Chapter 304

Urbes Wiche Uterbeum is the Director of the Imperial Intelligence Bureau.

This means he is the general manager of all classified information and spies of Cordis.

His name is merely not well known because he operates in the shadows, but in terms of power and ability, he does not fall behind the Ten Great Generals even a little.

It is an open secret that the now-deceased Ten-Vigorous General was unilaterally beaten up when he picked a fight with Director Urbes.

For such an Urbes to mumble timidly was a very rare sight.

“Director Urbes.”

“……Yes.”

“Say it again.”

Urbes could not speak easily.

Although he showed a timid appearance unbefitting the high position of Intelligence Bureau Director, there was no shame.

It was because of who the opponent was.

He was currently talking with Ferbias Caseptus Cordis, the 50th Emperor of the Empire.

Furthermore, Emperor Ferbias even looked very displeased.

“How many are following Zionis?”

“…It is estimated to be three thousand two hundred.”

“Is my memory strange? I heard last week it was two thousand.”

“…No. I reported two thousand last week.”

“Then what is one thousand two hundred?”

“…It is the newly increased number this week.”

“Hah.”

Ferbias giggled.

“One thousand two hundred in a week! At this rate, he’ll establish a country in no time. No, maybe there is no need for that. Since he can just take an existing country. Things are turning out quite interestingly. Isn’t that so?”

“…….”

Director Urbes’s face hardened severely.

He is the Intelligence Bureau Director.

It is no exaggeration to say he is one of the people most well-versed in the various secrets of the Empire, and he was also well aware of the information that Emperor Ferbias giggles for no reason just before exploding.

As expected, Ferbias suddenly raised his voice.

“I asked if it isn’t so, Director!”

“…I apologize.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“…For making Your Majesty’s mood uncomfortable.”

“Does my mood look uncomfortable? I am very amused. I said it’s interesting. Yet to Director Urbes, my mood must have looked uncomfortable?”

…….

Director Urbes could not answer and bowed his head deeply.

Instead, he spat out very scathing curses inwardly.

‘Damned Ferbias. Damned Director Kentil! To think I would miss that flatterer….’

A few months after the flatterer Kentil lost his life to Secundus.

The Emperor searched for a person to replace him.

A person who would uphold the Emperor’s pride, be capable in practical affairs, yet not cross the line.

Unfortunately for Director Urbes, there was no one more suitable than him in the Great Imperial Palace of Cordis.

Thinking about it, it was from the time of Secundus’s death.

Hermai Merhes accidentally blabbed about the thousand-year-old gods, and to keep that secret, he killed everyone present.

Over eight hundred people.

Moreover, since they were all key officials of the capital Lutilium, the Great Imperial Palace of Cordis was suffering from an unprecedented manpower shortage.

“…Phew….”

Ferbias threw a tantrum for quite a while.

His temper, which was already hasty, had become more unstable since Secundus’s death.

He sometimes acted benevolently like a saint who had repented all his life, and sometimes found fault with everything visible like a street thug.

For those around him, it was not welcome at all.

“…Right. What is the use of getting angry at you? I am sorry.”

“…No, Your Majesty.”

Then don’t get angry in the first place.

Director Urbes had a talent for spitting out words inwardly that were the exact opposite of what he said with his mouth.

Outwardly, he pretended to be loyal to the utmost, but inwardly, he spat curses at Ferbias.

The Emperor likely noticed his duplicity to some extent as well.

But he did not go out of his way to point it out.

Because Ferbias also knows how serious the current manpower shortage is.

Instead of roasting Director Urbes further, Ferbias took out his anger on his innocent hair.

The neat blonde hair that the attendants had groomed with great care became disheveled in an instant.

“…Right. At first, I could tolerate it.”

At the Emperor’s monologue, Director Urbes bowed his head.

“Zionis escaped Kosavagarobira, with Yosef Haider …I tried to tolerate this fact.”

If Yosef Haider intervened, whose help it was is clear.

Leniar de Volmark, the Emperor’s half-sister and the current Duchess of Volmark.

Not knowing what wind blew, Leniar helped Shion’s escape.

“It was my last magnanimity too. If the escaped Zionis lived quietly, I didn’t intend to go out of my way to find him, but….”

Ferbias’s eyes were deeply sunken with fatigue.

He pressed firmly between his eyes.

However, the fatigue did not disappear.

Since Secundus’s death, Ferbias had also thought a lot.

It means he reflected on his own methods.

However, humans are not beings that change so easily.

Even if this is a cruel statement, it was a clear fact.

“…He had to come back to Cordis, and drag around thousands of my soldiers and my people….”

“…….”

“…Tell me about the group Zionis is dragging around, Director.”

Yes.

Director Urbes answered quietly and took out a few sheets of documents.

“Initially, it was a group starting with three.”

Shion standing at the head.

And Velgil and Sen Hostanio.

“However, after the encounter with the 5th Legion led by the Five-Rot General, their size exploded.”

“How many of my soldiers were taken then?”

“At the time, it was one thousand five hundred. However, they say more than half of them have already returned to the 5th Legion.”

He added that currently, the 5th Legion soldiers following Shion are only 700.

Ferbias suppressed the urge to snap back asking if 700 was a small number.

Because it wasn’t Director Urbes’s fault.

