Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 375

375

“Your Highness might not believe this story, but when His Majesty Isana first ascended the throne, he was quite vulnerable. Back then, the Grand Duke was effectively managing state affairs. His Majesty’s position became increasingly precarious, and he displayed considerable weakness. He seemed like any ordinary boy his age.”

“…That’s hard to believe.”

“It is surprising, isn’t it? At that time, we stood by His Majesty’s side more out of compassion than pure loyalty. Of course, I can only speak so candidly now because we are truly devoted to him.”

“What changed your mind?”

“The day the Grand Duke revealed his true, ugly nature, many of my comrades died desperately trying to help His Majesty escape the Imperial Palace. At that time, His Majesty said to us, ‘Brave and loyal knights, I will never forget your names, even in death.’ He also vowed, ‘I will become an emperor who will repay you, so your sacrifices will not have been in vain.'”

“…”

“Honestly, the situation was so dire that we fully expected to be captured and killed. We knew His Majesty’s words were likely a desperate promise. But even so, a burning conviction ignited within me, as if I had been enlightened. I realized I would gladly die for this man.”

“…That’s odd. His Majesty said he came to believe in you because he saw you risking your lives to protect him.”

“Did His Majesty say that?”

Alex’s eyes sparkled with joy. Laonhwi Jen looked a little embarrassed by his obvious delight.

“So, the Emperor and we experienced the same emotions at the same moment. Thank you for sharing this, Your Highness. It would be a waste to keep this to ourselves, so we must survive and return.”

“You demonstrated your trustworthiness first, so I simply believed you. Does that make you so happy?”

“Acknowledging our merits is also a form of trust. More knights than you might think go without proper recognition for their efforts. Doubt easily creeps into the mind and takes root faster than trust. That’s why deciding to trust someone requires considerable determination and courage. And since His Majesty has made that decision, he will trust us to the end. So, how can we not be happy?”

“…”

Laonhwi Jen’s eyes flickered again. Judging by his barely concealed agitation, he must have heard a similar sentiment from Isana. And I was impressed with Alex. To be honest, I hadn’t realized he was such an eloquent speaker. I had thought him a bit frivolous and silly, but I suppose not just anyone can become the Emperor’s Royal Guard. I was both amazed and pleased to discover this unexpected side of him.

“It’s difficult for anyone to follow a leader who doesn’t trust them. Why don’t you start by recognizing those around you, Your Highness? If you look closely, you might find some gems in unexpected places.”

As he spoke softly, Asel and Serium nodded vigorously beside him. Even the guard knight named Dai couldn’t hide his agreement.

“I’ll stop with my presumptuous words here. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Even after Alex bowed politely, Laonhwi Jen remained silent for a while. He didn’t seem offended, but rather lost in thought. Alex, bowing once more, subtly changed the subject and pointed to the window.

“By the way, Asel, I’ve been wondering, what is that large castle visible up there?”

“Yes? Ah, if you can see it from here, it’s likely the Imperial Palace. Can you see it even in this darkness?”

“I’d have to surrender my knight title if I couldn’t recognize that much. So, the Imperial Palace is visible from here. It’s closer than I thought. How long does it take to get there by carriage?”

“It usually takes about 40 minutes.”

“Hee, it’s really close.”

Just then, one of the knights looking at the Imperial Palace with Alex frowned.

“Wait a minute, Sir Alex. I see torches over there.”

“…Huh?”

Following his words, I looked and indeed saw torches near the slope. They were partially hidden by bushes, but the number visible was quite large. The faint stream of fire stretched down the hillside like a snake’s tail, indicating a large group of people descending.

“It’s an army.”

Alex’s gaze turned cold as he calmly observed. Laonhwi Jen reacted first, leaning out the window.

“An army? Who is advancing on the Imperial Palace?”

“No, Your Highness, they are coming down from it.”

“Then, could it be the Imperial Family’s army on the move?”

“It seems so. Can you guess their purpose?”

