Chapter 200

‘Come to think of it, the Imperial Palace is quite a fortress.’

From the demons’ perspective, it was a demonic realm as formidable as any Time Chaos Dungeon.

In the original story, there was a lot of stuff…, but unfortunately, I didn’t have Know-It-All back then, so my memory isn’t clear.

‘I remember Hamerd’s sword was there.’

The Golden Mausoleum.

It was the imperial tomb where successive emperors were buried, centered around the first emperor, Hamerd.

“Where we are going now is.”

As we walked in silence, Adela, who was leading, broke the silence.

“The Emperor’s bedroom.”

“The safest place in the world.”

“It is a carved-out space.”

Some spaces in the Imperial Palace were independent.

They existed within the palace but had become like sub-dimensions, independent pocket dimensions created by magic.

In the original story, they were all buried due to the rampage of the Dark Empress Adela, but that future had disappeared.

We were heading to the most secret and important inner sanctum of the Imperium Imperial Family.

A secret place that would never be opened unless the Emperor was critically ill.

“Do you have any interdimensional travel sickness?”

“No.”

Interdimensional travel sounded grand, but it was similar to a Time Chaos Dungeon, for example.

That was also a place where time and space were distorted.

It wasn't much different.

“I see. That’s a relief.”

I could feel Princess Adela's emotions.

Her feelings flowed into me through Wild Instinct.

‘Is she worried about me?’

Even though she herself must be in a precarious situation.

Amidst that crucible of chaotic emotions, I could also feel her meticulous concern for me.

“Still, be prepared. It’s quite a twisted place.”

The place we arrived at was a giant golden gate.

I had never seen such an opulent and sturdy gate anywhere in the Imperial Palace.

‘Incredible.’

Know-It-All and Wild Instinct automatically analyzed the gate's barriers, and the list of features was incredible.

Fifteen different types of durability enhancements, resistance magic for the four major elements and 35 attributes, and even anti-magic that applied to all sorts of spells.

It was a ‘Golden Gate’ permitted only to the royal family.

“Adela von Hamerd Imperium commands thee. Open.”

The Golden Gate, responding to the imperial bloodline, opened.

But it wasn't just one gate.

Triple-layered.

To think that the gate I thought was invincible was actually three layers deep.

With each opening, a powerful wave of magical energy spread out, showing off its might.

When all three Golden Gates opened, a giant magic circle finally appeared.

Surprisingly, it was made of golden mana, and I even felt a sense of awe from it, though it was just magic.

There was also someone guarding this perfect magic, and he was….

“Welcome, Your Highness. I have been waiting.”

Wilhelm.

The master of the red bow, prepared to shoot an arrow anywhere the Emperor's sight reached.

He was the one who nocked the Emperor's orders on his bowstring.

“And… you too.”

“….”

Even without Wild Instinct, a palpable hostility swirled around me.

“….”

Wilhelm's threat?

…It wasn't that frightening anymore.

I was not powerless against him.

However… I had nothing to say.

The master of Hellfire, the evil dragon of hell, the last dragon.

After defending the empire against Kragach to the point where every bone in his body was shattered, what greeted Wilhelm upon his return must have been the sight of his granddaughter with her left arm, an archer's life, sealed.

Whatever causality existed between him and me, I could not argue with his anger.

Adela frowned.

“Realize once more the importance of the position you stand in and maintain your dignity as one who holds a title, Duke.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

The hostility vanished.

It was a rough suppression, as if forcefully pressing down on an erupting volcano.

Adela and I stepped onto the golden magic circle.

“In the name of Adela von Hamerd Imperium, I command you. Activate.”

The golden magic circle shone with a brilliant light and transported Adela and me.

Feeling as if I had been shot into another space, I opened my eyes to find myself inside a transparent, rectangular golden box.

Looking around through the transparent walls, I saw a vast expanse of gold….

‘Where on earth is this.’

Everything was golden.

It was as if I had entered the interior of gold itself.

Several giants were carved into the gold.

“This place is….”

“Have you never wondered?”

Even though I hadn't asked, Adela began to explain.

As if she had practiced before coming, her explanation was smooth.

“The source of the Golden Authority used by our Imperium Imperial Family.”

Every power has a source.

There is a cause and effect that leads to its manifestation.

Stellar Force is the power of the cosmic order, Cosmos, and Wild Instinct is the blessing of a forgotten hunting god.

Know-It-All… is still an unknown power.

I must uncover it.

Even demon worshippers have the causality of wielding power received from Demon Lords.

In any case, there must be something to the Imperial Family's power too.

After all, it wasn't an ordinary power.

“The first emperor, Hamerd, awakened during the Universal Independence War, in the midst of the war against the Defardly Empire. That was the beginning of the manifestation of the Golden Authority. So, under what circumstances did it manifest? What is its source? It would be normal to have such questions.”

Just as one would agonize over the reason for gaining a mere power like psychokinesis.

“There are many rumors circulating. The power of a god? The will of Mother Nature? No. It's none of those things. The Golden Authority is not a power received from a transcendent being like a god, spirit, or demon. That is because it was never received in the first place. The Golden Authority is the essence of the most primal human powers: will and desire.”

The declaration of war by the dictatorial Defardly Empire for the unification of the continent stirred the hearts of the continent's people, for better or worse.

Half took up their swords to break the chains of dictatorship, and the other half, the exploited citizens of the empire, earnestly wished for the war's end.

For the war to end and peace to follow.

For a safe daily life to continue.

To be able to sing work songs while looking at the golden fields during the ripe harvest.

The beliefs of all humans gathered and resided in the one who stood at the center.

He was a ‘Man-God’ born from the earnest wishes of the people.

