◈ 454. [Side Story] In the name of the emperor (3)
At the same time as the Ecliptic Defense Army splits and fights in the north of the river.
south of the river. The forces that had been divided on the world defense front here were settled in an instant.
“Prince Ash, you know our feelings, right?”
“I didn’t mean to betray you, because we have to live too… .”
The leaders of the powers who had pointed their weapons at me for a moment humbly begged me for forgiveness.
I just laughed without saying anything. Everyone broke out in a cold sweat.
The reason why they betrayed me and tried to stick to Fernandez in the first place was simple. It must be because he judged that Fernandez would seize world supremacy afterwards.
But the emperor has returned and is behind me again.
Everyone noticed the advantage of sticking with me again. And with the judgment that the sooner you ask for forgiveness, the better, and immediately bowed down to me.
I smiled and waved my hand at them as they swallowed dry saliva.
“it’s okay. I understand everything.”
unbelievable babies.
However, they are also honest children before the logic of power.
As long as I have the emperor on my back, he will crawl under me.
“Prince Ash… !”
“Thank you, thank you.”
“As expected, the size is wide… !”
When I accepted them again without reprimanding them, they bowed their heads and thanked me.
‘what. Thank you for revealing my true colors this time.’
These are all people who could become my enemies at any time.
On the contrary, the other half who were on my side until the end are the ones I can really trust.
I just want to thank you for recognizing me this time.
Meanwhile, the situation north of the river was also clearing up.
“Back off!”
shouted Fernandez.
Half of the Ecliptic Defense Forces still following Fernandez turned around and slowly backed away while aiming their weapons at the rest of the Ecliptic Defense Forces.
“I’ll see you again in New Terra, the ecliptic, Momma. and… ash.”
In the first place, Fernandez did not come out with all his might.
The Aegis task force and magic corps under his command must be on standby in New Terra.
This time, it was a skirmish, and it must have been an intention to cause internal strife on our side and strike a blow without taking much damage.
Unfortunately, it was the Ecliptic Defense Force that suffered the blow due to the infighting.
rumble… … .
The Imperial Defense Army, which had been split in two, aimed spears at each other, but could not bear to swing at each other and widened their distance.
They were the ones who had shared the joys and sorrows together as a unit until just a few minutes ago.
Even in a situation like this where loyalty to the empire is being tested, it would be unreasonable to attack each other right away.
“Let’s go back!”
Fernandez turned his head first, and the half of the Imperial Guard who followed him also slowly retreated and headed north.
Watching Fernandez walk away, I turned my head to the side. My sniper, Damian, slowly took his eyes off the scope of his long rifle.
“Damian. how is it?”
“yes. It is as the prince said.”
Damian glared at Fernandez’s back.
“… Illusion. It seems Her Highness Fernandez never even came here in the first place.”
Then it is.
Fernandez is not the type to expose himself to dangerous places like this.
The main body must be controlling its alter ego with phantom magic while hiding tightly in the depths of New Terra.
“Are you letting Fernandez go?”
“Why don’t we attack and capture them now?”
Other kings, unaware of the circumstances, asked me. I shook my head.
“There will be no pursuit. There is no proper means.”
What are you going to do after chasing and catching the alter ego?
Let go and find a way to cross the river right away.
And above all… … It is advantageous to send it on purpose now.
That way, this side can use the next move prepared.
The remaining soldiers of the Imperial Guard on the other side of the river stood hesitantly along the river. I nodded at them.
“The loyal soldiers of the Empire have remained well. Your loyalty will surely be remembered by His Majesty.”
A light of relief flashed across their anxious faces.
Then the emperor standing behind me clicked his tongue.
“… You play the role of the trumpeter very well, Ash.”
“Isn’t that the basic qualifications of a ruler? Please leave it to me often from now on.”
“Anyway, I’m afraid it’s not my son.”
Shaking his head, the emperor stood on the bank of the Iris River and looked down at the flowing river.
“Anyway, the bridge here collapsed like this… The Iris Bridge here was built by your great-grandfather in his first year on the throne. It hurts my heart to see it swept away.”
