346 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Episode 346 "Failure?" The words, spreading calmly, carried an undertone of cold fury. Sensing this, Klumbel, the Archivist, bowed his head deeply and quickly continued. "We were intercepted. A superhuman wielding a silver aura appeared, annihilating Commander Yassel Freismen of the Eastern First Legion and a hundred knights, and even killed the wizard dispatched from the Dongwangbu." With that statement, Clyde fought to suppress his rising anger and considered the worst possibilities. "...Could this be an elaborate ploy by Dongwangbu?" This scheme had been proposed initially by Dongik King Gerard, under the pretense of boosting his succession contest score. Yet, given the situation where damage occurred there, it was essential to doubt the very place first. "It seems unlikely. The wizard who perished there appears to have been an advanced mage." "...What?" Officially, there were 32 known superhumans in the Empire; however, one had recently died, reducing the count to 31. Clyde suspected that the Imperial Audit Department and the Central Legion harbored at least ten more hidden superhumans, but such speculation did not diminish their value. In local warfare, they were tactical weapons capable of shifting the tide, and in national conflicts, they could strike at the enemy's core in one swoop. The value of a superhuman was immense, illustrated by the numerous small nations on the continent lacking even a single such individual. Yet, here was the issue. "Could Dongwangbu secretly have a superhuman?" "While not certain, analyzing witness testimonies suggests a high probability. Also, Dongik King's visible unrest reinforces this assumption." "Even so, the fact remains—his promise to me failed. My man, the First Legion Commander, suffered immense losses!" "My apologies to Commander Grit, but from our perspective, it wasn’t a total failure." "The relic site was discovered?" "Yes. The interference appears to be by only one individual, hence unlikely to have plundered much from within the site." "But they surely took the most crucial items, didn’t they?" "Yes. Certainly, we should pursue that individual. However, it’s believed the relic itself holds a treasure-like value." "A relic with no treasure?" "As per Dongik King’s words, it’s presumed to be of ancient origin—surpassing a millennium, dating back to the super-ancient era. It seems to be a transcendentalist relic." "Be that as it may..." "Furthermore, His Majesty has shown significant interest in the site itself and the murals painted there." "...What?" "The Imperial Tower appraised it as a potential clue to ancient origins, particularly the Great Migration over a thousand years ago. There are also whispers that potent magic envelopes the site." "His Majesty’s interest implies...?" "Indeed. Though unfortunate for Dongik King and Commander Grit, the outcome bodes no ill will for us." "Yes. That’s a valid point indeed..." The Ares Empire, or its predecessor, the Ares Kingdom, was built upon the relics from the Great Migration a thousand years ago. Naturally, the Emperor would take interest. Any matter engaging the Emperor's interest naturally aligned with the Empire's interests, hence affecting the succession contest scores. With that thought, Clyde's anger dissipated as though it had been false. However, a troubling thought lingered. "Regarding the death of Max Ilea, the Legion Commander in the Holy Nation, there's been no official comment?" "Yes. It seems the Special Audit Department has been mobilized, but it appears to be nominally resolved with compensation demands. The estimated amount..." "Evaluation regarding Baros?" "His deductions might slightly increase." "...That’s all?" Clyde bit his lip. The compensation was as expected, substantial, but within the Holy Nation’s means to manage. 'Why would the Emperor overlook a Legion Commander's death with such minor efforts? Baros must indeed be concealing something significant within the Holy Nation…' Tap. Tap. The rhythm of Clyde's fingers tapping the armrest gradually slowed before a low voice escaped his lips. "Still no insight into what Baros is maneuvering for?" "...Perhaps focusing solely on the Second Prince was an oversight." "Hmm?" "Initially suspected the actions were the Second Prince's doing, but evidence hints it was a decision aligned with the Holy Nation's will." "The Holy Nation’s will?" "It appears the newly reformed sect leadership is extending their hand for an alliance with our Empire. For reasons unknown, they seem to have pinpointed Prince Baros." The new information did little to alleviate the unsettled feeling. "...Regardless of the circumstances, Baros seems to have gained from this. In contrast, I find myself mired within the palace." Clyde's lips twisted into a distasteful grimace. "And still no knowledge of the reason behind it?" "His Majesty likely knows but... wouldn't share. Such is his nature." "...Yes." Clyde, with a hardened expression, reflected on his stepbrother. A sibling who had always been an enigma since childhood. Last year, the one who had surpassed him in the battle for the throne. Despite his recent critical errors, which caused him to lose points, somehow, again, he reclaimed his position, almost supernaturally. If traced back, the starting point of such radical changes... "When he disappeared, the uproar was attributed to the Black Serpents, wasn’t it?" "Yes, it's known as the Black Serpent—a mage group declared as the Royal Family's principal adversary. Why do you ask, suddenly?" Clyde, who had been lost in thought for a moment, suddenly struck his knee. "Ah! Why didn't I realize this sooner?" "Pardon?" "Despite Baros’s fatal errors, he held his position. Moreover, he was entrusted with a critical mission to the Holy Nation." "Indeed suspicious, yet why suddenly bring this up...?" Klumbel, the archivist, lacked clearance to approach royal confidential matters. Unaware of secret dealings involving Kessel Tower and the royal family, naturally, such thoughts eluded him. But Clyde was different. Everything tied to the Black Serpents was habitually annihilated by the royal family. Yet the prince, who had once been captured by those very enemies, was allowed to maintain his position? It simply made no sense. 