Chapter 8

The emperor's funeral ended without a hitch, with many people in attendance.

When the Royal Guard escorted the emperor's coffin to the royal tomb, the priests of the Eastern Church who were waiting took it over.

The priests lit incense and candles and placed the coffin in an empty spot.

Then a long and tedious funeral and memorial service proceeded.

The Patriarch did his best to stir up people's grief, but the attempt failed spectacularly.

Watching the people trying hard not to fall asleep, the Patriarch declared the end of the ceremony with a subtly annoyed face.

“His Majesty's soul has returned to the heavens. Your Majesty, please protect the empire from there.”

I don't know.

Considering what the emperor did, it seems more likely he'd be burning in the deepest place.

But it seemed the emperor was not a tyrant.

More people from the capital than expected came to watch the funeral.

There were many who genuinely mourned.

Theo checked the exit and returned with a troubled face.

“Your Highness. There are a lot of people, so it seems it will be difficult to leave right now.”

“It's fine. We can just watch. It's not a place we usually get to enter. When will we come again?”

“No, how can you be so calm, Your Highness?”

“There's no rush. Take it easy.”

“Sigh.”

As he said that, one of Theo's eyes was bruised black and blue.

It was an injury he got when he was forcibly detained while trying to rescue me when I was called by Zeta.

I heard that Theo's behavior was like that of a ferocious bear.

“Does it hurt a lot? Should I get you an egg?”

“It's fine. I got hurt protecting Your Highness.”

“I'm grateful for that, but you need to work on your fighting skills. Be honest. How many seconds did you last?”

“Ah, the opponent was bad. He was a veteran who had served in the Royal Guard for 20 years. Besides, how can I win when their numbers were much larger?”

“……”

As I looked at him silently and pitifully, Theo made an aggrieved expression.

“But I knocked out two of them. Really. This isn't easy, you know?”

“Hmm, right.”

“You don't seem to believe me.”

“I believe you.”

“But there's no soul in your voice.”

“How do you know if there's a soul or not?”

“Aargh! I can't show you again, really. I'm going to die of frustration.”

Theo clutched his head as if he was going crazy.

I chuckled and decided to tease him only this much.

Although he failed in the end, Theo was the only person who risked his life to rescue me.

And his opponent was the entire Royal Guard.

Considering that each Royal Guard member was a monster on the level of a human weapon, Theo's courage was truly remarkable.

I thanked Theo.

“I'm sincerely grateful that you tried to save me.”

For a moment, Theo's body flinched, and he became very shy.

Then he answered with a serious expression.

“As you said, Your Highness, I will definitely win against all of them next time.”

***

While waiting for the crowd that had gathered to see the funeral to disperse, I looked around the royal tomb.

The royal tomb sounded gloomy just by its name, but in fact, it was a building that resembled a temple.

I had always seen it in a state of having turned into a labyrinth, so seeing it in a clean state was very strange.

Considering what would happen later, it would be difficult to see its current state again.

It was while I was admiring a pillar carved in the shape of a woman.

Isak quietly approached from the side.

“Leon.”

“Your Grace Isak.”

Isak twisted his lips again.

I noticed that Isak had a habit of twisting his lips when something displeased him.

“We are cousins after all, isn't it a bit too formal to call me that?”

“We met in a public setting, didn't we?”

“That's true. Still, I wish we wouldn't build a wall between us.”

Isak spoke like a kind older cousin, but honestly, it wasn't even funny.

It reminded me of a selfish person who never contacts you normally but only comes looking for you when they need something.

But I didn't want to strain our relationship right away, so I deliberately answered affably.

“Of course, we should. So what's the matter?”

“I wanted to ask about what happened earlier. Why did Her Grace Zeta call you separately?”

“Ah, that? It's nothing.”

“A private audience with the Grand Captain of the Royal Guard is nothing?”

Isak scoffed as if he didn't believe it, but I laid out the excuse I had prepared in advance.

“Her Grace Zeta was my private tutor in the past, wasn't she? Perhaps because of that, she still thinks of me as a student.”

“Is that so?”

