Emperor, Deus has been waiting for you for the past few days.
Reinhardt.
I heard that he had returned after a long wandering in the north.
So I thought I would send a message on my own and come back, but there is no news.
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Just in case, I instructed him to find out, and said that he was reading a book in his room.
Deus doubted his ears.
What a book!
A book is something that can be read with patience.
Reinhardt was the one who screamed whenever he saw a combination of typefaces since he was a child.
So at first I thought it was acting.
I thought I was getting attention by doing something I wouldn’t normally do.
Originally, leaving the palace without any notice and heading to the north would not be strange even if he was punished with a gyeong.
No matter how much Croft accompanied him, Reinhardt’s move was highly likely to be politically influenced.
So, if I came to myself and apologized, I tried to finish in an appropriate line.
After that, I tried to hear news from the north as well.
‘It’s done.’
Hey, what did you expect?
If you can judge right and wrong for yourself, that’s not madness.
Deus stopped paying attention.
It’s enough to hear the news from the north from Croft.
“… Is it Croft’s hidden child? It is very similar to his youth.”
I called Croft and a young man appeared.
A very familiar face, too.
Hearing Deus’ words, the young man lowered his head and spoke seriously.
“I am Croft, Your Majesty.”
“what?”
Deus was surprised and took a closer look at Croft.
Croft’s appearance with white hair and wrinkles disappeared, and he transformed to a level where even the freshness of a twenties could be seen.
Having spent my youth with him, I couldn’t have mistaken it.
I thought it was a hidden child, but I say it’s me.
Certainly, even children will not be born exactly like this.
“Did you eat something good from the north without Jim knowing?”
“It’s said to be good, but I ate something.”
“Is there anything left?”
“You’d better not eat it. The curse was so strong that most of them died.”
Curse of the Holy Land.
I ate it and overcame it and became stronger, but it is not something I would recommend to others.
Deus tutted and clicked his tongue.
“Now I can’t even make fun of you for my gray hair.”
So close.
Even the sword master joked by saying that time cannot be defeated.
It is rare for a swordsman or wizard to experience a mana shower, but the Imperial Palace is a place where the strongest people in the world gather.
I’ve seen it often, so it’s not too surprising.
However, Croft did not become younger even though he had been through a mana shower for a long time.
It was because he thought that he could not leave the emperor alone and become young.
The mana shower he experienced in the Holy Land was so frantic that he had no time to choose.
“sorry.”
“Uh huh. What do you have to be sorry for Jim? Rather, it deserves congratulations. Now that you have regained your youth, the prestige of the empire will rise even higher.”
Croft was called the strongest in the past.
As he grew older, his prestige declined, but if he regained his youth, it would not be difficult to restore his prime.
Deus got to the point.
“Rather than that… I’d like to hear about things in the north.”
All contact with the shadows planted was cut off, and the imperial family lost their eyes and ears.
I couldn’t see or hear properly, so from the emperor’s point of view, it was frustrating.
Archduke Carlos was thoroughly controlling the nobles and soldiers.
However, the situation suddenly changed.
Archduke Carlos, who did not know how high the sky was, decided to retreat strategically.
However, Deus has yet to approve the truce.
In a situation where you don’t know what happened or what’s going on, you can’t just approve it.
Croft spoke of one of his experiences in the North.
“I found and released the captive shadows. Of the twenty-six, only seven survived.”
“Um, that’s unfortunate. Funeral care will be taken, and those who survive will be greatly rewarded.”
The twenty-six shadows risked their lives to infiltrate the north.
They are the picked and picked elite.
If they wanted to see the light normally, they would have lived a decent life.
Their deaths were like a great loss to the empire.
Afterwards, Croft told the story of the north to Deus.
The mass circulation of demonic death.
The appearance of the divine lord in the north changed the situation of the war.
The fact that the divine lord subdued the Lich of the Demon Church, and so on.
“But, is that the end?”
However, it was only a story that I knew roughly.
What Deus wants is more detailed information.
For example, the identity of the holy lord or the connection between Archduke Carlos and the Demon Church.
“I was just by His Highness Reinhardt’s side and helped.”
“You helped Reinhardt…?”
The preceding story was somewhat disappointing, but Deus realized that Croft’s tone of voice when addressing Reinhardt was completely different from before.
Also, the content cannot be overlooked.
‘He didn’t suppress it, he helped?’
I thought Reinhardt had left for the north on a whim.
I thought Croft noticed and followed it so that it wouldn’t turn into a political problem.
It was thought that Croft took the lead in collecting information on the shadows and the north, but that was not the case.
It was said that it was Reinhardt who took the lead, and that Croft was just there to help.
The difference between before and after going to the north is obvious.
What the hell happened in the north that Croft gave Reinhardt this kind of trust?
“your majesty. You must end your prejudice against His Highness Reinhardt.”
“By prejudice, do you mean madness?”
“It just means that I want you to look at me with the same eyes as the other princes.”
“Do you think Jim didn’t do that, Kyeong-eun?”
Deus’ voice became heavy.
It is a sign of discomfort.
