(193) Theodore White (2)
Ariana could not shake off her anxiety.
'It's a problem that can be solved if only I leave.'
She didn't know it would escalate into such a big problem.
Theodore was just like her second uncle, Fellowes, in his boisterous and spirited nature, so he was unrestrained. She usually liked his grandfather's personality, but now, facing a big problem, she was worried.
“Geor, you said Father just left the East, right?! Then who is in the East?!”
"Grandma and Uncle Langster will be there."
“Do Grandma and Uncle Langster know that Grandpa is planning to take on the Emperor?!”
Both Caradin, the grandmother, and Langster had a cold side. So, they might have thought differently from Theodore.
Geor tilted his head slightly to the side, and saying, “I was told not to show this to anyone,” he rummaged through his pocket and took out a letter.
A stern command was written in elegant handwriting on the stationery bearing the White family crest.
[It would be best to kill the Emperor. If you are going to do it, tear him to pieces.
-Caradine White-
P.S. Geor, this is Uncle Langster. Barney, who also agrees with Mother, do not hesitate to tear the Emperor to pieces, then bring Ariana back safely to the Eastern Realms. Do not show this letter to anyone; read it and then burn it.]
Geor spoke to Ariana, who was staring blankly at the letter, speechless.
“How about it, Ariana? Don’t you think it’s a relief to have a brother like this in the East who stays quiet and does as you please, even after receiving a letter like this?!”
Ariana blinked her eyes and nodded.
“Uh-huh...”
Upon hearing that the former Eastern Lord had come to visit, the Emperor locked the door and ordered that no one be let in.
Emperor Keirian Blenwitt had witnessed Theodore's war when he was still a Crown Prince in his childhood.
Unlike the current Emperor Keirian, the former Emperor enjoyed personally going to the battlefield and sitting in a safe place to watch over the battlefield.
Even when it was said that the East had taken up a sword to deal with the barbarians rampant in the eastern region, Keirian had little interest. To Keirian, the best was the North, which still possessed ice magic.
However, on that battlefield, Keirian saw the god of war who had descended to this land in person.
Theodore White, the Eastern Lord at the time, led his troops into battle at the forefront. He possessed a massive physique that struggled even to ride a horse, long flowing indigo hair, and a fierce gaze that stared at his enemies.
A powerful aura felt even from afar, and a blue energy radiated from the sword.
With a spirit that sent chills down one's spine even from their own side, the enemies were swept away like falling leaves in the autumn wind.
Theodore, having returned after annihilating the enemy, was drenched in blood. On his blood-stained face, only his eyes shone blue.
The former Emperor regarded Theodore as reliable, but Keirian was afraid of him. He felt a fear that this man might swallow up the empire.
Therefore, the current Emperor Keirian Blenwitt always kept a watchful eye on the Eastern Capital.
“Your, Your Majesty...!”
The servant who had gone out to deliver a message to Theodore returned with a pale face.
“Although I conveyed Your Majesty’s words to the former Eastern Lord, they are pushing their way in, disregarding it.”
The image of the warrior he had seen in a war long ago came to mind, and goosebumps rose on his forearm.
“What are the Imperial Knights doing! Tell them to run over and stop him immediately!”
"The Imperial Knights are trying to stop him, but..."
Bang!
A rough noise interrupted the servant's words.
The Emperor straightened his body and glared at the open door.
Theodore strode in; unlike when he last saw him, his hair was white, and the traces of time were etched on his face, but his eyes were shining just as vividly as they had back then.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
Theodore, standing before the Emperor, spoke in a growling tone.
The Emperor felt terror as if he were facing a bear and a lion, but he managed to compose himself and spoke sternly.
“Lord of the East! What on earth have you done?!”
“I am the one who would like to ask. What on earth are you doing?”
“What?”
“How could you issue an imperial decree for my young granddaughter to marry the Fifth Prince!”
The Emperor froze for a moment at the shout that sounded like a wild beast roaring, but soon regained his composure.
“Shouldn’t you be grateful to me instead? Your granddaughter will become my son’s wife and enjoy wealth and honor, so I do not understand why you harbor resentment. Surely, Lord of the East, you are not harboring treasonous intentions, are you?”
