Chapter 274: Sinking to the Darkness


    While watching the withdrawing rebel force, I transferred away.


    The destination is behind my father.


    That was quite a disaster. Your Majesty.


    Dont be so tough on me now. Silver.


    Father sighed at me from on top of his horse.


    His sight still set on the retreating Dragon Knights.


    The rebels bear the fault for this incident. They were the ones who started this after all. Still, it is also the emperors responsibility for your inability to suppress them. It was because you ced too much trust in your army that it came to this. Most soldiers joined the army because they were the third son of a noble family or because theyck prospects for the future. What they seek is achievements and that makes them easier to get lured to the other side.


    That hurts my ears. Its certainly my fault for neglecting them.


    Then be more careful next time. I have bought you some time. The rest is in your hand.


    I thank you for your help. Butwhat will be of your position inside the guild? You will be criticized if you side too much with the Empire you know.


    I dont care about such a thing. I just helped you because I need an emperor that thinks of the people. At least you are still better than that Third Prince. I do hope that you will not prove me wrong.


    Saying so, I turned my eyes away from Father.


    Fathers responsibility is great. Obviously, such responsibility came with being an emperor.


    However, there are some parts that I can sympathize with him.


    Three years ago, when my eldest brother died. My father was preparing to step down and hand the throne to him.


    In other words, he was already nning to retire since back then. However, his schedule was unexpectedly changed.


    Many of my eldest brothers followers were already holding important posts in the country. When they left after his death, Father had to rebuild the whole system.


    Thats why he didnt choose to utilize expansionist policy. Just like how Lize-aneue was stationed at the eastern border, he ced many trustworthy generals on each border to strengthen our defense and focus on foreign policy with the help from the Prime Minister and Eric.


    The military regarded such policy as weak. However, it was certainly his only option back then.


    If my eldest brother is still alive.


    In the end, we would all just circle back to that.


    But such a thing is meaningless. After all, he is already gone.


    However, that is also a chance. A turning point.


    I will try to answer your expectations then. Within my ability that is.


    Then you can use the corpses of those Holy Dragons as you like. You can sell it to the United Kingdom or you can strip materials from them as well. The Adventurer Guild should be able to act as your intermediary. The fund from that should help rebuild the Imperial Capital.


    That was why you killed them?


    It is one of the reasons. But if I only neutralize them, it will set a precedent. I dont want them to think that its okay to use such monsters in war again.


    I could have spared the Holy Dragons.


    However, even thinking of stopping the enemy army at the border or how it will affect the future, there is little merit in that.


    We should be able to keep the United Kingdom in check with the Holy Dragons materials as our leverage.


    If they lost their Three-Colored Dragons then it would be one thing. However, they still have one left.


    Even if we put the dragons material on the negotiation table, its clear that they will try toe at us again.


    Since they have sent out only two, they should have been more or less prepared to lose them. Even so, the United Kingdom desires the fertilend on the maind.


    You also have a hard time huh.


    Not as much as you. I will not be around for a while. So dont count on me.


    Of course. A countrys business should be handled by the country itself. Sorry that I got you involved in all this.


    If you want to apologize, do it to the people and make this ce a better country. Thats your job as an emperor.


    Saying so, I opened the transfer gate and left.


    The destination is the inn where Sebas is waiting for me.


    There, I sunk down on the bed immediately after I changed my clothes.


    You look tired, sir.


    Well, yeah..I used too much magic power.


    Then should you not prevent Prince Gordon from escaping now?


    You think he will be harder to take down once he gets away? The problem here is that such a thing should not be left to Silver. With my current magic power, I cant capture him while guaranteeing his life. The only thing I am capable of now is killing him. For Gordon, getting killed by Silver might be salvation instead. Even without theints from the guild or the other SS-rank adventurers, it would be a bad idea to kill Gordon as Silverhe needs to be the vessel that bears the grudges of the people in the Imperial Capital. Whether it be killing him or capturing him, it would be best for someone who belongs to the Empire to do it.


    The traitor that caused so much damage was killed by an adventurer.


    The people of the Imperial Capital will not be satisfied with that.


    They might be fine if its Silver but they will have some dissatisfaction within themselves somewhere.


    Besidesif Silver takes care of everything for them, the peoples hearts will be distanced from the Imperial Family. If the people start saying that they want Silver as their Emperor then I dont know for what purpose I have been fighting for.


    That is certainly true. Even though you have moved to prevent the destruction of the Empire, you will end up splitting it up instead. Forgive me, sir. I have overstepped my bounds.


    Its okayit is true that killing him is an easier way. With a small number of men under hermand, even Lize-aneue wouldnt be able to hunt him down. Gordons force will surely recover in the north. The time to take him down will be the next battle. There will be more sacrificesI know that well. But I cant stop now. If we can defeat Gordon, Leo will be on par with Eric. No, we have to use this chance to overtake him. From now on it will no longer be only a session war. The difference between us and Eric will not be ovee so easily. This is the fastest way.


    Is it not too hasty, sir?


    William is an honorable warrior. A person like that recognized Gordon as his friend. In other words, Gordon used to be someone who was deserving of his recognition. But what has be of him now?


    I thought that he only showed his ugly side to us, his family but thats not it. With this incident, I am convinced. There is certainly something strange going on in this session war. Theres something lurking behind the scenes. But I cant say what it is for sure. Thats why I have to end this as quickly as possible.


    When I said that, intense drowsiness attacked me.


    The bacsh finally came huh.


    When you spend arge amount of magic power, your body will seek sleep to recover it.


    This is especially true for those with more magic power than others.


    There are many things I want and need to do.


    The Adventurer Guild will call Silver to the Headquarters, and Leo will have to head to the battlefield to defeat Gordon. I want to help him there.


    However, I spent too much magic power subjugating the Spirit Turtle.


    If I dont rest now, I cant do anything.


    I will sleep for a whileI dont know how long.tell the others that I was poisoned..


    Certainly, sir. Please leave the rest to me.


    .tell themthank youand good work.


    I shall ry your message.


    Hearing Sebass answer, I slowly gave in to the drowsiness.


    I feel like I was sinking into the darkness.


    The scenery changes.


    It was the scenery of my past.


    Yes, it was three years ago.


    It was when Crown Prince Wilhelm was about to head to visit the north.


    At the castle square, my eldest brother called out to me who had skipped sses and was focusing on a book.


    Al! So you are here. Im going to be away from the capital again. I wont be seeing you for a while.


    Again? Wil-aniue. As the Crown Prince, you should spend your time inside the capital more right?


    Its because Im the Crown Prince that I have to go see the Empire for myself. And its not all that bad you know. I get to see a lot of things you know. Want toe with me this time?


    No way. Sounds troublesome.


    Thats very like you. I thought you would say that.


    If all you do is work then sister-inw will hate you, you know?


    Tsk Tsk Tsk! It will be fine since I and Therese are connected by love.


    If you are going to boast about your wife then please just go. Its not fun hearing someone elses happy story.


    When I said that and shooed him away with my hand, my brother turned back with a bitter smile.


    Then.


    Watch over the Empire while I am away okay? Al.


    That was unusual.


    He had never said something like that to me before.


    However, back then, I didnt pay it any mind.


    I thought that it was just a whim of my brother and responded with a bitter smile.


    As you wish, Your Highness.


    Then, my eldest brother disappeared.


    The image of his back was thest I saw of him.


    I couldnt stop regretting that. If I went with him at that time, something might have changed.


    However, I cant change the past.


    What I can do now is to shape the future.


    For a better tomorrow.


    After renewing my determination, I let myself sunk into the darkness again.