Chapter 103

In the Grave of Swords, at its center, upon the stone slab where swords had been embedded, Yuwon and the Emperor stood side by side.

“Then… without further ado, let us begin at once.”

“Yes. Then… I shall ask this of you.”

Srrrng—

The Emperor’s sword.

The Lion Sword.

Instead of his Guardian Sword, the Emperor drew the Lion Sword, tightly fastened at his waist.

“The rightful heir of Aphahiel. Yurion Aphahiel, come forward before the former Emperor and kneel.”

Just as Yuwon moved to comply—

Flutter—!

A black shadow fell from the sky. Through the gaping hole in the ceiling, an uninvited guest joined the coronation.

“Please forgive my discourtesy, Your Majesty. I had an urgent matter to report.”

The Emperor’s secret guardian warrior, known as the Shadow.

The leader of the Owls, who silently protected the Imperial Family of Aphahiel from the darkness, intruded upon the coronation.

‘That man is the Emperor’s Shadow. Why would he appear at such a time….’

Startled by the Shadow’s sudden appearance, Yuwon grew wary of him.

Perhaps sensing Yuwon’s gaze, the Shadow turned his head to seek Yuwon’s understanding as well.

“My apologies, Your Highness. The matter is grave enough that I have committed this discourtesy.”

At his words, ‘the matter is the matter,’ the Emperor’s gaze changed.

For the Shadow he knew to speak like that—so rudely—meant it was no ordinary affair.

“What is it, Ipalim? For you to go this far, it must be no simple matter.”

“…I regret to inform Your Majesty, but the Three Princes have, in the end, chosen treason.”

“What…! That cannot be!”

“How could I ever lie to Your Majesty, to my master? I, too, wished to believe in the choices of the Three Princes, so I confirmed it several times. Yet there is no room for excuse. The Three Princes have finally crossed the line.”

“…Why are you only saying this now? If you are certain enough to speak, the suspicion must have continued for some time.”

“Your Majesty wished to trust the Three Princes until the very end, so I too tried my utmost to believe in them. It is my failure. I should have taken preliminary measures on my side and reported thereafter… things have become troublesome.”

“Does their decision align with what I confirmed from long ago?”

“Yes, it does. They all pretended to withdraw, only for the three to coordinate behind the scenes. Before Your Majesty summoned them to warn them, the Three Princes did not know what the others were plotting, but after that, it seems they resolved to rise together.”

Crunch—

Hearing Ipalim’s explanation, the Emperor gnashed his teeth in fury.

“Those fools… so they truly chose ruin… Let me ask one last time. The lives of the Three Princes depend on your answer. Are you certain they crossed the line?”

“I am certain. I swear it upon my life.”

There was not the slightest hint of hesitation in Ipalim’s answer.

The Emperor slowly nodded, as though reaching a decision.

“Very well… I understand. We go now. Today, I shall personally wash away this stain and fulfill my responsibility as Emperor of Aphahiel.”

The Emperor had desperately struggled to save his three sons, but in the end, they crossed the line. And from the Emperor’s lips came an execution order aimed at the Three Princes.

“I shall personally command the Imperial Family’s direct knight order and the Empire’s forces. Summon every Owl capable of deploying immediately. The Three Princes, all those who participated in their treason, and furthermore, every nation that encouraged them by offering aid—annihilate them all.”

“By your command! All shall be accomplished exactly as you wish, Master.”

The black lion of the White Lion House, Yulaios Aphahiel.

The silent Black Lion rose from his seat and bared his claws.

The black-maned male lion bared his fangs toward his own cubs.

The Emperor drew his blade.

The Emperor, who had been radiating a fierce murderous aura, withdrew it for a moment and looked back at Yuwon with gentle eyes.

“…Yurion, my son.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Your coronation must be postponed. It seems this father has one last duty to fulfill as Emperor.”

“If Father would do so, it would greatly aid me as well. Please, do not hesitate and accomplish what you wish. Your Majesty.”

He began as ‘Father’ and ended with ‘Your Majesty.’ Yuwon lent strength to the Emperor’s decision.

“Yes, thank you.”

A faint smile appeared on the Emperor’s lips. Yet the smile was tinged with bitterness, reflecting his heart. Soon, the Emperor erased that smile and turned again to Ipalim.

“Ipalim. Please step out for a moment.”

“Yes. Then, I shall wait in the main palace.”

At the Emperor’s order of dismissal, Ipalim immediately withdrew.

Once again, only Yuwon and the Emperor remained in the Grave of Swords—father and son alone. The Emperor continued what he had yet to say.

“…Ordinarily, it would be taken after the coronation, but since things are tangled today, it would be better for you to take it now.”

“Take…? What are you referring to?”

“Somewhere here, in the Grave of Swords, lies a fruit that only the Emperor of Aphahiel—one who becomes Emperor—may take. Find it and claim it.”

This was something Yuwon knew nothing about. Before he could ask, the Emperor drew a line.

“It may be a fruit, a leaf of grass, or perhaps even the root of a herb. You must find it yourself. You will be able to. I have duties to fulfill, so I shall leave first. Take it and make it wholly yours. Finding it may be quick, but absorbing its power will take some time.”

‘A sacred medicine! A spiritual entity!’

From the Emperor’s words, the aura of a miraculous elixir exuded strongly, and Yuwon’s eyes gleamed.

