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Vol. 10 Chapter 11 - Emperor
🕑 Added 2022-05-16 11:23:10 +0000 UTCArgos, my flagship, has been stationed right above Baron Gurin's home planet, and Viscount Maiat has been summoned to its large conference room.
With no Calvanist aristocrats to support him, he's as tame as a cat.
He's sweating profusely and shrinking in fear before the Cleo Faction.
“Congratulations on your victory, Viscount Maiat. You've won.”
I take the initiative to clap, and the other aristocrats eventually follow my lead.
However, Viscount Maiat seems terrified.
No one would see him and think he's won a war.
But I guess this is a natural reaction.
He's won the territories, but this war also served to determine who the next Emperor would be.
Despite emerging victorious in the territorial dispute, the Calvin Faction has lost much of its forces, meaning they can no longer oppose us in the battle for succession.
Viscount Maiat probably knows this as well, which is why he's not too happy about the situation.
“We tried to rescue Baron Gurin, but we couldn't reach him in time, and he unfortunately perished in battle. I have to say, I'm impressed by how valiantly your soldiers fought.”
I was the cause of Baron Gurin's death.
More specifically, it was Tia that killed him, but she did it under my orders.
“T-that was your doing,” Viscount Maiat says in a muffled voice.
“Nonsense. We did our best to save Baron Gurin, but we were one step too late. Isn't that right, Viscount?”
Intimidated, Viscount Maiat nods in agreement.
He's been put in a spot where he must agree to my words.
If he doesn't, his family will also be wiped out.
“Well then, let's deal with the war's aftermath. Baron Gurin was defeated, and his territory was seized. The head of the family was killed in action, and they don't have any more territory to speak of. Hence, the Gurin Family will cease to exist from here on out. Is everybody in agreement?”
I ask for everyone's opinions, and they all nod dismissively, showing little care over the dispute of someone else's territory.
It's understandable. After all, such things do not bring them any benefit.
“Rejoice, Viscount Maiat. From today, the home planet of the Gurins is yours.”
“Y-you say that, but I can't maintain a planet like this. And I refuse to take over Baron Gurin's debts.”
Based on how desolate Baron Gurin's planet is, there's no doubt that its previous owner was deep in the red.
As such, the Viscount is saying that he doesn't want to take over the planet.
“But you're the victor here. Don't think too much about it. After all, the Gurin Family no longer exists, and you were the one that caused its demise, so this is your responsibility, and you can't refuse it .”
“T-that...”
There's nobody left to take care of the planet, and since the cause of the Baron's death lies in Viscount Maiat, the Empire will hold him accountable.
The Viscount's complexion turns pale.
Seeing this, I set forth my conditions.
“Hand over Planet Charlow. If you do, I'll take care of Baron Gurin's home planet, as well as his debt.”
Viscount Maiat jumps at this proposal.
◇
Back in the Capital, Calvin called for Cleo after hearing the details of how the proxy war ended.
“Let me ask you one last question. Was this within your expectations?”
Calvin was genuinely curious and had no intention of voicing any resentment.
In turn, Cleo gave Calvin an honest reply while maintaining a cool expression.
“--No, it wasn't. I didn't think he'd annihilate my Personal Guards.”
“--It looks like he knew of your betrayal. What are your plans moving forward? The Banfield Family has solidified its position as the strongest in the Empire. Even if you become Crown Prince and eventually the Emperor, you won't be able to touch him.”
“He killed my subordinates, and for that, he'll have to pay the price.”
Calvin ridiculed Cleo after hearing his answer.
“To lose to someone like you...as I thought, my only enemy was Count Banfield.”
“And what do you mean by that?”
Cleo wasn't pleased by what he was hearing, but Calvin couldn't care less.
After all, it was decided that his fate would be left to Liam, and no matter what Cleo wanted to do, Liam would get in his way.
“You should've just stayed quiet until you became the Emperor. From now on, he'll treat you as his enemy. If you had lain low and waited for a chance to strike when he least expected it, you might've had a chance. Now, however, you might be driven out of your position instead if you aren't careful. If it's him, he'll have no problem dealing with you even while taking care of someone like Cedric.”
Calvin was telling Cleo that he should've remained silent if he wished to defeat Liam.
Cleo frowned at his words, but Calvin simply looked up at the ceiling.
“You were too hasty. In fact, I was probably too hasty as well. If I had personally gone and bowed my head to him, my position would've remained rock-solid.”
Calvin recalled the manner in which he requested Liam to join his faction.
