Chapter 204 : Turbulent Ribenia (2)
Chapter 204: Turbulent Ribenia (2)
Throughout the approximately 250-year history of the Ribenia Empire, there had never been a series of incidents this unprecedented.
The only period that could even be compared to it was the Empire's founding era.
However, even compared to those unstable early days, the shockwaves created by these events were on an entirely different level.
The Imperial Summit had largely been viewed as an affair involving only high-ranking officials and a handful of civic organizations.
Likewise, the decline of the Ribenian Orthodox Faith had already been considered inevitable by most citizens.
However—
The downfall of the Bernhardt Family, brought about by the hidden scandals that had never before come to light.
The successive deaths of the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
And the growing evidence that the Platinum Dawn Society, a force deeply entwined with the Empire's darkness, had been involved in every step of the process.
All of it threw the already chaotic political situation into even greater turmoil.
Then Edel Ribenia drove the final nail into the coffin by declaring an "Imperial Election System."
Every influential noble house throughout the Empire fell into complete panic.
Among them, the commotion around Karbenna Imperial Academy far exceeded anyone's imagination.
"Open this gate immediately!"
"If you don't, we'll force our way inside!"
"Henry!"
"Mother's here!"
"Come out quickly!"
"B-But..."
"They're not even holding classes anymore!"
"What exactly is this supposed to be?!"
The overwhelming majority of people gathered outside Karbenna's main gate were nobles.
Facing the parents desperately calling for their children, the Dean and the Director of Planning and General Affairs standing on the opposite side responded firmly.
"We clearly notified everyone two days ago that Academy operations would be temporarily suspended due to wartime conditions, and that we would instead conduct military training in cooperation with the Special Task Force."
"We also informed you that Karbenna is both an educational institution and a military institution."
"If you refuse to cooperate, the only remaining option is to proceed with expulsion."
"I don't care!"
"I don't remember any of that!"
"Just bring my child out!"
"That's right!"
"Why should our children have to become sacrifices over some ridiculous talk about war?!"
The parents stomped their feet and pointed accusing fingers, refusing to listen.
Frederick slammed his foot violently into the ground.
Boom—!!
"..."
As silence instantly fell over the crowd,
Frederick pointed right back at them and roared.
"Are all of you playing around right now?"
"Do you think Karbenna is some daycare that provides compulsory education for children?"
"This place is, first and foremost, a military academy that trains soldiers!"
"It isn't some soft-hearted academy where we send people home whenever their parents demand it!"
The parents visibly flinched under his furious outburst.
Without hesitation, Frederick raised his voice even louder.
"A soldier puts the nation before the individual!"
"Do you know why?"
"Because the moment someone starts thinking, 'The Empire won't collapse just because I do nothing,' that complacency becomes a weakness!"
"And in the end..."
"The ones who pay the price are your comrades and the family you love!"
"..."
"If you truly wish to remain proud nobles leading this Empire, then stop throwing childish tantrums over such pathetic excuses and leave!"
"If you continue interfering with Karbenna's affairs, you'll be severely punished under the relevant regulations!"
Frederick's impassioned rebuke dramatically reduced the parents' protests.
Even so,
the situation remained chaotic.
As each class's instructors escorted the students back toward their dormitories,
Frederick and Dale watched the scene with weary sighs.
"They're all so spineless..."
"Tsk."
"Don't be too hard on them."
"Most of them are first-year students."
"It's only natural they can't immediately believe they're suddenly in wartime."
"That's what happens when you coddle them for too long."
"It wasn't nearly this bad when Carter was here."
"Well..."
"We'll simply straighten them out from now on."
"Has the Chairwoman summoned us yet?"
"Judging by how quiet things have been, I imagine it'll be this afternoon's meeting."
"By then, Carter should've returned as well."
"...Right."
"In any case, we have to hurry."
"They don't have much time either."
"The moment they're ready..."
"They'll attack with everything they've got."
"We absolutely have to stop them."
"Hearing that from the Empire's legendary triple agent certainly makes it sound convincing."
"You always know exactly where to hit."
Frederick smiled as he lightly shoved Dale's shoulder.
"Come on."
"Let's finish our work."
"I'll see you this afternoon, Director."
"...Likewise, Dean."
The two men headed off in opposite directions toward their respective duties.
Not even five hours had passed since the Imperial Family's shocking announcement.
Bang!
Crash!
Smash!
Unlike usual,
Rachel Ribenia's official residence was filled with uproar.
The disturbance was especially severe inside her office.
Even the servants who had attended her for decades had never witnessed such a scene before.
"Aaaargh!"
"Damn it!"
"That bitch actually humiliated me like this?!"
Rachel had never been gentle or particularly patient.
However,
the etiquette and refinement she had cultivated over decades of attending noble social gatherings had never once faltered.
No matter how furious she became,
she had almost never allowed those emotions to appear on her face or in her actions.
When alone or somewhere no rumors could spread, harsh words naturally slipped out more easily.
Even then,
it was obvious she always restrained herself as much as possible.
For the Second Princess—
who had always been so meticulous about maintaining appearances—
to fall apart like this...
Even Duchess Rogermond,
who had served the Emperor for many years and watched over all of his children,
couldn't hide her bewilderment.
Rachel continued hurling objects around the office in a rage.
Only after venting for quite some time did she finally shout,
"Rogermond!"
"Ivana!"
"Get in here!"
The two head maids waiting outside hurried inside.
"Y-Your Highness!"
"Your hand...!"
Rachel hadn't even realized she'd injured herself while throwing things in her fury.
Head Maid Ivana hurriedly wrapped a handkerchief around the cut on her palm.
Meanwhile,
Rogermond ordered the other maids to clean up the office as best they could while cautiously studying Rachel's mood.
