147 – Trouble in the Imperial Palace
Balmung.
The dark side of the Empire and the oldest assassin family.
The head of Balmung, who leads them, does not show up unless the empire leans in, but in the main hall of the imperial palace, the head of Balmung was kneeling on one knee.
Hagen, the Balmunga matriarch with dark purple hair and a pale appearance. Haagen de Balmung listened to Emperor EA’s orders.
“Marquis Hagen.”
The emperor’s voice quietly resonates throughout Daejeon. The surprisingly clear voice of the emperor, who was mentally ill and could not speak properly.
The current emperor was sane.
Marquis Hagen saw the imperial secret magic shining softly on the emperor’s body. That is a spell that will stop the emperor’s mental illness once and for all. Just before the emperor died, to leave his will.
“Please…” “Protect Prince Henry.”
The emperor gave orders as if he was squeezing out. The emperor’s expression distorted by his pain is pitiful. Hagen bowed his head.
‘In the end, His Majesty chose His Highness the Crown Prince.’
Emperor EA supported Henry even before he suffered from mental illness. It is natural for the eldest son to inherit the empire. Hagen felt the bloody future. The blood of the empire that will be ruined by the civil war between 2nd Prince Charlie and the Crown Prince.
The current trend is 2nd Prince Charlie. Troops are troops, and the number of masters is large. Hagen thought that many of Balmung’s followers would die. That’s because Charlie is a powerful enemy.
‘But I have no choice but to follow.’
Although Hagen is the emperor’s tool, he is not a judging head. Trying to ignore the feeling of defeat that was building heavily in his heart, Hagen decided to follow the Emperor’s orders and swear allegiance to the Crown Prince.
The empire’s most secret sword has been subordinated to the crown prince.
“And… “Bring Henry.”
The emperor gave his final orders.
The Great War, where only the Emperor and Henry remain. At a place where the healing priest and the superior acolyte had also withdrawn, Henry was moved and thought that the emperor had recovered.
“Abama!”
For Henry, the emperor was a precious father. This is because the emperor cherished Henry as his eldest son.
How happy I would be if Momma supported Henry by restoring his health. If he stepped down from the throne and reigned as the Great Emperor, even that arrogant Charlie would not be able to use his energy much.
But Henry’s wind was just a wind.
The emperor, who was out of breath while being supported by Henry, uttered his last words with difficulty.
“…… Henry.”
“Yes, Abama!”
“Beware of Balmung… I gave them to you… Balmung is, above all, a deep and ancient darkness.”
“Abama? What……….”
“Remember… “Balmung can destroy an empire.”
After saying these words, the emperor lost consciousness.
And the emperor never regained consciousness. Becoming a vegetative state. Belatedly, the surprised doctors and healing priests rushed in under Henry’s orders.
※
The emperor has fallen.
This had great implications. Until now, the emperor was conscious even though he was suffering from old age. With the help of a superior acolyte and a healing priest, he can become somewhat involved in the affair.
But now the emperor has lost even the smallest amount of power.
The imperial family gathered at the imperial palace.
Emperor Ea was lying breathing lightly in the imperial palace bedroom, and the Empress was sobbing next to him.
“Your Majesty…… !”
The sound of a song spreading slowly.
Influential royal family members felt uncomfortable. What happens to the empire now?
There was certainly some sadness over Abama’s death, but more than that, the royal family was worried about their future.
“…… In the end, Abama didn’t give me anything.”
The small-sized second princess, Karen, Ishtar, whispered softly.
Born to Emperor Ea and her concubine, Karlen is the head of the eastern nobles. Because Karen’s maternal family, that is, her mother’s family, was a powerful family in the East, the Eastern nobles were loyal to Karen.
‘It’s not enough.’
But Karen felt inadequate.
The power of the East alone cannot go against the trend.
2Nd Prince Charlie receives enthusiastic support from the South and West, and 1st Prince Henry receives support from the capital. By all accounts, they are stronger than the East. I don’t know if there is an Eastern Imperial Army, but the Eastern Imperial Army belongs to the Emperor, not to Karen.
Carlen was merely the head of the nobles in the East.
“Carlene!”
Dean Noah, who was standing in his seat bitterly, shouted. Noah Innin Ishtar, the eldest adult of the imperial family, had good hearing enough to detect Karen’s quiet complaints.
“……….”
Karen’s face turned red at Noah’s yelling, and she ran out of the bedroom as if running away. Carlen became an adulterous child and complained in front of her father who collapsed unexpectedly.
‘It’s not just me, everyone thinks that way inside.’
Karen felt unfair. Everyone is eagerly aiming for the position of emperor.
Karen came out through the passage of the imperial palace and boom! She did and bumped into the taller woman. She was her half-sister and the leader of the Magic Tower, Aria Innin Ishtar.
“Carlene.”
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Aria’s mouth twisted. She smiles as if she sees something laughable.
“Are you in trouble again?”
“Behave as a good sister. Are you saying that the recent accident at the Magic Tower was the Tower’s fault?”
Carlen said sharply. Aria’s power is the magic tower. Karen pointed out the accident that occurred at the Magic Tower this time.
Arya was consumed by her shame. It felt like someone else had pricked her conscience. Aria struggled to maintain her composure.
“All the people involved have been sorted out. Our magic tower has become stronger than before? Right, Lord Gigantina?”
