Chapter 267 Albert’s Two Faces
I will leave the emperor’s matter to Lionel.
The terrified Albert majesty is more of a problem.
He was calling Lionel his teacher but to be honest, it didn’t look like it a bit.
He was just shaking after watching me send the emperor flying.
Although I feel bad, I must tell His Highness Albert even when he is in this condition.
“Your Highness Albert, Lionel is… all my allies here are my family, my friends and my followers. And as such, none of us will be serving the empire.”
“Th-that will be troubling. At least till I become the emperor, please, please…”
His Majesty said with desperate eyes, lowering his head again and again–can this guy really, really become the emperor?–it makes me wonder.
This time, it turned into a joint fight as our interests were same… or actually, even that didn’t happen–in fact, he couldn’t even lead properly and ended up being a burden.
Moreover, Raizak, whom His Majesty Albert was going to appoint as prime minister, went with Cloud and the resistance which was accompanying probably got restrained.
No matter how the base of the resistance is in Ebiza, they were able to keep going carrying His Majesty Albert as they had the emperor goal.
However, now that is going to become a reality, there would come people who would want to steal the rights.
When that happens, will His Majesty Albert be able to stop them? Hypothetically, let’s say that the former saint Melfina-san, the betrayer prime minister Raizak and Lionel’s son–Gradis-dono gets appointed to chief posts in the empire.
It is clear what the people who had stayed in the empire and somehow supported it because of the emperor’s power would think.
Everyone in the management or administration of the current empire, the people at the top and the runner ups of each division will probably come demanding for the same post.
If they somehow mess up dealing with these people even a bit, there will be strikes and even revolts without a mistake.
And even if they are somehow stopped by the authorities displaying power by getting rid of them, the discussions to bring back the previous emperor would accelerate as he at least had good governance and the emperor would ultimately fall into chaos.
Only other countries would be happy with such a situation and even that is thinking of it positively.
In the situation where His Majesty Albert gets enthroned, would he maintain the frontlines against other countries? Or would he gather up the generals? If so, then there’s also the possibility of the frontline crumbling apart.
Say, we try to form a cease-fire treaty with Roublek kingdom before that happens, although they are financially exhausted, they would see it as the perfect opportunity to be aggressive and will try to be firm with the negotiations.
If that happens, not only would we need to withdraw the generals and soldiers to the empire once, considering the fact that we have taken quite a lot of their land during Lionel’s time here, it is clear that they would come making demands to return the plundered lands.
Those are things won with the empire’s soldiers’ blood and sweat.
If the just enthroned emperor were to accept those terms, not only would he lose his position, there’s also a chance of him being assassinated soon after.
It would have been great if His Majesty Albert, who is now making a very ‘clinging’ expression, had taken actions after thinking that far ahead. However, he was carried by Raizak and the others and either thinks that this was all his doing or that thought was instilled into him…
If this was a hawkish philosophy that aims to unify the continents like in a drama, the empire would still be united, but…
“Your Highness Albert, I am not your retainer so I can’t say much but… life is precious. For what reason you wanted to take hold of the political power from the current emperor, how you will deal with the situation if you are to succeed in doing so and what kind of a future will you be drawing for the emperor — I will be looking forward to these.”
The empire’s problems need to be solved by the empire itself.
Although he can’t read the atmosphere and has kind of an easy-go-lucky personality, I want him to treat lives with care if he loves peace.
As I shifted my sight from His Highness Albert’s hardened expression of despair to the emperor and then to Lionel, I noticed Estia beside him.
After waiting for a fog-like thing to cover the emperor, Lionel started restraining him.
It seems I can leave that to him.
That about sums up the things we needed to do in the empire… or so I would like to think but I also need to ascertain how many more soldiers have been demonized…
After all, there’s always the possibility of the rug being pulled from right beneath my feet… Like in the previous world.
Although I do think that that was a very irregular situation.
