Chapter 7 – The Empire and the Order

Chapter 7: The Empire and the Order

After Delfin had withdrawn and the Emperor was left alone, he pressed his forehead.

‘It’s neither a monster nor a Phoenix.’

For greater accuracy, the reports were as follows.

The Order’s subjugation force had said it was an existence that far transcended monsters. The Empire’s investigation team had said it was at least a tremendous being that could be the origin of Phoenixes.

Whatever it was, ordinary humans could not handle it. To far transcend monsters. To be the origin of Phoenixes.

Just when he had thought the surroundings were finally becoming quiet. Just when he had thought peace would come after dealing with all evil beings. How was it that the turmoil in this Empire never ceased?

If there truly was a god, he had wanted to appeal before that great being. Why did his reign keep receiving such difficult times again and again?

The Emperor had unconsciously reached for cigarettes from his breast. Something he had quit late in life after being moved to tears upon seeing his child. But the situation simply wouldn’t help with quitting smoking.

‘…No.’

The Emperor put down the cigarette he had grabbed and closed both eyes. Then, as if resolved, he broke the tobacco in half.

She was a precious child. He wanted to give her only the best things. He absolutely could not give that small child poisonous smoke. She might even avoid him if strange smells came from her father’s body.

“Your Majesty!”

Right. Today, another incident occurred. The Emperor stared blankly at the chamberlain who had rushed in urgently. He had hoped it would be news that was moderately headache-inducing.

But the moment the chamberlain’s mouth opened. The Emperor had to spring up from his seat.

“The Crown Princess collapsed unconscious just a moment ago!”

“What?”

The Crown Princess? Why? How? No.This couldn’t be! She had been an heir barely obtained. The one and only child barely obtained. That child who wouldn’t hurt even if placed in his eyes, why on earth!

“Quickly, let’s go to the Eastern Palace quickly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

He hurried toward the Eastern Palace as if being chased.

Dignity and everything else – there was no time to care about such things now. If he could, he wanted to run while calling his daughter’s name.

They arrived at the Eastern Palace, the Crown Princess’s residence. Not only the physicians but even the Empress had already arrived.

“Your Majesty.”

“Empress. What has happened?”

“I don’t know well either. What should we do about this matter…”

“Calm down, let’s see first.”

After reassuring the Empress, the Emperor had gathered the physicians separately.

“What on earth is going on? Why is the Crown Princess like this?”

“We humbly report with regret, but currently the Crown Princess is suffering from a high fever of unknown cause. She had no particular illness, yet this happened, so we too are bewildered.”

“You physicians don’t even know the reason! Then you can’t cure her?”

“We are first finding the cause of the illness. Please trust us as we will do our best.”

He had wanted to threaten them, saying they must find out about the disease. He had wanted to intimidate them about what they should prepare for if they couldn’t treat the Crown Princess’s illness.

But the Emperor had not done so. He had decided to trust the physicians for now. The incident had just broken out, so pressing them from the start wouldn’t be good.

After the physicians had withdrawn, the Emperor staggered slightly. When he pressed against the wall due to dizziness, the chamberlain approached in surprise.

“Your Majesty.”

“I’m fine, leave me be.”

How had he gotten this child? She was a treasure that couldn’t be exchanged for anything.

Personally, she was a precious daughter who wouldn’t hurt even if placed in his eyes. In the bigger picture, she was the future emperor who would lead the Empire after him.

The moment he lost her, he would lose his mind both as a father and as an emperor. He didn’t want to think of the worst situation, but he kept doing so.

‘She’ll be fine. Right, young children sometimes suffer from fever.’

He tried to console himself that it probably wasn’t something serious. However, doubts that kept rising followed one after another.

If it were really a light fever, why would the physicians be tense? They needed to find out what the disease was first, not the treatment method? What if, just what if, he lost the Crown Princess?

Bad thoughts multiplied like bamboo shoots after rain. As this happened, he naturally sought the reason.

Had he done something wrong that his daughter was being punished? What great sin had he committed that this small child must suffer? If he had really committed a sin, what sin had he committed against whom?

‘…Could it be.’

The giant red bird in the north that Delfin had spoken of.

Neither a monster nor a Phoenix, they said. The conclusion was that it was a being far superior to both.

They had stimulated it and terrifying energy had poured out. Everyone who had encountered it had knelt and only wished to live.

