Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 202

202.

The atmosphere in the Imperial Palace was unsettling.

The nobles’ expressions were stiff. Even the servants of the Great Hall and each palace seemed to carry a dark aura.

While I was in the West, there were no special reports from Sorius. If something had happened, he would have sent a messenger.

After arriving at the Imperial Palace last night, I rested well with Olivia and reported this morning that I would request an audience with my father.

I hadn’t even wandered around the Imperial Palace much, but sensing the strange atmosphere, I called for Sorius.

“You summoned me, Your Highness.”

I immediately asked Sorius, who entered the office.

“Sorius, has something happened in the Imperial Palace?”

Sorius immediately understood why I was asking.

“There has been a peculiar matter.”

“A peculiar matter?”

“Yes. I was going to report it, but there were many things to do in the West and the direct territory, so I decided to observe it first before reporting.”

“What is it?”

“Recently, His Majesty has been… training very diligently.”

I couldn’t answer for a moment.

What? What did Father do? Did I hear correctly?

Sorius also smiled awkwardly.

“Actually, I don’t think it’s even worth reporting. But it is true that His Majesty is hardly doing any official duties and is only focusing on swordsmanship training.”

“Father is?”

“Yes. Because of that, the atmosphere in the Imperial Palace is strange. The nobles are somewhat nervous, and the servants and maids are watching the nobles’ every move.”

I leaned back in my chair and swallowed a hollow laugh.

“Father is training diligently! Well, that’s enough to make the nobles nervous.”

The person already revered as the pinnacle of the continent is Ron Carl Leord, my father and the emperor of this empire.

But to hear that he is training even harder is absurd and frightening to others.

“Duke Yan, Duke Beregon, Duke Austin, and even Duke James have been successively called by His Majesty for sparring.”

“All the dukes?”

“Yes.”

‘Is this guy crazy?’ Calling the main pillars of the country, the dukes, to spar every day? I can understand why the nobles are nervous about this sudden training craze.

It’s a problem that the dukes, who don’t have enough time even if they spend the whole day on official duties, are acting as my father’s sparring partners.

“Did you send someone to the Great Hall this morning?”

“Yes. I delivered Your Highness’s order to the Great Hall’s servants.”

“Okay. Well, Father is training hard! It could happen.”

Suddenly, Karen flashed through my mind.

The Northeastern Expedition, where Father went to destroy the Sword Master family of the Kingdom Alliance.

In that expedition, Father met Karen.

And he discovered in Karen the talent that could be his lifelong rival.

‘He must have been happy.’

The absolute is lonely. After becoming emperor, no, even before that, Father was already the absolute power of the continent.

No one could stand against him, and no one but an army could stop him, but someone appeared who single-handedly held Father back.

How fun would that have been?

‘Is it a good thing that Father is interested in Karen?’

I coldly considered it. Karen is a talent who will become the empire’s greatest enemy.

That was my setting, and in reality, he is joining the Kingdom Alliance and growing into an enemy of the empire in the future that I changed.

“Your Highness! A servant from the Great Hall has arrived.”

At the voice from outside, I nodded to Sorius.

Sorius answered the Crown Prince Palace’s servant in my place.

“Let him in.”

The door opened, and the Great Hall’s servant appeared.

The Great Hall’s servant bowed to me and opened his mouth.

“Your Highness, His Majesty wishes to see you at the training grounds after lunch.”

“Really? I understand.”

“And he also said that there will be a sparring session, so please come prepared. He also mentioned that many nobles will be observing today’s sparring.”

I’m speechless today. It seemed like my father was determined to surprise me.

I quickly regained my senses and nodded.

“I’ll prepare and go.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As the Great Hall’s servant retreated, Sorius said with a serious expression.

“Sparring with His Majesty has happened before, but having the nobles observe it…”

I knew Sorius’s feelings, who couldn’t continue speaking.

Father is not the type of person to hold sparring sessions as events.

But today’s scheduled sparring session felt like an event for the nobles.

A sparring event between the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

My head throbbed.

“I don’t know what Father is thinking.”

But I couldn’t refuse my father’s order.

Fortunately, good news came.

“Your Highness, Duke James requests an audience.”

“Bring him in at once.”

Sorius said.

“Your Highness, now that the Duke has arrived, I will prepare lunch for you to have with him.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

Sorius left, and Duke James entered.

I stood up and greeted Duke James.

“Duke, what brings you here so early in the morning?”

Duke James smiled brightly.

“I heard that Your Highness has returned from the West, so I entered the palace a little early.”

I offered Duke James a seat.

Duke James, who sat on the sofa, continued.

“I also received His Majesty’s order to observe the sparring session between Your Highness and His Majesty this afternoon.”

“Has the news already reached the Duke?”

“I heard the order to observe the sparring session yesterday.”

Since Duke James was here, I asked him about the information I had heard from Sorius.

“I heard that His Majesty has been sparring with the dukes recently. Is that true?”

Duke James smiled bitterly.

“Yes. It is true.”

“Has there been any change of heart?”

