Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 199

Epilogue

A palace adorned with antique structures, clearly crafted by dwarven artisans. Knights in resplendent armor moved through a garden bursting with vibrant flowers. Their breastplates bore the emblem of an angel wielding a sword of light.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince! Where are you!” The royal guards’ shouts echoed through the palace.

“Still haven’t found him?”

“No, sir. We believe he may have already left the palace grounds…” Hwangbo-sung’s brow furrowed deeply at his subordinate’s stammered report.

“Good grief! For the Crown Prince of a nation to run away from home!”

Exactly ten years prior.

The year after the fall of the Baroque Empire, the Kingdom of Symphonia declared itself an empire, and Luke de Rakan ascended to the throne as Emperor.

The kingdoms of Irea and Castia, their royal capitals devastated and royal families shattered by the enhanced undead legion’s surprise attack, lacked the capacity to manage the occupied territories they had gained from the Baroque Empire’s collapse.

Ultimately, Symphonia managed the land that the two countries were supposed to occupy, and the fallen Kingdom of Lybia’s territory was divided with the Volga Republic.

Given this vast territory, declaring an empire would have been natural, but Luke, who disliked formalities, had no interest in doing so.

However, his vassals and the council held different views.

“Even a commoner’s house, when expanding, lays new foundations and builds pillars and walls. How can a country with newly expanded territory and tens of millions of people be run as before?”

“Your Majesty, we have information that the old Baroque nobles are constantly seeking opportunities to secede and raise an army.”

“To establish a new order, military power alone is insufficient. New authority is also needed.”

It wasn’t just the vassals and the council making a fuss.

From a certain point, the people also began shouting ‘Long live the Emperor’ whenever Luke appeared.

In the end, Luke conceded and ascended to the throne.

Just as when he first became king, the Pope came to bless the Emperor’s coronation.

And that was the last duty Veronica III performed as the Pope of the Holy Empire.

“When I ascended to the throne, this country was in chaos, and the people were suffering. But now, all the unstable elements have disappeared, and things are stable. It seems I’ve done all I need to do, so I’m stepping down from the position of Pope now.”

She, who had stabilized the Holy Empire through strong reform policies and by eradicating corruption in various sects, declared her abdication.

She recommended High Priest Luther as her successor.

Grand Duke Gregory, the high priests, the nobles, and even High Priest Luther himself opposed this.

However, her mind was made up.

No one could stop her from stepping down as Pope and living as a woman.

Well, there were Luke and Karen, but they supported her abdication.

The problem was the people of the Holy Empire.

Not only the residents of Bless, but people from all over gathered around the Sacred Palace, demanding she withdraw her abdication.

Some priests even went on hunger strikes.

“Just because I’m stepping down doesn’t mean I’m abandoning you forever. I swear to God that I will always strive for the peace of this country and its people.”

At those sincere words, the crowd had no choice but to relent.

Some time later, the conclave also agreed to the Pope’s abdication, and High Priest Luther officially became Pope.

Reyna, having stepped down from the throne, came to the Symphonia Empire, and this time, she was officially crowned Empress to the cheers of the Symphonian people.

The following year, she gave birth to a son.

Her son, named Carl, became the Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Carl was healthy and intelligent.

The problem was that Crown Prince Carl’s curiosity was too strong.

From the time he started walking, he wandered around the palace, and after a secret excursion with his father, he begged to see the outside world every time.

“No. You’re still too young to see the outside world.”

“Ugh, Grandpa! That’s what you call overprotection in professional terms!” He had been scolded by Belik for talking back like this not too long ago.

But it seems he hadn’t learned his lesson, as he had gone ahead and run away from home.

“Immediately inform the Imperial Capital Defense Force to search every place where His Highness the Crown Prince might have gone!”

“Yes, sir!”

As the chaos on the continent subsided, the security of each country improved significantly.

As the exchange between humans and other races became more active, and trade between the Rodisia Continent and the Southern Continent increased tenfold, scholars evaluated that the Middle Realm was entering its second renaissance.

However, there are always villains everywhere.

There was a chance that some unscrupulous people who recognized His Highness the Crown Prince might have bad intentions.

Therefore, Hwangbo-sung decided to mobilize not only the Royal Knights but also the Imperial Capital Defense Force.

