Chapter 286
Chapter 286. The Demon King (1)
The third prince, Kaldrach de Adratarn, lived in a residence that was far from the typical splendor of the imperial family.
In various places, tactical maps, weapon racks, and battle equipment were organized and stored, making it seem as though he was always ready for battle.
A large table for operational meetings was positioned in the center, with various documents and model pieces for exercises spread across it.
Interestingly, one of these models bore a resemblance to the 'Imperial Palace'.
"After breaching the Heavenly Reverence Gate, the Heavenly Reverence Guards will charge in, but leave that to us, Your Highness Kaldrach."
Staring intently at the 'Imperial Palace' model, Kaldrach, who had been deep in thought, nodded at the assertion.
"This is why we exist."
"It is only natural for Your Highness Kaldrach to ascend to the Emperor's throne."
"Indeed. If not Your Highness Kaldrach, who else could restore order to this chaos?"
Other advisors chimed in in agreement. Kaldrach, with his eyes gently closed, simply listened to their words.
"Are you hesitating now? Are you scared?"
Abisha, observing this, spoke in a sharp tone. Despite her harsh words, the advisors showed no signs of discomfort.
"I just want to avoid unnecessary risk."
"The entire regime is already in danger. If you wish to avoid it, isn't returning to the North an option?"
At Abisha's remark, Kaldrach turned to meet her gaze. Then, a smile played on his lips.
"Do you wish to return home?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Indeed. I, too, want to return home."
"What are you talking about? Isn't your home here?"
To the notion that this was home, Kaldrach responded.
"A place doesn't automatically become home."
Kaldrach's eyes were now burning with a lust for power.
"Though my father has lost consciousness now, even before, he failed to make proper judgments, ensnared by a diviner's sweet talk."
All eyes were on Kaldrach as he began to speak.
"The once mighty empire is gradually declining. This isn't the empire I knew. It's not home."
Respect filled the gaze of his advisors.
"So, I must change it, to bring it back to the homeland I remember."
With a gentle yet powerful tone, Kaldrach's words had the advisors clenching their fists.
***
"It feels like now is the true beginning."
Once the advisors departed and they were alone, Abisha spoke to Kaldrach.
"It was always destined to come to this, just slightly delayed."
"For a destined fate, you seemed to hesitate?"
At Abisha's words, Kaldrach sighed briefly.
"With Flugel and Kikubad around, I thought inheriting the throne would be impossible."
"Is that why you wavered for a moment?"
Kaldrach nodded silently.
"But with Flugel unable to recover consciousness, the only ones who can stop us now are the Heavenly Reverence Guards and Kikubad."
"Despite saying that, you don't seem confident?"
Kaldrach shifted his gaze out the window at Abisha's probing question.
"The Queen of Thorns's son. Is it him that you're worried about?"
Abisha knew of the anxiety Kaldrach harbored.
"Currently, only the third and fourth princes attract attention regarding succession. Yet a sleeping dragon lies within the empire."
A sleeping dragon.
While Abisha felt that expression was an overstatement regarding Yulian, it seemed Kaldrach thought otherwise.
"Even without considering his personal martial prowess, those who follow him are dangerous enough to swallow the empire."
"Why does such a person remain without rank and stay at the bottom?"
"It's perhaps because his power is fragmented. Or maybe, he lacks any intentions for it."
"Indeed."
Abisha scoffed disbelievingly at Kaldrach's words.
"Someone trapped in the North came all the way here blinded by power, while someone living in the capital stays still, lacking ambition?"
Abisha's pointed words seemed aimed for Kaldrach's ears, but he merely smiled.
"That's why it's frightening. Unpredictable power doesn't reveal its direction."
"For something so frightening, you've decided to kill the emperor?"
"What I'm doing now is holding a funeral. A funeral for my father."
"What do you mean?"
"What do you think I mean?"
The lust for power slowly began to subside in Kaldrach's eyes.
"I mean to say that His Majesty, emperor Adratarn, has not just lost consciousness but has already passed away."
***
"Tsk tsk, the mama's boy seems taken aback."
Bathed in the sunlight streaming from behind, Kikubad chuckled.
He was in a large office only accessible to those at the level of the 'Imperial Knights' commander.
Uruhar was also present within.
"It appears that all the ritual sites intending to utilize the Demon God's horn have been destroyed. Thanks to this, it's time for Prince Eulsis to come to his senses."
Though Eulsis' plans were unraveling, Kikubad didn't appear displeased.
In fact, his eyes glimmered with interest, and a smile tugged at his lips.
"It's probably thanks to your help."
Kikubad's gaze landed on Uruhar. There was a complete lack of hostility, making it all the more terrifying for Uruhar.
"I have no idea what you mean."
"To find the locations of the ritual sites, a lot had to be investigated. If someone was part of the Imperial Knights, it wouldn't have been difficult to gather that information."
