Chapter 318 (1/2)

“Oh, Duke. Your look doesn’t fit you at all.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“It was like yesterday when I first visited you, but time passed like an arrow. At that time, you and I were very young. ”

“You bet, Your Majesty. Do you know I had a hard time because I was hoodwinked by your praise?”

When I watched the duke who went along with me in an instant, smiling at me, I was reminded of the distant old memories.

Born as the eldest son of the imperial family, I obtained the status of the crown prince without any problem, but I was powerless at that time. I had to get by day by day, keeping a low profile while trying not to confront the noble faction that strongly promoted my brothers as the next emperor. It was around that time that I stopped by the knights division and met Duke Lars for the first time after he joined after coming of age.

He was a very talented man. As the successor of his family called the Sword of the Empire, he not only excelled in fencing but also thrilled me with clever talk and excellent political sense. Then I decided that I would make him my man.I really had a hard time persuading him, a moderate, to get out of the noble faction.

“Well, I also had a hard time trying to persuade you.”

“I was almost expelled from my family.”

“So, you regret it?”

“Oh no! I’ve helped my family to grow as the most prestigious one of the empire, so the senior members of my family who opposed me at that time will not blame me anymore even if they saw me now. ”

“Good for you.”

I approached him several times to bring him into my fold at the risk of my life.

After having dozens of intense discussions with me, he finally decided to share my political vision. It was impossible to describe how happy I was to see him swearing loyalty to me. When I came back to the palace, I could hardly go to sleep as my heart was full because of his allegiance.

As the first vassal whose heart I won over after trying hard, the duke never betrayed my expectations. His political sense was remarkable enough to put the pro-emperor faction, which was numerically inferior to the noble faction, on almost an equal footing with the noble faction. He didn’t hesitate to remove his political foes for the sake of the empire. Besides, he decisively contributed to rebuilding the 2nd Knights Division which had a political propensity for the noble faction, and promoted the 1st Knights as the center of people loyal to the emperor.

“Duke Lars, can you confirm the same allegiance to my son that you showed to me?”

“Your Majesty, you know I am different from Keiran, the head of the Monique family. I cannot pledge unconditional loyalty. ”

“Of course, I know.”

“But I can swear one thing. As long as the crown prince rules the empire with the same dream as yours, the Lars family will do their best for the imperial family with absolute allegiance. ”

“That’s enough. Thank you. ”

I smiled at him in satisfaction, catching my short breath. But I had to hang in a little longer.

“Ernia.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do you still blame me, your brother?”

“No, so please get well again and stand up.”

“Although I was cruel to you, I have loved you as my sister. Of course, I can’t deny that I made the decision from the perspective of the emperor at that time, but I did so for your happiness. So, please understand and forgive me now. Aren’t you happy with him now?”

I smiled faintly at Ernia, who was weeping, then saw the duke’s eldest son who exactly looked like him, and his wife, passing along some request. I was lost in thought for a moment, looking at the duke’s second son. Do I have to tell him to stop meeting Lady Monique or just pretend not to know his relationship with her?

I was very agonized, but shut my mouth. Didn’t I already decide to leave the matter to Rube? Besides, I didn’t want to hurt this promising young man who would be the pillar of the empire.

I looked at Duke Lars who showed his due manners by bowing deeply to me for the last time.

‘Thank you so much. I dreamed the dream of realizing my ideal because you were there. I hope you can take good care of my son and the empire, so you can continue to carry on my vision, Arkint.’