“No, I don’t know. His Majesty wouldn’t move the army carelessly. What on earth is going on…?”

At that moment, a strong light illuminated one of the Academy’s buildings. Everyone startled and ducked, but I leaned out further to observe. Guards, seemingly security personnel, were rushing around, and people in pajamas hurried out of the building. The gathering point was near the Crown Prince’s residence, so the voices carried clearly on the wind.

“What is all this commotion? An army is approaching!”

“Director! A major problem! An urgent message has just arrived! His Majesty…! His Majesty is going to suppress this place!”

The faces of those gathered hardened in shock.

“What is this about? Why would His Majesty Narjen suppress this place?”

“Are they mistaken? It doesn’t make sense. This is the Academy, full of naive students and stubborn professors. What are they going to suppress?”

Asel and Serium shouted, their faces confused. Laonhwi Jen couldn’t readily answer. Alex, who had been watching out the window, sighed deeply.

“Surely the information about our presence here hasn’t leaked.”

“Even so, His Majesty Narjen wouldn’t resort to this.”

“Ugh, that’s true. We need to observe the situation more closely. It will become clear if the army truly intends to attack. But we can’t just wait, so I should go over there. I’ll go alone for now, so you guys…”

“No, Alex doesn’t need to go either.”

If there was ever a perfect moment to step forward, this was it. As I spoke, I materialized instantly. The shock on everyone’s faces was plain to see.

“From this distance, I can observe everything perfectly. Leave it to me.”

“…El!?”

“E, El-nim?!”

The reactions erupted a moment later. I smiled brightly at the people staring at me as if they had seen a ghost.

“Aren’t you all happy to see me?”

* * *

The Carter Empire’s premier educational institution – “Yan Academy.” The prestigious university’s reputation for accepting only geniuses was built upon the splendid careers of its past presidents. Beginning with the first president, a great mage, the position had always been held by transcendents who had earned the title of Master or Sage. However, the current president, Yustian, who had been in office for over a decade, broke that tradition, becoming the first president from a common scholarly background. Moreover, the circumstances of his appointment were quite unusual. The former president unilaterally appointed him as his successor and then departed. This succession was only possible because of a regulation stating that ‘the election of the president is the sole authority of the predecessor.’

The president’s capabilities are crucial in determining the academy’s standing. Yan Academy had not produced any notable talents for over a decade, to the point where its reputation as a prestigious school was becoming tarnished. Even Crown Prince Laonhwi Jen, known as a genius since birth, had not shown any significant achievements since entering the Academy. President Yustian constantly felt responsible, as if it were all his fault. The contrast was even starker because Sage Philip, the former president, had been the most accomplished president in the academy’s history.

No one knew why the former president, so highly regarded, had suddenly left, or why he had appointed the ordinary Yustian as his successor. However, this unusual appointment made Yustian an enemy of Sage Danimel, who had coveted the position. Incurring the hatred of the Imperial Family’s chief wizard diminished the Imperial Family’s esteem for the Academy. Amidst all this, the Crown Prince submitted a leave of absence and disappeared without a word. When Yustian was forced to seek help from Danimel, he experienced the true meaning of wanting to die. He had to endure hours of Danimel’s words, which twisted his heart, and threats that he would be held responsible if anything happened because he had failed to properly assist the Crown Prince.

The once-abundant hair had almost entirely fallen out over the past decade, leaving only a few strands. Every night, he offered clean water and prayed to save even those remaining hairs. However, the merciless god of hair seemed to have no intention of answering his prayers.

At dawn, Yustian woke up in surprise at the sudden noise. The alarm, which only sounded during emergencies at the Academy, was ringing loudly. He swallowed hard, a chilling sensation running down his spine.

“W-what’s going on?”

The ominous premonition proved accurate. No sooner had he activated the device to connect the signal than a scream erupted from outside.

– President Yustian! It’s an emergency! An army is approaching!

“What?”

– You must come out and see!

