The Book Eating Magician - Chapter 286

Chapter 286

Chapter 286 – Emperor Moves (1)   

The capital of Andras, Belfor, resembled a well-refined sword from a bird’s eye view .

Straight buildings were laid out in straight lines, giving off the impression of ‘efficiency . ’ It didn’t really fit an architect’s aesthetic, but there was no one who could dismiss the grandeur of the city .

Above all, the towering spire in the center was crucial .  Seven sword masters guarded the empire, so there were seven towers in the image of a crown that surrounded the imperial palace .  This structure flashed with a bright aura that was equivalent to a master . It was illuminated night and day, proving the empire’s greatness .

Unlike Meltor, there was no meeting room in Andras’ imperial palace . This was because the emperor determined the guidelines for everything . It was an absolute monarchy that moved only according to his decisions . If there was one facility, it was an audience room .

“Dammit, when can I get out of here?” A man pushed at the shoulders of two knights, moving with a deep anger and nervousness .

As soon as the man returned to Belfort, he had asked for an audience with the emperor and entered the imperial palace before there was a reply . Usually, this wasn’t possible, but the man’s identity made it possible .

He was Fermut el Andras, the heir to the throne . There were no knights in the imperial palace who could block the crown prince .

‘Kuk, come on . If I don’t hurry, my body won’t last…’

It was seemingly fine, but the insides of Fermut’s body had started to collapse . The injuries, that Fermut had received from Orta, had been recovered with the regenerative powers of the magic sword, but his aura lost hadn’t returned .

His strength that had been able to bend an iron rod had been reduced to less than half, while his right leg staggered because his legs weren’t balanced .  Fermut’s heart had been destroyed and his aura eaten by the magic sword, so now Fermut wasn’t even a sword master .

However, he still had a string of hope .  It was because he believed that his father, who was the emperor of Andras and had been an almighty being since Fermut’s childhood, could heal this wound .

Finally, Fermut’s steps reached the audience room .

“Your Majesty!” Fermut called out . He didn’t center the room carelessly . Rather, he raised his voice and cried out longingly, “The 3rd Sword, Prince Fermut is here! Please excuse me!”

Then a sonorous voice was heard from the other side of the door as the emperor of Andras replied, “You can come in . ”

The green-tinged Fermut hurriedly opened the door . In his experience, his father, Emperor Kether, wouldn’t meet anyone if he wasn’t willing to talk . So, Fermut absolutely couldn’t miss this opportunity .

As the two luxurious doors opened, the throne which was made of dozens of broken swords came into view . According to the records, the throne had been made by collecting the swords of the past Seven Swords who died .

‘Someday, I will sit in that great position…!’ Fermut couldn’t abandon his ambitions despite his ragged body .

He bowed to the old man sitting on the throne .  This was Andras’ sun, Emperor Kether .

“―You are a disgrace, my son . ” Kether’s voice was heavy on Fermut’s shoulders and chilled his heart .

Kether had white hair, white eyebrows, and a white beard . It was an appearance appropriate for his age .  He had a solid build that was greater than that of a young person, and the tendons of his hands stood out clearly as he grasped the throne . Perhaps the strong grip of the hand would crush it .

“You said with your own mouth that you would win . Now, you are begging me for mercy after losing? This isn’t like you . ”

“I don’t dare make excuses, Father . ” Fermut kneeled down in a rare polite manner, giving up his high self-esteem . “Just one more chance! This time I will be more vigilant and crush the army of that cowardly Meltor!”

“Hrmm… I don’t know about the words of a loser . ”

“Father! Please! Father, if you want to be in charge, then I will unconditionally obey you! No, if Father takes up the baton, this war will be easy to win!”

The winner would take it all . Eating the weak was the life of the Andras Empire .

Fermut might be a prince, but he couldn’t be freed from this food chain . Fermut held the position of the next emperor, and he had reached this position by killing all his other brothers and sisters .

This person who had aggressively gobbled up the weak… He wanted another chance? It was a laughable story .

“…You are really stupid, my son . ”

Then what type of person was Kether, the emperor of Andras?

“But I forgive you . You are my child and Andras’ third sword . I gave you that sword in order to protect your life from the pit of death . ”

“O-Ohhh…! T-That means!”

“Your life is Andras’ and mine . ”

Fermut felt a familiar and fierce joy at the words . Fermut’s life had been declared as the emperor’s possession, so no one other than him could kill Fermut .  It was the same for that damn Witch of Heat and Sage of Water .  From now on, Fermut’s era was coming . Even the emperor of the iron throne had affection for his flesh and blood .  

“Then I will take it directly with this hand . ”

“…Huh?”

What did that mean?

Puk .  A coin-sized hole was drilled in Fermut .

“K-Kuaaah… . kuheook…” Fermut screamed as something entered his body, draining it .

To be precise, he tried to scream .

The moment that Kether’s finger penetrated Fermut’s brow, Fermut’s flesh was no longer his . The connection between the body and the soul was cut off, and the feeling of the soul being pulled into the abyss was horrifying .

‘T-This monster… is he, really, my father?’ Fermut questioned as he reached the final threshold of life .

Jjikeok .

Kether looked down at his dead son with a dull facial expression .  It was the nasty death of the 3rd Sword .

Fermut had completed his duties, but now he was useless .

The emperor muttered, “It hasn’t even been 1,000 years since I started ruling Andras and the balance is already collapsing . The mortals, who are useless except for causing chaos, are bothering me again… Do I have to move directly with this incomplete body…?”

