As the Imperial Capital Defense Forces on the north side of the river began to fight among themselves,
On the south side, where the World Guardians Front was located, the divided factions quickly regrouped.
"Prince Ash, you know our intentions, right?"
"We didn't mean to betray you, we just needed to survive..."
The leaders of the forces that had briefly pointed their weapons at me groveled and begged for forgiveness.
I just smirked and said nothing, while they all sweated profusely.
Their reason for initially betraying me and siding with Fernandez was simple. They believed Fernandez would dominate the world in the future.
But now that the emperor had returned, and I stood backed by him, everyone realized that it was advantageous to rejoin my side. They immediately prostrated themselves before me, deciding it was better to seek forgiveness sooner rather than later.
With a smile, I waved my hand dismissively.
"It's fine. I understand."
Unreliable bastards.
But they are also brutally honest in the face of power.
As long as I have the emperor behind me, they will crawl at my feet.
"Prince Ash...!"
"Thank you, thank you."
"Such broad-mindedness...!"
Seeing that I didn't punish them and accepted them back, they bowed and thanked me.
‘Well, thanks for showing your true colors this time.’
These people can all become my enemies at any moment.
Conversely, the other half that remained loyal to me until the end are the ones I can truly trust.
I'm just grateful they made the distinction clear this time.
Meanwhile, the situation on the north side of the river was also being resolved.
"Retreat!"
Fernandez shouted.
About half of the Imperial Capital Defense Forces, still loyal to Fernandez, slowly retreated, keeping their weapons trained on the other half who had turned against them.
"We will meet again in New Terra, Father. And... Ash."
Fernandez didn't bring his full force. His Aegis Special Forces and Magic Troops were likely waiting in New Terra.
This was merely a preliminary skirmish, presumably intended to cause internal strife on our side without suffering much damage himself.
Unfortunately for him, it was the Imperial Capital Defense Forces who ended up fractured.
Rustle...
The divided Imperial Capital Defense Forces, though pointing weapons at each other, did not engage in combat, instead widening the distance between them. They were, after all, comrades who had shared hardships until just a few minutes ago.
Even in such a test of loyalty to the empire, it was too much to immediately attack each other.
"Let's go back, hyah!"
Fernandez turned his horse first, and about half of the Imperial Capital Defense Forces following him also retreated slowly towards the north.
Watching Fernandez leave, I turned to my sniper, Damian, who was slowly removing his eye from the rifle scope.
"Damian, what do you think?"
"Yes, Your Highness, as you said."
Damian eyed Fernandez's retreating figure intently.
"...It's an illusion. It seems His Highness Fernandez wasn't here in the first place."
That figures.
Fernandez isn't the type to expose himself in such a risky place.
His real body is probably hidden deep in New Terra, controlling a clone through illusion magic.
"Are we letting Fernandez go?"
"Shouldn't we attack now and capture him?"
Other kings, unaware of this, asked me. I shook my head.
"We won't pursue. We don't have the means to anyway."
Chasing after a clone is pointless.
We need to find a way to cross the river right now.
And more importantly... it's advantageous to let him go now.
It allows us to use the next move we have prepared.
The soldiers of the Imperial Capital Defense Forces who remained on the north side of the river hesitated, then lined up along the riverbank. I nodded at them.
"Loyal soldiers of the empire, thank you for staying. Your loyalty will surely be remembered by His Majesty."
Relief flickered across their anxious faces.
Then, the emperor behind me clicked his tongue.
"...You play the role of a herald quite well, Ash."
"Isn't it a basic skill for a ruler? Please assign me such tasks more often."
"My son indeed, with such a way of speaking."
The emperor, shaking his head, walked to the edge of the Iris River and looked down at the flowing water.
"It's a shame that the bridge here has collapsed... This Iris Bridge was built in the first year of my great-grandfather's reign as emperor. It saddens me to see it washed away."
"We can always build a new bridge."
"True. The bridge can be rebuilt. But how do you plan to cross now? Will you take a long detour? It will take quite some time."
"No need for that."
I waved the flag in my hand.
"I can build a temporary bridge."
Then, I forcefully planted the flag into the ground.
Whoosh!
Ultimate skill [Imperial Edict].
Gray magical energy burst from my body, forming a huge wall-like structure and began to build up over the river.
Originally a fortress construction skill, but its versatile application has made it more frequently used for other purposes...
Boom! Boom!
Having completed the makeshift bridge, I stepped onto it and gestured to the other side.
"Please cross first, Father."
"This gray magic... and this materialization of power..."
The emperor, surprised, looked at me and then smiled meaningfully.
"So, that's how it is."
"...?"
I blinked, puzzled. What does he mean?
However, the emperor said nothing more and crossed the bridge to the other side.
What? What are you hinting at? Dropping cryptic hints like that!
***
Through the bridge I created with [Imperial Edict], everyone from the World Guardians Front crossed the river.
We didn't immediately march to the Imperial Capital.
The emperor had just returned to this world, and some of the Imperial Capital Defense Forces had joined us, so we needed to reorganize.
"Don't worry about me. This level of fatigue is nothing."
Although the emperor said so, his legs were trembling... Stop pretending and rest. Even someone as great as you needs recovery after being stuck in the spirit realm for so long.
So, after crossing the river and not going far, we set up camp and decided to rest for the day.
In any case, given the recent events, it was also time to reorganize and reinforce discipline among all the kings of the alliance.
We set up a large tent and prepared a bed. The emperor, trying to act unfazed, almost collapsed as soon as he touched the bed.
