1018. The Emperor’s successor
“I want to live by writing poetry.”
“Why don’t you just do that?”
He was a somewhat peculiar friend. His eyes often sparkled, and I frequently saw him get scolded by the instructor for falling asleep on the grass, saying the wind felt nice, after looking at the moon, stars, and sun.
Yet, no one cast him out. This was because, although his current skills did not even reach the level of a squire, his talent was exceptional.
From the perspective of the Empire.
The Empire possessed more than a few dozen knights.
I heard from Krang that the Emperor’s goal was the Order of the Hundred Knights, and that he was gathering as many as a hundred.
When I asked why a hundred, he said he liked the number because it fit perfectly, and that if he gathered about a hundred, at least ten of them would be able to fight properly.
“Is what I’m hoping for not the Four Great Knights of the Empire, but perhaps the Ten Great Knights?”
That is how it sounded. And indeed, that was what the Emperor wanted.
Meanwhile, Encred coolly assessed that he was not yet at the level of the Four Great Knights.
“If they saw it, they would catch up. Is that difficult? I don’t think so. Especially you, Captain.”
I wonder what I think of myself.
It is obvious, but since I have never given up or been discouraged, it wasn’t wrong. Yes, on the contrary, I am happy.
I can see the path up, and every day moving toward it is incredibly enjoyable.
“My overall skills have improved as well while hanging out with that dwarf knight this time. How should I put it? Even if I’ve had a sleepless night and am in my worst condition right now, I feel like I can fight as if I were at my sharpest. I’ve found that magical power can really take on some results if you hone it. You mentioned Enobatio and renewal; that really seems like something worth learning.”
Rem’s eyes were shining so brightly as she spoke.
“What do you think the bear who stayed in the city scratching its belly, or the picky cub who gets lost at the drop of a hat, is doing? Probably just doing what it’s always been doing.”
Encred felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched Rem cackle. He could see a tomorrow where that bastard Rem would run rampant. His current prediction required no special insight.
In any case, since the Empire and the Emperor had their own agenda, fighting was a duty for those with talent. It was a fact that a soldier who dreamed of being a poet knew better than anyone.
“I am a bit lazy. I know. But I do know my duty. I know I must fight. I haven’t forgotten that I must fight for my mother and everyone else, for the bakery lady I see in the morning, for the little girl who hides behind my back whenever she sees me—for everyone. Even the young man who loves stars, wind, and flowers knows what he needs to know.”
He smiled with his eyes as he spoke. He fought better than the average soldier after rolling around for three days and training for just two. Should one say he was naturally gifted?
Encred truly hoped that this soldier would not die.
It was absolutely not because he disliked seeing him not put in the effort despite having talent.
I’ll let you watch for a moment.
Encred led him in a kind and gentle tone.
“Huh? Come to think of it, I do get along with you, driver.”
Enkrid was the one who had respected the dream of being a poet all this time. The soldier obediently followed his words.
You have a nasty habit.
The voluptuous Emperor, who had been watching, spoke. She seemed to intend to appear only in her current form as a doll for the time being.
If you have a girlfriend, you should behave yourself properly.
This is what Sinar said as he wrapped his body tightly in a cloak. Enkrid
placed the soldier in the center of the training ground and rolled a rock over. Drum, drum, the ground transmitted a faint tremor. Watching this, the soldier felt his own body trembling. His senses, armed with sensitivity, sounded a warning.
The rock, as large as a human body, stopped in front of the soldier. In Enkrid’s eyes, the soldier, who dreamed of becoming a poet, was exceptionally talented. However, he had been negligent in training the basics: physical strength and muscle power. Just as is usually the case for those who rely on talent.
“Look, you bastards of the Remnant Squad. You think I’m the toughest? I can’t be.”
Rem, who was watching, was impressed. Enkrid pushed the rock at him. Then, as he tried to dodge, Enkrid grabbed him with intimidation.
“Uh, uhhhh!”
The startled soldier spread his arms to block the rock.
“Spread your legs; it is a bad posture for exerting force.”
Encred warned. The soldier was exceptionally talented. He obeyed immediately. He spread his legs.
“Use the elasticity of your knees and tense your thighs. If you get pushed back, you might die?”
Then, he reacted immediately to the words that pierced his ears. From the other side, Encred pushed the rock with one hand.
The soldier could not let out a scream, a yell, or even a groan. He gathered every last bit of his strength to hold on. If he ran out of strength here, he would die.
His opponent was not the man who had been discussing dreams with him until yesterday.
