101 – Hyoshi
“…… In the name of the emperor, I bless the winner of this magic battle.”
“…… Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Emperor and White.
Both exchanged a formal greeting with a shy expression.
Actually, we had to pretend we didn’t know each other so we could be comfortable with each other.
The Emperor himself patted White on the shoulder, and White had no choice but to bow her head deeply.
She wondered if she should at least show off her happiness, but feeling that it wouldn’t suit her at all, White just bent her head at a right angle so that her expression wouldn’t be revealed.
But with just that, the audience went wild.
It was also a battle between the wizards of the 7th circle, which is not often seen, and even more so, if the winner was only seen as a teenager.
It’s not unreasonable for them to get excited.
What kind of identity is it, and which family is it?
From that simple speculation, even the name of the Qliphoth family came and went.
Because those in the know had guessed at least the identity of White.
And White was listening to all the chatter in the audience.
‘…… Whoa.’
I let out a shallow sigh inside.
It was inevitable.
In the end, I finally got the championship in my hands, but the emptiness that came was just as I expected.
It seemed like he acted conspicuously for no reason.
At the same time, I wondered if that could be a problem.
‘What… …. Now she has no reason to hide her identity.’
White chose to think in a comfortable way.
Therefore, White simply kept her inorganic expression and continued her conversation with her emperor.
Anyway, it was just a meaningless, ceremonial conversation, but anyway.
Soon after a fairly long time passed, White accepted the prize, the staff of Ancient Civilization, and stepped back.
…… At the same time, the expressions of White and the Emperor slightly hardened to seriousness.
Because both of them knew about the schedule after that.
Moving as if covering White, the emperor slowly stepped forward.
Immediately after that, of course, all the audience had no choice but to bow their heads, albeit lightly.
No matter what his status is, whether he is a commoner or an aristocrat.
Or even if he was a person from another country, he couldn’t help but show respect to the emperor of the empire.
At one point, a cool silence fell over the entire arena.
The emperor’s eyes flashed brightly.
And soon after, he opens his mouth.
With a very serious attitude.
“…… First of all, in commemoration of my birthday, I wish blessings to all who participated in the festival.”
At first, it started with just such formal words.
And naturally, the buzz in the audience only gradually grew.
Those who have been through magic battles before know this.
Originally, after congratulating the winner and delivering the prize, the emperor quickly disappeared.
However, this magic battle was different.
The atmosphere was seriously subdued, and at the same time, the emperor’s attitude was unusual.
The audience had no choice but to come up with a rumor as naturally as flowing water.
Before the festival started, there was a rumor floating around the continent including the empire.
It was a rumor so widespread that even a vagabond on the roadside could know about it, unless you were a person who was not interested in worldly affairs.
Soon, a word flashes through the minds of the audience.
’12 Demon kings.’
…… Then, if it was natural, it would be a natural step for their expressions to harden.
They could intuit.
At present, the topic that the emperor, who continues to speak, will bring up soon.
…… That it would surely bring great chaos to the continent.
A chilly yet somehow uncomfortable silence began to spread all over the place.
*****
“…… Therefore, I would like to announce a fact here.”
The emperor spat out as if he were chanting, and the murmur of the audience stopped in an instant.
As if someone expected something, and someone else feared something.
Each of them was focusing their attention on the emperor with a colorful expression on their face.
According to ideology or belief.
Everyone had different expressions on their faces and waited for the emperor’s words with various attitudes.
If I had to find one thing in common with all of them.
…… That would be the fact that all of them were predicting, at least roughly, what the emperor would soon say.
And.
Those predictions, assumptions, maybe, of course, weren’t wrong.
“…… You must be well aware that there are those who have confused the continent for hundreds or thousands of years.”
The emperor muttered in a low voice.
It was a very small voice, but there was no one who couldn’t hear it in the quiet stadium.
“As times have changed, they have been called by various nicknames.”
“In the end, there is only one fixed name.”
“…… Sometimes they brought war to the continent, and sometimes they brought disaster to the continent.”
“That’s why we decided to call them that.”
…… One time, the Emperor deliberately stopped talking.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on him.
And the emperor’s silence did not last long.
It’s not just a metaphor, it’s actually not long before the emperor tried to rip his lips off again.
After a while, he uttered a single word.
“──Demon King.”
The Lord of Magic.
It never sounds good, and all continental people can’t help but fear it.
A nickname for the 12 evil wizards.
The emperor’s eyes flashed a cool light.
That could be described as a resolute will, or a simple murderous intent.
What is clear is that the emperor’s expression was extremely serious.
Gulp-
Someone couldn’t stand the rising tension and swallowed dry saliva.
Someone couldn’t control his excitement and raised the corner of his mouth.
Someone else just kept his expressionless expression and kept his mouth shut.
…… And at that point, the emperor started talking again.
“Recently, three demon lords lost their lives.”
The emperor slowly looked around.