Watching my motionless father, I broke out in cold sweat.
"He hasn't passed away, has he?"
"...What insolence. Is that how you speak to your father?"
I was just worried you had died, given how you collapsed!
"I barely survived the spirit realm, and now you think I'd die from mere fatigue... I'm just a bit tired."
"Rest well. I'll take my leave."
"Wait a moment."
The emperor mumbled, his face buried in the pillow.
"While I was away, how did the empire end up like this? What is Fernandez scheming in the Imperial Capital? Tell me everything in detail."
"You can hear it after you rest."
"Before hearing the story, it seems I won't be able to rest comfortably. Tell me everything."
I sat next to the emperor, who buried his head in the pillow, and briefly recounted recent events.
The battle between Lark and Fernandez.
Lark's defeat.
Fernandez's conviction that the world would be destroyed by monsters.
Fernandez's installation of a shutdown protocol beneath the Imperial Capital. His plan to melt all citizens of the capital and escape to the spirit realm, among other things...
After listening to my story, the emperor was silent for a while before he slowly sighed.
"I thought I knew everything in this empire. If not omnipotent, I believed I was close to omniscient."
"..."
"But I was arrogant. I didn't even understand the true feelings of my own son next to me."
"It's not too late to correct it now."
Everything can be set right before it goes too far. That's why I came here.
"...I am exhausted, Ash."
The emperor slowly turned and lay down properly on the bed.
Deep fatigue, like that of a mere mortal, was evident on his mythic face for the first time.
"I'll need to rest for a while. While I'm asleep, can you continue to act as my proxy... as the emperor's representative and stop your brother?"
"Of course, Father."
That was my intention anyway. Having the emperor's name to back me is an added bonus.
"Then I'm counting on you. I trust you can handle it."
"How much authority does being your proxy grant me?"
"All of it."
The emperor's voice began to fade.
"The emperor has authority over everything in this country. It's not something that can be cut off or partially delegated. By making you my proxy, I am essentially granting you all my powers."
"..."
"Until I take back the authority, you are no different from the emperor himself. Use that power to protect this empire."
The emperor's eyes fully closed.
"I will rest a bit, then..."
"Sleep well, Father. By the time you wake up, everything will be resolved."
The emperor fell asleep.
Breathing in and out like an ordinary human, he slept.
‘The classic dad move. Pretends to sleep but grabs the remote when you try to turn off the TV.’
The typical move of a retiring king. Hands over power, then takes it back if he doesn’t like what the son does.
But this time, the emperor truly seemed deeply asleep. Meaning, this time he had actually entrusted me with the power... the imperial authority.
"...I may not be the most dutiful son. But while Father sleeps, I can at least solve these worries."
Standing up, I rolled up my sleeves.
"Shall we get this over with?"
***
First, I temporarily organized the newly joined Imperial Capital Defense Forces as a unit directly under the emperor. The soldiers were moved to tears and willingly accepted.
"To serve under His Majesty's command once more..."
"An honor. We will comply!"
I also requested Dusk Bringar to gather information from them about the current situation in the Imperial Capital.
"Your Grace, I wish to obtain information on the Imperial Capital from these soldiers. Could you assist?"
"I'll handle it. Leave it to me."
After hesitating for a moment, Dusk Bringar cautiously asked me.
"...Is Traha alright?"
Daring to call the emperor by his name.
It was something Dusk Bringar could do, being a former queen of a duchy that defended the empire and having a close relationship with the emperor. I silently nodded in response.
"Yes, he is just tired from being trapped in the spirit realm for so long. A few days of rest should help him recover."
"Is that so..."
"Do you have much to say?"
"There are many things I'd like to shake him by the collar and ask. But more than that,"
Dusk Bringar gave a bitter smile.
"...In my memory, Traha was always a young and youthful emperor. But today, he suddenly seemed aged."
The emperor is over sixty years old now.
Even though he is a superhuman who transcended human limits and maintained the appearance of an early 40s, his appearance aged rapidly after the hardships in the spirit realm.
Perhaps now his appearance finally matches his age.
"The flow of human life is fearsome. It feels like just yesterday when Traha, then a young emperor, was fussing about the birth of his child. The time when he was pondering over your middle name as a newborn feels like just yesterday."
Dusk Bringar looked intently at me.
"Traha has become old, and you have grown up to be a young man."
"Haha. Maybe when he opens his eyes again, I too will have aged, with a beard hanging down."
"...I would like to see that too."
I responded playfully, but Dusk Bringar smiled sorrowfully.
"How natural and beautiful it is to age with the flow of time. How heartwarming it is that human history continues."
"..."
"While everything moves on, I alone remain preserved in my old form here."
Soon after, Dusk Bringar let out a loud 'Ha!' and fanned her face with her small hand.
"This old woman is getting sentimental again. Don't mind me."
Dusk Bringar quickly changed the subject.
"But now that you've split the Imperial Capital Defense Forces, what's your plan?"
We have crossed the Iris River.
The Imperial Capital is now within reach.
The problem lies in the solid defenses of New Terra.
Dozens of airships, a magic system, and the Aegis Special Forces and Magic Troops guarding the heart of the empire.
A frontal assault would result in our destruction.
"We move on to the next phase of the plan."
I looked around the plain as darkness slowly descended.
After a day full of events, night comes again.
And rats move in the night.
I plan to use these rats.
"We'll infiltrate the key."
"The key?"
"Yes."
To Dusk Bringar's puzzled look, I grinned.
"The key that will unlock the tightly closed door of New Terra."
--TL Notes--
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