“It’s a bridge, you just have to build a new one.”
“okay. Darya can’t repair it. But how are you going to cross now? Will you take a long detour? It will take quite some time.”
“no. You don’t have to.”
I waved the flag in my hand.
“I can build a temporary bridge.”
Immediately after, I slammed the flag violently into the ground.
Whoaaaaaaah-!
Ultimate skill [Imperial Declaration].
Gray magic emanated from my body and formed the shape of a huge wall – it began to pile up on top of the river.
It is a fortress construction skill, but since it can be applied in various forms, it has been used for other purposes than forts for some time… … .
thud! Kugu Palace!
Eventually, I stood on the completed simple bridge and stretched out my arms toward the other side.
“Now, cross first, Momma.”
“This gray magic… And this magical materialization… … .”
The Emperor looked at me as if surprised, and then smiled meaningfully.
“Yeah, is that so?”
“… ?”
I blindly blinked. What is it?
But the emperor said no more and passed me by on his way to the other side of the river.
what. What are you talking about? Why are you laying the double line alone in a meaningful way!
***
Through the bridge I built with the [Imperial Declaration], everyone on the World Defense Front crossed the river.
After that, he did not immediately march to the ecliptic.
The emperor had just returned to the present world, and a part of the imperial defense had joined, so it was necessary to reorganize the organization.
“I won’t mind. There is nothing wrong with this level of fatigue.”
The emperor said so, but his legs were shaking… … Please don’t be bluffing and get some rest. No matter how great he was, he had been stuck in that spirit world for so long. you have to recover
So after crossing the river, it wasn’t long before we set up camp again and decided to rest for a day.
Anyway, it’s also a situation where I have to call all the kings of the alliance and organize the ranks and strengthen the discipline one more time because of something that happened a little while ago.
We set up the largest barracks and prepared beds. The emperor pretended to be resolute, but as soon as his body touched the bed, he almost collapsed.
Looking at my father who didn’t even move, I broke out in a cold sweat.
“Aren’t you a crucian carp?”
“… something disrespectful. Is that what you say to Abby?”
No, I asked because I was worried that he had passed away because he fell to the level of almost sudden death.
“I barely came back alive in the spirit world, but with only a little bit of blood, I wonder if I will collapse here and die… I am just a little tired.”
“Get some rest. I will go out.”
“Wait a minute.”
The emperor muttered with his nose buried in the pillow.
“Why did the Empire become like this while Jim was away? What is Fernandez up to in the ecliptic? Tell us all in detail.”
“You can listen to it after taking a break.”
“I don’t think I can even relax until I hear the story. Come on, tell me.”
I sat next to the emperor with his head buried in the pillow and briefly told me about the past.
The battle between Lark and Fernandez.
Lark’s defeat.
That Fernandez is convinced that the world will be destroyed by the monster.
Fernandez is installing a shutdown protocol under the ecliptic. The plan is to melt and kill all the citizens of the imperial capital and leave for the spirit world. etc… .
After hearing my story, the emperor, who had been silent for a while, let out a slow sigh.
“I thought there was nothing unknown in this empire. Although not omnipotent, I thought I was infinitely close to omniscience.”
“… .”
“But you were arrogant. I couldn’t even grasp the inner thoughts of the son right next to me.”
“You can fix it now.”
It’s not too late.
You can make it right before everything goes wrong. That’s why I came too.
“… load is exhausted. ash.”
The emperor slowly turned and lay down on the bed.
For the first time on his mythical face, a deep, human-like weariness was oozing.
“Looks like you need to rest for a while. While I’m asleep, continuing as my acting authority… … As the emperor’s representative, can you stop your brother?”
“Of course, Obama.”
It was something I had to do anyway. The icing on the cake if you can carry the emperor’s name on your back.
“Then please don’t. You seem to be able to trust me.”
“I want to ask you one thing, but when you say acting authority, how much authority do you mean giving me?”
“Of course it is full power.”
The emperor’s voice gradually faded away.