“Count, what happened?”

“Ah! Princess, you’ve arrived.” Hwangbo-sung immediately showed respect as Karen appeared with the priests.

Karen, now a mature young woman in her late teens, was seen by the people of the Holy Empire as the next Pope.

Recently, she often traveled back and forth to the Holy Empire in place of her mother, playing a vital role in maintaining friendly relations between the two countries.

“Did Carl cause trouble again?”

“Yes, I have no idea where he went…” Karen shook her head at Hwangbo-sung’s answer and said, rolling up her sleeves.

“I’ll go get him. There’s no need to inform the Imperial Capital Defense Force.”

“Y-you, Princess?”

“I have an idea where he might have gone.” Karen answered confidently and immediately deployed teleportation magic.

The place she moved to was a field on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

It was a testing ground for the newly produced Gigants [large, humanoid war machines] from the Imperial Katarina Magic Tower.

In that field, a little boy was watching the sparring matches between the new Gigants.

“Ugh, how can you attack like that! You have to dig in more and swing your greatsword!” The little boy was jumping up and down, even tearing at his hair as the red Gigant he was cheering for struggled against the blue Gigant.

“Ugh, why are you thrusting there! Even I would do better than you…”

“Hey!” At the sharp shout, the little boy, Crown Prince Carl, froze.

“S-sister!”

“You little brat, without any fear! What if you got into an accident coming here alone!” Karen, who had rushed over, repeatedly smacked Carl’s head.

Unlike the Gigant Arena, this field lacked defensive magic circles, so carelessly watching could lead to a major accident.

And yet, he was loitering around here without permission!

“The palace is in an uproar because of you. What were you thinking, running away from home!”

“I didn’t run away from home!”

“What do you mean you didn’t?” When the little one talked back, Karen raised her fist again to smack him.

At that moment, someone stopped her, grabbing her hand.

Karen’s eyes widened as she turned her head.

“Dad?”

“It’s been a while, Karen. How is the Holy Empire? I heard everyone is worried because it hasn’t rained for a long time?” Instead of answering her father’s words, Karen snapped back.

“Did you take Carl out?”

“He said he wanted to see the new Gigants.”

Like Luke’s son, Carl was very interested in Gigants.

He had even decorated his room with Gigant models.

Luke also intended to guide his son’s interest in a good direction.

That’s why he had directly participated in the sparring match of the new Gigants just now. The reason why the test rider on the red Gigant was being unilaterally pushed back was also because of that.

Behind Luke, the blue Gigant he had been riding until just now stood with its breastplate open.

“Even so! How can you take him out without saying a word! Everyone is worried!”

“It’s just that I was in a hurry because I thought I would be late for the new Gigant test time…” Despite Luke’s excuse, Karen’s cold gaze did not change.

“I’m going to tell Mom everything, so you better be ready.”

“Hey, please…” Before Luke could say anything, Karen teleported back first.

It seemed like she really was going to tell on him.

“Haa, this is a big problem.” To Luke, Reyna was now a more terrifying existence than the Demon King he had faced 10 years ago.

Especially when it came to educating their children, she made no concessions.

Unlike what she had done with Karen in the past, she was quite strict in disciplining Carl.

It wasn’t because he was the Crown Prince who would succeed Luke and rule the empire in the future, but because Carl, who was born in a peaceful era, was quite spoiled.

“Looks like I’m going to get a lecture again today.”

“Dad, you’re supposed to be a hero who saved the continent, so why are you so weak in front of Mom?” Luke chuckled and stroked his grumbling son’s head.

“Because your mom is the one who made that hero.”

If it weren’t for her, the current Luke wouldn’t exist.

Luke, who had briefly looked back on the past, moved towards the palace with his son.

The battles that people in the world were excitedly talking about as legends and history had ended a long time ago.

After that, somewhat boring and trivial things continued, but for Luke, that time was more precious than anything else.

Because it was a peaceful daily life obtained at the end of a long battle.

Even though Reyna’s nagging was a bit noisy, he hoped that this happy time would continue.

(The End of Steel Emperor)

The Golden Apple’s Creative Space

http://cafe.naver.com/goldapple2010.cafe