Chapter 83

Thus, the imperial capital of Rotsmer was occupied by the Zihitberg army. Both sides, wishing to avoid a brutal street battle among the people of Schweidel, came to an agreement, and the imperial army, which had left only a minimal number of troops, surrendered without bloodshed.

The Duke of Zihitberg, along with his aide, the younger brother of the Duke of Mildor, entered the palace and officially declared his rule over the capital.

The younger brother of the Duke of Mildor asked the Duke of Zihitberg,

"Well done. By the way, how is the situation at the border?"

"The Bruges army and the Imperial Guard are facing off. Since we have cut off the Imperial Guard's rear communication lines, they cannot be supplied or escape. I have sent a false imperial edict ordering them to cease fire."

Forging an imperial edict, which is an order from the emperor, is punishable by death, but the Duke of Zihitberg remained calm.

The younger brother of the Duke of Mildor smiled as if looking at his own son.

"Excellent work. You are worthy of that throne."

At that moment, an officer of the Zihitberg army arrived.

"Your Excellency, we have brought the emperor."

"Admit him. Treat him with respect."

"Yes, sir."

Soon, Emperor Pelden III was brought in, surrounded by the strong soldiers of the Zihitberg army, his face pale.

The Duke of Zihitberg, feeling a bit sorry for him, stood up and spoke to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, it has been a long time."

Seeing the Duke of Zihitberg standing before the throne, Emperor Pelden III's cheeks turned red with anger. However, his anger quickly faded, and he responded in a deflated voice.

"Zihitberg..."

"I thank you for agreeing to a peaceful resolution to avoid unnecessary bloodshed."

In reality, the gates had been opened, and the Zihitberg army had taken the city without a fight, but the Duke of Zihitberg deliberately chose the word "peaceful resolution" out of consideration for the former ruler of the empire.

Emperor Pelden III, though not entirely foolish, understood this. He sighed deeply and bowed his head.

"Do not show me such mercy. What do you intend to do with me? Will you kill me?"

"It is a peaceful resolution. You may remain in the capital, but you may not leave the palace."

In any case, he was a prisoner, regardless of the treatment.

"Zihitberg, this is high treason. Such an atrocity will not be forgiven by the gods of Filnia, nor by those with a sense of justice. The lords will not accept it either."

"That may be so, but it is no longer your concern. Please spend your days in peace. In the future, you will meet with the Duke of Bruges. Do not forget to show respect to the victor."

Emperor Pelden III, who had been completely demoralized, suddenly opened his eyes wide at these words.

"Bruges?! A traitor's bloodline! I cannot bow to the descendant of a traitor!"

"But you are the defeated general. Do you intend to continue fighting?"

The Duke of Zihitberg drew his sword and placed the gleaming blade at Emperor Pelden III's feet.

A hard, cold sound echoed through the hall.

"Then take it. You are a knight of unparalleled honor in the empire. If you have the will to fight, I will face you in single combat."

The successive heads of the Zihitberg family were known for their martial prowess, having fought against the fierce nomadic tribes of Kionis, where the bravery of the head of the family was essential.

Knowing this, Emperor Pelden III did not pick up the sword. Though he was a skilled swordsman, the difference in age and training made victory unlikely.

"How... how outrageous..."

Seeing the emperor's frightened expression, the Duke of Zihitberg looked disappointed and waved his hand lightly.

"There is nothing more to say. Take him away."

Emperor Pelden III, supported by guards on either side, called out in a panic.

"Wait! Did not the five royal families unite to face external enemies? Have you forgotten the oath of Rotsmer made by our great-grandfathers? Such cruelty would make our ancestors weep!"

His voice faded as he was taken away.

The younger brother of the Duke of Mildor released his saber and sighed before addressing the Duke of Zihitberg.

"You are reckless. I was on edge, thinking what would happen if the single combat actually started. You are just like your father in that regard."

The Duke of Zihitberg smiled weakly at the jest.

"Even if I think of it as a just revenge to clear my father's name, I still cannot shake off the guilt. Considering the traditions of the five royal families and the history of the empire, the 'right' one is the emperor."