He received it from no one.

Humans, to fulfill human wishes, chose a human representative.

“So he is the hero, Hamerd.”

“Correct. The mission he bore as the representative of humanity has also been passed down through the bloodline. This is the reason why the Imperium Imperial Family has been able to pride itself on representing humanity. And this place is the very crystallization of that, the Golden Mausoleum. It is an independent space created by the power of the first emperor, Hamerd, upon his death. It is both a tomb where successive emperors are buried and the safest place in the world.”

The gold that filled the space and the carved giants looked different now.

To think that it was a tomb with sculptures of the past emperors.

The golden box carrying Adela and me floated gently down to the sculpture of one emperor.

‘The current emperor.’

There was a hole in the sculpture's heart, and inside was a luxurious room.

The room was warm.

It was filled with an auspicious energy that naturally calmed the heart.

However, because of the prominent sickbed, I could not smile.

‘The Emperor.’

The father of Kazaks and Adela.

The Emperor was lying on the sickbed.

“You've come.”

The Emperor greeted us while lying down.

The magnificent golden majesty he had shown at the succession ceremony this afternoon was nowhere to be seen; his white hair was that of an ordinary old man in the twilight of his life.

“Adela and Sir Martin.”

Upon entering the room, I first knelt on one knee and bowed my head.

Adela remained standing, quietly looking down at the Emperor.

“There is no need for formalities, Sir Martin. It is only us here, so let us speak frankly….”

At his words, I relaxed my posture and stood straight behind Adela.

After speaking, the Emperor tried to sit up, putting strength into his body.

He seemed to lift his upper body a little, but soon, exhausted, he lay back down.

“I hope you can understand me greeting you in this position….”

“Are you dying, Emperor?”

Adela cut straight to the point.

Unlike me, who was flustered by her overly direct tone, the Emperor responded as if it were nothing.

“Yes. It seems so, I suppose.”

“….”

After a moment of silence, Adela sneered with a blank expression.

“Ha, so you're dying young after all.”

This was an era where those who had cultivated their ki lived to be nearly 100, and those who reached a higher state and transcended lived for hundreds of years like a Star Child.

Let alone an emperor with the mighty power of the Golden Authority.

The person lying here was just an old man at the end of his life.

“It is because I have accumulated many sins….”

The current emperor's fame was renowned throughout the continent.

Immediately after the fall of the Cosmos Empire, the young emperor, who had been on the throne for only a few years, declared himself the leader of the continent that had lost its focal point, and he was a wise ruler who raised the empire's prestige accordingly.

The process was not smooth either.

He went to the battlefield hundreds of times against the encroachment from beyond the borders and various nations vying to become the master of the continent, and he suffered dozens of poisonings from assassination attempts.

“Still, fortunately… since I have left heirs, I suppose the empire will not fall into chaos.”

He was a man who had dedicated his entire life looking only at the empire.

He lived for over 100 years, and only in his old age did he belatedly meet the woman he loved and have two children with her.

After losing the fated love he met in his later years, his reason and wisdom blurred, and he did terrible things to his daughter, but he was now repentant even for that.

“So you have no lingering regrets in this life?”

“How could that be, Adela. Every time I see you, my heart feels like it's tearing apart….”

If that emperor had any regrets, it was one thing.

Adela.

“Are you truly alright, Adela? We can still turn back now.”

From the Emperor's words, I could tell that a contract I was unaware of had been made between the two of them.

“There is no need to reverse it. I will not take back my decision.”

“I see. Good. Since you are not swayed or overturned in your decisions, the world will not be able to threaten you.”

The Emperor, smiling with difficulty, nodded.

“Kazaks was just here.”

“….”

“I have passed on the full authority of the Shadow Knights, which I had entrusted to you and me, gave him the Emperor's seal, and invested him as the Crown Prince.”

“….”

It was a declaration that Prince Kazaks had won the competition for the throne.

Nevertheless, Adela was unshaken.

As if she already knew.

“So?”

Adela, who returned with the moniker 'Mad Princess' after living like a non-existent person for 17 years, had lost the competition for the throne.

At least, that was how it would seem in the eyes of others.

As a princess who had gained such notoriety, in the worst-case scenario, she might get caught up in numerous assassination attempts and die young.

“I'm telling you that everything has turned out as you wished.”

The transfer of full authority over the Shadow Knights.

The Emperor's seal and the investiture of the Crown Prince.

All of these things had been Adela's suggestion.

I couldn't dare to intervene and could only keep my mouth shut and listen attentively.

“It's unnecessary. Is there a reason to bother reporting the results?”

“Because I don't have much time…, I wanted to hear for the last time if you are really okay with this.”

“….”

“Are you going to give up everything like this? Didn't you want to ascend to the throne and get your revenge?”

The Emperor's expression was wistful.

It was unclear if he was looking at Adela, or through her, at his wife who had died decades ago.

“When will you die?”

“It seems I have less than a year left. Perhaps a month… Cough, cough!”

The Emperor suffered, letting out a violent cough.

Coughed-up blood splattered on the beard around his mouth and on the bedsheets.

It took quite some time for the symptoms to subside.

While the barely stabilized Emperor gasped for breath, the auspicious energies in the room gathered and erased the Emperor's blood.

“Is the conversation over?”

Adela asked the Emperor, but he shook his head violently.

“No! Don't leave. Just a little, just wait a little longer….”

The Emperor regained his composure after catching his breath for several minutes.

“…Adela.”

“Yes.”

Adela replied.

Considering her disposition, where it wouldn't have been strange for her to storm out immediately, this was a huge concession on her part.

“My daughter.”

“….”

“I was sorry.”