Cornered Rat (7)
The day of the hunting competition.
lan, who had requested a private meeting with the Emperor, entered the barracks.
The Emperor stood in the center of the barracks with his imperial knights.
The composure that used to lighten the mood by cracking jokes in front of the attendees had completely disappeared.
"Little Duke, please give me a weapon."
"Here it is."
Ian unsheathed his sword and handed it over to the royal knight.
And he knelt down on one knee at an appropriate distance.
An indifferent gaze settled on Ian's head. Then, a voice without any highs or lows broke the silence.
"Tell me why you asked for an exclusive interview."
"I hope you will give the Third Prince an appropriate punishment."
The Emperor's eyebrows twitched.
"I've already sentenced him to 30 years in prison. Is that not enough?"
"I believe Your Majesty would know best."
"..."
Those present thought the Emperor had severely punished Oslo. Some even said the Emperor was being fair.
But Ian wasn't fooled.
The Emperor did not strip Oslo of his royal title or imprison him.
It just blocked his movement.
Oslo could enjoy all the benefits he had always had.
This means that if he really wants to, he can move a third person to harm Millenia.
Oslo was a man of many merits.
"The Third Prince already harbors ill will toward Lady Astrod. He will attack Lady Astrod again."
"It's speculation."
"Didn't he attack Miss Astrod just a little while ago, even though he was under sentence of imprisonment? This is not speculation."
The Emperor was silent for a moment.
As Ian had pointed out, he also knew that Oslo's punishment was light.
"The arm should bend inward..."
No matter how many serious crimes he has committed, the fact remains that Oslo is his son.
Besides, the Emperor had a big part to play in the reason Oslo became so crooked.
Oslo knew that Kalit had an abnormal sense of entitlement and yet he ignored it.
Instead, he criticized Oslo's shortcomings and pitted him against Kalit, without saying a single warm word to him in the process.
He believed that it was for the good of Oslo, for that was how the Emperor himself had grown up.
How can one severely punish a child whom one has ruined with one's own hands?
The Emperor smiled bitterly.
"Little Duke."
"Please speak, Your Majesty."
"This is my first time as Dad too."
"..."
"I refuse your request."
lan lowered his head as if he had expected it.
"...Then it will be difficult for the imperial family to receive Eldern's cooperation in the future."
The Emperor's eyes narrowed in displeasure.
"How dare you threaten me?"
"I just hope you can ensure Astrod's safety."
"Why on earth are you making such a big deal out of this!"
Ian collected his thoughts as he listened to the Emperor's voice trembling with anger.
After the summit, the recruitment of allied forces would begin, and the nobles would also have to decide whether to participate in the war.
Ian had already decided to go to the battlefield.
Of course, if Kallit went to war according to the oath, Ian had no choice but to follow, but even if there had been no oath, Ian would have done so.
It was a natural choice for him, after all, the knight's mission was to protect the empire and the weak.
The problem was Millennia.
'If I leave, who will protect her?'
First of all, Rahon was impossible.
He is not only weak in military force, but he will also participate in the war as a 'savior'.
Although he would be in charge of the wounded in the relatively safe rear, he would still not be with MiIlenia.
Although Kjer did not express his Intentions clearly. It seemed clear that he was ready to join the fight.
Chevio will remain, but as the commander of the Imperial Knights, he must protect the Emperor.
Naturally, there were bound to be gaps in Millenia's security.
Ian couldn't sleep throughout the summit because of these worries.
He was so conflicted that he thought about whether he would rather break his covenant with Kalit and not go to war.
That's why he couldn't control his anger when he realized that Millenia was taking her safety so lightly.
'In this situation, you want Oslo in the Imperial Palace? Just 30 minutes away from Millenia?'
That's nonsense.
"Lady Astrod is Eldern's benefactor. The third Prince who threatened Eldern's benefactor is simply an enemy who must be destroyed."
"The little Duke should keep in mind that your words and actions may be interpreted as treason!"
"I don't consider the Third Prince a member of the royal family."
"Little Duke!"
