Volume 2 chapter 61
The next day, Charlo set off with his father and Charlie for the Imperial Capital.
The Capital sat in the heart of the Notos Great Plains, flanked by the Prague River at its widest point. Here, the river was kilometers wide, its turbulent waters serving as a natural moat.
Before each of the four city gates stood a massive bridge, spanning dozens of meters across the rushing water.
Charlo's party entered from the south. Crossing the bridge, the towering walls loomed over them.
Built in the Dark Age, the Capital had fallen several times but was always retaken. The black rock walls, dozens of meters high, bore countless scars from axes and blades—a testament to wars fought millennia ago.
But since entering the Golden Age, the Capital had faced no threats. The sturdy black walls were painted white, and the towers were capped with gold and jade. From a distance, under the sunlight, the city shone like a divine palace descended to the mortal realm.
Inside, the roads were wide, clean, and intricate, bustling with lively crowds.
The Capital was the largest city in the Empire. though technically a single city, its area was equal to two Viscount territories combined. It was divided by eight main roads—four horizontal, four vertical—into twenty-five districts, housing over 300,000 permanent residents!
Of course, no ordinary commoners lived within the walls. The lowest residents were Court Knights. Everyone else lived outside in the four Satellite Cities, each a tenth the size of the Capital and located twenty kilometers away in the four cardinal directions.
Charlo's party drove straight toward the center—the Imperial Palace!
Occupying a tenth of the city's area, the Palace was the residence of the Emperor and the Royal Family, housing the Great Hall, the Council Chamber, and the centers of administration.
"Halt! Imperial Palace grounds ahead. Please dismount and walk!"
Outside the palace gates, a squad of fully armored Fifth-Rank Knights stood guard. Their leader, a Sixth-Rank Knight, stopped the carriage.
This was the Imperial Guard, directly answerable to the Emperor, responsible for maintaining order within the palace.
Charlo and the others dismounted and proceeded on foot.
Inside, everywhere one looked was gold and jade. The luxury was beyond description.
Along the way, they saw patrols of Imperial Guards. Every squad consisted of Fifth-Rank soldiers led by a Sixth-Rank officer. All wore exquisite enchanted armor and carried enchanted steel spears and swords.
Even deeper inside, before the Imperial Council Chamber, the guards were all Sixth-Rank Knights. This was the strength of the Empire! Even with the disastrous war against the demons, the Three Great Empires were far from their breaking point.
However, for the feudal nobles, a 10-20% loss was cause for alarm. A 30-40% loss was unbearable pain that made them look for an exit.
Currently, casualties on the Demon Front exceeded 50%. The stalemate only held because of the Alliance's mandate externally and the Emperor's will internally.
No one dared to step back first.
Even Marquis Robert, whose family line was on the verge of extinction, didn't dare say "withdraw." He only euphemistically suggested "rest and reorganization." Other nobles didn't even dare voice dissatisfaction.
Entering the Council Chamber, Charlo saw a massive semi-circular hall. The Emperor's throne sat high on the straight edge. Below were tiers of seats for the nobles, arranged by rank.
The higher the title, the higher the seat and the closer to the Emperor.
The seats were mainly divided into three tiers: Duke, Marquis, and Count. Viscounts and below were not qualified to enter.
Sachs and Charlie found seats, and Charlo stood behind them.
Many people were present, but mostly Counts. Few Marquises had arrived, and not a single Duke was there yet.
Sachs and Charlie began chatting with other Counts, while Charlo listened quietly from behind.
"Sigh! Did you hear? The Hero retreated from the battlefield! Princess Evelyn practically smuggled him back!"
"Really? Fleeing from the battlefield?"
"Hah! Why would I lie to you? It's true! I saw it with my own eyes a few days ago while hunting outside the West Satellite City. Marquis Leslie went to greet him personally!"
"Ho! Is that so?! Is he really the Hero?"
"I heard this generation's Hero not only fears battle but is also obsessed with women. He was constantly playing with women even in the military camp!"
"Is this a Hero?! He's more useless than my good-for-nothing youngest son! Even my son wouldn't do something this ridiculous!"
"Hah! Your news is outdated! The latest is that the Hero is staying at Marquis Leslie's mansion and is currently screwing the Marquis's maids!"
"Huh?! How do you know?"
"Bah! How could I not know! Marquis Leslie's maids told my purchaser when they were buying supplies!"
"Damn! You old fox, you've got connections even in Marquis Leslie's household!"
"Hehe!"
Charlo silently ate this melon (gossip), finding it quite delicious.
As expected of the intricate web of nobility. Everyone is connected. A fresh scandal spreads instantly, complete with eyewitness accounts.
The Capital was small, and noble households hired staff from the relatives and bastards of surrounding Counts. "Insider information" leaked like a sieve.