He hurriedly got up, put on his coat, and went out the door. The professors, awakened by the alarm, followed him in their pajamas. He rushed to the front door, where guards who had sounded the alarm were running up with pale faces.

“What is all this about! An army is coming!”

“Director! A major problem! An urgent message has just arrived! His Majesty…! His Majesty is going to suppress this place!”

“What?”

Yustian was so surprised he could barely breathe. He felt like he might fall backward. If his heart had been weaker, it might have stopped.

“What on earth are you talking about! His Majesty sent an army to attack this place? Do you expect me to believe such nonsense? Who sent such a ridiculous message!”

“It’s Professor Sian.”

“Professor Sian? Now that I think about it, he’s in the Imperial Palace right now. But he’s not one to make empty boasts…”

“So, it’s true! He woke up briefly this morning and sensed an ominous sign, so he sent an urgent message. The Royal Guards have been mobilized! Marquis Almasner, the commander of the Royal Guards, is personally leading them!”

“Look over there! That’s an army!”

Yustian swallowed again as he turned his gaze in the direction the guards indicated. A faint procession of lights was visible in the distance from the Imperial Palace. There was only one reason for such a procession at this early hour. An army was indeed approaching. They might have been ambushed if they hadn’t received the message. Yustian forced his trembling legs to stand firm.

“This is a place filled with young students who know nothing! What justification does His Majesty have for attacking this place!”

“T, treason, they say!”

“What?”

“They claim that His Highness the Crown Prince is being incited by the students and is plotting a rebellion here…!”

“That’s nonsense!”

Yustian was so dumbfounded that he shouted without realizing it. The Crown Prince he knew was a quiet and diligent student. He faithfully attended his classes but showed little interest in building power or forming friendships. He mostly worked alone and kept only a few people close. There was no way he would be involved in a rebellion with the students. He was already the Crown Prince, a truly perfect successor, flawless in terms of tradition and with the absolute support of the people! What could he possibly lack that would drive him to such an act when he would naturally ascend to the throne even if he did nothing! Moreover, the most important fact was that he had disappeared. There was no way the Crown Prince, who wasn’t even at the Academy, could be plotting a rebellion here.

“Danimel, we need to contact Danimel-nim! There must be some kind of misunderstanding! Send a message to his mansion immediately! Hurry!”

The guards looked even more dejected at Yustian’s urgent words.

“I don’t think that will work, Director.”

“What do you mean!”

“Someone testified to the Crown Prince’s rebellion in front of His Majesty the Emperor. And that person is Sage Danimel.”

“…Wh, what?”

“Please take a look at this.”

The guard handed him a piece of paper. It was a detailed report of the message. Yustian, who had been standing blankly, snatched the paper and read it. His hands, clutching the paper, trembled as he read on.

“Sage Danimel testifies that the Crown Prince plotted a rebellion inside the Academy. The enraged Emperor ordered the suppression of not only the Crown Prince but also the Academy that instilled insolent ideas in him… Moreover, the order is to kill everyone, regardless of their identity…”

“Director, what should we do?”

“F, first, raise the white flag. We have to let them know we are not rebels. Marquis Almasner, the commander of the Royal Guards, is a reasonable man. If the misunderstanding is resolved, he won’t try to suppress us right away, no matter how such an order exists!”

“Yes, I understand!”

“Wake up all the students and have them gather in the auditorium. In case of emergency, we will have to evacuate the children.”

“Yes!”

Even while giving instructions calmly, Yustian’s hands were trembling. His palms became damp, and it felt like the paper he was holding was getting wet. He was about to wipe his hands on his collar when a hand reached out from behind and lightly snatched the paper from him.

“…What is this!”

Yustian, turning around in anger, widened his eyes. The guards and professors with him also gasped. An unexpected figure stood there: tall, with a neat and handsome appearance. The hair revealed in the dim light had a deep crimson color, a noble color possessed by only two people in this empire.

“Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince?”