Chapter 145: The End of the Rampage (9)
Martin understood that Claudia didn’t have many choices.
As she had admitted herself, the Emperor was positioning Richard, the First Prince, as his successor. While he had suggested that merits could win the throne, Claudia had lost her final chance.
She had been utterly defeated by Theodore and Nicholas.
Had she managed to redeem herself by claiming victory, she might have erased her failures. But in the end, it was Martin who brought the conflict to a close.
In reality, she had lost every opportunity. In a short time, she would be reduced from a faction leader to just another member of the royal family.
‘Still, I didn’t expect her to propose marriage.’
Claudia’s desire for power was greater than he had anticipated.
He could understand her position, though. After all, she had held a chance to become Emperor; she wouldn’t want to see that dream slip away so easily.
But that didn’t mean he would accept her proposal so readily.
Besides, her proposal had a flaw.
“Let’s assume I do marry you, Your Highness. That would make me a member of the Imperial Family, but it only grants me claim over the western territories, right?”
The Imperial Family—the Altaria line—firmly controlled only the western region.
Just as the Adalbert family held dominion over the north, the Ferdinand family and the Klaus family had the east and south firmly in their grip.
The Imperial Family’s name carried no weight in those regions.
The only way to claim those territories would be to conquer them by force.
“…You’re right about that. But marrying a member of the Imperial Family would provide you with a powerful justification when establishing an empire later, wouldn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
He hadn’t committed to founding an empire. However, marrying Claudia would indeed lessen resistance if he ever did expand his influence.
So the marriage proposal wasn’t entirely meaningless.
“I understand that you don’t want to become a powerless royal or be used as a pawn by the First Prince. But aligning with me means driving the Empire toward ruin. Would you really pursue power at the cost of your family and country?”
“Among the Three Great Houses and the Altaria family, direct descendants are often considered exceptional even among nobility. We’re taught this from a young age. It’s only natural that we aspire for power and the highest ranks.”
Claudia answered calmly, meeting Martin’s gaze.
“I know you suffered because you awakened your unique ability late. I can’t even imagine what that pain was like. But you’ve always believed that you alone should lead the Adalbert family, regardless of what the branch families did.”
“That’s true.”
“If you’d had a sibling, you might have understood my perspective better. Though I know it’s pointless to speculate on hypotheticals.”
Being born as an only child, he had never needed to compete, and his legitimacy was firmly in his grasp from birth.
Claudia made her point, and Martin didn’t disregard her words.
‘It may look that way on the surface.’
But he couldn’t fully agree.
Before he returned to the past, the branch family, Gustin, and Kalain had usurped the family from him.
Though he’d succeeded in turning everything around, the resentment and anguish from that time still remained vivid in his mind.
However, he didn’t feel the need to explain all that now.
“I can’t say yet if I’ll marry you, Princess. But if you help the Adalbert family in gaining independence, and eventually in establishing a new empire, I’ll reward you accordingly. I’ll reduce the Altaria family to a house and allow it dominion over the west. You’ll be the head of that house. But…”
“You’ll be taking the eastern territories from the Ferdinand family, I assume? And as for the south under the Klaus family… you’ll wait and see?”
“That’s all you need to keep in mind.”
Martin replied with a smile.
‘Independence is one thing, but founding a new empire…’
When he first returned, all he had hoped for was to take his rightful place as head of the Adalbert family. He had only wished for his family to survive the impending civil war.
Yet everything had grown so much larger than he anticipated.
‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’
It was those who were needlessly ambitious who were the problem.
If it hadn’t been for their greed, he would have simply served as head of the Adalbert family. But things had changed.
Now, it was only natural to fight to the end, for the sake of his family.
‘The original head and all his successors dreamed of Adalbert independence.’
Since things had come this far, he would fulfill their wish—and go even beyond it.
He would ensure that he became the greatest figure in Adalbert family history.
Martin had made up his mind.
“As I mentioned, marriage is not decided yet. This will reduce your faction’s support even further; what will you do?”
“Many have aligned with my older brother, but not all of them. And there are still those who claim neutrality.”
Martin’s expression shifted slightly at Claudia’s words.
After the Emperor had regained consciousness, neutrality had all but disappeared, replaced by unwavering loyalty to the Emperor’s wishes.
Yet some nobles still declared themselves neutral.
“Are you planning to ally with the Third Prince?”
The Third Prince, an advocate for challenging the current aristocratic hierarchy based on unique abilities, had a following that identified as neutral.
“If that increases my worth, then yes. Theodore and the nobles loyal to him will soon be executed, and their lands will be left without owners. Using this as leverage, I don’t think the youngest will reject my offer so easily.”
