Chapter 310

The dust settles after the failed Coronation, and the Emperor sits down to confront his old rival.

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Chapter 310

A Single Petal Fluttering Down the Road

Two days later.

The palace was in turmoil, but now it was gradually returning to stability.

In the aftermath of the failed coronation, a series of astonishing news articles reached the citizens of the Empire.

The first piece of breaking news was the reappearance of the Second Prince, Kyle Amure, who had returned to the Capital alive and well. Furthermore, it was revealed that the charges laid against him had been completely false—a fact verified by the Emperor himself —thereby clearing his name.

Word also spread that, thanks to his assistance, a plot to overthrow the Empire had been successfully thwarted during the coronation of Third Prince Joseph.

The next surprising piece of news was that the Emperor was actually in perfect health.

And this news was immediately followed by reports of the Empress’s death and the treason committed by the Duke of Toulouse and the Third Prince, Joseph Amure.

The citizens of the Empire were shocked. The Imperial Citizen Daily was the first to break the exclusive story, thanks to tips provided by some of the distinguished guests who had witnessed the events firsthand.

_________

[The Third Prince Joseph Amure and the Duke of Toulouse Declared Traitors Who Schemed to Steal the Imperial Crown!

According to the courageous informant who contacted this newspaper, the scene of the coronation was nothing short of a living hell.

The Third Prince turned his blade against the innocent citizens of the Empire, and the Duke of Toulouse was determined to stop at nothing to put him on the throne.

Reportedly, the Second Prince, Kyle Amure, knew about the plot in advance and was prepared to fight off the coup.

The events of the day unfolded as follows:

Shortly after the coronation ceremony began, a barrage of demands erupted from the crowd, calling for the Third Prince, Joseph Amure, to answer for his crimes.

However, in response, the Prince had the doors of the Grand Ceremonial Hall locked and ordered the massacre of all of the distinguished guests in attendance.

Fortunately, thanks to the Second Prince and the Phoenix Knights—who had prepared for this possibility and entered the castle—as well as the forces of House Elias, who prevented the military from entering to support the coup, the Third Prince’s attempted massacre ended in failure. Despite the fact that they were the only supporters of the Second Prince's plan, the intriguing behind-the-scenes details of House Elias's involvement remain a mystery and will be covered by this publication at a later date.

In any case, the incident resulted in numerous casualties, including the tragic deaths of Duke Anton and Empress Vivian Amure, former daughter of House Toulouse.

The Empress's body was recovered from the Emperor's bedchamber, and the Duke of Toulouse was arrested at the scene. The Third Prince, Joseph Amure, who instigated the whole scheme, was arrested thirty minutes later in the Imperial Palace sewers after putting up fierce resistance.

The following sentences have been handed down:

The Duke of Toulouse and Third Prince, Joseph Amure, were charged with framing the Second Prince as a traitor and forming the “Enlightened Gentlemen's Club” to incite violence in the Duchy of Ga’an. They were also charged with recruiting mercenaries and the Knights of Toulouse to assassinate both the Prince of Ga’an and Second Prince, Kyle Amure. In accordance with their traitorous actions, both the Duke of Toulouse and the Third Prince, Joseph Amure, have been sentenced to death by beheading. Their executions will be delayed until after the Empress's funeral.

In addition, all property owned by House Toulouse will be confiscated by the Crown and all titles bestowed upon the family will be permanently revoked.

The Duchess of Toulouse and her immediate family have been sentenced to permanent exile.

Furthermore, Hans Button—a collaborator of the Third Prince who masterminded the plot on his behalf—died before he could be executed. However, in punishment for his crimes, his corpse will be burned at the stake, and his skeleton put on display in the Soha Desert in the Southwestern region of the Empire. By imperial decree, his name has been struck from the Imperial record and permanently erased from the ancestral records of House Button.

After reclaiming the crown, Emperor Louis Amure declared that he would severely punish the perpetrators of the outrageous acts committed under his reign and fully compensate any Imperial citizens who have suffered harm from the traitor's actions. Immediately following the coup, the Emperor issued a command to restore order to the Empire and engaged the adversarial Noble and Imperialist factions in a week-long session aimed at securing the Empire. Through this process, the Empire has finally regained stability.

It is always darkest before the dawn.*

For the sake of peace and stability for the Imperial people, the nobility and Imperial Palace will do well to never forget this harrowing chapter in the history of the Empire.

—October 9, Imperial Citizen Daily.]

_________

Wherever the citizens of the Empire gathered, they spoke of the events of that day.

