Chapter 16
“Actually, it was a surprising announcement. I had heard of it in advance yesterday, but… along with the Princes and Princesses, even Elanz from the Marquis of Melbaran and I will become candidates to become the Emperor’s successor.”
“What? Is that true?”
“Yes. They will score the candidates over an observation period of 3 years, and crown the most capable amongst the candidates as the Emperor.”
“Wow! If that’s the case, Master could become His Majesty the Emperor! Well, if it was our master, he would definitely become a wonderful Emperor…!”
“I’m not interested.”
“…What?”
Ellier was at a loss due to Slarhan cutting off her words with a cold attitude.
‘What kind of innermost thoughts are you saying right now? Did someone that’s uninterested in the position of Emperor exchange blows with me until the very end?’
In her previous life, the competition was reduced to four candidates, the First Princess Iris, the First Prince Renscher, the Fourth Princess Lillette, and Slarhan.
Amongst them, Renscher quickly fell behind, but Iris and Slarhan were formidable.
‘At the very end, even when Iris was lagging behind, you had chased me closely, so there’s no way you aren’t interested in the position of Emperor!’
A suspicion brushed past her mind, that the absence of Princess Lilliette and her current presence by his side caused a change in the future she knew, but no matter how she thought about it, it didn’t seem like Slarhan’s mind had changed because of her.
In any case, the one that would be in trouble if he really gave up on the throne is Ellier.
‘You’ll definitely die if you don’t become Emperor, you idiot! Do you think that the other candidates will let you go? Also, if you die, your slave, that’s me, will end up in a terrible situation.’
She used to believe that making Slarhan Emperor was the reason Ellune brought her back, but no matter what, she didn’t want to die terribly this time.
Even if she didn’t die of a natural death, at the very least she wanted to die comfortably in one go, and not return again.
Therefore, he must actively participate in the competition for the Emperor’s successor. In other words, she can’t say anything discouraging unless he has made up his mind to become the Emperor.
Ellier tried to convince Slarhan with a forced smile.
“Mas–Master. Why are you not interested? It’s the highest position in the Empire. It’s not a position that anyone can sit in, but an opportunity to do so has landed on you!”
“You seem to be quite interested in that position.”
“Haha, hahaha, that can’t be. As a slave, I couldn’t dare to dream of becoming a noble.”
‘To be exact, I’ve already done it once, but I can’t recall it because I’m too agitated.’
“It’s not that I want to be the Emperor, but I hope that our master becomes the Emperor.”
“Why?”
“Master is strong, wise, merciful, and handsome. He’s perfect for the position of Emperor.”
Surprisingly, Ellier spoke sincerely,
No matter how she thought about it, it was Slarhan, not herself or Clyde, who suited the position of Emperor best.
However, Ellier’s sincerity seems to have not been conveyed to Slarhan.
“You’re getting craftier by the day.”
“And it would also be a good thing for me if Master becomes the Emperor. Maybe I’ll rake in a good profit when I leave as a free person.”
As Ellier laughed, Slarkhan shook his head.
“It’s not something that can be achieved simply by wanting to be.”
“You wouldn’t know if I’m here to bring Master good fortune.”
Slarhan felt a strange sense of confidence in Ellier’s oddly stubborn self.
‘Just what did Mother send me?’
He wasn’t interested in the throne, and he had originally thought that his mother and father would feel the same way, but the child that his mother’s power had pointed towards strongly, was anxious to make him the Emperor.
He really couldn’t understand.
“I think I’ve heard enough of your bluffing today, so off you go.”
Like dismissing a dog that was begging for snacks, Slarhan expelled EIlier from the room.
But Ellier wasn’t the only one that was requesting for him to become the Emperor.
“It’s unimaginable, but since it’s come to this, Your Grace must take the throne.”
Tariq said that as if it was a matter of course.
“Why should I?”
“If Your Grace doesn’t become the Emperor, there will be nothing but death that’s left for you.”
Like Ellier, Tariq was of the opinion that the reason behind Slarhan’s becoming of the Emperor was ‘survival’.
The other candidates also have the same risk, but if Slarhan doesn’t become the Emperor, he wouldn’t be able to escape death.
There was no other reason why the Ventiark family had been persecuted. It’s because Irdel and Slarhan were too outstanding, to the extent that causes others to want to follow them more than the Emperor.
Currently, the Emperor’s open suppression and the Ventiark family’s lack of desire for power caused a decline in supporting powers, but now that Slarhan was a candidate for succession, people will gather around him at a terrifying pace from now onwards.
Everyone was still watching, but if someone opened the floodgates…
“And the other candidates aren’t the type of people that will let the most powerful rivals go quietly.”
Tariq sighed heavily as he recalled the faces of the rest of the candidates.
“Please take this as an opportunity, Your Grace. When you have become the Emperor, you’ll no longer have to live while holding your breath. It is something that all the vassals who have been suffering would rejoice about. No, it will become something to rejoice about for everyone in this Empire. So, please rest assured.”
