Chapter 129: Emperor's Story
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As the game ended, Saito had a bitter smile on his face as he couldn't help but say, "Emperor's wisdom is truly the greatest that I have ever experienced. I am sincerely convinced of my loss. I did not stand a chance at all."
His words made the Emperor laugh a little as he said, "You are being very modest Axel. It was quite enjoyable to play against you. You lasted around the same time as my son Dante."
The Emperor then looked at the pieces still left on the board and smiled, "If you had been more decisive to sacrifice some of your pieces then perhaps, I would have to try even harder."
His words were indeed true. In the whole game, Saito was trying to preserve his pieces while also beating the pieces of the Emperor. He was trying to minimize his losses and maximize his gains.
But the Emperor had one target from the start of the game. Saito's King. He sacrificed any pieces he had to and trapped Saito's king.
Saito nodded his head and admitted it, "Perhaps you are right, your majesty. This is indeed my weakness."
And he looked up to see the Emperor in his eyes with complete determination, "Yet, I still want to continue and protect my comrades if I can. The plans can be made again however the lost lives cannot be revived."
The Emperor started to laugh out loud after hearing Saito's words, "Haha… You are indeed the person just as I had thought you were. Axel, you must be curious about why I called you here and wanted to play against you?"
This was indeed what bugged Saito but he could guess it. The Emperor had an amused smile as he started to speak, "I admit this was a test for you. I wanted to understand just what type of man has my beloved daughter fallen for."
"After this game, I can safely conclude that you do not have any thoughts of betraying your friends and comrades. You are someone who instinctively want to protect them as much as you can. Your ruthlessness towards your enemies has no limit. And you aren't scared of killing anyone who hurts your friends or family. Just like you killed my son Rai." There was still a gentle aura around the Emperor but his words made Saito get a chill down his spine.
He couldn't understand just how did the Emperor come to this conclusion after the game of chess. There was no way he had given himself away in this game. The Emperor shouldn't be sure. Was he probing just now? Was he checking if there would be a change in his facial expressions?
Saito showed composure in front of the Emperor and asked with a puzzled look, "What do you mean your majesty? Prince Rai? Who is he?"
The Emperor though just smiled at Saito and continued to speak in a gentle voice, "There is no need to play dumb Axel. I am not planning to hurt you or kill you for killing my son. However, it would be a different matter if you continue to deny it and hide it. You should know that I do not need to give explanations for my actions."
This time, it was Saito's turn to stay silent. What the Emperor had said was indeed truth. He was the King. He didn't need to explain anything for his actions.
He relieved a sigh and spoke out, "Your majesty does know everything. Very well, I shall not continue to hide it any longer. I am indeed the one who killed Prince Rai."
The Emperor showed no reaction as he stated the truth. The Emperor picked up the goblet and slowly started to drink the red liquid within it.
After drinking it, the Emperor gave him a smile and said, "You must be curious why I know that Rai died in your hands? The reason is simple, I know that you both had contact with each other before his mysterious disappearance. The second reason is because of your sword. Even though the Sword has been forged again, I can still feel the faint aura of Beast Slayer from it. It is not something that I can ever mistake about."
Saito stayed silent as he had indeed not thought about the people who had witnessed their meeting a day before he killed Prince Rai. It was something that slipped from his mind. It looked like even the Crown Prince's network within the city wasn't as good as the Emperor's.
The Emperor the continued to speak, "Now, you must be curious about why I am not taking any action against you. Even in the council, I did not act against you when I had the perfect opportunity."
He nodded because it was exactly how the Emperor said. He was curious for the reason why the Emperor hadn't taken action against him. Even if he didn't love Prince Rai very much, what Saito had done was similar to stepping on the pride of the Royal Family.
"The only reason I have not taken action against you is because of my daughter, Rita. I have treasured her greatly since her birth. I have seen that she loves you very much, and if I were to take action against you, it would hurt her greatly." There was a hint of sadness in the man's eyes as he talked about Rita.
"Even though I want to take action against you. Since you are together with her, I cannot. I believe you want to know the reason why I treat her so special among my children." His words were gentle and Saito could sense no killing intent from him.
Saito nodded his head and spoke, "Yes, I would like to know this reason Your majesty." The King had a pained expression before he nodded.
