Chapter 38

38. Who says

“Imperial Order?”

Without hesitation, Julian drew his sword and leapt forward to confront the messenger. Despite the overwhelming number of soldiers filling the hall, the messenger remained unfazed.

The messenger reined in his horse and spoke arrogantly.

“I’ve come to deliver the Emperor’s decree, so put down your sword.”

“The Emperor’s decree?”

Callion asked the messenger, who had been observing the situation. The messenger dismounted.

“Did you say it’s the Emperor’s decree?”

“Yes. Duke Tiflis urges you to receive the decree promptly.”

Extending the decree, the messenger raised his voice. After verifying the Emperor’s seal, Callion sheathed his sword and knelt down.

“Callion Tiflis, return to the capital promptly to attend the late Emperor’s memorial service.”

The messenger held up the order for all to hear. Callion checked the Emperor’s seal at the end of the order and smiled bitterly.

“Understood.”

“When can you inform us of your arrival?”

“Given the sudden nature of the decree, it’s difficult to provide a definite answer.”

“The Emperor’s memorial service is in two months.”

Callion’s brow furrowed.

At best, he was amused that the messenger was forcing him to answer, but for the sake of his pride, he couldn’t give in, so he didn’t show it.

“This being a border region, I cannot leave it unguarded without prior arrangements, so it might take some time.”

“Understood. We will inform them that you will arrive before the memorial service.”

The messenger asserted, leaving no room for refusal. Julian, who had been listening to the conversation, was about to draw his sword in anger, but Callion raised his hand to stop him.

“I will deliver the message personally to the Emperor; you just report that the decree has been delivered.”

“The Emperor instructed us to bring back a response.”

“I will convey that as well.”

“Very well, Your Grace—”

“It’s better to leave before my men’s patience wears thin.”

Thrumming, the sound of a blade being drawn from its scabbard could be heard in quick succession. Sensing the mood, the messenger spoke up.

“I shall see you in the capital.”

Callion crumpled the order in his hand as soon as the messenger was out of sight. Julian sidled up to him and whispered.

“Shall we give chase?”

“Leave him alone.”

It would be far easier to get rid of the messenger without a mouse or bird noticing and then accuse him of not receiving the orders than to defy the Emperor’s orders, but taking innocent lives was not his way.

Callion’s gaze shifted to Adelaide on the terrace.

“I think that’s enough training for today. Get ready for the meeting.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“You must go.”

Adelaide said it without a moment’s hesitation as she read the Emperor’s decree.

Her firm response was enough to make him feel like a fool, unable to reach a conclusion after a day-long meeting.

“There were more dissenting voices in the meeting.”

Since the execution of the late Emperor, Elkius has occasionally summoned Callion in this manner. Callion, considering it a trap, had never responded to such calls.

He had thought to do the same this time, but Adelaide’s opinion differed.

“The messenger publicly read the Emperor’s decree in the hall, and everyone there witnessed it. If you refuse, rumors will spread that you defied the Emperor’s order.”

“Isn’t that a bit of an excuse?”

“It was cited as a reason to attend the late Emperor’s memorial service. The justification lies on their side. No matter what excuses you make, it will reflect poorly on you.”

She persuaded him sternly.

Callion, who had spent the entire meeting being told not to walk into Elkius’s trap, pressed his throbbing temples.

It was ridiculous that a man who hadn’t even attended his grandfather’s funeral should have to double-check his calculations.

Adelaide opened her mouth cautiously.

“Actually, I received a letter from my father a few days ago.”

“From the Earl of Cornwall?”

“Yes. He wants me to go to the capital and persuade you to do the same.”

“If he’s going through the Earl to send a separate letter to you, then he won’t let it go easily.”

“I’m sure he is, he must be nervous about not knowing what’s going on in the castle.”

Callion agreed with her guess.

Until now, the spies of the castle had kept Elkius informed, but with the disappearance of those spies, Elkius wouldn’t just sit back and watch.

“It will be hard to avoid your uncle’s suspicions if you don’t answer this time.”

“Elkius always keeps an eye on me, so that doesn’t matter… but the problem lies in people’s perceptions.”

Adelaide said calmly.

“It’s been three years since you haven’t appeared in the capital, so people may have forgotten about you.”

“I suppose that’s possible.”

“So, it’s going to be difficult to reclaim the throne. If you want to be the first thing people think of when they hear that the Emperor has failed, you need to go to the capital.”