For some reason, it had sent everyone back alive. It could have killed a few as an example but hadn’t. Honestly, he had been somewhat relieved about that.

‘The Crown Princess suddenly collapsing might be because of that being.’

If the warning hadn’t been given to the Empire and Order people. If it was pressing down on the Crown Princess’s breath with mysterious power. What should he, what should the Empire do?

Should he beg for forgiveness? Really, while offering sacrifices? Or should he immediately march north and eliminate it? Was it even possible? If eliminated, could the Crown Princess recover?

‘Why do you give such trials, oh God?’

Pulling at his hair, the Emperor had fallen into deep contemplation. Until deep into the night. Until dawn had broken. He couldn’t sleep a wink.

He had sent someone to Delfin to seek advice. But what had returned was only the person he had sent to her residence.

“Lord Delfin?”

“Your Majesty. We humbly report with regret, but Lord Delfin was absent from her place.”

“Absent? What do you mean?”

“She definitely entered her residence yesterday, but when checked this morning, she had disappeared.”

At that moment, the Emperor thought his prediction might be correct. If Delfin had disappeared without a word in this situation, there was only one reason. It must be related to that red bird encountered in the north.

“The north. Send people to Nosland. No, no. I will go personally.”

“Your Majesty! What do you mean? This cannot be! If Your Majesty leaves your post…”

“As a father with a daughter. As an emperor with an heir. I must go.”

It had been the moment when the Emperor’s northern journey was decided, following Delfin.

***

The Order of Light.

“…Not a monster?”

Cardinal Kailum had been receiving reports from the subjugation force that had just returned.

“Yes, Your Eminence, Cardinal. That was absolutely not a monster.”

“But when speaking of a large red bird, isn’t it mostly a Wyvern?”

“Though Wyverns are vicious monsters, they’re not to that extent.”

Tsk. The Cardinal had clicked his tongue internally. Actually, this subjugation force dispatch had another hidden purpose.

Recently, the Order’s activities had been decreasing more and more.

The Order had used to protect many from evil in the past. But now, that holy work was less than half of what it used to be.

This wasn’t good. The Empire was filling the insufficient activities. Someone might question the Order’s position. That had to be prevented. The Order had to remain an inviolable domain.

So he had tried to make this northern incident big for the Order to handle. He had intended to subjugate it with only the Order’s power to establish prestige.

‘But it wasn’t a monster. There’s no greater disappointment than this.’

How much funding had gone into sending the subjugation force? No, money was a secondary issue. The Order’s activities were important. The Order’s activities were the Order’s prestige.

“…Wait.”

He had heard that the Steel Knight, Delfin Lionheart, had accompanied them. And she had lost even the will to fight against that being. If used well, this could create an opportunity for the Order, too.

“Call the Twelve Generals immediately.”

The strong were not only in the Empire. They existed in the Order, too.

If the Empire had concentrated achievements on Delfin and made her a hero. The Order had demonstrated the Order’s presence with twelve generals.

They would be different. They were all renowned strong individuals. They just hadn’t stepped forward for the Order. They had been for the Order as a whole, not for one hero.

‘If our Order catches the being that even the Empire’s Sword gave up on?’

If Delfin Lionheart had given up, it wouldn’t be easy. But the Cardinal had been confident. He had trusted the generals.

Furthermore, Delfin hadn’t completed all tasks alone. She had received much help. The Empire’s mages and numerous knights, soldiers. There had even been high priests supported by the Order.

The generals united by firm faith would bring good results. Perhaps this opportunity could return the Hero title to the Order. It was recovering the glory that had been almost dedicated to an Empire knight.

Even if several generals were lost, it was worth enough. The Cardinal had decided to notify the Pope about this matter with a smile.

Though called Pope, he was practically no different from his proxy. Even now, many parts of the Order were accomplished through his hands.

Someday, he would ascend to the Pope’s position. But not now. Even if he ascended to that position when the Order’s power was weak, it was useless.

Cardinal Kailum’s intention had been clear. Recover the Order’s lost prestige and restore social position. Thus show the greatness of the Order of Light once again.

‘I hope that being in the north was a wicked existence.’

The Empire’s knight couldn’t accomplish it. The Order’s generals would accomplish it. The Cardinal had believed this fact without doubt.

If someone had asked the reason, he would have answered thus: God was with them. God had desired it. They were God’s representatives, so victory would be with them.