“There is no way that a country where all the money goes to the military will run properly. Iron Blood will soon face catastrophe. You should be prepared for that.”
“Do you have any specific plans?”
Proud looked at me and asked.
“After the Colosseum, I plan to finish studying abroad.”
I looked out the window and leaned my back against the wall.
“… … Is that so.”
When he was told that he would finish studying abroad after the Colosseum, Proud answered in a voice that he expected but felt a bit regretful after hearing it.
“And you will be assigned as a commander to the recently empty fortress. maybe.”
“Did you have such a plan?”
However, he showed interest in the next words and asked again.
“It’s a rumor I’ve heard recently. There is a fortress that has been completely purged due to a rebellion. So Proud.”
I reached out to Proud.
“Come to me when you graduate. Hands down.”
Proud looked at my outstretched hand and grabbed it with both hands.
“yes. As the Crown Prince wants.”
Then he politely bowed his head and said. It was a hot hand, befitting the owner of fire magic.
“Come to think of it, didn’t you call yourself a lover or something when we first met?”
“Ugh.”
At my words, Proud flinched as if caught off guard. Then he let go of his hand and averted his gaze.
“That’s when the ego is in the middle of the day, it’s a hit. Student presidents have been passed on from generation to generation… … It’s kind of like tradition.”
“Isn’t it nice because it’s cool, dear?”
“It’s embarrassing, so please don’t call me that!”
I was so embarrassed that I felt sorry for teasing her more. I decided to do this for now and use it again later.
“Enough of the joke, let’s get down to business. I plan to prepare for the catastrophe of iron blood there.”
“… … Are you rebelling?”
After thinking about my words for a while, Proud asked in a serious voice.
“That is a bad word. Call it a revolution.”
I smiled and replied.
“No, what I’m doing might be a rebellion.”
and added Proud was silent as if he did not understand.
“I cause a rebellion within Sangvis, while Eugene causes a revolution outside Sangvis.”
“A revolution for Eugene… … ?”
From noble mtl dot com
“okay. Eugene must be the right person to receive the support of the common people and the public. In connection with him, I will support Eugene from behind, and when the time comes, I will stand up and overturn the current system.”
Added my support in the progress of the original. Since I absorbed many of those who should have originally been with Eugene, the revolutionary army led by Eugene would not be properly formed without my support.
“Of course, it will take a lot of preparation, and it won’t be as simple as it sounds.”
I added it because Proud was making an anxious expression. This is just a skeleton anyway. In reality, I’m still not quite sure how things will turn out.
“I understand for now, but is it okay if I entrust that task to Eugene? I think he has talent, but I honestly don’t know if he has that kind of popularity.”
“Well, at first glance it seems so. However, at this Colosseum, Eugene will make his existence known to everyone. I can tell.”
“Maybe? It seems like you came to see it in advance.”
“You are quick-witted, Proud.”
At my honest answer, Proud groaned as if he didn’t know what I meant.
“Even if I say this, nothing will change right away. But for sure, little by little it changes, and at some point everything will turn upside down.”
I put my hand on Proud’s shoulder.
“Let’s survive well until then.”
“… … yes. All right.”
Proud laughed as if he couldn’t help it. Proud always had a tired face, but now I could feel the enthusiasm of a teenage boy.
The end of life at the knight academy was not far away.
‘I don’t think it will end that easily.’
After the eve festival was over, the day dawned.
We headed to the place where the Colosseum was to take place on a train running on a temporarily hastily installed route. A scene that my team was now completely familiar with passed through the window.
‘The atmosphere is absolutely the worst.’
However, the atmosphere among the Colosseum participants in the train was not. The air is completely frozen.
It’s natural to think that they will fight each other with different rules than before, but it’s only at this point that it takes my breath away. I still feel stuffy in places with a lot of people, but it’s the worst.
And the nervous thing is that Dimitri and Mi-ryung, who are on the same team, are not much different. In the meantime, Katyusha was alone and calmly looking out the window. I’d rather pay more attention to this one.
“… … Guys, how about relaxing a bit?”
Thinking that if I stayed still like this, I might get motion sickness, so I got up and said.
“Everyone put too much energy on their shoulders. If anyone sees it, it looks like they are being dragged into a battlefield.”
In the stiff atmosphere, everyone’s eyes were fixed on me. I turned and looked around inside the train.
“No, it might be more appropriate to describe them as livestock being led to a slaughterhouse.”
It was a joke, but nobody laughed. It was as if he had provoked everyone.
“… … It’s not really about killing each other, is it? let’s make it easy Can you be as nervous as you are right now and show off your best condition?”
As I loosened up a bit, the atmosphere that had been stiff as if I finally understood my intentions was relaxed a little with a buzz.
“It would be nice if we could have a great match befitting the Sangvis Knight Academy.”
“… … yes!”
“I understand, Crown Prince!”
“I will fight with all my might!”
