Episode 45

Aiden pushed the door open with the tip of his sword.

The creaking door revealed a scene that could only be described as hell.

More than twenty bodies lay scattered across the room.

“They’re all… dead.”

Eric, the deputy commander of White Shadow, reported while glancing nervously at Aiden.

Aiden bent down to inspect the closest body.

A deep stab wound to a vital point. Judging by the coagulated blood, they had been dead for less than a few hours.

Someone had killed all the assassins just before White Shadow discovered this place.

It was too coincidental.

“Search the entire building. Bring back anything you find.”

Loyal members of White Shadow scoured the building, but found no evidence that could reveal who was behind the assassination attempt.

Discovering who ordered Sione’s assassination had become even more difficult.

“They must have realized we were on to them and silenced the assassins.”

Aiden took a deep breath, suppressing his frustration as he stood up.

“Eric, the fact that they knew we were pursuing them is the bigger issue.”

White Shadow had been operating covertly.

If the assassins realized they were being hunted, they would have scattered and hidden.

The fact that someone knew of White Shadow’s pursuit and silenced the assassins mere hours before they were found indicated only one possibility.

“There’s a mole in White Shadow.”

Aiden’s cold eyes fixed on Eric, who felt a chill as if he’d been pierced by a sword.

“I will find them.”

“Move cautiously. That traitor is our last clue.”

Aiden patted Eric’s shoulder lightly, acknowledging the difficult task ahead, then stepped out of the assassins’ hideout.

The moon was bright and unforgiving that night.

The hand that had killed the Emperor and attempted to kill the Empress had also reached into White Shadow.

Aiden could no longer approach this with the simple mindset of being a useful dog seeking Sione’s praise.

Though the enemy’s exact motives were unclear, it was certain this wasn’t the end.

A stormy autumn was coming to Belpator, already upheaved by the Emperor’s death.

 

* * *

 

A new month and a new season arrived.

In Brincia, where winter comes early, cool breezes began to blow in the mornings and evenings.

The Imperial Guard now numbered 1,020 knights.

Hearing that the nobles had supported the recruitment of knights, Aiden had also dispatched over 200 knights from the city guard.

With this, the core forces of Belpator, excluding those under Vitrain’s command, were concentrated in the Imperial Guard.

And for reasons I couldn’t quite understand, a tournament to select the captain was starting today.

To the nobles, this tournament seemed like an event.

They were battling for pride over how high their household knights could climb in rank.

Allowing them to watch the tournament at the Royal Arena was the second most important item on today’s council meeting agenda.

The most crucial topic was the arrival of a guest expected in the afternoon.

After the council meeting, as I gathered the documents spread across the table, Lian commented.

“I was looking forward to today, but it’s disappointing.”

“It’s just a one-day delay, Lian.”

Lian, with his deep blonde hair and violet eyes, sighed dramatically but smiled.

“Still, I have high expectations for our guest.”

“I’m sure it will be worth the wait,” I replied, matching his smile.

I couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy about the upcoming visit. The political climate was already tense, and any new development could tip the balance in unforeseen ways.

As I exited the council room, Tito approached, his expression serious.

“Your Majesty, there’s something you should see.”

He handed me a sealed letter, its wax insignia unfamiliar.

Breaking the seal, I read the message quickly, my heart sinking with each word.

“This… can’t be ignored.”

I turned to Tito, my resolve hardening.

“Prepare a response. We must address this immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As Tito hurried away, I glanced at the horizon, where the sun was beginning its descent.

The peace we had fought so hard to maintain was more fragile than ever, and the coming days would test our resolve and unity to their limits.

“Indeed. How could just a one-day delay feel so disappointing? I’ve even thought that I’d like these guests interrupting our time to meet with an unfortunate accident,” Lian said, wide-eyed and playful, but his words didn’t come off as a joke.

It probably wasn’t a joke.

I warned Lian as sternly as I could.

“If anything happens to them, I’ll assume it was your doing.”

“An accident befalling Your Majesty’s family? That must not happen,” he said, smirking mischievously.

