Imperial-5
I did not consider the possibility of approaching openly. I thought it was probably going to be quite stealthy.
I first met him when I killed Theresia, and I thought I would never see him again.
“Cain.”
Her long hair fluttered in the air, drawing bright red lines.
Perhaps he had been tied up all this time, but the man named Cain who revealed his face didn’t look very intimidating.
Rather, unlike Keitel, should I say that it is a good impression?
I couldn’t see it because I was wearing a mask, but it was clear that the smile was mixed with good intentions.
…I didn’t come here to help. If so, it would be right to judge that he is a person who can completely hide his feelings.
Looking around, there was no sign of anything else.
I think I put myself in too much danger by just asking for a conversation.
As I was about to pull out my sword, Cain, who was staring in the direction where my hand had been, gave a small smile.
“I didn’t come here to fight, but you seem to be wary of me? I thought you already knew that I am Keitel-sama’s aide.”
“know. However, it must be a problem to show up like this in the imperial palace.”
A force no one knows except for Keitel,
If something like that roamed around the imperial palace so confidently, it could become a problem for Mirazen.
Knowing that he was close to Keitel, it meant that trying to draw the sword was no problem.
I was sorry if I had to, but it seemed like I remembered what I recognized last time.
It’s not the time yet to make mistakes and move on.
With the sword removed, Cain, who put the mask into his chest, continued talking slowly.
“I understand that you are wary. In the north, we made a little ‘mistake’ and saw blood, so it’s natural for you to be wary of me wearing a mask.”
“I don’t know what kind of distribution it is to call it a mistake regarding demons. Does His Highness the Crown Prince know?”
“You know. Of course, it all started with His Highness Prince Keitel directing everything.”
It was natural for the atmosphere to cool down. I’m not going to reveal that directly.
I expected it, but I clicked my tongue at the remark that became a little bolder than I thought.
I know, but I have to be suspicious. If you don’t deny it after hearing that, it’ll be as if you were suspicious of Keitel in the first place.
“…I’m sure you know what you just said.”
“I know. He must have said that he denied the moon in the imperial family. I dare to say that it is only one subordinate.”
seureung-
The neatly drawn sword grazed the air.
Even though he knew that the sword had touched his throat, his composure remained the same. Did I say it on purpose?
If it’s not to get me off the ground… just to tell you what you’re doing.
I came to see Miragen.
It is doubtful that he was aiming for that time, but it was strange to say such a thing right now after fighting the Minotaur.
You probably know. At least that the North was overturned once.
Cain, who seemed to have noticed my feelings, gazed at the blade that touched my neck with a quiet smile.
There was no intent to attack or endanger me.
As if to just clear up the misunderstanding, the guy who just shrugged his shoulders despite his bleeding neck opened his mouth.
“It is natural to be suspicious. Because I was also against it in the first place. I thought it was premature, but it seems that His Highness, the Crown Prince, decided it was okay to inform.”
“…To tell the Crown Prince, if that’s the case.”
“Yes, the reason I brought you here is simple. Even though she came to meet Her Highness, there is someone waiting for Her Excellency the Duke before that.”
I wasn’t stupid enough not to understand that.
If Cain was going to call me directly, it was at least someone who could be called his superior.
Is it Keitel? I can guess who it was even though I didn’t say it myself. Eventually, he smiled at Keitel.
Talking to me about dragons. It seemed that I had broken Keitel’s own expectations.
It’s a faster contact than I thought. He took the knife from Cain’s neck.
As long as I knew that Keitel had called me, at least I had to be seen as a complete ally to him. Aren’t you used to wearing a mask?
“Then let’s go.”
“I will guide you.”
Going to Keitel was an act that meant a lot to me.
It was the same that I finally reached him, but I had to do anything to deceive him.
He was already suspicious of me to some extent, or maybe he was being swayed by the evil dragon’s thoughts.
It seemed that meeting Mirazen would be a little late.
What should I say and apologize when we meet? After thinking about it for a while, I followed Cain to the place where Keitel was.
#
If you pick a person who thinks of the most different things now than when you first met him.
Keitel would also pick a man named Robert Taylor.
That frail look had disappeared, and now he was dealing with the Taylor family with only his pure power.
How can you think that you are the same person then and now?
When I first met him, I thought he was just babbling.
He said he would become a duke himself, but even that didn’t have much trust.
No matter how many rumors that it has changed from before, it is Taylor’s trouble in the end.
It was also true that he talked about anything lightly, saying that he would get rid of it someday.
The reason I mentioned the artifact was because I thought that if I talked about it honestly, I would one day die.
However, Yuria collapsed, and Robert also grasped the beings he had secretly organized.
However, he still wants to be his sidekick. What is it for?
What is the reason for walking in a completely opposite way from Taylor so far, and taking a pro-royal way that feels unnatural?