Well, anyway, I couldn’t hear the best information about demons and demonization from Cloud, but even if everyone inside the Hermit’s Coffin -including Mr. Bazak- were to regain consciousness, we’ll have a solution for that.
His Highness Albert seemed rather mentally displeased, so I decided to change his consciousness from the empire to something more familiar.
“By the way, Your Highness… about Melfina and the others…”
“Mel… Melfina?”
It looked like it worked just perfectly.
“Yes. Their consciousnesses were taken over by demons for some time, but they seem to be getting better. What would you like to do about them?”
“Is Melfina really Melfina? Even after turning into a demon some time ago?”
“I don’t know. But I think it’s very likely that she is.”
“I… I see…”
It seemed really hard for him to accept a Melfina with that personality.
He sounded really depressed when speaking, and looked rather shocked.
Would you rather have Melfina to come here and cheer you up a bit?
“I think we should better think about what Melfina thinks of your current state, Your Highness…”
“…”
“You have no allies here, Your Highness. And yet you are here, moving around. How you show yourself to others will have a great influence in their imp
“Well, that’s…”
“Let me say this one more time. We are neither your retainers nor your allies. So I shall not interfere anymore…”
His cheerful face rapidly sunk into depression. I think you should better keep in mind how to express yourself without words nor gestures.
“…However, both Raizak -Mr. Balzak’s fake copy- and Gladis have things to ask you about Melfina, so for that reason I’ll have to take you back to the empire… as Your Highness. Please cheer up and go to the empire together with your retainers.”
“My…”
His Highness kept his head hanging as he started to mutter.
I don’t know if the timing was good or bad, but at that moment, both Gladis and Melfina came out of the Hermit’s Coffin.
“Where are we… Ah, Your Highness Albert? And the sage, as well!”
“Your Highness…”
I imagined that Gladis would come to his senses quickly Since Lionel was the one to make him faint, but I didn’t think that Melfina would wake up so soon.
“So you two are safe.”
His Highness Albert quickly got back on his feet and went back to his usual calm and composed self he had when we first met.
… It was kind of scary to see him change his mood so quickly.
Then, Melfina fell to her knees as if her knees had suddenly given up.
His Highness Albert walked up to her and held her tightly.
“Sage, wasn’t Melfina cured?”
“There was no treatment after her consciousness was taken over by the demons. But I don’t see any reason why she would leave the Hermit’s Casket even though her consciousness is still not clear yet…?
I was quite surprised as well.
Melfina’s appearance, could it be that His Highness Albert…
After calming himself down by seeing such a scene, Gladis opened his mouth.
“Where are we, Your Highness?”
“This is His Majesty’s bedroom. After they took down the emperor through a joint effort some time ago, I shall build a new empire. I hope I can count with your strength from now on as well, Gladis.”
Truly, unlike some time ago, he was giving off an air full of self-confidence.
“… I tried to assassinate my father, an imperial general. If military regulations were to apply, my head should roll on the floor. So please, cut my head off.”
“I will give you a pardon for that. Your teacher, who fought alongside the joint struggle, would want that as well. I will talk to your teacher later as well.”
“…Ah.”
“Your Highness Albert…”
Melfina called His Highness Albert’s name out directly, probably because her consciousness was still rather hazy.
“I’m here, Melfina. I will build a new empire, so please always stay by my side.”
“Your Highness Albert…”
I decided to leave His Highness alone for a while, so I called out to Gladis.
“Gladis, please tell me everything you know about what happened in the empire. We need to prevent the demon’s powers from doing any further harm.”
“Understood. It may not be atonement enough for me, but I’ll tell you everything I know.”
Then Lionel, who was the one who had apprehended His Majesty the Emperor came over, so we decided to go somewhere else so we could talk.
Perhaps it couldn’t be helped to have Gladis -who would often seem to be waiting for someone to do something wrong and get angry- turned into someone who could laugh a little for a change.
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