The Emperor growled and threatened. But Ian didn't even blink an eye. Instead, he showed his courage as if he was going to kill him.
"I learned that authority comes not from birth but from duty. The more you fulfill your duty, the more authority you have and the more respect you receive."
"..."
"Your Majesty, what duties did the Third Prince fulfill as a member of the Imperial Family?"
Oslo failed even in its basic duty to protect its defenders. It was an inexcusable mistake.
"Sierra Coelho also attempted to assassinate Millenia Astrod. I will take responsibility for her and punish her, so just step aside."
"..."
lan stubbornly did not answer.
The Emperor sighed.
Honestly, there was no reason to refuse.
Moreover, if Eldern, the Duke's family and the one with the strongest military force, turned around, it would be a great blow to the imperial family.
'They say that if you raise one child poorly, the foundation of your family will be uprooted and that saying is true.'
Oslo has already fallen to the point where it will be difficult to recover.
As a parent, the Emperor wanted to hold on to him until the end, but as a ruler, it was right to abandon him.
The Emperor sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead as if he was tired.
"I will send the Third Prince to an unclaimed territory. Are you satisfied now?"
"He should never be allowed to come back. Also, please make the details of his punishment public through the newspaper."
If Oslo were to reveal the punishment it would receive, it would have to be carried out unconditionally. This means that it could not delay execution by dragging its feet.
"You made up your mind."
The Emperor laughed.
"I also have conditions."
"Please speak."
"You take the lead and recruit the allied forces."
The empire alone required an army of as many as 70,000 men.
Of course, they will promote safety by putting forward anti-monster herbs, but will that alone be enough to eliminate the fear of monsters ingrained in people's minds?
That's why Ian was important.
As the best inspector of the empire, he is greatly respected and admired by the knights. If he encouraged them, it was possible to recruit more than 70.000 people.
Even if the goal is not reached, the responsibility will be borne by Ian, not Kalit.
The Emperor, having finished his calculations, continued speaking.
"From now on, stand at the forefront of the Allied Forces and assist the First Prince. You must protect him so that not a single hair is harmed."
In fact, this was the Emperor's main point.
Protect the heir to the empire at all costs.
Ian bowed his head, understanding exactly what he meant.
"I will give my life."
***
Meanwhile, Sierra, who had returned home after being kicked out of the hunting competition, was making a mess of her bedroom.
"Ahhh! Aaaahhhh!!!"
Sierra's nanny stamped her foot and stopped her.
"Oh my. Miss, please calm down..."
"Nanny, are you saying something like that now? How can I calm down when my life is ruined!"
Clang!
Sierra gasped as she threw down the last vase.
"Do you know how I seduced that stinking pig? I laughed so hard my face convulsed! I held it in, even though I felt like vomiting every time I saw that stupid face!"
"I know, how could I not know how much effort you put in?"
Sierra's eyes filled with tears.
"What do I do now? Everyone thinks I'm going to become royalty in the Grand Duchy. How am I going to tell Dad!"
The nanny wiped away her tears with a pitiful face.
Sierra was the daughter she had raised herself in place of her mistress who had passed away early. Seeing Sierra, who was like her daughter, cry made her feel like her insides were being torn apart.
"Oh my, what can I do about our poor little girl..."
"I was the one who met the Third Prince first. Then, shouldn't the Third Prince's affair partner be Millenia and not me? Then why am I the only one who has to suffer like this?"
"You're right, young lady. You were so pretty and cute that she was jealous of that girl and did it to you."
Sierra blinked her large eyes, shedding tears.
"I can't live like this. Nanny, please help me."
"Yes, yes. How may I help you?"
"I hope that bitch gets completely embarrassed. She'll never be able to hold her head up again. Nanny, can you do that?"
"I have a good idea. I will take care of everything, so just calm down, young lady."
At that moment, the outside became noisy and the sound of footsteps could be heard.
"What kind of rudeness is this! Please tell me why you are doing this!"
Sierra opened her eyes wide at the Count of Coelho's castle.
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