'...Was it a mistake?'
Once she learned that Crown Prince Abel had committed the unforgivable crime of patricide—
and had even played a role in Queen Diane's suicide—
Rogermond had only two choices remaining.
If ability alone had been the deciding factor,
she would've supported Edel without hesitation.
But Rogermond was a noble to the very core.
Compared to Edel, who wished to hand more rights and responsibilities over to the people,
Rachel's vision of strengthening noble authority aligned far better with her own beliefs.
That was why she had decided to fully support Rachel.
Yet...
She had never imagined the situation would unravel this badly in such a short period of time.
'...Perhaps...'
'It was all bait.'
The reforms Princess Edel had announced that morning were simply too radical and revolutionary.
Opposition was inevitable.
Which meant it became even more important to identify exactly who belonged on her side.
Perhaps Edel had intentionally exposed weaknesses,
watching to see whom those within the Imperial Family would choose,
only making her move after everyone had effectively sorted themselves into camps.
Completely unaware of Rogermond's anxious thoughts,
Rachel took a large gulp of strong liquor from the glass on her desk before wiping her lips.
"...What am I supposed to do now?"
"Hm?"
"..."
Deep down,
Rogermond wanted to ask why Rachel was directing that question at them.
But saying something like that now might very well cost her life.
She exchanged a glance with Ivana before cautiously speaking.
"...Perhaps..."
"You should first try undoing the Geas."
"Aaagh!"
"If I could've done that, I would've already done it!"
"How am I supposed to remove a Geas whose release condition wasn't even specified?!"
"If you reach a mutual agreement with Princess Edel..."
"Hey!"
"Do you seriously think that bitch would ever agree?!"
"She finally has the advantage!"
"..."
Objectively speaking,
this outcome was almost entirely Rachel's own fault.
Edel Ribenia had publicly declared that the next Emperor would be chosen through an Imperial Election System.
However,
implementing such a system still required approval from both the Imperial Family and the legislature.
Both contained numerous factions.
Many of those factions had originally supported Rachel.
Yet the actions she'd displayed recently—
combined with her utterly foolish remarks during the press conference—
had been enough to alienate even many of her longtime supporters.
If she'd at least firmly sided with the nobility instead of the common citizens,
creating a clear confrontation with Edel,
the legislature's opposition might have delayed implementation of the election system.
Instead,
she had carved away her own support,
then simply lashed out in anger while demanding everyone else solve the problem.
There was no possible solution to offer.
Neither the maids nor Rachel herself could come up with any worthwhile idea.
Then—
"Here I was wondering why I hadn't been summoned."
"It seems Your Highness is in quite the miserable state."
Ignoring every servant trying to stop him,
Kali Arta entered the office with a smile.
"Lord Arta!"
"Even if you're the family head, you can't simply enter without Princess Rachel's permission—"
"Now, now."
"No need to be so stiff."
"Please step aside for a moment."
"I've come today representing the collective will of the nobility."
"B-But still...!"
"That's enough."
"Rogermond."
"Ivana."
"I'll call you again later."
"Leave us for now."
"But, Your Highness..."
"Do either of you have a solution that can get us out of this situation?"
"..."
"You don't."
"Then stop talking and get out."
"You're irritating me."
With the Princess speaking so harshly,
there was nothing more they could say.
The two head maids silently left the office.
Watching them go,
Kali Arta awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Hm..."
"They could've stayed."
"Forget that."
"Get to the point."
"We don't have time."
"Summarize only the essentials."
"You understand?"
Rachel crossed her arms and glared sharply at him.
"Of course."
Kali smiled.
"Princess Edel herself has virtually no weaknesses."
"So we should target those around her instead."
"And the easiest target..."
"is Colonel Eugene Carter."
"...I'd already thought of that."
"I've already issued a summons."
"He'll be brought into the Imperial Palace soon."
"Ah."
"Very good."
"But the target I'm referring to..."
"isn't his father."
"It's his mother."
"...His mother?"
Rachel tilted her head.
"Since when did Eugene Carter have a mother?"
"Why wasn't she listed in the records?"
"She was."
"But officially, he was registered as the son of an unmarried father."
"I believed that as well."
"Until I happened to uncover something."
Kali pulled a file from his coat and handed it to Rachel.
The bundle of papers clipped together contained information shocking enough to leave anyone speechless.
.
.
.
The Vladia Family.
A fanatical noble house infamous during the final years of the Kingdom of Rubea and the early days of the Ribenia Empire.
They preached the surviving remnants of demon worship.
Branded as heretics,
they were rejected by both the Kingdom and the Empire alike.
Yet at the same time,
they seized part of the Empire's northern territories—
what are now portions of the Parcel and Ivric regions—
declared themselves a nation,
and stubbornly held out there for over a century.
Had that been all,
their infamy might never have been recorded in history.
Instead,
throughout that long history,
they slaughtered more than fifty thousand citizens of both the Kingdom and the Empire.
Even worse,
both their motives and methods were unimaginably horrific.
One academy once used stories of their atrocities as educational material to warn students about demonology—
only to receive nationwide condemnation for doing so.
Even compared to the Flos Family,
who had existed during the same era,
the Vladia Family's notoriety existed on an entirely different level.
The Imperial Government had therefore spared no effort in exterminating every last trace of their bloodline.
Over nearly one hundred and fifty years,
their name had gradually faded from public memory.
The current generation scarcely even knew they had existed.
But that was only because...
they had never shown themselves to the world again.
"If..."
"That filthy bloodline had never truly disappeared..."
"And had instead been passed down to someone..."
"Do you think..."
"The people of the Empire would simply leave that person alone?"