I Became the First Prince

Chapter 202

Connecting blood (3)

It was natural that the descendants of the first emperor had not forgotten muhunshi.

No matter how much the ring was valued over the heart in the present age, the spirit and karma achieved by the Burgundy ancestors were so great that the current family could not dare throw it away in favor of the virtues of the ring.

In fact, Umbert Dortmund’s descendants and the Sky Knights have preserved the original [Poetry of Sudden Change] left for them by the Sky Blade, even if the karma and spirit contained therein did not reach the level of the past. It wasn’t strange that the Burgundy family remembered the traditions of their ancestors. The problem lay in the qualities of the fool before me, who talked like a madman. Traditions are not inherent; they are not passed on to those who lack the vessels to bear them.

That was exactly the case with the third princeps. He did not have the vessel to hold the tradition; all he had were his disastrous traits.

Yet the same fook had summoned part of that tradition in my very presence. And that which the princeps had used was clearly on a [Mythic] level.

I had to struggle through terrible pain that threatened to disperse my soul, forcing me to use traditions I could not easily bear to handle. That was the power I had faced.

It meant that one with Burgundy blood had given the princeps excerpts from a [Mythic] poem, just enough so that the princeps could handle them.

I concentrated my entire mind on grasping the emperor’s intentions. Whenever I thought about him, there was nothing, as if I was searching for a path in complete darkness. Fortunately, it was not so this time.

The spirit of the poem recited by the third princeps was still wandering around. I summoned my mana and gathered energy around me. In my mind, I focused countless times on the Burgundy dance poem that the princeps had unknowingly uttered.

‘There are many kings in this world.’

‘The only true monarch is Burgundy’

The poem’s verses sang about the one and only ruler in the world, but there was no great ambition or aspiration contained therein. It was all just blind praise and worship of Burgundy. It felt as if I had suffered a blow in the back of my head because the nature of the poem was such that it did not fit in well with the prince of another country.

It would be apt to describe it as a hymn sang by the slave for its master. If I wanted to find something similar… Okay, it was exactly like the [Poetry of Subjugation] that Adelia Bavaria had dedicated to me. The verses were different, but the essences were so very alike.

It was a slave’s hymn to the master, a song that is more of an oath than a dance poem – an oath of submission. I looked at the princeps again, the arrogant and proud imperial princeps, and saw a lowly slave praising the greatness of his master.

Within him, there were two completely different identities that could only intersect from time to time. As I stared blankly at the man, a thought passed through my head.

If I was an ordinary human, I would never have imagined this.

I had to remember that I wasn’t an ordinary human. I now formed a hypothesis that was too terrible to think about: Perhaps the emperor’s successors are just vessels to hold power for him.

It was like me, the sword, who had taken over a body and pretended to be human. Goosebumps popped up all over my body. I tried to shake off the ominous feeling.

I was speculating; it was a ridiculous leap of twisted logic: I repeated these words countless times. However, constant whispers came from my insight and intuition that I had gained by being an observer over many centuries. I couldn’t build up karma to solve the puzzle, so I tried to think of a person who had climbed to the highest ground and looked down upon the world. It was no strange thing that the temperament I sensed was so close to that of the Burgundy family’s founder. The appearance of the emperor I had seen in person kept sparking through my imagination. To that image, I added the comments of the fifth princeps that had recently been reported to me: Inhumanity, infidelity.

Everything was pointing to one common truth.

“You should have answered me by now,” the third princeps said, urging a conclusion to the previous negotiations, and it was then that I became convinced. I didn’t know why the emperor didn’t care for his flesh and blood, but it was at least clear to me that no matter who gained the throne, he had the means to hand over his family’s tradition and power.

That was why he acted like that toward the third princeps, why it didn’t matter to him who rose to take the throne. No matter who sat on the throne, nothing would change.

“Is it possible that you will only come to your senses after seeing me reach the end of my patience? How long do you want to stay in a place like this!”

The third princeps once more urged me to close negotiations. Instead of answering, I quietly looked at him.

‘Tok~ tok~’

As I tapped the table with my fingers, and I thought about how to treat the third princeps. Should we empower him, as originally planned? Or maybe we should take his life here to keep the emperor in check. My murderous intentions escaped from my mind as I worried.

‘Quaazzik~’

The flags of both countries that had been planted in the empty, windless field swelled up under the sudden burst of energy.

“He unleashed his energy! While discussing peace!”

Burgundy’s knights felt the unusual wave and put their hands on their sword hilts as they cried out to me.

“You dare put your hands on your swords if the prince is before you!” Quéon and his lancers roared fiercely at the knights of the Empire.

“Didn’t your crown prince act first?”

“He just sat there quietly! Do not threaten him!”

Words came and went.

‘Sheeek!’

Knights on both sides simultaneously drew their swords or readied their lances as they pointed the weapons at each other. The peaceful conference existed no more.

‘Woow~’

Imperial paladins summoned their aura blades. The kingdom’s champions did not stand back as they instilled energy into their swords. Murder and hostility flowed from all quarters.