He had empty eyes that watched the people and a voice that casually discussed a time period of 1,000 years .  Kether thought about it before deciding .  He couldn’t leave this situation alone . It was a matter where he needed to move personally . “It can’t be helped . ”

He commanded Crowd, who had appeared in the audience room, “Gather all of the Seven Swords . I will make this war simpler . ”

“Are you going to end the empire?”

“I don’t know . I haven’t thought about it yet . ”

The two people talked about absurd things without changing their expressions .

“Don’t waste effort on needless work, Crowd . Remember that you might be a little exceptional, but you are still part of me . You will have to join them someday . ”

“Of course, I always keep that in mind . ”

“You are really good at speaking . Well, okay . Go now . I must end this tirelessly repeating war game . ”

The emperor, whose empire was in a desperate situation, called this war a game . Nevertheless, the 1st Sword didn’t contradict his words . It wasn’t because he didn’t have the authority but because he knew it was correct .

The moment Kether moved, this war would soon end .  It would end in a way that nobody expected or wished for .

“War is just the struggle of insects . ”

He would finish it in one go .

*     *     *

After the battle on Nagma River, the dispersed Meltor troops gathered in one spot to reorganize .

It was necessary to observe how Andras reacted to the great damage, and a new face joined . It was Blue Tower Master Blundell, who had come to fill the vacancy that Veronica left after leaving Karul Plains .

“Hahaha! I am glad to see your happy face!” Blundell laughed, causing his swollen muscles to swell .  His staff was no different than usual . There was no tension as the leaders laughed .

“I would like to raise a glass in celebration, but I have to put off this joy until after our victory . How long have I been waiting in the capital? I am so happy to be able to fight with you, despite it being late!”

“Yes, we think so too . Blue Tower Master . ”

Benedict coughed a few times before asking, “The war is going well, but what about the situation back in the kingdom?”

“It isn’t bad! The economy has shrunk a little bit due to the war, but it is still good . The situation with the supply unit is good, so we can sustain it for half a year without difficulty . ”

“Hoh, it is good news . ”

The soldiers were risking their lives fighting on the front lines, but the support people in the rear also shared their pain .  Food was shipped at a cheap price to the front, while merchants placed the supplies before their own interests . It wasn’t uncommon for them to go bankrupt from the burden .

However, Meltor’s national power endured that burden . The patriotism, accumulated finances, and sympathetic elements allowed them to do it .  They couldn’t help feeling proud as citizens of this kingdom .

“Okay, now it is my turn,” Blundell said, his grinning expression becoming serious . He asked, “How is the current situation? I heard there was a big win at Nagma River, but nothing since . Don’t tell me that nothing happened…”

“That’s right,” the masked Orta immediately replied to Blundell . “Since that day, the enemy troops haven’t moved . There have been no movements, apart from a defensive formation . Therefore, we were worried about how we should respond . ”

“Huh? They really aren’t moving? Those warmongers?” Blundell had a lot of experience, but even he shook his head as he looked at the models on the map .

Meltor might have the upper hand, but this advantage wasn’t absolute .

Andras still had more troops than Meltor, as well as a lot of hidden strengths . There was no reason for them to act passively .

“What are their intentions?”

Orta shrugged in response .  “I’m not sure . I can’t get a sense of their actions . The secret agents I sent didn’t get any results, and I am reluctant to poke at the gaps . ”

“Don’t tell me… Perhaps they are planning a truce?”

“Perhaps . For the first time, Meltor is dominating in the war . We absolutely can’t step back, and they know that . ”

There was a moment of silence in the control center . They were each having their own thoughts and guesses about what Andras’ actions meant .  Then a messenger ran into the barrack, which had a heavy atmosphere .

“C-Commander!” The messenger’s fear-filled pale face made Benedict realize that what the messenger brought wasn’t good news . “A small unit is making its way past the western border! Four magic soldier units and 26 war mages tried to delay them, but they are all dead or in a serious condition!”

“What, the defense line?”

“It was broken in an instant! The speed is insanely fast!”

The shock spread to all the leaders, including Blundell and Benedict .

The soldiers at the defense line of the border were elites, yet the soldiers at the defense line were broken in an instant? Moreover, it had been done by a small number of elites with overwhelming force .

Benedict somewhat recovered his composure and asked, “The power of the enemy? Surely you know that?”

“T-That…”

“What is it?!” In the end, Benedict lost his patience .

The messenger hiccuped before opening his mouth, “A-According to the report, it is the 1st, 2nd, and 5th swords…”

“What?”

“Is that true?”

“A-And one more thing . ”

Apart from three of the Seven Swords crossing the border, there was more to report? The eyes of the leaders glared at the innocent messenger .  If they hadn’t controlled their magic power, the innocent messenger might’ve had a heart attack .

However, he spoke despite the pressure, “I’m not sure, but… one of the surviving war mages said he saw it . ”

Before they could ask, the messenger continued, “He said the emperor’s flag was among the Andras unit that crossed the border…!”

The flag that expressed the emperor himself was a symbol that could only be seen in Andras .  If they really were carrying that flag, it meant that three of the Seven Swords and the emperor had crossed the border personally .

‘This is crazy!’

It was a surprise raid that would never happen again in the future .

“What did these bastards eat?” Blundell’s murmur resonated through the barracks, seeming to represent everyone’s feelings .