Tariq spoke with an expression of determination rather than excitement.
After he left, Slarhan was left alone in the room and smiled despondently.
‘Coveting the position of Emperor would get me killed before, but now I would die if I’m not the Emperor.’
Didn’t the Emperor destroy a harmonious family of three just because he feared their traitorous thoughts?
But now he has to achieve victory and become the Emperor.
How funny and terrifying this is.
All of these events occurred solely due to the whims of the Emperor, yet there wasn’t any word of apology.
If it was going to end up like this, why did his mother have to leave, and why did his father have to die?
A black energy rose from Slarhan’s body and started to spread. It was a cold and damp feeling, an extremely unpleasant feeling.
His amber eyes turned darker gradually, and the edge of the chair’s armrest crumbled in his grasp.
The raging anger blazed, and as if it was about to burn everything around him into ashes.
‘If only I could kill him… If only I could kill that human with my own hands…!
His teeth made a grinding sound.
As the mana within his body rose above a certain level, the necklace hanging from his neck began to jolt anxiously.
After the pendant jolted several times as if to appease him, the fury that was emanating from him in all directions subsided.
But it wasn’t just the pendant’s reaction that made him come to his senses.
It was because he had thought that killing the Emperor was not enough to appease his resentment.
He had toyed with not only himself, but also of his parents, vassals, and the people of his territory.
‘That’s right…. This time, I’ll make fun of you with that Emperor’s seat.’
He gently fiddled with the black magic stone pendant that glittered beneath his collarbone after having barely regained his composure.
‘Does Mother know that the future would turn out like this?’
Slarhan remembered his mother, who seemed to know everything.
Unlike his father’s bright blonde hair, his beautiful mother, who had dark hair like the night, was someone who felt somewhat mysterious and unique even before he knew she was from the Sabi tribe.
One of the reasons was that her words had never been wrong.
So when she asked his father for divorce and left the castle, he barely managed to accept it despite the pain and sadness, believing that there was a big reason that only she knew.
The night before she left the castle, she stroked Slarhan’s cheek and said,
“Lehan, from now onwards you have to protect yourself.”
Then she placed her hand on his head and recited some spell.
Until now, Slarhan couldn’t forget his feelings then.
His dull head, which seemed to be wrapped in something, became clear, and it was only then that he became his natural self.
“From now on, you must remember your mother’s words well, Lehan. Mother has just released your powers. It is a power that only those who inherit the blood of the Sabi tribe can use.”
Slarhan trembled as he instinctively felt his awakened power. If the strength of a twelve-year-old child was at this level, he wondered how strong his mother would be.
“My mother is even stronger, right? Can’t you defeat the Emperor? You’re definitely capable of doing it.”
How sorrowful my mother’s expression looked then…
“I’m sorry, Lehan. But Mother can’t use this power. I promised to do that and married your father. You shouldn’t use this power recklessly either, as it will put the entire Sabi tribe in danger. You can only use as much as this necklace allows you to.
should only wear this necklace as much as you want. Can you promise Mother?”
His mother told him to wear the necklace that could suppress his magical powers.
There seems to be a reason behind it, but it was still incomprehensible to a young Slarhan.
“Then, what’s the point of having this power!”
“I’m sorry, Lehan, I’m sorry…”
She looked like she was in despair.
Despite having such power, he still had to endure the Emperor’s assault, and couldn’t hold his mother, who left everything behind her in tears…
However, it wasn’t unfortunate that he inherited the blood of the Sabi tribe.
It was because he could freely save someone’s life.
Thanks to this, he could save his fatally wounded father and several loyal knights.
And Ellier.
His father eventually left his side, but Ellier appeared by his side as if she were his replacement.
Although she couldn’t be compared to his father, considering the small amount of comfort and hope that the slave girl had recently given him, no matter how many times he thought about it, it was right of him to feed her his blood and save her.
As Slarhan was thinking about Ellier, he was suddenly curious as to what she was doing, so he focused.
The sign from his blood soon revealed Ellier’s location.
‘The back courtyard of the mansion…?’
It was like the back of the house. But it was time for the sun to set.
‘It seems that it’s time for physical training? She’s surprisingly diligent.’
The journey from the estate to the capital was not easy, so she could have rested for a while longer, but Ellier seems to be starting physical training again from today onwards.
As his mind was about to flicker to another topic after acknowledging it as commendable of her, a sudden point of concern brushed past his mind.
‘The mansion’s knights wouldn’t have known that Ellier was allowed to train within the training grounds.’
The knights in Ventiark Castle hated the fact that Ellier trained her physical strength in their training grounds. It didn’t mean that the knights in the mansion wouldn’t also feel the same way.
The knights In the castle were warned multiple times not to touch Ellier, but in the mansion, someone might attempt to harm Ellier with the reasoning that she had stepped onto the training grounds despite being a slave.
Without realizing it, Slarhan had stood up and headed towards the direction that he felt Ellier’s energy.
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