Chapter 178 : Chapter 178

Chapter 178 : The Emperor of the Empire (2)

The energy felt from the Emperor was heterogeneous.

I could feel faint Demonic Energy, but it wasn't easy to guess where that Demonic Energy was flowing from.

He wasn't a Demon like Derix whose Demonic Energy was forcibly extracted.

Nor was he a Demon like Rodos who had expelled Demonic Energy over a long period.

The Emperor looked like a human eroded by Demonic Energy.

It was like watching when Raldetun, whom Demonic Energy had seeped into, suffered from madness.

“To bring weapons into the Imperial Council, how arrogant.”

The Emperor spoke undaunted even though I was pointing my sword at him.

He seemed to believe that I wouldn't be able to harm him in the Imperial Capital, the heart of the Empire, and especially in the Citadel and the Council, its deepest parts.

But that was underestimating me too much.

Now, I had too many responsibilities, and I had also learned to take risks to some extent.

With the expedition just around the corner, if the Emperor took actions different from my intentions, I had already made up my mind to force him to submit.

I looked around.

We weren't the only ones who had entered the Council holding weapons.

Many assassins collapsed or died in a short moment, but there were still those who hadn't been subdued yet.

As soon as one of the assassins moved stealthily, I took out [Dragon Killer] from my bosom and threw it with all my might.

Kwajik!

The assassin, unable to block the dagger imbued with Aura, collapsed.

And [Dragon Killer], soaked in blood, was retrieved into my hand.

The other surviving assassins showed no further movement. However, they were still paying attention to my movements.

I gripped [Dragon Killer] tightly. And I asked the Emperor.

“Are you really the Emperor of the Empire? I feel Demonic Energy.”

The Emperor just grinned without answering.

At that moment, an assassin rushed at me like an arrow.

Seokeok!

But this time too, I threw [Dragon Killer] and hit the assassin's glabella.

When I opened my palm again, [Dragon Killer] returned into my hand.

“Emperor, do you believe these people will save you? Or the knights outside? Do not waste the lives of your subordinates recklessly anymore.”

I snapped at the Emperor with a cold voice.

“Ugh...”

The Emperor suddenly let out a faint groan.

The smile disappeared from his face, and he began to walk towards the Golden Throne weakly.

“...Your Majesty.”

The 1st Prince called the Emperor with a hollow voice.

But the Emperor didn't look back or answer, just flopping down onto the Golden Throne.

‘The atmosphere... has changed.’

Until just a moment ago, he was an Emperor who seemed like a heartless monarch.

He also seemed powerful enough to pierce the Chancellor's chest with a sword at once.

But now, the Emperor looked like an old man who could collapse at any moment.

Even though he was sitting on the Golden Throne, the dignity of an Emperor could not be felt.

Rather, he made me harbor some unknown pity.

“Are you agents of the Intelligence Agency? Withdraw quickly. I never ordered the assassination of the King of the Inoe...”

The Emperor commanded the assassins with a weak voice like a deflated balloon.

‘Were they agents of the Imperial Intelligence Agency? No wonder they were sincere about the mission to an excessive degree.’

To be mere assassins hired by the Chancellor, there was a reason they were willing to throw away their lives to complete the mission.

However, the agents couldn't move immediately.

It seemed they were afraid that my companions and I would kill them.

I looked back at my companions and nodded.

Then, my companions released the agents they had subdued.

They soon bowed to the Emperor and exited the Council.

The Emperor soon commanded Dinaus as well.

“Prince, stand at the door and stop anyone from entering or leaving anymore.”

“That cannot be! Your Majesty's safety comes first. I will protect Your Majesty by your side!”

“Obey my words.”

Dinaus seemed to have a lot to say, but eventually decided to obey the Emperor's command.

He whispered softly as he passed by my side.

“His Majesty... is suffering from madness. It hasn't been long since I found out too. Please show mercy.”

I answered by nodding my head.

Dinaus stood guard in front of the Council door.

I glanced at him and then asked the Emperor.

“Are you suffering from madness, Emperor? Have you been eroded by a Demon's Demonic Energy?”

“...It is not a simple Demon, but the Demon King's energy is dominating the Imperial Family. It has already been quite a while.”

The Demon King's Demonic Energy?

While I was harboring doubts, the Emperor's face began to distort abnormally.

The Emperor spoke to me urgently.

“Since sitting on the Golden Throne, I began to be encroached by Demonic Energy. Whenever I... say strange things... Keuheuk, stab me.”

The Emperor twisted his body in pain.

Then he stopped abruptly and spat out words in a low voice.

“...You vermin.”

I gripped [Dragon Killer] and gently stabbed the Emperor's thigh.

But the Emperor didn't scream and tightly gripped my neck.

Eventually, as my knife went a little deeper into his thigh, the strength in his grip loosened.

“Everchen, please use [Heal].”

“I will.”

Everchen used Divine Power to heal the wound on the Emperor's thigh.

Then the Emperor continued speaking with a strained voice.

“Haa, haa... There is no time to discuss my condition. Let's get straight to the point quickly. King of the Inoe, what is it that you want from the Empire? Is it enough if the Empire stops the Human Unification War it is preparing?”

“I ask you. We do not have time to fight now.”

“Dinaus, take responsibility and stop the war. The Chancellor must have been preparing ways to stop the war.”

“Yes, Your Majesty! I will examine the Chancellor's office to find relevant documents and declare the withdrawal of the war.”

However, Dinaus couldn't leave immediately. Because an unexpected event occurred before he could even depart.

Seuseuseuseut!

The Imperial emblem carved in the Council wavered, and Bitelleanus and a few High-Rank Demons under her command revealed themselves in the Council.

