Chapter 12 (Part 6)

Though the group following Duke Richard filled the underground chamber, the monster protecting the Emperor was their only obstacle.  

Ignoring his precarious position, the Emperor sneered.  

“Duke Richard, I suppose you must feel like the emperor of these vermin now.”  

Felipe deliberately tried to belittle Duke Richard. He couldn’t accept the fact that not only the nobles but also the commoners of the empire defied him.  

As Felipe tried to steady himself, someone shouted boldly,  

“It’s you, Emperor, who is the vermin!”  

Immediately, the underground chamber was filled with the angry cries of the people.  

“Bring back my dead son, you demon!”  

The echoing cries of anguish made the Emperor scowl.  

These lowly beings, who normally wouldn’t dare meet his gaze, were now openly defying him.  

“I will not forget this humiliation today.”  

As Felipe rang a bell tied to his wrist, the seemingly lifeless creatures began to stir.  

…Growl.  

The eerie sound struck fear into those who had been ready to k*ll the Emperor moments ago.  

The cage door opened, and a humanoid monster stepped out of the water, standing tall.  

“Oh, Goddess Diana, protect us poor souls.”  

The sharp hooks on its fingers looked as though they could decapitate anyone with a mere graze.  

“Even now, if you throw down your weapons and bow before me, I might spare you!”  

The Emperor, emboldened, raised his injured wrist and laughed loudly.  

But the Duke remained calm, issuing orders to his subordinates.  

“Pour the oil immediately.”  

“…Understood!”  

“And evacuate the women and those unable to move quickly at once.”  

“Yes, Your Grace.”  

At the Duke’s words, Therese grabbed his sleeve.  

“I will stay.”  

“No, you mustn’t. I’m not alone in this.”  

Jeremy, looking down at her, gently stroked her cheek.  

“I want to fight alongside you.”  

“But I wish to protect you. Will you grant me this request?”  

Jeremy’s tender whisper made Therese fight back tears. In truth, her skills were of no use against such a monster.  

“Then I’ll go outside and tend to the wounded.”

“Well thought out.”  

“Your Grace, please…”  

Standing before the grotesque monster, Therese struggled to finish her sentence.  

“Don’t worry. I cannot die and leave you behind.”  

Jeremy nodded as he met her gaze, and Therese nodded back.  

“Will you hold onto this for a moment?”  

The Duke removed his signet ring from his finger and placed it in Therese’s hand.  

“Master, I will protect His Grace by his side. So, please rest assured.”  

Roshan, drawing her twin shamshirs, stood steadfastly behind the Duke. She was his only companion, a figure who was both grateful and apologetic.  

Therese, her expression solemn, spoke firmly.  

“Roshan. Come back alive. That’s an order.”  

“Master, I will obey your command.”  

At that moment, a soldier approached Therese, urging her.  

“Duchess, please come this way.”  

Therese hurried up the stairs but couldn’t bring herself to look back. She feared that even one glance at the Duke would make her want to return to his side.  

‘But right now, I’d only be a burden to him.’  

Steeling herself, Therese stepped outside, and the door shut behind her.  

Jeremy Richard’s eyes turned cold as he confirmed that Therese had safely left.  

“By the authority granted to me by Goddess Diana, I will execute Emperor Felipe Morciani today.”  

The Emperor wasn’t even worthy of being called an enemy. He had assassinated Jeremy’s father, tormented his wife, and plunged the Caspian Empire into ruin.  

At Jeremy’s declaration, the Emperor scoffed.  

“So, what you’re doing isn’t treason but a lawful procedure? Using imperial law for something like this—truly the work of an academy valedictorian.”  

According to imperial law, an emperor who endangered the empire could be executed. This required the approval of ten high-ranking officials and the consent of a ducal family. In this situation, it was entirely legitimate.  

“I have no interest in becoming Emperor. You, of all people, should know that…”  

“No one exists without a desire for power!”  

Felipe, unable to contain his fury, huffed and puffed as Jeremy continued.  

“All your misfortunes are of your own making, Felipe Morciani. So, meet your end in the prison you created.”  

“Shut your mouth!”  

The Emperor shook the bell on his wrist violently, and five monsters emerged from the iron cage, positioning themselves before Felipe Morciani.  

The monsters still had their eyes closed, which made them all the more terrifying.  

“Now, go and wipe out those vermin in one fell swoop!”  

At the Emperor’s loud command, the monsters finally opened their eyes, dark fl*id dripping from their mouths.  

…Growl. Growl.  

When the monsters remained motionless, the Emperor shook the bell even harder.  

“…?”  

But then, the monsters turned toward the Emperor, and only then did he realize something was wrong. He inspected his wrist.  

The strange markings that had covered his wrist were completely gone. This signified the death of Morgana, the sorcer who had shared his life force with him.  

