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Chapter 12
The slums in the Imperial Capital of Luos were located outside the castle walls in an abandoned area. Even if war broke out, the Empire would have no desire to protect the poor souls living there, ranging from poor people to immigrants, even criminals, and others who definitely won’t find any work. Nobody with any decent job would ever visit this place. Of course, every major town or city had a place like this, and with Luos’ general size, this was one of the biggest ones.
And right now, Kyle and his friends were setting foot in there. The rotten scent and stench of feces immediately pierced their noses, as even the path to walk on was not tended to in years, making it hard to walk. Even though it was barely noon, there were many who were collapsed on the ground from being drunk, others were throwing up and laying in their own vomit.
“I would have rather not made you tag along, but…”
Kyle wore a hood over his head, looking over at Lieze and Uzra in a similar fashion. Down here, two cute women like them would immediately draw attention from the nasty folks. Of course, they were strong enough to hold their ground, but if they came at them in numbers, there wasn’t anything Kyle would be able to do, so he’d rather not have them around while going down here.
“Are you still going on about that? You’re so obstinate when it comes to the weirdest things.”
“Absolutely. And you need to have us around, right?”
Lieze got angry in return, and Urza just sighed in disbelief.
“I knew such a place existed, but seeing it with my own eyes is something entirely different.”
Standing in the center of the group was Princess Angela, as she looked around her surroundings in disbelief. Just as Urza stated, having only Kyle and Seran protect the princess would be too dangerous, so Lieze and Urza tagged along.
“I understand, but even so…Hm, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Minagi said and gave a distant response.
She seemed to be in a bad mood, which was weird to Kyle. She should be used to places like these more than anybody else from the group, and she wasn’t the type of person to ask for compassion. However, she was still bothered by the fact she wasn’t even part of the same conversation as Lieze and Urza. Kyle most likely didn’t do this on purpose, but this difference in treatment annoyed her, while also being surprised that she felt this way.
It’s weird…Ever since I accepted his request, something’s been off with me.
It has only been half a year since she accepted the contract, and that was by no means her longest one. Some tasked her to fit into a certain place or society and blend in for a longer amount of time—as was given for a shinobi. At first, she kept a certain distance from Kyle and intended to work separately from him, but lately, she was staying close to him rather frequently.
“But who would think a noble would be hiding here, no?”
“That’s exactly why. This is a place for outcasts and the weird to gather. Just be careful you don’t get pickpocketed.”
Shildonia looked around with great interest in her gaze, but Minagi made sure to throw in a proper warning. After that, they repelled attempts at pickpocketing or trying to attack them, reaching a small area not even the inhabitants of the slums must know about. It was a house blending in perfectly with its surroundings, looking like the average worn-down place, but that was also the destination the group was given prior.
“…Looks like a dirty hole at first, but it’s actually built rather sturdily, used as a means of evacuation in dire times.”
Reaching her current skill, Minagi had no problem pulling apart the layer of this residence. She also pointed out that most people loitering around the area were paid guards. Knocking on the back entrance, a suspicious-looking man appeared. Giving him the code, he finally let them inside. The inside was the complete opposite of the outside facade, set up with several doors and long hallways to protect against sudden raids. It most likely also connected to neighboring houses to provide several escape routes, or so Minagi judged.
They were guided to the room furthest in the back, finally allowed to meet the Empire’s first crown prince Konrad. He looked much more weakened than when Kyle had last seen him. His face was pale, and it looked like he was robbed of his energy at every passing second. However, the light in his eyes was sharper than ever before.
He’s definitely changed. Backed into a corner, but determined…
However, when Konrad spotted his sister Angela, his gaze softened up.
“Angela…So you were alive.” He seemed genuinely concerned for his sister, now looking relieved at knowing she was safe.
“Brother Konrad…I’m glad we got to meet again.”
However, this joy of a reunion only lasted an instant. Konrad’s facial expression returned to being tense as he looked at Kyle and his team.
“I can’t offer that much time.”