I thought it might be because of Mirazen, but there seemed to be no reason to do such a thing just for love.
It was because he approached himself even before his relationship with Miragen was like now.
In addition, now he has learned the power to stand alone against the demon called the Minotaur.
Dangerous. If Robert Taylor tries to get in the way of what you’re trying to do,
At that time, it wouldn’t be strange if everything collapsed before doing something.
It bothers me to be friendly with the northern powers that have suddenly started to stabilize recently, but what if we try to come down to the center by joining hands with the northerners?
At that time, it would be difficult to block with only the power of the center.
It meant that they had to attract other forces, but if they did that, it would be tantamount to ruining the plan Keitel had made from the start.
“A power of its own, and a restoration to its former glory.”
Keitel sighed, clutching his throbbing hair.
When he saw the face of Robert, who had followed Cain, his murderous intent welled up.
It wouldn’t have to be like this. Why do I keep getting this urge? Right now, I was just trying to float.
Even if time passes and circumstances change, will he follow himself, or if not, is he simply wearing a mask?
Hearing Keitel’s murmur, Robert answered with a small bow of his head.
“That’s what you always said. Isn’t that what you set out to accomplish in the future?”
“What I saw in the north was all ordered for that kind of future. Even though it’s against the moon, if it’s not that, I’ll have to crouch in this narrow land for some time.”
Compared to the past, the land is too narrow.
Although it accounts for at most 30% of the entire continent, the land where people can live is not even 70% of the total, except for the vast northern region.
Can people live in the arid South? Excluding even that would be half of it.
narrow. That’s why it needs to be expanded. The ambition he had harbored since childhood was always directed beyond the empire.
There was no unconsidered way to achieve such ambition, but it was always inevitable to run into difficulties.
“The moon god hates seeing blood. The war ended several hundred years ago. Even the defensive things that were done to punish the enemy who invaded the territory. Do you remember when we first invaded?”
“…No, I don’t know.”
“Of course. because it never happened The Empire was always on the defensive. That’s why the land is getting smaller and smaller, and now we’ve lost even the right to rule the place where the Temple of the Moon is located.”
It was a radical statement for the imperial family to say.
Keitel, Robert, and Cain knew that.
Perhaps it was not strange that he was excommunicated from the church for violating the will of God.
No one disputed it.
“So they held hands. I decided in my own way that if I needed power, I could borrow something on the other side of the moon instead of the moon.”
It’s an excuse.
That thought came to both Robert and Keitel.
It is true that he joined hands with Taeyang because he needed strength, but in the first place, the bizarrely twisted relationship between Saryong and the royal family continued.
A long time ago, in order to survive the first evil dragon that the imperial family had faced since first settling down on this land.
Haven’t you made a promise that will last forever? That promise was still going on.
But Robert didn’t know that, so he just guessed that there was something in the story that didn’t fit.
If it was just to borrow power, there would not have been a need to destroy the record.
But there was something more important than that. It was a question to confirm Robert’s true intentions, so Robert, smiling quietly, bowed his head towards Keitel and answered.
“I understand. Wasn’t the reason you sought the artifact in the first place to follow the will of His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Thank you for saying that. So, the reason I called you here is to tell you about my future plans.”
plan? It had been planned for a long time, but it was only recently that I thought that this plan might be closely aligned with Robert’s original intentions.
While making eye contact with Robert, who was still relaxed, Keitel’s lips moved slowly.
“Recently, the power of the North has increased significantly. I was surprised that the treatment of the immigrants was handled very quickly. There was a Minotaur there, but you dealt with it yourself, so any potential threat must have disappeared.”
“It sure looks better than before.”
When Keitel brought up the subject of the North, Robert knew what Keitel was talking about.
Unknowingly, it felt like the corner of my mouth was twisting.
I knew it, but I expected it. I was hoping this story wouldn’t come out.
Now that all futures have changed, didn’t they wish that even Adele’s death would be twisted in this twisted time?
However, Keitel’s mouth continued to open, and even unwanted words flowed out.
“If those forces change their minds, the Empire will be in more chaos than ever.”
“…I think so.”
“However, on the other hand, what if we bring in those forces and turn them into our side? It’s about the South, can’t we play with it like a child’s toy?”
Despite Keitel’s cruel smile, Robert was still calm.
It’s something I’ve been thinking about since I came here.
Even if this happened, I decided that there would definitely come a situation where I had to wear a mask.
Now was the time. He was obviously shaken, but as far as Robert’s expression was concerned, he was still calm.
“They are trying to kill the Archduke.”
Spring, not fall. Maybe summer is coming soon, time was flowing faster now.
“Can you cooperate with me like that?”
Looking at Keitel’s eyes looking at him, Robert remained silent.
If I could deny it, I just wanted to deny this reality.
Keitel’s eyes, which were supposed to be golden, had a red glow for a moment.