Tension filled the empty field.

‘Boowooo woohooo~’

‘Dumtumtum~ Dumtumtum~’

Both armies readied themselves, blowing horns and beating drums.

“What are you doing now?” the third princeps demanding after he had retreated from the table in terror.

“It’s not too late!” the imperial paladins hurriedly shouted at me. “Stay your energy and step back!”

“He’s mad. He can’t do this without being mad. He certainly wants to see his country burn to cinders. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have done that all of a sudden!” the third princeps screamed, saying that he could not ignore my sudden actions. He sounded like a weak dog barking in fear.

As I watched him, my murderous intentions escaped from me. I couldn’t sever a sprout that might destroy the Empire just because of a simple hunch. Once everything became clear, it wouldn’t be too late to kill him.

“Seal.”

Adelia, who was waiting behind me, handed me the Crown Prince’s seal.

‘Shh~’

I picked up the treaty lying on the table – and I stamped it.

“Uh?” the third princeps stupidly gasped as if my actions were unexpected.

“What are you doing? Can’t you take it?” I demanded in a deep tone of voice, and only then did the princeps stamp his seal down onto the treaty.

“It’s a smart decision!” he said with a laugh, his tone sounding the same as when he had yelped in fear. “Today’s decision saved your kingdom.”

“I know,” I said and gestured with my hand at the guy.

“Get out of here.”

If I kept watching him, my thoughts might suddenly change.

“You dare?” The third princeps’ face was stretched into a grimace, his body trembling.

However, he soon remembered we were at the end of negotiations, and it was he who would suffer the most damage were a battle to break out.

“Huh! You jackanapes! You will regret this later,” he said and left the empty field, and Burgundy’s knights followed after him. I gave them a last look, then also left. The imperial legions began to march away from the border that very day. The Royal Army and I watched the borders with care in preparation for some deception by the enemy that might be on the cards.

But there were no surprises. After a week, no imperial troops were to be found on the border.

Leonberg’s Southern Army moved south, claiming the imperial fortresses and territories that were transferred to us in the treaty. And so, new borders were drawn, and we could prepare for troubles yet to come. But before such a time, we could finally rejoice in Leonberg’s victory and enjoy the peace – even if it would be a short peace.

“The Eastern Fleet is returning!”

Meanwhile, news came that the king and the fleet were on their way back from the empire.

“I’m curious what his expression will be when he learns that Leonberg’s territory has increased.”

I chuckled as I thought about the king returning from the front lines. Still, it wasn’t time to just be having fun. Even if the war was over and the kingdom was in a state of peace, I still had work to do. I hoped that the king would return as soon as possible so that I could let go of my current burdens and focus on my work.

Of course, it was unlikely that the king would agree with my plan.

* * *

‘The Kingdom of Leonberg won the war!’

The news of the northern war quickly spread. People were amazed that a small, isolated country had endured the imperial onslaught. There was more surprising news, however.

“The Burgundy Empire permanently surrendered part of their territory to Leonberg. They also paid them substantial reparation funds. This is no different than the Empire acknowledging defeat.”

The weaker northern nation had not only endured the war but won it so perfectly that the Empire conceded to their demands. It was at this time that many began to doubt the Empire’s might after they had failed in invading two separate nations.

“There is no eternal empire in this world.”

Some who were more impatient said that the Empire’s fate was sealed and that a new order had to be established on the continent. Considering that the Empire had been plunged into civil war after successive foreign defeats, their impatient words were not spoken without reason.

In fact, the imperial civil war showed many signs of developing into a prolonged conflict.

Instead of hastening to the capital, the fifth princeps, under the protection of the Spire, was gradually expanding his power in the western part of the Empire. The natural consequence of this was that the battles against those nobles who followed the emperor did not end.

The third princeps was leading his army, returning to the mainland, but since he had advanced all the way to the border, it would take some time for him to reach the power base of the fifth princeps.

In the midst of these developments, the weaker nations that had been suppressed by the Empire began to raise their heads one by one. No country openly rebelled, but it was clear that their attitude toward the Empire was not the same as before.

These were the times when the situation on the continent began to fluctuate.

“They say that Leonberg’s Crown Prince did an outstanding job.

While rapid developments took place across the continent, interest in those heroes who had triumphed against hopeless odds gradually increased.

“I heard that he is credited for leading his nation to victory in that war.”

“As I hear it, he’s the youngest paladin in their kingdom, right?”

“It looks like the blood of his ancestor, who was named the Lion of the North, still flows strong.”

People praised Prince Adrian Leonberger’s efforts and victory, calling him the Young Lion of the North.

“After I heard his story, they told me he wasn’t even married yet!”

“It’s a pity that the Crown Prince of Leonberg, who will gain the throne, has not yet found a match.”

Even those who wished to form bonds of kinship with the young northern heroes appeared.

“There is that young lion from the north…”

And some of them had already sent their swiftest hawks.

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