Chapter 127 – Arc 6 Prologue
If “he” wanted to, he could have left the ground in an instant. He could have moved on, or he could have flown through the hole created by penetrating the ceiling and the thick bedrock. But instead of doing so, he walked to the ground on his own two feet, in awe of those who had challenged his power.
How many thousands of years had it been since I had taken the form of a human being?
As “he” stepped onto the ground and looked up at the sky and around him, he saw a light he had not seen in thousands of years. The light he saw as he slept in a temple built under a thick bedrock at the bottom of the ocean was the result of the moon and stars shining in the sky and the activities of the people who lived in a city called Lyon at the end of a distant cape.
…Not enough, huh?
However, this scene did not make him feel any emotion. That glow that woke him up from his deep sleep. Compared to that glow, even the fantastic scene created by the light spreading out below him after many years was not enough.
The place where it was located was just ahead….
There was a building in the center of the cape where “he” could feel the presence of the person he was looking for. But when he took a step towards this one, frowned and stopped.
“…I don’t like to be peeked at.” He muttered and turned around. His eyes wandered to the surface of the sea, away from the cape. An empty space. Only darkness seemed to stretch out. However, “he” sensed a slight presence there that no human could feel. He reached out for the faintest hint of something more than a small winged insect. “Hmm? It’s gone…”
“He” wanted to pull it out of the darkness, but before he could do so, the presence he had sensed had vanished completely.
“Hmm… this is a bit boring.”
If it had been a normal person, “he” would have been able to pull out the hidden person in front of him as soon as he noticed the presence. However, he seems to be unable to handle his power well due to his human form.
“On the other hand, it’s a bit of a waste of time as it is now?”
After a few moments of contemplation, “he” changed his mind. It was the first time in thousands of years that he was attracted to someone so much that he was willing to incarnate in this world. If he couldn’t exercise his power due to his body’s inability to move as he wanted it to, it would spoil the fun he was having.
“I’m going to need some time to get used to this vessel.”
“He” wasn’t in any particular hurry, so there was no need to rush.
Let’s have some fun with the moment I’ve gained in my first awakening in a thousand years.
Slowly closing his eyes, “he” let his consciousness expand outward. Like waves spreading across the calm surface of the water, he stretched his consciousness. Even in a human vessel, his consciousness reached all corners of the vast continent.
“I feel a hint of disturbance.”
The hint of disturbance that “he” picked up on was the battle for the right to inherit the throne that was taking place in the country the people called the Lemmrousell Empire.
“It’s near here. It might be a good way to console my boredom.”
At the same time as “he” muttered this, his figure disappeared from the cape.
◇◆◇◆◇
The whole floor was covered with a long pile carpet. On the walls were gold candlesticks, beautifully colored landscape pictures that could have been painted by some famous artist, and a sword and shield, crafted in gold and silver and decorated with jewels. In one corner of the room, seasonal flowers were arranged in ceramic vases that had been brought from far away, giving off a sweet scent. In addition, there were other pieces of furniture in the room, all of them very expensive, indicating that they were masterpieces made by famous craftsmen. In the center of the room was a single bed that easily fit four adults. The person lying on the bed suddenly noticed a presence in the room, woke up and sat up. Peering into the darkness of the night, a figure emerged in the faint moonlight coming through the window. He was standing, blocking the door to the room.
Normally, when one awoke in the middle of the night and saw a figure standing in a darkened room, one would cringe in surprise, even if the figure belonged to a family member one knew well. However, the man who got out of bed showed no sign of surprise, at least outwardly. He took a lighting tool from a small stand next to the bed and lit a golden candlestick. Then he calmly adjusted his nightgown and slowly walked over to an armchair and sat down. He also suggested with his hand to the figure in front of the bedroom door to sit in the chair opposite him.
“…It would be useless to ask someone like you about the discourtesy of visiting a room late at night, but what are you doing here visiting me, non-human being?”
“Ho…”
Said “he”, admiringly as the owner of the room, Alexei Lau Root Lemmrousell, Emperor of the Lemmrousell Empire, and sat down in a chair as suggested to him.
“Why do you think I am not human?”
“The unusual presence I feel from inside your body is not human at all.”
