Chapter 84: Interlude

“With this... it seems that both the East and West are concluded. You’ve worked hard. Orcus.”

“Yes, Father.”

In a sunlit room,

A man with a gentle face was conversing with a boy who resembled him.

On the man’s desk, traces of past intense work that had yet to be erased remained. Although the room was filled with warmth from the sunlight, the spot where the man sat felt cold.

Piles of neatly organized documents on the desk were high enough to block the sunlight, akin to mountains of paperwork.

Given the state of the room, it was needless to say how pale the man sitting in the center looked.

To the outward eye, he shone with a hearty smile and lively eyes, but a closer look at his face revealed eyes bloodshot and eyelids heavy with fatigue.

No matter how much the imperial bureaucrats filtered the tasks, managing the empire’s overwhelming workload alone, one’s body could not remain unscathed. Fortunately, the boy of equal ability had been assisting him, preventing him from collapsing from exhaustion before completing his duties.

This was the unadorned face of the empire’s sole emperor, who sat on a golden throne, wielding absolute power with a face that transcended the human world.

He who wishes to wear the crown, bears its weight...

True to this adage, this was the weight of power he bore.

Aslan Estelia, who had established one of the strongest sovereignties in the empire’s history, was known as the wise king rather than a tyrant because of his flawless execution of all imperial decisions by his hand.

He was one who could contain the empire’s politics within his mind, thus he sparingly wielded his ability to stabilize the state and secure absolute power. Naturally, this meant an increase in his workload, but for someone of his superhuman caliber, it was bearable.

The blood of god mixed with the royal lineage far surpassed that of ordinary humans.

If it were merely administrative tasks, those with the concentrated blood of the royal family could handle them with ease.

The reason Aslan looked so worn out was separate from the mental energy extensively consumed. Even the greatest ruler was, after all, a father. The fact that his child had nearly died due to his own decisions was gnawing at his psyche.

“It seems everyone has become complacent with the victory in the holy war. Every time we shake them down, a significant number of them are caught, like harvesting in autumn. I wonder how they managed to survive without being purged in the last holy war.”

“It’s my oversight. Even if someone had drawn troops from the capital, I should have eradicated them. I had some suspicion, but I never knew so many parasites remained within the empire.”

Aslan spoke self-deprecatingly in response to Orcus’ words.

“If that was the case, the capital might have fallen, so it was the right decision.”

Orcus defended him, to which Aslan nodded in agreement and then cracked a slight smile.

Having narrowly escaped death, Aslan felt a mix of pride and guilt as he observed his son, who was silently supporting him by his side.

Aslan gazed at Orcus with a melancholy expression before exhaling briefly and speaking.

“It appears the Sword Saint has emerged from seclusion following this incident. It must have been impossible to ignore, given their direct involvement. There may not have been any heavyweights like in the South, but the important thing is the Sword Saint has re-entered the world.”

“Since the Sword Saint has long retired from the head of the house, it would be wise to summon him to the capital to fortify this place. If the Sword Saint I’ve heard stories about is the same man, he wouldn’t defy an imperial command.”

“You’re right. Whatever it is, their ultimate goal is us. This is an opportunity to strengthen the capital’s defenses. I’ve already sent a letter to the Cromel ducal family.”

Aslan’s eyes shifted from a father’s to an emperor’s as he looked at Orcus. His eyes, shining blue, were like the clear, cloudless firmament. As if gazing down from the heavens, Aslan began to explain why the Sword Saint had come forth.

“The truth is, the Sword Saint has come out for a simple reason. With the focus on Kraus for this achievement, he must not have liked it and decided to show himself.”

“Though they belong to the Three Great Martial Families, it seems Kraus and Cromel are not on good terms.”

“More precisely, it’s the Sword Saint and Count Kraus who are on bad terms. Count Kraus gets along well with Duke Cromel, Sword Saint’s son. Perhaps because they’re both Sword Masters. I’m not sure, but there seems to be something between Sword Saint and Count Kraus. They’ve been clashing since the old days. Come to think of it, it seems not to be a matter of Sword Mastery. They’ve been at odds even before Arthur became a Master, so it must just be a clash of personalities.”

Nostalgia flickered in Aslan’s eyes as if reminiscing about the past.

He smiled faintly and continued.

“Do you know who are currently the rising talents in the martial families, according to the gossipmongers?”

“The elder daughter of the southern Viscount Graham, maintaining top and second ranks in the knight academy, and the son of a knight commander, who is her peer. And lastly, the heir of the Cromel ducal family.”

“Correct. But two more names have been added to that list because of this incident.”

“Noel and Damian, I presume.”

“Exactly.”

Orcus seemed to realize something and spoke with a face full of astonishment.

“Could it be?”

“Until now, the name of Kraus’ offspring wasn’t mentioned among the Three Great Martial Families. But through this event, that child’s name has become known to people. And as a young talent who killed a heretic archbishop, no less.”

The academy’s proven talents and the ducal heir, who had made a name for themselves by defeating invading tribes alongside the elders of their house at a young age.

