Chapter 214 – The Empire’s New Emperor
「Please take care of me from now on.」
An old woman, who seems to have been a beautiful jewel when she was young, said so and lowered her head to me.
I hastily return a bow to the woman.
「P-please be relieved. I will help the emperor with everything I have. Please take care of me too, honorable mother-sama. 」
After saying so, I raised my face and look at my brother’s mother who still can’t believe that her son is the new emperor.
She’s a humble, kind-hearted mother. It would be great if she smiles more.
But presently, she looks like she’s tired of having her life completely changed.
「That child, to become the emperor….even though he’s Lycias-sama’s child, I’m only a dancer so he is not that much educated…. 」
I myself don’t know their situation but I have a feeling that this mother raised her child with minimum assistance from the empire.
Therefore, at the very least, I will keep my eyes on the new emperor so that he will not be assassinated by our own blood brothers and sisters.
Just thinking about our eldest brother, second eldest brother, and our eldest sister, my mouth began twitching.
I lay low so I haven’t been killed but the three of them are openly competing from the throne. So far, there are only arguments and keeping each other check but that’s because our father was alive.
Now that someone has suddenly taken up the position of emperor, I don’t know what they are capable of doing anymore.
In terms of assassination, the new emperor, my half-brother, will be the first candidate. Assassinating the new emperor is pretty easy because he doesn’t have private soldiers or aides like the other nobles.
The second candidate is me. The risk of being exposed after assassinating the emperor is high. Killing me then become the guardian of the emperor will be the most realistic plan.
Thinking about such things, I swallowed as I advanced through the corridor.
I arrived before one of the emperor’s private room. The guards standing around leered at me as I knocked on the door.
The door opens from the inside and I was welcomed by the imperial guards.
「Frietta-sama, please enter. 」
The imperial guard who saw me let me enter without consulting the emperor.
Although I was dumbfounded, I did not say anything and enter the emperor’s private room.
When I went in, four guards were standing around the room and a boy, the new emperor, was sitting on a desk at the center.
Raymond Artinas. Until the other day, he was treated as a bastard who could not bear the imperial family’s name.
However, he has father’s rare manly eyes that are called the eyes of the emperor. I can now see why the emperor was attracted to that dancer, even her child is a stunningly beautiful boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.
Although he cowers and obviously lacks self-confidence, he has a charm that can lead people.
And next to Raymond is a woman sent by the international alliance.
She’s a beautiful woman with unusual clothes. She has brown hair that extends down to her shoulders. Her name is Milenia. Although she looks like she’s only a little older than me, she must be an exceptional talent to be entrusted with dealing with the major power with succession problem.
Did she study politics since she was a child? In any case, I want ten people at a level similar to a knight leader as guards.
When I thought of such a thing, Raymond looked up at me with an anxious face.
「Frietta-san, I….don’t want to sit on the throne. 」
Raymond said that with a voice that’s about to cry, I smiled as gently as possible and stood in front of the desk.
「Is that the will of the emperor? Thoroughly reading reports on the desk is important but sometimes, the emperor must be there especially when an important guest arrives. 」
「B-but…. 」
Due to the words I said, Raymond’s lips trembled and tears flowed out of his eyes.
While feeling a little excited seeing him like that, I coughed and opened my mouth.
「Don’t worry. There will be guards around and I’ll also be next to you too. Even if elder brother requests an audience, his rank is lower than yours. Keep that in mind. 」
When I say so, Raymond looks at the surrounding guards and turns his frightened face to me last.
Ah, so cute!
Looking at my weak younger brother like that, I feel my hidden sadistic side rise.
「Leave it to me. I’ll arrange my private soldiers at the throne room. I will have the imperial guards stand behind elder brother. I will not let anything dangerous happen to you. 」
When I said so, Raymond spat a sigh of relief and showed a bashful smile.
My nose almost bled.
Raymond is sitting on the throne with me and Milenia standing firmly on his left and right.
My private soldiers are also standing to the left and right walls of the throne room.
I also arranged some of my private soldiers below the throne just before the aisle just in case some things needs to be blocked.
As I think so while waiting for our elder brother, I heard a heavy noise down the aisle.
「He’s here…!? 」
The moment I said so, the door of the throne room was opened vigorously.
And soldiers in blue and silver armor stormed in like a parade.
My soldiers rushed in front of us but they were not able to do anything. They were overpowered in every aspect.
「…..Re-rebellion! 」
As I mentioned that, Raymond held his breath.
I never thought he would dare to oppose the decision of the international alliance that overwhelmed the empire. What will happen to this country now that you’ve done that? Did he not understand anything at all?
「Rebellion…a rebellion? 」
「Aniue… 」
TN: A high society way of saying older brother.
My older brother entered the throne room with mages in white robe and crest in their arms.
Older brother combed his golden hair with his hand. Our strong and wise brother is also known as golden lion. Even though he has a ferocious personality, why did he select to destroy the future of the empire?
When I stared at older brother while thinking that, older brother narrowed his eyes as he looked at Raymond.
「…A country being looked down on by other countries, what happened to the Immenstadt Empire? We have become an insignificant existence. You should have fight to the death to show the pride of the empire. Don’t you think so?」
When older brother said that, I took one step forward.