"Very well… However, do make sure to not let her know about this." It was not a request but an order. Even Saito felt that he couldn't disobey that order since that meant certain death so he could only nod.
"It was around 23 years ago when I was still a frivolous prince who was simply enjoying his life. My father spent little time together with his children so we were left to do what we wanted as long as it would not harm the Kingdom."
"I ventured across the continent, looking for demons to fight and kill. My only thought was to get stronger. In my travels, I also met up with the most beautiful woman of my life. She had lost her memories and had no idea about her past. We travelled together for a while year before we finally confessed. She was my first love of my life. The woman for whom I wanted to cut-off my connection with the Royal Family and just settle down in life as an ordinary man."
"However, the wheels of fate didn't seem to be moving in that direction. My wife ate a mysterious fruit which returned her memories and she suddenly left while saying that she couldn't be with me." As the Emperor said this, he gulped down a lot of wine in the goblet.
Saito could guess where the story was going but he didn't interrupt. This seemed like a secret that not many people knew about.
After some time, the Emperor calmed down his feeling of sadness and said, "I was devasted after she left me. In my rage, I destroyed everything in that place and made it a barren land. I do not know how many beasts or people I killed but all of them were destroyed within a short moment."
"As I came to my senses. I regretted letting my emotions run wild and taking so many innocents. My regret made me unable to sleep peacefully nor enjoy my life as I used to. I pursued salvation for my actions. After being unable to enjoy my life, I returned back to the palace. With just one look, my father could tell that I was the one who had been the cause of destruction for the whole town. He wasn't angry. He wasn't disappointed. There was just a strong feeling of tiredness in his eyes." The mood in the room was incredibly melancholy.
Saito wasn't even sure of why the Emperor was telling him such a long story. He couldn't help but think 'Is the Emperor being spiteful that I killed his son and he can't do anything to me? Is that why he is telling me such a long story?'
Obviously, he didn't show it on his face at all. Even if the Emperor wouldn't kill him, getting slapped or punched wouldn't be nice.
However, the Emperor ignored Saito and continued with the story, "He asked me if I regretted my actions. I admitted that I did. Then he asked me if I wanted to die. My response was that I wasn't sure, I wanted to die for the lives I took but I also wanted to live. At that time, my father told me that wallowing in regret and living on was useless. It was better to die."
"However, he also told me that if I desired salvation then live. Live and protect the people. It wouldn't make my sins any less but I would be able to live a satisfactory life while paying off for my sins."
"Two years later, I was the strongest prince within the Empire. At that time, we received news that the Moonlight Demon Fox region was planning to attack the northern part of the Kingdom. My father ordered me to form a team and annihilate the whole Moonlight Demon Fox Race. I was happy to be chosen for this and took this mission."
"Imagine my surprise when I found out that my first love was the Legendary Guardian of the Moonlight Demon Fox Clan. We met on the battlefield and even though I wanted to just leave my sword and just hug her. We both knew that it was impossible. I wanted to negotiate but I also couldn't forget the amount of lives Moonlight Demon Fox Clan had taken. So, I made a choice…"
"A choice I am not sure if I regret it or not. However, I decided to follow through my father's orders and annihilate the whole Demon Clan. I knew that the matter wouldn't be solved through negotiations. I wasn't even sure if my wife felt the same way about me after regaining her memory. Me and my comrades fought against the whole clan while suppressing that feeling inside of my heart."
"Out of those 10 elite men whom I was very close and treated them as brothers. Only 3 of them survived that war. I fought alone against my first wife and my heart nearly broke after I stabbed through her heart. She was crying… Those genuine tears made me forget everything else. The empire, people, demon clan… Everything. In that moment, I simply wanted to be with her and protect her."
This did make Saito's eyes widen due to shock. This wasn't how he imagined this story to go. The Emperor had to kill his own first wife! He couldn't even the pain and despair that the Emperor experienced at that moment.
This time, he was completely serious as he continued to listen to this story. He could slowly understand the Emperor's character. He couldn't help but have a great respect for this man in front of him.
It wasn't because of his position as an Emperor. No… It was because of his choice to put the common people above his beloved wife. This was a choice that Saito wasn't sure if he could ever make.