“Don't cause trouble during the funeral period, pay attention to your conduct, please act like a royal. Well, I got an earful like that.”

“Hmm.”

Isak looked at me with a gaze that seemed to dissect me.

As if he had the ability to distinguish between truth and lies.

As if he was debating whether to put me on his watch list or not.

But my acting was excellent.

Especially after obtaining Constantine's Ring, my acting level could be said to be perfect.

「Trait Activated : Heart of Iron and Blood

Even a lie can be made into enough of a truth.」

I perfectly acted the part of a troublemaker who confessed a fact I wanted to hide and felt awkward.

Isak looked at me silently and then said.

“I see. Understood. Still, if anything happens, please tell me.”

“Of course. Who am I? Am I not Leon Akardi? As a member of the imperial family, I always! only wish for the well-being of the empire! If you call, I will come running anytime!”

“Y-yes.”

When I answered in a friendly manner, Isak was so flustered that he stuttered.

What's wrong?

I did as you wished.

“Ah, and would you like to go hunting together later? I've already called the hunters.”

“……Hunting? The funeral just ended? Moreover, the memorial service is just beginning in earnest. And didn't you just say that Her Grace Zeta told you not to cause trouble?”

“Well, that's that and this is this. Even if I get caught, I can just get an earful later and move on. What do you think? Aren't you bored of being in the capital? Together for once?”

I pretended to shoot a bow, hiding from people's eyes.

Isak shook his head with a fed-up face.

“No. I decline. I don't want to cause trouble when the memorial service isn't even over.”

“Come on. It's good to run straight ahead, but sometimes you have to stop and look around.”

“Enjoy yourself a lot on your own.”

“Haha. It's more fun with more people.”

Isak was completely fooled by my possessed hooligan acting.

I maintained my expression until the end, acting the part of an innocent fool, and Isak ended up believing that Zeta would never discuss succession matters with a troublemaker like me.

As Isak left, he muttered loud enough for me to hear.

“My goodness. Learning to be polite didn't change him. Hunting at a time like this.”

That son of a bitch?

Who do you think I'm acting for?

***

After Isak left, Theo, who had been watching, spoke.

“Wow, Your Highness. It was just like watching your usual self.”

“That's a compliment, right?”

“Of course. Even His Grace Isak was completely fooled. Tell me honestly. It wasn't really an act, was it?”

“Don't mess around.”

Theo chuckled and dodged my punch.

But that was also for a moment, as he kept glancing at me.

It was a universal signal all over the world that meant ‘I have something I want to say, but it's hard to bring it up.’

“Why? If you have something to say, say it.”

“Earlier, you hinted to His Grace Isak that you would switch sides if there was enough profit. You're not planning to betray Grand Captain Zeta, are you?”

I must have acted too well.

To the point of fooling Theo who was right next to me.

I let out a hollow laugh.

“What's this now? No way. Why would I do that?”

“Really?”

“You don't trust me?”

“Usually, the person who says that is the one who betrays.”

“Aish. Do you really want a taste of betrayal?”

“I was wrong.”

My acting skills must have been too good.

To the point where he worried that I might actually go over to Isak.

“Don't worry. There's no reason for me to betray Zeta.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Isak was a representative of the imperial separatist faction.

Moreover, he was a person who had a large faction of his own.

On the other hand, Zeta's actions were with the imperial unification faction, leading a small elite force.

It was very clear which side I, who had no faction, should choose to gain an advantage.

Of course, it was Zeta.

If I stuck with Isak, I would just be subordinate A, but if I stuck with Zeta, I could occupy a high-ranking position.

“Phew, that's a relief.”

Hearing my answer, Theo let out a sigh of relief.

Looking at him now, Theo had a lot of affection.

To think he was worried about Zeta, even though he was a member of the Royal Guard, after getting beaten up trying to save me.

Anyway, once his worries were resolved, Theo regained his energy.

“But it's amazing that His Grace Isak believed you about going hunting.”

“Why, what now?”

“Because, Your Highness, you don't have the strength to draw a bow. He must have known that Your Highness can't shoot a bow since we participated in the last hunting competition together.”

