The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 172

The atmosphere in the plaza froze for a moment at the Emperor’s appearance.

“…”

The tens of thousands of officials and citizens filling the plaza held their breath at his mere presence. As the Emperor’s gaze swept across the crowd, everyone lowered their heads.

Not only commoners and nobles but even the imperial family seemed tense.

[My loyal subjects and beloved people, listen.]

The Emperor’s booming voice echoed through the plaza.

His voice, amplified through the magic circles of the imperial palace’s mages, spread throughout the plaza.

“Today, I stand here to commemorate the beginning of our great empire. We have inherited the Carmen Empire, founded by the grand dreams and indomitable will of the first Emperor, and have made it even stronger.”

The Emperor paused and looked around the plaza. Authority and pride emanated from his eyes.

“Rain, wasn’t His Highness’s health said to have deteriorated severely? I heard that preparations for succession would be made at this founding festival due to his severe health issues.”

“…That’s what I understood as well. He didn’t seem so robust when I saw him last time.”

Rael listened to the conversation between the Sword Dragon and Rain, looking at the Emperor.

Indeed, he didn’t look like a patient who could barely open his eyes.

“The founding festival starting today is not just a simple celebration. It is an expression of our will to remember our glorious past and move towards a more brilliant future.”

The Emperor’s voice grew increasingly louder.

Many nobles listening to the speech were moved to tears.

“The Carmen Empire will usher in a new era. No one will dare to covet Carmen’s power, and no one will be allowed to set foot on Carmen’s land!”

The speech of the thousand-year-old Carmen Empire was quite worth listening to.

Perhaps it was a speech written by the empire’s best strategists.

“And also, there will be an important event at this founding festival.”

Then, the Emperor, who seemed to have finished his speech, spoke again.

“After the founding festival, we will officially announce the successor who will become the next Emperor.”

The nobles’ eyes widened at the Emperor’s words.

This founding festival was only a week long.

It meant that a successor would be chosen within that short period.

“With the war against the demons approaching, I have decided that a successor must be chosen. The successor will be selected in an appropriate manner in conjunction with the Gaia Order, the state religion of the empire.”

The official succession of the Carmen Empire had begun.

The nobles’ gazes swept over the imperial family in an instant.

‘Prince Damian has legitimacy, but the most likely candidate is….’

‘Now that Prince Simon’s power has almost disappeared… we must side with Princess Uriel.’

With Gideon, the empire’s strongest knight, imprisoned,

The Second Princess, who held both the Rain Knights and the Gaia Order’s champion, was a more promising candidate than anyone else.

The Emperor finished his speech, turned, and returned to the imperial palace.

Clap, clap, clap, clap—

At the same time, thunderous applause filled the plaza.

The nobles glanced at the princes and princesses but did not forget to applaud.

“The next Emperor… the empire will be shaken once again.”

“The movements of the Allied Forces will finally become easier.”

“Yes. More than that, Rael, what are you thinking about during His Highness’s speech? Other nobles will talk.”

Rain looked at Rael, who was next to him.

He seemed to be lost in thought from the middle of the speech.

“…I was just thinking about something.”

Rael brushed off Rain’s words and recalled the Emperor he had just seen.

‘Is it because the time to leave is near? …I can’t feel any demonic energy from his body at all.’

The distance between the Emperor and Rael was quite far, but for Rael, who was deploying Mana Circulation [a technique to sense magical energy], that distance was not a problem at all.

‘Besides, his body is abnormally clean.’

Once demonic energy has taken root in a human body, it does not easily leave.

Even people who have been cured of demonic infection usually have trace amounts of demonic energy left in their bodies.

However, no demonic energy was felt from Emperor Leopold.

‘It would be possible if I directly extracted the demonic energy… but who else is capable of that?’

Perhaps it would be impossible for a ‘person’.

But if it’s not a person, it might be possible.

‘If a strong demon directly retrieved its demonic energy… it would be possible.’

Rael narrowed his eyes and looked at the imperial palace.

Then, Rain tapped Rael’s shoulder.

“Rael, there’s a Soma Association dinner. Are you going to attend? The Allied Forces will also be there. I’d like you to boost their morale.”

“I can’t. I have something to do.”

“Rael, even though you’re a champion of the Gaia Order, as an executive of the Soma Association, you have to participate. You’re ignoring the authority of the Soma Association too much.”

Rain spoke firmly as a senior member of the Soma Association.

Even if you’re the youngest executive, you have to keep what you have to keep….

“I’m going to see the Second Princess… are you going to tell me directly that I can’t, Commander Rain?”

“Have a good trip, Rael.”

Rain immediately turned around.

There was a lot to prepare for the dinner.

*

A high-end restaurant in District 2.

Rael entered a quiet room to meet Yuri and her aides.

The meal was already set in the room, and Rael immediately sat down and began to eat.

“Rael, if Yuri becomes the Emperor, what will we be? Ministers? Chancellors?”

Reina said cheerfully, seemingly delighted.

“You have to protect the Elven race, Reina. I’ll be the minister and chancellor.”

“I want to succeed too! Yuri, what do you think? Will the Emperor choose you as his successor?”

“…Do you think this is some kind of class president election?”

“Hehe, I wonder. Maybe there will be a test? I think they will let us know what kind of test it will be before the founding festival ends.”

Yuri answered with a smile.

Although she had not yet spoken with the Emperor, an appropriate test would be necessary to determine the successor among the four children.

“Test…? That’s difficult. The leader of the Elven race is just chosen by voting.”