The original Croft would have taken a step back here.
However, Croft shook his head quietly.
“I did, Your Majesty. I treated Her Highness with prejudice, but I never tried to find out what Her Highness was good at or what she wanted to do.”
I just wanted to see myself in the position.
He only strongly demanded and pressured the standards that the crown prince should have.
Even though the position was not actually taken by Reinhardt’s intention.
“What do you want to say?”
“Your Highness has changed.”
“······ Humans do not change easily.”
“Then I will correct it, Your Majesty. Your Highness, you have decided which way you want to go.”
set the path
In the meantime, I just wandered because I couldn’t decide the road.
The long and long wandering is over, now face it.
Deus took a deep breath.
Reinhardt has changed. If Croft said so, it would be.
But what use is that? Even if you change now, nothing will change.
“Let’s have a conversation.”
“You mean I have to find it myself?”
Croft got down on one knee.
After that, he spoke politely.
“I am sorry to inform you, but I know that the two of you have never had a proper conversation. Please show generous generosity.”
From Croft’s point of view, this confrontation seemed nothing but a battle of nerves between parents and children.
However, now that Reinhardt has changed, this fight is meaningless.
Only when they recognized that each other was on the same side could they keep in check and aim for something bigger.
Croft added.
“I don’t have any children, but I know very well that when it comes to parent-child fights, parents must show generosity first so that the heirs are comfortable.”
Children grow up and parents grow old.
If we continue to hate each other like this, no matter how much we change and try to change, we will stay in place.
No, there was a possibility that it could develop for the worse.
But distrust is not easily erased.
‘It’s the first time I’ve seen him express his opinion to this extent.’
The problem is Croft.
he is his own shadow It has been moving only for the sake of the imperial family.
He had never been involved in a fight between princes.
Croft, who was in the position of a bystander, was desperately defending Reinhardt.
It’s the first sight you see in your life.
What on earth made him change so much?
“··· good night. Don’t ask Reinhardt.”
I’ll have to check it out.
*
An awkward silence prevailed.
After defeating everyone, only Emperor Deus and Reinhardt remained in the palace.
“How have you been, Your Majesty?”
Deus raised a hand as he quietly said hello.
“It was a greeting. You should know why Jim called.”
Raise your head and face each other.
Unlike in the past, there is no sign of cowardice at all.
I felt it at the demonstration, but the spirit itself has definitely changed.
“I do not know.”
“I’m talking about things in the north.”
“Did I go to the north?”
Shamelessly throw off pretentiousness.
However, that is correct.
Officially, Reinhardt never went to the North.
If he had just nodded straight away, Deus would have been disappointed.
‘It’s not that I’m not thinking.’
Whoever asks, you should give the same answer.
Reinhardt should never have left the palace.
“If you go, is there anything Jim needs to know?”
Changed the question and asked again.
I’m not talking about things in the north.
Reinhardt asked if there was anything he should have known about what he had done or suffered in the north.
Things that could be traces of the prince going to the north.
problems that result from it.
Only then did Reinhardt come up with the answer he wanted.
“There is not.”
does not exist.
handled perfectly.
Or, if there is a problem, it is not a problem.
An attitude without the slightest hesitation.
Anyone else would have bruised that confidence. However, it was the first time I had seen Reinhardt insist so confidently in front of him.
Is it a bluff, or is it really confident?
“Many nobles who participated in the Northern Expedition want a truce. Should Jim approve?”
Deus’ eyes sharpened.
I’m floating
It was said that they were nobles, but in the end, it was the will of Archduke Carlos.
I shook my head lightly.
“Yes. Approve it.”
“The reason is?”
“Isn’t that better than failing?”
This means that if you keep fighting, you will fail.
It was the Northern Expedition that Archduke Carlos started with over 200,000 soldiers.
Reinhardt, who watched the situation from the north, seemed to be sure which way the weight was leaning.
“Are you sure you will fail?”
“If the war is prolonged, the empire will be defeated.”
War is a money-eating monster.
If it lasts for a long time, it will not be able to withstand when the great famine strikes two years later.
‘The Empire’s defeat.’
When Deus heard that, he thought about it.
The Empire itself is discussed, not Archduke Carlos.
The defeat of the Empire was something that should never have happened.
In his heart, he wanted Archduke Carlos to die during the Northern Expedition, but Deus knew very well that it was a long way off.
“Is it because of the Holy Lord?”
divine lord. That arrogant guy even invaded the Imperial Palace.
Had it not been for Launel, he would have been shot dead on the spot.
Reinhardt shook his head.
“Not necessarily because of that. The effect of Archduke Carlos losing his will to conquer the North is greater.”
The will of the Northern Expedition has been lost.
I didn’t understand for a moment.
Reinhardt said with a smile.
“Don’t you know why he forced the North Expedition?”
The task of installing Reinhardt as the crown prince.
For that reason, Archduke Carlos forced the Northern Expedition.
Of course, it wasn’t because of that, but since he lost the use of the Holy Land and even Damon, his motivation was worth disappearing.