'In the worst case, my father might have fallen for their tactics.' But that was improbable. Thus. "...They must have offered Baros something significant. Something that made it worthwhile for the Emperor to tolerate them." No matter how he considered it, that was the only plausible explanation. Surrender. One of the Empire's principal foes had submitted once again to the royal authority. Such an achievement would justify overlooking Baros's missteps. "It would make sense that it took time to declare his return, considering verification was necessary. Balancing credits and faults could then explain his previous mistakes being forgiven." "Pardon?" Despite Klumbel’s perplexed tone, Clyde was engulfed in organizing his thoughts. Though it was only conjecture for now, the unfolding circumstances suggested that his theory would soon solidify. This was not favorable for him. Perhaps balancing past faults restored things to a baseline, but his rival had acquired a power far beyond Clyde’s current reach. ‘Restricting the royal movements could have been a maneuver by the Emperor to verify their genuine surrender.’ Clyde's assumptions had almost hit upon the actual truth. And detecting this veracity instilled urgency in him. His rival had gained unexpected influence. And it was a formidable power once able to corner the imperial family. Moreover, Baros held responsibilities of utmost importance unknown to Clyde. ‘It's unsafe to be merely ahead for now. No, the current situation itself is precarious.’ Such bubbling thoughts finally led him to contemplate bold moves previously unthinkable. "Do I have to execute a move that he couldn't pull off?" "Sorry?" "For instance, orchestrating an operation targeting the Maclaine Kingdom. Like destabilizing them from within or landing a blow before ‘that day’ arrives.” "...What are you suggesting so suddenly? Why bring up Maclaine now?" "Something must be done. If things remain at a standstill, both you and I may meet our end. No, it's certain." "...What!?" Klumbel’s face inevitably hardened at those words. How could a report initially seen as favorable evolve into such a dire conclusion? Yet Klumbel knew Clyde wasn't one to speak so confidently without solid grounding. 'There must be information beyond my ken.' Klumbel grew more somber. If the prince had voiced a goal, it was up to him to find a method. But there were limits, and this task approached impossibility. "Prince Baros undertook numerous efforts that all ended in vain. Plus, today's Maclaine vastly differs in strength and circumstances compared to then." "I suppose so." "...Given less than a year until the succession is decided, inflicting a near-collapsing blow seems achievable only through militaristic conflict. And before ‘that day,’ going to war is…" "Right. His Majesty has prohibited it." "Indeed. The foes we must face to achieve the Empire's ambition aren't just in the eastern kingdoms." Klumbel's argument was sound. But Clyde could not easily ignore the urgency pressing against him, both mentally and tangibly. "No chance for internal division?" "We don’t know the precise tactic Prince Baros employed. Yet, having overcome that crisis, Maclaine today exhibits perfect centralization, with the king wielding all military power. It isn’t a system prone to division." "An inevitable war, then..." "The General Staff hypothesizes that deploying all eight eastern legions could facilitate occupation with minimal damages." "To such an extent?" "Precisely." His message implying a clear directive: abandon the thought. "Perhaps exploring other strategies..." But those words, spoken with finality by Klumbel, resonated differently with Clyde, desperate to forge a path forward. “Are you suggesting there's only one solution if that ruler is dealt with?” Gasp! Seeing Klumbel's stunned mien and those intense dark eyes, he hurriedly continued. For reasons unknown, the First Prince was palpably anxious. “The matter Prince Baros attempted—even with spirits at his disposal—culminated in failure. Deploying more resources than that now would necessitate His Majesty’s approval. At this point, such approval...” “...Is impossible, right?” “Exactly.” Witnessing the prince’s lament, Klumbel felt a silent sigh of relief. Yet the prince's restless pacing underscored his unwillingness to resign. “Succeeding where he failed is most effective. To demonstrate my superiority over Baros… Is there anything?” As Klumbel observed him with a somber gaze, a frantic call resonated from beyond the room. "Your Highness, urgent news!" Hearing the report, Clyde's eyes gleamed with unexpected intrigue. “Gail Slayer from the Liberty Kingdom? Quite a peculiar name. Are we sure?” “Yes. Although I lack the full context, the hue of the aura is immutable. And the silver aura is rare, aside from Sir Jerome Decaid in the royal palace, it can only belong to the small nation’s superhuman.” “...This is absurd. A superhuman from a minor nation at the continent's far east plundered an imperial relic? How was that even discovered?” The knight, wearing a perplexed expression, hesitated, prompting Klumbel to interject with shining eyes. “Your Highness. Now that I think about it, Prince Baros’s failure wasn’t exclusively tied to the Maclaine Kingdom.” “Hmm?” “The Alliance of Small Nations—that was also the Second Prince's botched endeavor. A debacle that solidified Maclaine’s ties with the eastern small kingdoms.” “Then...!” “Yes. Yet we can't have His Majesty directly intervening in such a minor nation. This is something we can fully exploit!” A smile slowly spread across Klumbel's face, previously tense, and soon, Clyde's face mirrored that smile.