As if examining the facial expressions of each person sitting in the audience, his eyes flash fiercely.
“I haven’t told you so far, but I’ve decided it’s time to reveal it.”
…… The emperor again spaced out.
He didn’t even make a simple gesture, but he focused all the attention on himself with just the natural pressure.
It must be the kind of thing that can be said to be the basic spirit of an emperor as someone who ascended the throne.
“The gold demon king, the gray demon king, and the green demon king.”
Three demon kings, to be more specific, the emperor speaks of the names of the three demon kings who have already lost their lives.
Slowly, but in a clear tone, he continues.
“To bring them down from their thrones, to take their lives.”
Nobody else.
…… He was a figure on the side of the Empire, and a hidden blade.
The emperor ended his words with a tone that might sound a little light.
As for the audience seats, naturally.
He couldn’t help but be overcome with shock and astonishment beyond that.
The emperor foretold an all-out war with the 12 demon lords.
…… In other words, it would have been nice to say that he had announced that he would lead the continent into an era of chaos.
*****
A corner of the audience.
There, a young man looked down at the emperor with serious eyes.
The audience around him didn’t notice his true identity because he had a perception-damping spell on him.
The identity of the young man was none other than Carl von Ajdahaka, who had just played the finals.
“…… The emperor of the empire is also very cunning.”
Somehow bitter, but ironically interested.
His golden eyes shone, and he smiled.
The emperor’s announcement that took place a while ago.
That meant war soon, and an unprecedented chaos would come to the continent.
…… In the eyes of that fierce storm, the kingdom of sorcery would not be able to escape the catastrophe either.
What should I do?
Carl rested his chin on his chin and began to ponder earnestly.
‘It’s not just me, people from other countries must be doing the calculations.’
You could say that’s for sure.
Although it would have been nice to say that the method was ‘cunning’ to say it without adding or subtracting.
The balance of power has already begun to tip.
The 12 Demon Kings side has already lost three Demon Lords, and the Empire side should be preserving its power intact.
In fact, according to what the Kingdom of Darkness has learned so far, no other corpses have been found when the three demon kings died.
What that means is that the empire has killed three Demon Kings without much loss.
It was a surprising truth indeed, but since it had already happened, it was not so important.
The most important thing is, at least for Carl, the problem he has to worry about right now.
In the future, in the all-out war between the 12 Demon Lords and the Empire.
It was about what position the kingdom of magic should take.
‘…… Of course, I’ll have to report to my father first.’
Nevertheless, as the successor to the kingdom, the need to worry was sufficient.
“Hmm… ….”
The sword narrowed the corners of his eyes as he let out a shallow groan.
Even while worrying and thinking, there is only one thing.
Because there was a question that kept popping up in my head.
‘…… Who is it?’
Nothing else.
There was only one thing Carl was curious about.
Who, how, in what way.
…… Did he kill three Demon Lords in a form that was tantamount to half-assassination?
How can I not have doubts?
If the strong side of the empire that had already been revealed moved, there was no way the kingdom of sorcery would not notice it.
No, if there had been even the slightest traces of what the Empire had done in the first place, there would have been no reason for the 12 demon kings to stay still.
That’s why I was puzzled.
‘I’m sure he won’t be the grand mage of the imperial family.’
He had the duty to protect the imperial palace’s battle system.
If he had stepped forward, he would have been able to observe the dissolution of the confrontation system right away.
That’s why he’s not.
Then, who else is left?
Another great mage class from the Empire side, Karsane from Circle 9.
Are you Grand Duke Carsein, who was once ranked number 1 in the empire’s wizarding ranks?
“… ….”
Soon Carl shook his head.
I didn’t think that would be the case.
He was already quite old, and he was no longer capable of going to the fore.
…… Even after that, numerous powerful men of the Empire passed through Carl’s mind.
The head of the Qliphoth family, Teikan Qliphoth of the flame world.
Or the Marquis of Riycanter, who is called the first sword of the Empire.
Starting with the two most famous, countless strong people, whether wizards or knights, emerge and then disappear.
However, no conclusion has been reached.
In the first place, if Carl was strong enough to know, it was because he was an existence in an important position.
If such people had moved, there was no way they would not have noticed, whether it was the Kingdom of Darkness or the 12 demon lords.
Karl’s expression naturally turned serious.
…… Who the hell are you talking about?
I honestly couldn’t help but question it.
Were there any assassins secretly raised by the Empire?
To make it possible to deal with an existence of the level of the demon king so quietly, it would have been impossible with decent power.
Karl’s troubles deepened and deepened.
In the end, I couldn’t get a meaningful answer.
“…… Whoa.”
He let out a low sigh, Carl brushing his own golden hair in one rough sweep.
As he gazed up at the cloudless sky, a disturbed expression appeared in his eyes before he knew it.
‘…… War, OK.’
Muttering low to himself, Carl bit his lip lightly.
…… I don’t know why.
I get swept away by the feeling of having a bad feeling.