Chapter 98 – Landfall

Thump, thump, thump!

The sound of drums leading the angry masses echoed throughout the imperial capital.

A massive wave created by the entanglement of hunger and anger had begun.

“Revolution in our hearts!”

Those who led the way shouting the party slogan were the leadership of the Golden Age Party.

Behind them, revolutionary party members mingled with the angry masses, systematically inciting and leading them.

“We can no longer live like this!”

“Overthrow the imperial family!”

“Give us bread and freedom!”

Grief and shouts coming from starving bellies.

The place they would head was already decided.

“To the imperial palace!”

As the shout spread, the crowd quickened their pace as if in response.

There was no such thing as fear or dread for them.

Exhausted by starvation, they were already standing at the edge of a cliff, and everyone who turned into a rioter was moving with one mind.

Furthermore, by their side were armed forces called the revolutionary army, and when news spread that the Imperial Army located outside the imperial capital had betrayed the imperial family and sided with the revolution,

they became wild beasts and began to advance with the momentum to tear down the walls of the imperial palace.

The imperial palace, which had been armed with authority and dignity for a long time, was now finished.

“Party Representative. They say the Imperial Army has entered the imperial capital.”

Kaiser silently watched the protesters heading toward the imperial palace, then looked at the revolutionary party member who had brought him the news.

“Good news. It seems we just need to join forces with our revolutionary army in front of the imperial palace.”

“Yes. And they asked to make sure to convey these words to the Party Representative. That the Emperor must not live. They conveyed that they expect a guillotine execution from us.”

Kaiser showed a bitter smile instead of an answer.

For now, he was not changing his words.

Since he had promised the party members and the angry masses that he would execute the Emperor in front of the guillotine.

However, he had already given prior notice to a few he trusted.

He had informed them about another scenario where the Emperor survives.

“What is the Imperial Guard doing?”

“As expected, they have shut themselves in the imperial palace and entered a siege.”

The imperial troops.

Regrettably, they were not much of a threat in this revolution.

The imperial family was in a crisis, their salaries had collapsed, and

it was clear that just seeing the shadow of the Imperial Army that had joined the revolution would quickly break their will to fight.

The actual problem was the Imperial Guard, who would not betray until the end, and the private soldiers sent by the vampire nobles.

“The nobles must have sent private soldiers too, right?”

“Yes, they seem to have joined forces with the imperial troops.”

“The vampire nobles will never betray. So the private soldiers will remain and fight to the end.”

“Even so, they won’t be able to stop us. The scale itself is different.”

How reassuring it was to be on the same side as the military.

However, he could not just be happy.

Because they would turn into enemies rather than allies after the revolution.

“Naturally. Since they would be on a completely different level in terms of scale and quality.”

“Yes.”

As he departed, this time the propaganda chief, who could be called his right hand, approached him.

“Party Representative.”

“You’ve arrived. I was waiting for you.”

“Well… I thought a bit about the part you mentioned. Do we really have to keep her alive?”

He seemed to harbor doubts about the alternative scenario that might happen.

Kaiser did not particularly think his reaction was strange either.

Rather, it was natural.

“You would think so. Keeping her alive all of a sudden.”

Brandon continued speaking while looking at the angry masses and the party members crying for revolution.

“The people over there will think that the Emperor dies tonight. That plan of the Party Representative… would be directly betraying that expectation. I am deeply concerned that they might harbor deep antipathy toward you, Party Representative, due to that matter.”

“I will do the persuading.”

The public, who would be swayed by his authority, was not much of a problem.

Because they would be precisely manipulated by his tongue.

The actual problem was the obstinate Emperor.

“And it might not turn out that way. She has been an Emperor who did not bend her will until now. Would she change her mind now?”

“That is true.”

“However…”

The tide has already turned.

She must also anticipate her fate to some extent by now.

Perhaps she might bend her will at the very last moment.

Since that would be the last option given to her.

“Looking at this atmosphere, even that obstinate Emperor might bend her will. Thus, it is an alternative I only informed a few people about.”

“I thought about it deeply, but the necessity is still questionable. Would it not be better for the Emperor to just disappear?”

Keeping her alive was itself a foolish thing based on romance.

As Rashid had said, it would be cleanest for her to die at this point.

However, if one looked for a reason, it was not impossible to find.

“Who do you think our enemy will be after the revolution?”

Brandon tilted his head.

“Do we have an enemy after the revolution?”

“The revolution is merely the beginning. The real fight will be after the revolution.”

Only then did the propaganda chief begin to nod.

He understood his words late.

“The military.”

