Chapter 22 The Day The Empire Died
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Ballistok, imperial capital.
This city is the economic center of the Ravendora Empire, one of the most powerful countries on the continent, and has a population of 100,000 people and is known as one of the most important cities on the continent. The city’s eastern walls are protected by a river, a natural moat, and the commercial advantages this river provides contribute to the prosperity of the imperial capital.
Several hundred years ago, when the capital was moved, there was a military commander in the empire called Waikome. Waikome was a legendary tactician who cultivated a quarter of the empire’s territory, and it is unclear whether he was a citizen of the empire or a person who had drifted from another region.
This imperial capital, Ballistok, is a city that can be called a masterpiece created by his hands. He is a hero who chose the place where the capital was moved and built the current prosperity of imperial capital through a grid-like urban plan and water and sewage infrastructure.
In the towering white marble throne room overlooking the imperial capital, the key figures of the empire gathered for an emergency meeting.
Seated on the throne, Emperor Fredrin II of the Ravendora Empire observed them. Now in his fifties, the emperor stroked his chin beard and murmured softly, “Hmmm.”
They had come together because of a massive explosion that had occurred three hours ago, suddenly, at the southern walls of the imperial capital. The impact of the explosion had shaken the castle and sent a plume of thick black smoke rising into the sky. Strangely, the walls remained unscathed, and there were no casualties.
”What was that explosion just now?”
”Does anyone have any answers?”
”I don’t know. But smoke doesn’t rise and explosions don’t happen out of nowhere. There must be a reason.”
Not only were the key figures in attendance left bewildered by the unexplained explosion, but the chaos extended beyond the throne room. The impact of the massive explosion, which shook the castle, reverberated throughout the entire imperial capital. The rising black smoke appeared to everyone as a terrifying sight, akin to volcanic eruptions.
”The people are in great chaos.”
”Deploy as many soldiers as possible for maintaining public order. And calm them down that there will be no harm────”
If the people remain in a state of frenzy, they may turn into a mob and there could be actual casualties. To prevent that, it is necessary to calm them down first. Fredrin II tries to give orders to his ministers… but his words are interrupted by a single word.
This will be the moment when the curtain rises on a day that will be remembered in future as the “beginning of the end” or the “day the empire died,” a moment that everyone present, including Fredrin II, is unaware of.
”Hehehe… Holding a meeting is pointless. No matter how many strategies you devise, you are powerless.”
It was a voice that resonated directly in the hearts, reminded of the sound of a sacred bell. Fredrin II felt as if he heard the voice from behind him.
”W-Who are you!?”
He turned around, but there was no one there except for a familiar royal knight. The word “mishearing” came to Fredrin II’s mind, but when he saw the royal knight and ministers who looked exactly the same as him, he realized that everyone recognized the voice.
To find out the true identity of that voice, Fredrin II stood up and looked around.
”But it’s really ridiculous, isn’t it? Everyone were invited and gathered like this. Even though everything is in the palm of our hands.”
Suddenly, Frederin II felt a shock on his back and tumbled down from the stairs leading up to the throne, until just before the servants lined up. He hurriedly stopped the senior officials who rushed over with his hand, and while frowning with a painful ankle that seemed to have twisted at the moment of falling, Frederin II turned towards the throne──
And time stood still as the scene came into view. Both the senior officials and the royal knights were completely captivated by the scene.
There, standing as if floating on the backrest of the throne, was a girl who seemed to have kicked Frederin II off the throne.
Her hair reminiscent of emerald, a face that was too beautiful as if she was holding the heart directly, a fan-shaped costume she wore, and a sinister scythe reminiscent of the Grim Reaper… Everything about the girl was beyond human.
However, what captured the eyes of everyone present was the two pairs of four black wings spreading behind her back. The girl, carrying the sunlight that penetrated through the stained glass religious painting like a halo, seemed as if a resident of the mythical world had descended. That’s why Frederin II, the senior officials, and even the royal knights who should have dealt with the abnormal situation were unable to move an inch.
”Hear and heed, you insignificant beings. I am Azuriela, the messenger of the God, delivering the sound of the trumpet of doom.”
The girl, Azuriela, spoke as if bestowing a prophecy. Her voice was not loud, yet it resonated directly from the ears to the brain.
”The messenger of the God?”
Behind King Frederin II, Duke Sandrill’s voice could be heard questioning, but Azuriela did not acknowledge the inquiry.
”I declare unto you. Within a few days, your entire land will be laid waste, and every one of your people will be killed.”
It was not a declaration of war. It was a revelation, a certain future that conveyed the message of annihilating all of them.
”Our Grand Saint Tower Babellion have transported into old capital, Lemar. The reasons behind this decision are unknown, but we shall continue on our path, and all obstacles in our way shall be reduced to ashes.”
At the moment when those words were spoken, Azuriela’s and Fredrin II’s eyes met. A beautiful face, but no sign of blushing. What one feels is a chilling fear that freezes the sweat.