At the same time as someone answered loudly, everyone shouted with enthusiasm. The atmosphere, which had subsided as if dead, began to boil with fighting spirit and ambition. It’s not quiet, but I don’t hate it.
“good. Only like this is it worth dealing with… … huh?”
The magic stone handed over from the match committee, which was hanging around his neck, was vibrating. It trembled regularly, like a cell phone vibrating in modern times. I looked around, but I was the only one who made the magic stone move.
“… … what? Did you get a call?”
I lifted the magic stone and looked at it gently.
“D-Can you hear me?!”
Then, a voice came from the magic stone. It was a real call.
“What, what is it? who is this. Are you Proud?”
“That’s right! I got out because I have something to tell you urgently.”
“You came out… … . Oh, has it already arrived?”
I heard that the tour of the Colosseum is held at a theater located a little far from the stadium. I heard that they prepared a device to illuminate the situation using magic stones installed here and there in the arena. I can’t even imagine how much money was spent. It probably has something to do with Parabellum.
“What is it anyway, Proud? In such an urgent voice.”
“… … Crown Prince, don’t be surprised.”
“What? I was already surprised enough by the sudden voice coming out of the magic stone.”
To be honest, I was very surprised that such a technology was possible. I don’t know anything about radio waves or communication, but is it possible to communicate in this way? I’ll have to ask Ethel later.
“So what are you talking about?”
When I pressed for an answer, Proud swallowed for a moment.
“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.”
And he said a great truth.
“… … .”
“… … .”
A deep, heavy silence lingered.
“Aren’t you surprised?”
“… … Didn’t I tell you not to be surprised first?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Of course, it’s not surprising. It’s just that I didn’t know what to be surprised about because I was so shocked, or I was calm because my surprise was over the limit.
“Ba, what just happened? His Majesty the Emperor is coming… … ?”
“Ah, His Majesty the Emperor? What are you talking about?”
However, shock and astonishment were slowly spreading among the participants in the train who had just heard the sound of the magic stone.
“I said it because I thought it would be good to tell it first. Please, without any trouble——”
pop.
While Proud was speaking, his voice cut off with an ominous sound. I looked at the magic stone for a while, then quietly put it in my arms and looked around the train again. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on me.
“… … well, it’ll be fine should I die Take care of yourself. I do not know either.”
The atmosphere that had been burning with enthusiasm and fighting spirit a while ago had become completely mournful again.
‘Are you really coming? There is a degree to which words become seeds… … .’
I also felt unwell. Now I really feel like I’m going to get motion sickness.
“Oh, it will be fine! Work hard!”
Mi-ryung shouted in a trembling voice. However, it was not very comforting to see that it was in an extremely alert state with its fully erect tail and ears.
“Yes, yes! Let’s have a cup of tea and calm ourselves down!”
“Dimitri. My hands are shaking. Arthur. Katyusha, you don’t have to overdo it and prepare.”
Even my relatively calm teammates went into complete panic. And meanwhile,
“Kidduk, kduck… … .”
Eugene, who was sitting in the corner, was sleeping well, gritting his teeth, wearing arrogance as if he had a nightmare. Next to him, fromm, who seems to be the cause of the nightmare, drools on Eugene’s shoulder and sleeps with him. In the meantime, the reason Ver is not visible is probably because he is vomiting in the bathroom.
Whether or not the most threatening opponent’s condition should be relieved by such a thing, I did not know at all.
* * *
VIP seats in the viewing theater of the Colosseum.
‘Damn it. Everyone is having a hard time because of the senile old man.’
I——Alexei, sitting in the second seat, clicked her tongue as she thought.
Next to me stood the emperor in black uniform.
Completely different from the splendid conquest decorated with my numerous medals, it was a very neat outfit with only a few gold lines on a black background and a golden brooch that symbolized the one and only emperor.
At that simple yet overwhelming majesty, his own decoration felt like a crude toy, and his annoyance soared.
‘The Chancellor… … You didn’t come.’
Is it fortunate that he came alone? No, the absence of the only person who can stop the emperor from rampaging may be a misfortune.
“What are you here for?”
I didn’t want to talk to him, but our eyes met, so I got up and asked the emperor a formal question. Despite being on the tall side, the sparse gray-haired emperor was a head taller than me.
“I came to see my son’s tricks. Then what did you come all the way here for?”
As if asking such an obvious question, the emperor asked back. The light wrinkles and almost platinum-blond hair were those of an elderly man, but other than that, the emperor showed no signs of frailty.
Not the old one, but the one that survived. He seemed to be saying that.
“So is he. Excuse me.”
“Looks like your son is taking care of himself.”
After finishing the story, I was about to sit down again, when the emperor asked.
“… … yes. It was a period of gale-force. In many ways.”
In an instant, with the magic of foreknowledge, I found the most appropriate answer and replied.
I never used Wisdom’s mana in conversation because I felt like it was pleasing to the other person, but it’s a different story if the other person is this monster.
“yes. It’s so much fun.”
But contrary to my wishes, this monster seemed to want to talk more.