NOVEL NEXT Chapter 264
“I have the honor to meet Your Majesty the Emperor.”
Jeongjae bowed his head towards Rose. Rose burst into laughter, clearly finding something amusing.
“Just speak as you usually do. Who’s going to record every single thing you say? Why the formalities that don’t suit you?”
“Fair enough. I didn’t realize it when writing letters, but seeing your face, it feels much more comfortable to drop the formalities.”
Jeongjae eagerly accepted Rose’s suggestion. The Emperor nodded and lovingly stroked the face of the baby in his arms.
“Nowadays, there aren’t many friends to speak casually with. Let’s not be harsh with each other.”
“It’s hard not to feel conscious of the Crown Prince, though.”
“Ah, you figured out who holds the real power in this room as soon as you entered. You’ve got a good sense.”
Rose chuckled softly. Jeongjae couldn’t laugh. As he had already heard from Margaret, Rose’s son had the same gray eyes as Walter Hellhound. Although now destroyed and vanished by Dracula, they resembled the portrait of Sherlock Holmes that had remained in the Barony of Harryet.
“You named your son Sherlock, right?”
“Yes, it was a name Walter wanted to give to his child.”
“That’s a good name. I think it suits him very well.”
“Yeah, I hope so…”
Rose lowered her head for a moment with a bitter expression. Jeongjae spoke up.
“The Crown Prince’s birth is a joyous occasion for the Empire. There’s no need to hide it from the world, is there?”
“I’ve already started to slowly make it public. But there’s something on my mind.”
“What’s bothering you exactly…?”
“I did not permit Harker to enter the Imperial Palace.”
At Rose’s words, Jeongjae slightly opened his mouth in surprise. The Emperor continued while turning his head, as if trying to hide his expression.
“I understand well that it’s a difficult time for everyone, and difficult decisions have been made. But… I just can’t forgive that guy. It’s personal for me. Yet, it’s also a sensitive and political issue above all else.”
“If the Crown Prince is born, and Jenis doesn’t visit the palace, rumors will spread.”
“Everyone knows that guy is the real power in the Empire. If she doesn’t come to me, all sorts of rumors will circulate.”
“Meet her at least once. There’s no reason to avoid her to that extent.”
“Hm.”
Rose silently slumped into her chair. Jeongjae also sat beside the Emperor, bowing his head. There was nothing to say. It was true that Jenis had decided on Walter’s death without much hesitation. Although that decision left a serious trauma for her as well, it didn’t mean that Jenis had done any soul-searching over it.
“To be honest, it’s hard to talk to you, Park Jeongjae. Ultimately, it was your life that was saved by that guy’s choice. Blaming him for that would be almost like wishing you had died instead. No, that’s not accurate. I don’t mean to say he did anything wrong. I just…”
“Do you find it hard to believe?”
“That might be exactly the case.”
“Rose. I also find that child’s methods suspicious. But two things are clear: she has better strategic insight than both of us, and she is fully committed to destroying the Demon King and his Empire. That’s enough reason to trust Jenis. Send her a gesture of confidence. To be honest, you know she won’t defy you.”
“She wouldn’t defy me.”
Rose replied.
“As long as I’m alive, that child will never have the opportunity to look down on this Empire. Who would dare to speak in front of me?”
Jeongjae grasped the meaning behind her words. He couldn’t help but understand. He’d noticed that Rose’s grip on her son tightened slightly while she spoke. Jeongjae asked.
“Are you worried about…?”
“Baron, humans change really quickly. Even I have changed a lot compared to ten years ago. But you won’t be unaware of how long Jenis Harker is likely to live.”
“She’ll live for at least another 400 years.”
“That brat is already in mental turmoil. She’s a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment. And the power of that bomb will only grow, while those who can control her will gradually disappear with the passage of time. What basis do I have to believe and feel at ease? What grounds do I have to trust and support a half-human half-demon who will maintain their strength and looks even after I grow old and die?”
“Your child will be clever. She’ll know how to navigate her own path.”
“A clever monarch doesn’t mean anyone can protect the Empire. I don’t want to be a ruler that fosters the downfall of the Empire. Her faction is already infesting the council, and the territory she effectively governs is broader than what I manage directly. When this war ends, we’ll be overwhelmed with the task of managing the territories we’ve long lost. Under the current circumstances, conflict becomes an unavoidable fate.”
The war had become tangled and complex.
During the time when they were facing difficulties in battle, the true face of the Empire, which seemed unified under the red imperial flag, was gradually revealing itself. It was a peculiar situation. The Demon King’s army lost a significant amount of momentum when the long-standing grievances between the Dragon Lord and the Demon King began to surface during the peak of their victory.
In contrast, the human Empire, which had shown solid unity when they were on the back foot, began to experience subtle conflicts over military achievements and political influence as the northern campaigns yielded results and they began to push the enemy back. This was not a trivial conflict to be overlooked. It contained grave implications about whether the authority of the imperial family would be upheld in the future, or whether the nation might be overthrown or, in the worst case, fragmented into a prolonged state of war.