Looking at Fredrin II, who had become speechless with panic, Azuriela let out a pitying smirk and then threw two things.
The moment Fredrin II saw what had fallen right beside him, time, which had come to a halt, started moving again.
”W-what have you done to Alfred and Lucia, you… you brat!”
What Azuriela had thrown were two bundles of hair. One was the same dark blond hair as Fredrin II’s, and the other was the pale water-colored hair of his wife… It was immediately clear what it meant.
As Fredrin II pulled the bundle of hair in front of him and clenched it in his fist, he shouted. But instead of being intimidated by such an angry voice, Azuriela’s eyes showed pity as she spoke,
”No, the crown prince and the princess are still alive.”
Azuriela spins her words.
”Great Saint Charles His Majesty is our ruler and great creator. He is the Merciful. It is easy for him to slaughter the people of the empire, but it is pitiful to kill people needlessly, so he showed mercy on them.”
The moment Fredrin II heard those words, he completely calmed down. Of course, his anger had not subsided. In fact, he is only increasing. However, he was able to remain calm instead of giving in to his anger, which is why Fredrin II was called the Wise Emperor.
The reason for keeping the Crown Prince and Princess alive instead of killing them, and the reason why she came all the way to tell King Fredrin II. Fredrin II immediately realized what that meant.
”What do you want? Obedience or the extermination of all the people of this land?”
”Hmm,” Azuriela let out a sound of admiration. It is disadvantageous to rely on emotions when negotiating.
”What we want is obedience.”
”Well then────”
He do not intend to answer immediately in this situation, nor can he. It was the voice of Fredrin II, thinking to draw out even a little bit of conditions or requests, but it was never spoken to the end by Azuriela.
”Join Babellion yourself, bow your knees and worship His will.”
Fredrin II clenched his molars at being prevented from considering.
”…Understood. I will make preparations and go to Babellion immediately. Can I ask Charlierel to adjust the throne?”
”Oh… Emperor, you seem not to be a fool. Even among small beings, you must be a wise one. I don’t dislike you, I’ll convey that to His Majesty as well.”
”Thank you.”
Instinctively, his body moved after realizing that it had bowed its head, but there was no one to blame for such a pitiful sight. Forgetting even to swallow saliva, they only prayed for time to pass.
”We are always watching you. Know that futile resistance is useless.”
Azuriela said as she unfolded the four folded wings. The beautiful jet-black wings, larger and more radiant than imagined, shimmered like the night sky, more enchanting than evil.
It was as if a scene from a dramatic play.
”To make it easier for the wise to control the foolish subjects, let us leave a gift.”
Azuriela raised her left hand, devoid of a scythe, toward the ceiling and snapped her fingers. In the blink of an eye, a dark, tumultuous torrent crashed upon the ceiling with a thunderous roar.
Thrown back by the shock wave-like wind pressure, she sneered triumphantly,
”This stuffy room should now have a better view.”
It was then that everyone noticed the sunlight illuminating the space between the thrones. It was not the light streaming through the stained glass, but rather the ceiling had transformed into a deep blue sky, bathing Fredrin II and his companions in brilliant sunlight.
But despair did not end there.
A black shadow danced in the throne room, illuminated by sunlight. A sinister, cross-like shadow raced through the sky. And in the next moment, the cries of the townspeople reached the open throne room.
In the backdrop of a beautiful azure sky, a flock of dragons danced. There were perhaps a hundred of them, but the exact number didn’t matter. Even a single dragon soaring high in the sky was a force capable of destroying an empire. It was rumored that there were warriors in the western lands who held the title of Dragon Slayer, but Emperor Fredrin II, the ruler of the Ravendora Empire, knew very well that such heroes did not exist here.
With a resounding thud, one of the dragons that had been dancing in the sky descended. It peered into the throne room like a little girl playing in a doll’s house.
Its vertical, split-pupil, dusk-colored eyes moved restlessly. Its appearance, with its black dragon scales adorned with patterns of purple and yellow, exuded a sense of revulsion, clearly indicating its malevolence.
Fredrin II was an emperor of war. Although he rarely went to the battlefield at the age of fifty, in his youth, he rode his horse into enemy territory and achieved many victories by subduing numerous monsters.
However, when faced with that monster, Fredrin II simply gave up on life. He couldn’t even think of a way to win, let alone imagine himself fighting. If he were to show any intention of fighting, the dragon would instantly erase his existence from this world without leaving a trace. He couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming strength that made him feel like his existence would be denied from the world more easily than pulling weeds, without even the slightest bit of trouble. Feeling the overwhelming difference in strength as a living being, Fredrin II felt as if his throat was being constricted, and only strained breaths came out of his mouth.
The only thing he could do was to call out the names of his beloved wife, Almaria, and his four children in his heart. And he felt despair as he reacknowledged that Alfred and Lucia were captured in a world called Babellion, where such monsters resided.
”We will say it again. We are always watching you. Remember this.”
