Chapter 025

"Also, one more thing."

"From the moment Your Highness Matthias ascends to the position of Crown Prince, I wish for you to appoint me as the High Inquisitor. Once you become Emperor, I request a promotion to Imperial Tutor."

"Yes?"

"And I ask that you confirm each of your actions through me, ensuring they are not in violation of the divine words."

Only then did Matthias's face harden.

"Are you saying you want to control everything I do?"

"The word 'control' may create misunderstandings. If Your Highness can act within the law without having someone by your side, then that would be fine… but can you do that?"

"That…"

"If that is impossible, then wouldn't your words about creating a Holy Empire be empty promises?"

Neither Beatrice nor Matthias could find the words to respond.

Right now, Gabriel was demanding to completely place the imperial family under religious control.

Seeing their troubled expressions, Gabriel began to persuade them with a melancholic smile.

"Surely you don't think I want to manipulate Your Highness? I intend to assist you with prayers, answer your questions, and advise you ahead of time so you don't face attacks from the masses."

"Ah… of course you would do that. But applying the exact same standards to the Crown Prince or Emperor as everyone else…"

To that, Gabriel's eyes glittered with a hidden light as he whispered:

"The Elahe religion is not so rigidly closed off. Neither am I."

His curved eyebrows held a certain allure. Beatrice realized for the first time that he had a tear mole under his left eye.

After a brief pause, Gabriel spoke with a subtle mixture of threat and persuasion:

"What will you do? You, Your Majesty, and Crown Prince Matthias, have already declared war on Crown Prince Carlyle…"

His silver eyelashes flickered with presence even in the shadows.

"Shouldn't we protect you from Crown Prince Carlyle, who has grown numb to murder, with the protection of God?"

Hesitant, Beatrice ultimately decided to accept Gabriel's offer.

"I will accept the High Priest's demands."

"Your Majesty's sincerity will be known to God first."

A secret agreement was formed between Beatrice and Gabriel.

"Mo,Mother…"

Matthias, the one who should be fighting for the Crown Prince position, just stood by like a forgotten straw mat, observing the situation.

However, Beatrice had no time to check on Matthias's condition.

"Then please lend me the wisdom of the High Priest. Next week, Carlyle will leave for Pervaz, and since it is an extraterritorial zone, the Imperial family cannot interfere with the internal affairs there."

She said, clenching her small fists in anger.

"That's why I tried to annul the marriage with Countess Pervaz, but… I failed every time."

She meant that she had tried to kill Asha Pervaz.

She did not hesitate to speak of murder in the temple.

Gabriel was the same.

"His Highness Carlyle must have tried desperately to protect her. Because she is the 'tool' His Highness Carlyle needs the most right now."

"That's right. A tool. To be used when needed and discarded when it is no longer useful. I wonder if Countess Pervaz even knows my situation."

Beatrice shook her head with a mocking smile. Of course, she was not worried about Asha.

She thought it was better to destroy a tool that could be useful to Carlyle first.

Gabriel, who knew Beatrice's heart well, smiled softly and comforted her.

"Lord Libato does not put his faithful people and apostates on the same boat. So the opportunity will come again."

"In what way will God work?"

"Don't worry, you will know naturally when the time comes."

Gabriel vaguely dismissed Beatrice's question about how he could work for Matthias. Then, he parted ways with her after promising to meet again next time to talk in more detail.

A faint smile spread across his face as he turned around.

'The first plan is a success.'

He made the Empress come to him and promise to build the Holy Empire. This was just the beginning.

Returning to his room, Gabriel quietly locked the door. Then he stared at the bookshelf that occupied one wall and pressed hard on the book called "The Duty of the Servant."

Then, the wall that looked like a pillar opened like a door almost silently.

"O Libato, god of balance and harmony, help your servant Gabriel, born under the star of Elderis, god of order, to fulfill his duty as a servant."

Gabriel recited the prayer softly and entered the door.

As he passed through the narrow passage, the distance between the two walls became wider, and on the wall of the stairs leading down to the basement, a fire without flames or smoke burned silently, illuminating the darkness.

Gabriel, who went down the stairs familiarly, put his hand on the wall at the end of the stairs and muttered words that were not in the modern imperial language.

