Chapter 19

On a morning where golden sunlight poured down.

As Isak was enjoying breakfast at his mansion, his butler approached.

In his hand was a letter.

“It is a report from the Count of Apollia.”

“Give it to me.”

Isak, tearing open the letter, confirmed Nilion's familiar handwriting and began to read the contents.

The contents of the letter were short and simple, so it didn't take long to read.

Isak stared at the butler.

“The person who brought this letter?”

“He was dressed as a member of the Central Army. I gave him some money and sent him away.”

“Is that so? Then that's fine.”

Fwoosh.

Isak burned the letter he finished reading in a candle flame.

To maintain secrecy, destroying evidence is essential.

Besides, something big was about to happen.

It was necessary to be cautious about everything.

“……?”

Suddenly, Isak felt an intense gaze from across the table.

An old man dressed in black from top to bottom was staring at him with a displeased look.

Isak realized what he had missed and gave a slightly troubled smile.

But the other person was in a position deserving of the Duke's respect.

Because that old man was Daniel, the Archpatriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The all-black attire was the traditional priestly robe of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

“What was written in it?”

“Good news. It says that the Count of Apollia has successfully recruited Belius and that he will respond from the outside when the great event unfolds in the Imperial Capital.”

“That is truly good news.”

Despite saying so, Daniel's expression barely changed.

Isak was not surprised.

He had seen that expression on Daniel for more than a day or two.

In fact, Daniel had worn that expression ever since the late emperor was enthroned decades ago.

Isak knew the reason why.

“Do you still resent the late emperor?”

“Needless to say. That man was a tyrant. He should have died in a more miserable place, humiliated, not in his bed.”

It was a dangerous statement, but no one cared.

One was burning with hatred, and the other understood that hatred.

Traditionally, the Archpatriarch was the head of religion and spirituality in the empire.

Therefore, it was standard for the Archpatriarch to be treated as second-in-command after the emperor and participate in state affairs.

However, the late emperor not only consistently excluded Daniel from state affairs but also implemented policies that disregarded the church.

Some called it reform, but to Daniel, it was nothing but tyranny.

Thanks to that, it was not so difficult for Isak to recruit the Archpatriarch.

Gaining power by being introduced to the discontented forces connected to Daniel was a bonus.

“That too ends today. Because from today, the empire will greet a new beginning.”

Isak said meaningfully.

His words were true.

Today was a very important day for them.

The day the emperor's will would be revealed, And also the day they would launch their great undertaking.

Daniel also clenched his fist and made a vow.

“Yes, today.”

***

The Senate was the administrative and political body of the empire.

Composed of royalty, representatives of noble families, clergymen, magistrates, merchants, and influential figures from the military, it was a place where the people of the empire participated in politics.

And currently, according to national law, it was also scheduled to announce the emperor's will.

So this afternoon, at the time when the evening glow was setting.

It was not so strange that the Senate was convened in the name of the Chairman of the Senate.

The front of the Senate building became congested with carriages that had flocked from all over.

Attendants and servants, horses snorting in excitement at meeting other horses, and senators who had just arrived and were getting out of their carriages.

Among them, of course, was Isak.

Isak entered the auditorium with a confident stride.

A subordinate who was waiting at the entrance greeted Isak.

“Our people?”

“They are gathering one by one. No one among the participants has fled.”

“Of course, they wouldn't. The chances of winning are this high. Who would want to stand on the losing side? The troops have been properly deployed, right?”

“Yes, they are ready to move as soon as they receive the signal.”

“Good. Do not forget to charge in the moment Zeta enters.”

“Understood.”

Isak walked down the aisle and sat in his seat.

On the opposite side, Archpatriarch Daniel had already arrived and was seated.

Isak's eyes met the Archpatriarch's.

The Archpatriarch nodded.

It was a signal that everything was proceeding smoothly.

They exchanged the gaze of accomplices sharing a conspiracy.

It won't be long now.

Just get through today.

Then everything will be in their hands.

It was then.

