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Chapter: 276

The Emperor of Romania, Julius, lay down on his bed, worn out from the business of state.

Five years had passed since he became emperor, yet the weight of the immortal crown felt heavier with each passing day.

Could I ever be like the previous emperor? This lingering question was always a shackle weighing down on Julius.

The previous emperor. The Sword Emperor. The great Arthur. Lucius Altirius III.

His mother’s brother. The emperor’s uncle and adoptive father.

Though they were adoptive parents meant to pass the throne, in public, they treated him very much like a father.

This once close yet distant relationship with the previous emperor felt like an insurmountable presence to Julius.

With the power to suppress both the Imperial Knight Order and the Epona Knight Order single-handedly… he was the strongest man of this generation.

Comparing himself to a hero or warrior like Rychlen from old stories was an impossible feat.

Now, as the heir to the dazzling previous emperor, Julius was barely holding up against the weight of the crown on his head.

There were no problems in governing. As the biological son of the previous emperor’s adoptive son and the Dragon Priestess, the authority stemming from such a background carried immense power that none would dare breach.

Lords from various regions bowed their heads before Julius, and the people sang the praises of the emperor’s name upon the lands that never faced famine.

Neither the nobles nor the commoners would dare oppose such a respected emperor.

The Romania Empire was progressing smoothly without a single starving soul.

Yet, the emperor ruling that same Romania lived with an ever-present anxiety.

He did not possess the swordsmanship of the previous emperor.

He did not wield the magical powers of his mother.

Though he was regarded as having a sharp mind, compared to those two, he was merely an ordinary man, capable of governing the country and little more.

Breathing a sigh in a situation where things couldn’t improve and no clear paths lay before him, Julius pondered.

Just as the starlight hidden behind a brilliant sun is difficult to see, it would not be easy for him, the successor of the great previous emperor, to carve achievements into history.

Thus, Julius let his body rest on the bed.

Another day passes, and a new day approaches… Julius, struggling through each day, slipped into sleep.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

– Julius. Emperor Julius.

In the hazy consciousness of Julius, a voice echoed. It was a voice, unfamiliar yet somehow familiar—of a woman he had never heard before.

– You must see the lives of the common people with your own eyes. Especially those fighting monsters. The adventurers.

At the sound of the voice, Julius tilted his head, still half asleep.

Adventurers…? Those who engage in the rough work of hunting monsters without becoming soldiers.

Their nature was wild, and they frequently caused problems.

Those who roamed seeking the monsters often didn’t pay any proper taxes, teetering on the edge of being ruffians.

What reason is there to watch over such individuals? Why?

– They need systematic management and help. Only you can do this.

Only I can do it…

Only I can do it…

– Yes. Only you can. Even the renowned Sword Emperor could not…

Just then—

Crash!!!

The sound of something shattering broke through the depths of Julius’s dream, snapping his consciousness wide awake in an instant.

Julius hurriedly raised his body to see, for some reason, the previous emperor gasping for breath.

“Julius. Did you see anyone here?”

“Y-Yes? What do you mean all of a sudden…?”

Without catching his breath, the previous emperor scanned the room. The door lay in pieces on the floor. Perhaps there hadn’t been enough time to open it; fragments of what had been a door were scattered throughout the room.

“I thought it was certainly her energy…”

“Pardon?”

“Never mind. Am I just getting old…?”

“No, please give a more proper explanation!”

So, the stormy previous emperor departed with slow steps.

Julius could only stare blankly at the back of the departing emperor.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Phew. That was a surprise.

I was casually whispering in Julius’s dream when Arthur suddenly rushed in, causing me to disconnect in shock.

But more importantly, how did he notice? I might have used a bit of faith, but for an ordinary human, it should have been too weak to detect.

For some reason, Arthur was increasingly distancing himself from being human.

Well, putting that aside…

“Suddenly going incognito, what’s the matter? Your Majesty.”

“I don’t know. I just felt like it.”

The Imperial Knight Commander, dressed as an ordinary adventurer, said to the emperor as he gazed out into the street.

“It’s been five years since I inherited the throne, yet I have never seen with my own eyes how the people live. I often hear about it from others, but I have never actually seen it myself.”

