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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: 14. Entering the Palace
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1.
Late night, Azure Sea Castle.
Knock, knock, knock.
Lord Head. It is Jeras.
Come in.
Jeras opened the office door and stepped inside.
There, Halo was seated in a chair, tipping a glass of liquor.
The official document has been sent to the Imperial Guard. I requested a sparring match for the young lords, and they readily accepted.
Good work. Sit.
Yes, Lord Head.
Jeras cautiously took a seat. He then accepted the glass Halo offered him.
Gurgle.
Halo poured liquor into Jeras's glass.
The amber liquid filled the glass halfway.
Karron is an unpredictable one, isn't he?
It seems he's found someone who piques his interest.
Interest?
Yes. He asked me if I knew about Eimi Altura. I believe I've mentioned her to you once before, Lord Head.
I remember.
She's an apprentice knight in the Imperial Guard. I once attempted to recruit her for the Sea Wolf Knights, as it was a shame to let her talent go to waste.
You did?
It appears Lord Karron had a similar idea. He has always had a good eye for talent.
Eimi Altura.
Jeras briefly recalled a memory.
She was an impressive girl.
The girl who said she admired Kain Rator above all others. He had promised her his full support if she joined the Sea Wolf Knights, but she chose to remain with the Imperial Guard.
Lady Eimi is unusual. Her respect for Sir Kain Rator was considerable.
Kain a name I miss. Quite unusual for a young knight. Don't they tend to avoid mentioning Kain within the Imperial Guard?
Because he's a part of the history they wish to erase. Had you not stepped in, Lord Head, Sir Kain would have likely been recorded as the greatest villain of the age.
Halo slowly nodded, conceding Jeras's point.
That he would.
Was it not because you didn't want your friend's name to be tarnished, Lord Head?
At that, Halo smiled and shook his head.
You've got it wrong.
Pardon?
Kain. That fool wanted to be forgotten. He wanted to die there without leaving a single trace behind.
Halo gently drifted into an old memory.
The day he took his friend's life.
The face of that idiot, who showed no lingering attachment even in his final moments.
It was a moment that still remained a regret in his memory.
It was my own form of revenge against that damn fool.
He had wanted to land a blow on that man who had made such a selfish choice.
So he made people remember Kain's name and left behind his traces.
Fifty years had already passed since his death, yet Kain's name still remained in the history books.
Then the reason you helped rebuild the Imperial Guard was also
After deposing the Evil Emperor, one of the initiatives Halo led was the reconstruction of the annihilated Imperial Guard.
I had hoped someone from the Imperial Guard would succeed Kain. That idiot. If only he hadn't died, that would have been his job.
Halo gave a bitter smile.
The history books recorded that every member of the Imperial Guard died that day, but that was not the truth.
Many from the final suicide squad protecting the Evil Emperor had survived.
A good number of the squad members who had faced Halo had kept their lives. That was because Halo had deliberately spared them.
Halo rebuilt the Imperial Guard around those surviving members.
Thus, the Imperial Guard's unique sword style, the Imperial Sword Style, and their mana cultivation method, the Rite of Loyalty, were passed down to future generations through that process.
I secretly hoped for a successor to Kain to emerge.
But the Imperial Guard quickly degenerated.
They colluded with political factions and are now divided, fighting amongst themselves.
It was not the picture Halo had envisioned. However, he no longer involved himself with them.
A scenario where he exerted influence over the Imperial Guard would not have been what Kain wanted.
Perhaps that is why Lord Karron has taken an interest in Lady Eimi. After all, Lord Karron's own interest in Sir Kain was rather unusual, was it not?
He is Peil's son. Peil also admired Kain since he was young.
He had once summoned Karron's tutor to ask him several things.
Professor Yuris, Karron's tutor, had told him that Karron's main interest was Kain.
Halo had been secretly proud of that fact.
Shared interests are the easiest way to become close.
Indeed.
Have you investigated the Altura family separately?
They are a noble family from the provinces. The only noteworthy detail is that their family name was changed 50 years ago.