“Your Majesty, why on earth are you doing this? My granddaughter is still young. She has only just had her debutante ball, and now you are telling her to get married?”
"Having held a debutante ball does not mean she is now ready to marry. One can marry at 16, and the Princess is already 20. It is a sufficient age for marriage."
“But not this suddenly. There is no reason for her to marry a man she has never even seen, simply because she received a royal command.”
Seeing Theodore trying to persuade him with a desperate voice, the Emperor regained some confidence.
Well, what could that man possibly do? Even if Theodore was formidable on the battlefield, he was nothing more than a subject before the Emperor.
Besides, Theodore is very old. He probably doesn't have the strength to face all the knights of the Imperial Household like he did in his prime.
All Theodore could do was earnestly plead and persuade the Emperor.
The Emperor thought that Russell’s absence was also likely intended to avoid worsening relations with the Empire. For if Russel were to come in person to confront the Emperor, that would be the very moment relations would reach a point where they could no longer be restored.
Realizing his own position and Theodore's, the Emperor held his head high and spoke.
“No one can change the Imperial Decree. Not even I. Once I have issued an Imperial Decree, it must be obeyed without fail. Your granddaughter must become my daughter-in-law and live her life serving the Fifth Prince.”
"Ha!"
Theodore let out a hollow laugh.
“Do you mean this sincerely? Are you saying you will never change? Even though I, who have lived my entire life for the Empire, am pleading with you like this, are you saying you will not listen?”
“Because you have dedicated your entire life to the Empire, I have arranged a good marriage for your granddaughter. You should be the one thanking me. Isn't that right?”
The Emperor looked around at the attendants and knights and said.
They could not answer the Emperor's words as they held their breath and kept watch on Theodore, but the Emperor did not care.
As expected, his judgment was correct.
The East, which possesses such a dangerous person, must be kept under control by any means necessary. If Ariana becomes the Fifth Prince's wife, the East will not dare to harbor rebellious intentions.
"Starting today."
Theodore, gazing at the Emperor with blue shining eyes, spoke.
A low, deep voice filled the room.
"The Empire has lost its eastern wing."
At Theodore's proclamation, the Emperor sprang to his feet. The Emperor's face flushed red.
“Lord of the East! Are you spouting nonsense about treason right now?”
"Treason?"
A cold smile formed on Theodore's lips.
"Keirian Blenwitt."
Theodore boldly called out the Emperor's real name, which no one dared to utter. The color drained from the Emperor's face, and those in the room held their breath.
“You seem to be under a misconception. The five vassal states formed an alliance to bring stability to the continent in the past, and it was only because of the great contributions made by the Founding Emperor at that time that a vassal state came to regard itself as such. In reality, the relationship between the Empire and the vassal state was one of friendship, not that of sovereign and subject.”
Theodore glared at the Emperor.
“If the Empire steps forward to break our friendship, there is no reason for the East to uphold that loyalty to the very end. If the Empire cannot understand the heart of vassal states, which have devoted their loyalty to protecting peace even as it forgets the past and acts like a master dominating vassal states, is there any reason for the East to remain loyal any longer?”
“You... you scoundrel... now... now committing treason..”
“If you have a brain that can’t understand even after I’ve explained it to you, then fine, consider it treason. From now on, the Empire has no Eastern Wing!”
Louis, who had followed Theodore while in hiding, quietly placed her hand on the sword hilt.
She had heard rumors that Theodore had an extraordinary personality, but she never imagined he would speak ill of the Emperor right here.
The Emperor will not let Theodore go unharmed.
Louis had never seen Theodore fight. Theodore was valiant in the presence of the Emperor, but he had no idea how he would fare when facing young knights in their prime.
“K-Kill him!”
The Emperor shouted.
“Kill that madman immediately for daring to discuss treason in the Emperor’s presence! What are you all doing! Kill that bastard right now!”
The knights, who had been stunned by the rapidly unfolding situation, drew their swords.
Still, as they were the Emperor's carefully selected guards, the swoosh of their swords as they withdrew was quite fierce. Even though the swords of the ten or so knights gleamed coldly, Theodore showed no sign of fear.