This is what a stamina stat of 5 gets you.

Can't draw a bow, can't ride a horse well.

I'm telling you, I'd even lose a fight with a mountain hare.

I gave a bitter smile.

“It's because he's not interested in me. Isak couldn't escape the preconception that I am a hooligan.”

Isak was an ambitious man.

He hid his sinister intentions, thought of profit first when he saw people, calculated obstacles in advance, did not hesitate when acting, and was bold when making decisions.

It must be because of that personality that he always reigned as the final boss in the latter half of the game.

And now, Isak was running towards the imperial throne.

It seemed that nothing could stop him.

But if you only look ahead and run, you sometimes trip over a stone at your feet.

“In his world, I am a worthless existence. That's why I am outside of Isak's interest……”

I smiled and pretended to shoot a bow at Isak's back as he walked away.

“But not taking me into account will be Isak's biggest mistake.”

Right now, I'm treated like a stone rolling on the side of the road and am not included in Isak's calculations.

Later, when he finds out the truth that I was the biggest obstacle, what kind of expression will Isak make?

***

Isak left Leon's side with a bewildered feeling.

He hadn't known that such an idiot could come from the Akardi family.

The deceased emperor was renowned for his wisdom, and even Leon was called a genius as a child.

“My goodness. Learning to be polite didn't change him. Hunting at a time like this. I thought he had become a little more mature, but what on earth is he thinking.”

The fall of one of the empire's most prestigious families, or more accurately, the imperial family, left a bitter impression on Isak.

At the same time, he was happy at the premonition that things would proceed smoothly.

The two feelings were contradictory.

Isak, feeling strange about it, looked back.

Leon was joking around with his personal bodyguard.

Unaware of what was to come.

‘I shouldn't have looked back. It's a worthless matter. But it's a good thing for me.’

As he moved away from Leon, his subordinate who had been waiting followed him.

“Your Highness, did things go well?”

“Yes. It seems there was nothing unusual. I was just asked to go hunting together.”

“Pardon?”

The subordinate was flustered by the unexpected answer.

Hunting right after a funeral?

But thinking about it, it was also a proposal that the hooligan Leon would make.

It was so plausible that no one even suspected they were being deceived.

The subordinate couldn't dare to criticize a royal, so he said in a roundabout way.

“……With all due respect, I don't know what on earth Leon is thinking. But it is a relief that the Grand Captain and Leon are not a threat.”

“Likewise. But if you're not going to be a help, you shouldn't be a hindrance either.”

“In that case?”

“I'm giving up on recruiting Leon. Bringing him in will only cause losses. The people who don't like Leon will all turn to the other side.”

Originally, Isak had planned to recruit Leon.

He thought he could create a variable in the Senate by using the prestige of the current imperial family, the Akardi family.

But after meeting and talking to him in person, his thoughts changed.

It seemed that people would rather leave because of Leon.

‘It's a pity I can't get the support of the Akardi family, but it can't be helped.’

Isak's determination remained unchanged.

The old era must end with the deceased emperor.

Even if he had to kill his thoughtless younger cousin in the process.

He was only one step away from his goal.

He couldn't ruin things here.

“How are things progressing?”

“First, we are contacting people who seem recruitable. But it seems the senators and central government officials will not come to our side.”

“Forget it. They are on the same side as the Grand Captain of the Royal Guard. They won't change sides, and the ones who are tempted by the offer are useless and will demand an exorbitant price. The plan will just leak out.”

“Understood.”

“Rather, find people who are dissatisfied with the emperor. Or focus on the central army. It's much more important to deceive their eyes to move the army.”

“As it happens, there is a person who would be good to recruit. Belius, a general who commands the central army units around the capital.”

“Belius?”

Isak paused.

“I know who he is. A renowned general of the western front. I heard he was retiring, was he assigned here in his later years?”

“It's not certain, but it seems there was a power struggle within the military. It seems he's holding on to receive his pension.”

Isak repeated the name to himself a few times and then agreed.

“Fine. Proceed.”

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