To put the common people's lives above his beloved ones.. Someone who was able to do this was a man to be respected.
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As the game ended, Saito had a bitter smile on his face as he couldn't help but say, "Emperor's wisdom is truly the greatest that I have ever experienced. I am sincerely convinced of my loss. I did not stand a chance at all."
His words made the Emperor laugh a little as he said, "You are being very modest Axel. It was quite enjoyable to play against you. You lasted around the same time as my son Dante."
The Emperor then looked at the pieces still left on the board and smiled, "If you had been more decisive to sacrifice some of your pieces then perhaps, I would have to try even harder."
His words were indeed true. In the whole game, Saito was trying to preserve his pieces while also beating the pieces of the Emperor. He was trying to minimize his losses and maximize his gains.
But the Emperor had one target from the start of the game. Saito's King. He sacrificed any pieces he had to and trapped Saito's king.
Saito nodded his head and admitted it, "Perhaps you are right, your majesty. This is indeed my weakness."
And he looked up to see the Emperor in his eyes with complete determination, "Yet, I still want to continue and protect my comrades if I can. The plans can be made again however the lost lives cannot be revived."
The Emperor started to laugh out loud after hearing Saito's words, "Haha… You are indeed the person just as I had thought you were. Axel, you must be curious about why I called you here and wanted to play against you?"
This was indeed what bugged Saito but he could guess it. The Emperor had an amused smile as he started to speak, "I admit this was a test for you. I wanted to understand just what type of man has my beloved daughter fallen for."
"After this game, I can safely conclude that you do not have any thoughts of betraying your friends and comrades. You are someone who instinctively want to protect them as much as you can. Your ruthlessness towards your enemies has no limit. And you aren't scared of killing anyone who hurts your friends or family. Just like you killed my son Rai." There was still a gentle aura around the Emperor but his words made Saito get a chill down his spine.
He couldn't understand just how did the Emperor come to this conclusion after the game of chess. There was no way he had given himself away in this game. The Emperor shouldn't be sure. Was he probing just now? Was he checking if there would be a change in his facial expressions?
Saito showed composure in front of the Emperor and asked with a puzzled look, "What do you mean your majesty? Prince Rai? Who is he?"
The Emperor though just smiled at Saito and continued to speak in a gentle voice, "There is no need to play dumb Axel. I am not planning to hurt you or kill you for killing my son. However, it would be a different matter if you continue to deny it and hide it. You should know that I do not need to give explanations for my actions."
This time, it was Saito's turn to stay silent. What the Emperor had said was indeed truth. He was the King. He didn't need to explain anything for his actions.
He relieved a sigh and spoke out, "Your majesty does know everything. Very well, I shall not continue to hide it any longer. I am indeed the one who killed Prince Rai."
The Emperor showed no reaction as he stated the truth. The Emperor picked up the goblet and slowly started to drink the red liquid within it.
After drinking it, the Emperor gave him a smile and said, "You must be curious why I know that Rai died in your hands? The reason is simple, I know that you both had contact with each other before his mysterious disappearance. The second reason is because of your sword. Even though the Sword has been forged again, I can still feel the faint aura of Beast Slayer from it. It is not something that I can ever mistake about."
Saito stayed silent as he had indeed not thought about the people who had witnessed their meeting a day before he killed Prince Rai. It was something that slipped from his mind. It looked like even the Crown Prince's network within the city wasn't as good as the Emperor's.
The Emperor the continued to speak, "Now, you must be curious about why I am not taking any action against you. Even in the council, I did not act against you when I had the perfect opportunity."
He nodded because it was exactly how the Emperor said. He was curious for the reason why the Emperor hadn't taken action against him. Even if he didn't love Prince Rai very much, what Saito had done was similar to stepping on the pride of the Royal Family.
"The only reason I have not taken action against you is because of my daughter, Rita. I have treasured her greatly since her birth. I have seen that she loves you very much, and if I were to take action against you, it would hurt her greatly." There was a hint of sadness in the man's eyes as he talked about Rita.
"Even though I want to take action against you. Since you are together with her, I cannot. I believe you want to know the reason why I treat her so special among my children." His words were gentle and Saito could sense no killing intent from him.
Saito nodded his head and spoke, "Yes, I would like to know this reason Your majesty." The King had a pained expression before he nodded.