Among the gossip that spread through the Capital like wildfire was the story of how House Elias had turned the crisis into an opportunity.

In particular, multiple members of the public had witnessed the Elias Knights' efforts to hold off the Imperial Military's attempt to enter the Ceremonial Hall before the Emperor himself emerged at the Palace gates to end the battle. As the eyewitness accounts spread, the Elias family's involvement became a constant topic of conversation.

"First, they developed a heart medication that lowers heart disease-related mortality, and then—just as they were on the verge of being forced to disband their Knight Order—they happened to be present for a final training exercise right by the Palace during the attempted coup!"

"Indeed. They risked their lives when the Empire faced its greatest peril. The disparity between their forces and the Imperial army was so vast it must have been akin to trying to crack a rock with an egg. Perhaps because they were knights, the ordinary soldiers were none too eager to confront them!"** 

“They took excellent advantage of hit-and-run tactics; they knew when to strike and when to retreat. And then, just as the tide of battle was turning against them, the Emperor himself appeared—in perfect health!"

These were some of the many accounts shared amongst members of the public, who gathered to discuss the events many of them had watched unfold at the Palace gates.

A similar conversation unfolded among the staff of the merchant houses in the Capital.

“House Elias certainly has a knack for turning a crisis into an opportunity. I thought they were done for after the whole dragon fruit incident—who would have guessed they’d survive, let alone thrive, like this?”

“Truly. One of their children was an executive of that traitorous youth club, and another was a Palace aide who was dismissed for a serious offence—I assumed the trading company was completely doomed, but instead this incident has completely solidified their standing.”

“I suppose House Elias's company will take over the monopoly House Toulouse left behind?”

“Of course. They’ve demonstrated meritorious service and are responsible for saving the Empire—who would dare to object?”

“Hmm. House Philippe must be kicking themselves for pulling out all of their investments right now.”

“Ah...! Then, with so many business ventures ahead, they might be in need of investment...?”

Then there was the idle chatter among the Palace staff and administrators.

“Compared to when that monster was acting as Regent, the current Emperor—even if he’s a bit incompetent—seems like a benevolent ruler who puts the people first. I'm greatly relieved he’s not ill.” 

“I heard from a source close to the Consul that the Second Prince anticipated trouble and prepared the deception as a contingency.”

“It’s a blessing to have someone like that in the Imperial Family. But the First Prince has been released from prison too—surely he won't be aiming for the throne next...?”

“Haven't you heard rumors circulating around the Empire?”

“What rumors?” 

“The word is that the Second Prince, Kyle Amure, is guaranteed the position of Crown Prince.”

One week later, as the aftermath of the abdication ceremony was being resolved, it was the eve of the Empress’s funeral, and the Empire was occupied with quietly preparing for the service.

***

Dungeon of the Imperial Palace / Night.

The Emperor sat across from the Duke of Toulouse, separated by a table.

As the chief steward moved to refill the Emperor’s now-empty wine glass, the Emperor raised his hand to stop him and poured the wine himself.

“Duke Grafton Toulouse.”

“.... Yes, Your Majesty.”

There had been no torture. As soon as he learned of the Empress's passing, the Duke immediately began enumerating his crimes in minute detail. He asked the jailer to deliver his confession—a long, exhaustive catalogue of his offenses—to the Emperor himself.

“You continue to reap the benefits of belonging to a founding family of the Empire, even now. The confession helped your case as well.”

His confession detailed everything, including the Toulouse Family's hidden assets—even those belonging to the Third Prince and the Empress. Thanks to this, the remainder of House Toulouse—except the Duke himself—had been spared from execution.

“Your Majesty’s mercy is immeasurable.”

“Did you really covet my throne so desperately?”

“...Your Majesty.”

“Was it not enough? To wield more power than me? And yet, you felt it necessary to take the throne from me as well?”

“....”

“Your life is too short to justify such greed... Why did you try to take it all? Perhaps, it’s only natural. It's a part of human nature—once you have one thing, you want two; once you have two, you want four.”***

The Emperor poured wine directly into the Duke’s glass, and the Duke respectfully accepted it with both hands before drinking.

“I believed he was the perfect Crown Prince to lead the Empire.”

“You’re a hypocrite to the very end.”

“If only he hadn’t met Hans Button, he would have been a perfectly fine leader.”

“Are you being smart with me, or do you genuinely believe that?”

“....”

The Emperor stared intently at the Duke’s haggard face, then let out a dry, incredulous laugh. 

“So, you really do believe that... Tell me, Duke. Put your hand on your heart and answer me this: Did you choose to support them—both the First Prince and the Third—precisely because they were easy to manipulate?”

