326 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

### Chapter 326 "I apologize." Thunk. As soon as Baros finished speaking, he immediately slammed his head onto the floor, seeking forgiveness for his transgressions. No lengthy explanations were needed. The emperor despised excuses more than anything; a sincere apology was the best course of action. "Do you know why you've been summoned?" "Yes. Out of my own greed, I have disgraced Your Majesty's authority. Please punish me." Thunk. Thunk. Baros repeatedly struck his head against the floor, his forehead quickly stained with blood. Despite the brutality of his gesture, the oppressive atmosphere that filled the chamber remained unchanged. "…There have been many events lately. However, the change I've seen in you is rather unexpected." The emperor's words, which could be interpreted as either hopeful or despairing, made Baros swallow hard. "While breaking the taboo can be offset by incorporating its adversary under one's command, encroaching upon the emperor's authority is a crime beyond forgiveness." Upon hearing the emperor's next words, Baros' face turned pale. With a dull thud, a human head rolled before him. The lifeless brown eyes beneath the brown hair were immediately recognizable, causing a tremor to pass through Baros' gaze. "You know who this is, don't you?" There was no way he couldn't. It was the training instructor from the Imperial Special Inspection Department—the one who manipulated orders at Baros' request. Could this truly be the end of me? His heart pounded as his vision grew hazy. Yet he did not forget his duty in that moment. Thunk. Baros slammed his head onto the floor once more. "…I apologize. I seek forgiveness." To ask for pardon would only further incite the emperor's anger. In the lowest possible stance, Baros could only hope for salvation from his fate. Thud. Thud. The sound of his heart pounding, as if it would explode, resonated louder and louder in his ears. "…I will grant you one chance." The unexpected words from the emperor left Baros bewildered. Thud. Before he realized it, someone unknown had placed a report in front of him. When he lifted his blood-drenched forehead to look at it, he was taken aback by its unexpected content. A diplomatic document filled with elaborate rhetoric, yet one sentence stood out unmistakably. An imperial representative? An honorary cardinal? In an instant, Baros' eyes wavered. "As you claimed, the black serpent seems to have fully consumed the Holy Kingdom." Huh. "You said you'd show results." A suppressed groan escaped his lips, yet the emperor continued in an indifferent tone as if he hadn't heard. "Go to the Holy Kingdom. There, represent the Empire's will. I will consider your accomplishments in the succession race." How could he refuse an opportunity like this once again? "May Your Majesty's grace be infinite." Thunk. Baros once more struck his forehead against the floor, celebrating his survival and the preservation of his path to power. The wound on his forehead didn't hurt at all. "What do you think?" As Baros withdrew from the chamber, the emperor's voice resonated softly in the empty space. Soon, a reply echoed through the air, as if naturally expected. – No disturbances have been reported from the Holy Kingdom as of yet. "So, it is dangerous." – Yes, that is correct. We cannot be certain of the extent of their magic. "Indeed… Until the investigation is complete, have the other royal members stay in the palace. Especially Klyde." – Yes, your command will be delivered. Then, about the second prince… "He is my chosen card. Whether it is a flower card or a discard, he must bear the responsibility himself. Use the Holy Kingdom as a conduit connected to them, but maintain constant surveillance. Keep all related matters confidential for the time being." – Understood. And what about the qualifications for succession? "If the Emperor of the Empire could also become the Pope of the Holy Kingdom, it would indeed be an eternal flower card. For now, I will wait and see." – Yes, as you decree, Your Majesty. * * * "Baros is headed to the Holy Kingdom?" The question was asked with furrowed brows by a young man with a massive build and a stern face, drawing back his deep reddish-black eyebrows. "Yes, Your Highness." "And the punishment for using the spirits unauthorized?" "…It seems there was none." At this report, the young man, Klyde von Ares, the first prince, stiffened even further. "Why would Father…?" The murmur carried a heavy note of doubt and unease. The chronicler, Klumbel, reporting in front of him, shared a similar expression. "Could His Majesty have already made up his mind…?" The cross-shaped scar stretching from his eyebrows to his lips twitched, revealing an even deeper sense of unease. "…No, he wouldn't." Was that hope or certainty? Even the speaker was unsure of his words. – Your Highness, a message from His Majesty has arrived. The voice of a guard echoed from beyond the door. A chilling feeling crept in. "Enter." Suppressing his anxious premonition, Klyde summoned the knight in. "A command has been issued for all royal members to stay within the palace until further notice, especially Your Highness." Upon hearing this, Klyde's expression grew even more rigid. "Baros is being sent to the Holy Kingdom, and I am placed under house arrest?" His voice was a mixture of anxiety and anger. Renowned among the princes for his unparalleled martial prowess, Klyde's fierce aura pinned the reporting knight down. "I… I do not know the details. Please, Your Highness, forgive me…." The royal knight, barely withstanding the imposing aura of a top-tier knight, let out a groan before Klyde realized his mistake and waved his hand dismissively. "Very well, you may go." "Thank you, Your Highness." After the knight had hurried out, Klyde sighed deeply and turned to his side. "…What do you make of this?" However, Klumbel didn't readily respond. As he reflected, he couldn't view the current situation in any positive light. "It seems Baros has done something…." Klyde recalled the face of his half-brother when he returned after going missing. Pretending to care for those around him, but in reality, viewing everyone as tools to be used—like a snake. No, since he was known to cut off others' sins and cast them away like a tail when things went wrong, perhaps a lizard would be a more fitting description. When Baros confessed his own faults and declared he would even use them to his advantage, Klyde was genuinely shocked. The thought that a