“The emperor has authority over everything in this country. It is not something that can be cut out or quoted in parts. The fact that you are my acting authority means that I have given you everything.”
“… .”
“Until I withdraw my authority, you are no match for the emperor of this country. With that authority, protect this empire.”
The emperor’s eyes were completely closed.
“Then let’s take a little rest and come back… … .”
“Sleep comfortably. Obama Mama. By the time you wake up, everything will be resolved.”
the emperor fell asleep
I inhaled and exhaled like a normal human and fell asleep.
‘Dad special. If I try to turn off the TV because I think I’m sleeping, I take the remote control with me, saying I’m not sleeping.’
King’s Special. When he abdicated the throne, he gave him authority because he did convergence, so if he didn’t like what his son was doing, he would take the kingship back.
But the emperor seemed to be in a really deep sleep this time. In other words, this time the remote control… … No, it meant that the imperial power was actually entrusted to me.
“… I’m not really a filial piety. Still, he has enough filial piety to solve his worries while he sleeps.”
Standing up, I rolled up my arms.
“Shall we break it down quickly?”
***
First of all, the Imperial Guard, which joined us, was temporarily organized as a unit under direct control of the Emperor. The soldiers of the Imperial Defense Army were thrilled and gladly accepted.
“To be able to take Your Majesty’s orders again… … .”
“It is an honour. I will!”
Also, I asked Dusk Bringer to inquire about them.
“grandee. We want to get information about the current situation of the ecliptic from them. Can you help?”
“Don’t let that happen. Leave it to me.”
Immediately after, Dusk Bringer, who had been mumbling for a while, asked me cautiously.
“… Is Traha all right?”
How dare you call the Emperor by his first name.
It was something she could do because she was Dusk Bringer, who was once the queen of the duchy who guarded the empire and had a close relationship with the emperor. I silently nodded.
“yes. He was just tired from being confined in the spirit world for a long time. Rest for a few days and you will recover.”
“Yeah, that’s right… .”
“You seem to have a lot to say?”
“There are many things to hold on to and shake by the collar. But more than that.”
Dusk Bringer laughed bitterly.
“… In my memory, Traha was always a young, young emperor. Seeing today, I suddenly became old.”
The emperor was over sixty this year.
He was a superman who transcended human limits, so he maintained the appearance of a man in his early 40s, but after suffering a bit in the spirit world, his appearance grew exponentially.
Now, should I say that your looks follow your age?
“A man’s years are frightening. It seems like just yesterday when Traha made a fuss about the birth of her child when she was a young man. It’s as clear as yesterday when I was struggling with your middle name, a bloody newborn.”
Dusk Bringer looked at me intently.
“Traha became an old man, and you grew up to become a young man.”
“haha. Now, if you close and open your eyes once more, I will be old and have a long beard.”
“… I want to see that too.”
I replied jokingly, but Dusk Bringer laughed bitterly.
“How natural and beautiful it is to grow old naturally with the flow of time. How thrilling it is that human history continues.”
“… .”
“Everything flows, but only the wine is stuffed here as it was before.”
Right after that, Dusk Bringer is hot! He made a noise and fanned his face with his small hand.
“This old man is soaked in old lady-like sentiments again. Never mind.”
Dusk Bringer urgently changed the subject.
“by the way… It was nice to split the Imperial Guard in two, but what are you going to do now?”
We crossed the Iris River.
If you go north now, the ecliptic is right in front of you.
If there’s a problem, it’s the steadfast defense of New Terra, the imperial capital.
The heart of the empire guarded by dozens of non-airships, magic systems, and the Aegis task force and magic corps.
If you hit it head-on, this side will be smashed.
“We have to go to the next stage of the plan.”
I looked around the plain where darkness was slowly sinking.
Today, which had a lot of work, is quickly over and the night is coming again.
And at night the rats move.
I was thinking of using these rats.
“I will infiltrate the key.”
“key?”
“yes.”
I grinned at Dusk Bringer who looked at me curiously.
“The key that will open the tightly locked door of New Terra, the ecliptic.”