“Yes, of course. I wanted to thank you for helping my mother. I was told you did a lot for her.” Kyle deeply lowered his head to show his sincerity.
This was something he wanted to get done with no matter what.
“…Don’t worry about that. I just repaid my debt for all she’s done in the past. If that is all you came here to say, then we’re done,” Konrad said and looked away.
“No, I also have this…It’s a letter from Majesty Maizer.”
Hearing that, Konrad reflexively reached out his hand, only to draw it back right after. He seemed to be hesitant if he should accept it or not. Angela observed this with a dubious look.
“Brother Konrad? Are you not going to take it?”
“…I don’t have any intention of starting discussions with Maizer.” Konrad turned his back to the group. “More than anything, I cannot trust him.”
Understanding the meaning behind those words, Angela was beyond herself.
“Are you suggesting that Brother Maizer was the one who assassinated Brother Eldorand?!”
After Eldorand’s death, many rumors made rounds, one of them assuming Maizer to be the mastermind. However, Angela only scoffed this off, and she assumed that Konrad would feel the same way. That said, Konrad slowly shook his head horizontally.
“What I believe does not matter. It depends on the public eye, so I have to take it into consideration.
“…Then tell me, Brother. What do you intend to do after this? Do you wish to become the next Emperor?” Angela jumped right to the matter at heart.
She had no reason to show restraint like the others.
“The succession is something Father will decide…And to be honest, you’re not acting like yourself, Brother Konrad. I know you’ve been negotiating with many of the influential individuals of the Empire, but is that really inheriting Father’s will…The will of the Emperor?”
“Surely, Father will soon bring down his decision. I would like to respect it…But if he were to choose Maizer, I will not accept it!” Konrad screamed with bloodshot eyes, slamming his fist on the table.
“I am not so arrogant to believe I could ever replace Brother Eldorand…But with the Empire’s fate on the line…I cannot give him the right!”
“B-Brother…?” Angela seemed bewildered.
This must be the first time she saw her brother this emotional. He must have grown concerned with this, as he coughed once to regain his composure.
“Apologies…Either way, I will not fall back, nor can I afford to. Many people are willingly supporting me, too.”
“That’s how it is, Angela-sama,” the new arrival entering the room was General Dargof.
“Dargof…Why are you here?”
“I am one of the individuals fully supporting Konrad-sama.”
“Did you not want Nord to succeed our father?”
Dargof stayed by Eldorand’s side, always proactively pushing aggressive means of growing their territory. Angela did not understand why he would take Konrad’s side.
“Now that Eldorand has passed away, I would love for Nord to become the Emperor, but he is too young and cannot hope to fulfill his duties diligently. However, the absence of an Emperor will only weaken the Empire more, so I believe Konrad-sama would be fitting to take up this role until Nord-sama has grown.”
In other words, he decided to follow Konrad until Nord was ready to take up the succession.
“I have many other followers who wish for me to become the next Emperor. For that reason, I cannot step back.”
Witnessing this confident statement from Konrad, Kyle realized that what Maizer said was absolutely true. Those who follow him…he cannot abandon. If he found himself in a position where he had to cut his losses—If Eldorand was still alive, this kindness would be a very valuable asset. And Kyle could only lament this outcome.
“Surely, the Emperor his Grace will not be able to ignore this support for Konrad-sama. And I ask that you join our ranks, Angela-sama.”
“I will abide by Father’s decision. Until then, I will not side with anybody.”
Angela remained strong despite Dargof’s invitation.
“And let me ask…That ally of yours, is it Minister Korodes?”
“…”
Kyle asked a question too, but Konrad remained silent. This, however, spoke for itself.
“Silence! Don’t think you have any voice in this matter just because His Grace took liking to you!”
“I’m afraid I cannot remain silent. After all, I came here to tell you of Prince Maizer’s feelings.”
Dargof could use his pressure and roar to intimidate Kyle as much as he wanted, but he couldn’t back down this easily.