He still hadn't drawn his sword and glared quietly at the Emperor.
The guards glanced back at the Emperor, unsure if they should really kill the former Lord of the East on the spot. The Emperor shouted with a flushed face.
“Why are you all still standing there! Kill that guy right now!”
Only then did the knights start moving.
Then, Theodore shouted.
"Stop!"
The spirit of the seasoned veteran spread in all directions.
The knights froze like prey, hearing the roar of a wild beast.
The power in the voice bound the knights' ankles.
Even though Theodore was standing defenseless without even touching his sword, the knights could not find an opening in him.
Louis was the same.
Theodore was scattering a fierce aura that sent shivers down Louis's spine.
The sight of Theodore's hand reaching for the sword appeared to move in very slow motion. However, this was merely because time was stretched out for the viewer; when they regained their senses, the sharp sword had revealed itself and was emitting a light.
A blue sword energy stretched out long enough to split the ceiling.
A ferocious aura emanating from broad shoulders fiercely filled the Emperor's room.
“Who would dare catch me?”
The tip of the sword held by Theodore was aimed at the Emperor's neck.
“How could the knights of one who is so steeped in peace that he does not recognize a loyal subject dare to face me?”
Theodore twisted his lips upward. With a cold smile, he turned to look at the knights and spoke.
"If you have the confidence, bring it on."
No one dared to step forward.
The knights, who had lived in the safety of the empire under the protection of the commander and had never faced a true enemy, could not overcome the spirit of the veteran who still wielded his sword on the battlefield.
To the knights who had achieved the best grades at the academy but had almost no experience in actual combat, the spirit of the general, who had lived his entire life in war, was intense.
Enough to make them not even dare to attack from behind, even after Theodore turned around. Enough to make them unable to breathe properly due to the surging, valiant aura.
No one could stop the hero who had fought for the empire his entire life from leaving.
“Why is everyone just standing there! Why can’t you grab that bastard and kill him right now!”
Only the foolish Emperor's shouts, still unable to judge the situation, scattered without even reaching Theodore.
Ariana could not shake off her anxiety.
'It's a problem that can be solved if only I leave.'
She didn't know it would escalate into such a big problem.
Theodore was just like her second uncle, Fellowes, in his boisterous and spirited nature, so he was unrestrained. She usually liked his grandfather's personality, but now, facing a big problem, she was worried.
“Geor, you said Father just left the East, right?! Then who is in the East?!”
"Grandma and Uncle Langster will be there."
“Do Grandma and Uncle Langster know that Grandpa is planning to take on the Emperor?!”
Both Caradin, the grandmother, and Langster had a cold side. So, they might have thought differently from Theodore.
Geor tilted his head slightly to the side, and saying, “I was told not to show this to anyone,” he rummaged through his pocket and took out a letter.
A stern command was written in elegant handwriting on the stationery bearing the White family crest.
[It would be best to kill the Emperor. If you are going to do it, tear him to pieces.
-Caradine White-
P.S. Geor, this is Uncle Langster. Barney, who also agrees with Mother, do not hesitate to tear the Emperor to pieces, then bring Ariana back safely to the Eastern Realms. Do not show this letter to anyone; read it and then burn it.]
Geor spoke to Ariana, who was staring blankly at the letter, speechless.
“How about it, Ariana? Don’t you think it’s a relief to have a brother like this in the East who stays quiet and does as you please, even after receiving a letter like this?!”
Ariana blinked her eyes and nodded.
“Uh-huh...”
***
Upon hearing that the former Eastern Lord had come to visit, the Emperor locked the door and ordered that no one be let in.
He doesn't know about the current Eastern Lord, but the previous Eastern Lord was very uncomfortable.
Emperor Keirian Blenwitt had witnessed Theodore's war when he was still a Crown Prince in his childhood.
Unlike the current Emperor Keirian, the former Emperor enjoyed personally going to the battlefield and sitting in a safe place to watch over the battlefield.
Even when it was said that the East had taken up a sword to deal with the barbarians rampant in the eastern region, Keirian had little interest. To Keirian, the best was the North, which still possessed ice magic.
However, on that battlefield, Keirian saw the god of war who had descended to this land in person.
