Chapter 457
Chapter 457: The Future of the Duchy
The Imperial Army has disbanded.
That news sent shockwaves not only through the Duchy but also neighboring nations. Especially, the city-states around Aulitos Lake had just begun preparations for war upon receiving a rescue request from the Duchy.
At first, they suspected it was some deceitful tactic from the Empire, not taking it seriously at all.
The Imperial Army, for some reason, engaged in battle with the rumored Demon Lord’s Prince and got utterly thrashed, even losing the Emperor’s head in the process. It was preposterous!
However…
Reports began flooding in from various sources, turning suspicion into incredulity.
The Holy Church’s statement regarding the local devastation served as the final nail in the coffin.
— It stated that the Demon Lord’s Prince Zilbagias had attacked the Imperial Army’s camp currently invading the Duchy.
— Not only regular soldiers but even wizards and elite knights were slain by the hundreds.
— Local heroes and priests charged in to provide aid, utilizing holy magic as well as poisons to corner Zilbagias, but were ultimately defeated.
— The Emperor of the Kaizaan Empire also fell in battle at the hands of Zilbagias.
— In the end, a White Dragon appeared to rescue the beleaguered Demon Lord’s Prince, also killing hundreds of the Imperial Army before flying into the eastern sky…
The reports from the so-called “protected” Imperial Army captives—uh, I mean survivors—were the basis for a reliable investigation by the Holy Church.
The fact that the White Dragon appeared to aid during the fray was also taken seriously by the Holy Church, which is urgently verifying the facts with the cooperating White Dragons.
“Even a Demon Lord’s Prince alone couldn’t cause such devastation… could he?”
Leaders from various countries were gripped by fear.
In terms of sheer numbers, the losses the Imperial Army suffered were minimal.
But a force led directly by the Emperor couldn’t possibly be second-rate. The elite knight brigade hailed as the best of the Imperial Army was annihilated, and the Light Blade Cultists were literally wiped out.
A unit of high-ranking mages, rare in human nations, was crushed. They couldn’t even protect the Emperor. The damage inflicted on the Imperial Army couldn’t just be measured in numbers.
It wasn’t a matter of getting mud on their faces; it was as if their heads had been blown off. The Empire’s authority plummeted. Even while trying to regain their honor, the Demon Lord’s Prince had vanished into thin air, and the Emperor himself had died in battle. The forces loyal to the Emperor were shattered.
The Emperor had multiple children; while the crown prince was likely to be the next Emperor, he hadn’t been officially designated yet—
This was bound to stir up trouble.
Surrounding nations near Aulitos Lake sensed a storm on the horizon.
And of course, the common folk also began to spread the news of the Imperial Army’s disbandment like ripples across the water.
— This time, unlike before, the truth wasn’t being minimized, but rather embellished with each retelling.
It was said that the Demon Lord’s Prince stormed the Imperial Army and killed ten thousand.
It was said that he split the Emperor in half with his bare hands.
It was said that the surviving Imperial Army was incinerated completely by dragons.
It was said that due to the Demon Lord’s curses, Kaemuran had turned into a blood-soaked mire, barren of even grass.
…In the end, it became so outlandish that it teetered into the territory of a comedy. After sharing some laughs over the rumors while enjoying drinks, the peaceful folks in the allied territories suddenly felt a pang of anxiety.
— Were demons actually terrifying creatures?
Even if the rumors were increasingly exaggerated, it seemed that the Imperial Army’s defeat was, in fact, true…
By the way, there hasn’t been an official announcement from the Empire regarding this matter.
“I never imagined it would come to this…”
In the Hamilton Duchy, in the capital Mithahn.
The newly crowned Duke, Johannes—better known as “Hans”—was swamped with political duties. His once refined demeanor was now marred by dark circles under his eyes, hollow cheeks, and bloodshot eyes as he bit into heaps of directives and letters at his desk.
“I didn’t foresee this either; this turn of events is quite something.”
As the former “Regent,” Oranio, assisted in the office, he sighed heavily. Though he showed signs of weariness, he had abandoned the flamboyant attire and makeup in the Empire style, radiating a refreshing aura.
— After receiving his grandfather Graham’s orders to escape Kaemuran under the cover of night, Johannes brought Shuken and Kirk along, making a forced march into the capital swiftly. Oranio promptly transferred all powers of governance to Johannes, who had discarded his jester’s mask and seized control of the capital.
Given his skillful maneuvering, it almost seemed smoother for Oranio to lead instead of the inexperienced Johannes—
“I’ve betrayed the trust of the people and no one will follow me.”
Oranio shrugged nonchalantly.
“Rather, it’s much better for you to wield your authority as the new Duke.”
While Oranio worked to reorganize the military, eliminate Empire insiders, request reinforcements from neighboring nations, and establish supply lines, all those accomplishments would ultimately reflect on Johannes.
Thus, the narrative was spun that “the grandson of Duke Graham, the rightful successor to the Duchy, has risen to confront adversity and has ousted the evil Regent Oranio, leading the Duchy toward victory.”
Johannes’s political acumen (though actually Oranio’s handiwork) brought a gust of fresh air to a capital that had been stagnant due to corruption and neglect, and thus he was welcomed with open arms as the promising Duke “New Wind.”
Despite being unfairly burdened with the dirty work until now, Johannes felt a pang of guilt stealing the accolades, while Oranio appeared relieved, saying, “At last, the weight is off my shoulders.”