“Also, this group passed the Ohobena Vineyard, and at this time too, about 500 increased. Most were vineyard workers.”

“The Ohobena Vineyard is indeed large….”

“And farmers, trainee cadets, mages, soldiers other than the 5th Legion…. The reality is that they are steadily absorbing a certain number of those they encounter.”

“Which category has the largest number?”

“…As expected, it is soldiers.”

“They must be my soldiers?”

“Since it is Your Majesty’s Empire….”

Ferbias touched his forehead.

Director Urbes finished reporting.

700 from the 5th Legion, 550 from the 6th Legion, 400 from the 13th Legion, and 300 others.

Among the three thousand two hundred following Shion, two thousand were Imperial soldiers.

“…Shall I finish the report, Your Majesty?”

“…….”

The Emperor answered with a chin gesture instead.

He didn’t want to hear more, but he had to.

If it were up to his feelings, he wanted to scream right now.

What on earth is happening?

Why are my soldiers following Zionis without a single fight?

But screaming wouldn’t bring an answer.

Ferbias only let his insides rot away.

“……And, in that group…….”

“In that group, what? Why are you hesitating so much?”

“…There are two of the Ten Great Generals.”

“…One would be the Two-Flame Grand General, and another would increase?”

“…Yes, the Six-String General….”

“…….”

Ferbias crumpled his face violently.

“…Currently, they say those two are controlling the group as representatives.”

“…Besides them, who else are those whose names I might know?”

“Viscount Mustas has already been reported, and Elder Kosmano Keshulei….”

“The Great Writer Elder Kosmano?”

Hah!

The Emperor shouted in disbelief.

“It’s absurd! The old man who is hard to even see unless I visit him directly, who can’t even walk well….”

“…Your Majesty.”

“You may go, Director.”

“…But.”

“I said get out!”

At the hysterical shout, Director Urbes bowed deeply and backed away.

With his mouth, he pretended to be regretful, pretended to worry about Ferbias, but inwardly, he was cheering.

Director Urbes made a firm resolution to definitely go home today and drink wine until his nose became crooked.

With secret friends who would join him in badmouthing the Emperor.

“…….”

Ferbias was a sensitive man.

Director Urbes’s inner thoughts were clearly visible to him.

But he didn’t go out of his way to mention it.

Being Emperor is a position that requires such virtue.

This golden throne endlessly demanded patience and inhumanity from him.

He suddenly felt lonely.

Because he could possess everyone, no one approached him first.

“…Originally….”

The Emperor muttered.

He ended up recalling the old days.

“…It wasn’t like this originally.”

Ah, nostalgic days.

He also had friends with whom he shared chats dreaming big dreams.

The vast lawn of Sdea Academy, the shattering sunlight, the few glasses of wine sipped avoiding the teacher’s eyes.

He sorely misses the time when those trivial, even shabby things were brilliantly beautiful.

“…Where did everyone go?”

The first one he recalled was Amethus.

The best friend, a reliable confidant, the jade-eyed swordsman.

But Ferbias deceived him first.

Even knowing how great a meaning the secret of Arete Island held for Amethus, he did not tell him.

However, he died.

Amethus is already dead.

He died at the hands of Deballo Debius.

Ferbias’s heart ached sharply.

He struggled to turn his mind.

Next, Bukenos came to mind.

The eccentric of the law department who always carried a hand axe.

The man who became the Chief of Staff of the 11th Legion and followed Niko Nereyades.

Ferbias considered Bukenos a friend as well.

But what to do about him being already dead.

That Bukenos died to Shion.

Also, Nana….

A name like the last hope remaining to him.

The last person who shared his school days, the last close friend who remained by his side, so he cannot approach rashly.

If even Nana runs away… then Ferbias really will….

“…From where. Where did it go wrong.”

The golden throne was cold, especially today.

Even though he knows well that this chair, which is only splendid, was always cold, today it was utterly hard to endure.

Still, Ferbias had to sit on the throne.

Because it is the position of Emperor he chose.

Because he is the Emperor.

***

“Why.”

The Emperor asked.

There is no one in front of the throne.

“Why?”

He sat in the highest seat and threw a question into the void.

A few reports slashed his heart again.

“I remember.”

Ferbias’s eyes are gold.

Resembling his father Great Emperor Continua, they shine ferociously.

Still, the darkness did not retreat.

“7 years ago, Zionis who was just like a child…. The fellow who barely managed to run away avoiding me….”

3,200 people.

It is an absurd number.

Even more so because he obtained them without a single fight.

Ferbias was on the verge of going crazy from excessive questioning.

He was being robbed.

His people, his soldiers, the Six-String General, Two-Flame Grand General Sen Hostanio and… Amethus….

“Why to a fellow like that…. How could he….”

He jerked his eyes up.

A pair of golden pupils were like a beast.

The Emperor glared fiercely at the darkness.

“…Just why?”

There is a person in the darkness.

The physique was small.

He had blonde hair similar to the Emperor, but his eyes were blue.

And above all, he wore a crude wooden crown on his head.

“I said just why, Zionis!”

“Indeed, Brother.”

Shion walked out, parting the darkness.

He walked with big strides as if the darkness Ferbias couldn’t possibly lift was nothing.

“I merely did not stop them.”

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