-Phew! -Phew!!!
The sound of a blow penetrating through a heavy body,
-Push, push, push, push! -Pyuuuut!
As the sound of impact echoed, crimson streams of blood filled the space.
-Kudangtangtangtang!!! -Kudangtang!!
Afterwards, the enormous mutant orcs, each measuring 2 meters tall, fell down to the hard ground.
"Whoa! If it keeps popping out like this, I think there's a strong possibility that a dimensional rift has formed nearby."
And the one who made them like that was Sword Seeker Grand Inspector Eugene Schneider, the dishonest man who had taken his younger sister and older sister into his harem.
Since the purpose of the current movement is not to exterminate monsters, I chose to go back to the safest path possible.
However, as monsters continued to appear, Eugene cautiously guessed at the existence of a dimensional crack.
"huh?"
At that moment, Eugene Schneider looked slightly puzzled.
"mother?"
His older sister Charlotte and his adoptive mother, Archduchess Marianne, are protecting him while looking around from behind.
Among them, Marianne's expression seemed to show that she was thinking in complicated ways.
"iced coffee!"
Eugene's reaction also made Marianne aware of her own condition.
"It's nothing, son. Let's just let this pass for now. I think it's right to make the most of it tonight, even if it means staying up all night."
If you're planning on camping, it might be a good idea to find and destroy dimensional rifts.
Because Eugene has the ability to detect dimensional rifts.
But Marianne decided to advance all night on the first day.
“....”
Eugene Schneider looked at Marianne silently for a moment.
“Okay, let’s do that.”
He turned forward again and began to hurry along the road.
"I get the feeling something's quite concerning. What's going on?"
But Eugene was quite concerned about Marianne's appearance just now.
For some reason, Marianne's concentration seemed to be elsewhere.
“This is treason!!!!”
A swordsman in golden armor shouted at someone with angry eyes.
The man's name is Falcao,
And Falcao is the captain of the imperial guard.
"Yes, Captain Falcao. It's treason. I came here to commit treason."
The target of Falcao's angry voice was none other than the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Knights and the de facto leader of Imperial Elysium, Kaiser Antoine de Celebre Oblain.
Antoine's direct knights finally reached the very front of the imperial palace.
The imperial family had been sensing something to some extent, so Captain Falcao had strengthened the security around the palace, and as a result, the two men faced each other without hesitation at the palace's large gate.
Looking up at Captain Falcao above the castle gate, Antoine spoke without hesitation of plotting treason.
"As Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Knights, Saber, who swore allegiance to the Emperor, how could you make such a reckless statement? And in these chaotic times! Do you intend to betray not only your loyalty to the Emperor, but also your faith in the people of the Empire!!!"
Falcao expressed his indignant anger, saying he could not understand.
Captain Falcao of the Guard is a former member of the Imperial Knights and worked under Antoine.
Not only did he possess outstanding skills that could lead him to the rank of Sword Seeker, but he also possessed a strong personality and was a truly talented individual.
However, Antoine recommended him to the imperial guard rather than keeping him under his command.
This was done for this very day, to reassure the Emperor and at the same time block the possibility of Falcao applying the internal brakes in the current situation.
“Hmm... I don't know about others, but I don't understand why you, Falcao, would say that to me. To you alone, this Antoine de Sel Oblain has already clearly stated the essence.”
Oh my...!
Antoine stretched out his hand forward with a blank expression bordering on coldness.
"Do you remember, Falcao? You asked me why I wield my sword. And I answered clearly."
Saaa ...
Then, in his hands, the Imperial Knights' Supreme Commander Kaiser and Sword Master Antoine's sword, Ea, were summoned.
"Look up to the heavens and make choices without a shred of shame or regret. Didn't I teach you that? I'm making that choice now. You've simply judged my heart as you pleased. Rebellion is my burning desire, Falcao."
Sigh...!
Passs ...
Soon, Antoine's sword began to glow with the white aura characteristic of a sword master.
Not only that, but a mocking smile appeared on his lips.
Antoine lived a thoroughly double life.
Outwardly, he is a prosecutor loyal to the empire and its people, but inwardly, he is a cold-blooded man who can betray and kill even his closest friends for personal desires.
And that's not all. He's the one who planted the threat of Geumdo against Vivian, who was still young.
Because he is such a cold-blooded sociopath, I really like the way he is now, fooling and mocking people.
“Antoine!!! I will no longer treat you as my former superior!! I will fight with you to the end for the Empire and the Emperor!!!”
-Saaaa!!
Outwardly, Antoine was the perfect knight of the Empire, and the idol of all those in the Empire who dreamed of becoming swordsmen and knights.
It was the same for Falcao, who was greatly shocked by the idol's shocking blackening and aimed his sword at Antoine while glowing with blue inspection energy.