Jeongjae thought that Jenis was hardly worrying about such matters. More precisely, Jenis was so focused on permanently destroying the Demon King that she wasn’t paying much attention to the issues that would arise afterward. However, that very aspect heightened the danger of the situation.
Jenis is clever. If she were to consider the political issues that would arise after achieving her goal, she would surely come up with measures to prevent the fragmentation and disastrous outcome of the Empire. But now that Jenis was solely engrossed in fighting the Demon King, she was uninterested in devising countermeasures for potential problems that could arise. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Rose found her greatly irritating.
“Rose, if you’re worried to that extent about everything, you mustn’t let Harker’s influence grow further in the northern territories.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Jeongjae quietly stood up and picked up Rose’s Iron Wall’s Protection, which had been resting against the wall in the corner of the room. Rose frowned in confusion. Jeongjae carefully approached and held it out to her.
“Let’s fight. I know it might not be the best thing to say to a mother who just started caring for a newborn, but your son needs you as much as your other children do.”
“The Emperor is the father of all. I know that too.”
Rose turned her head away.
“But the military authority is distributed without issues. Alex is taking my place. What’s the problem? I can’t assert that the Southern Alliance will hold dominant influence over the recovered territories…”
“To be honest, I came here to suggest your return from the beginning. Just… just take a look at this flag.”
Jeongjae spread out the red imperial flag. It was symbolic of the Audrich Royal Family, used only by those granted the protection of the Iron Wall. In this time, when nearly all bearers of the protection had disappeared, it was emblematic of Rose Caprice herself.
“When this flag is raised on the battlements, the Demon King’s army will immediately retreat. With you appearing on the walls, it will confirm that this fortress cannot be taken. When the shield banner appears on the faltering front lines, the morale will rise automatically, and the soldiers will also crush the enemies without you having to do anything. It’s almost a guaranteed victory!”
Jeongjae’s words were not exaggerated. Rose looked at her flag with a blank expression, as if she understood that fact.
“Among the generals currently on the front, none have gone without defeat. They’re all anxiously retreating, unable to escape from their respective losses. Victory is within our grasp, yet neither I, nor Alex, nor Jenis can fully exert control over the soldiers. The 80,000 troops commanding the continent are not easily subjugated. It seems that with just the three of us, we can’t completely overpower them and claim them as ours.”
“But there’s Margaret.”
“Margaret is competent. But she’s a little brat.”
“Hahaha!”
Rose burst into laughter upon hearing Jeongjae’s simple response. The sound was so loud that it startled baby Sherlock, who had been dozing off.
Fortunately for her as a mother, when Sherlock opened his eyes, instead of crying, he blinked curiously as if trying to grasp the situation. Rose quietly placed her index finger over the baby’s lips, making a shushing sound. The baby closed his eyes again, as if defeated by his mother.
“Not many can call Margaret that and still live to tell the tale. If I said it, I’d probably get a few punches! Right. I know. No matter how great the Eramenia army is, this war must be the Empire’s fight. Because all the lost territories were once part of the Caprice Empire, and lands our Audrich Empire must reclaim. In the end, the Eramenia army can only act as supporting troops on someone else’s soil. So I know as well, I’m thinking that I must return someday.”
“There are many heroes in this world. But among them, you’re the only general who has never lost against the enemy.”
“Some say that’s my flaw.”
“And that’s why I defeated you, just as Walter knocked you out.”
“Are you wanting my reputation, or my skills?”
“It’s not an issue that can be separated. I just want this flag to return. I want to see the soldiers cheering as soon as they spot the gray shield, giving their commander unwavering trust, while the enemies tremble in fear at the sight of this shield. Come back, Emperor. End this fight.”
“I’m sorry.”
Rose shook her head. Jeongjae wore a resigned expression and returned the flag to its original place. The Emperor stood up, genuinely expressing his disappointment.
“I’m not ready yet. There are so many things I’m unprepared for, and the one I’m most unprepared for is the mindset to stand beside Jenis Harker as a comrade on the battlefield.”
A moment of silence fell. The two maintained a silent awkwardness. Rose was the first to speak, putting on a bright expression.
“Anyway, I appreciate you coming to see my son. If you’re resting, take your time, and if you’re busy, you can return to the battlefield right away. And I’m thankful for that request as well. Of course, I don’t plan on spending forever here solely on childcare. Oh, and when you return, if news of the Crown Prince spreads, please manage it so that we don’t get overwhelmed and impede war efforts.”
“Of course. It was nice to see you again today.”
The Emperor and the Baron shook hands lightly before parting ways. However, Jeongjae, turning away with a smile, felt increasingly complicated. He sensed that the issues he thought could be solved simply by uniting against the Demon King were becoming mysteries beyond his understanding.