“Yes, correct. The military is not on our side and will part ways with us after the revolution. Naturally, once the imperial family falls, next is the world of the military. They won’t want to share interests with us. They will probably cleanly ignore the proposal I made as well.”

The propaganda chief narrowed his brow, thinking about what would happen afterward.

“But wouldn’t they need our power to win the presidential election? Don’t we have more supporting forces than any other party? There won’t be any other alternative besides us.”

“No. They will found a new political party.”

“A new political party?”

“Yes, a new party. That way, they won’t have to watch our countenance.”

Kaiser’s words continued.

“And they will suppress our Golden Age Party to reign as the undisputed number one party in the Empire. For the time being, that is.”

The propaganda chief did not seem to be able to gauge the future events well.

“Would our power… bend that much? Just looking at the atmosphere here, it would be hard to beat us, wouldn’t it? And isn’t the popularity of the Party Representative, who is the protagonist of the revolution, sky-high?”

Kaiser shook his head.

If this atmosphere simply continued, that would be the case, but

an event that prevents it will surely break out.

“The Empire is currently in a crisis in many ways. While the inside is chaotic due to the revolution right now, outside, the Allied Kingdoms are constantly seeking an opportunity.”

“Did you… predict a war?”

“Yes. The Allied Kingdoms probably won’t stay quiet. They will invade again using the fall of the imperial family as an excuse. They are not ones to tolerate the Council. And when that time comes, the public will send more enthusiastic cheers to the party led by the military rather than us.”

If war breaks out, he will be born.

The one who will later be revered as the father of the nation, that is.

“Commander Leon Stout will become even more famous than now. Perhaps he might be revered as the father of the nation who saved the country after the upcoming war with the Allied Kingdoms.”

If it truly turned out as he said,

the propaganda chief thought that the Golden Age Party might be pushed behind the party founded by the military.

“I did not know you would think so deeply.”

“Therefore, the Emperor kept alive might be of help to us in the future. If we persuade the Emperor to join our party, first, the vampire nobles will support us unconditionally. Since vampires were originally like that. And although their influence has declined a lot, there are those who yearn for the past reign of the Emperor. It might be an extreme minority, but they will also join us.”

The propaganda chief showed a quite surprised expression.

It was he who stood at the vanguard of the party and cried out for the overthrow of vampires.

For him to not only have the Emperor join the party but also join forces with the vampire faction.

Various thoughts arose, but he too could not escape Kaiser’s authority.

“You probably find it strange. That I, who hated vampires more than anyone, suddenly speak like this.”

“Ah, no.”

“We are politicians. There are no eternal enemies or allies for us. Depending on necessity, we can also cooperate with the hated vampires.”

The slogans that incited the public and the targets of hatred could be overturned at any time.

Because that was the nature of creatures that do politics.

“Therefore, tonight. If we can persuade that obstinate Emperor, it would be best to stop the incitement against vampires around here. That will also be good for us.”

Kaiser, having finished speaking, suddenly thought of him who was absent from this place.

At the same time, he hung an incomprehensible smile on his lips.

‘That person will like it.’

Since the distinction between friend and foe would become clear with this, he would certainly welcome it.

* * *

With the wall of the imperial palace between them, the imperial troops and the revolutionary army began to prove their existence with blood and shouts.

The shouts of the angry masses were endless, and the air surrounding the imperial palace had already grown murky with the smell of the battlefield.

Even though night fell, the gunshots and clashing of metal inside and outside the imperial palace, which had started since daytime, did not know how to cease, and the shouts and screams showed no signs of subsiding either.

As if resigned to everything.

The Empress sat quietly on the throne, looking at the empty audience chamber.

Her red hair flowed over her shoulders, having lost its vitality, and her red eyes stared ahead without a single movement.

Her eyes were calm, as if they had lost reason.

Since she had resolved herself, it was a gaze that had forgotten even fear.

“Your Majesty… it seems you must avoid this place quickly. Considering the commotion outside, the rioters seem likely to burst in here soon.”

Now, the only one remaining by her side was one person.

It was Ryden, her knight.

Although she knew that the color of defeat deepened as the commotion outside drew closer, she did not react and just sat calmly.

She already knew.

That her future was decided.

She hardened her resolve once again.

To carry the mission of the imperial family and be remembered as the Emperor until the very, very final moment.

She was thinking only of that.

Having remained silent like that for a while, she spoke in a low voice after becoming conscious of him.

“I heard we will not be able to hold out.”

Ryden, conscious of the gradually approaching commotion, paid his respects to her.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Since the military has already changed its mind, it seems difficult to hold out any longer. Therefore, please avoid this place quickly.”