“I don’t know exactly, but one thing is certain: my prestige has fallen thanks to the sparring. Although it’s nothing compared to Duke Beregon, Duke Austin, and Duke Yan.”

“What do you mean by that?”

My eyes widened.

* * *

Duke James’s words were more detailed and shocking than what I had heard from Sorius.

The fact that Father spars with the dukes every day.

The fact that he is sparring not only with the dukes but also with the Imperial Knights and even the knights and mages of the dukes’ families.

Finally, the fact that most nobles or knights can freely observe the sparring.

Every single one of them is surprising.

I was heading to my father’s training grounds with Duke James and Olivia.

“Could it be that Father has grasped a higher level of enlightenment?”

That’s my own speculation. Father is already so strong that it’s hard to see him as human, but he can aim for an even higher level.

There is no limit to humans, and there is no end to swordsmanship, magic, or spiritism [the ability to communicate with and control spirits].

It is possible because it is Father.

It would be difficult for others to even dream of reaching the same level as Father, but Ron Carl Leord, a genius of his generation, can develop further.

“Yes. When we first sparred, I had the same thought as Your Highness. But as the sparring continued, I had doubts. If that were the case, why would he allow others to observe so freely?”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

“And at His Majesty’s level, there is a limit to what he can gain from sparring. It would be more helpful for him to meditate alone.”

“Sparring is clearly limited, not like real combat. Still, he must be getting something out of it if he continues to spar as if it were real combat, right?”

Duke James nodded.

“Yes. His Majesty is wise, so he must have his own reasons.”

We soon arrived at my father’s training grounds.

Duke James looked around and exclaimed.

“There are more people than usual. Recently, only knights have been observing, but today, many nobles are here.”

Beregon, Yan, and Austin approached me.

“Your Highness, have you been well?”

Beregon asked me as the representative.

“Of course. Are you doing well, Duke?”

Beregon nodded.

“I am well.”

I asked about Ted’s news.

“Is Ted doing well in the South? It’s his first time going to a foreign land, so as his brother, I can’t help but worry.”

I felt that I was being very shameless. Or have I become a politician?

I haven’t thought about Ted even once, but here I am, putting on a fake expression and asking for news.

“He is doing well. The Southern Alliance is also becoming more subdued.”

“That’s a relief. Ted will return with great achievements.”

Soon, a voice announcing Father’s appearance gathered all eyes.

I also bowed towards Father, who was entering the training grounds.

Looking at Father in light knight armor, I felt that the atmosphere had changed slightly.

‘Has he really grasped a higher level of enlightenment than his current one?’

Father’s voice was heard.

“You’ve developed quite a bit.”

He was talking to me.

“There have been many things.”

“Not everyone grows just because they experience many things.”

Father headed to the center of the training grounds first, and I followed.

Duke James and the other dukes moved to the edge of the training grounds to observe.

Father drew his sword.

It’s a real sword.

The faces of the nobles, knights, and dukes hardened.

“Your Majesty.”

“It seems like it will be enough to use a real sword.”

Father smirked.

“I didn’t use a real sword when sparring with the dukes. Ah, Duke James was an exception.”

The training grounds were filled with an eerie silence at Father’s words, intentionally mentioning the difference in skill between Duke James and the other dukes.

“Do your best.”

“Yes.”

Hoo, I took a deep breath.

I kept a suitable distance from Father.

Tension spread throughout my body.

On the one hand, confidence was slowly rising.

After passing the World Tree’s test, I have become several times stronger than before.

I went from a high-level spiritist to a high-level spiritist master.

Compared to spiritists of the same level, I am at least three times stronger in many ways.

Then, shouldn’t I be able to match Father?

‘Father’s level is not visible.’

Surprisingly, even now, I couldn’t grasp Father’s level.

The system judged Father to be stronger than me.

I bit my lip tightly.

There were many things I wanted to talk about with Father alone, but now is the time to focus on sparring.

Ron Carl Leord, a thorough meritocrat [someone who believes that promotions and success should be based on ability and talent rather than on social status or wealth].

My father favors only those with ability, or rather, he only recognizes them as people.

Especially if they are strong, he thinks they are qualified to talk to him.

So, I decided to push Father today.

I erased the gazes of others and the aftermath of the sparring from my mind.

Sylphid appeared.

“Oh!”

Someone exclaimed. The presence of a high-level spirit was enough to elicit exclamations from others.

“A high-level spirit.”

Father continued with admiration.

“It seems like I shouldn’t just use swordsmanship against the Crown Prince.”

Father’s robe fluttered.

Ignis, the fire high-level spirit, appeared behind Father.

Following that, aura formed on Father’s sword.

The training grounds began to fill with the energy of spirits.

Father’s eyebrows twitched.

Undine and Ifrit, and finally Noas.

Simultaneous summoning of four high-level spirits.

High-level spiritist master, I have now reached beyond that level.

The title of master is usually given when one can freely control two attributes of spirits.

But I summoned all attributes of spirits, and they are all high-level spirits.

I said quietly to Father.

“Your Majesty, I will do my best.”