Theodore White, the Eastern Lord at the time, led his troops into battle at the forefront. He possessed a massive physique that struggled even to ride a horse, long flowing indigo hair, and a fierce gaze that stared at his enemies.
A powerful aura felt even from afar, and a blue energy radiated from the sword.
With a spirit that sent chills down one's spine even from their own side, the enemies were swept away like falling leaves in the autumn wind.
Theodore, having returned after annihilating the enemy, was drenched in blood. On his blood-stained face, only his eyes shone blue.
The former Emperor regarded Theodore as reliable, but Keirian was afraid of him. He felt a fear that this man might swallow up the empire.
Therefore, the current Emperor Keirian Blenwitt always kept a watchful eye on the Eastern Capital.
“Your, Your Majesty...!”
The servant who had gone out to deliver a message to Theodore returned with a pale face.
“Although I conveyed Your Majesty’s words to the former Eastern Lord, they are pushing their way in, disregarding it.”
The image of the warrior he had seen in a war long ago came to mind, and goosebumps rose on his forearm.
“What are the Imperial Knights doing! Tell them to run over and stop him immediately!”
"The Imperial Knights are trying to stop him, but..."
Bang!
A rough noise interrupted the servant's words.
The Emperor straightened his body and glared at the open door.
Theodore strode in; unlike when he last saw him, his hair was white, and the traces of time were etched on his face, but his eyes were shining just as vividly as they had back then.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
Theodore, standing before the Emperor, spoke in a growling tone.
The Emperor felt terror as if he were facing a bear and a lion, but he managed to compose himself and spoke sternly.
“Lord of the East! What on earth have you done?!”
“I am the one who would like to ask. What on earth are you doing?”
“What?”
“How could you issue an imperial decree for my young granddaughter to marry the Fifth Prince!”
The Emperor froze for a moment at the shout that sounded like a wild beast roaring, but soon regained his composure.
“Shouldn’t you be grateful to me instead? Your granddaughter will become my son’s wife and enjoy wealth and honor, so I do not understand why you harbor resentment. Surely, Lord of the East, you are not harboring treasonous intentions, are you?”
“Your Majesty, why on earth are you doing this? My granddaughter is still young. She has only just had her debutante ball, and now you are telling her to get married?”
"Having held a debutante ball does not mean she is now ready to marry. One can marry at 16, and the Princess is already 20. It is a sufficient age for marriage."
“But not this suddenly. There is no reason for her to marry a man she has never even seen, simply because she received a royal command.”
Seeing Theodore trying to persuade him with a desperate voice, the Emperor regained some confidence.
Well, what could that man possibly do? Even if Theodore was formidable on the battlefield, he was nothing more than a subject before the Emperor.
Besides, Theodore is very old. He probably doesn't have the strength to face all the knights of the Imperial Household like he did in his prime.
All Theodore could do was earnestly plead and persuade the Emperor.
The Emperor thought that Russell’s absence was also likely intended to avoid worsening relations with the Empire. For if Russel were to come in person to confront the Emperor, that would be the very moment relations would reach a point where they could no longer be restored.
Realizing his own position and Theodore's, the Emperor held his head high and spoke.
“No one can change the Imperial Decree. Not even I. Once I have issued an Imperial Decree, it must be obeyed without fail. Your granddaughter must become my daughter-in-law and live her life serving the Fifth Prince.”
"Ha!"
Theodore let out a hollow laugh.
“Do you mean this sincerely? Are you saying you will never change? Even though I, who have lived my entire life for the Empire, am pleading with you like this, are you saying you will not listen?”
“Because you have dedicated your entire life to the Empire, I have arranged a good marriage for your granddaughter. You should be the one thanking me. Isn't that right?”
The Emperor looked around at the attendants and knights and said.
They could not answer the Emperor's words as they held their breath and kept watch on Theodore, but the Emperor did not care.
As expected, his judgment was correct.
The East, which possesses such a dangerous person, must be kept under control by any means necessary. If Ariana becomes the Fifth Prince's wife, the East will not dare to harbor rebellious intentions.
"Starting today."
Theodore, gazing at the Emperor with blue shining eyes, spoke.