At the sudden appearance of Demons, Dinaus's eyes widened in surprise, but perhaps recalling seeing Bitelleanus at the Coronation Ceremony, he took a deep breath.

I added words to reassure him.

“It's alright. She is my companion.”

“I see...”

However, as a large flow of Mana was felt inside the Council, the knights standing outside began to pound on the Council door.

Kwang-kwang-kwang!

“Your Majesty, Prince! Are you alright?”

“All agents have escaped. Should we enter?”

Bitelleanus was examining the Emperor without minding the commotion.

I said to Dinaus who looked confused.

“Go out and tell them it's alright. We will not harm His Majesty the Emperor.”

Dinaus glanced at [Dragon Killer] I was holding.

The Emperor's blood was dripping from the short blade.

“And please stop the war. Furthermore, please add the strength gathered so far to the expedition.”

“I... will do so. Since that must be what the Empire ruling humanity should do.”

“Yes, it is time to move like the Empire.”

Dinaus nodded as if he had made up his mind and opened the Council door to go out.

Noisy sounds came from outside, but I didn't pay any more attention to that side. Because I believed Dinaus would handle it well enough.

‘He would do so even for his father's sake.’

I stood beside Bitelleanus, who was observing the Emperor closely, and asked.

“Is it the new Demon King's trick?”

“That's right. The former Demon King didn't do such cheap tricks. It seems he engraved a curse on the throne.”

Keldric and Everchen also looked gloomy.

They weren't people who showed deep loyalty to the Empire.

However, they seemed shocked by the sight of the Emperor, who stands at the peak of humanity, being eroded by Demonic Energy.

“The Empire's moves that I couldn't understand all this while now make sense.”

It was widely known that Adjak killed the former Demon King.

And the Dome was created in Myeolji.

The continent excluding Myeolji had enough capacity to heal the scars of the expedition and develop.

But for some reason, the Empire did not choose the direction of living well together with everyone.

Making the Adjak family unable to leave the Autonomous Region, or implementing policies that exclude the Inoe or small and medium-sized kingdoms...

For 300 years after the expedition, the Empire nibbled away at the opportunities for forces other than Myeolji to grow their power.

It seemed the new Demon King had manipulated the Empire cleverly to produce such results.

“Keueuk...”

The Emperor was continuously suffering.

“Is there any way to treat him?”

“It's not easy as of now. The Emperor's body appears to have been eroded a long time ago. It's amazing he's holding on.”

“Will it change if I cut off the new Demon King's head?”

“There is a possibility. Since the Demon King's Demonic Energy is cursing with a will in the first place, a method might arise after the Demon King dies.”

I spoke to the Emperor with a pitiful heart.

“Do not sit on the Golden Throne. They say there is a curse.”

“The Emperor must sit on the Golden Throne. And now the curse isn't engraved only on the Golden Throne. Demonic Energy seeps into everywhere my hand touches. I had no choice but to seclude myself.”

The Emperor continued speaking even while gasping.

“I can hold on. And I can help you too. As you said, I will stop the war and add the Empire's power to your expedition.”

“...”

I placed my hand on the Golden Throne.

Everchen, Bitelleanus, Keldric, and Bea, all were surprised and tried to stop me.

‘Is there a way to not give the Emperor pain anymore?’

Not knowing the form of prayer, I just wished with all my heart.

Whether it was the God of Peace or the God of Death, I hoped anyone would listen to my words.

Would my prayer reach them?

Black energy flowed out from my hand and wrapped around the Golden Throne.

The energy of the God of Death reacted to my wish.

But at the same time, the Emperor's struggle intensified.

“Kuaaaak!”

The Demonic Energy dwelling in the Emperor was resisting God's energy. The two energies confronted each other tensely and engaged in a power struggle to swallow each other.

A situation where it was difficult to suppress the Demonic Energy with Maron's energy that had just begun to sprout.

At that moment, Radiance spewed out along with white light and wrapped around the Golden Throne.

The energy of the God of Peace began to add strength.

However, even though the two energies combined to suppress the Demonic Energy, they eventually failed to erase the Demonic Energy completely.

I took my hand off the Golden Throne.

It certainly seemed the curse had weakened compared to before.

“Everchen, would the Saintess be able to give help? So that there is a way for His Majesty the Emperor to endure until the expedition ends.”

“I will request it.”

If it's the Saintess, she would have more extensive knowledge about curses than me.

She would also know how to use Divine Power better than me.

Since I received the Emperor's promise, my work in the Imperial Capital was done.

Now the only remaining task was for the Empire to stop the war and support the expedition.

“Let us leave the Imperial Capital.”

“Let's do that.”

Just as we were about to leave the Council like that, the door burst open.

Dinaus stood in front of the door heavily armed.

Numerous knights were lined up behind him.

“Dinaus.”

“King of the Inoe.”

Firm determination was engraved on Dinaus's face.

Did he possibly decide to disobey the Emperor's words and see the end with me?

But soon I could erase that worry.

Seureung──!

Along with a sharp sword cry, Dinaus drew his sword.

The sword he drew was the Imperial Sword Edelrot.

It was the symbolic sword of the Empire.

And Dinaus did not aim the tip of Edelrot at me.

Instead, holding his right hand gripping the sword high, he shouted to me.

“I, Dinaus Le Oriandeus, acting as the Emperor of the Rosamund Empire! Declare that I will follow the King of the Inoe and participate in the Myeolji expedition!”

The Rosamund Knights also raised their right hands holding weapons following Dinaus.

It seemed they modified the ritual of the Inoe following me into an Imperial style.

“All soldiers will participate in the Polarin Expedition.”

Yes!

A resonant echo rang out as if to fill the Imperial Capital.