"If the world ran on righteousness alone, no one would have any trouble. Besides, even if you had defeated the emperor in single combat, it would not have made things any more just."

The younger brother of the Duke of Mildor chuckled and placed his hand on the young ruler's shoulder.

"Be strong. To protect the empire from the Reincarnationists, we, the protectors of the Restorists, must rule the country."

"You speak like a usurper."

"Yes, that's exactly what I am."

The younger brother of the Duke of Mildor nodded calmly.

"Our ancestors also built the empire through usurpation. There is no need to worry about it."

"You need that kind of boldness. Let's stop worrying about it."

The Duke of Zihitberg smiled, then descended from the throne and picked up the sword from the floor.

Looking at the finely crafted blade, the Duke of Zihitberg murmured,

"I hope you do not come to regret not choosing this place as your final resting place."

* * *

For several days, Emperor Pelden III was confined to a room in the palace.

It was not his usual spacious private chamber but an unfamiliar room, probably a guest room for visitors, though he had never been there before.

The hallways and the view outside the windows were filled with soldiers of the Zihitberg family, making it impossible to escape.

Emperor Pelden III stood there, his face filled with anguish.

(If I submit to the Duke of Bruges, the tradition and dignity of the imperial house will be... What should I do...)

The House of Bruges was one of the five royal families during the era of the "Imperial House and the Five Royal Families." Naturally, it was considered lower in rank than the imperial house.

Originally one of the "Five Royal Families," it was a prestigious royal lineage, but it deliberately called itself a duchy to avoid unnecessarily provoking the empire.

If the emperor were to kneel to the Duke of Bruges, a defeated ruler, the surrounding countries would clearly recognize the decline of the empire.

In reality, this had already been recognized, but Emperor Pelden III's international awareness was not very sharp. Having been taught from a young age that the empire would recover its former territories and reign over the "right world," he could not accept any other reality.

The great emperor of the empire, now a prisoner, would have to bow to the descendant of a traitor.

This was the farthest scene from the "right world" that Emperor Pelden III had envisioned. It was absolutely unacceptable.

(The only way is to commit suicide to preserve the dignity of the imperial house.)

He had already reached a conclusion but could not bring himself to do it, so he wandered around the lavishly decorated room.

Then, a faint sound of the door being unlocked was heard, and someone entered the room without knocking.

"Who are you? This is impertinent."

Hiding his fear, he tried to show a semblance of dignity, and the old major bowed quietly.

"Please be calm, Your Majesty. I have come at the order of Lieutenant Colonel Chrombertz."

The major had a slight commoner's accent, but the emperor did not mind. It was not unusual for a major of his age to be a commoner officer. Besides, Lieutenant Colonel Chrombertz was a commoner, and his subordinates were likely all commoners. It made sense.

The old major took out a Zihitberg army uniform from a briefcase. It was an infantry uniform.

"Please change into this quickly. You will escape by blending in with my subordinates."

"Is this Chrombertz's plan?"

"Yes. Your Excellency will be transferred to Bruges territory today. We will discuss the details on the way."

If he were to become a prisoner in another country, he would be finished as an emperor. Emperor Pelden III nodded immediately.

"Brave one, I have no choice but to trust you. Let us escape now."

"Thank you. Please remove all your rings and other identifying items. They will reveal your identity."

"Of course, that makes sense."

Several soldiers who appeared to be the old major's subordinates were in the hallway, and the emperor, pretending to be one of them, escaped the palace.

Though it was his first time pretending to be a soldier, the emperor, who had been trained in the noble etiquette that is the foundation of military deportment, found it easy. He had received more education than anyone else.

Blending in with a patrol squad, he passed through the city gates and was asked to change clothes again in a back alley of the capital.

"From here, the uniform will be too conspicuous. Please change into civilian clothes."

"Very well. For the sake of a comeback, it cannot be helped."

"Please bear with it. A carriage is waiting for you."

The old major and his guards also changed into dirty civilian clothes.

"Many civilians have fled the capital out of fear of Bruges' invasion. We will blend in with them. I will handle any checkpoints, so please pretend to be unwell, Your Majesty."

"I understand. I will leave it to you."

A carriage approached through the evening crowd. It was a stagecoach for travelers.

"Let's go now."