Never in his wildest dreams did he think things would turn out this way.
Calvin stood up.
“Cleo, Father has summoned you. From today, you'll be the Crown Prince, the closest existence to the throne. For now, let me congratulate you.”
◇
Lysithea accompanied Cleo as he walked toward the audience hall.
“Cleo, you've finally reached a point where you can talk face-to-face with father!”
The Emperor was her father as well, but she had only seen him from afar and had never gotten to speak with him.
Cleo revealed a smile.
“Once I become the Emperor, I'll introduce you to some noblemen, and you'll get to pick who you wish to marry.”
Lysithea's face turned bright red, but she seemed delighted.
“R-really? I'm glad to hear that. I see, I'll get to marry someone as well. I was ready to stay content with Elder Sister Cecilia's marriage, but I'd like to get married as well if I had the chance.”
Lysithea was in a great mood now that they weren't in a situation where they could die at any moment.
Cleo was deep in thought seeing his sister behave like this.
(I've finally come this far. Eventualy, I'll ascend the throne and rule this country. Liam, you've become a powerful aristocrat, but I'll soon be Emperor, and when I am, I'll no longer have to fear you.)
Once they were near the audience hall, only Cleo was allowed to enter.
Alone, he continued onward, and he eventually found himself inside a luxurious audience hall befitting the ruler of the Empire.
Though it was referred to as an audience hall, it was situated outdoors.
There was no need for a roof since they could control the weather.
Under the warm sunlight of the aritificial sun, Cleo came face-to-face with His Majesty the Emperor [Bagrada Noah Albarate], and there he felt a terrible chill.
(W-what? Is he the Emperor?)
Bagrada was sitting on his throne and looked like a kind man in his thirties.
His hair that was long enough to touch his shoulders was tied up in a loose bun, and his body appeared taller and firmer than Cleo's, suggesting that he was a competent knight as well.
At first glance, people would mistake him for a kind man who always smiles, but for some reason, it was offsetting.
“I-it's been a long time, Your Majestry. I have come to answer your summon.”
Cleo quickly lowered his face to avoid Bagrada's gaze.
Cold sweat trickled down his cheeks before falling to the floor.
Bagrada's voice was as gentle as his appearance suggested.
“I hear you've defeated Calvin. I didn't think you'd become Crown Prince, but here we are. Taking into account everything that comes with succession, you should be crowned Emperor in about thirty years.”
Bagrada was giving him his honest thoughts, but Cleo had a lot to say before that.
About how he was appointed as the Third Prince as a joke.
--And about how he wasn't allowed to change his sex.
Indeed, Cleo had been a woman all this time.[1]
He had been living under the guise of being a man simply for Bagrada's entertainment.
People would've noticed this if he had a normal life, but Cleo lived in the inner palace.
He could disguise himself rather easily with a suit, and as the people around him were his relatives, he didn't have to worry about being discovered most of the times.
Now that he was the Crown Prince, he wished to finally resolve his gender issue.
“Your Majesty, I'd like to make a reque--”
“Rejected.”
Before he could finish his sentence, Bagrada turned him down.
“You wish to change your sex, correct? But if you go through with it, I'll disown you.”
“However, being a man would be convenient in many ways, especially now that I have duties I must fulfill as the Crown Prince. Even if it's for that period of time--”
“No. Your look of digust and unwillingness pleases me. Now, raise your head so that I can see your beautiful face.”
Cleo obeyed Bagrada's playful command and raised his head, only to see a beautiful boy smiling at him.
However, for some reason, the smile felt eerie.
Bagrada spoke to him with a smile plastered on his face.
“By the way, you seem to have had a falling out with the Banfield Family that has supported you throughout your journey.”
“--I'm being backed by other aristocrats that will eventually replace him. People have been requesting to meet with me one after another, so I won't be needing his support anymore.”
“Oh, but that's not what I'm concerned about. He's been here several times, but I haven't had the opportunity to talk with the rumored wonder child until now. Do bring him here when the chance arises.”
What did Bagrada want with Liam?
Cleo was curious, but he judged that it wasn't the right time to ask.
Although he said it in a gentle manner, Bagrada's words left little room for refusal.
“I'll bring him here as soon as he returns to the Capital.”
“I leave it to you, my cute Cleo. I wish to have a nice talk with him. In this bloody war for succession, he has brilliantly managed to climb to the top of the foodchain among the aristocrats.”
