Emperor Has Returned

“Juan”.

Having noticed Juan, Anya approached him.

Juan was standing in a corner looking towards the city square in front of the council building.

Next to the building, in front of many Hiveden’s organisations, Ardin was making a speech.

Beside them was Yuldrick, Gino and Selpa’s heads that had been cut off.

“Gruesome scenes do tend to shock crowds and get their attention. He knows how to incite one.”

“Are you talking about Ardin?”

“Yeah. Also the way he talks is amusing. He talks as if everyone has assumed that they’re a pile of trash. But not going so extreme that he’d instigate them.”

“He does his job well.”

The speech entailed how three counselors had died after an ambush by the Hugin knights. Then he went on about how the White crow knights should be welcomed into the city to help avenge their deaths.

For the most part the speech was as everyone had expected but for a few points.

That the dutiful knights will be the ones to take revenge, weak residents shouldn’t act carelessly and that Hiveden must show a united attitude.

It was hard to find anyone with less honor than the people of Hiveden.

Most subordinates underneath the dead counselors had already switched their allegiance to Ardin or Oppert.

It was hard to see these folks as useless, but compared to Hugin and White crow knights, they weren’t too far off.

“In short, battle will commence between the two knight orders, the people will largely just watch and the three counselors are dead because they opposed the majority’s decision. The bright ones would’ve understood most of it and the rest will figure it out sooner or later.”

“The brain works fast when the information is related to their own survival or benefits. Everything went rather smoothly. We were a little worried but since they’ve stayed mild even after three of them were beheaded, it tells us they’re fine with not being in control as long as they don’t participate in the fight.”

“I wonder in what way Lars is wanting to change this city……”

“After we kill the White crow knights, wouldn’t he bring change to everything? We had been planning it for a while. Ardin was a slave trader in the past not to mention many other trash in the city.”

“Slave trader?”

“Yes.”

Juan looked at the man still in the middle of his speech with his arms crossed. Just now, a reason for a man to keep living had disappeared.

He didn’t care that the Hugin knights had largely neglected slave trading. During his time as emperor, Juan hadn’t been active in stopping unfair treatment towards half breeds.

This was clearly just something personal.

“I’m not sure if we needed to do things this way.”

It was Dilmond. He had his arms crossed as he looked at the heads of the three dead counselors.

“Why? If I didn’t kill them, Dilmond kyung would’ve beaten them instead. Ah, perhaps you’re not happy about how cleanly their heads were chopped off?”

“No I’m saying, if they need to follow what the White crow knights are going to tell them to do, was there a reason for our intervention in the first place? Of course we did gain some benefit during all this but not so much that it will be relevant in the grand scheme of things. Despite our cards being shown, was it worth it, is what I want to say.”

Anya smiled.

“It’s alright to speak your mind truthfully. I gather you’re saying, you weren’t happy that Lars nim was revealed? Well, three points to explain why we did it. First, we needed to show that we’re confident in winning. Second, if we don’t use force, our spies that we’ve infiltrated may get hurt. Third, Hiveden must appear as if they’re being threatened rather than willing to help us.”

“Threaten?”

“The events that transpired today will spread 100%. Well, right now they’re still in fear, so maybe not anytime soon, but eventually it will happen as there were alot of witnesses. In time, the empire will hold people responsible. And when they do, they can claim they had been threatened as an excuse. If the White crow knights are easily defeated without them, the empire will suspect that they would have cooperated with us.

Dilmond nodded.

“Hmm. Although, you have me convinced, I’m not sure if the church will be so understanding. I would think they’ll do everything to get their way, aftering hearing Lars nim had been sighted here.”

“Yes. That sounds like the church bastards I know.”

Dilmond and Anya turned around at hearing Juan’s voice. Juan muttered something while he looked at the incitement occurring.

“I can’t wait.”

*****

Dawn. It was late, but vice commander Camille had abruptly entered Ethan’s tent after receiving an urgent report.

What she’d expected to see upon entering was Ethan getting ready for battle, but instead she saw Ethan wipe blood off himself as if he’d just finished a battle.