"Indeed, Chrombertz is impressive. What a fine plan."

The carriage left the capital and continued to drive through the night. The hard wooden seats were uncomfortable, but the exhausted emperor fell asleep.

Eventually, the carriage stopped.

"Here we are. Please get out, Your Majesty."

"Hmm?"

In the dim light of dawn, the emperor got out of the carriage.

But this was a dense forest. The sky was brightening, but it was still dark in the forest.

"Where are we?"

"Where we are depends on you."

The old major held a loaded musket, and the guards who had accompanied him also had guns in their hands.

Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Emperor Pelden III braced himself.

"Rogue, do you intend to kill me!"

"Now, now, don't jump to conclusions. If we wanted to kill you, we would have done it in the carriage."

The old major laughed.

"I'm Yuiina Chrombertz's partner. That part is true. But I'm a former one. Now I'm employed by a certain important person. At first, I was asked to make you drink poison. It was a drug that would let you die peacefully, like falling asleep."

Holding the gun, the old major said this with a cheerful tone.

"But I'm not a killer. Killing someone who doesn't want to fight goes against my principles. I made that clear to my employer. So I can keep you alive instead of killing you. I'm not a rogue but your savior."

"You mean you won't kill me...?"

"Your reign as emperor is over anyway. You don't have any proof of your identity now. If you tell people in this place that you are the emperor, they won't believe you. No one knows what the emperor looks like. There's a story called 'The Prince and the Pauper,' or something like that."

The old major chuckled and threw something at the emperor's feet.

"That's a soldier's backpack. It contains a blanket, a change of clothes, food, and water. And ammunition. Here, take this too."

A musket with a bayonet was tossed to the ground. Upon closer inspection, the pan was empty, and it was not yet loaded.

"With this, you can return from Kionis. Your soldiers have proven it."

"How impertinent! Such an atrocity will not be forgiven by the gods!"

"The gods who watched you become a prisoner without doing anything? That's a funny joke. You could be a court jester in Bruges."

The old major was laughing, but his eyes were not.

"Do you remember the Seventh Bruges Expedition? The reckless campaign you proposed as the crown prince. The soldiers called it the 'Snowman War.' The dead bodies piled up and were buried in the snow, looking like snowmen everywhere."

For Emperor Pelden III, it was a bitter memory, and for the empire, it was the last Bruges expedition. The defeat led to the complete abandonment of the recovery of the former Bruges territories.

"So, what's your point?"

"I was one of the defeated soldiers who almost became a snowman. If you, who ordered a winter march into the mountains without proper supplies, can handle an early spring forest, it should be easy."

"Would a former soldier dare to treat the emperor, the supreme commander, like this!"

"Indeed, I will make you suffer the same fate. It's like the Count of Monte Cristo's revenge. Whoever thought of this is quite clever."

The old major got into the carriage, took off his hat, and bowed respectfully.

"Enjoy your life as a commoner in an unfamiliar forest. There's an abandoned mountain hut nearby. You'll manage. But don't act like a 'mountain man.'"

"Who are you talking about?"

No one answered the emperor's question, and the carriage sped away.

Left alone in an unfamiliar forest, the emperor stood there in shock for a while before regaining his composure and loading his gun. He was skilled with guns, having practiced deer and bird hunting in the imperial forests. He had some experience with outdoor activities, but this was his first time traveling alone.

"How impertinent these commoners are. Do not think you have defeated me with this."

Though anger and humiliation were strong, he had to focus on survival. The emperor started walking.

He soon found a dilapidated log cabin but ignored it.

"That must be a trap. I will not be deceived."

Wandering further into the forest, he found a suitable hole under a large rock. It was big enough to enter while crouching, and it looked dry and comfortable inside.

"Indeed, the gods do not abandon the rightful emperor. When the sun rises, I can determine the direction. I will go straight east. I still have the Duke of Medilen and the Duke of Litrai. If there is a plot by Chrombertz, it will be easy to turn the tables. Watch me, I will be the one to take revenge."

Murmuring to himself, the emperor entered the cave.

Unbeknownst to him, this was the winter den of a "mountain man."

After that, no one saw Emperor Pelden III again.

* * *