"...My devotion to the Empire remains unchanged, Your Majesty."

"Madness... This is the answer you choose to give me after I elected to show courtesy to my long-time political rival?"

As the Emperor sprang to his feet, the Duke also rose from his seat and spat out the final words he would grant his enemy.

“If you had just appointed the First Prince as your heir years ago, none of this would have happened!”

The Emperor met the Duke’s furious words with a cold, piercing stare.

“Yes. It is my fault that I raised my sons so poorly. But if I have done a single thing right as Emperor, it was choosing not to place the First Prince on the throne and make him Crown Prince, while he was being manipulated by the Aristocratic faction and the Empress! I knew a day like this would come. I am not the only Amure to suffer this—we have long been powerless and at the mercy of the nobility. But hear me well, after this incident, I will never again allow the Imperial Family to be manipulated by the aristocracy! I came all this way specifically to tell you this before you meet your end. Let my words be the last thing you ponder before you die."

The day after the Emperor’s confrontation with the Duke, the Empress’s funeral took place. Perhaps because she hailed from House Toulouse, or the gravity of her son’s crimes, the scale of her funeral was pitifully meager compared to those of Empresses past.

Just as the chaotic Empire was gradually regaining its stability, a dispatch arrived at the Palace to warn the Emperor that signs of a third invasion by the Kingdom of Skandoa had been detected along the border. It was as if they had sensed the Empire’s shifting political climate and hoped to capitalize on it.

[Over the past week, four guard posts near the Skandoan border have detected signs of enemy incursion.

Military scouting teams have been deployed to the border region. We have shifted into a state of war readiness, and a list of required military supplies is attached. We are requesting support, effective immediately, and plan on monitoring the situation for another week before submitting a follow-up report.

Commander of the 5th Battalion, Philip Orris, Skandoan Frontline.]

It wasn’t urgent. However, as if he’d been anticipating something like it, Kyle ordered his men to immediately prepare to depart for the border.

Despite the pleas of key court officials and the Emperor, the Prince still left. And, contrary to everyone's fears, another war did not break out.

Even so, when war failed to materialize, the Second Prince began inspecting border posts across the Empire under the pretext of ensuring their security.

In truth, the report that had arrived before the funeral was nothing more than a routine notification.

Prince Kyle himself had established the system that required border commanders to send a report to the Capital whenever the slightest signs of a potential assault were detected. Minor incursions like this were commonplace across many of the border regions and often came to nothing.

Even though Kyle knew better than anyone that the probability of a third conflict with Skandoa was low, he still chose to leave the Capital to inspect their defenses himself. Three months passed.

The Emperor sent him countless demands, ordering his return to the Capital, yet Kyle rejected every single request.

And so, it was now three months later—January 9th.

______

Editor's Note - 

So yes, unfortunately we need to wait one more chapter to find out how Kyle is coping. This is your last chance to make your bets!

Also, I’m with the Emperor on this one; the Duke is indeed full of shit and never once believed Joseph would be a good Emperor.

Anyway, time for more Korean idioms!

* The specific idiom used here is "비온 뒤에 땅이 굳는다", "The ground always hardens after the rain", which is used to convey the idea that conflict and struggle provide hope and opportunity for a better future. Variations of this exact idiom exist in Chinese, Japanese, and a bunch of other East Asian languages. One common English equivalent is "the calm comes after the storm", but I chose this interpretation to avoid confusion with the slightly different English idiom"the calm before the storm," which confusingly means the exact opposite.

** The idiom 계란으로 바위 치기 “Like hitting a rock with an egg” means exactly what it sounds like, and I will be using it at every opportunity. It is 100% self-explanatory, and I love the imagery of someone ineffectually lobbing eggs at rocks.

*** The original phrase Louis uses here is 100년도 살지 못하는 목숨. Roughly translated, "you won't even live more than 100 years", which is an admonishment for being too greedy. The original saying is very poetic because it's based on a line from a very famous Han dynasty poem. The original line goes, "생년불만백 상회천세우" (生年不滿百 常懷千歲憂), "people do not even live to be 100 years old, yet they always carry worries enough for 1,000 years". The shortened version of this phrase has become a philosophical response to obsessive worrying, but a later line of the same poem directly ties this yearning to greed, 愚자애석비 단위후세치 (愚者愛惜費 但爲後世嗤)"The foolish tightly hoard their wealth, only to be laughed at by future generations". In short, don't spend your finite mortal existence constantly yearning for more.

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