What was their original name?
Akte. They were the Akte family.
Hearing that name, Halo's eyes gleamed.
Akte There was an odd one in that family 50 years ago.
Recalling an old memory, Halo gave a bitter smile and nodded.
Kerua Akte.
A member of the suicide squad who had defended the Imperial Palace to the very end alongside Kain.
The face of that man who had charged at him, resolved to die, came to mind.
A relative, perhaps.
Halo muttered to himself.
So they changed their name after the Evil Emperor's deposition. Understandable. They likely wanted no association with it whatsoever.
You know of the Akte family?
It was a fleeting connection.
After fifty years, for someone who followed Kain to appear from that family againit was truly an interesting twist of fate.
For her to declare she would follow the name of a friend many wished to forget, he could only find her admirable.
Continue to keep an eye on her. If you can offer assistance, it would be fine to do so.
At that, Jeras replied with a slightly stiff expression.
The Imperial Guard may protest.
Helping a young knight who respects my friend is a perfectly natural thing to do. Who would dare defy my goodwill? Any such protest can simply be crushed by force.
Do as one pleases.
That is the natural right of the strong.
And that was the face the Leston Ducal Family would show from now on.
It is time to send a warning to the cowards in the capital.
The great Azure Sea Castle, the brilliant Leston Ducal Familythe period of mercy they had bestowed upon the Empire was now over.
Anticipating the things his youngest grandson would do in the capital, Halo poured another glass.
Karron. That brilliant and cunning boy had likely already read his grandfather's mind.
And so.
Karron, go on and do as you please.
He decided to watch and see just how far his youngest grandson would go.
2.
The second morning for Karron and his group in the capital had dawned.
Gail's mansion was bustling from the morning, and Karron too could not escape the hands of the butlers.
The shirt sleeve is wrinkled! Go and iron it again!
The brooch! Polish the brooch some more.
The wristwatch! And fix the young master's part again!
It was a truly fiery two hours.
At last, his preparations to enter the Imperial Palace were complete, and Karron let out a deep sigh, his face drained of energy.
I'm telling you, swinging a sword is a hundred, a thousand times better. Don't you think, Brother Leo?
For once, you're saying something sensible. I agree.
What's so special about the Imperial Palace anyway?
He had wanted to just wear a simple black suit to the palace, but that opinion was shot down in an instant by his maternal grandmother.
The blue wolf brooch symbolizing the Leston Ducal Family, plus all sorts of other accessories.
Thus, an unnecessarily ornate and unnecessarily uncomfortable outfit.
Karron fiddled with the wristwatch on his wrist.
At least I like this.
A top-of-the-line wristwatch made with mana stones and gold.
It was his favorite item among all the accessories he wore.
Karron.
As Karron was examining his accessories, Leo approached him, his face tense.
What is it?
Am I the only one who's nervous? We're going for an audience with His Majesty the Emperor today.
What was an emperor?
Though he had lost most of his real power, he was still the monarch who ruled the Empire.
The noblest being in the Empire, whom commoners could never meet in their entire lifetime.
Leo's reaction wasn't particularly strange.
Anyone would be nervous when meeting the Emperor for the first time.
But for Karron, it held no special significance.
The Emperor's just a person. Why be nervous? No need to be tense, Brother.
Anyone would think this wasn't your first time having an audience with His Majesty.
Close enough.
Of course, that was in his past life.
In his past life, he had even served as the Emperor's personal guard.
Leo could only shake his head at Karron's reaction.
It wasn't the first time he failed to understand him; he was just like this, so it was best to just accept it.
As Karron and Leo were talking and waiting in the room.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone opened the door and entered.
It was Hugo.
The carriage from the palace has arrived. Are you all ready?
Hugo could not accompany them to the palace today.
The Emperor had only invited Karron and Leo.
Even for the Leston Ducal Family, one could not enter the Imperial Palace without prior permission.
The moment an unauthorized person set foot in the palace, they would be punished for treason.
Yes, Brother.
Karron replied, tapping the Guillotine at his waist.