"Very well… However, do make sure to not let her know about this." It was not a request but an order. Even Saito felt that he couldn't disobey that order since that meant certain death so he could only nod.
"It was around 23 years ago when I was still a frivolous prince who was simply enjoying his life. My father spent little time together with his children so we were left to do what we wanted as long as it would not harm the Kingdom."
"I ventured across the continent, looking for demons to fight and kill. My only thought was to get stronger. In my travels, I also met up with the most beautiful woman of my life. She had lost her memories and had no idea about her past. We travelled together for a while year before we finally confessed. She was my first love of my life. The woman for whom I wanted to cut-off my connection with the Royal Family and just settle down in life as an ordinary man."
"However, the wheels of fate didn't seem to be moving in that direction. My wife ate a mysterious fruit which returned her memories and she suddenly left while saying that she couldn't be with me." As the Emperor said this, he gulped down a lot of wine in the goblet.
Saito could guess where the story was going but he didn't interrupt. This seemed like a secret that not many people knew about.
After some time, the Emperor calmed down his feeling of sadness and said, "I was devasted after she left me. In my rage, I destroyed everything in that place and made it a barren land. I do not know how many beasts or people I killed but all of them were destroyed within a short moment."
"As I came to my senses. I regretted letting my emotions run wild and taking so many innocents. My regret made me unable to sleep peacefully nor enjoy my life as I used to. I pursued salvation for my actions. After being unable to enjoy my life, I returned back to the palace. With just one look, my father could tell that I was the one who had been the cause of destruction for the whole town. He wasn't angry. He wasn't disappointed. There was just a strong feeling of tiredness in his eyes." The mood in the room was incredibly melancholy.
Saito wasn't even sure of why the Emperor was telling him such a long story. He couldn't help but think 'Is the Emperor being spiteful that I killed his son and he can't do anything to me? Is that why he is telling me such a long story?'
Obviously, he didn't show it on his face at all. Even if the Emperor wouldn't kill him, getting slapped or punched wouldn't be nice.
However, the Emperor ignored Saito and continued with the story, "He asked me if I regretted my actions. I admitted that I did. Then he asked me if I wanted to die. My response was that I wasn't sure, I wanted to die for the lives I took but I also wanted to live. At that time, my father told me that wallowing in regret and living on was useless. It was better to die."
"However, he also told me that if I desired salvation then live. Live and protect the people. It wouldn't make my sins any less but I would be able to live a satisfactory life while paying off for my sins."
"Two years later, I was the strongest prince within the Empire. At that time, we received news that the Moonlight Demon Fox region was planning to attack the northern part of the Kingdom. My father ordered me to form a team and annihilate the whole Moonlight Demon Fox Race. I was happy to be chosen for this and took this mission."
"Imagine my surprise when I found out that my first love was the Legendary Guardian of the Moonlight Demon Fox Clan. We met on the battlefield and even though I wanted to just leave my sword and just hug her. We both knew that it was impossible. I wanted to negotiate but I also couldn't forget the amount of lives Moonlight Demon Fox Clan had taken. So, I made a choice…"
"A choice I am not sure if I regret it or not. However, I decided to follow through my father's orders and annihilate the whole Demon Clan. I knew that the matter wouldn't be solved through negotiations. I wasn't even sure if my wife felt the same way about me after regaining her memory. Me and my comrades fought against the whole clan while suppressing that feeling inside of my heart."
"Out of those 10 elite men whom I was very close and treated them as brothers. Only 3 of them survived that war. I fought alone against my first wife and my heart nearly broke after I stabbed through her heart. She was crying… Those genuine tears made me forget everything else. The empire, people, demon clan… Everything. In that moment, I simply wanted to be with her and protect her."
This did make Saito's eyes widen due to shock. This wasn't how he imagined this story to go. The Emperor had to kill his own first wife! He couldn't even the pain and despair that the Emperor experienced at that moment.
This time, he was completely serious as he continued to listen to this story. He could slowly understand the Emperor's character. He couldn't help but have a great respect for this man in front of him.
It wasn't because of his position as an Emperor. No… It was because of his choice to put the common people above his beloved wife. This was a choice that Saito wasn't sure if he could ever make.
