The foundation of loyalty that gathers in the imperial family of the Felberg Empire is the “Sigil” and “Authority.”
However, as no royalty capable of wielding the power of the Star Thrones had appeared for the past five hundred years, the Felberg Empire and its imperial family had begun walking the path of decline, and the glory of the brilliant era was being forgotten.
Yet there were still those who remembered the golden age of glory that had continued until five hundred years ago.
They called themselves the “Emperor’s Cult.”
They were fanatics who believed that the Felberg Emperor, inheritor of the Star Thrones’ bloodline, was the true master of the world and a god.
Even though no royal had awakened for over five hundred years, they never lost their oaths or faith, offering blind loyalty to the Emperor and the imperial family.
For the sake of their lord who would one day return—the one who would prove the bloodline of the Star Thrones.
However, because of their unchanging loyalty, the Emperor’s Cult had repeatedly been used and discarded by the imperial family throughout history.
Thus, to maintain the organization’s lifeline, extraordinary measures were needed, and for that reason, they now lived in seclusion, secretly aiding the imperial family.
And this was no different for Aaron Valerian, a Grand Chevalier-level knight from the assassination unit known as the Emperor’s shadow.
Aaron Valerian.
He was a knight who had abandoned an honorable life for loyalty and stepped into the darkness, a more devout follower of the Emperor’s Cult than anyone.
To provide immediate support if any incident befell the Third Prince—the wastrel royal exiled to Canossa Fortress—he was currently hiding in a cave not far from the exile site, along with his subordinates.
Living an utterly normal daily routine with his men, the holy knights of the Emperor’s Cult.
“The official schedule His Highness the Prince has carried out over the past week is as follows.”
“Over the past three days, more than half of the wine His Highness the Prince has consumed has been confirmed to be famous products from the southern regions of the Empire.”
“Today, His Highness the Prince reportedly refused breakfast. According to secretly obtained information, it seems there was a recent overall replacement of the kitchen staff at Canossa Fortress.”
Aaron, the holy knight who checked every detail of the schedule and daily life for the safety of “Kain,” a direct blood descendant of the Felberg imperial family.
It might seem close to “stalking,” but the holy knights and priests of the Emperor’s Cult were deadly serious.
But their peace did not last long, and eventually, an anomaly occurred.
“Captain! An army estimated at eight hundred to one thousand men is heading toward Canossa Fortress!”
The voice belonged to Vinson, a high-ranking mage who had been his subordinate during their assassination unit days and was now performing the mission together as a fellow believer in the Emperor’s Cult.
At that, Aaron Valerian, who had been silently offering prayers before the Emperor’s emblem, slowly raised his head.
To interrupt the solemn ritual of praying for the well-being of His Majesty the Emperor who ruled the Felberg Empire and for a glorious future.
He felt slightly displeased, but after pondering the report, he realized it was something worth interrupting for.
Because Canossa Fortress was where His Highness the Third Prince resided.
He slowly opened his mouth.
“Have you confirmed the crest on their flags?”
Vinson answered immediately.
“It was the crest of the Paul Ellang family.”
“Neutral faction… But just in case, we should keep watch.”
Aaron said.
It was a natural reaction since he still did not know about the massacre at the grand banquet in the imperial capital.
As Vinson withdrew and Aaron tried to resume his prayers, he suddenly sensed an ominous flow of mana.
He quickly left the cave and looked toward the distant Canossa Fortress, where a fierce battle was already raging.
“Holy knights of the Emperor’s Cult! Fulfill the oath! The moment has come again to offer our lives to protect Felberg!”
There was no hesitation.
Aaron Valerian immediately gathered the Emperor’s Cult holy knights and headed for Canossa Fortress.
The closer they got, the clearer it became that those defending Canossa Fortress were collapsing.
“Damn it! Run!”
They were on warhorses, but the heavy armor slowed them down.
It was a moment of frustration, anger, and cursing.
“Captain! L-look at the sky!”
At Vinson’s shout, Aaron raised his head.
And he witnessed it.
The red mana filling the sky, and the proof of a Star Throne that had been forgotten for so long.
The “Sigil.”
“That is…!”
Anyone with eyes and not a fool would know.
That it was the return of a legend that had appeared after more than five hundred years.
The bloodline of the Star Thrones had returned.
In the declining imperial family of Felberg, the proof of the mythical era had finally revealed itself once more.
“Ha, haha…. At last! At last, it has descended! The great bloodline! I was not wrong! We! The Emperor’s Cult was not wrong!”
The moment Aaron recognized the Sigil, his faith exploded with force enough to pierce the heavens, and his eyes turned golden.
“Felberg forever!”
A miracle burst forth from the holy knight armed with sincere faith in the Emperor.
The trace of the Star Throne that had appeared on the back of Kain’s hand—the Sigil—left everyone frozen in stunned silence for a moment.