「What are you saying! Older brother should know our previous crushing defeat! Doing something like that is the same as crushing the empire…!」
「This foolish sister! Do you not take pride in the royal blood inside you!?」
As I yell my opinion, elder brother interrupted me. It is the first time older brother has become angry with me. All these years, I did not get close to him in order to not make him angry.
My finger trembled with fear and I was unable to say anything. I’m sure Raymond is more frightened.
I gritted my teeth, clenched my hand, and moved in front of Raymond.
「You’re the stupid one aniue! You dare break the people’s future just for your self-satisfaction!」
When I say so, older brother looked at me as if looking down on me.
「…I never thought you are this stupid, Frietta. What is the empire? The first emperor founded it during the warring era and it has become the world’s greatest power! Looking back at history, those who dare trample the empire will only meet death! I don’t know where did you get that stupid idea that the empire will meet its end!」
The guards that older brother brought all nodded deeply. I also flinched when I saw the burning anger in the eyes of those guards.
Then, older brother pointed at Raymond and mocked him.
「You call yourself an emperor while hiding behind a woman? Moreover, your just sitting on the throne not saying anything even though someone rebelling is already in front of you. Such a person doesn’t have what it takes to be the emperor! 」
After older brother said so, he raised one of his hands. If he swung that hand down, it will be our end.
At the very least, even with just words, I have to counterattack.
Milenia suddenly stood before me and opened her mouth.
「….Now, are you done complaining? Then, I, on behalf of the international alliance, will present your judgment.」
When Milenia said so in a clear voice, older brother stopped moving while having an astonished expression.
I might have a similar expression.
Why? Just why did she say such a thing in this hopeless situation? Does she think that she can survive if she won in a verbal battle?
Didn’t you understand a single word with our conversation earlier?
「….ha, hahaha! Did something hit your head? Even if your gathering of lower class countries called international alliance won against the empire, no one can help you at this moment. Forget about that false emperor, in this place, I am the true emperor. Even god won’t be able to stop me.」
When older brother declared so in a loud voice as he laughs, Milenia tilted her head and looked down at my older brother.
「….Well, the god I know is merciful but ferocious and wiser than anyone else… Do you really think that even if you’re an idiot and insignificant, you will be overlooked by god? Fu, fufufu! You are too comical.」
What is Milenia saying to my older brother…? Well, she’s obviously looking down on my older brother but…
Older brother’s face turned red because of rage and glared at Milenia with bloodlust.
「Lu-lunatic…..! This one is the person who has the densest noble blood…!」
「Still don’t get it? I’m surprised that you manage to memorized words but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re just a “pig”.」
Even looking at the frightening angry face of my brother, Milenia continued to abuse him with words while smiling. I turned my face to her.
Then, to my older brother….
I feel like I understand what Milenia is trying to do so I nod.
「Eh, you’re right….that oink oink is really annoying.」
When I said so with a trembling voice, my older brother’s face became demon-like.
「Baaassstttaaarrrrdddd!」
My older brother screamed and his guards and mine raised their swords. I almost cried seeing my guards sticking up to us till the end.
And to that blistering atmosphere, Raymond stood up from the throne. His whole poor body is trembling. Raymond spoke with older brother.
「P-pl-please! P-please don’t fight! D-don’t kill Frietta-san! J-just kill me alone….」
Raymond is trembling so hard that you can hear it.
I look at his figure and nod.
He’s disqualified as a politician. Those are the word he should never say.
However, I am happy. Therefore, I will put my life on the line for the first time to protect my brother.
「Raymond, you have to escape. I, we will buy you as much time as we can. Get out of the castle, take your mother and go to the merchant guild. If you do so, the international alliance can fly you out of here.」
When I said so and started chanting a magic spell, older brother opened his mouth.
「Kill them!」
As older brother said so, his guards started moving and his mages started chanting.
The next moment, older brother’s guards and mages, all fell with arrows in either their chest or head.
I did not see anything.
No, Milenia, who’s standing in front of me, took out a white bow from somewhere and did something.
The next second, after losing all of his men, older brother just stood there alone in utter amazement.
「…Wh-what happened?」
I don’t know where his anger disappeared to but he asked that with a broken voice to Milenia.
When Milenia lowers her bow, she raises the edge of her mouth.
「Even though I’m in the lowest seat, I’m still a juusha of the apostle of god…Forget about 10,000, I can single-handedly exterminate 20,000 small fries like you alone.」
「I-impossible….」
Elder brother tried to laugh out what Milenia said with a cramped face. Looking at him, Milenia unexpectedly tilted her neck.
「I thought he was some sort of smart pig but it seems like I overestimated him…Maa, in any case, I will not let him live.」
Milenia said so and raised her bow. Countless of arrows pierced and stucked at older brother’s body.
「Because it is necessary to cut off future trouble.」
Milenia said so and smiled. She then looked back at me and Raymond. I moved my head up and down many times like a broken doll.
I was not able to say anything.
I thought that the apostle of god is just an irresponsible remark to raise the morale of soldiers of that country but looking at Milenia, I was convinced.
The apostle of god is real.
And if we oppose the international alliance that the apostle of god founded, there will be no future for the empire.
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AN: Scary politics begins…!
Though it hasn’t been long but I’m writing a new novel!
Please check it out by all means!
TN: Trivia- this is the longest chapter ever. Spoiler – next chapter is the last chapter.
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