Chapter 260
Yan, based on the information provided by Duke Beowulf and Sun Duke, desperately wracked his brain.
“The Emperor’s death coincided with the coronation of Prince Leon, and afterward, he advanced the Central Imperial Army northward.”
The fact that they fought all the way to Soma Pass, a gateway to Beowulf’s territory, was nothing less than a declaration of intent to strike at Duke Beowulf.
If Prince Leon was in his right mind, there would be no reason to undertake such madness.
The four Dukes didn’t intend to interfere with Prince Leon’s succession, and Prince Leon, having ascended to the throne so abruptly, would have a mountain of tasks to handle.
There could only be one other explanation.
“It seems the Emperor has succeeded in taking over Prince Leon’s body.”
How it happened was unclear, but the Emperor had managed to perform a soul transfer, even with insufficient energy and materials.
Yan’s words chilled the faces of the four Dukes watching through the video link.
-As I see it, there’s no other explanation. Especially since I have a personal connection with Prince Leon, he wouldn’t do this without some kind of warning.
-But it’s still strange. Even if it’s an imperial command, the nobles leading the Central Imperial Army wouldn’t just accept orders to attack the four Dukes without question.
-Especially since Prince Leon has just ascended the throne, they would be even more skeptical. Moreover, there’s been no message from our side for verification. That means there must be a compelling reason for the nobles to comply.
-For now, we must assume our opponent is the hostile Prince Leon and adjust our plans accordingly. All our previous plans must be discarded. Then…
As the four Dukes continued their conversation, Sun Duke and Vivian grimly shared a recent report.
-It seems the Imperial Army is also attacking the west.
-And the south as well. We just received a report that the Liang Barony has surrendered. We’ve also discovered the justification for the Imperial Army’s advance.
Yan and Duke Beowulf, along with Vivian, listened intently to Sun Duke.
-They claim we assassinated the Emperor. Suddenly, we’re the prime suspects in a treason plot.
-This is insane! What nonsense!
-Clever, indeed. If they’re advancing under such a pretext, the nobles leading the troops wouldn’t dare scrutinize it too closely. They’d risk being accused of treason themselves.
Yan sighed as he absorbed the information.
“…So, the Emperor, or rather the Founding Emperor, intends to strike at the four Dukes. Well, that would silence any dissent from the nobles and force their hand against us.”
When Yan first heard of the Emperor’s death, it seemed sudden.
But now, considering it again, it was a clever move.
The Emperor had died, and the capital had nearly shut down, with no one able to object.
Who would question the closure if it was to prevent the spread of news about the Emperor’s death?
“We’re caught in a trap. Choosing to isolate the capital kept us from gathering intelligence and prevented our sources from sharing what they knew.”
As a result, preparations were delayed.
Until just moments ago, he and the four Dukes had been unaware and were planning based on outdated information.
Just then, a new hypothesis flashed through Yan’s mind.
Sun Duke noticed and asked.
-Did you find out anything?
“Doesn’t something seem odd?”
-…?
“As much as he’s the Emperor, for him to immediately target the four Dukes after taking over Prince Leon’s body is strange. It would be more certain to lull us into a sense of security while striking from behind. But to mobilize the troops so hastily… There must be a pressing reason, but currently, there is none. However, if we change one thing we know, everything becomes clear.”
Realization dawned in the eyes of the four Dukes as Yan spoke gravely.
“If the Emperor’s death is a lie… If the soul transfer isn’t complete yet!”
All the pieces fit together.
The soul transfer was incomplete, and the Emperor was using the war to gather the necessary souls, dealing a significant blow to the four Dukes’ influence.
It was a win-win.
Although it would attract resentment and distrust as a result of the war.
With the four Dukes absent and no suitable royal successors, the Emperor had little to lose besides his image.
The four Dukes’ expressions hardened as they absorbed Yan’s theory.
-…That’s the most likely scenario.
-I can’t believe he’d fake his own death.
-But it’s a plausible strategy for an Emperor who’s changed bodies several times over a thousand years.
-Ha! The one who claimed to uphold a covenant for humanity is driving countless people to their deaths for his own safety!
-No matter the hero, after a thousand years, what sanity remains? It’s surprising he’s not more deranged.
As time passed, the initial shock the four Dukes felt turned into anger.
“We don’t have time. To prevent the war and the soul transfer, we need to decide quickly.”
Yan looked at them and asked.