Camille noticed a body strewn over the floor with a head rolling about.

“Hiveden has called for a surrender.”

Camille stepped over the corpse and handed Ethan the letter of surrender. It stated that they’d agree to the terms that Ethan had demanded previously.

Ethan used the letter to wipe his sword then tossed it on the ground.

“What of the body?”

“Roughly wrap it then throw it into the next toilet pit, so that we can bury it along with our shit.”

“Yes sir.”

As Camille looked to clean up the body, she found something tucked inside his cloth.

A mark of the church. The man was probably of priest level.

Not recognising him, she gathered he was from somewhere far away.

Without a word, Camille disposed of the mark and cleaned up the body.

“From the capital?”

“Yeah. Asked me to withdraw from Hiveden. They’d rather have me focus my attention on catching that black haired boy.”

He was an envoy from the Pope. If the word got out that Ethan had killed him, a heavy penalty would be unavoidable.

“I didn’t hear that an envoy had arrived.”

“He was hustling nearby the ‘emperor’s foot’ boundary we set around Hiveden. He had just managed to get through inside when we luckily found him. If Hiveden bastards had found him first, I may have had to really consider flattening the entire city.”

“The emperor helped us.”

“Yeah well, not for this envoy. Ah, if anyone asks about the envoy’s whereabouts, tell them he’s been killed by the Hugin knights.”

“I’ll make sure to tell everyone.”

Both weren’t too concerned that the secret would get out. Any member of the White crow knights had only one goal they pursued, and the rest was thought to be irrelevant. Since the White crow order was founded, everyone dedicated their lives for this cherished cause.

The death of Lars Raude.

The destruction of the Hugin knights.

And to change the purpose of their existence from destroying the Hugin knights to serving the emperor.

So it was understandable that they wouldn’t care about catching a black haired boy, when they were so close to achieving their goal.

The pope came into Ethan’s mind, who’s always claimed to be speaking on behalf of the emperor.

While he admired the Pope, he felt a strange feeling when he imagined the Pope in the same picture with the emperor.

For someone who spoke on behalf of the emperor, the Pope didn’t feel like he was worthy.

Those that walked alongside the emperor were legendary figures like, the General Vares Valte, the one who forced the dragons into submission Gared Ga-in, the one who eliminated the western giants Dismas Dilver, and the only high magician in the world Dane Dorment.

During his absence, the fact that the person relaying his words was an old senile man was a bit weird.

“…….Commander? Should we get ready to enter the city?”

Camille whispered to Ethan seeing him stay silent. Ethan shook his head.

“Sorry. I was thinking about something profane. We’re on the verge of completing our great task and yet I’m filled with unnecessary thoughts. Tell the men, get ready to fight. We won’t be entering the city as the Hugin knights will definitely be there. Ah also, get ready to charge.”

“Charge?”

Camille asked once more as if she heard something wrong.

Ethan smiled as he answered.

“Yes. Charge.”

*****

The eastern sky started to light up in red.

Hiveden’s residents stood on the walls as they watched troubled White crow knights.

Having heard of what the ‘emperor’s foot’ boundary does, there was no one trying to escape.

Those that wanted to hide, hid and those that had no choice came out to watch.

The White crow knights were stationed close enough so that shouts could be heard.

They were in reach of arrows but guards that were supposed to be fighting them were outside, unarmed and had Hiveden’s weapons stacked ready to be handed over.

They were supposed to be Hiveden’s shield against enemies and seeing this spectacle made the residents sigh. However, no one was blaming them.

“Is everything ready?”

Juan was amongst the people watching from top of the wall.

Anya nodded.

“We managed to prepare just in time. Hopefully the White crow knights fall for the trap. If they don’t, then….. we’ll be losing an advantage in giving up the city wall.”

“Wall? This ain’t a wall. It’s an oversized fence. The Paladins we met before would be able to jump over this.”

“Well, maybe. Hmm….”

Juan glimpsed Anya’s face and asked.

“Your face tells me you’re not too concerned….”