“If you relax, you’ll die. Even if a single soldier dies, no one will say anything to me. You know that, right?”
Aren’t people still saying this now?
I’ll notarize it.
The Knight Commander, standing beside the Emperor’s effigy, spoke. Veins bulged in the soldier’s forehead, and the capillaries in his eyes were pushed to the brink of bursting. Only then did the rushing rocks stop.
dump.
The soldier who had slumped down gasped for breath.
“Gasp, gasp, gasp, I, uh, almost, died, phew.”
“People don’t die from that.”
“Huh?”
“It’s a training camp. Starting today, we’re pitching tents on the parade ground and sleeping there. If you run away, I’ll cut off a leg. A poet doesn’t need a leg, do they? After all, they have to play their instruments with their arms.”
Encred ultimately respected his dream. That was the kind of person he was. The soldier was moved.
Are you a crazy bastard?
The Knight Commander couldn’t hold back his laughter at the condensed and touching praise. Rem giggled along with him, while Sinar acted as if nothing had happened.
If you need a bigger rock, I’ll get one.
…said.
They were truly remarkable people. From a certain point on, Yongin maintained the position of a spectator no matter what was done, but it was impossible to know what his true intentions were.
“You said you respected my dreams?”
“Yeah, you have to live to dream. I commend you for fulfilling your duty.”
Encred spoke, brought a thick wooden stick with an iron rod embedded in it, and placed it on the soldier’s shoulder.
“Ugh!”
“This one’s easy. Just sit down and stand up. Oh, and if you collapse while you still have strength left, I’ll be there to help, so hang in there.”
Encreed drew Onul, who had become a helping hand, scabbard and placed it on his shoulder. Onul trembled. His sword also seemed quite pleased with the situation. It
was only a matter of time before his stamina reached its limit and he fainted.
I hope that child achieves their dream.
The Emperor spoke as he looked at the fallen soldier. Had Krang already realized? Encrid now knows that her wish is not merely for rest.
After death.
Something to prepare for the afterlife—that was what the Emperor wanted.
“Is the Congress the ‘next’ you prepared?”
The Emperor knew full well that the knight before him was not merely someone who knew how to fight. Even now, he speaks with such precision to the heart of the matter.
“To be precise, the one that the entire council acknowledges must be the one I prepared.”
Autocracy and consensus, philosophers and ordinary people.
Between those two values, the Emperor was always ruthless. It is no different now. She revealed her ruthlessness even in her own death.
Someone respected by the entire council? No, did they say just one? Does he consider Krang his successor?
Even Encred had absolutely no idea that far.
They’ll figure it out.
Anything that isn’t fighting is not my job, but Krang’s. He will handle it as he sees fit.
Aside from his training time, Encrid ate, slept, relieved himself, and looked after a few soldiers. The Knight Commander would occasionally drop by to check their posture or discuss tactics, while Krang, who was left to handle things on his own, was relentlessly dragged to the Council.
* * *
Let’s elect once every ten years.
Krang saw a different side of the nobleman who had acted defiantly toward him, accusing him of harming the Empire or asking if he had come for the unification of the continent. He raised his voice within the council, finding the blind spots in every opinion voiced and pointing out their weaknesses. He dug into their cracks.
In a way, he seemed like someone filled with nothing but dissatisfaction about everything, though.
Viewed within the framework of the parliament, it serves the role of reviewing new policies to ensure they move in a better direction.
Seeing this, I got goosebumps, realizing just how magnificent the empire founded by the Emperor truly is.
On the surface, he appears to be nothing but an idiot, yet within the parliament, he fulfills his proper role.
“Three years is too short. It only intensifies competition. Above all, it is too brief a time for a leader to accomplish anything.”
“Five years is half-hearted. Simply extending it to five years because three is too short shouldn’t be the solution. You must provide a rational and valid reason.”
He stepped forward and spoke, and eventually, the period of his reign was set at ten years. If asked why the reign period was suddenly set, it was due to a move prepared by those who could be called the Emperor’s Council, since the Empire is the Emperor.
They proved their worth by keeping the Emperor’s word.
“Find a way to coexist. Prove to the king from beyond the mountain range that the system I established, the rule of law I created, and the people I chose are not merely those who eat, defecate, and sleep.”
That is the way to coexist.
“Let’s name it Royal Road. It means the path to becoming an emperor.”
This is what another nobleman said. He was a man who wandered aimlessly here and there when seen at the banquet hall, but here he has become a talented individual displaying a gentle side, appropriately mediating disputes.
