When the Elf Scout said that the Emperor wasn't dead, Duanmu Huai immediately understood what the problem was, and also why she had sought him out to say this.
The reason was simple—if Alisa were the Emperor's daughter, then when the Emperor returned, he could simply order her to abdicate.
But in terms of seniority, she was actually the Emperor's younger sister… and that made things far more complicated.
Duanmu Huai still remembered in history when an Emperor had been captured by the Mongols. Later, his younger brother took the throne, and then… well, there was no "later."
Still, he was puzzled. Before, people swore up and down that the Emperor had died, and now they said he might still be alive. What was this nonsense? After the Elf Scout explained, he finally understood the whole story.
First of all, this was a medieval-level world, so the spread of information was inherently slow. Even for someone like the Elf Scout, a royal spy, she wasn't the first to receive the news, nor had she seen it with her own eyes. She had only pieced it together later from her intelligence network.
Under such circumstances, of course she could only receive rough reports.
It wasn't until after they had fled the Empire and taken refuge in Bretonnia that the Elf Scout finally had the time to carefully investigate the matter.
Only then did she learn the details of the incident.
The Emperor had indeed been ambushed during his northern expedition against the Barbarians. That much was correct. But the details were different.
According to her intelligence, during one battle against the Barbarians, the Emperor had crushed their forces. Normally, this was the point to stop pursuit, but for some reason, the Emperor pressed forward with his troops. Strictly speaking, he didn't go too deep—he only wanted to kill more of the fleeing enemy.
In truth, however, this was a trap. The Barbarians cast a wicked spell, triggering collapses and landslides, cutting the Emperor off from the main army. When the rear forces finally arrived, all they found were corpses scattered across the battlefield. The Emperor himself was nowhere to be found. The only trace was a severed arm wearing his gauntlet.
…Hmm? Why did this sound so familiar?
Afterward, the Imperial army searched the area extensively but never found the Emperor. Two theories spread: one, that the Emperor had died and his body hadn't been recovered; two, that he had been captured by the Barbarians.
But after spies infiltrated the north, the second theory was discarded. The Barbarians had shown no signs, no negotiations, no rumors of rituals involving the Emperor. If they had captured him, such a monumental event would have been celebrated with drums and banners. Since there was no such news, that possibility was very unlikely.
Thus, the "Emperor is dead" faction soon gained the upper hand. Their reasoning was convincing: if the Emperor had merely escaped, he would have returned to the army. Since he hadn't, he must have perished.
But not everyone accepted this. After all, living, you must see the man; dead, you must see the body.
That was one reason the expeditionary army reacted so strongly when they later heard of the Crown Prince's ascension.
Even so, Duanmu Huai still didn't understand why the Elf Scout was so sure the Emperor was alive.
"Because one of the safehouses was activated."
According to her, the royal spies had safehouses scattered across the continent, each stocked with supplies for emergencies. Only spies and the Emperor himself knew about them. When one spy in the northern regions checked on his safehouse, he found it had been opened—some food, medicine, weapons, and valuables had been taken. If it had been thieves, everything would've been looted. But the fact that only a portion was taken, combined with the Emperor's disappearance, strongly suggested the Emperor himself had used it.
That spy immediately used secret channels to pass on the news.
The royal spies were loyal only to the Emperor. To them, the three princes in Altdorf weren't emperors at all. If the Emperor still lived, they would act at once.
But still…
"If it really was the Emperor, why didn't he wait there? Having a helper would be a lot more convenient."
"Royal spies operate in dangerous lands. Betrayal is always possible. In the northern frontiers especially, caution is everything."
"Then why not return to camp?"
"That, I don't know. Perhaps the Emperor has his own plans. His Majesty's nature was always erratic, full of strange ideas. Even we could never fully predict his mind."
"…Honestly, hearing all this, I think I already know what you want from me."
"Yes, Sir Knight."
The Elf Scout was smiling, but her eyes were deadly serious.
"I hope you and your warband can head north, join forces with the Emperor, and escort him safely back to Altdorf."
"…Hmm."
Duanmu Huai folded his arms, deep in thought.
He had no desire to become Emperor himself. The three princes were useless fools, and though Alisa might be a viable candidate, her current peaceful life was better left untouched. Forcing her into that pit of fire wasn't something he wanted. In this light, if the Emperor truly lived, he was the best option.
But…
"I don't even know where he is. And I don't know what he looks like, either."
"You needn't worry, Sir Knight. Before ascending the throne, His Majesty traveled the Empire as a mercenary. He is skilled in battle and will surely seek the aid of a mercenary warband. If you display strength enough to impress him, he will come to you."
"And if I don't run into him?"
"Then it will depend on whether this Empire is still under Sigmar's protection."
She had already put it like that, so Duanmu Huai had nothing left to say.
"Fine. In that case, I'll give it a try. There's still half a month before the banquet… let's see if Sigmar truly protects this Empire. But you'd better give me a location. I can't just wander the whole north looking for him."
"Of course not. Based on my intel, His Majesty is very likely within Midden territory. Which means…"
The Elf Scout fixed her eyes on him.
"He may very well be in the capital of Midden—Middenheim."
"Well, well."
Duanmu Huai raised a brow.
Now things were getting interesting.
(End of Chapter)