“What a surprise that a man who shows no sign of interest in the country he rules, even though it is about to split in two, would so easily discover my true identity?”
“I am still the Emperor.”
Alexei twisted the edges of his mouth and narrowed his eyes as “he” stared at him. The sharpness of his gaze would have taken anyone who knew the usual Alexei by surprise. Normally, the emperor left all political matters to his subjects and kept to his studio in the imperial palace, indulging in his hobby of painting. It was an image of mediocrity, and that is how he was spoken of behind his back. However, when he sat in the chair opposite the emperor, his gaze was fixed on him as if seeking his intentions, and he had the dignity of the ruler of a great country.
“It has been 287 years since the first emperor, Cecil, founded the country… During that time, the empire has engulfed the surrounding countries one after another, and has always been victorious. The name Lemmrousell is a sign of those who have always been victorious. And the most victorious person of that family is the emperor. How could I, the victor, remain the victor if I cannot see through your true nature?”
Those born with the blood of the royal family were involved in the battle for the throne from the moment they were born. It was not uncommon for an emperor to kill his own son. If you were to unravel the 287 years of the Empire’s history, you would find many traces of bloody court battles. They were not to forget that. Even the seemingly ordinary Alexei was a man who once went through such a dark struggle to reach this supreme position.
“Now I ask you again, non-human being, what brings you to my door?”
“I followed the signs of a disturbance to the heart of it.”
“I see. So that is why you have come to me.”
“But it seems I was wrong. The place where the disturbance is felt is not here. It’s a little southwest of here. After all, I haven’t used a vessel for a long time. It may be because I’m not used to wielding such power.”
“I guess that shape is just borrowed? I’ve seen that face before. It looks familiar. I think it belongs to a young man who is my daughter’s squire and the Master of the Brave… no, but your intuition is not wrong.”
“The country is divided into two forces that are fighting each other, but you are not part of either of them, and you don’t seem to have any intention of doing so either.”
“…Is that what you think, non-human being? That I won’t participate in either of them? Not at all. I am the center of this confusion.” Alexei laughed in amusement as he said this. “Alfred and Neumann. They are both my sons, but no matter which one of them is the winner, their goals are the same. To end up sitting on the throne.”
“Therefore, you are the center of everything.”
“I am the center of everything, that’s right. The emperor’s throne is the place where the winner must sit.”
“I am not interested in the kingdoms of men. But it seems that one of your sons has connections with other countries. As an emperor, don’t you think it would be unpleasant if another country interfered?”
However, Alexei smiled fiercely at his question.
“I don’t care. Cecil the Great was just a man until he destroyed the small country of Clennad and became king. Whoever wins must rule this land.”
“Even if he destroys the country?”
“Even if he destroys the empire. But the name Lemmrousell is proof that we will always be victorious and undefeated. Wouldn’t it be wrong to expect my successor to use this opportunity to swallow the other side?”
“Hehehe…”
Alexei’s words made him laugh out loud for the first time.
“Interesting… a very interesting thought. I like that. I thought my instincts were dulled when I sought the center of the confusion and came to this place, but you are enough to comfort my boredom. Emperor, I hope to stay here for a while.”
“I welcome you, non-human being. If you stay here, you may see the end of the turmoil you desire. I welcome you as my guest. With me, you will be able to observe from a higher point of view.” With that, Alexei stood up and opened the door. And then he ordered the knights who stood guard outside the room. “This man is my guest. Prepare a room and treat him politely.”
“Y-Your Majesty?”
The knights were surprised that Alexei had left his room in the middle of the night, and that there was someone in the emperor’s bedchamber before they knew it, but they bowed without showing it. He was evidently a suspicious person, but since the emperor had ordered that he be treated as a guest, it was not permitted to inquire into his identity.
From that night on, “he” was frequently seen at the emperor’s side. Marquis Cliffdorf learned of the rumors and had him investigate his background, but was unable to find out any details. He was certain, however, that he had no connection with the faction hostile to his own. In the end, it was decided that he was probably a noble that the Emperor had brought from somewhere, and the court decided to treat him as such.*
(Yeah, yeah, all good and so, but he still has Wynn’s face, isn’t he? No one said anything about it?)