“If it isn't Duke Isak.”

At the voice that spoke to him from the side, Isak turned his head without thinking and was startled.

Leon had sat down next to him at some point.

“Leon Akardi?”

“Is there another person with that name besides me?”

“Not really. It's just surprising to see you here.”

It wasn't strange for Leon to be present at this place.

According to national law, royalty had the right to participate in politics.

Leon was no exception.

As evidence of that, the names of all royalty are listed on the Senate roster.

The problem was that Leon was usually far removed from politics.

If you suddenly do something you don't usually do, it means there's a problem.

Isak looked around.

The Snow Elf bodyguard who always followed Leon was nowhere to be seen.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah, it's nothing. By the way, Leon, weren't you out hunting?”

“Ah, that?”

Leon shrugged with a bored look on his face.

“The weather warmed up, but I didn't see a single deer. It wasn't fun at all, so I just came back.”

“Maybe they all ran away because they were scared of you appearing.”

“Haha. That might be it. Anyway, I was cold and hungry and was about to go home early to rest, but then I got a message to gather here. It's really annoying. I hope the event ends quickly.”

Isak didn't ask if he didn't know the reason for today's event.

He didn't say, are you in your right mind right now.

Because he hadn't expected anything from the beginning.

Instead, Isak played the part of a close cousin.

“No, so you really learned to speak formally? How on earth?”

“Well, Zeta's nagging is no joke. She said my allowance would be cut if I acted up. Thinking about that, adding a syllable at the end isn't so difficult. You know what I mean, right?”

“Yes, yes. I can imagine.”

Of course, he could.

Isak dismissed his suspicions.

He had hoped, but Leon was still Leon.

In the end, you can't fix people.

An unexpected event had occurred, but it was just a minor commotion.

In the end, what was supposed to happen was just moved up a little.

‘Unfortunately, your uncharacteristically diligent behavior has shortened your life. But if that is fate, then it is fate.’

At that moment, Zeta entered with the Chairman of the Senate.

Isak glared at Zeta.

‘The witch who has played with the fate of the empire in her hands for hundreds of years. You too will end today. Because I will execute you today.’

Isak made that vow, unaware that Leon was watching with great interest from the side.

He paid no attention to Leon sitting next to him.

Things outside one's field of vision are naturally not seen.

As conspiracy and intrigue boiled beneath the surface, Zeta took a seat close to the podium, and the Chairman of the Senate held up the Emperor's will and ascended to the podium.

“I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who have gathered here. As you all know, we have gathered today to reveal the will of our late Majesty.”

The chairman gave a customary thank you to the convened senators and then revealed the will, or more precisely, its seal, to everyone.

It was a procedure to publicly acknowledge that no one had opened the will until now.

The will was firmly sealed with molten gold.

As it was a privilege only the Emperor of the Empire could use, there was no room for doubt.

“Then, I will open it.”

The chairman carefully removed the seal with a thin knife.

And then he began to read the paper he took out from inside.

“So says Michael Akardi, Emperor of the Siberia Empire, produced from the blessed Akardi family, the first citizen of the Imperial Capital, and the defender of the faith.”

A brief cough.

“I have long pondered the matter of the succession to the throne, but I have judged that it is not right for me to decide this important matter alone. Therefore, I have decided to entrust the matter of my successor to the wise senators and loyal ministers of the Senate, and you are to discuss this and come to a good conclusion.”

“……”

“……?”

Silence descended upon the Senate auditorium.

Because no one immediately understood what the content of the will meant.

Even the Chairman of the Senate, who had read the will, could not hide his bewildered expression.

Only a few people who knew the contents of the will in advance maintained their composure.

“What did he just say?”

“I didn't mishear that, did I?”

The senators doubted their own ears and looked at others.

And seeing each other's dumbfounded faces, they confirmed that they were not the only ones who had misheard.

It was no wonder that a moment later, shouts erupted as if a dam had broken.

“■■■■■■■■■.”