There was no denying her words. He had been absent from the capital for too long, avoiding interaction with people.

Nobles who suspected Callion might be trying to reclaim the lost throne gradually stopped inquiring about his well-being, as he remained inactive. If he wanted to make any progress, he would have to rally them again.

But one thing still bothered him.

“Are you okay with going to the capital?”

“…….”

Callion blurted them out as he mulled over his words.

Her hard mask cracked. Adelaide bit her lip slightly and released it before answering.

“…I’ll be fine.”

There was a definite shake in her voice.

Callion wasn’t sure if the agitation on Adelaide’s face was fear or longing.

He believed her sincerity, but he also wondered if it would remain so after meeting Elkius.

As he struggled to shake his doubts, Callion caught sight of her fiddling with her necklace in a nervous gesture.

She must be more uneasy than him.

Whether Adelaide has forgotten Elkius or not, she is his wife. That fact alone proves that Adelaide has been abandoned by Elkius.

Callion realized how cruel he had been.

He pulled Adelaide into a gentle embrace.

“Don’t worry, I will protect you, no matter what.”

No matter what anyone said, she was his woman.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

As soon as the decision was made, preparations for departure began. This time, they would be stranded in the capital for a while, so there was a lot to prepare.

The first thing Adelaide did was send an envoy to Helenia to reaffirm the mutually inviolable treaty made during the tribute exchange. If the kingdom and empire should ever go to war, Callion and Tiflis would not be touched.

After receiving Prince Klaus’s best wishes, Adelaide felt more at ease and set about her second task.

Within a week of contacting Sycamore, an enormous shipment of weapons arrived at the castle.

“As long as they’re excellent, it doesn’t matter what weapons they have.”

“Weapons are for display, not use.”

Callion, unaware of Adelaide’s plan, grumbled a bit at the soldiers receiving new weapons, but Adelaide silenced him with a single word.

A skilled knight could subdue an armed opponent with just a stick, but unless they were dueling in the middle of the capital, what people remembered wasn’t skill but good weapons.

If the Duke’s knights look shabby, they’ll be ridiculed.

“Look, everyone seems to like them.”

Callion considered saying something to Lucid as he brandished his new sword, then closed his mouth. There is no need to kill a morale boost.

The last thing to prepare was to select personnel to manage Tiflis Castle.

Only the personnel needed to maintain security were left behind, and all the servants who volunteered to accompany them were taken along.

Several servants, including Jensen, left for the townhouse in the capital that had been vacant for a long time to tidy it up.

With the big issues taken care of, the rest of the work was done quickly.

Ten days later, Adelaide boarded a carriage bound for the capital.

The road up to the capital was smooth, but not peaceful.

The large-scale nature of the trip caused some friction as they passed through noble estates, but most opened their gates once they realized who Callion was.

In some cases, nobles who realized he was traveling through their estates prepared and waited to greet him, but he declined the invitation, citing his schedule, and continued on his way.

The caravan was escorted by a large army, so they were in no danger, but he couldn’t let his guard down. The closer they got to the capital, the more people jumped in front of the carriage.

“Hee-hee-hee!”

Adelaide opened the window at the sound of a loud horse whinny. Someone had stopped the procession again.

It was the sixth time today. After jumping onto the carriage like that, they would demand treatment fees or beg for alms.

“Sir Lucid, has this happened before?”

Lucid, walking alongside the carriage, shook his head.

“No. It wasn’t like this last year. There were people like that sometimes, but this is a bit much.”

“It looks like the aftermath of clearing out the slums.”

Callion clicked his tongue as he studied the scene ahead.

“The slums are gone?”

“His Majesty said they were an eyesore and should be pushed out.”

“And were they provided with a place to live?”

“If that were the case, would these people act like this?”

Lucid replied pathetically.

Elkius is a man of his word. Even before he became emperor, whenever he passed through the slums, he would get angry, wondering how it was possible that such a large area of land could be taken up by such a small group of bums.

Adelaide clicked her tongue when she saw a woman running off with a handful of coins. Margaret, who was riding with her, reached the window.

“I’ll close the curtain.”

“Just leave it.”

Callion said it in a low voice.

If anyone was more distressed than her, it was Callion. He never took his eyes off the window, as if to memorize every sight. Like the day they attended the slave auction.

“Lucid, tell Julian to guard the sides well to prevent people from jumping onto the carriage, and if anyone asks for money, give it to them without asking.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

Callion sighed heavily as he sent Lucid on his way.