Chapter 51

51. Bring The Regalia

Regular meetings of the Council were held every two months at the Imperial Palace. The agenda for this regular meeting, attended by all the council members, was the Regalia presented by Callion.

“Is it possible that His Majesty doesn’t possess the Regalia?”

“That’s what I’m saying. No one even knew about it, did they?”

It was Duke Lephisto who spoke first, and his words were followed by others.

“I wonder if His Majesty ascended to the throne without confirming it during his coronation.”

“There’s no excuse for missing it. No one pointed out that there was no procedure for transferring the Regalia during the coronation!”

“Perhaps His Majesty knew that there were no Regalias… … .”

“If so, that’s even more troubling. If His Majesty hid the fact that he doesn’t have a Regalia, we can’t just let it slide.”

“Do you have any proof that it is a real Regalia?”

The Marquis of Flanders interrupted, unhappy.

“Duke Lephisto seems to be convinced that the offerings of the Duke of Tiflis are Regalia, and I’m asking if you can take responsibility for them.”

“The Marquis of Flanders thinks the sword is not Regalia?”

“How should I know that?”

Marquis Flanders intervened with a disgruntled expression.

“But if that sword is indeed Regalia, then Duke Tiflis has also committed a great sin.”

“What kind of sophistry is that? ”

“That the Duke should be held accountable for hiding something as precious as Regalia and then giving it away without telling His Majesty.”

“The Duke is the Crown Prince, so it’s not surprising that he would have the Regalia, and he’s been in Tiflis for some time, so I’m sure he didn’t hide it on purpose.”

Julian Uclaire’s brother, Daniel Uclaire, who had been listening in silence, spoke up cautiously. The Duke of Toulonel, an imperialist, retorted.

“Your Majesty is ruling the empire well, and what does it matter whether he has the Regalia or not? We’ve had no trouble without having it, so there’s no need to make a big deal out of it.”

The Marquis of Flanders quickly received those words.

“As Chairman of the Imperial Council, I also agree. We have more pressing matters to attend to, and we shouldn’t trouble His Majesty with this.”

The council was divided. They debated for a while, with no easy conclusion.

Hayward Changeling, who had been watching the proceedings in silence, raised his hand. As the oldest member of the council, his words carried a lot of weight.

“I think you all have a point. But the most important thing is whether or not the sword is truly Regalia’s.”

“How can we verify that when it has already been consecrated?”

To the Marquis of Flanders’ irritation, Hayward Changeling replied calmly.

“If we confirm whether His Majesty possesses the Regalia, then we can determine if that sword is genuine or not.”

“Are you suggesting testing His Majesty’s authority?”

“I didn’t say it’s a test; I said it’s a confirmation, didn’t I? I think that would be for the best.”

“That’s absolutely unacceptable!”

The Marquis of Flanders exclaimed angrily.

Elkius had put him in the chair to prevent this from happening. If the situation escalated, sparks would most likely fly his way, and he had to prevent that from happening.

“Are you all in your right minds? Are you trying to blame His Majesty for Duke Tiflis’s recklessness? If His Majesty finds out that you doubt him, do you think he will remain silent?”

“We are trying to propose ways to prevent unnecessary rumors from circulating. If His Majesty gets angry because of that, wouldn’t it be even more suspicious?”

Duke Lephisto spat out sarcastically.

“Pardon me.”

Elkius Isulandt strode into the room.

“Your, Your Majesty!”

The Marquis of Flanders’ shout made everyone jump to their feet. Elkius, glaring at the Duke of Lephisto as if to kill him, took his seat at the head of the table.

“I heard outside,” he said, “that my authority was being questioned, and I came in to hear the details.”

“Your Majesty, that is not…”

“We were discussing the identity of the great sword that Duke Tiflis consecrated.”

“What sword?”

“It is rumored that the sword is Regalia.”

“Regalia?”

“Yes. It has been rumored that His Majesty did not receive the Regalia when he was crowned, and it has been suggested that he may not be in possession of it.”

Duke Lephisto said it bluntly.

‘I should have fired him a long time ago.’

Even though they had removed him from his position as Chairman of the Council, his presence was still a force to be reckoned with, and the Marquis of Flanders paled in comparison.

“So?”

“We suggest Your Majesty publicly reveal the Regalia to solidify your authority.”

This is the kind of pressure that comes from knowing there is no Regalia.