Because so many people spoke at once, it was impossible to understand the words.

Only after the Chairman of the Senate had banged his gavel for a long time did the people's excitement subside even a little.

“Everyone, please calm down and compose yourselves. As you have just heard, His Majesty has decided to entrust the matter of his successor to the decision of the Senate. I am sure there is no one who does not understand this.”

The Chairman of the Senate tried to move on to the next procedure to resolve the commotion.

However, there was one person who blocked it.

It was Duke Isak of Nike.

“I object.”

***

Murmur murmur─.

The auditorium was once again filled with a noisy sound.

It was a natural thing.

Because something that should not have happened had happened.

First of all, this will was not that of an ordinary person.

It was written in the name of the Emperor.

In other words, an imperial command.

The excuse that the emperor is dead so there is no need to carry out the will does not hold.

Even a dead emperor is still an emperor.

Not even death can strip away the emperor's authority.

Moreover, to make a scene at the very place where the deceased's will was being revealed, the shock the senators received was very great.

Isak's groundbreaking action of shattering the principle immediately caused a backlash.

“Duke Isak, have you gone mad?”

“Take back those words at once.”

“No, why on earth would you say such a thing.”

Criticism poured in from all sides.

Those who maintained their sanity hoped that Isak would offer some excuse.

Like he misspoke, or I misheard.

Then they could move on without any problem.

But Isak had no intention of apologizing.

Instead, he stood up from his seat and retorted to those who criticized him.

“The empire has long been a plaything in the hands of a sorceress, but I had to watch because I had no power. But now that the witch has clouded His Majesty's judgment and created such an absurd will to manipulate the empire's succession, am I really in the wrong? What is wrong with deciding to save the empire in crisis!”

It was a declaration of a patriotic decision to eliminate the treacherous subject who had bewitched and controlled the emperor.

That was the justification Isak had prepared to eliminate Zeta.

It wouldn't have mattered much if someone else's name had been on the will.

That too would be the witch's doing, and he could just kill them all.

At Isak's signal, his sympathizers in the Senate stood up all at once.

In their hands were weapons that had been smuggled in while surveillance was lax.

That was not all.

The troops Isak had prepared poured in from all sides.

“Uwaaaah!”

“Kyaaaak!”

“Kill them!”

The peaceful auditorium was instantly plunged into a whirlpool of chaos.

***

Isak was certain he had seized victory.

Everything was going according to plan.

‘Even a mage couldn't have predicted such a situation.’

He knew well how amazing a mage's abilities were.

But no matter how skilled, it was impossible to face such numbers.

Now, all that was left was to execute Zeta and seize the Imperial Capital.

However, the moment Isak saw Zeta's face, he hesitated.

He had no choice.

‘What… the?’

Even in a disadvantageous situation, Zeta's expression was just calm.

As if, she knew what was going to happen.

As if, she was prepared for everything.

A chill ran down Isak's spine.

Something was going wrong.

“It is treason! Emperor's Royal Guard, come out and suppress the enemy!”

Then Zeta spoke.

At that, the Emperor's Royal Guard, who had been hiding inside the auditorium, rushed out.

In an instant, the inside of the auditorium was divided into the Emperor's Royal Guard following Zeta and the traitors who had joined Isak.

The two sides faced each other across the aisle.

At that sight, Isak felt uneasy.

His heart pounded.

‘To have deployed troops in advance. Could the plan have leaked?’

Zeta spoke.

“Indeed, you have finally committed treason. I did not wish for this outcome, but it is a great relief that I prepared in advance.”

Isak suppressed his anxiety and retorted.

“It is pitiful to see you bluffing even in this situation.”

The answer came from behind.

“I wasn't talking to you, Duke Isak. I was talking to myself.”

“……What?”

Isak already knew the owner of that voice.

So the shock he felt was very great.

“Are you surprised? Well, I suppose so. That's why I prepared all of this.”

A person who had not been in his calculations until now.

It was Leon Akardi.

***

Enter the villain.

Boom, an entrance.

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