All the candidates that Cleo had defeated so far, including Calvin and Linus, had been backed by powerful aristocrats with many talented people under their belts, and yet Liam was able to shove them aside and make Cleo the Crown Prince, simultaenously becoming one of the greatest aristocrats in the Empire.
It wasn't Cleo, but rather the prince that Liam chose, that became the Crown Prince.
Cleo looked down with clenched teeth.
Bagrada saw this and narrowed his eyes into a squint, flashing a nasty smile.
“Do you hate Count Banfield? He's the man that made you the Crown Prince, yet your face is saying that you hate him more than anyone else in the world.”
Cleo was startled by how spot-on the Emperor was.
“Hate is a strong word. If Your Majesty orders it, I'm sure we can get along without any proble--”
Cleo thought for sure that the Emperor would encourage him to maintain an amicable relationship with the Banfield Family for the future of the Empire, but Bagrada hit him with a curve ball.
“There's no need for that. In fact, I encourage you to not hold hands with him.”
“--I beg your pardon?” Cleo exclaimed, confused.
Bagrada stood up and praised him.
“You truly are suited to be the Crown Prince of this Empire. You have what it takes to be the next Emperor. I'm very pleased to see that you're trying to drive away your allies that have given their all to support you.”
“Your Majesty?”
“Keep on entertaining me, my dear child.”
◇
After his audience with the Emperor, Cleo walked unsteadily back to his chamber located in the inner palace.
Lysithea had been worried and accompanied him, but he was now alone on his bed.
Two bumps that could fit in one's hands appeared when he took off the suit he wore as a disguise.
His body looked smaller than usual due to the feminine curves that stood out.
He raised his right arm in the air and made a grabbing gesture.
The audience with Emperor Bagrada was mentally taxing, but there was hope in his eyes.
“--Liam, you chose the wrong person to become Crown Prince. ”
Soon, Cleo would officially become the Crown Prince.
At the same time, he would become political enemies with Liam.
Though Liam was a tricky opponent to have as an enemy, Cleo was excited at the prospect of fighting him.
“And 'I' will be the one to win.” [2]
◇
The Albarate Dynasty of the Algrand Empire.
Originally, the royal family was made up of the Algrands, but somewhere along the way, the Albarates, which was then a branch family of the royals, seized control through bloodshed.
The Empire has thousands of years of history, and its current Emperor is right before my eyes.
We've met several times in the past, but it's only now that we're close enough to have a conversation.
This also goes to show how important of a figure I've become within the Empire.
For most others, they'll be allowed to enter the audience hall but not allowed to get this close to the Emperor.
Bagrada applauds me.
“I'm impressed that you managed to defeat Calvin and the powerful aristocrats that supported him. Now, you are the most powerful aristocrat in the Empire both in name and reality.”
“I'm honored.”
Though I'm showing a humble attitude, I'm actually deeply angry at His Majesty, or shall I say, Bagrada?
“You had a quarrel with Cleo, correct?”
He's calling the annihilation of Cleo's Personal Guards a quarrel.
Is that what he thinks of our fight?
“We discovered a traitor among His Highness the Crown Prince's Personal Guards.”
“So that's why. Talk it out with Cleo after this. I hope you can continue to support him in the future.”
Bagrada who's smiling has the appearance of a young man, but I've noticed something.
“My loyalty to the Empire will remain unchanged in the future.”
“With Count Banfield on our side, I'm sure the Empire will be safe. Ah, right. Since you'll be taking the Claudia Family's title, you'll soon be Duke Banfield, is that right?”
“Yes, we'll be getting married immediately after I return to my territory.”
“Oh, congratulations then.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Something ominous is hiding behind Bagrada's smile, something unpleasant and nasty.
I've been thinking about the identity of the “true enemy” that the Guide spoke of, and I've been suspicious of the Emperor all this time.
Now that I'm before him, I'm convinced that he's the one I'm looking for.
After all, there's a dark and sinister aura around him that an ordinary person should not have, an aura that I can sense as I've somewhat approached the level where Master Yasushi is at, and it's is telling me that the Emperor of the Algrand Empire is my true enemy.
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Brian (； ・`ω・´): “Lord Liam, no! There's no such thing as a true enemy. If there is one, it would be the Guide! Lord Liam, please notice this!”
The Beautiful Wakagi-chan(゜∀。): “Volumes 1 through 3 of 'I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire' are now on sale! Extra content's been added, so please purchase them!”
[1] W.T.F.
[2] Here, Cleo uses the feminine I (watashi) instead of ore.