They could well be called the new stars of the empire, but the fact that they had killed a heretic archbishop overshadowed their fame in an instant.

Those who had experienced the holy war knew. They knew how formidable those ordained as archbishops by the heretics were. Even with the divine imperial family at the helm, the heretics had survived for so long because they had powerful individuals sustaining their lineage. The archbishops were such beings.

Therefore, the fact that three fledglings, not yet enrolled in the academy, managed to capture and kill an archbishop was enough to cause a stir in the world. It was tantamount to announcing the arrival of unprecedented prodigies.

“Perhaps the Sword Saint is more concerned about his grandson being undervalued because of Arthur’s son, rather than the merits earned by Kraus. That’s why I want to ask you, who have met the boy in person. Orcus, what kind of lad was the son of Count Kraus?”

“Are you asking about his character, or are you inquiring about his skills?”

“Either. Just give me something you can answer with certainty.”

After pondering for a moment, Orcus promptly replied.

“He is... someone I’ve chosen as a friend. Does that answer your question?”

“Huh.”

At Orcus’s response, Aslan let out a deflated noise before bursting into laughter.

“HAHAHAHAHA!! Exactly! You wouldn’t make friends without good reason. That’s all I needed to know.”

Perhaps it was because he had never seen such hearty laughter before, Orcus felt awkward as he watched Aslan roaring with amusement.

“To be honest, I lack expertise in swordsmanship, so I couldn’t judge his skills rashly. But still, he seemed no less capable than any knight I’ve seen in the imperial palace. As for his character, he appears unambitious, and content with maintaining the current state of affairs. As long as I do not cross the line, he would not either.”

“That sounds exactly like his father. The first impression you have of this Damian aligns with what I felt when I met Count Kraus. Kraus will continue to be a strong sword and shield for the empire.”

Aslan began to tidy his desk, shifting the papers one by one to the side. Then he pulled out an old scroll sealed with the royal seal from a drawer. Orcus’ eyes widened with recognition of the scroll’s identity.

“Is this...?!”

“Yes, it’s the ‘Divine Oath Scroll.’ An oath written under the name of our main god, Altear. This is an oath made before you were born between Count Kraus, Duke Edelweiss, and myself. It is written that they must not do anything that threatens the authority of the imperial family by joining forces.”

The Divine Oath Scroll.

A precious relic in the imperial treasury, limited in number. It was a treasure that enforces contracts made under the name of the God. Orcus looked at Aslan, questioning why he was only showing this now.

“Was this the reason you looked so confident when you first sent me away?”

“Yes. There was already an alternative in place. As you well know, the terms written here cannot be breached. It began as a casual conversation over drinks, but I thought it might be useful and kept it.”

“And what if both houses had only sons or only daughters? You would have wasted a precious treasure for nothing.”

“At that time, I was drunk. Hmm, perhaps a bit impulsive.”

For a drunk man, Aslan’s readiness to produce an oath on the spot was remarkably reckless. Orcus looked incredulous as Aslan simply laughed and responded.

“And if the engagement couldn’t happen as per the oath, I planned to get their children to engage with my children.”

“It’s a story my mother would be amazed to hear.”

“.....Let’s pretend that last bit wasn’t said.”

A breeze through the open window swept the dust off the desk. The two paused their conversation, taking a moment to look at each other, then resumed as the atmosphere cleared. Aslan was the first to speak again.

“When I first sent you to the South, I thought you’d come back and propose to engage Noel with the Kraus family.”

“Hmm...”

“No need for that expression. You’re very similar to me, so if I were you, I would have thought that too. That’s Noel’s preference. And I have been hearing stories about Kraus’ son for quite some time, so if that’s the face you’re making, then I must be right.”

“Well... yes, that’s correct. But you told me to make friends, yet you expected me to come back with that proposal?”

“I won’t deny it. People don’t change overnight. In the end, you returned without saying a word, so I suppose you won out. Congratulations.”

“I’m not pleased in the least.”

Aslan brushed off Orcus’ sharp words with a laugh.

“Even so, I genuinely wished for you to make a friend. From the perspective of a ruler, your choice is correct. Connecting Noel and the Kraus family strengthens the bond between the imperial family and the provinces. It’s not a wrong move.”

Aslan slid the scroll he had taken out back into the drawer and looked up to meet Orcus’ eyes again. Orcus, feeling awkward under Aslan’s deep gaze, unconsciously scratched his cheek.

“However, the fact that you did not urge me to take such actions suggests that you’ve begun to see the world through different eyes. As a father, I’m pleased to hear my son has made a friend.”

“.....It seems the work here is done, so I will take my leave now.”

“My boy, are you embarrassed?”

“It’s not that, I have other matters to attend to.”

Aslan looked at Orcus with surprise. Given that they had just concluded their business here, Orcus ostensibly had no other immediate tasks.

After a brief pause, Orcus quickly added to his statement and left the room.

“....Since my friend has gotten engaged, I suppose I should write a congratulatory letter myself.”

Laughter echoed in the room after the door closed behind him.

--- END OF CHAPTER ---

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