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“With this… it seems the East and West are settled. Good work, Orcus.”

“Yes, Father.”

In a sunlit room, a man with a warm face was conversing with a boy who resembled him.

Upon the man’s desk lay remnants of intense work from days gone by, the traces of which had yet to be erased. While warmth suffused the room from the sunlight, the spot where the man sat felt cold.

A neatly stacked pile of documents had accumulated so much that it could overshadow the sunlight reflecting onto the desk, warranting its title as a mountain of paperwork.

Given the state of the room, it goes without saying that the man’s complexion was equally haggard.

Outwardly, he wore a gentle smile, and his energetic eyes shone brightly; however, upon a closer look, bloodshot eyes and wearied eyelids marred his face.

No matter how the bureaucratic officials might have filtered things out, handling the influx of work from the entire imperial territory alone was bound to take a toll on his body. The only fortunate aspect was that the boy, equally capable, had been consistently assisting him, allowing the father to finish his tasks before he collapsed from fatigue.

This was the unvarnished reality of Aslan Estellia, the only Emperor wielding absolute power while seated upon a golden throne adorned with jewels.

“Those who seek the crown must bear its weight.”

Just as the saying goes, this was the weight of the power he possessed.

The reason Aslan Estellia, having established an imperial authority rarely seen in the history of the Empire, was referred to as a wise king rather than a tyrant was his remarkable ability to finalize every decision of the imperial family without flaws.

He was capable of encapsulating the entire political landscape of the Empire within a single mind, and thus, expended his abilities to stabilize it alone, claiming absolute power. Of course, this naturally resulted in an increase in his workload, but for someone who had transcended humanity since birth, it was a burden he could easily endure.

The royal blood mixed with divine lineage undoubtedly surpassed that of ordinary humans.

As for handling simple tasks, it was a level of work that those of noble blood could easily manage.

Aslan’s current state, however, stemmed not only from the heavy workload but also from an emotional toll. Even the most powerful figure in the world was still a father. The knowledge that his child had nearly perished due to his choices gnawed at his psyche.

“It’s clear everyone became quite complacent after the victory in the Holy War. Every time we cleanse them out, it’s as if we harvest a considerable number of them, like the autumn harvest. I almost wonder how they survived the last Holy War without being purged.”

“My oversight. I should have exterminated those pests even at the cost of deploying the Imperial forces. I had some inkling, but I never expected so many parasites to remain in the Empire.”

Aslan spoke with a hint of self-deprecation in response to Orcus’s words.

“If so, the Imperial City might have fallen, so it was a wise decision.”

As Orcus defended him, Aslan nodded in agreement and soon broke into a gentle smile.

It hadn’t been long since he escaped a death threat, yet he felt both proud and sorry for the sight of his son quietly aiding him from the side.

Aslan gazed at Orcus with a moment of melancholy before releasing a short sigh and opening his mouth.

“Rumor has it the Sword Saint has emerged from his seclusion again. It seems he couldn’t just sit back after all this, probably due to the stakes being directly connected with those men. Well, I doubt there are any significant figures in the East as there are in the South, but what matters is that the Sword Saint has reentered the world.”

“The Sword Saint has long since stepped down from his position, so it would be wise to summon him to the Imperial City to guard this place. I doubt he would defy the Emperor’s will.”

“You’re right. Whatever the case, their ultimate objective will likely be us. It wouldn’t hurt to fortify the defenses of the Imperial City in light of this. I’ve already sent a letter to the Duke House of Cromel.”

As Aslan looked at Orcus, his fatherly gaze had transformed back into that of an Emperor. His blue eyes gleamed not with humanity but resembled a clear, cloudless sky. As if looking down from the heavens, Aslan began explaining to Orcus why the Sword Saint had come out.

“The truth is, the Sword Saint emerged due to dissatisfaction with the credit focused on Kraus following this incident.”

“I heard they belong to the same Triad of Noble Houses, but it seems Kraus and Cromel don’t get along well.”

“Precisely; the rift is between the Sword Saint and Count Kraus himself. He has a good relationship with the Duke of Cromel, his son. Perhaps it has to do with being Sword Masters; I’m not sure, but there seems to be something between them. They’ve clashed since ancient times; now that I think about it, the Sword Master wasn’t the problem. They’ve been at it since before Arthur became a Master, so it seems they simply don’t mesh well.”

Aslan’s eyes seemed to glisten with nostalgia as memories washed over him.

He smiled gently and continued speaking.

“By the way, do you know of any notable talents rising among the martial families in the current gossip?”

“The eldest daughter of the Graham House in the South, who maintains the second and first position in the Department of Knights, and the leader of the Knights Order, who is her classmate. Lastly, I believe the firstborn of the Duke House of Cromel is also mentioned.”

“Correct. Yet, two more were added to the list due to this situation.”

“Noel and Damian.”

“Right.”

Upon hearing Aslan’s words, Orcus looked shocked, as if he had suddenly realized something.

“No way?”

“Until now, the name Kraus hadn’t been included among the children of the Triad of Noble Houses. However, through this incident, the boy’s name has come to the public’s attention. Not just any name, but as the one who killed a heretical Cardinal at a young age.”

A talent who had consistently proven himself at the Academy and the firstborn who had eliminated invading foreign tribes alongside the elders of his family to make a name for himself.