I even polished Guillotine's blade, just in case.
Hmm, was that necessary?
We could be ambushed in the palace, you know.
That's a bit scary for a joke, Karron.
Normally, no one was allowed to enter the Imperial Palace armed.
But there was one family.
The Leston Ducal Family alone could enter the palace bearing arms.
It was a privilege granted only to the family of heroes who had saved the Empire from the clutches of a demon.
You won't have to draw it, so don't worry.
Don't get bored without us, Brother.
Right. Let's go.
Karron and Leo headed to the mansion's courtyard with Hugo.
A magnificent carriage sent from the palace was already waiting there.
A luxurious carriage adorned with platinum.
No, it was hard to even call it a carriage.
In the place where horses should have been, there was a mana engine built by the Empire's Magic Tower.
And next to it stood a middle-aged man in a suit.
It is an honor to serve you. I am Kals, a 2nd-grade public official from the Department of the Imperial Household. I have been tasked with escorting Lord Leo Leston and Lord Karron Leston to the palace.
He bowed respectfully in greeting.
This is an automobile, a gift from His Majesty to you both. You may use this vehicle during your stay in the capital.
So it's called an automobile?
Yes, that is correct. This vehicle is embedded with magic, so if you input a destination, it can take you wherever you wish to go.
It seemed to work on a similar principle to the one belonging to the 6th Prince, Rebellio.
The only difference was that Rebellio's personal vehicle was a bit larger and more ornate.
Seeing things like this really showed how much the level of civilization had advanced in 50 years.
Karron gave a slight nod, then looked at Gail, who had come out to see them off.
We'll be back, Grandfather.
Gail smiled and nodded in response.
Be careful. You must always be mindful of your conduct in the palace.
I'll keep that in mind.
The farewells were not long.
After saying goodbye to Gail, Karron also bid farewell to Hugo, then boarded the vehicle with Leo.
Vrooooom.
With the resonant hum of the mana engine activating, the vehicle began to move.
Karron leaned back against the vehicle's plush cushion and gazed out the window.
The vehicle moved swiftly, soon entering the main road leading to the Imperial Palace.
And in that moment, fervent cheers began to erupt from outside the window.
Ooh! It's the young lords of the Leston Ducal Family!
Waaaaah!
They're the young heroes who defeated the villains!
As if it had been prepared in advance, the citizens on the street were welcoming them enthusiastically, even throwing flower petals.
It was a roaring cheer, as if for a triumphant general.
Ahem. This is a bit embarrassing. It wasn't quite like this when we were walking around the city yesterday, was it, Karron?
Leo's face was slightly flushed. Karron, however, just chuckled and said.
His Majesty is using us to demonstrate the Imperial Family's influence.
It was such an obvious ploy.
At Karron's words, Leo's eyes widened as he asked.
Huh? How so?
It's different from the old days when our relationship was at its worst. It shows that the Leston Ducal Family is behind the Imperial Family. It's a sort of warning to the nobles trying to control the Emperor. Well his true intentions are likely different, though.
Karron thought to himself as he watched the capital's citizens waving at him.
Even if he's just a scarecrow, it seems his senses are still sharp.
How much time had passed?
Finally, the Imperial Palace came into view in the distance.
To be precise, it was the outer wall surrounding the palace.
The palace's outer wall rose high into the sky as if to separate the palace from the capital.
Karron gazed at the outer wall, which was covered in all sorts of high-level magic circles, and let out a small breath. Then he spoke quietly to Leo.
Time to get nervous, Brother.
Huh?
Once we pass that outer wall, we'll be in the Imperial Palace. Which means
A place where the blood of countless people had seeped into the ground.
To be precise.
Our family once breached those walls.
The battlefield of 50 years ago, where a terrible tragedy had unfolded.
The place where the ducal family's ancestors and countless others had shed their blood, where a terrible tragedy lay dormant.
There's no one on the other side who will welcome us.
Ah
At those words, Leo looked at the palace's outer wall with a complicated expression.
And so, the two young wolves stepped onto their family's old battlefield.
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