“Even if I flee… would there be any meaning?”

She showed a self-mocking smile.

She did not bother to say that she was finished.

In her mind, the words he had spoken echoed like a call.

That she would be dragged to the guillotine and executed.

“As time goes on, my power grows stronger… so why is my surrounding collapsing like this?”

It was something she had felt recently.

It felt as if the restrictions on her authority were gradually disappearing.

While her own power was growing stronger day by day like this, why was reality flowing differently?

Although she was resigned, that was still a source of dissatisfaction.

“Sir Ryden. I am sorry for all this time. I used you. For myself and the imperial family.”

Before her words could even finish, Ryden knelt on one knee and raised his voice as if pleading to her.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty must not say such words. For Your Majesty to say you are sorry to someone must never be, nor should you say it!”

Perhaps because she foresaw the end, she did not take back the words she had spoken.

“I release you. Now, you are free.”

Her authority began to reach Ryden.

But Ryden’s attitude did not change.

Staying as her knight was something he had agreed to to some extent as well.

“Even if you release me, I will remain until the end to protect Your Majesty’s side.”

Even at his steel-like determination, she had no reaction.

Because it was already finished, she did not need his comfort.

Before long.

In tandem with the commotion arriving right in front of them, he appeared.

Kaiser revealed himself along with the revolutionary army knights.

“Mathias Kruger!”

Ryden glared at him terrifyingly.

At this moment, even Kaiser could not help but flinch.

Because he who guarded the Emperor’s side was the undisputed strongest in the world.

“Haha, you are firmly angry. At this rate, even ten lives of mine would seem insufficient.”

Soon the revolutionary army knights stepped forward, but they were indeed no match for Ryden.

Ryden suppressed and knocked down as many as five revolutionary army knights at once.

“My… indeed, they are no match for you.”

Nonetheless, the reason he held his ground was that he had something to rely on.

Soon, there was a shadow cast behind him.

Wearing golden mana armor.

The knight of mana armor who could keep Ryden in check, unique and unrivaled in this world, had appeared.

“Varasha?”

Ryden, who could not possibly fail to recognize her, fell into great shock.

“Why are you here?”

Her visor opened, revealing her face.

She did not bother to answer, but she was saying it with her expression.

That she would obstruct him.

“Sir Varasha. Then, I leave Ryden to you.”

She had turned around at the last moment.

When the Imperial Army sided with the revolutionary army and the tide completely turned,

she naturally aligned with the revolutionary army.

The Emperor, who had resigned to everything, was also enraged.

“It was the imperial family that bestowed the title of Hero upon you. Has such a person betrayed the imperial family?”

Varasha did not answer Ryden’s call, but

she kindly responded to the Emperor’s question.

“Your Majesty. I realized after that day that the imperial family is unnecessary in this country.”

Her words continued.

“On the day of the bloody purge. The disappointment I felt toward the imperial family and Your Majesty is extremely deep.”

She cast an unpleasant glance at Kaiser.

“Of course. I still do not like that human. Aside from that, I entirely agree that a new era must open.”

She was also someone who truly cared for the Empire.

“The Empire. It is another homeland I protected with my own hands. I will drag you down from that seat, you who are unnecessary in the new era.”

Simultaneously with her visor lowering, Ryden’s visor also lowered.

“Varasha!”

The white knight, pouncing like a flash, targeted the golden knight, but she began to deflect his sword terrifyingly with her halberd forward.

A clash of giants.

The momentum of the two was extremely fierce, and it was a close match to the point where the victory or defeat of the fight could not easily be guaranteed.

It was natural, since they were the ones who had competed for first and second place since their academy days.

Furthermore, both of them carried the title of Hero.

“Phew~ It is a relief she turned around at the last moment. It would have been a disaster if I had not brought her.”

The fight between the two moved out of the audience chamber and began to head outside before long.

This was largely because she intentionally pushed it out.

Thus, due to the resisting Ryden, the fight between the two became extremely violent, and the entire imperial palace was on the verge of shaking due to the clash of fierce magic.

“Then, we must see the end now.”

Kaiser walked up and stood in front of the Emperor.

Around her, the power of the rampaging authority was fluctuating.

“I hate you.”

That was brief.

Soon, her gaze fell upon another person entering the audience chamber.

“Inquisitor…”

He was someone who did not quite belong in this place.

Rashid, feeling the two Heroes clashing nearby, looked at the two facing each other in the distance.

Kaiser’s gaze met his, and Rashid threw forward the severed head of Marcus, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, as if to show him.