…Well, given the current hell of bureaucratic duties, perhaps that judgment was indeed correct.
“I’ve had my struggles too. It was fine to stop pretending to be a jester, but now those in the castle don’t recognize me. Until they got used to it, I had to move about in a unicycle to prove I’m Oranio.”
Oranio said earnestly that he was utterly tired of the Empire’s makeup and jester-like behavior. Johannes couldn’t tell whether he was joking or serious.
“The defense army led by Sir Armstrong seems to have fortified their positions, but… still no response from the Empire, huh?”
Oranio glanced at the report and sighed.
Days had passed since the Demon Lord’s Prince attack, and the Empire remained silent.
Most likely… the Emperor was dead, and all the commanders on-site were wiped out, leaving no one capable of making high-level political decisions. With the shocking death of the Emperor and the total annihilation of his inner circle, the mainland of the Empire was likely in disarray.
Given the sheer dramatic turn of events, they might still be too stunned to accept reality and question the Duchy’s integrity…
Yet, they couldn’t simply leave things as they were.
“Sokfol remains occupied as well…”
Johannes said with a groan, rubbing his furrowed brow.
The invasion had started without proper declaration of war, and the border town Sokfol—the first to be captured—was still in the hands of the Imperial Army.
The Imperial Army, trampled by the Demon Lord’s Prince, fled in disarray, with no small number of soldiers taken captive—er, I mean, protected—but the majority had fled into Sokfol, holed up there.
The situation was such that negotiations for prisoner exchanges had barely progressed, let alone discussions on the return of territories.
To begin with, with not even a designated successor, who would they negotiate with?
“It’s plain to see that a fight for succession will erupt within the Empire.”
With hawk-like sharp eyes, Oranio stared intently at his young Duke.
“However, in the chaos, trying to recapture Sokfol by force is dangerous. The next Emperor might attempt to retrieve it for the nation’s honor, and certainly, the Duchy doesn’t have the strength to engage in a full-on brawl with the entire Imperial Army.”
“I understand.”
“In that case, we should approach the crown prince, who seems likely to become the next Emperor, and assert our presence as a neighboring nation while intervening, but without a response from him…”
Oranio sighed, tossing the documents onto the table.
“…The Duchy will be placed in a difficult position. In this instance, with the appearance of the Demon Lord’s Prince attacking the Imperial Army, when asked ‘who benefited the most?’—it could cast unwarranted suspicion upon us.”
At that remark, Johannes tightened his lips and straightened his posture.
Suddenly, the Demon Lord’s Prince appeared, driving back the Imperial Army—such a scenario was far too convenient for the Duchy.
“To atone, we’ll have to contribute even more to the alliance than ever before. The burden on our citizens will increase. The debts from my ‘misrule’ will fall entirely on your shoulders…”
— You didn’t steal my merits.
— You’re carrying all my debts.
“…Heh. As a mere vassal, my attitude towards His Majesty is simply too grand. My apologies.”
“Please stop that.”
Johannes chuckled at Oranio’s self-deprecating attitude.
“I’ll be relying on you from now on. Seriously. I genuinely mean it.”
“…I will support you to the best of my abilities. Phew, if any of the virtuous citizens of the Duchy saw this scene, they’d probably die of indignation. Here I am, the vile Regent who should’ve been punished, acting like a bigshot towards the illustrious Duke Johannes, the ‘New Wind’…”
By the way, Oranio was officially considered imprisoned.
However, given how drastically his behavior had changed, outsiders couldn’t recognize him, so he had settled into a position akin to one of the savvy aides.
“Regardless, we must stabilize national governance. The war isn’t over yet.”
Reinvigorated after slapping his cheeks, Johannes began grappling with political affairs again.
“That’s right. Let’s do our best. And we must welcome my uncle… Duke Graham.”
Oranio nodded while gazing out the window.
Thinking of his uncle, who was likely pushing through in his old age to encourage the Duchy’s forces—
†††
—Kaemuran, in a room at the lord’s mansion.
The “Old Man,” Duke Graham, had just wrapped up discussions with commanders of the Duchy’s forces and envoys from the city-states, now taking a deep seat in the sofa while basking in the sun.
Following the fall due to the Imperial Army’s invasion, his previous vigor had noticeably diminished. His once formidable physique now conveyed a sense of frailty that seemed ready to snap, defying his age.
Even so, his dedication to tackling state affairs exhaustedly moved the Duchy’s citizens, and even the arriving envoys were touched.
“Ah, that’s the Duke Graham we know,” they thought.
However, now only familiar faces like Hien and Gizelle surrounded him.
He had shed the mask of the former duke, revealing simply a weary old man.
“…Was Arthur-kun and Alexander-kun also defeated?”
Holding the report from the Holy Church, he gazed out the window at the vast surface of Aulitos Lake.
“How ironic…”
Duke Graham murmured wistfully, reminiscing about past travels with squinted eyes.
“An old man like me has survived… while the youth have perished.”
His back appeared awfully small, eliciting sorrow.
“What a dreadful thing… truly…”
Yet, the Duchy had been saved. It had been saved…
With a sigh, he placed the Holy Church’s documents onto the side table.
They weren’t meant for the public, but included detailed findings—the entire known information regarding the battle against the Demon Lord’s Prince.
The flow of the battle, the Demon Lord’s abilities, statements, Holy Church forces, and so on…
And on the list of casualties lay the names of Hero Arthur Hilburn and—
Hero Alexander.
