Gabriel hurriedly returned to the imperial palace from the temple and opened the door to the 'Emperor's Office' with hurried steps.
"Have you not found the traitor yet!"
The main officials of the imperial palace were gathered in his office, racking their brains to solve this emergency.
"It seems that a considerable figure is helping His Highness Carlyle. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any trace of him."
"He must have brought down the Knights of Haven with him, but I don't know how he managed to erase the traces of so many people moving."
Gabriel gritted his teeth and shouted at the officials who kept saying "I don't know."
"If you don't know, are you going to sit here and wait to be beheaded by the rebels' swords? Shouldn't you be mobilizing all your connections right now and gathering even the smallest piece of information!"
Only then did the officials begin to pretend to be busy.
* * *
As Gabriel had feared, Carlyle appeared in the secret salons of the nobles who supported him, revealing the conspiracy between Beatrice and Gabriel.
"The Empress Dowager and Matthias are trying to hand over the Empire to the Temple! It came from the mouth of High Priest Gabriel himself, and there are more than one witness."
When Carlyle cried out, the nobles who heard Gabriel's confession in the abandoned bell tower, came forward as witnesses.
"I heard it with my own ears. They are going to establish the Holy Empire! The Temple is plotting to take away the wealth and power of the nobles!"
"They call us greedy and arrogant humans! Who do they think the Temple's money belongs to?"
Among them were even some people who had been leaning towards Matthias, which gained them the trust of the people.
Then, doubts about the cause of the late emperor's death arose belatedly.
"Isn't it strange to anyone! His Majesty, who was in good health, suddenly died for no reason!"
"And it was the day when His Highness Carlyle was about to be declared the successor to the throne. How could he have died so suddenly on that day?"
"Why did the Empress Dowager prevent his son from confirming his father's death! His Highness Carlyle did nothing wrong, did he?"
"It is also strange that the Temple quickly recognized the death of His Majesty the late Emperor and the ascension of His Highness Matthias. Well, it seems like they were in alliance from the beginning."
The rumors that had been whispered among themselves until now, everyone began to ask about them loudly.
When spies entered the palace to capture Carlyle, the hosts of the salons, as if they had beforehand agreed, acted uncooperatively.
"Why can't we hold a salon with His Highness Carlyle just because he hasn't committed any crimes?"
"It's an imperial order! Where is His Highness Carlyle?"
"An imperial order? Well, there's nothing we can do about that… but His Highness Carlyle left an hour ago. What can we do about this?"
Through this kind of hit-and-run operation, Carlyle managed to take control of the social circles in just one day.
As a result, the Imperial family also brought forward the announcement of the revision of the law as much as possible.
"Your Highness, look at this!"
While Carlyle was talking seriously with the nobles, the door of the drawing room opened roughly and Giles rushed in.
"The Imperial family has revised the Imperial Law! It is said that it will be announced early tomorrow morning, and the contents are ridiculous!"
He had indeed received the text of the revised law through his junior at the Academy in the Imperial family.
The revision first expanded the scope of the crime of treason to an absurd level. It was written that 'even if there is no actual act, if the Imperial family feels a serious threat, it can be defined as treason', and 'if you disobey the imperial order, you will be considered a potential traitor'. This meant that anyone they didn't like could be charged with treason at any time.
In addition, the stoning and whipping executions, which had disappeared because they were too cruel, were revived and decorated the criminal code.
Of course, there were religious clauses here and there.
"They're even talking about stoning me to death."
As Carlyle snickered, Giles's neck veins bulged again.
"This is a clear declaration that they are going to establish the Holy Empire. And judging from the way they have made the treason and criminal laws, it means that they are going to start a reign of terror right away!"
"You know what to expect. Anything surprising?"
He slowly rose from his seat and approached the window.
The Count of Perno, whom he was visiting, belonged to a noble family with a significant contingent of knights.
Originally this family was supportive of Matthias, arguing that it would bring stability to the imperial family for the Empress's son to become Emperor, but they had turned their backs when the Emperor died suddenly and the Empress promptly sealed off the palace, hurrying Matthias's coronation.