Baron Heinrich Denver, a high-ranking knight at the level of Grand Chevalier, regained his composure faster than the others and approached Prince Kain Felberg to check his condition.
Fortunately, upon close inspection, though blood was pouring from every orifice on his face, it was not at the level of excessive bleeding, and no other issues were visible.
His breathing was stable, and the “circle” near his heart—the space that stored mana—was also stable.
However, confirming that the mana felt there was completely empty, Baron Denver inferred the prince’s state.
Mana exhaustion leading to collapse.
If the circle had overloaded or run amok, even emergency treatment would have given low chances of revival.
But fortunately, the current state appeared to be simple exhaustion.
As is commonly known, mana exhaustion could be quickly recovered with sufficient rest and stability.
“You lot, get your heads straight and attend to His Highness the Prince.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
With the battle over and the urgent crisis passed, Baron Denver’s original manner of speech somewhat returned.
At his command, the other knights also snapped out of it and began moving swiftly.
But just as they were about to move Kain to safety as ordered, Kain regained consciousness first.
“I’m fine.”
Kain said in a weak voice.
Yet when he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw upon regaining consciousness was the knights looking at him with gazes full of awe.
Recalling the memories of the original Kain Felberg before possession, it was easy to see that even the loyalist knights had never particularly respected Kain.
That made sense—there were plenty of other royals who could replace him.
But now it was different.
The knights who had personally witnessed the return of the legend right before their eyes were now showing reverence toward Kain, who had once been a wastrel.
If he ordered them to charge the enemy and die gloriously right now, they would obey.
And the reason was…
Thanks to the Sigil.
Because Kain was the “Sigil Inheritor” who had appeared in the Felberg imperial family after five hundred years.
I never expected this level of reaction…
The effect caused by using the Sigil was better than anticipated.
Of course, various strokes of luck had overlapped this time—even though he had used a loophole, a ducal-level Star Throne had responded.
If he continued to train with the Sigil and Authority and actively utilized them from now on, it would not be difficult to bring even the neutral nobles over to the loyalist faction.
After all, the fundamental reason the imperial family’s power had weakened was the failure to awaken the bloodline of the Star Thrones.
“Your Highness. Are you all right?”
Baron Denver asked seriously, his usual playful and sly expression completely gone, his face stiff and formal.
Kain gave a faint smile and slowly spoke.
“I feel like I’m going to die from exhaustion.”
Thanks to Kain’s light joke, Baron Denver was able to relax his tense atmosphere a little.
“You must not die while I am your escort. My head would be chop-chop off, after all.”
He responded appropriately to the joke, then looked around to assess the situation.
“…In that sense, shall we first evacuate to a safe location? Since we have already been attacked, this place is no longer suitable for Your Highness to remain.”
Baron Heinrich Denver cautiously advised with a grave expression.
But even in his fatigue, Kain coolly assessed their current predicament.
“Baron Denver. Regretfully, there is no safe place here right now.”
Regretfully, that was reality.
Canossa Fortress had cliffs at its rear, so both the main gate and the hidden side gate for discreet comings and goings were located at the front of the fortress.
In other words, to leave Canossa Fortress, one had to pass through the front gate either way.
But right in front of the fortress gate stretched a vast plain.
And beyond the plain lay a massive forest of tall trees.
Thus, while the wide field in front of the gate was ideal for spotting approaching enemies, it was the worst terrain for attempting escape from the fortress.
Pursuers would be able to track the escapees’ position in real time from all sides.
Moreover, the forest lay immediately beyond the plain, and since the escape route was obvious, the enemy would definitely be lying in ambush there.
Even if all the royals were wiped out, someone must have taken command in the end, and unless they were an idiot, they would have mobilized the Imperial Central Army.
The Imperial Central Army—commonly called the Imperial Army or Central Army—was a force under the direct command of the supreme military commander, the pinnacle of the Emperor and the loyalist faction, unlike the private soldiers of nobles or territorial armies of lords.
Originally stationed as standing troops in key locations across the Empire for regional defense.
Though their training and equipment were slightly inferior to the Emperor’s direct Imperial Guard, they were still regular standing troops and by no means weak.
Above all, they were loyal to the imperial family and the Empire.
In the current situation, that was the greatest advantage.
Kain continued his thoughts.
The supreme commander had likely died at the grand banquet, and most of those with command authority in the Imperial Guard would have perished in the massacre, so someone must have inherited command.
Any person with normal common sense would have sent an emergency magical communication order to the Imperial Central Army near Canossa Fortress.
In that case, risking an adventure by crossing the plain while braving ambush in the forest might feel dramatic, but logically, with the few remaining troops, it made far more sense to fortify the fortress and hold a defensive posture until the Imperial Central Army arrived.