“What will you do? Will you just watch as they advance, or… will you draw your swords first?”
-Heh, I never thought I’d be opposing the empire.
-If it didn’t affect me personally, I might have just watched… but there’s no other way.
-Now’s the time to show these deluded central nobles why Beowulf territory is called the Northern Wall.
“Thank goodness!”
As the three Dukes made their decision quickly, Yan cheered.
The meeting concluded with two plans: the Dukes would deploy knights to the border areas with the capital to minimize casualties, and a select team would form a special forces unit to directly attack the Founding Emperor.
-Let’s see the day of action then.
-Hope there are no backstabbers.
-If anyone tries that, we’ll all die. Anyway, I need to rest now.
-I’m tired too. Need to cool off.
-Well done, everyone.
With that, all the Dukes ended the video link, and Yan could finally conclude the meeting.
“Ha…”
The weight of the upcoming events pressed heavily on his shoulders. A sigh escaped him, and a sense of immense pressure filled him.
Just then…
“Huh.”
“I wonder what Uncle Damian is doing that he’s not contacting us.”
Damian was in the capital, within the heavily guarded imperial palace.
He was dealing with the aftermath of the southern war caused by the rebel army.
“Where exactly is he?”
He searched the palace for the missing Prince, who had vanished under the pretense of reporting on the war’s outcome.
It felt strange.
If Leon had become Emperor after the Emperor’s death, he would have contacted him no matter how busy.
But he had ascended to the throne without a word to him and had remained out of touch.
So Damian was frantically trying to meet with the Prince in person.
Taking action himself was risky, but he had no choice. His subordinates would likely be stopped if they tried.
After a fight with the former special mission commander, there was no one else within the organization who could evade the watchful eyes of the Royal Knights spread throughout the palace.
He had been searching for a while with no significant results.
“Didn’t he say he’d soon have a coronation? But it’s too quiet here.”
Even if Leon was modest by nature, he wouldn’t hold a simple coronation.
Leon wasn’t foolish enough not to understand the significance of the ceremony.
So, at least the palace interior should have been bustling…
“It’s too quiet.”
It was like the calm night sky before a storm.
But these were just predictions. Now he had to choose.
Would he leave with just this prediction, or would he find solid evidence and leave?
“It’s risky, but… thinking of what’s ahead, the latter.”
Damian steeled himself to take the risk.
To secure evidence, he needed to search the most likely place, not just anywhere.
And there was only one place in this palace.
Damian’s gaze turned towards the Emperor’s quarters.
Fortunately, the Royal Knights were not stationary but patrolled the entire palace, so entry seemed feasible.
“…Phew, lucky.”
Damian used the special task force’s top stealth technique, “Shadow Lurk,” to enter the Emperor’s quarters.
Inside, he discovered…
“…!”
Damian’s eyes widened. There was a passageway leading somewhere in the quarters, usually concealed by a bookshelf, but inexplicably, it was open.
That meant…
“There’s a high chance someone is in there…”
And the evidence he sought was likely inside.
It would be strange if it wasn’t, given how suspicious the passageway looked.
Damian’s face hardened.
“I’ve come this far.”
He couldn’t turn back now with his goal just ahead.
He walked slowly towards the passageway.
After entering…
He was confronted with a shocking scene.
“A laboratory?”
The place connected to the Emperor’s quarters was a laboratory.
The large secret room had one wall filled with glass containers holding numerous life forms, and the opposite wall was packed with unidentifiable books and flasks likely used for alchemy.
Cold sweat ran down Damian’s back.
“This is it!”
He calmed his throbbing heart and moved forward. He reached a certain spot and gasped at the sight of the glass containers in front of him.
“…This is crazy.”
The identity of the contents made Damian curse.
“Why are these people here…”
Inside were none other than the four Dukes.
In front of the containers with the Dukes, there was a small table.
Damian’s hands trembled as he picked up the heavy stack of documents on the table and checked the contents.
His pupils dilated, then violently shook.
“…Plan…?”
He quickly stuffed the documents into his chest and turned to leave.
He needed to get out and inform Yan of these facts.
But Damian froze as he turned around.
A grotesque figure stood before him.
The face was covered in dark spots, and the body was emaciated, barely clinging to life, with hoses protruding from the back.
But the face was unmistakable.
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
The ruler of this country, his father.
“My son.”
Or more precisely, the hero from a thousand years ago.
It was Bahamut Caballan.