Truly, they could hardly be considered anything less than a new luminary rising in the Empire, yet their notoriety was instantaneously overshadowed by the fact that they killed a Cardinal of heresy.

Those who experienced the Holy War understood well the strength held by those given the title of Cardinal within the heretical sect. Despite the royal family’s direct lineage carrying divine authority, the heretics have survived for so long due to their powerful figures. The Cardinals were among those.

This is why the fact that three chicks, yet to even enter the Academy, managed to kill a Cardinal was enough to shake the world. It was like announcing the unprecedented emergence of prodigies.

“The Sword Saint might care more about the fact that his grandson is being overshadowed by Arthur’s son than the credit Kraus has received. Therefore, I wish to ask you, Orcus, who has seen that boy in person: what kind of person is Count Kraus’s son?”

“Are you asking about his character or his abilities?”

“Whatever. As long as you can answer with certainty.”

Listening to Aslan, Orcus pondered deeply before replying.

“He’s… someone I’ve taken as a friend. Would that suffice?”

“Hah.”

In response to Orcus’s answer, Aslan made a sound as if the air had been let out of him, subsequently bursting into loud laughter.

“Hahahaha!! Indeed! You wouldn’t casually befriend someone without good reason. That’s satisfactory.”

It may have been the first time Orcus had witnessed Aslan laugh heartily like that, and he felt slightly flustered by the raucous laughter echoing through the room.

“To be honest, I don’t really have a deep understanding of swords, so I couldn’t arbitrarily judge his abilities. However, he doesn’t seem to fall behind any knight I’ve seen in the palace. As for his character, I would say he lacks ambition, desiring nothing more than to maintain the current situation. As long as I don’t overstep my bounds, neither will he.”

“That’s a good match; he resembles his father well. The impression I got of Damian, the boy you mentioned, and my impression of Count Kraus were quite similar. In this situation, Kraus will surely become the Empire’s reliable sword and shield.”

Aslan began clearing the clutter of documents from the desk one by one. He then retrieved an old scroll sealed with the royal insignia from a drawer. Orcus’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of it.

“What is…?!”

“Indeed, it’s the ‘Oath of God.’ It’s a geass made under the name of our deity Altair. This is a pledge made between Count Kraus and Duke Edelweiss long before you were born. The content states that once their children are betrothed, they shall not engage in acts that threaten the authority of the imperial family.”

The Oath of God. A rare divine artifact, the number of which had dwindled within the royal family, served to ensure the fulfillment of contracts under the name of the divine. Orcus looked at Aslan as if to question why he was only showing it now.

“Was it due to this that you held such confidence when you initially sent me out?”

“Exactly. I already had an alternative in place. As you well know, what is written here cannot be broken. While it was a flippant remark made at a drinking party, I noted it as something usable.”

“But what if both families had only sons or only daughters? You might have wasted a priceless treasure over nothing.”

“At that time, I too was drunk. Hmm, shall I say it was somewhat impulsive?”

For a drunken man, it was rather insane to immediately prepare such a pledge and keep it handy. Gazing at Aslan with an incredulous expression, Orcus remarked.

“And if it didn’t go as the oath stated, I had been considering having both a son and daughter to facilitate the engagement.”

“Your mother would have struck you down for that, I’d wager.”

“…..Let’s pretend I didn’t say that just now.”

A breeze swept through the open window, clearing dust from the desk. They paused for a moment, looking at each other before deciding the atmosphere had lightened enough to speak again. Aslan was the first to break the silence.

“When I initially sent you to the South, I expected you to return and suggest I arrange the engagement between Noel and Count Kraus’s son.”

“Um….”

“You don’t need to make that face. You are a true reflection of me, so had I been you, I would have likely thought the same way. I’ve heard about Noel’s interest in the Count’s son for quite some time; so if you made a face like that, it seems my assumption was correct.”

“Well… that’s true. But did you really think I’d speak about that after asking me to make friends?”

“I won’t deny it. People don’t change their ways so quickly. After all, you returned without saying a word, so you’ve won. Congratulations.”

“I’m not pleased at all.”

Aslan simply brushed off Orcus’s sharp words with a smile.

“I truly wanted you to make friends. In fact, from the perspective of a power holder, your choice makes sense. Connecting Noel with the Count’s son would solidify the link between the imperial family and the regions. It’s not an incorrect move.”

Aslan placed the scroll he had retrieved back into the drawer and locked eyes with Orcus again. As he looked into Orcus with a gentle gaze, the latter felt oddly flustered, scratching his cheek.

“However, your lack of urging me could also suggest that you’ve started seeing the world with slightly different eyes. As a father, I’m pleased that you’ve made a friend.”

“…..I believe my work is done, so I shall take my leave.”

“You cheeky one. Are you shy?”

“Not at all, just something I need to take care of.”

In response to Orcus’s answer, Aslan looked surprised. Given that they had just wrapped up the matter at hand here, there should have been nothing left for him to attend to.

In the face of Aslan’s gaze, Orcus took a moment before quickly continuing, then left the room.

“…Since a friend is holding an engagement ceremony, I should at least write a congratulatory letter by hand and send it.”

Afterward, laughter echoed from the room as the door closed.

 

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