Chapter 87: The Emperor’s Court

It can’t be the Pope or the Emperor of the Rios Empire.

There are currently two empires on the continent.

The Holy Empire of Seionia and the Rios Empire.

But the chance of the Pope or the Rios Emperor coming to the Varta Kingdom was 0%.

In other words, the emperor James spoke of was someone else.

That was the problem.

No matter how much he thought, no one worthy of the title “emperor” came to mind.

Even as a metaphor…!

Smich stared at the entrance of Glory Hall.

Soon, a group appeared at the entrance.

At the front was a man with deep black hair.

“…!”

Smich couldn’t help but be flustered.

Not because of the black-haired man.

But because of those behind him.

King Lepra and his granddaughter, Second Princess Luna.

And behind them were Doug, head of the Dale Ducal Family, War Magic Corps Commander Morca, and Vice-Commander Pio.

Smich quickly turned his mind.

To the man’s identity.

Envoy?

The first thing that came to mind was Gardion Magic Tower’s envoy.

Nothing else came up.

That was the problem.

No matter how bad the Varta Kingdom’s situation was, why was Gardion’s envoy at the front?

And why were Lepra and everyone else following behind as if it were natural?

Right then.

His eyes met the man’s, and Smich reflexively averted his gaze.

That made him even more flustered.

…I averted my eyes?

Why avert his eyes from an envoy?

But he couldn’t dare meet his eyes again.

Instinct told him.

Not to raise his head.

STEP STEP.

The man walked without hesitation toward the head seat.

And at the following situation, the nobles in Glory Hall, including Smich, were flustered.

The man sat in the head seat.

So naturally.

And Lepra and Luna stood on either side.

With expressions as if it were natural.

The problem was that not just the two, but Doug, Morca, and Pio who came with them also had calm faces.

Right then, the man—Gaon—opened his mouth.

“Doug.”

“Yes.”

Doug answered the call and stood before Gaon.

SWISH—

And he knelt on one knee, offering the paper documents he held.

Then Lepra approached and handed the documents to Gaon.

Gaon checked the first page.

On the first page was information about one noble.

“Count Elbeas of the Amer family. Step forward.”

Gaon’s voice rang through Glory Hall.

But no one moved.

Of course, it was an expected situation.

“Who is Elbeas?”

Gaon asked Lepra.

“The one with blue hair in front of pillar 3.”

“The one wearing a blue cloak and a sapphire necklace?”

“Yes.”

“…!”

At Gaon and Lepra’s conversation, Elbeas flinched.

And Gaon glared at Elbeas and said.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

Elbeas did not answer.

Instead, he turned his head to look at Smich.

Smich answered Elbeas’s gaze with a nod and eyes.

Don’t worry, step forward first.

Elbeas walked with an anxious face.

And stopped below Gaon.

“Why didn’t you come out immediately?”

“…Who are you to give me orders.”

At Gaon’s question, Elbeas swallowed hard and answered.

“Are you so stupid you can’t grasp the situation? It must be hard running a territory with that head…”

“…What does that!”

Elbeas shouted indignantly.

And Gaon continued.

“Then you knew everything and didn’t come out? Challenging the royal family’s authority?”

At the mention of the royal family’s authority from Gaon’s mouth, Elbeas could say nothing.

And Gaon lowered his head again to look at the paper and said.

“Ten years ago, poisoned his legitimate heir and older brother Belte Amer. Imprisoned and threatened merchant Morseus to seize his business, then killed him…”

“Th-That!”

Elbeas was horrified at his misdeeds coming from Gaon’s mouth.

“…Lastly, sold information to the hostile Nail Kingdom.”

Finishing, Gaon raised his head again to look at Elbeas.

“Judgment: summary execution. Any last words?”

“…Last? What do you mean! This is all a misunderstanding—no, fabrication! And Your Majesty, have you handed the kingdom to Gardion? Otherwise, how can an envoy act like this!”

Elbeas shouted toward Lepra.

Then Lepra smirked.

And politely said to Gaon.

“Grandfather, may I step forward for a moment? It seems the ignorant ones will keep making mistakes toward you.”

“Do so.”

Gaon nodded and answered.

And Lepra stepped forward to look at Elbeas.

Elbeas had an extremely flustered face.

G-Grandfather?

Because of the ‘title’ Lepra had just used for Gaon.

It wasn’t just Elbeas who was flustered.

Many expressed confusion in their own ways.

And Lepra opened his mouth.

“Everyone, show proper etiquette! This is His Majesty Emperor Gaon, who led Varta’s golden age. I hope there are no more barking like Elbeas.”

Lepra’s voice rang out.

A voice overflowing with confidence unlike usual.

“…G-Gaon?”

“What is this…”

And naturally, everyone began murmuring.

It wasn’t strange.

Gaon, who had suddenly vanished decades ago, had returned in a youthful form.

Murmuring was natural.

Lepra returned to his place, and Gaon released his aura.

And dominated Glory Hall.

“…!”

At Gaon’s overwhelming aura, those murmuring shut their mouths.

And focused on Gaon.

Gaon looked at Elbeas.

Elbeas had an extremely confused face.

