Chapter 265
Chapter: 265
One of the early emperors of the Romania Empire, famous for the title “Sword Emperor,” is Lucius Altirius III.
Among the numerous emperors in the history of the Romania Empire, he is the one with the most stories to tell and is quite an unusual character.
Born as the son of Lucius Altirius II, who elevated and stabilized the kingdom into an empire, the Sword Emperor had strong legitimacy and remarkable talents as a crown prince. There was no doubt he would lead a splendid empire.
However, his father passed away at a young age, and before he could inherit the throne, it went to his uncle.
Even if the crown prince had exceptional qualities, he was still just a teenage boy at that time. There were those unhappy about a mere child ascending to the throne.
At the head of those discontented was none other than the brother of the former emperor.
Known posthumously as the usurper, this man tried to obstruct the Sword Emperor’s ascension by using his silver tongue to mix poison into the Sword Emperor’s meals, intending to assassinate him.
The one who saved the Sword Emperor from such threats was his younger sister, the Dragon Priestess, Vivian.
…
Thus, with Vivian’s help, the Sword Emperor escaped the castle and headed for a forest known as the Forbidden Forest.
In the age when the gods ruled the earth, this deep forest was said to be home to a sage, and some legends claim he is the same sage that aided Rychlen.
This sage was known to have lent his knowledge to the knight king in the past, gaining the knight king’s trust, who shared this story with the young Sword Emperor.
Having escaped the castle with his sister’s aid, the Sword Emperor fled into the Forbidden Forest and met the sage residing there.
…
The two siblings, raised under the sage’s teachings, eventually defeated the usurper and reclaimed the throne over the years of their journey.
Thus, Lucius Altirius III regained what was rightfully his.
…
Another story about the Sword Emperor would be the cursed sword he received from his master.
A sword that should never have been drawn, the Dainsleaf.
Also known as the Sword of Regret.
The one who draws the sword gets to fulfill their superficial desires, but it does not grant their true wishes.
Only the first owner, the Sword Emperor, knows why it was named so.
…
Another reason the Sword Emperor is known as the Emperor of Swords is that he was an incredibly strong swordsman incomparable to others of his time.
There was an incident where, armed only with a wooden sword, he defeated all members of the Royal Knights and the Epona Knights, the strongest knight orders of the time.
Even though the two knight orders were equipped with armor and iron swords, they lost to the Sword Emperor, who was unarmed except for the wooden sword.
His incredible strength was said to be due to the swordsmanship he learned from his master, along with a method of enhancing his body using magical power.
Sadly, he could not pass on that method to others. Because of this, rumors circulated that “the Sword Emperor was actually a naturally-gifted mage who used magic to enhance his physical capabilities.”
…
Another tale about the Sword Emperor is the fact that he remained single his entire life without a empress.
The reason that someone who rose to the throne of an empire lived a life of singleness is unknown, and many rumors circulated, but nothing has been clearly proven.
Among many rumors, the most popular one suggests he lost a loved one during the process of defeating the usurper.
…
Despite showing no interest in other women, there is testimony that sometimes he wore a ring on his left-hand ring finger, suggesting he may have had a romantic relationship.
Some gossipers even speculated, “Did the Sword Emperor actually love his younger sister?”
Vivian, the Dragon Priestess, dismissed all doubts with a declaration, “By the name of the Goddess of Life, I could never love that idiot.” She then added, “That fool will never be able to love anyone else in his life,” which only fueled rumors that the Sword Emperor had lost a loved one.
…
Having ruled for a long time over the Romania Empire, the Sword Emperor passed the throne to his nephew and, after that, is said to have built a small house in a corner of the garden where he lived.
…
– Sword Emperor. Supreme Sword of the Empire.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
“So, what do you want to talk about?”
The Emperor, Lucius Altirius III, who was called Arthur by his master and sister, said in a sharp voice.
After finishing all government affairs, the peculiar emperor who resided in a small house in the garden behind the castle was sharp with everyone except his sister.
This included his servants.
…
“The famine that once covered this land has vanished, and all the commoners sing your praises, Your Majesty. However, on the other hand, there is some unease. If you were to welcome an empress and ensure a successor, you could ease their worries—”
As the servant continued speaking, he suddenly felt something pressing down on him and hurriedly dropped to the floor.