To put the common people's lives above his beloved ones.. Someone who was able to do this was a man to be respected.
As the game ended, Saito had a bitter smile on his face as he couldn't help but say, "Emperor's wisdom is truly the greatest that I have ever experienced. I am sincerely convinced of my loss. I did not stand a chance at all."His words made the Emperor laugh a little as he said, "You are being very modest Axel. It was quite enjoyable to play against you. You lasted around the same time as my son Dante."The Emperor then looked at the pieces still left on the board and smiled, "If you had been more decisive to sacrifice some of your pieces then perhaps, I would have to try even harder."His words were indeed true. In the whole game, Saito was trying to preserve his pieces while also beating the pieces of the Emperor. He was trying to minimize his losses and maximize his gains.But the Emperor had one target from the start of the game. Saito's King. He sacrificed any pieces he had to and trapped Saito's king.Saito nodded his head and admitted it, "Perhaps you are right, your majesty. This is indeed my weakness."And he looked up to see the Emperor in his eyes with complete determination, "Yet, I still want to continue and protect my comrades if I can. The plans can be made again however the lost lives cannot be revived."The Emperor started to laugh out loud after hearing Saito's words, "Haha You are indeed the person just as I had thought you were. Axel, you must be curious about why I called you here and wanted to play against you?"This was indeed what bugged Saito but he could guess it. The Emperor had an amused smile as he started to speak, "I admit this was a test for you. I wanted to understand just what type of man has my beloved daughter fallen for.""After this game, I can safely conclude that you do not have any thoughts of betraying your friends and comrades. You are someone who instinctively want to protect them as much as you can. Your ruthlessness towards your enemies has no limit. And you aren't scared of killing anyone who hurts your friends or family. Just like you killed my son Rai." There was still a gentle aura around the Emperor but his words made Saito get a chill down his spine.He couldn't understand just how did the Emperor come to this conclusion after the game of chess. There was no way he had given himself away in this game. The Emperor shouldn't be sure. Was he probing just now? Was he checking if there would be a change in his facial expressions?Saito showed composure in front of the Emperor and asked with a puzzled look, "What do you mean your majesty? Prince Rai? Who is he?"The Emperor though just smiled at Saito and continued to speak in a gentle voice, "There is no need to play dumb Axel. I am not planning to hurt you or kill you for killing my son. However, it would be a different matter if you continue to deny it and hide it. You should know that I do not need to give explanations for my actions."This time, it was Saito's turn to stay silent. What the Emperor had said was indeed truth. He was the King. He didn't need to explain anything for his actions.He relieved a sigh and spoke out, "Your majesty does know everything. Very well, I shall not continue to hide it any longer. I am indeed the one who killed Prince Rai."The Emperor showed no reaction as he stated the truth. The Emperor picked up the goblet and slowly started to drink the red liquid within it.After drinking it, the Emperor gave him a smile and said, "You must be curious why I know that Rai died in your hands? The reason is simple, I know that you both had contact with each other before his mysterious disappearance. The second reason is because of your sword. Even though the Sword has been forged again, I can still feel the faint aura of Beast Slayer from it. It is not something that I can ever mistake about."Saito stayed silent as he had indeed not thought about the people who had witnessed their meeting a day before he killed Prince Rai. It was something that slipped from his mind. It looked like even the Crown Prince's network within the city wasn't as good as the Emperor's.The Emperor the continued to speak, "Now, you must be curious about why I am not taking any action against you. Even in the council, I did not act against you when I had the perfect opportunity."He nodded because it was exactly how the Emperor said. He was curious for the reason why the Emperor hadn't taken action against him. Even if he didn't love Prince Rai very much, what Saito had done was similar to stepping on the pride of the Royal Family."The only reason I have not taken action against you is because of my daughter, Rita. I have treasured her greatly since her birth. I have seen that she loves you very much, and if I were to take action against you, it would hurt her greatly." There was a hint of sadness in the man's eyes as he talked about Rita."Even though I want to take action against you. Since you are together with her, I cannot. I believe you want to know the reason why I treat her so special among my children." His words were gentle and Saito could sense no killing intent from him.Saito nodded his head and spoke, "Yes, I would like to know this reason Your majesty." The King had a pained expression