Azuriela’s body floated up into the sky. Instead of flapping her wings to fly, she ascended into the sky with light.
Immediately after, another loud explosion echoed through the city below. The dragon raised its head towards the direction of the explosion, then nodded satisfactorily. It spread its wings, which looked like a billion overlapping thorns, and soared high into the sky once again.
The dragons departed. Their orderly formation resembled a military procession, just like a flock of geese.
The neighboring minister’s accidental urination stain on King Fredrin II’s clothing went completely unnoticed. King Fredrin II could only despair about the future of the Ravendora Empire and apologize to the great emperors of the past for the possibility of destroying the country in his own reign.
* * *
The imperial capital, now that Azuriela had left, was in an uproar. The throne room was not located on the top floor of the castle. It was situated somewhere around the middle floors, so it goes without saying what it means to have a view of the sky from there.
The deafening roar left behind by the swarm of dragons that had covered the sky was unlike the first explosion before Azuriela appeared; it had caused real damage.
The epicenter was the western side of the city walls, at the main gate of the imperial capital. According to eyewitnesses, a crimson-scaled dragon dropped a flaming ball from the sky, creating an illusion of the sun falling, and blasted the main gate.
The dragon’s flaming ball obliterated the gate completely. The explosion resulted in numerous casualties, including civilians near the gate, but the absence of the gate itself posed a greater problem.
Now, the city walls of the imperial capital are like a broken barrier. Just as water overflows from a broken part of a riverbank when the river swells, the missing gate in the broken city walls serves no defensive purpose.
With the dragons blanketing the sky and the city walls having lost their gate due to the attack, the sight of the symbol of the imperial capital, the castle, now resembling a leaf eaten away by insects with a gaping hole, it would be impossible to calm the people.
And within the castle, there was no sense of calm. Those on the upper floors of the castle vanished without a trace, leaving no ashes, making it impossible to know who was alive and who was dead. With the abduction of the crown prince and princess, and the occupation of the old capital, Lemar, there were matters to attend to in both military and politics.
As the constructive discussions for the future began, the sun was setting beyond the horizon. Emperor Fredrin II once again gathered his senior officials and commenced an emergency meeting, the duration of which was uncertain, in the throne room overlooking the night sky───
…
…
At the same time,
”Huh, I can’t help it.”
Charles, in the grand bathhouse of his residence on the 100th floor, sat on a stool in the shower area. Pressing a button, hot water flowed from the dragon-headed showerhead installed on the wall. While washing his body under the cascading water, Charles was suddenly struck by a single question.
He wonders how to wash wings.
Of course, Haruto didn’t have wings on his original body. But Charles, reflected in the mirror in the washing area, had six magnificent wings spread out on his back. He took a morning bath to wash off the sticky residue from last night’s escapades, but it was just a quick rinse. He can’t help but wonder if being too casual about it would make it smelly.
In front of Charles are amenities like shampoo, clearly high-end products. However, there’s nothing specifically labeled for wings. What if he mishandle it and end up with a bald eagle-like head?
And even if he can wash them with regular shampoo or body soap, then the problem of reaching them arises. He can wash the tips if he moves the wings, but the base is difficult to reach. What if he doesn’t wash them properly and the feathers rot, resulting in yet another bald eagle-like head?
While Charles stands motionless, letting the hot water pour over him from head to toe, he gazes down at the floor… and then, he recalls a memory.
In dramas and comics, kings didn’t wash their bodies themselves, right? Maybe there’s no need for him to wash them himself either. For example, Reshia and Seshia, they would gladly wash his wings if Ihe commanded them to, just like they would lick his… well, you get the idea.
Thinking so, Charles looked up and tried to stand up to call out Reshia and Seshia.
In the next moment, he felt an exquisite sensation on his back. The softness that could even be felt through the wings, and the warmth of the skin between the wings… It was hardly noticeable, and in fact, the skin was slightly cool.
Soft hands reached out and touched Charles’ abdomen. Then, as if tickling, the slender fingertips began to play with his nipples.
”…That tickles.”
Charles grabbed the hand with crimson nails.
But in the mirror, there was no figure embracing his back, not even the hand. Only the ridiculous figure of Charles, as if grasping nothingness and pretending to ride a bike.
”You’ve come at just the right time. Wash my wings.”
While thinking about living with a setting that doesn’t reflect in the mirror, Charles commanded the girl embracing his back.
”Is my beloved master ask this one to imitate a servant?”
A woman clinging to Charles… Esmeralda chuckled and said,
”But it’s the command of my beloved master. Tonight, I shall gladly play the part of a servant.”
She rested her cheek on Charles’ back like a spoiled kitten.
Meanwhile, the imperial capital is in chaos due to an attack, and there’s a lot of hustle and bustle regarding Babellion. On the other hand, Charles is leisurely soaking in the bath. What’s more, despite saying he’ll embrace Satsuki tonight, he’s frolicking with another woman in the bath, becoming more and more like a ruler.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.