“Of course, First Princess.”
Gigantina, the Witch King’s alter ego, bows indifferently.
Gigantina was able to summon the Witch King’s body here and kill all the royal family. It’s just that she doesn’t feel the need to do it.
Karlen snorted her nose. She clearly knows that the Magic Tower has been weakened, but she is bluffing. In order not to lose her ki battle, Carlen hintedly revealed her own card to Aria.
“With the fight against the dragon tribe over, there is more leisure in the east. “What can’t we do with that magic tower?”
“……….”
At first glance, it seems like he is going to destroy the magic tower and cut off Aria’s head.
Aria and Karen’s eyes were filled with sorrow. Cornelia, who saw this from nearby, saw her not as her sister, but as her rival to be killed, and felt as if her heart was being squeezed.
Even if Abama is still alive, it’s like this.
Aria and Karen continued their fight as if they didn’t care about Cornelia. Until 2nd Prince Charlie arrived at the imperial palace via teleportation.
“Degradation.”
“Degradation.”
Influential nobles from the provinces bowed, and Charlie, with his bold steps, advanced to where the emperor was. Aria and Karen groaned and stepped back.
Cornelia also stood against the wall. Charlie just glanced past them. It’s like looking at a crawling bug. Cornelia felt Charlie’s thick flesh on her.
My heart hurts as if it was being squeezed. The only thing they want to do is kill each other.
Cornelia was shocked by the current reality.
※
The capital’s defense forces have strengthened security. It is a place where members of the royal family who are hostile to each other gather. You never know what might happen.
The capital’s troops were especially careful to confiscate weapons and place surveillance on 2nd Prince Charlie’s group.
The troops in the capital are on Crown Prince Henry’s side, so they must keep the 2nd Prince Charlie on high alert.
Here is something they overlooked.
Some of the capital’s defense forces are on Charlie’s side. Without anyone noticing, Charlie had captured the metallurgical capital troops. Aiming for a moment like today where all the royal family gathers.
Charlie secretly gave them instructions before coming to the capital.
“Aim for the lives of the Crown Prince, 1st Princess, 2nd Princess, and 3rd Princess in that order. If you succeed, I will make your family prosper for the rest of your life. “If any of them disappear, it will be easier to build an empire.”
About 20 royal knights and guards of the imperial palace agreed with Charlie’s words with venom in their mouths.
The day of the wedding is the day when all the royal family gathers.
Charlie received Abama in her imperial bedroom, making no pretense of acquaintance with her own spies. Charlie’s spies waited until the guard’s turn came back to them.
‘Now that Abama has fallen is an opportunity.’
Now there is nothing more to worry about.
There is nothing to stop Charlie unless he is the emperor.
Altaïr, the commander of the Guard Knights, who is the only factor of concern, is tied up on the front lines with the dragons.
All the nobles that needed to be recruited to the capital were recruited.
Public opinion is on Charlie’s side.
Charlie strengthened his will.
Dean Noah and the capital’s ministers glared at Charlie as if he were going to kill him. It means not to do anything foolish and just quietly visit His Majesty in hospital. Charlie smiled leisurely.
How can that be? It’s not easy for all the royal family to gather in one place. Charlie looked in the direction where the emperor was.
Emperor EA and Crown Prince Henry are fiercely protected by knights.
Henry was looking down at the emperor with a look of lost soul.
Charlie clicked his tongue.
‘Unfortunately, I can’t harm you.’
Henry formed a guard force consisting of only his own men. It would be difficult to deal with them with just the guards that Charlie recruited. Charlie looked back at his 1st and 2nd princesses.
The guard order changes and the guards that Charlie has recruited are passing by the 1st and 2nd princesses. The 1st princess is accompanied by a wizard, and the 2nd princess is accompanied by her own knights… It’s worth it. Charlie waited until the knights he had captured were fully in position, and his eyes lit up.
The moment of decision.
The knights of the Royal Guard who were watching Charlie discreetly thrust their swords into the target royal family members without hesitation.
“aaah!!!”
A loud scream rang through the imperial palace.
Blood dripped down and the imperial palace fell into chaos. 1 The princess escaped using magic, and Cornelia protected her body with Rose’s sacrifice… A situation where you don’t know who the intruder is.
Chaeng!!
The knights of the imperial palace drew their swords.
It was the 2nd Princess Karlen who fell bleeding on the floor.
“Charlie!!”
Henry’s face was distorted viciously. How dare he take advantage of Abamama’s illness to attack the royal family. Charlie blinked as if he didn’t do it, but Henry was certain that he did.
“Seal the entrance! Don’t let anyone get out!!”
“You mean you know who the culprit is! Majesty! “Please inform me!”
The ministers who had been captured by Charlie rebelled against the crown prince’s orders. A situation where you don’t know who is your friend or your enemy.
The people whose weapons were confiscated each developed magical powers and joined their faction.
Charlie ordered teleportation wizards to be able to escape at any time. Charlie vowed that if he returned west, he would lead his men back to the capital.
Recently, the war against heresy is coming to an end. For some reason, the State of Heresy is retreating. Charlie crossed the river of no return.
The healing priests who were urgently called in were unable to approach her second princess, Carlen, due to the evil atmosphere.
※
It was that evening that Evan felt strange.
Cornelia, who came every day for fiancé training, did not come.