Chapter 27
Why…
The Emperor lifted his head, gazing at the grand ceiling fresco above him.
The artwork depicted the Empire’s founders and heroes driving out foreign invaders and monstrous creatures. But today, the weight of their legacy felt especially heavy on his shoulders.
Am I truly powerless?
The Judgment Power flowing through the imperial bloodline was both a weapon against evil and the strongest shield for justice.
Though it had weakened with each generation, no Emperor before him had ever been completely devoid of it.
So when demons had begun pouring out of the North and foreign tribes had invaded, the nobility’s outrage had reached the heavens.
They had demanded to know why their Emperor—who should wield the Judgment Power—had done nothing but lock himself away in the palace.
If Trisha hadn’t gone to war in my place, I never would have been able to suppress their complaints.
And that was precisely why he resented her.
Because it was his daughter, not his heir, who possessed the power he lacked.
“Trisha refuses to return to the palace, even though the war is over?”
The chamberlain standing by the wall lowered his head.
“She has taken residence in her own lands.”
“What is she scheming? Instead of returning home, she shuts herself away on the estate inherited from her maternal family.”
“It is near Count Caesar Maes’s in-laws.”
“Ah, that’s right. Many nobles of Hoan district reside there.”
Trisha’s estate bordered the central lands of Count Anderson.
“Wait. If what you just said is true, then the rumors are correct—Trisha is infatuated with Caesar Maes.”
“…I beg your pardon.”
“What do you have to apologize for? It is Trisha who has lost her mind, falling for a married man. And not just any man—Caesar Maes is the son-in-law of Count Anderson, my mentor.”
The Emperor frowned, his deep purple cloak billowing as he sat down on the sofa.
Yet, despite his displeased expression, the corner of his lips curled slightly.
To him, Trisha was nothing more than an irritating thorn—a nuisance he was obligated to acknowledge.
She was the product of a mistake from his past, a child born from a fleeting affair with the daughter of a marquis before he had even ascended the throne.
No one had expected him to become Emperor.
Even the marquis’s daughter—who had played with fire and borne his child—had refused to raise Trisha.
And so, he had been left with no choice but to take her in.
How ridiculous.
Had it not been for the Grand Saintess, Herabrua, he would have been cast away to some remote province, living in disgrace.
Lost in thought, the Emperor absentmindedly traced the golden armrest of his sofa before glancing at the chamberlain.
“Summon Trisha. She has lived as a princess long enough—it’s time she fulfills her duty by marrying a suitable noble to strengthen the imperial bloodline.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
The chamberlain’s footsteps were silenced by the plush carpet as he exited.
“Light the incense.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Attendants lit the scented candles scattered throughout the room.
A gift from Count Anderson, the candles were known for their ability to soothe headaches and anxiety. The Emperor often made use of them.
Soon, the chamber filled with a rich, calming fragrance.
“Hmm.”
With half-lidded eyes, he lazily waved his hand. In response, his servants drew the thick velvet curtains, shutting out the light.
Engulfed in the dimly lit chamber, the Emperor curled into the comfort of his sofa, preparing to rest.
Just as his consciousness began to fade, an elderly chamberlain approached and whispered in his ear.
“Count Anderson requests an audience, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor’s brow twitched.
“Anderson?”
“Yes. He appears to be in great urgency.”
With a sigh of resignation, the Emperor flicked his fingers, granting permission.
Moments later, Count Anderson rushed into the room, breathless and sweating.
“Your Majesty.”
The words that spilled from the Count’s lips made the Emperor’s eyes narrow.
“What did you just say? You mean to tell me that your daughter, Amelia, is unable to fulfill her marital duties?”
Lowering his head, Count Anderson replied,
“It appears my daughter could no longer tolerate living with a beast like Caesar Maes. She has fled to the Kingdom of Dekan.”
“So she abandoned her marriage vows and ran away? First, you forced this wedding under the false pretense of a family contract that never existed, and now, you cannot even maintain it?”
No such marriage pact had ever been made.
Caesar’s father had known well enough not to trust Count Anderson’s deceit and had rejected the agreement outright.
But forging documents was a simple matter.
“I will ensure Caesar remains under my control,” the Count declared, bowing low but meeting the Emperor’s gaze with unwavering determination.
Even in the face of his confidence, the Emperor clicked his tongue.
“Caesar is no longer a child. He has grown far too strong to be easily controlled.”
“A child can be disciplined with punishment. A man can be swayed with a woman. That is why I have adopted the maid he favors as my daughter.”
The Emperor blinked.
“You made a maid your daughter?”
“She’s a rather clever girl. If handled properly, she will serve as an excellent shackle for Caesar Maes.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“You must be getting old, trusting people so easily.”
At the veiled warning, Count Anderson merely smiled.
“I don’t trust her—I trust in the foolishness of a man ensnared by a woman.”
“Are you saying that Caesar has fallen for this girl?”
The Emperor’s expression shifted, and the Count took a moment to wet his lips before answering.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ve heard that Caesar was so desperate to find a woman that he nearly deployed his army to seal off an entire city.”
“That actually happened?”
The Emperor’s gaze snapped toward the Knight Commander standing by the wall.
The knight lowered himself onto one knee before speaking.
“I did not deem it important enough to report, Your Majesty. It was merely a matter involving a single woman.”
“But an army was involved, was it not? Does Levant know about this? That Caesar mobilized his forces?”
Crown Prince Levant, too, had only a weak connection to the Judgment Power.
Yet, even with that meager strength, the Emperor envied him.
Caesar, on the other hand, possessed true power. And that made the Emperor uneasy.
If Caesar ever amassed a following, the nobles would demand that Levant be placed on the throne to oppose him.
And that would mean the end of my reign.
The Emperor had killed his own brothers to claim the throne.
With his frail body, he had survived only by the power of the Grand Saintess, Herabrua.
And for that reason—he would never give up his throne. Not until his dying breath.
A life of humiliation is worse than death. I’d rather destroy them all.
Hardening his resolve, the Emperor turned his sharp gaze on Count Anderson.
“Make sure Caesar is properly shackled. A hunting dog must never bite its master.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I should have been the one to chain that hunting dog before it could sink its fangs into my throat.
After dismissing Count Anderson, the Emperor sat by the window, staring out with a dark expression.
Will the Judgment Power ever awaken within me?
There had been emperors in history who had awakened their abilities late in life.
But even they had been five years younger than he was when it happened.
Perhaps I truly am doomed to remain like this forever.
The Emperor downed the cup of strong liquor his attendant had poured for him.
“Your Majesty, the High Priest has arrived with urgent news.”
“Why is everyone insistent on disturbing me today?”
“He says it is a matter of utmost importance.”
Ever since Herabrua had disappeared, the temple had been in dire financial straits.
Most likely, the priest was here to beg for funds again.
The Emperor was prepared to toss him a few coins and send him on his way.
But instead, the words that followed took him completely by surprise.
“Your Majesty, we have detected divine power. The strongest divine power in recorded history.”
At last…
If he could seize control of the Grand Saintess, then his own lack of the Judgment Power would no longer matter.
With her blessings, purification, and healing abilities, he could silence both the nobility and the commoners alike.
“However…” The priest hesitated.
“It is not the power of purification or blessing.”
“What?”
The Emperor’s brow furrowed deeply.
“The energy detected by the divine needle produced an… unusual reaction.”
The High Priest unfurled a sheet of parchment.
What should have been smooth, flowing lines of divine energy were a chaotic mess of jagged, intersecting spikes.
“It appears that the Grand Saintess who has emerged… possesses immense destructive power.”