For Yuwon, whose martial growth had plateaued against the wall of realization, this was extraordinary news.

‘This is another opportunity. Though the elixir cannot be a fundamental solution, it will surely be of great help.’

What sword practitioner would ever reject a sacred medicine or a spiritual entity? Yuwon was no exception. Brimming with expectation, he answered in a confident voice.

“Yes, then I shall do so.”

“It seems that it will not be easy for you to see this father’s face for some time. Prepare yourself in the meantime. When the day comes that you and I return to this place together, you shall truly become the Emperor.”

“Yes. Then, Father, please preserve your health as well.”

At Yuwon’s respectful farewell, the Emperor smiled faintly. That smile resembled one Yuwon had often seen on Yurion’s face.

“Very well, I shall. Now, do not worry about me and focus on your own task. My son. I will take my leave first.”

Leaving behind that benevolent smile, the Emperor was the first to withdraw. Soon after, Yuwon was left alone in the Grave of Swords. Standing upon the stone plate where countless blades were driven in, he looked around the overgrown surroundings.

“Phew… No magical reaction. It’s going to take a while to find this.”

While Yuwon began the task left by the Emperor, a tense confrontation was unfolding at Yuwon’s Fifth Prince’s Palace. It was all due to the sudden arrival of the unwelcome guest, Marcellus.

Marcellus, without an ounce of fear, dared to refer to the Emperor not as “His Majesty the Emperor” but simply as “the Emperor,” which enraged the Third Prince, Bernid.

“You wretch! How dare you refer to His Majesty the Emperor as merely ‘the Emperor’! Have you no sense of the heavens above you?!”

Whether Bernid shouted or not, Marcellus’s reaction was cold and indifferent.

“I neither fear the Emperor nor hold any interest in him. What problem is there in calling an Emperor an Emperor?”

“How can one who calls himself a citizen of Aphahiel dare to speak such insolent words? There seems to be no limit to your reckless tongue!”

This time, Terrien, holding his sword, suddenly stepped forward to confront Marcellus. His hand was tightly gripping the hilt, ready to draw at any moment.

“That is not what’s important right now. Answer my question clearly. You lot—where is His Highness at this moment?”

“Ha! The audacity! You ask so brazenly it’s almost laughable. Do you really think we would answer simply because you demand it?”

Of course, Marcellus was not one to take refusal lightly.

“You will answer. Otherwise, the comrades of yours in my hands will have their limbs torn apart one by one. What were their names again…? Ah, I can’t recall, but something about ravens, wasn’t it?”

At the threat regarding the captured Shadow Raven, Gillian, who had remained silent until then, trembled with fury.

“That bastard…!”

Hastings grabbed Gillian before he could draw his sword and charge forward.

“Senior, hold on. The fact that they’re still alive and only taken captive is a relief. We can still save them. We can’t just obey him blindly, but we must talk our way through this first.”

At Hastings’s words, Gillian barely managed to restrain his anger. Marcellus, who seemed to have overheard their exchange, chuckled in amusement.

“At least one of you seems to grasp the situation. Good. You might be someone I can reason with. Come forward and speak with me. What’s going on here? Is His Highness with the Emperor right now?”

“I cannot answer that.”

At Hastings’s firm refusal, Marcellus’s already unpleasant face twisted into something monstrous.

“I thought we could have a proper conversation, but I was mistaken… I don’t have time for games. If you want your comrades to live, then answer me clearly. Where is His Highness right now?”

Despite Marcellus’s vicious threats, Yuwon’s companions kept their lips sealed, maintaining a heavy silence. The air between them crackled with murderous tension, ready to explode at any moment.

But then, at that very brink, an unexpected guest arrived at the Fifth Prince’s Palace.

“Hmm…? Did I come at a bad time? I only came to see young Terrien for a moment….”

At the sudden appearance of the Empire’s Greatest Sword, Marquis Bradman, the fierce tension between Marcellus and the Fifth Prince’s men vanished as if it had never existed. Surprisingly, it was not Terrien who greeted the Marquis first, but Marcellus himself.

“Marquis Bradman, Your Excellency? What brings you here?”

“Oh, if it isn’t Marcellus! I haven’t seen you in some time—I was wondering if something had happened to you….”

Unaware of who Marcellus truly was, Marquis Bradman spoke to him with his usual ease. Terrien quickly stepped in to stop his father.

“Your Excellency, that man cannot be trusted. Please, don’t say a word to him.”

“What are you saying? That Marcellus fellow can’t be trusted?”

“It’s complicated to explain right now. No matter what he says, do not answer him.”

“What in the world is going on….”

Only then did Marquis Bradman notice that Marcellus and the Fifth Prince’s people were standing in opposition, the air between them charged with palpable hostility.

And at that moment—

“Wait… Why is the Marquis here and not with the Emperor at this hour…? Damn it! Don’t tell me…!”

Marcellus, who had been acting arrogantly until now, suddenly cursed aloud in panic. His tiny, button-like eyes went wide as saucers in shock.

“…?”

“What’s with him all of a sudden?”

Everyone present wore puzzled expressions at Marcellus’s abrupt outburst. Then, he screamed as though realizing something dreadful.

“Ah… Aah! That bastard noticed and made his move first!”

Marcellus’s plan had gone awry.

 had happened between the Emperor and Yuwon.

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