This unpredictable maniac made me shake my head and sigh.

In a short while, my older brother, the Crown Prince of Dirmil, and my second sister would arrive at the palace.

They had crossed Belpator’s borders without prior notice or invitation and were being escorted to Brincia by General Vitrain because they were my blood relatives.

Lian had suggested receiving them as state guests, but I opposed giving special treatment to those who had committed such a diplomatic blunder by arriving unannounced.

Dirmil, usually so cautious of Belpator, seemed to think both the empire and I were now easy to approach.

They were probably not visiting out of concern for their sister who had married far away. I worried about what they might say.

Returning to my office, I reviewed the now-familiar state documents.

How much time had passed?

Tito, who had spent the morning preparing for the guests, came to inform me of their arrival.

“Your Majesty, the guests have arrived at the palace.”

“Alright. Show them to the audience chamber.”

“Yes, I have directed them there. Also, Duke Kidmillan requests an audience.”

“Vitrain? Let him in.”

Vitrain had returned from the south, where he had gone to observe the escalating situation between the kingdoms of Byerson and Dyron.

As the door opened, Vitrain entered with a friendly smile and knelt before me.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Rise, Vitrain. It’s been a while.”

“It has been a long time, Your Majesty. I’m delighted to see you again.”

Though it had been less than a month since we last met, he spoke as if it had been a decade.

His overdone enthusiasm made me chuckle, and Vitrain smiled widely, showing his dimples.

His hair seemed to have grown slightly, naturally covering his forehead.

His blue eyes, clear and refreshing, were pleasing to look at.

Indeed, his face suited my taste.

“I heard you escorted the delegation from Dirmil.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I had something to ask you, and they happened to come for the same reason, so we returned together.”

“Something to ask me? Is it about the war between Byerson and Dyron?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ve heard that the Enser Empire’s reinforcements are heading to Byerson. It looks like the war will begin as soon as they arrive.”

My head started to ache.

A war? Really?

The Kingdom of Dyron didn’t share a direct border with Belpator but was strategically positioned as a bridge between Belpator and the Enser Empire.

If the Enser Empire used Byerson as a stepping stone to conquer Dyron, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think their next target could be Belpator.

Should we intervene to cut off the Enser Empire’s ambitions, or should we conserve our strength by not getting involved in another nation’s war?

Either decision was difficult to make.

“Should we send reinforcements to Dyron? What’s your opinion?”

“I am not the one to make such decisions. If Your Majesty commands me to defend, I will defend. If Your Majesty commands me to fight, I will fight.”

Although Vitrain, the General of the Imperial Army, was reliable, he wasn’t helpful at crucial moments.

Suppressing a sigh, I was about to dive back into contemplation when he added,

“-But, if I may offer my humble opinion, it would be better not to intervene.”

“And why do you think so?”

“The opinions of the nobles and the citizens of the empire will be divided. With the Emperor absent, anti-war sentiment might prevail. I wouldn’t recommend a risky move that could destabilize Your Majesty’s position.”

“That sounds more like something from my perspective rather than the General’s.”

“Protecting Your Majesty is protecting Belpator.”

The Eagle, tasked with guarding Belpator’s borders, spoke words that made no sense.

Though I appreciated his sentiment, the safety of a recently married Empress shouldn’t equate to the safety of the entire empire.

Are you aware of the monthly salary you receive for protecting the empire, General?

I looked at Vitrain incredulously, but he met my gaze unwaveringly.

Though not for the same reasons as Vitrain, I was also reluctant about the war.

The idea of holding sway over the lives of many was terrifying.

While it wasn’t Belpator’s conflict, ignoring the turmoil in neighboring countries seemed shortsighted.

What decision would Nerian have made if he were alive? What would Lothania decide if she were an adult now?

No matter how much I thought, I couldn’t make up my mind.

“I’ll give you an answer after more consideration.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Vitrain bowed his head in response, and I stood up.

The envoys from Dirmil, namely my brother and sister, were waiting for me in the audience chamber.