It was not a physical force but a mental pressure.
Those who wield swords say that the killing intent pressed down on him.
…
“Get out.”
“Y-Yes, but…”
“I won’t say it again.”
The servant felt his breathing become erratic. It was as if he were entangled in sharp blades. Any slight mistake could lead to him being cut down immediately.
Even without holding a sword, the Emperor could slay him.
…
“Honestly. I understand your feelings, but you need to tone it down.”
The one who alleviated that murderous intent was none other than the Emperor’s sister, who entered through the door.
“Now. If you value your life, get out of here. Don’t dirty the floor.”
The Emperor’s sister, Vivian, waved her hand lightly, lifting the servant who had been on the floor and nudging him toward the door, which opened on its own.
…
“Stop messing around.”
“What? You think you can just be this prickly? I wonder how your master can stand that face.”
“……”
For a moment, the Emperor glared at Vivian in silence before letting out a small sigh.
“So, what’s going on?”
“I have news about our master. I came as quickly as I could.”
“Our master?”
At her words, the Emperor’s gaze shifted.
“Yeah. Our master. The very name Gaia was a clue from our master.”
“A clue…”
Saying that, Vivian pulled out a booklet from her bosom and tossed it toward the Emperor.
“I wrote a rough summary in that book. Read it when you have time.”
“Hmm. Any other errands?”
“Nope. Just came to deliver that book. Why? Do you think I would tell you to have a successor like the other servants?”
“……”
The Emperor said nothing.
“I would never say something like that. After all, it’s me who loved our master, a lump of rock.”
“That’s a bit harsh, sister.”
“But it’s the truth.”
The Emperor couldn’t refute her.
“Anyway, I’m off. About a successor… Well, it’ll work out somehow. Whether I adopt a child from the royal house or marry someone good and have a child to become the crown prince, it will happen.”
“You getting married? The Dragon Priestess?”
“They say that can be waved off. Of course, I wouldn’t say I’m not interested, but… I think I’ve done enough by now.”
Vivian said lightly, but the Emperor knew.
He knew how significant that sacrifice was.
“…Thank you.”
“The best thing would be for you to take a concubine to have children, but that’s probably not happening. So I have to do something. I need to have the face to meet our master.”
With those words, Vivian left the audience chamber with light footsteps, and the Emperor watched his sister’s retreating figure.
She was a sister he didn’t deserve.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The Emperor, or rather, Arthur, entered the small house nestled in a corner of the garden.
Inside the ruggedly stone-built house were simple furnishings and a statue of a woman.
“I’m back, Master.”
After speaking words that no one could hear, Arthur sat down beside the statue and gazed at it.
It was a statue of an unusually beautiful woman. On her left hand was a stone ring adorned with emeralds.
It was a ring identical in design to the one in his possession.
“Master, Vivian said she found out about you and gave me this book.”
Arthur pulled the book he had been carrying from his bosom and opened it.
It contained stories about the goddess known as Gaia, the mother of all earth.
The goddess of the earth. Thinking back, it made sense.
Who would create small stone hills for the training of their disciple?
Who would divert rivers, claiming it would help the training?
Who would instantly create stone walls from nothing?
Who would make a famine covering the entire nation disappear in an instant?
Who, if not the gods who ruled the world in the age of the gods, could accomplish such feats?
If they are not gods, who else could?
“Indeed, that makes sense.”
Even after the gods departed, the goddess of the earth remained on land.
She had been living for the sake of mere mortals while disguised as a sage in the Forbidden Forest.
Even when all her believers disappeared, she remained on this land.
Even as the end loomed for a god who had lost faith.
As he read the book, Arthur’s gaze halted at one part.
‘The Mother of the Earth, Gaia, is often identified with the Goddess of Life.’
That was a part he couldn’t gloss over easily.
At the same time, it partly resolved some of his confusion.
Why did the master know so much about the Dragon Priestess?
How could she awaken her sister, who was dying from poisoning, as the Dragon Priestess?
While being in the Forbidden Forest, how could she summon the priests of the Church of Life from the outside?
How could his sister, who loved the master as much as he did, shake off her torment so quickly?
All those answers lay with the Goddess of Life.
His master, Gaia, the mother of all earth, would reside in the Goddess of Life.
Without a doubt, that must be the case.