“My God!”  

When one of the two died, the bond between them was severed. The monsters had followed Morgana’s orders, which allowed Felipe to control them. But if Morgana was dead, the Emperor could no longer command the monsters.  

“Fire the arrows!”  

At that moment, Duke Richard raised his hand, signaling for an attack.  

The archers, their arrows tipped with flames, simultaneously aimed at the underground ceiling and fired.  

Whoosh!  

The fiery arrows illuminated the underground chamber before igniting the oil that had been spread earlier.  

As the underground waterway turned into a sea of fire, the Duke ordered everyone to evacuate.  

Soldiers and knights scrambled to escape, while the desperate Emperor shouted,  

“Save me! That’s an order!”  

From the boat engulfed in flames, the terrified Emperor pleaded, but Duke Richard smirked coldly.  

“I am the sun of the empire, Felipe Morciani! Aaaah!”  

The Emperor’s screams began, as though one of his legs had been torn off.  

Roshan, ascending the stairs with Thomas and Gabriel, clicked his tongue.  

“He really must be the sun, judging by how brightly he’s burning…”  

The raging fire consumed everything in the underground chamber.  

Amid the suffocating smoke, the Emperor’s horrifying screams could be heard, likely from another attack by the monsters.  

“Gabriel, may I borrow your bow?”  

Jeremy borrowed his brother’s bow and aimed precisely at the Emperor’s location.  

Whoosh!  

The arrow struck its target, silencing the screams.  

Standing at the top of the staircase, Jeremy took one last look below.  

“A fitting end for him.”  

‘Father, I hope you can now rest in peace.’  

A long-held sorrow lingered on Jeremy’s face as he offered a silent prayer. 

***

The Caspian Empire was in utter disarray after the storm had passed.  

The countless atrocities the Emperor had secretly committed were now fully exposed. Families of those who had been unjustly killed came forward, wailing in grief.  

The Duke, who was handling affairs at the palace, instructed Georges regarding compensation for the victims.  

“Carefully assess the damages and provide compensation.”  

Although no amount of money could ever equate to a human life, he hoped it would offer some solace to those who had faced such tragedy.  

For several days, Duke Richard stayed at the palace, tallying the dead and injured to ensure they received proper compensation and treatment.  

He also worked tirelessly to permanently seal all underground passages leading to the palace. This was to prevent any surviving monsters from escaping.  

“Your Grace, these are all letters recommending you as Emperor.”  

With the Emperor dead and no heir left behind, the Caspian Empire had fallen into chaos, much like Pasa not long ago.  

Many nobles, including Georges Dupont, were pushing for Duke Richard to ascend the throne, but the Duke was adamantly refusing.  

“I have no interest in such matters.”  

Jeremy, who had inherited the title of Duke from his father, was all too familiar with the burdens of power and had no desire to shoulder even greater responsibilities.  

He also didn’t want to impose such a burden on Therese.  

“Your Grace, are you rejecting the natural course of events?”  

For once, Georges spoke in an unusually serious tone.  

“The Caspian Empire needs a trustworthy Emperor right now. What if someone like Felipe Morciani becomes Emperor again?”  

“Your Grace, I know you have no ambition to become Emperor, but this time, I must agree with Georges.”  

Thomas, who had been silently listening in the corner, voiced his opinion.  

Purely for the sake of the Caspian Empire, Duke Richard, who could wield his sword with honor, was a figure who embodied the dignity befitting an Emperor.  

“Moreover, now that the fact that you are the Night Wolf has been revealed, even the common people are supporting you, Your Grace.”  

“I’ll need some time to think this over.”  

Jeremy, who had been flipping through documents, suddenly stood and leaned against the window. From there, he could see a tall tower being dismantled.  

This was a place that had been hidden by the power of a magic stone, serving as the residence of the Emperor’s personal sorcerer.  

“So, it was the Urcana Mercenary Corps who dealt with the sorcerer Morgana.”  

“I heard they came at the request of the Caliph of Pasa. They’re said to be incredibly skilled.”  

The Urcana Mercenaries, led by Zafar, had fought bravely against the fearsome sorceress, ultimately subduing and killing both the monsters and the sorceress.  

“I didn’t even get the chance to thank them.”  

“……”  

Despite Georges’ concerns, the Caliph of Pasa and the Urcana Mercenaries left the Caspian Empire immediately after Emperor Morciani’s death.  

“I couldn’t help but wonder if they had plans to conquer Caspian.”  

If not, it was hard to believe the Caliph of Pasa would risk his life to help out of pure goodwill.  

“Commander of the First Knight Order, prepare a letter of gratitude and gifts in the name of the Empire to be sent to Pasa.”  

“As you command.”