Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 210

210.

An unexpected person arrived in Grenian first.

“Have you been well, Your Highness?”

“I hope you have been well too, Duke. It’s quite moving to see you in Grenian.”

Duke Beregon replied,

“I have always been working hard for the Empire.”

“I occasionally hear news of Ted even here. It seems he’s showing great prowess in the conflicts with the Southern Federation?”

I tried to lighten the mood with Ted’s story, but Duke Beregon quickly changed the subject.

“Yes. The direct magic circle connecting Grenian and the Imperial Capital makes it very convenient to travel back and forth.”

Duke Beregon seemed quite displeased that the successor competition had ended so anticlimactically.

Well, I could understand Duke Beregon’s position well enough.

When I was holed up in my room, he was someone who firmly believed that his grandson would become the next Emperor.

It wouldn’t be easy to accept the situation that had changed in just about a year.

‘Because he was someone who dreamed of the Imperial Family.’

Duke Beregon’s ambition wouldn’t have simply ended with his grandson becoming the next Emperor.

He was someone who wanted to make the Atran family the new Imperial Family.

He is a person for whom family honor is most important.

“Now that the capital of the old Pieron Kingdom has been renamed Grenian and become Your Highness’s direct territory, the Imperial Family’s reputation will surely rise even higher.”

I smiled gently.

“How could it be thanks to me? It’s all thanks to everyone working hard for the Empire.”

Because he is someone who cares more about the honor of the Imperial Family rising due to me and my father than his inferiority complex towards Ron Carl Leord or his jealousy of my talent.

Without showing my inner thoughts, I headed to the Royal Palace with Duke Beregon.

The Royal Palace, which was undergoing repairs and renovations, was in a chaotic atmosphere.

“It seems you are also repairing the Royal Palace?”

I nodded at Duke Beregon’s question.

“Yes. The Pieron Kingdom’s royal family indulged in excessive luxury in the Royal Palace. I plan to secure funds through the renovation work and stabilize Grenian with the secured funds. We also need to prepare for war.”

Since the Kingdom Union’s war preparations would also be on the agenda of the Great War Council, I didn’t hide the information.

As expected, Duke Beregon also knew.

“The Kingdom Union continues to be a headache. They have always caused problems since the founding of the Empire.”

“This time, the Kingdom Union may invade with everything on the line. So, a lot of preparation is needed.”

“The Atran family will always fight against the enemies on the side of the Imperial Family.”

I didn’t know if it was sincere or just words, but I thanked him anyway.

“It’s reassuring to have you, Duke.”

Soon, as we entered the Royal Palace, I personally guided Duke Beregon to his accommodation.

“Duke Austin is showing a lot of interest in the construction of the Magic Tower.”

There was no way Austin wouldn’t be interested.

Wasn’t he the head of a family of magicians?

“I plan to get a lot of advice from Duke Austin. There are several magic towers in the Empire, but this is the first one being built since the founding of the Empire.”

The existing magic towers in the Empire were all built before the founding of the Empire.

During the Calpheon Empire founding war, most of the existing magic towers sided with my father early on and joined in the founding of the Empire.

Some magic towers revolted, but they soon came under my father’s shadow.

However, that doesn’t mean that the magicians of the magic towers belong to the Emperor’s faction.

They didn’t belong to either the Emperor’s faction or the noble faction.

They could be said to be a third force, and the magicians of the magic towers moved only for their own benefit.

Until now, they often gave strength to the noble faction, probably because Duke Austin was a leader of the noble faction, which had an influence.

Since the head of the magician family was the leader of the noble faction, the magic towers naturally gave strength to Austin.

I felt anew how much influence Duke Austin had.

He was not only the head of a great family but also a person respected by the magicians belonging to the Imperial magic towers.

‘Now that Lilian has appeared, he’s bound to be concerned.’

Duke Beregon continued.

“It seems that Duke Austin was the leader of the Imperial magicians, but now that the magician Lilian has come under Your Highness’s wing, there are many words among the magic tower magicians.”

“Is that so?”

I feigned ignorance.

“There is also news that the magician Lilian will declare the opening of a new sect to coincide with the Magic Tower construction ceremony, so there are many magicians from the existing magic towers coming to Grenian.”

As expected of Duke Beregon. His information was very fast.

I smiled and nodded.

“It’s good if many magicians come to the Magic Tower. Magic Tower magicians have the freedom to move, so there’s nothing I can particularly interfere with. I’m just someone who uses the magician Lilian’s abilities to help the Empire.”

“So, I have a proposal to make.”

Duke Beregon stopped walking.

I had no choice but to stand next to Duke Beregon as well.

Turning his body and meeting my gaze, Duke Beregon’s eyes were deeply sunken.

“What proposal…”

I trailed off.

“Many people coveted Your Highness’s position. They thought they could take it easily.”

It was something I never expected him to say directly.

I looked incompetent.

To say that to my face.

Nevertheless, I didn’t frown and quietly listened to Duke Beregon’s words.

“The competition is over. The Leord Imperial Family will produce Emperors with unimaginable talents for two generations.”

My level, having celebrated my coming-of-age ceremony this year, was so dazzling that it was an appalling thing beyond expression.

“For the future and honor of the family, I will now pursue other ambitions.”

“Duke.”

“The Imperial Family is not called the best family in the Empire. The Imperial Family is just that, the Imperial Family. The modifier of the best family refers to a family with influence and ability comparable to that Imperial Family.”