“The position of Emperor is that heavy. My father will surely make a wise decision.”

Yuri brought the teacup to her lips.

Leopold von Grandia.

He was sometimes strict, but he was a good father.

Of course, from the age she entered the imperial succession competition, she couldn’t say he was a good father as he fell into a life of dissipation… Yuri missed and liked the father she had seen as a child.

“Gent, how is your father doing?”

Rael looked at the giant sitting next to Yuri.

Ragnar, said to be the sacred object of the giants, was strapped to his back.

“He wanted to see your face. He seems to understand my heart to some extent.”

Gent smiled as if he had been waiting for Rael’s words.

“…I don’t want to see that old man’s face. You should coax him well and take him to the land of the giants.”

Rael shook his head.

Meeting a stubborn person, or rather, a giant, is exhausting.

“Don’t worry, Rael. By the way, do you know the story of the kite? It is one of the legends passed down among the giants.”

“Kite? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Listen carefully, Rael. A kite can live for 70 years, but after 40 years, its body becomes old. At that time, the kite pulls out all of its claws and breaks its beak by pecking at rocks. After that, it even plucks out all of its feathers and lives a new life with a newly grown beak, claws, and feathers.”

“…What are you trying to say?”

Rael blinked, looking at Gent, who was speaking passionately.

He couldn’t understand what this giant was talking about.

“Like a kite that starts a new life after 40 years, my father and I are reborn. So don’t worry and meet my father.”

Gent said with a proud expression.

Gent Wool Kidsslipper, the chief of the giants.

He had definitely changed after visiting the empire’s famous restaurants.

“Gent.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry, but kites and eagles die as soon as their beaks break. There are blood vessels concentrated in the beak.”

“…Hmm? Don’t lie.”

“Think about it logically, Gent. How can a bird without arms pluck all its feathers, and do you think its claws and beak will regenerate in a day? How will it survive in the wild during that time?”

“……”

Gent’s eyes widened at Rael’s words.

The fact that the legend of the giants, which he had believed in since childhood, was actually a lie was a great shock to him.

“So don’t say strange things, and take your father back to your house.”

“Ah, no, Rael, whether that’s true or not is not important. What I wanted to say was….”

“That’s why you have to get at least a high school education… tsk, tsk.”

Rael sighed and shook his head.

Yuri, who was watching the two’s conversation, smiled and stood up.

“Hehe. Thanks to you two, I feel relieved. Ah, I’m going to go greet other people for a while. This founding festival seems like it will be busy. I’m so glad I can meet the three of you now.”

After Yuri left.

Gent and Rael briefly made eye contact.

Gent was the first to open his mouth.

“Yuri is a member of the imperial family, but she approaches other nobles first. Isn’t that an undignified act by human standards?”

“She’s just a very kind person. Besides, she had to do that in the past.”

Now all the nobles are trying to approach Yuri, but in the past, she wasn’t even treated as a member of the imperial family.

That habit may have remained, or it may just be a matter of her innate personality.

“What do you think, Rael?”

“About what?”

“About the next Emperor.”

“…I don’t know.”

Rael crossed his arms and pondered.

He was sure that Yuri would become the next Emperor, but so much had changed that he was worried in many ways.

Originally, it is most dangerous to be sure of anything.

“Leopold von Grandia, the Emperor of the Empire. I heard that he is indulging in a life of dissipation. The proper nobles of the empire are just waiting for him to die. Do you think such a person will choose the next Emperor in the right way?”

“I don’t know. But can’t people change? Like your father.”

“Giants and humans are different. Giants are honest people who are faithful to their instincts, but humans are not.”

Gent loves humans and nature, but he has seen many human figures while living in the empire.

Not all humans are as righteous as Yuri and Rael.

If you had to divide the ratio, there were more dirty and ugly people.

Beautiful and shining people are just covering them up.

“…Well, I don’t think the Emperor will change either.”

“Yuri is the reason my life has changed. I hope she does well if possible.”

If the first human he had met was not Yuri, Gent’s life might have been buried in the giants.

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have the happiness he feels now.

“….. Me too. Yuri must become the Emperor.”

In order for the thousand-year-old Carmen Empire to continue to shine, Yuri must become the Emperor.

“I’m even working as a champion, so the country can’t collapse.”

For the future Rael wants, the empire must exist.

The thousand-year-old Carmen Empire will be a fence protecting the orphanage.

“What are you two talking about all of a sudden?”

Then, Reina, who was concentrating on the meal, blinked.

As soon as Yuri left, she ignored the two who started a serious conversation and was tearing at the meat.

“It was a story about Yuri. Reina. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Ah, okay?”

Reina immediately understood Gent’s words.

And she looked at Rael and said.

“By the way, Rael, Reine unnie [older sister in Elvish] said she wants to meet you at this founding festival.”

“Ms. Reine? But I know the elves are busy these days treating demonic infections.”

Rael recalled Reina’s sister, who had her eyes closed.

She was so busy that she was also mobilized to treat demonic infections.

“During the founding festival, elves will take a break unless they are emergency patients, so they will have time. She said she wanted to meet you last time too. Other elves want to see you too.”

Rael nodded at Reina’s words.

Certainly, considering the other elves, he should show his face at least once.

They are also helping with the treatment of demonic infections at Rael’s request, and he feels sorry for them because they are so busy.

“…Hmm. Okay. I should see her once.”

“Then are you free tomorrow?”

Rael nodded.

Meeting Reine was not a difficult task.