Chapter 449: The fall of the empire.

‎Julius watched Like and Harot being taken away by Rasmus. Arandil and the others watched from a distance, however, their attention got shifted when they saw the massive tunnels beneath the empire. They didn’t know that there was such a thing beneath the capital city except for Arandil and Castor.

‎Rasmus slowly turned his head and stared right into Julius’ eyes. The way Rasmus stared at Julius, there was a smile in his eyes like a smile of someone who had achieved what he had planned. Julius’ expression was calm, but in the end, he had lost everything and gained nothing. Everything that had happened, both the demons and humankind were at lost, and the one that got everything was Rasmus.

‎Julius remembered that Rasmus had called him a useful tool, and this moment made him feel exactly like that. He didn’t want to admit it, but he also couldn’t deny it either. He decided to let Rasmus go and brought Luke with him.

‎”Your Majesty…” Esmeralda muttered nervously as she looked at her husband, who couldn’t stop staring at Rasmus with a cold gaze.

‎”That title…” Julius glanced over his shoulder at Esmeralda, Arandil, and the others. “The Sun Empire no longer exists. There’s no ruler without land and people to rule,” he said as he looked them in the eyes, declaring the end of his reign.

‎Everyone stared into Julius’ eyes, wondering if he was being serious about what he said. The longer they observed Julius’ eyes, the more they were convinced that there wasn’t a single flicker of regret in them. They finally accepted Julius’ words, but both Arandil and Castor chose to stay loyal to him.

‎”But we still have the wealth to create a small kingdom…” Esmeralda pointed out as she looked at Julius, hoping that Julius would reconsider and take back his words.

‎”I know,” Julius nodded. “And that’s in Isador’s hand, not mine anymore,” he said, his eyes moving from side to side at the vast hole that used to be a beautiful capital city.

‎Everyone lowered their heads, acting as witnesses that Emperor Julius Suncrown had passed down his authority to his son, Isador. Nobody complained because everyone was still in shock from what had just happened earlier, about the existence of Satan the master of all demons and the fight between Satan against Aris and Rullein.

‎Julius reached for the crown on his head and slowly took it off. He looked at it for a moment, flashes of memories running through his mind. He walked to the edge of the vast hole, looking down at the debris and rubble before he tossed his crown.

‎Everyone watched and listened to the crown rolling down the hard surfaces until it slipped in between the debris and disappeared. Some of the knights and mages wanted to go down there and retrieve the crown for themselves, but none of them dared when Arandil and Castor were there.

‎”You chose to bury the secrets? How fortunate of you that you don’t have to reveal the truth to the world,” Lenin’s voice could be heard from behind Julius.

Julius turned around and saw Lenin floating above the ground and then landing behind him. Arandil and the others were shocked that the Great Sage suddenly appeared, and assumed that she might have come to help but it was already too late. Julius on the other hand, focused on the question that Lenin asked him.

“What’s the point of revealing it, Great Sage? What good comes from revealing the truth? Will the truth give us peace? Will the truth give us a better world?” Julius asked and stared into Lenin’s eyes. “There are things that are unnecessery for the world to know because they serve nothing,” he added.

“That’s when you’re wrong, Julius. Because you hid the truth, the peace that we all tried to maintain has been easily destroyed by those secrets,” Lenin said as she stared at Julius without showing any pity toward Julius and his empire. “You’re hoping the peace will survive the hurricane when it’s so fragile. You’re not hiding the truth to attain peace, you’re hiding the truth to make it easier for you to control the truth and the people,” she said as she raised her brows.

“Then what? Should I reveal the secrets and watch the world burn and witness nations kill each other to hold control over those secrets? You would rather choose chaos over stability and control that we used them for the greater good, for everyone’s live and future?” Julius asked with a calm expression.

“Now? I believe it’s too late, and you have just received the consequences of your actions for hiding the truth. But if you just told us everything a long time ago, we all could work together to achieve true peace, but you didn’t trust us, you chose to carry it yourself, and now you have fallen by yourself. You had the choice to make it better, but you didn’t.” Lenin answered, mirroring Julius’ expression.

“I’m not fool enough to not see that, Great Sage,” Julius turned his back and stared at the vast hole again. “I know, and I am atoning for my failure. A man like me was needed back then, but not anymore. The world can move on and let this man stay in the dark to live with all the guilts,” he said calmly.

“You don’t deserve that, Julius. You’re running from responsibility by pretending to atone for your deeds. Your presence and figure are needed by the world, and you will have to work to the death if you have to because that’s the only thing that can redeem your deeds for hiding the truth,” Lenin said, staring at the back of Julius’ head.

For the first time Julius chose silence over opening his mouth to respond to Lenin’s words. Everyone listened to their conversation and they were holding their breaths as if that conversation was as dangerous and nerve-wrecking as the war against the demons earlier.

“You know where to go. Join us and help both Isador and Aurelia, two children of two nations that share the same guilt for hiding the truth from the world. You owed your son his future, and Astrea owed her daughter her future. You have nowhere to go, and the Holy Nation is wide open for everyone that wish for a better world,” Lenin said as she turned around to look at Arandil and the others.

After Lenin had enough looking at everyone’s faces, she flew away to go back to the Holy Nation, to inform others about the results of the battle.

“Merely a tool…” Julius muttered to himself as he looked up at the sky with a calm expression, but there was a hint of a smirk of mockery toward himself.

Julius took a deep breath before he turned around and looked at all the people who still looked at him like they were looking at the emperor. Most of them still had that loyalty in their eyes, and some had begun to question their loyalty to him. He didn’t think much about it because he knew that they were still following his orders.

“Go back to your family, they’re waiting for your return. The war is over for now, but this is far from over because the real war hasn’t happened yet,” Julius said, his voice loud enough that millions of soldiers could hear his voice. “You’re no longer serving the Sun Empire as of now because the Sun Empire is no longer exist. You’re not bound by your oath and vow, you’re released and you’re free to go,” he added.

All the soldiers looked at each other and murmured, shocked by Julius’ words that the Sun Empire was no more. They had devoted their whole lives to becoming proud knights and mages of the Sun Empire, and now they didn’t know where to go or what to do.

“Those who don’t know where to go,” Julius paused to look them in the eyes. “You may join me in the Holy Nation and join hand with Great Sage Lenin and Lady Aurelia. If you don’t want to, then you may serve other rulers, but there’s one request that I want you to listen to,” he paused and took a deep breath. “What you saw here earlier, tell the world what you saw. Tell them that Count Rasmus Blackheart was the one who defeated the Demon army,” he said with a serious expression.

Everyone was confused as to why Julius wanted to give credit to Rasmus. However, they remembered how terrifying the being that came at the last minute was. They knew they wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Rasmus, Aris, and Rullein. They all looked at each other and decided to accept Julius’ request by spreading the news that Rasmus Blackheart was the hero that defeated the demon army.

“Now, you all can leave and go back to your family,” Julius said and turned away to look at Arandil and Castor, nodding to signal them to prepare to leave.

Arandil and Castor nodded and prepared the horses for Julius and Esmeralda.

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