"Ki Hire Amreum Bil Deurei Ka A."

Then, the damp bricks that made up the wall began to crumble like sand, creating a hole.

The shattered stones did not fall to the ground, but floated and shone in the air, and the wall that had been blocking Gabriel's path had disappeared.

As Gabriel passed through it and entered the hexagonal room beyond the wall, the floating stones instantly returned to their original positions, forming the wall.

Thud, thud.

The silent air stirred with Gabriel's footsteps.

The interior was dark, but thanks to the torches burning quietly at the top of the six walls, everything was clearly visible.

The altar in the center of the room, and the magic circle-like thing floating in the air and slowly rotating, all of it.

Gabriel stared at the magic circle for a moment, then walked over to the altar and took out a small dagger from his bosom.

"Room Piniak Areha."

He recited a short spell and slashed his forearm without hesitation.

Bright red blood immediately flowed from his white forearm and dripped onto the altar. However, Gabriel did not flinch and continued the process with ease.

"Haah...."

As the blood soaked the altar, Gabriel's face relaxed and soon his head tilted back.

Soon his arms dropped limply and his upper body tilted back further and further. He tilted to an angle that would be impossible for a human to endure, yet he did not fall over.

It would be more accurate to say that he seemed to be floating.

"I need more… sacrifices… ."

His dazed voice echoed through the silent room. His dark eyes were tinged with red.

"Lord Libato…"

His burning lips curled into a strange smile.

"I will offer this country. I will build the Empire of God, even if it means burning this body. Please… look down on your humble servant… ."

It was a heartfelt prayer, but there was a sense of incongruity between his prayer and the swirling black magic circle in the air.

* * *

Three days before leaving the capital, Zyro, Carlyle, the emperor, and Matthias gathered in the emperor's study to drink tea. Carlyle suddenly spoke.

"Oh! Now that you're going to be in charge of the southern part of the empire, do you have any questions?"

It was such a casual question that Matthias took it lightly at first, but then his face hardened.

"Yes?"

"I asked if you had any questions about military power."

"Ah, no, before that… why are you asking me to guard the south?"

"What? What are you talking about, Matti?"

Carlyle frowned and tilted his head slightly.

"You're the 'Crown Prince,' aren't you? So, you should be doing what I've been doing. All my struggles on the battlefield have been solely to fulfill my duties as the Crown Prince."

Then, he turned to the Emperor and asked,

"Isn't that right, Father?"

It was a voice tinged with laughter, as if he had heard something amusing.

But neither the Emperor nor Matthias laughed. They couldn't.

Carlyle continued nonchalantly, looking at their stern faces,

"Since I've already crushed Albania Kingdom, there's not much else to do. Just handle the occasional monsters that pop up every year or so, and deal with minor disputes near the southern border."

And with graceful elegance, Carlyle passed a glass of tea, delivering the final blow,

"Just hold on for three more years. After that, I'll be taking over again."

It was an attitude filled with absolute confidence that he would regain his position as Crown Prince.

Not long ago, the Emperor might have scolded Carlyle for not having come to his senses yet, or decided based on his attitude, but now he remained silent.

'Goodness… I never thought that Kallail would step down from his military power…'

The Emperor had entrusted military affairs to Carlyle since he was fifteen, and since then he had been paying no attention to military affairs, his memory regarding military matters was vague.

Matthias added to his thoughts. He had never once held military power since birth, nor did he have any talent or interest in martial arts.

If Carlyle left for Pervaz and stayed there, the defense system of the entire empire, including the capital, would be greatly compromised.

And Carlyle was well aware of their predicament.

'Fools. They were so bold when they defied me, but now they finally understand reality?'

This situation was also thanks to Pervaz and Asha.

If Carlyle had gone anywhere other than Pervaz, this satisfying situation would not have occurred. If he stayed in the capital, he would be called upon for 'service to the empire' and sent here and there as an excuse.

But going to Pervaz as the husband of Countess of Pervaz allowed him to distance himself from the imperial family.

'He couldn't have imagined the reverse situation when Pervaz had been waging war with the barbarians for nearly thirty years without offering a single penny of support from the empire.'

Carlyle chuckled inwardly.