled with emotion. The corners of his lips kept curling upward.

Ahem, ahem, ahem.

But for now, lets smile. He wouldnt be able to show this joy when his son returns. He must maintain a stern countenance for his sake. So, he had to relish this happiness now, secretly, in advance.

So, hurry back. Show your father that you are safe and sound. Quickly.

Seated on his throne, the emperors imposing shoulders trembled discreetly with excitement.

Hehe, hahaha.

Morning arrived.

Raciel raised his head. As he woke up, he sensed a wise aura as comforting as bone broth and gave a small shrug. He thought to himself, How did I end up as the physician for the rebel leader?

Life is truly unpredictable.

Who would have imagined that he would become the physician for someone he once considered an adversary? And that he would have to rouse that person with a smile?

He hoped he didnt swallow audibly. He prayed his Adams apple didnt quiver.

A smirk appeared on Javillons lips.

The farm owner? We burned him alive. Along with his pitiful screams, fitting for a man desperately clinging to the remnants of an outdated regime, resisting the dawn of a glorious kingdom and nation.

Why? Lost your appetite?

Of course.

Realizing that the bread and eggs he had been diligently consuming a moment ago were made from the toil and dedication of a farm owner burned alive the previous night, he felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

However, he couldnt. Javillon didnt allow him the opportunity to feel repulsed. He suddenly leaned forward across the table and fixed a penetrating gaze upon him.

There was no escaping those eyes.

He spoke.

Military officer Rihan?

Yes.

If you dont intend to continue eating, could you answer my question?

Whats your question?

A simple one.

This.

It felt as if he had witnessed this scene somewhere before.

Slightly turning to one side, Javillon curled the corner of his mouth into a slight smirk. Seeing this, Raciel suddenly had a revelation: this scene felt oddly familiar. It didnt feel out of place at all. Why? Where had he seen this before?

The answer soon came to him.

The novel Devil Sword Emperor.

The moment that thought crossed his mind, Javillon began to speak.

Allow me to pose a question. Imagine you are an officer in the military. You are faced with a choice that could further the prosperity of your nation and its people.

He had encountered this question in the novel.

One option requires you to make a form of sacrifice. But it wont be a simple or noble sacrifice. Instead, it will lead to the most shameful and humiliating end. Not only you, but your family will also suffer wretched ruin. You will endure the scorn and ridicule of future generations, perpetually.

The other choice entails sacrificing others. Roughly tens of thousands or more will be buried alive in a mass slaughter. However, you will face no consequences or punishment for this action. Instead, you will be revered as a heroic figure for generations to come. This reverence will endure indefinitely.

Both choices promise to lead your nation and its people towards prosperity.

So, Officer Rihan, which path will you choose?

By now, Javillons face had lost any trace of a smile. He stared intently at Raciel with an unwavering gaze.

However, Raciel wasnt returning the gaze. He was immersed in his own thoughts. Was he contemplating Javillons question? Not really.

Because I already know the answer to that question.

Suddenly, memories from the novel flooded his mind. In the novel, Javillon would often pose this very question. It was his secret litmus test for evaluating people.

Javillon. He was always distrustful. Even close associates werent readily trusted. So, when he found someone he thought he could keep close, he would inevitably ask this question. He would assess them based on their response.

But no one ever provided the correct answer. In fact, even Javillon himself didnt know what the correct answer was. He spent his life pondering and searching for it.

Finally, at the very end, he found his own answer. He welcomed death with a sense of ironic, self-directed scorn.

So, he did know the answer to that question.

Why is there no answer? Are you still contemplating?

Javillons voice reached Raciels ears.

Javillons gaze had subtly shifted. It was a perilous sign. Raciel knew what that look meant as well.

He didnt know the answer to his own question, but he knew the worst wrong answer.

That was the failure to make a choice altogether. To waver between the two paths he had presented. If the person he had intended to keep close exhibited such hesitation, Javillon would turn ice-cold very swiftly.

Meaning, he would have them eliminated on the spot.

Contemplating this, Raciel made a firm decision. On one hand, he was curious about how Javillon would react to an answer that even Javillon himself couldnt ascertain.

Moreover, he felt confident that providing this answer would pose zero risk to him.

Is it possible that you cant reach a decision?

The intensity in Javillons gaze grew even more pronounced. His eyes gleamed like those of a predator, poised to strike.

In that moment, Raciel discarded his hesitation.

He finally spoke up.

Are you suggesting that a nation can only be considered virtuous if one is willing to sacrifice themselves and endure disgrace, or if theyre willing to slaughter numerous others to attain honor?

Thats correct.

Javillon smiled with just the corners of his lips, his eyes shining with anticipation. Meeting that gaze, Raciel delivered the response from the novel.

Without omitting a single word.

Exactly as it was written.

F*ck em? Why should I make a decision based on how people judge me?

(To be Continued)

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