Chapter 124
Chapter 124
Alter heard the news directly from Brillie Illenat.
It was somewhat expected, but Cadeon had not given a definite answer until now.
It must have been a long, difficult decision, considering the very survival of their family was at stake.
"Hmm... Still, I should congratulate you, right?"
"It was inevitable anyway, wasn't it? There was only me or my younger sibling."
"But the position of family head isn't given to just anyone."
"It probably means I have to do even better from now on. Now, I have no choice but to follow my father's orders."
Brillie Illenat complained, yet showed a faint smile.
Her father may have acknowledged her abilities and feats, but he must have continued to doubt her capabilities as head of the family.
He might keep a close eye on her, worrying that she could neglect the family.
"Wouldn't it be best to obey as much as possible? There's nothing to gain from confronting Duke Illenat."
"If I had obeyed mindlessly, would I ever have gotten to hold a sword? Maybe I wouldn't have met you, Alter."
"... You're not wrong, but from my position, I can't tell you to go against your father's wishes."
"Hmm... Yes, that's true."
Brillie Illenat couldn't refute that.
On the surface, she might appear to be at odds with Duke Illenat, but fundamentally, their blood ties made it a solid relationship.
No matter how their thoughts might clash, the primordial connection between them couldn't simply be erased.
"I shouldn't get involved with Duke Illenat's mansion in every matter. It's more important for me to prioritize your well-being, Brillie."
"You mean controversy could arise?"
"I'm your fiancé, Brillie, not a member of Duke Illenat's mansion. Even if we get married, that condition won't change."
Alter had already set clear limits on his own involvement.
Of course, as the fiancé of the next head, he couldn't completely escape from the family.
But if he started interfering in family affairs in a private capacity, it would put Brillie Illenat in a troubling spot.
"My father probably worries mostly about that too. You're hardly an ordinary person, are you, Alter?"
"I'm from the ducal house, and I'm establishing myself as the next great mage. If I wanted, it wouldn't be difficult to borrow the power of the duke's mansion."
"Would borrowing a bit really cause a problem?"
"It would still be best to keep a low profile for your sake, Brillie. I don't want to intentionally stir up trouble."
With her chin propped on her hand, Brillie Illenat gazed sideways at Alter.
Using the status of the duke's mansion to enjoy some luxury or expand one's social network couldn't really be seen as wrong.
As long as you didn't do anything evil, a little indulgence might be forgiven.
'Is he too upright? Sometimes I think it'd be fine to relax a little.'
Brillie Illenat felt a bit disappointed, yet wanted to respect his resolve.
From their first meeting, Alter had always given off a calm and composed air.
Now, he was able to express emotions to her, but his particular nature hadn't changed.
If that was simply Alter's true nature, she felt she had to accept it.
'Maybe... I should take the initiative and look after things...'
"Oh, by the way, have you heard? They say rebels have appeared in the east."
"Yes, I heard too. Though they say it's closer to a gathering of commoners than actual rebels."
"Standing off against soldiers, you could say they acted aggressively. Even if there's a clash, the soldiers will win... but nothing good will come of forcing it to that point."
Alter was already convinced that the commoners would lose.
The imperial army was properly trained, with guaranteed equipment and supplies.
The commoners couldn't even maintain formations, and at best brought farm tools or kitchen knives as weapons.
Above all, they were vastly outnumbered, so it was inevitable that they would back down.
"Because they'd lose the people's trust, right?"
"The commoners must have had their reasons for rising up. Sure, it could be quickly handled by force, but if it makes things worse, even more people will resist."
"That's probably why the situation remains a standoff. They'll try to resolve this after figuring out the true cause."
"Even if they find the reason, it won't solve the root of the problem. If someone keeps agitating from the sidelines, people will be swayed."
"... Are you saying there's an instigator?"
"There's no way multiple regions would rise up simultaneously without someone's intentional intervention."
Lost in thought, Alter slowly tilted his teacup.
The current Emperor had seized the throne by force, with dragons and monsters invading the empire one after another.
Someone was likely trying to revolt, taking advantage of the current turmoil.
'There's probably a royal behind it. There aren't many ways for a cadet branch to claim the throne.'
The throne was always passed down to the direct line only.
Once you were set aside into the cadet branch, even your descendants lost the chance.
That's why, for those of the cadet branch, taking the throne by improper means was the only option left.
'... Or maybe that's what someone wants people to think.'
The conditions were almost suspiciously clear.
It was as if someone deliberately intended to draw attention to the existence of the cadet branch.
If he looked deeper, he'd have to find out who the true instigators were, excluding the cadet branch.
'If you rule out the cadet branch, who could possibly be enthroned?'
By the time of the eighth Emperor, there weren't many direct royals left.