Of course, it was mostly trivial gossip. Dukes and Marquises weren't stupid; key positions were filled by their own family members. While leaks were inevitable, the risk was minimized.
After enjoying the gossip for a while, the hall filled up. Marquises arrived, including the subject of the rumors—Marquis Leslie.
Charlo looked at him curiously. He was a middle-aged man, elegant and refined in his formal wear. Facing the curious, probing, or mocking gazes of the surrounding nobles, he appeared completely indifferent.
Of course, once the subject arrived, the gossip stopped. He was a distinguished Imperial Marquis and an Eighth-Rank Knight. Insulting him to his face would be foolish.
No one was stupid enough to offend a Marquis for no reason.
Soon, the five remaining Dukes of the Capital appeared. After the Demon Lord breached Conquest City, the Empire lost three of its sixteen Ninth-Rank Dukes, leaving thirteen.
Eight went to the front lines, leaving only five in the Capital.
After the Dukes took their seats, the Emperor of the Empire—Hooke—walked out.
His aged body was slightly stooped. The magnificent royal robes couldn't hide the aura of decay and old age. The crown couldn't cover his white hair. Although his wrinkled face retained imperial majesty, it was like the final roar of an old lion—lacking the vitality to sustain it.
When Hooke sat on the throne, leaning on his scepter, several High-Rank Magicians activated projection spells, casting the images of the absent Dukes onto their empty seats.
"Hail, Your Majesty!!"
All nobles stood and bowed deeply, shouting in unison to open the session.
"Be seated, my lords!" Hooke raised his hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!!"
The nobles sat, and the meeting officially began.
First, the battlefield report.
Since autumn, the Eastern Front had been in a stalemate. Facing Abbys Fortress, which had turned a zone of dozens of kilometers into a death trap, throwing hundreds of thousands of men into the meat grinder wasn't enough. Probing attacks were limited to the fringes, so the battle reports looked decent, but the front line hadn't moved an inch.
"Your Majesty! The casualties are too high, and the soldiers have fought for too long. I implore you to allow a period of rest and reorganization! Please, do not send more reinforcements!" Marquis Robert, white-haired and wrinkled, stood up first to plead.
"Robert! You are afraid! But we are not!" A younger Marquis stood up. "Your Majesty, the Empire cannot be humiliated. The entire Alliance is laughing at us because of this war! We must expand conscription again, take that demon fortress, and exterminate them to restore the Empire's honor!"
"Sir Evans, do you have any idea?!" Marquis Robert questioned sharply. "Do you know what the demons have turned that fortress into?! Do you know what the death zone of dozens of kilometers looks like?! Do you know the sight of steel birds covering the sky?! You don't! You want to send everyone to die!!"
"Enough..." Hooke waved his hand, stopping the brewing argument.
"Dealing with the demons is a unanimous decision of the nations. I will not violate it!"
"Your Majesty!! We are weaker than Thebes and Balar! We cannot continue like this!" Marquis Robert cried, tears streaming down his face. But Hooke only waved his hand coldly, passing the topic.
"Next item... let me see..." Hooke flipped through the memorials submitted by the nobles beforehand.
Charlo's application had been submitted long ago, but since he wasn't present, it hadn't been brought up.
"Ah... Viscount Charlo de Rose, regarding the promotion to Count!" Hooke looked down at Charlo, a hint of joy appearing on his face.
"Just in time. Sir Charlo is here. Come forward! Charlo!"
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
Charlo stood up calmly, his face tranquil.
"Charlo, be serious and solemn! Do not forget your etiquette! Go!" His father whispered encouragement.
Charlo nodded slightly, then walked forward with a solemn expression.
"Is that him? The youngest son of Iron Rose! How old is he? Seventh Rank already?!"
"Wasn't he only Fifth Rank when he left a few years ago? What kind of promotion speed is this?! Comparable to the Hero!"
"That kid Sachs has good luck! Two sons, one more talented than the other! Unlike me... sigh!"
Ignoring the whispers, Charlo walked to the open space before the throne, placed his hand over his heart, and bowed. "Respect to you! Supreme Emperor!"
"No need for formalities. Rise!"
Hooke raised a hand in a gesture of support, and Charlo stood straight.
"Truly a young talent... In just a few years, you have grown so much!" Hooke looked at Charlo with appreciation. "So... is it you? You wish to be promoted to Count!"
"Yes!" Charlo answered with a sonorous voice. "I have reported my territory to the Eastern Affairs Office. The relevant documents have been verified by the commissioners. I now formally request—to pledge my loyalty to you!"
"Your Majesty! I have a matter to report!"
Just as Charlo finished speaking, a Count stepped out from the ranks and shouted loudly.
"I accuse—Charlo de Rose! Of betraying humanity! He is suspected of colluding with the demons!"
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