[This could lead to the downfall of the imperial family!]
[The death of the late Emperor is too suspicious. We can no longer trust the Empress.]
There were several moderate factions that had turned their backs in this manner.
"I wonder what face the Empress will have when she sees the knights I've brought."
Outside the window, the Haven Knights and the Perno Knights were training together in the exercise field, while many families gathered in the reception hall today had sent their own knights from their territories to assist him.
"The time for hesitation is over. Those who stand in my way are merely enemies. If they've joined hands with those who would sell this country in the name of god, I'll fight them to the death."
He turned his head towards the banquet hall, adding in a light voice,
"I declare war on the prejudiced who have taken over the palace."
The declaration to participate in unarmed combat would likely have been more serious than that. However, no one in the room took Carlyle's declaration lightly.
"All knight troops from every family are to assemble outside the north gate at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Any questions?"
Despite being the one to determine the fate of the families, everyone remained silent.
"Alright then… See you tomorrow."
The prince, once known as the sword defending the empire, had now become a traitor.
* * *
On the night Carlyle declared war, snow fell on Zyro.
Asha stepped out onto the balcony where snowflakes were fluttering and exhaled deeply. Her white breath scattered towards the black night sky, contrasting with the snow falling to the ground.
"Were you nervous?"
A familiar voice came from behind her.
She didn't know when she started to find this voice familiar.
"Do I look nervous?"
"…No. Rather, I'm a little uneasy because you don't seem nervous enough."
Asha felt that Carlyle was unexpectedly perceptive.
Although he always seemed to do as he pleased, he had lived on a bed of ice since birth. He must have learned to read people's expressions very early on.
Asha didn't feel nervous at all in the face of Carlyle's rebellion. Because the only thing she had to do was avenge Pervaz.
However, she wanted to confirm something, as her revenge would ultimately help Carlyle's victory.
"There's one thing I'd like to ask."
"Ask anything."
"Your Highness…"
A snowflake mixed with the wind broke on her cheek.
"What are you fighting for?"
Asha, who had been looking out at the dark outside, slowly turned her head towards Carlyle.
"What will you gain after this fight is over?"
Carlyle knew well that this was not a question asking for the answer 'the emperor's seat'.
This was a question from Asha, who had lost her parents, siblings, close friends, subordinates, and territorial people to the war.
She was asking, what the hell are you living for, taking so many lives?
"I…"
Although he felt like he should answer, Carlyle couldn't easily continue.
He had only been taking back what he had naturally believed to be his since he was a child.
But is there such a thing as a 'natural' thing in the world?
"I've just been fighting to survive. Just like everyone else."
Quietly living in hiding was never an option from the beginning. Beatrice was eager to kill him, and he had to constantly show his presence to make her attempts even slightly difficult.
"There were times when I was resentful and angry and wanted to take the throne. Because if I were the emperor, no one would be able to use me as a war dog."
The blessing of Aguiles was perhaps a curse.
Because he had to carry the future of being the messenger of death on the battlefield since he was born. There was no other future.
In the end, it was ultimately a matter of survival.
"Those who fought claiming that their lives were precious and took the lives of others would seem selfish and hypocritical to you. No, actually, it is true."
He shook his head again with a bitter taste in his mouth.
The head that never bowed before anyone except for Asha Pervaz kept inclining towards the ground whenever he stood before her.
The ideal ruler that Carlyle Evaristo envisioned in his childhood was closer to Asha Pervaz…
"To be honest, around the time when I was being stripped of my title as the Crown Prince, I was confused about why I was doing all this myself. I kept feeling overwhelmed with anger and wanting to overturn everything."
At that time when he was questioning the purpose of living, he met Asha and Pervaz.
From Pervaz, who was cunning, rugged, expressionless, and had a strong barrier of defense, Carlyle encountered things he had never experienced before in his life.
Unbelievable loyalty, incomprehensible sense of responsibility, hope that never wavered even in the depths of despair, immeasurable patience, and determination that did not falter even in the face of death.
The things he had ignored and laughed at ultimately began to slowly change the arrogant Carlyle Evaristo.