And Elbeas, whose eyes met Gaon’s, opened his mouth.

“Th-That’s…”

Elbeas couldn’t finish.

SLICE!

A wind blade pierced Elbeas’s neck.

Elbeas’s head fell to the floor.

THUD!

And Elbeas’s body collapsed.

A very futile death.

But no one could open their mouths, and silence descended.

The one who broke the seemingly endless silence was Gaon, who had created it.

“Duke Smich of the Meliad family. Forward.”

At Gaon’s words, all eyes turned to Smich.

Smich did not step forward immediately.

He couldn’t.

Because the outcome was obvious.

Smich looked at Elbeas’s corpse, growing cold.

Right then.

“No one here is unaware of the Meliad family’s atrocities. I will pass judgment.”

Gaon opened his mouth.

And Smich snapped back and opened his mouth.

“Wai…”

“Death penalty.”

But judgment came before he could speak.

As expected, death penalty.

Smich immediately activated the defensive artifact he wore.

SWOOSH!

A golden protective barrier shielded Smich.

But Smich did not feel safe.

Because if it was that Gaon, it wouldn’t last long.

And Smich’s prediction was accurate.

CRACK!!

The barrier began to freeze.

CRASH!

And shattered.

Huh?

Smich was flustered.

He had thought it wouldn’t last long.

But he thought it would hold for tens of seconds.

Yet destroyed immediately?

Then the cold that shattered the barrier assaulted him.

CRACK!!

Thus Smich froze, and Gaon said to Lepra.

“I will interrogate him personally. Leave him.”

“Yes, understood.”

Lepra answered, and Gaon continued.

“Viscount Eltang of the Sapra family. Forward.”

“…Y-Yes.”

Because of the previously dead Elbeas and frozen Smich.

Perhaps because of them?

Eltang obediently stepped forward.

And unlike the two, he prostrated.

Gaon looked at the prostrating Eltang and continued.

“Just one thing. Betrayed the royal family. But there is a mitigating reason. It was for the vassals who follow you and the territory’s people.”

Surprisingly, Eltang was not a corrupt noble.

He was the ideal noble Gaon had in mind.

He had betrayed the royal family, but even that had a reason.

Not for personal gain.

For the future of those who followed Eltang and the territory’s people.

Of course, it was a mitigating factor, not that it erased the crime.

Even with a reason, betraying the royal family was a crime.

“Demote to baron. And a fine of 1 million gold. The payment deadline will be conveyed later.”

Gaon passed judgment.

“Any objections?”

“None.”

Eltang obediently accepted the judgment.

From the start, it was a situation where he had no choice but to accept.

“Thank you.”

Eltang expressed gratitude and returned to his original place.

And Gaon said.

“Go to pillar 1.”

“Yes.”

Eltang paused briefly, then turned and headed to pillar 1.

And Gaon looked at the remaining nobles.

HMM—

Gaon let out a groan.

Then everyone swallowed hard.

And Gaon put down the documents and said.

“I think everyone understands by now, so I feel it’s a waste of time to explain.”

From the start, everything was decided in Wolhwa Palace.

Who to kill and who to spare.

Yet the reason for holding this impromptu trial was to make them aware of the situation.

That there was reason in every judgment.

Those who would survive in Gaon’s view would have sufficiently realized it.

“I will only pass judgments.”

Then Gaon began calling names and passing judgments in earnest.

“Count Baleno.”

“…Yes.”

“To pillar 1.”

“Yes.”

Baleno hurriedly ran to pillar 1.

“Baron Daylin.”

“Yes!”

“To pillar 2.”

“Yes.”

“Viscount Astalina.”

“Yes.”

SLICE!

Some to pillar 1, some to pillar 2, some to death.

Judgments continued without pause.

No noble resisted.

From the start, resistance was impossible, and the moment they resisted, they met death.

Thus, the judgments of the nobles in Glory Hall ended in an instant.

Those who survived had faces of relief mixed with anxiety.

And Gaon said to James, who was still guarding the entrance.

“Let them in.”

“I receive the command.”

James opened the door and went out.

And a while later, the royalist nobles who had left Glory Hall began entering.

The royalist nobles flinched at the situation in Glory Hall.

But having already heard about Gaon, the confusion quickly subsided.

And Gaon opened his mouth.

“I will confiscate all assets, territories, etc., of the nobles who died this time. And Lepra will regrant them later based on merit.”

At Gaon’s words, passion filled the eyes of the royalist nobles.

Of course, only the royalist nobles burned with passion.

The expressions of the surviving nobles were dark.

Gaon smiled brightly and said to the nobles with dark expressions.

“Opportunity is open to everyone. But since you have past actions, you’ll have to work harder than them.”

At Gaon’s words, the expressions of some nobles who had been dark changed.

“And until the kingdom’s authority is restored, if I see factions…”

Gaon finished by trailing off.

That was enough.

They would understand even without the rest.

Right then.

Gaon turned his head to look at the entrance.

At Gaon’s sudden action, everyone looked at the entrance.

And a while later.

A knight hurriedly ran in.

“What is it.”

James blocked the way and asked.

And the knight answered James.

“The monster wave in the Himal Mountain Range has begun!”