Chapter 127 – Arc 6 Prologue
If “he” wanted to, he could have left the ground in an instant. He could have moved on, or he could have flown through the hole created by penetrating the ceiling and the thick bedrock. But instead of doing so, he walked to the ground on his own two feet, in awe of those who had challenged his power.
How many thousands of years had it been since I had taken the form of a human being?
As “he” stepped onto the ground and looked up at the sky and around him, he saw a light he had not seen in thousands of years. The light he saw as he slept in a temple built under a thick bedrock at the bottom of the ocean was the result of the moon and stars shining in the sky and the activities of the people who lived in a city called Lyon at the end of a distant cape.
…Not enough, huh?
However, this scene did not make him feel any emotion. That glow that woke him up from his deep sleep. Compared to that glow, even the fantastic scene created by the light spreading out below him after many years was not enough.
The place where it was located was just ahead….
There was a building in the center of the cape where “he” could feel the presence of the person he was looking for. But when he took a step towards this one, frowned and stopped.
“…I don’t like to be peeked at.” He muttered and turned around. His eyes wandered to the surface of the sea, away from the cape. An empty space. Only darkness seemed to stretch out. However, “he” sensed a slight presence there that no human could feel. He reached out for the faintest hint of something more than a small winged insect. “Hmm? It’s gone…”
“He” wanted to pull it out of the darkness, but before he could do so, the presence he had sensed had vanished completely.
“Hmm… this is a bit boring.”
If it had been a normal person, “he” would have been able to pull out the hidden person in front of him as soon as he noticed the presence. However, he seems to be unable to handle his power well due to his human form.
“On the other hand, it’s a bit of a waste of time as it is now?”
After a few moments of contemplation, “he” changed his mind. It was the first time in thousands of years that he was attracted to someone so much that he was willing to incarnate in this world. If he couldn’t exercise his power due to his body’s inability to move as he wanted it to, it would spoil the fun he was having.
“I’m going to need some time to get used to this vessel.”
“He” wasn’t in any particular hurry, so there was no need to rush.
Let’s have some fun with the moment I’ve gained in my first awakening in a thousand years.
Slowly closing his eyes, “he” let his consciousness expand outward. Like waves spreading across the calm surface of the water, he stretched his consciousness. Even in a human vessel, his consciousness reached all corners of the vast continent.
“I feel a hint of disturbance.”
The hint of disturbance that “he” picked up on was the battle for the right to inherit the throne that was taking place in the country the people called the Lemmrousell Empire.
“It’s near here. It might be a good way to console my boredom.”
At the same time as “he” muttered this, his figure disappeared from the cape.
◇◆◇◆◇
The whole floor was covered with a long pile carpet. On the walls were gold candlesticks, beautifully colored landscape pictures that could have been painted by some famous artist, and a sword and shield, crafted in gold and silver and decorated with jewels. In one corner of the room, seasonal flowers were arranged in ceramic vases that had been brought from far away, giving off a sweet scent. In addition, there were other pieces of furniture in the room, all of them very expensive, indicating that they were masterpieces made by famous craftsmen. In the center of the room was a single bed that easily fit four adults. The person lying on the bed suddenly noticed a presence in the room, woke up and sat up. Peering into the darkness of the night, a figure emerged in the faint moonlight coming through the window. He was standing, blocking the door to the room.
Normally, when one awoke in the middle of the night and saw a figure standing in a darkened room, one would cringe in surprise, even if the figure belonged to a family member one knew well. However, the man who got out of bed showed no sign of surprise, at least outwardly. He took a lighting tool from a small stand next to the bed and lit a golden candlestick. Then he calmly adjusted his nightgown and slowly walked over to an armchair and sat down. He also suggested with his hand to the figure in front of the bedroom door to sit in the chair opposite him.
“…It would be useless to ask someone like you about the discourtesy of visiting a room late at night, but what are you doing here visiting me, non-human being?”
“Ho…”
Said “he”, admiringly as the owner of the room, Alexei Lau Root Lemmrousell, Emperor of the Lemmrousell Empire, and sat down in a chair as suggested to him.
“Why do you think I am not human?”
“The unusual presence I feel from inside your body is not human at all.”