“First of all, Prince Maizer has no intention of starting a fight over this. And you should be more than aware of this, Prince Konrad. So, I have to question why you are going this far…And I would wager that both of you are aware that His Majesty Benedix will choose Prince Maizer as his successor. That’s why you are so desperately working in the shadows…To change his opinion, yes?”
Hearing that, Konrad was at a loss for words, and Dargof could glare at Kyle as much as he wanted, but it didn’t change this reality. Both knew that Benedix and Maizer were extremely similar. After all the time they spent with those two, they were painfully aware of that.
“…Father’s heart is weakened because of his sickness. His judgment is flawed, and it is my job to correct it,” Konrad said with a hurt expression.
He was aware of his admission of defeat through that statement.
“And you don’t have the choice of offering everything to the Prince? No matter what you do, the Imperial Command will decide. And if Prince Maizer is chosen as the Emperor’s successor, you will be branded a traitor trying to obstruct the succession!”
“What are you…!”
“You bastard…!”
The moment the word “Traitor” left Kyle’s mouth, but Konrad and Dargof brandished clear hostility toward Kyle. They knew that he was speaking the truth, but envisioned the scenario in their heads.
“Brother, I ask you! Please don’t split the Empire in two!”
A request from his own sister left Konrad unable to speak another word.
“Please! A civil war must be avoided at all costs!”
That was the most important factor to stress. This would be the last possible chance for him to avoid a civil war. With just Kyle alone, it might be impossible, but thanks to Angela, they managed to reach Konrad’s heart. Kyle prayed as he waited for Konrad’s answer.
“I…”
A long silence followed, and right as he opened his mouth, Seran cut ahead of him, turning around and putting one hand on his sword.
“Something’s weird…Did we get surrounded?”
A wave of tension filled the room. And as if his assumption had been spot-on, sounds of fighting could be heard outside.
“An attack? That’s impossible! Only a selected few should know about this location!” Dargof immediately glared at Kyle and the others.
“Were we being followed?”
“Not at all! I checked several times, so it shouldn’t have been…” Minagi immediately tried to answer Kyle’s doubts, but at the same time, she remembered being off her game on the way here, and grew pale.
Meanwhile, Konrad and Dargof slammed their hands on a nearby wall, opening up a secret passage. It must be an emergency exit. Kyle ran toward that exit, but Dargof blocked off the path.
“Stay away!”
His voice was filled with rage and hostility, so Kyle tried to defend himself.
“This is a misunderstanding! We didn’t do anything!” Kyle pleaded, but Konrad wouldn’t have any of that.
“And yet, we were perfectly safe before you came here.”
“Ugh…”
Kyle didn’t have any means of arguing back. From an objective point of view, this was clearly suspicious. It might be some sort of trap from the very beginning, after all.
“Angela…You should put some proper thought into the future.” Konrad directed these sad words at his sister and then disappeared behind the closing door.
Kyle grit his teeth and then slammed the wall in anger.
“This is the worst…”
Since he brought Maizer’s letter here, he was seen as an envoy. And whatever Konrad said, his followers might see this as an attack from Maizer, not forgiving him as the envoy. This was the same as Maizer and Konrad holding negotiations and failing drastically.
“I guess we shouldn’t have taken Princess Angela here with us,” Minagi whispered in a tone only Kyle could hear.
The moment he grasped those words, his face grew pale. He immediately understood what she meant by that. If they had assassinated Konrad here, it would resolve a lot of problems. In fact, Kyle considered it for a moment, but not in front of Angela, and not while he’s looking after his own mother.
“Regretting comes later. We gotta get out of here first.” Seran said as he checked the situation outside.
“…Got it. Seran and I will carve a path, so…Lieze and Urza, you stick with Princess Angela. Minagi, you keep our backs safe. And Shildonia…You just exist, I guess.”
Following Kyle’s orders, the group went into formation.
“Let’s go!”
Kicking open the door, the group dashed outside the room.
***
“I see…So that’s what happened.”
“My sincerest apologies.”