I closed my mouth.

“I have come to the conclusion that I cannot give the position of the best family to the White family. Leord will continue as the Imperial Family of the Calpheon Empire, and Atran plans to become the best family in the Empire.”

Beregon finished speaking.

“Excluding the White family, who are intertwined with Your Highness through family ties, we will have to eliminate the remaining two families.”

My body stiffened without me realizing it.

“Duke.”

“There are many ways to become the best. Proof of ability, creation of history, but the fastest way is to eliminate competitors.”

* * *

A deep conversation with Duke Beregon was needed.

I didn’t allow anyone in and took a seat in the office alone with Duke Beregon.

Duke Beregon didn’t beat around the bush.

“We will compete with the White family. Since they are already tied to Your Highness by blood, there may be a backlash if we engage in political confrontation with them or try to eliminate them rashly.”

Once he started talking, Duke Beregon was unstoppable.

I was reminded of the fact that he once led the legions and trampled the kingdoms at the forefront.

Veiled by my father’s fame, Duke Beregon was also a person who pursued hegemony [leadership or dominance].

His temperament seemed to be unleashed again the moment I was designated as the next Emperor.

“Duke Yan and Duke Austin should now step back for the sake of the Empire.”

“Both families are large families.”

I didn’t rashly take Duke Beregon’s hand.

I paused appropriately.

“The Yan family is ambiguous. Duke Yan himself is a Sword Master, but his successor is bland, and the family’s power is weak. It can be said that the family is maintained only by the power of Duke Yan alone.”

I agree with that statement. But I didn’t agree with him.

Now is the time to listen to Duke Beregon’s story.

“There was no substitute for the Riverhill family. It would have been a great loss for the Empire if they disappeared, but a substitute has appeared.”

“Lilian.”

At my words, Beregon nodded.

“If Duke Austin disappears, the magician Lilian can become the leader of the vacant magicians. That’s also a good thing for Your Highness. It means that an individual’s subordinate will have influence over the entire Imperial magicians.”

Duke Beregon’s proposal is very attractive.

If I joined hands with him, I could easily eliminate the other two Duke families.

Considering the influence that the Yan and Riverhill families have in the noble faction, what if they disappear?

The noble faction nobles will collapse.

The moment Duke Beregon joins hands with me, it’s the same as abandoning the noble faction nobles and devoting himself to the Emperor’s faction.

Even now, my father holds absolute power, but if the influence of the Emperor’s faction becomes greater in central politics?

The Empire will be reborn as an unprecedentedly powerful centralized state.

And… the center of that country will be me.

Duke Beregon was now tempting me with that sweet fruit.

“The Empire is still in its early stages of establishment. In the early stages of establishment, it is time to gather power in one place and implement strong policies.”

“The Empire is already stabilized.”

“Your Majesty is also making many concessions to the noble faction. Although he seems to have absolute power at first glance, he is clearly taking a step back from a full-scale confrontation with the noble faction nobles.”

Duke Beregon added.

“Of course, there is no concession in cases where Your Majesty personally pushes forward strongly.”

I brought up an important issue.

“Even if you and I become political partners, there is no justification for eliminating the two families. Even if there is justification, trying to eliminate the two families will immediately lead to civil war.”

“We are not political partners. It means that I will become the best family loyal to the Imperial Family.”

I was genuinely surprised.

Duke Beregon was practically swearing allegiance to me.

‘He’s coming in more humbly than Duke James.’

Duke James introduced Olivia to me for my sake.

It was none other than Duke James who pushed for the political marriage.

Duke James and I can be said to be political partners. It’s not a relationship where someone is superior.

But Duke Beregon clearly expressed that he would come under me.

“The statement that I will become the best family in the Empire is not an empty promise. Loyalty to the Imperial Family is a basic prerequisite for becoming the best family in the Empire.”

“I understand your sincerity… for now. But…”

Nevertheless, I couldn’t completely trust Duke Beregon.

“We have to eliminate the two families at the same time. You and I. The justification is the priests of the Order of the Cleansing Flame.”

“Could it be?”

“It’s also related to the Empress.”

I froze more than ever before.

“Duke, what you’re saying now…”

“Casting a curse from the opposite side of the continent is not very effective. The Empress was an excellent spiritist. Of course, the curse must have been cast from a nearby location.”

“Are you saying that the Austin and Yan families are related to my mother’s death?”

The moment this issue becomes known, it’s not just me and Duke Beregon who are in trouble.

The two families will never be able to escape the wrath of the absolute being.

“We have to find evidence.”

I became despondent.

“Duke.”

“But I have definite circumstances.”

“It would be better to report to His Majesty. This is not an issue for you and me to resolve.”

Duke Beregon shook his head.

“If we report the Empress’s matter to His Majesty, it will be civil war immediately.”

I chuckled.

“Civil war? Duke, His Majesty…”

“Yes. He can handle the two families alone. But if a civil war breaks out against the two families, and the Southern Federation in the south, the Kingdom Union in the northeast, and the fairies in the west attack the Empire at the same time?”

I closed my mouth.

‘How does he know so much?’

The information Duke Beregon had was astonishing.

It was really unexpected that he even knew about the fairies.

I thought only my father knew about it yet.

“I was also tracking the Order of the Cleansing Flame.”

Duke Beregon continued leisurely.

“It’s basic to know the weaknesses of those who might become competitors.”

I sensed it.

‘I might join hands with this man.’