Uruhar had indeed revealed the ritual site information to Yulian. Kikubad's voice held certainty as though it had been accepted as fact.
"Do you have any proof it was me?"
Yet, Uruhar feigned ignorance, denying having passed information to Yulian.
Even if discovered, Uruhar sensed that Kikubad wouldn't take immediate action, though there was a significant difference between admitting and denying it.
"I see. Then we must consider the possibility that it was transmitted by the recently deceased Aihan."
Unconcerned, Kikubad chuckled and dismissed it lightly. Ultimately, the identity of the traitor wasn't important to him.
His desire was to reclaim the title: Empire's strongest swordsman.
Reclaiming the name of 'Sword Saint' had become impossible, but eliminating his disciple would suffice.
And.
"Whenever I recall that night at the mansion, my limbs tremble."
"Mansion?"
"When I encountered the Black Knight. That's what I mean."
Slaying the Black Knight.
Either way, it was clear that Kikubad was after the Black Knight's head.
"If the battle had continued, I would have won. But..."
Kikubad stroked his chin once.
"There was something I sensed from him—a feeling I couldn't grasp. If I had unraveled it, would I have been victorious?"
"I don't know."
"Indeed, that's why I am getting to know it."
There was one point about which Uruhar had remained mistaken.
"Things are progressing well. They're progressing nicely. This way, Eulsis will have to make a blunder. To prevent that, the Black Knight will have to show himself."
It wasn't that Kikubad didn't care what happened to the empire. He allied himself simply because he sought to challenge the strong.
'... That's basically the same as not caring.'
Uruhar shook his head, dispelling his thoughts.
"Yes, I must repay Sir Uruhar of the Imperial Knights for your earnest efforts."
Suddenly, Kikubad rose from his seat. After making preparations to leave the study, he turned abruptly to Uruhar.
"What are you doing, not following?"
Expecting him to naturally follow, Kikubad spoke, and Uruhar frowned. However, there was no other choice. Uruhar followed in Kikubad's wake.
Kikubad kept moving inward. As the sight of the emperor's residence appeared beyond the Meridian Gate, Uruhar's face clouded with unease.
"What are you planning?"
"What I plan is to relay to an Imperial Knight the information he should know."
Without glancing back, Kikubad continued forward. The laughter that had lingered in his office was now long gone.
They arrived at the emperor's chamber. Upon seeing the enormous door, Uruhar sensed something amiss.
'... There's no guard?'
Ordinarily, the 'Heavenly Reverence Guards' would secure this place. At the very least, one of the Imperial Knights should be stationed here.
Kikubad, unconcerned, pried open the chamber door.
Creak.
As the door opened, the scene inside came into view. The interior was eerily quiet.
"Now, go inside."
At Kikubad's words, Uruhar was compelled to step inside, as if under a spell.
Typically, such an act would violate imperial ordinance, but an unusual atmosphere drove Uruhar to enter without realizing it.
The chamber was dimly illuminated under heavy velvet curtains, with a vague light barely seeping through the space.
"Gulp."
Suddenly, horrific imaginings flashed across Uruhar's mind.
Through the thick velvet curtain, a shadow could be seen. That it was the 'Emperor' was known, but he lingered motionlessly, eerily still.
"What the...."
Swoosh──!
Despite the fear of what lay beyond, and the struggle to reach forth, unexpectedly, Kikubad approached and flung open the velvet curtain.
Within lay the Emperor on his bed. He seemed asleep. Yet, his chest neither rose nor fell with breath.
"Touch him."
At Kikubad's instruction to place a hand on the Emperor's regal body, Uruhar swallowed hard once more.
An irreverent act, undoubtedly. But without proper verification, the situation could turn increasingly dire.
Uruhar approached the Emperor and laid his hand on his neck.
Immediately upon contact, a cold sensation ran from the Emperor's body to Uruhar's hand. The Emperor was already cold, his breath permanently halted.
The Emperor was dead.
"Kikubad, what... What does this mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
Kikubad chuckled softly.
"It means the end to the struggle for the throne is finally in sight."
That statement could only imply.
"... Does it mean a bloody whirlwind will descend on the capital?"
"The whirlwind was already blowing. What remains is, after the storm clears, who will be left standing."
Saying that, Kikubad began to exit the chamber.
"It seems the advisors may storm in soon. Kaldrach, aware of this situation, will likely act immediately."
"... His Highness Kaldrach?"
"He is a strategist colluding with the military. He must know the Emperor is dead."
Tuk, tuk.
Kikubad lightly tapped the hilt of the sword at his waist and turned to Uruhar.
"Don't you have a task to do?"
A task?
"You must quickly fetch the Black Knight. If you don't halt the prince's rampage, the empire will truly fall."
Tsk tsk.
With laughter resembling a sneer, Kikubad worn a sardonic smile.
Clacky's Corner:
Kikubad is such a mad lad.
P. S.
14 chapters left.