Kyle finished reporting on the previous events, to which Maizer looked up at the ceiling in pain. The regret and guilt almost tore Kyle’s heart apart. This way, Konrad’s side would have the absolute advantage when it came to reason and motive.
“No, it was my decision to send you there with my letter, and I left the negotiations to you, too. They just used this as a chance. However, you didn’t manage to figure out who exactly attacked you, right?”
“Yes. We couldn’t afford to take that time to check.”
After leaving that house, they were busy protecting Angela with all their might, experiencing several battles to the death…Except maybe not that bad, but they certainly didn’t get out of it unscathed. In that situation, it was difficult to even tell friends from foe, and the residents of the slums even joined in, hoping to catch some profit out of it. For that reason, they had to prioritize Angela over everything, not being able to confirm who it was that even attacked them.
“Were they aiming for Brother, or did they target Angela…Either way, the timing was a bit too great if you ask me,” Maizer grumbled, as Kyle started thinking.
“You’re saying…This was set up by the prince himself?”
If they wanted a reason to attack Maizer’s faction, this wasn’t entirely impossible, but Kyle struggled to believe someone as Konrad would be able to do this.
“Even if Brother Konrad himself had no intention of doing so…There are people more than willing. And that would limit my own path.” Maizer scratched his head when something else happened.
“Excuse me…”
The one who entered was Beadola, her voice and face clouded. It’s as if she witnessed the end of the world, making Maizer and Kyle feel as if the god of death had arrived.
“His grace has fallen into slumber once more. Without deciding on the succession…We don’t know when he will wake up again…if he will wake up again.”
There couldn’t be any news worse than this. This way, there was no means to stop Konrad anymore.
“…With this, Brother has no more reason to keep me alive. In the worst-case scenario, he might send them after me.” Maizer muttered with an expression like he had mentally prepared himself. “I was planning on accepting whatever decision my old man made, but I can’t just sit still and be killed…Thus, I will become the Emperor. That is my only hope at survival.” He stated his clear intentions. “Kyle, will you assist me?”
“Yes, of course,” Kyle responded instantly.
So far, he acted in the best interest of avoiding a civil war, but it seemed impossible to stop at this point. Since in the original world, this war continued for a whole year, it weakened the country as a whole, so he had to bring a halt to it as quickly as possible, even if it would taint his morals.
“We gotta hurry. Surely, Brother must be on his way to his territory to gather forces…To end it all before Father wakes up. Beadola, what are you going to do?”
“I have no intention of following Prince Konrad this late into the game. I will gather those nobles who follow me.”
“Please do. I’ve got a few advantages here and there, so let’s use that. For starters, gotta keep Nord’s followers down.” Maizer began formulating a plan. “First, I will take in Nord, have him marry my future daughter, and announce Eldorand’s grandchild to become the next Emperor. I don’t mind offering a contract to the Goddess Kohle. I’m gonna rob Brother of any of his rights.”
It was a story far ahead in the distant future, but that way, he could return Eldorand’s blood to the throne.
“That way, those who followed Brother Eldorand will now follow me. What about Korodes?”
“Same as usual…But I wouldn’t bet on him. With both Prince Eldorand and His Grace out of the picture, if he’s gone, the Empire would fall to ruin for good.”
“Yeah, I know. Korodes should know that, which is why he must be sneaking around behind the scenes. I’ll leave him to his own accord for a while.” Maizer let out a confident snort. “It’ll be a battle of time, for sure,” he grumbled and glared north—the direction where Konrad must be hiding right about now.
Two days later, news about Konrad gathering troops in his region reached the Empire. The goal was to save the Emperor that was locked up because of his sickness and strike down Maizer, who holed himself up in the Imperial capital while bringing back the Emperor and Nord from Maizer’s grasp. General Dargof’s orders came in to gather under Eldorand, soon reaching forces close to 50,000. Facing that, Maizer spoke against these accusations, stating Eldorand and Dargof’s intentions of going against the Emperor’s plans and wishes for succession, and that they should be punished for treason. With these two forces clashing, the civil war was brewing on the horizon.
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