“That’s because… Your Majesty has many other duties…”

“Fine. Considering it, I should have verified this long ago. And right now, call me Yur.”

“Y-Yes. Understood. Yur.”

The knight commander reluctantly complied, and Julius nodded slightly in response.

“By the way, what are you hoping to see? I don’t know everything about the capital, but I can guide you as best as I can.”

“Hmm. I want to see how the adventurers live.”

“Adventurers you say? They’re not exactly the kind of people Your Majesty should be looking at.”

“I told you to call me Yur.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. Yur.”

The knight commander bowed his head slightly at the light reprimand. Watching him, Julius quietly said.

“I know their nature is rough and wild. But they are also people of this country. And because they hunt monsters, other citizens can feel safe from the threats those monsters pose.”

“That’s true, but…”

“The fact that their monster hunts lighten the burdens of other soldiers and knights cannot be denied by you either. Even if they are a bit rough, do not underestimate their contributions.”

“Understood. Yur.”

The knight commander lightly bowed his head.

Though he faced devaluation due to the greatness of the previous emperor, Julius was still someone with enough qualities to be an emperor.

“Well then…. I’ll guide you to a tavern where adventurers often gather.”

“No. I want to go outside the capital, Sirius.”

“Pardon?”

“I want to see how an adventurer hunts monsters firsthand.”

“B-But… it’s dangerous.”

At those words, Julius looked at the knight commander and replied.

“You will protect me, so what danger could there be?”

The commander of the Imperial Knights was the strongest individual aside from the previous emperor.

If he protects me, what harm could come to Julius?

It was surely a statement filled with trust toward the knight commander.

“Understood. Yur. Then I will risk my life to protect you.”

“There’s no need to risk your life. I’ve trained my swordsmanship up to a decent level myself.”

Julius chuckled slightly, showing the sword hanging at his waist.

Though it was lacking compared to the previous emperor, Julius was still capable of handling the workload of two knights, offering a bit of reassurance.

Although he didn’t bring the fabled sword, Dainsleif, given the dangerous reputation it had, he had brought a famous sword forged by dwarves, which wouldn’t prove a hindrance.

After all, Dainsleif was a sword so dangerous that it was said not to be drawn carelessly. Bringing such a sword on an incognito operation could complicate matters.

Thus, Julius, hiding his identity, and the knight commander quietly left the capital, Sirius.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

“Indeed. They can be seen as a more dangerous kind of beast.”

“Monsters that have transformed from beasts are generally like that.”

The knight commander and Julius said after cutting the neck of a deer with sharp, blade-like antlers and surveyed their surroundings.

The antlers of the herbivorous deer had transformed into blades, and the monster born from its ferocity lost its life helplessly to the swords of Julius and the knight commander.

“However, they would be a threat to those who do not know how to fight.”

“Not all citizens know how to wield weapons.”

As Julius looked at the decapitated deer, the knight commander, holding a dagger, began to process the deer’s carcass.

Removing a small mana stone from near the heart and gutting the entire animal, he seemed quite accustomed to the task.

“Seems like you’ve done this many times before.”

“Yes. Well, before becoming a knight commander, I’ve done various things. It was also part of a knight’s duty to hunt monsters that adventurers couldn’t catch.”

Having discarded the entrails, the knight commander bound the headless deer with a rope, hanging it from a tree.

Blood drained from the severed neck.

“If I drain all the blood and skin the creature to sell the meat, it could become additional income. The most expensive product would be the mana stone sold to the Church of Life.”

“Indeed… that sounds labor-intensive.”

“But there’s no way around it. The materials from monsters are of higher quality than ordinary animals. The meat from this deer monster would probably be much tastier than that of an ordinary deer.”

Considering the dangers involved in catching them, the knight commander added, and Julius nodded slightly.

Adventurers who risk their lives to hunt monsters and earn money.

Certainly, it was a life akin to a moth drawn to a flame, seeking sudden wealth… but thanks to people like them, the threat of monsters was reduced.

After understanding such matters, Julius scanned the surroundings.

For some reason, the forest felt remarkably quiet.

 

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