“Well, it will be our first time fighting an all out war……but I firmly believe, the Hugin knights are strong enough to comfortably win against the White crow knights. Even Lars nim is participating today. And also…..”

“Also?”

“Also, we have Juan! Hehe. If things go bad, Juan would easily kill them for us.”

Anya sheepishly grinned as she floundered about. Juan shook his head at hearing her endless faith.

“I don’t know what Lars was thinking when he named you as successor. You’re nothing like a Hugin knight.”

“Hey, be as it may seem but I am the selected candidate after a long debate amongst sunbaes.”

“Maybe you plucked the heads of all the other competing candi…….wait, someone’s moving.”

The White crow knights were getting on their horses, preparing to move out.

Five hundred Laus mountain scouts were positioned at the rear, but it seemed they wouldn’t be participating for now.

Each and every Paladin was heavily armed. And among them, a mounted Paladin rode to the front.

Juan could instantly recognize the long haired man.

It was the Paladin that he’d briefly fought during the night when Anya stole the indeterminate polyhydron.

Juan could feel strength mustering in his hand. Could he win if they fought for a second time?

Of course, this time he wouldn’t be fighting alone but he couldn’t but help but look forward to the encounter.

Ethan had been surprisingly different to all the empire’s knights that had disappointed him till now.

Facing his knights, Ethan started a speech on top of his lungs.

“Brothers! Fists of the emperor, tip of the spear! For a long time, with our very blood and tears, we have served the emperor! We’ve believed that every drop that we’ve split is proof of our loyalty. The only thing that we can offer to the emperor who has sacrificed everything for humanity!”

“For the emperor!”

Juan giggled. But as Ethan’s speech continued his smile dissipated.

“However, everything was a lie! This entire time, we’ve never once served the emperor!”

It seemed even the White crow knights were surprised at Ethans outburst.

So were the residents of Hiveden on the wall. Amongst the murmurs, Ethan carried on talking.

“We were never Paladins! We were simply butchers! Butchers created to slice up the meat dressed at Ravens! We were made to kill the Hugin knights, not served the emperor! We died for our cause but we’ve never actually served the wishes of the emperor!”

A fit of anger appeared on the faces of the Paladins. Serving the emperor was their ultimate goal and last assignment.

If it was anyone else talked like this but Ethan, they would have their heads lopped off by now.

“However, we are not butchers! We dream of being the blade of a spear, to be thrusted at enemies of the emperor to kill!”

“For the emperor!”

Every Paladin shook away any worries and shouted out loud. Here and there similar shouts rang out.

Juan felt this atmosphere wasn’t to be overlooked. It certainly wasn’t a speech to be delivered before entering into a city that had surrendered.

“And there! Our enemies await inside Hiveden! Many people think those heretics are our final enemy, but I don’t agree! Lars Raude is nothing but a stepping stone we’ll need to cross. We will step across Lars Raude and be ever closer to the sky where the emperor is!”

Ethan pointed his sword high into the sky then pointed at Hiveden.

“Today, we kill the apostate Lars Raude that tried to assassinate the emperor! His knights will be strung to the ends of our spears! And only then, will we be truly free of the cursed shackles binding us and become a spear for the emperor!”

Ethan began to shoot towards Hiveden as he ended his speech. Soon after, his Paladins rode behind while shouting out cries.

The White crow knights rode in formation and a white glare followed in their path. Their speed picked up gaining uncontrollable momentum.

The guards stationed outside tried to escape but they were trampled across.

Only then, several guards understood the situation and closed the city door. It helped that the door wasn’t too big. The guards managed to shut and lock the door in time.

“We are spears of the emperor!”

Along with Ethan’s cry, the city door exploded back with a roaring sound.

It was a sound that shocked the city. It appeared that not only the door was blasted back but part of the wall surrounding the door was no more.

A broken city door, and the fragments of the walls and the residents that were on close to the door flew inwards into the city. Buildings that were baptised in these fragments were destroyed and screams of the casualties rang out.

In the midst of the dust, Ethan rode out followed by a white glare. He was wearing a murderous expression.

“Leave none alive. The emperor will be the judge of this.”