“Well, I’ll keep an eye on things.”
Martin replied calmly.
While legitimacy was important, it wasn’t strictly necessary.
The justification for independence would be granted regardless of whether the Klaus family won or if Ferdinand and the Imperial Family prevailed.
Knowing this, Claudia could only give a bitter smile and nod.
—
The following day, after her conversation with Martin, Claudia oversaw the transport of Theodore and the other high-ranking nobles to the capital.
Upon arrival, they were immediately taken to trial.
First Prince Richard Altaria was to observe the trial on the Emperor’s orders, but his expression was somber.
His younger brother’s impending execution was troubling, but even more painful was that the Emperor himself would deliver the sentence.
A parent sentencing their child to death… what could be more agonizing?
‘Let me handle it, Your Majesty.’
‘No. As the one who must shoulder the Empire’s future, you need not stain your hands with the blood of kin. I will bear this burden alone, so I ask that you no longer resist.’
How could he refuse the Emperor’s firm declaration?
But it still pained him deeply.
“Theodore Altaria. Do you admit to collaborating with Werner von Klaus, a traitor who sought independence from the Empire, in an attempt to overthrow the Imperial Family?”
“I do.”
The Emperor looked grim, while Theodore appeared calm.
‘If I had to die, I would have preferred it on the battlefield.’
His rebellion had failed, and he had lost everything. He had no real desire to live any longer.
The only frustration was that he hadn’t died on the battlefield as he’d wished, thwarted by Martin’s shrewd tactics.
To die by execution… What a disgraceful end.
“What was your reason for committing treason?”
“Your Majesty, you’ve favored our eldest brother since we were children. Not that you were the only one—everyone else did the same.”
The Emperor couldn’t refute this.
He had indeed placed high expectations on his firstborn.
“Had my elder brother been formally recognized as Crown Prince, I wouldn’t have rebelled. The legitimacy would have been on his side. But then Your Majesty collapsed, and no one was officially named heir. That gave me an opportunity, and I fought to seize it.”
Theodore’s face was shameless as he spoke.
Observers jeered at him, but he paid no mind.
The Emperor, looking down at his second son, spoke once more.
“Your actions while I was unconscious are not the issue. But I awoke and issued a direct order, which you ignored, choosing instead to raise an army.”
“Your Majesty deceived Claudia and me first. How could that be considered a fair chance? How were we supposed to compete fairly when our elder brother had the support of the Ferdinand family? And Your Majesty, even you implicitly sided with him.”
Smack!
At that moment, Richard appeared beside him in a flash, delivering a sharp slap across Theodore’s face.
Theodore’s right cheek flushed red, and blood trickled from his split lip.
But he didn’t flinch.
In fact, he smirked at Richard.
“Why so worked up, Brother? I didn’t say anything untrue.”
“…Will you continue to hurt His Majesty’s heart until the very end?”
“It was His Majesty who hurt me first.”
Richard’s body trembled with rage.
He couldn’t forgive his brother, who, instead of showing remorse, insisted on driving nails into their father’s heart.
“I only desired the throne and seized what I believed was my best opportunity. I have no regrets about my actions, so please proceed with sentencing me according to Imperial law.”
With those words, Theodore turned to look at Claudia.
“You were fortunate this time to be seated there while I stand here. But don’t get too comfortable. With the Altaria family keeping close watch, you’ll never find freedom in the Adalbert family.”
“Theodore Altaria!”
Richard’s voice boomed, but Theodore didn’t react.
“I’ve said my piece, Your Majesty. I’ll take my rest in the heavens. But I do apologize for causing you pain.”
“…Sigh.”
The Emperor heaved a heavy sigh.
He already looked unwell, but now he seemed to have aged ten more years in mere moments.
“Theodore Altaria is guilty of treason and attempting to overthrow the Imperial Family. Therefore… I hereby sentence him to death.”
The agony of sentencing his own son to death was almost unbearable, but the Emperor didn’t turn away.
Step, step.
Marquis Hendrick von Meyas approached Theodore.
He would carry out the sentence away from the public eye.
Theodore stood up calmly.
He met Richard’s gaze.
“Don’t think that my death will end the Empire’s turmoil. Neither the Klaus family nor the Adalbert family will be easy to overcome.”
“…Even so, I will restore order.”
“Haha. Too bad I won’t be there to see you struggle against them.”
Leaving a bitter curse behind, Theodore exited the courtroom.
The Emperor, Richard, and Claudia watched his departing figure with hardened expressions.