“Are you saying there’s still no sign of reinforcements from Vivian Youngae’s side arriving?”
The young emperor, Louis XV, who had become emperor in his late teens and was now just over thirty, looked anxious and asked his closest confidant, Count Vanbasten, who held the title of chamberlain, about the external situation.
It was Louis XV who asked his relative Vivienne for help, and Vivienne responded by saying that she would do her best within her capabilities.
“Given the current state of affairs, it is taking time to secure sufficient military power.”
Count Van Basten reported to Louis XV wearing some combat uniform so that he could be ready for full armament at any time.
Count Vanbasten, the current head of the House of Heidern, served as the Imperial Chamberlain for several generations. He also held the position of Chief Secretary.
So, he also has a significant connection with the Pierre family, which is a relative of the royal family.
Vivian's decision, made in response to Louis XV's request, was largely influenced by that connection, but the Pieta Merchant Corps was already struggling to take care of Alexandria, which was infested with demons, so they were unable to immediately send troops.
"ah..."
Louis XV gave a soft sigh of despair.
The heart of the Imperial military is, without a doubt, the Imperial Knights. Having led the Imperial Knights for over ten years, Antoine has also brought other Imperial units under his complete control.
He simply released the guards, thereby putting Emperor Louis at ease.
As such, the Imperial Army, which was greatly burdened by the prospect of confronting the Imperial Knights while the monsters were running wild, quickly turned to Antoine.
So, Louis XV ordered to buy time until reinforcements arrived, but he was miserably ignored.
He was the young emperor of the Millennium Empire, who had become like a candle in the wind.
‘Is it karma...?’
There was someone who passed through Louis XV's mind.
“Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
The one who competed for the throne of the next emperor,
It was Alexis St-Pierre, the father of Vivienne St-Pierre, who had asked for salvation.
Alexis, the leading candidate for emperor who had been pushed aside by his younger cousin, offered his congratulations in a private one-on-one meeting with Emperor Louis XV after his inauguration.
“I heard from Count Vanbasten that Sir Alexis wants me to distance myself from Archduke Antoine?”
After the superficial exchange of greetings, Louis XV, sitting on the throne, brought up what he had heard from Van Basten.
"Yes. I did say something like that. I thought it would be helpful to Your Majesty."
Alexis confirmed in a calm voice.
At this point, Alexis had learned all about what Antoine had done to make Louis Haydn Elysium the Emperor.
As far as Alexis could tell, Antoine held the real power, and his cousin, now in his late teens, was merely a pawn, even if he were the emperor.
So while Alexis was worried about her own situation, she was also worried about her cousin Louis.
“Lies! Don’t lie, Duke Alexis!”
Then Louis XV screamed as if he was having a seizure.
"You don't want to admit that you were pushed aside by me! You don't want to admit that you were pushed aside by me as the Emperor! Not only my father, but everyone in the world decided that you would be the next Emperor!!"
Not stopping there, Louis XV poured out his innermost feelings almost as if he were venting his anger.
Yes, Louis Haydn Elysium had a huge inferiority complex towards his more accomplished cousin Alexis Saint-Pierre.
It was clear that Alexis was the eldest son and the legitimate heir, but his father, the former emperor, as well as the nobles and the people, regarded Alexis as the true emperor.
Antoine saw Louis' inferiority complex and cleverly exploited it to use it as an effective long-term pawn.
"But look! Look with your own two eyes! Who sits on the throne of Elysium? It is I, Louis XV, Alexis! Do you wish to degrade me by saying that I was swayed by Antoine to this position? Far be it! It was the royal vessel I possessed that drew Antoine into this position! The heavens have decreed that I shall be the master of this seat!!"
He may not be wise, but he's not stupid either. Louis also knows that he's at the mercy of Antoine.
Knowing that made me feel even more inferior and that's why I'm going crazy like this.
"I understand. You must be begging for your daughter Vivian's life. No matter how ruthless the power struggle, isn't it a matter of blood that you feel a minimum of compassion for?"
Thud, thud, thud,
Louis XV, in a fit of rage, approached Alexis with a mocking smile.
"I promise. I will absolutely protect Vivian. So don't worry, my cousin Alexis."
Louis XV, who was steeped in inferiority complex and victim mentality, committed such evil deeds.
‘You’ve become shameless…’
He had done terrible things to the Pierre family. Nevertheless, Vivienne still complied with his plea for help.
Now that Antoine's sword had arrived right in front of the palace, Louis XV felt a great sense of shame.
“Count Vanbasten, listen carefully to what I say.”
Louis XV, looking back on the past, called back his chamberlain, Count Vanbasten.
And not long after.
-Kwaaaang!!!
The large door to the room he was in opened loudly.
“I will slaughter the livestock that I have raised today.”
Antoine, with the famous sword Ea stained with blood, appeared.