A low, deep voice filled the room.
"The Empire has lost its eastern wing."
At Theodore's proclamation, the Emperor sprang to his feet. The Emperor's face flushed red.
“Lord of the East! Are you spouting nonsense about treason right now?”
"Treason?"
A cold smile formed on Theodore's lips.
"Keirian Blenwitt."
Theodore boldly called out the Emperor's real name, which no one dared to utter. The color drained from the Emperor's face, and those in the room held their breath.
“You seem to be under a misconception. The five vassal states formed an alliance to bring stability to the continent in the past, and it was only because of the great contributions made by the Founding Emperor at that time that a vassal state came to regard itself as such. In reality, the relationship between the Empire and the vassal state was one of friendship, not that of sovereign and subject.”
Theodore glared at the Emperor.
“If the Empire steps forward to break our friendship, there is no reason for the East to uphold that loyalty to the very end. If the Empire cannot understand the heart of vassal states, which have devoted their loyalty to protecting peace even as it forgets the past and acts like a master dominating vassal states, is there any reason for the East to remain loyal any longer?”
“You... you scoundrel... now... now committing treason..”
“If you have a brain that can’t understand even after I’ve explained it to you, then fine, consider it treason. From now on, the Empire has no Eastern Wing!”
Louis, who had followed Theodore while in hiding, quietly placed her hand on the sword hilt.
She had heard rumors that Theodore had an extraordinary personality, but she never imagined he would speak ill of the Emperor right here.
The Emperor will not let Theodore go unharmed.
Louis had never seen Theodore fight. Theodore was valiant in the presence of the Emperor, but he had no idea how he would fare when facing young knights in their prime.
“K-Kill him!”
The Emperor shouted.
“Kill that madman immediately for daring to discuss treason in the Emperor’s presence! What are you all doing! Kill that bastard right now!”
The knights, who had been stunned by the rapidly unfolding situation, drew their swords.
Still, as they were the Emperor's carefully selected guards, the swoosh of their swords as they withdrew was quite fierce. Even though the swords of the ten or so knights gleamed coldly, Theodore showed no sign of fear.
He still hadn't drawn his sword and glared quietly at the Emperor.
The guards glanced back at the Emperor, unsure if they should really kill the former Lord of the East on the spot. The Emperor shouted with a flushed face.
“Why are you all still standing there! Kill that guy right now!”
Only then did the knights start moving.
Then, Theodore shouted.
"Stop!"
The spirit of the seasoned veteran spread in all directions.
The knights froze like prey, hearing the roar of a wild beast.
The power in the voice bound the knights' ankles.
Even though Theodore was standing defenseless without even touching his sword, the knights could not find an opening in him.
Louis was the same.
Theodore was scattering a fierce aura that sent shivers down Louis's spine.
The sight of Theodore's hand reaching for the sword appeared to move in very slow motion. However, this was merely because time was stretched out for the viewer; when they regained their senses, the sharp sword had revealed itself and was emitting a light.
A blue sword energy stretched out long enough to split the ceiling.
A ferocious aura emanating from broad shoulders fiercely filled the Emperor's room.
“Who would dare catch me?”
The tip of the sword held by Theodore was aimed at the Emperor's neck.
“How could the knights of one who is so steeped in peace that he does not recognize a loyal subject dare to face me?”
Theodore twisted his lips upward. With a cold smile, he turned to look at the knights and spoke.
"If you have the confidence, bring it on."
No one dared to step forward.
The knights, who had lived in the safety of the empire under the protection of the commander and had never faced a true enemy, could not overcome the spirit of the veteran who still wielded his sword on the battlefield.
To the knights who had achieved the best grades at the academy but had almost no experience in actual combat, the spirit of the general, who had lived his entire life in war, was intense.
Enough to make them not even dare to attack from behind, even after Theodore turned around. Enough to make them unable to breathe properly due to the surging, valiant aura.
No one could stop the hero who had fought for the empire his entire life from leaving.
“Why is everyone just standing there! Why can’t you grab that bastard and kill him right now!”
Only the foolish Emperor's shouts, still unable to judge the situation, scattered without even reaching Theodore.
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