He’d been quiet for a while after being stripped of his chairmanship. When Callion entered, his eagerness and his crawling up the ladder were unspeakably annoying.

Elkius glanced at the audience.

“What are your thoughts, gentlemen?”

“…….”

There was no response. The fact that there was no one actively opposing him was akin to everyone doubting his authority.

Elkius decided to push forward before the doubt grew deeper.

“I am very disappointed that your faith in me has fallen to this level.”

“Of course not, Your Majesty. This was all caused by Duke Tiflis’s imprudence, and he must be reprimanded.”

“But Duke Tiflis didn’t confirm whether that sword is the real Regalia or not, so for what crime do you reprimand him?”

“I suppose Duke Lephisto has already answered that question?”

Elkius glared at the duke, his voice sharp. Hayward Changeling raised his hand in response.

“Your Majesty, Duke Lephisto’s demeanor is ungracious, but in my narrow opinion, he is not without merit.”

Elkius stared at Hayward Changeling for a moment. He was only an earl, but he was a friend of the late Emperor, a man who had served with great distinction on the battlefields and who had the overwhelming support of the Southerners.

“Rumors will continue to spread if you don’t dispel them, so why don’t you pick a suitable day to reveal Regalia?”

“Is Regalia really that important?”

Hayward Changelin shook his head in disbelief.

“The regalia represent the authenticity of the emperor. That’s why the portraits of the previous emperors were painted with regalia.”

“Your Majesty’s Majesty is not damaged by the absence of regalia, but would you like to reveal your regalia to silence disloyal people? ”

Daniel Uclaire spoke up cautiously. Lack of orthodoxy remains a fatal weakness for Elkius.

With the return of his direct heir, Callion, and the absence of Regalia, the people who had been watching him would bite like dogs.

There was no escape. Gritting his teeth, Elkius turned his gaze to Cardinal Orland at the table and answered.

“I will think it over and decide.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“What on earth is the Marquis doing!”

“I, I apologize, Your Majesty. I have nothing to say.”

“Why do you think I forced you to sit in the chairmanship of the Imperial Council?!”

The Marquis of Flanders bowed his head, helpless at Elkius’s outburst. His hands shaking in fists, Elkius threw the inkwell, staining the expensive wool carpet black.

“Calm down, Your Majesty. The Marquis of Flanders did his best.”

“Ha.”

Elkius barely kept his temper in check at the Duke of Toulonel’s urging.

Duke Lephisto was going to see this through to the end if Regalia wasn’t released. And with Hayward Changelin, the de facto ruler of the South, on his side, it was a troublesome situation.

“I really don’t have anything to say,” he said, “except that I can somehow take responsibility…….”

“Enough noise! It was my mistake to appoint an incompetent person like you to the chairmanship of the Council.”

“Your, Your Majesty.”

“They say I shouldn’t keep a fool around, how pathetic.”

The Marquis of Flanders’ face widened with embarrassment and anger at being so blatantly scorned. Elkius threw up his hands.

“I don’t want to see your face. Leave immediately.”

“Your Majesty, just give me one more chance…!”

“Leave now.”

The Duke of Toulonel led the Marquis of Flanders out of the meeting room. Elkius’s gaze fell on Cardinal Orland, who remained in the room.

“Bring me the sword.”

“Yes?”

Cardinal Orland, who had been silent and somber, looked up.

“Isn’t the Central Temple under your jurisdiction?”

“Well, yes, it is, but…….”

“Take it out for a while, then put it back, and no one will know.”

Elkius hesitantly admitted that he didn’t have the Regalia in his hand. Cardinal Orland spoke up, his complexion flushed.

“Your, Your Majesty… the management of the tribute is in the hands of the Pope, so I don’t know if I can sneak it out……..”

“Are you saying you’re afraid of the old man’s scrutiny?”

His eyes emitted flames. Cardinal Orland lowered his head as if in apology, seemingly at a loss after witnessing Marquis Flanders’s humiliation and expulsion.

“You seem to have forgotten how you got there.”

Cardinal Orland’s throat tightened.

“If Cardinal Matteo hadn’t died suddenly, you would never have been made a cardinal.”

“…….”

“To lose his life suddenly in prayer…… was a tragedy, wasn’t it?”

Cardinal Orland met the glowering gaze and bowed his head unceremoniously.

“I will accept the imperial…… honor.”

“I will count on your loyalty.”