‘I know everything.’
Deus was surprised to find that Reinhardt knew all of those reasons.
It was the attitude that he knew that Archduke Carlos had started the Northern Expedition and that he had made a deal with the emperor for the position of crown prince.
I know a deal that has never been told.
Rather ask yourself did you forget
Now he too was confused.
Wasn’t it the prince who had spent his whole life mad?
It was the first time I had ever seen such an intelligent figure.
I can see why Croft wants to meet and talk.
“Archduke Carlos is trying to lead an agreement. If an agreement is reached under his leadership, the authority of the imperial family will be lessened. Are you still saying you want to approve?”
“You won’t be able to lead.”
“Why?”
“Because the peoples of the north, including the divine lord, won’t let it go like that.”
Archduke Carlos, who has lost everything to gain through the Northern Expedition, wants to conclude a truce quickly.
It is an ulterior motive to take the lead and make extreme gains through the armistice agreement.
However, a ceasefire requires the consent of both sides.
When the agreement was sluggish and delayed, Archduke Carlos could not help but feel impatient.
The more the feet were tied, the more loopholes were exposed.
“How can you be sure of that?”
“I received a promise from the Holy Lord. This is proof of that.”
“…!”
Deus’ eyes twitched for an instant.
What he took out of his pocket was a blue water bottle.
It is the very potion that the Holy Lord made to cure Pagan.
An object that played a decisive role in the divine lord being revered by the factions.
Carlos and the imperial family also knew.
‘I can’t believe it, but I have no choice but to believe it.’
I know the divine lord. Besides, it’s close enough to take the potion of arcane.
If so, it is highly likely that Reinhardt was deeply involved in the series of events that took place in the north.
Should I believe this or not.
“When they waste time rejecting the agreement, we can move the Holy Church.”
“Let’s move the Shinsong Church and tie it up with the Devil Church?”
“You just need to see movement. If we launch a large-scale investigation with Launel at the center, Archduke Carlos will have no choice but to comply with the imperial family’s request.”
In the middle of the investigation of the Demon Church, even a slight movement of the Sacred Church would make them flinch.
The purge of the Demon Church was a collaboration between the Empire and the Holy Church.
In the end, a new agreement group will be formed according to the request of the north.
Launel was a living witness.
It also has the strength to withstand numerous external pressures.
The question is whether the North would tolerate it even if it moved the Sacred Church, but it was possible enough if it had made a promise with the Sacred Lord who united the North.
‘her······.’
It doesn’t seem like the Reinhardt he knew.
Is it possible for a person to change so drastically?
Deus calmed down as much as possible and looked at Reinhardt.
Should I call this awakening?
As Croft said, it seemed that he had decided which direction to go.
The guy was demanding.
‘I’m asking to be put in the newly formed agreement group.’
If the intention is to set up a new negotiation team, ask him to include himself in it.
The Crown Prince of the Empire directly leads the agreement…
It means to solidify your position.
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Just as Reinhardt made a choice, he had to make a choice too.
Believe it or approve it, or disapprove it.
If things go wrong after approval, it is like only increasing the position of Archduke Carlos.
However, if Reinhardt led the political situation, he could have put the responsibility of paying war reparations on Archduke Carlos.
‘Sir was right, Croft.’
say to have a conversation.
The words to look at the same gaze as the other princes.
I couldn’t understand, but I did.
‘Are you trying to run amok?’
Reinhardt, who had shrunk back to stretch, was about to go on a rampage.
It was the kind of spirit that neither Launel, Kazan, nor the other princes had.
I should object, but Croft’s words continue to ring in my ears.
His change, his faith.
‘yes. Then go wild sometime.’
*
After a long talk, the steps outside are heavy.
It seemed that there were more words spoken today than with Emperor Deus in a lifetime.
Leaving the palace, blowing the wind, I recalled what I had just heard.
―In seven days, a grand party will be held under the leadership of Empress Josephine. attend there
It meant debuting in the social world.
The wedding talk with the Countess of Versailles was also canceled, and the marriage was full, so I wonder if I should try to pick one for myself.
‘What kind of party… Ah.’
I, who was confined to the palace during this period, had no idea what party was going on.
However, I had heard of a ‘grand’ party held around the same time.
This taste was crumpled by itself.
‘Right. Was it Princess Carnell’s coming-of-age ceremony?’
Princess Carnell.
All other princesses were marrying in foreign countries, but the only princess who hadn’t married yet was Carnell.
It is quite unusual for a princess to remain in the palace until she becomes an adult.
It is not known why the 2nd Empress’ daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony was led by the 3rd Empress, Empress Josephine, but it was obvious that people from all over the empire would flock to see the last princess of the empire.
If I went to a place like that, it was even more self-evident that the cold wind would blow.
‘I can’t help it.’
However, the will of Emperor Deus was firm.
I also asked for one thing, so I felt like I had no choice but to listen.
Isn’t it just a matter of attending?
He had no intention of ruining Princess Carnell’s coming-of-age ceremony.
sincerely.
＜ Deal with the Emperor ＞ End