competitor had significantly grown unsettled him because, in this merciless contest where only death or a fate worse than death awaited the loser, the advancement of a rival was anything but welcome. Now, the situation seemed to have validated his concerns. "…It's premature to jump to conclusions, Your Highness. First, you should gather information about the current circumstances." "Right. I should. But if His Majesty orders them to keep silent, how on earth can I…?" "Isn't the Eastern King Your Highness's uncle? He recently spent time with Prince Baros, so perhaps he might share a clue." "…He was Baros's godfather. On the maternal side, he's also his maternal uncle." "His Highness, the Eastern King, wouldn’t cling to blood ties. As long as you hold the potential to become emperor, he would want to maintain even a small connection with you." "…I suppose you're right." The fact that there was only one person he could turn to for information let out a sigh. A person who always approached with a friendly smile, pretending to share memories and bonds, when, in reality, there was none. As a child, he mistook this relative for one of the more decent ones in the imperial family, but now he knew better. Among all the untrustworthy individuals connected to the royal family, this person stood at the top. Yet, there were no alternatives at the moment. "…Connect a line to the Eastern Residence, no, directly to the Eastern King. Make sure no one else knows." "Yes, Your Highness." --- [Ha ha. I understand what you're asking, but it's a bit difficult for me to answer that question.] Gerald von Aserian, the Eastern King, chuckled slyly, and Klyde found his demeanor as irritating as ever. However, Klyde maintained his usual impassive expression, bowing his head slightly. "Even if it's something you can disclose, please share it with me. I promise I won’t forget your kindness." [Oh my, the renowned first prince, bowing his head. Hmm... There's no helping it then. I suppose I'll have to share a little.] Seeing the flicker in the Eastern King's blue eyes through the holographic communicator, an uneasy feeling swept over Klyde. Every time he witnessed those inscrutable eyes glimmer, it rarely led to favorable outcomes. ‘I must take what he says with caution.’ With this resolution, Klyde prepared himself for the content of the discussion, yet it was not something he could easily filter through. [His Majesty intends to control Castle Tower through the second prince. The outcome is the declaration recently made by the new Pope of the Holy Kingdom.] The Holy Kingdom!? ‘The Holy Kingdom, you say!’ The response from the Eastern King went beyond his expectations. Since the Ares Empire established itself as the dominant nation on the continent, it had restrained further expansion—primarily due to this reason. "Are you saying Castle Tower has begun to control the Holy Kingdom?" [Well, I can't say for certain, but looking at the situation now, it seems likely to some extent.] "Their magic is known to be detrimental to the holy forces. But how...?" [How would I know? Maybe they discovered an ancient vision that was thought to be lost or had some other strategy. But one thing's clear—they followed both His Majesty's desires and the second prince’s requests, moving the Holy Kingdom accordingly.] "Then…" [The second prince being dispatched to the Holy Kingdom is likely part of that plan.] "Then what’s the reason for the current restriction on royal family members leaving the palace?" [Well, I don't have information on that… I can only make assumptions.] "Assumptions?" [Hmm. I'm not sure if I should say it. It's just baseless speculation after all…] The word 'assumptions' from the Eastern King prompted Klyde’s impatience to rise. "If you share your thoughts, I assure you, this nephew will not forget the favor." Though they were distantly related, and indeed, the mother of the second prince was the Eastern King’s sister, Klyde himself stood in a complex relationship with him. Yet the terminology was enough to bring a smile to the Eastern King's face. [Ha ha ha. All right, nephew. If you insist, I suppose I must share my opinion. Though it might not be favorable to you.] "Excuse me?" Klyde's brows furrowed and his eyes wavered with unsettlement. As his eyes glinted subtly, the Eastern King's expression turned serious, and he leaned in, lowering his voice as if whispering a secret. [I have a feeling His Majesty might be considering the second prince as the successor. An emperor who has swallowed the Holy Kingdom would fulfill a long-standing ambition of the royal family, wouldn't it?] Crash. At those words, a cracking sound emerged from beneath where Klyde stood. It was the sound of the marble floor developing fractures. Though he restrained his expression, he failed to control the power accompanied by his anger. Worst of all, he couldn't help but reveal his emotions rather than recovering from his blunder. "His Majesty wouldn’t do that. Even if there’s a need, he would adhere to the principles he himself established in the succession race!" [The Emperor will do whatever it takes for the empire's gain. Nephew, you know that well. While you’re tied to the palace, if the second prince achieves merit in the Holy Kingdom, the results of the succession race will inevitably…] The Eastern King let his words trail off, but Klyde instinctively finished the thought in his mind. ‘No! Damn it!’ Though baseless, it was all too convincing. He bit his lip until it bled. [Nephew. If you ask me, I don’t think it’s wise for you to remain confined in the royal palace.] The remark from the Eastern King, which stimulated his worries, jolted him to alertness. "Why are you telling me this, then? If you just left things as they are, it would favor your real nephew, Baros, more." The situation was more than suspicious. Yet. [Ha ha, why say such things. Nephew, you know Baros, right? Do you think just because I'm his uncle, he'd grant me any particular courtesies?] True enough. He’s just like you. The Eastern King’s words were indeed persuasive. [So, nephew, I'd like to offer you some assistance, and in return later on…] The conversation continued with a subtle gleam in the Eastern King's eyes. From beyond the communication device, the gray sheen flickering within his blue eyes wasn't visible. …Thus, recognizing the Ares Empire as the representative of humanity, the Holy Kingdom will appoint the imperial representative of the Empire as an honorary cardinal, to jointly pursue a glorious future for humanity together...