before he nodded."Very well However, do make sure to not let her know about this." It was not a request but an order. Even Saito felt that he couldn't disobey that order since that meant certain death so he could only nod."It was around 23 years ago when I was still a frivolous prince who was simply enjoying his life. My father spent little time together with his children so we were left to do what we wanted as long as it would not harm the Kingdom.""I ventured across the continent, looking for demons to fight and kill. My only thought was to get stronger. In my travels, I also met up with the most beautiful woman of my life. She had lost her memories and had no idea about her past. We travelled together for a while year before we finally confessed. She was my first love of my life. The woman for whom I wanted to cut-off my connection with the Royal Family and just settle down in life as an ordinary man.""However, the wheels of fate didn't seem to be moving in that direction. My wife ate a mysterious fruit which returned her memories and she suddenly left while saying that she couldn't be with me." As the Emperor said this, he gulped down a lot of wine in the goblet.Saito could guess where the story was going but he didn't interrupt. This seemed like a secret that not many people knew about.After some time, the Emperor calmed down his feeling of sadness and said, "I was devasted after she left me. In my rage, I destroyed everything in that place and made it a barren land. I do not know how many beasts or people I killed but all of them were destroyed within a short moment.""As I came to my senses. I regretted letting my emotions run wild and taking so many innocents. My regret made me unable to sleep peacefully nor enjoy my life as I used to. I pursued salvation for my actions. After being unable to enjoy my life, I returned back to the palace. With just one look, my father could tell that I was the one who had been the cause of destruction for the whole town. He wasn't angry. He wasn't disappointed. There was just a strong feeling of tiredness in his eyes." The mood in the room was incredibly melancholy.Saito wasn't even sure of why the Emperor was telling him such a long story. He couldn't help but think 'Is the Emperor being spiteful that I killed his son and he can't do anything to me? Is that why he is telling me such a long story?'Obviously, he didn't show it on his face at all. Even if the Emperor wouldn't kill him, getting slapped or punched wouldn't be nice.However, the Emperor ignored Saito and continued with the story, "He asked me if I regretted my actions. I admitted that I did. Then he asked me if I wanted to die. My response was that I wasn't sure, I wanted to die for the lives I took but I also wanted to live. At that time, my father told me that wallowing in regret and living on was useless. It was better to die.""However, he also told me that if I desired salvation then live. Live and protect the people. It wouldn't make my sins any less but I would be able to live a satisfactory life while paying off for my sins.""Two years later, I was the strongest prince within the Empire. At that time, we received news that the Moonlight Demon Fox region was planning to attack the northern part of the Kingdom. My father ordered me to form a team and annihilate the whole Moonlight Demon Fox Race. I was happy to be chosen for this and took this mission.""Imagine my surprise when I found out that my first love was the Legendary Guardian of the Moonlight Demon Fox Clan. We met on the battlefield and even though I wanted to just leave my sword and just hug her. We both knew that it was impossible. I wanted to negotiate but I also couldn't forget the amount of lives Moonlight Demon Fox Clan had taken. So, I made a choice""A choice I am not sure if I regret it or not. However, I decided to follow through my father's orders and annihilate the whole Demon Clan. I knew that the matter wouldn't be solved through negotiations. I wasn't even sure if my wife felt the same way about me after regaining her memory. Me and my comrades fought against the whole clan while suppressing that feeling inside of my heart.""Out of those 10 elite men whom I was very close and treated them as brothers. Only 3 of them survived that war. I fought alone against my first wife and my heart nearly broke after I stabbed through her heart. She was crying Those genuine tears made me forget everything else. The empire, people, demon clan Everything. In that moment, I simply wanted to be with her and protect her."This did make Saito's eyes widen due to shock. This wasn't how he imagined this story to go. The Emperor had to kill his own first wife! He couldn't even the pain and despair that the Emperor experienced at that moment.This time, he was completely serious as he continued to listen to this story. He could slowly understand the Emperor's character. He couldn't help but have a great respect for this man in front of him.It wasn't because of his position as an Emperor. No It was because of his choice to put the common people above his beloved wife. This was a choice that Saito wasn't sure if he could ever make.To put the common people's lives above his beloved ones.. Someone who was able to do this was a man to be respected.