The first prince was assassinated soon after he became Emperor.
The Third Princess—the current Emperor—had not yet married, so there were no children.
With those exclusions, only a single direct imperial remained.
'The second prince is a little suspicious. He stayed quiet even when the Third Princess seized the throne.'
The second prince would, by order of succession, have a prior claim to the throne.
But with the Third Princess seizing the throne first, he couldn't protest.
If he'd insisted on his rights as Emperor then, he'd probably have been quietly purged.
'Or maybe... it was led by the second prince's in-laws.'
It was possible.
If a powerful enough noble family, one with a political marriage to the direct royals, got involved, it could work.
Perhaps the second prince only cared about saving his own life, but his wife and father-in-law meddled behind his back.
'I can't be sure yet—there isn't enough proof.'
Even Alter couldn't deduce the ringleader in this crisis.
The future he'd known had shifted, and now he faced a different reality.
Nothing had come from the imperial household yet, but eventually some solution would be proposed.
'They probably won't order mass executions. The best way would be...'
The commoners were likely stirred up by complicated, persuasive-sounding claims and blindly followed.
Since so many of them worked in similar jobs, it wasn't hard for them to unite.
Handled the wrong way, even more people could be gathered in a short time.
'I need to disperse them quietly. That'll require a display of authority and some convincing explanation.'
Unlike the nobles, commoners weren't obsessed with wealth or fame.
They wanted someone who could rescue them from crisis and lead a stable life.
That was why, more than a noble of noble birth, they always yearned for a righteous hero.
'Sword Saint, great mage... or a holy apostle; any of them could persuade the crowd.'
The Sword Saint and the great mage had accumulated so many feats over the years that the commoners knew their names well.
They were figures who commanded universal respect, making anyone hesitate to oppose them.
The first and second holy apostles had always tried to care for the people in accordance with doctrine, so no one dared to insult their prestige.
'It looks like neither Brillie nor I need to step forward after all.'
The current Emperor was not as complacent as the deposed one had been.
He'd probably reached a similar conclusion and was taking his own measures.
Of course, if things didn't resolve peacefully, force would be used, but the commoners would likely be scared off before it came to that.
'It's not bad enough to cancel the wedding, anyway....'
* * *
In the capital, the commoners were gathering in the middle of the streets.
The patrol guards quickly encircled them to block their advance, and even the security corps were urgently mobilized.
On top of that, another knight order joined, making the scene resemble a full-scale urban battle.
"No further approach allowed! Disperse immediately! If you do not, you'll be considered traitors!"
The patrol captain shouted, sword drawn.
If they let this rabble be, they could storm the imperial palace in an instant.
No room for error—if the Emperor was angered, severe punishment would follow.
His own life was at stake, so he had to drive off the rebels at all costs.
"We're not asking to see His Majesty the Emperor. But shouldn't someone at least explain this situation to us?"
"That's right! Life's already hard enough—why do we have to suffer even more?"
"What are we supposed to do, now that there are rumors the Empire is collapsing?"
"Are only nobles supposed to live while the commoners starve?"
"Did we ask for anything special? We're just asking not to go hungry—why do you keep taking so much from us?"
The commoners hurled their grievances at the soldiers.
The eighth Emperor might have ruled well, but there was no way to prevent the rise in poverty.
People thought maybe the ninth Emperor would be different, but nothing changed.
On top of that, with dragons and monsters running rampant, their worries only deepened.
"How dare you insult His Majesty the Emperor! You'd better experience punishment for treason and defamation before you come to your senses!"
As the patrol captain threatened them, the commoners instinctively took a step back.
But they didn't retreat completely; instead, they kept whispering among themselves.
This forced the soldiers to stay tense and keep their spears pointed at the crowd.
"Captain, what do we do now?"
"Damn it... We were told to avoid using force if possible..."
The patrol captain was troubled, unable to decide.
The higher-ups ordered him to disperse the crowd as peacefully as possible.
But words alone weren't enough; at best, their threats could barely hold the line.
"Isn't there anyone we could summon? The rabble will at least pretend to listen to someone famous."
"I heard the Sword Saint and great mage have already been dispatched."
"The Semerune Holy Order is in the same boat."
"Ugh, can't we call in anyone else?"
"Oh. There's the next great mage, isn't there?"
"The next great mage? They say he's killed two dragons..."
"And, uh, isn't he about to marry the Sword Flower?"
"I heard she's incredibly beautiful..."
"Cut the chatter! You think this is a social gathering?"
The patrol captain thought hard and sent out his platoon commanders.
With his rank alone, he didn't have the authority to summon the next great mage or Sword Flower.
You'd probably need to be at least the commander of the capital defense to make that happen.
'This is out of my hands. If I report to the higher-ups, maybe they'll do something.'