Parliament.
It is an interesting structure.
They are a group that sets policies under the rule of law. They had no real power whatsoever. Furthermore, even maintaining a private army was forbidden. Of course,
as time passed, some would secretly raise private armies, and among them, some would cross the line in greed for power.
It is excellent right now.
War cannot disappear. Will people who covet what others possess vanish? Probably not.
The theme of this council was to channel that competitive desire and energy elsewhere.
At first, they proposed holding occasional competitions to test their skills, but ultimately, the plan evolved into replacing the Emperor entirely.
The Emperor’s successor.
That is not herself. She viewed Krang as an assistant. She had never once considered him a successor. None of her children were to whom she could pass power.
Then, who is her successor?
Krang has now seen the successor prepared after the Emperor’s death.
Royal Road, put forward by the Council, is her successor. It would be more accurate to say that it is not a person, but an idea, that has carried on everything she has.
“I suppose no one would object to the need for a body to monitor rulers once every ten years to ensure they properly fulfill their duties, right? It would be right for the Parliament to carry that out.”
“Yes, and to prevent rulers from wielding unnecessary excessive power, the Knights must be subordinated to the policy known as the Royal Road.”
It amounts to binding a knight’s loyalty to an idea rather than to a person.
Once every ten years, everyone, including the Empire and the Continent, takes a test to become Emperor. This was the core of it. It
marks the end of monarchical rule. However, since it cannot be changed overnight, for the time being, it will remain a policy that only those who meet the criteria can attempt.
And so, a new person becomes the Emperor who leads everyone. That is, after passing the test prepared by the Council, the test prepared by the Knights, and the test prepared by the Wizard’s Tower.
I would appreciate it if Your Majesty would also take on a test.
On top of that, there is the trial of the kingdom standing at the center of the continent.
It may seem like the Empire has taken a lot, but this is merely a trial. What matters is that it culminates in a total of four trials to determine the Emperor through mutual agreement.
“We will need a group to supervise and manage the situation to ensure it does not favor one side.”
“That will be handled by the Empire’s executive branch, but please send someone from the Kingdom to handle similar duties.”
Krang thought of one of the border guards. He was a man who had originally been an Azpen soldier.
Abnaier—he still lived up to his reputation as a genius. He would surely do well.
Of course, this was something likely to happen after the war had ended. He would also need to ask for his opinion.
“I will.”
Krang nodded. His head had already moved up and down time and time again.
The Council was formidable. In Krang’s eyes, it was a group of heroes who had accomplished countless unbelievable feats.
If a knight opened the front with a sword, they formed an ark behind, enveloping everyone with their tongues.
Naturally, all of this happened after the end of the Demon Realm. It would be useless if they lost the war and were pushed back by the lords of the Demon Realm.
Yet, they were still so fervent and looking forward to the next opportunity. All of this reminded Krang of a man named Enkrid.
It seemed as though the Council’s movements had somehow been influenced by him.
And that was indeed the case. It was when the meeting ended, without counting from the tenth onwards. To be precise, it stopped today because it was too late and everyone was complaining of fatigue.
“I was influenced by him. I was influenced by his attitude that it is only natural to overcome the demonic realm and live for tomorrow. Just like your attitude of speaking of the path to coexistence to everyone gathered at the banquet.”
It was Executor Seriana. She meant that
the Council had been watching Enkrid and Krang in a subtle way, and that their fervor and passion had naturally been conveyed.
Some people influence those around them effortlessly. Enkrid was like that, and Krang himself is. Seriana continued.
“I genuinely covet that person. Enough to want to defeat fairies and witches just to stand beside them.”
It started out half-political, but it’s not anymore. It was a woman’s confession. Krang gave a sincere reply.
“Those who take on challenges are always beautiful. That is, if you have the confidence to overcome even if a fairy holds a sword to you or a witch strikes you with lightning.”
“Should I call that a relief? I don’t have that confidence.”
With a modest smile, Seriana admitted defeat before it even began.
“Your Majesty, are you married?”
“Am I settling for second best? Fortunately, I have a partner who considers me her pheasant.”
It was a silly joke. Thanks to spitting instead of blood in the council, something resembling friendship had formed between the two. Now was the time when the Continent and the Empire needed a similar friendship.
Of course, before that, they would have to get rid of those so-called monarchs of the Demon Realm.
Krang thought it was time to return. The weather was gradually getting warmer. The Kingdom’s summer, and the Continent, awaited him as they prepared for change.