“What a surprise that a man who shows no sign of interest in the country he rules, even though it is about to split in two, would so easily discover my true identity?”
“I am still the Emperor.”
Alexei twisted the edges of his mouth and narrowed his eyes as “he” stared at him. The sharpness of his gaze would have taken anyone who knew the usual Alexei by surprise. Normally, the emperor left all political matters to his subjects and kept to his studio in the imperial palace, indulging in his hobby of painting. It was an image of mediocrity, and that is how he was spoken of behind his back. However, when he sat in the chair opposite the emperor, his gaze was fixed on him as if seeking his intentions, and he had the dignity of the ruler of a great country.
“It has been 287 years since the first emperor, Cecil, founded the country… During that time, the empire has engulfed the surrounding countries one after another, and has always been victorious. The name Lemmrousell is a sign of those who have always been victorious. And the most victorious person of that family is the emperor. How could I, the victor, remain the victor if I cannot see through your true nature?”
Those born with the blood of the royal family were involved in the battle for the throne from the moment they were born. It was not uncommon for an emperor to kill his own son. If you were to unravel the 287 years of the Empire’s history, you would find many traces of bloody court battles. They were not to forget that. Even the seemingly ordinary Alexei was a man who once went through such a dark struggle to reach this supreme position.
“Now I ask you again, non-human being, what brings you to my door?”
“I followed the signs of a disturbance to the heart of it.”
“I see. So that is why you have come to me.”
“But it seems I was wrong. The place where the disturbance is felt is not here. It’s a little southwest of here. After all, I haven’t used a vessel for a long time. It may be because I’m not used to wielding such power.”
“I guess that shape is just borrowed? I’ve seen that face before. It looks familiar. I think it belongs to a young man who is my daughter’s squire and the Master of the Brave… no, but your intuition is not wrong.”
“The country is divided into two forces that are fighting each other, but you are not part of either of them, and you don’t seem to have any intention of doing so either.”
“…Is that what you think, non-human being? That I won’t participate in either of them? Not at all. I am the center of this confusion.” Alexei laughed in amusement as he said this. “Alfred and Neumann. They are both my sons, but no matter which one of them is the winner, their goals are the same. To end up sitting on the throne.”
“Therefore, you are the center of everything.”
“I am the center of everything, that’s right. The emperor’s throne is the place where the winner must sit.”
“I am not interested in the kingdoms of men. But it seems that one of your sons has connections with other countries. As an emperor, don’t you think it would be unpleasant if another country interfered?”
However, Alexei smiled fiercely at his question.
“I don’t care. Cecil the Great was just a man until he destroyed the small country of Clennad and became king. Whoever wins must rule this land.”
“Even if he destroys the country?”
“Even if he destroys the empire. But the name Lemmrousell is proof that we will always be victorious and undefeated. Wouldn’t it be wrong to expect my successor to use this opportunity to swallow the other side?”
“Hehehe…”
Alexei’s words made him laugh out loud for the first time.
“Interesting… a very interesting thought. I like that. I thought my instincts were dulled when I sought the center of the confusion and came to this place, but you are enough to comfort my boredom. Emperor, I hope to stay here for a while.”
“I welcome you, non-human being. If you stay here, you may see the end of the turmoil you desire. I welcome you as my guest. With me, you will be able to observe from a higher point of view.” With that, Alexei stood up and opened the door. And then he ordered the knights who stood guard outside the room. “This man is my guest. Prepare a room and treat him politely.”
“Y-Your Majesty?”
The knights were surprised that Alexei had left his room in the middle of the night, and that there was someone in the emperor’s bedchamber before they knew it, but they bowed without showing it. He was evidently a suspicious person, but since the emperor had ordered that he be treated as a guest, it was not permitted to inquire into his identity.
From that night on, “he” was frequently seen at the emperor’s side. Marquis Cliffdorf learned of the rumors and had him investigate his background, but was unable to find out any details. He was certain, however, that he had no connection with the faction hostile to his own. In the end, it was decided that he was probably a noble that the Emperor had brought from somewhere, and the court decided to treat him as such.*
(Yeah, yeah, all good and so, but he still has Wynn’s face, isn’t he? No one said anything about it?)
