The schedule and details had not yet been made public, but the preparations for the wedding were beginning.  Hades’ eyes narrowed.

“Now that we’ve reached this stage, you claim to oppose it.”
“Stating it clearly, I humbly do.  As one of the Three Dukes, this is not a situation where I can give my approval.  The poor harvest aside, I have also received reports that dragons in Laica went out of control.  The control of dragons, just like the Heavenly Sword, is connected to the divine might of Your Majesty the Dragon Emperor.  Does anything come to mind?”
“You cannot give your approval to my marriage ceremony… because I am inadequate?”
“At the very least, something happened.  Or am I wrong?”

Bruno, honest to a fault, most likely didn’t mean any harm at his question.

However, Morgan, who was holding back his laughter, and Igor, who didn’t stop him, probably harbored doubts over whether Hades truly possessed the power befitting the Dragon Emperor.  Or, more plainly stated, whether he could stand against Kratos as an equal.

“Regrettably, I don’t trust any of you.  Seeing as how a discussion won’t be possible, you can all go back.”

Wrinkles formed between Bruno’s brows at Hades’ faint smile.  He was about to say something further, but was interrupted by the smack of hands clapping together.

“It’s exactly as you say.  Before any discussion can be had, a relationship of trust is first needed.  There have been various things after all, various things.”
“…When you, a man who is always making connections with people who oppose me say that, it feels real.”

That Hades didn’t rise from his seat in anger was unexpected.  Morgan in turn gave him a grin.

“By all means, please call me Morgan with affection, Your Majesty the Dragon Emperor.  Let me say this so there is no misunderstanding, but the reason I hurried to come here was out of jealousy toward you.”
“Jealousy?”

Morgan gave a bold nod to Hades’ doubt filled question.

“I admired Georg.  Ever since I was a child, he was always walking ahead of me, he was like a great wall.  Compared with him, I was always the inferior one.  Many of our generation felt the same way.  Then, when he declared himself emperor, I won’t deny feeling that if it were him, it might be possible.  And when he bowed his head to me for help, I was ecstatic.  Well, he ticked me off, so I didn’t fully cooperate with him, though.”

Which explains why they didn’t do anything more than send out a search party.  For some reason, a shiver ran down Hades’ back.

“However, you gathered allies, shattered his lofty mission, and even showed him, a traitor, the mercy of mourning a member of the Rave imperial family.  Yes, mercy, to our hero.  He was commiserated.”

A chuckle came from Morgan’s throat as he kept his face down.  The only ones who remained composed were Vissel who was at his side and Igor.  Bruno, seated directly across from him, was repeatedly blinking his eyes.  The high officials seated below were holding their breaths.  Hades himself wanted to be done with this meeting.

Unfortunately, Morgan’s calm expression returned and he straightened his posture.

“I realized it at that time.  This is no longer my era, I have already become one of those people whom I had endlessly cursed as old fossils.”
“—That is to say, what is your conclusion?  I cannot see where this is going.”
“As I said, it is jealousy.  Towards youth, and towards a future that I myself will no longer carve open.  I pride myself on being good at self-analysis.  The present me, put simply, is an old fossil.  In other words, I possess some sort of influence over the young.  Hence, I rushed here thinking that, while there is still time, I will thoroughly laugh at an immature emperor who, despite being young and having power, can neither properly move politics nor people.”

Behind Morgan’s calm gaze a twisted bitterness had been screwed in.

“Eh, in other words, he is going to devote himself to being an old fossil due to being frustrated…?”

Hades, exasperated, explained what Morgan probably meant to the utterly bewildered Rave.

That was when Morgan’s gaze suddenly fell upon his older brother who was seated beside him.

“I’ve especially been keeping an eye on Vissel, but he apparently decided to give up on his annoying tricks to instead build your reign.  Simply becoming a nuisance to that would have been childish.  Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to provide you with help that almost feels like harassment and then look down on you from above as you simmer in frustration?  A child who once thought of nothing more than outplaying me came asking for cooperation with his head bowed, it had me as excited as with Georg.”
“Truly, you have become a splendid old fossil.”

Hades, inwardly, nodded back to his brother who spat that out.  Morgan, as if having seen through that, broadly smiled back.

“And with that being the case, you may go ahead and trust me.”
“There isn’t a single thing you said anywhere that can be trusted.  Honestly, I’m put off.”
“Oh?  Then why are you, the newly christened Duke of Noitral, here?”
“Because I’d, probably, lose to the Dragon Emperor in arm-wrestling!”
“I was the fool for asking.”
“Everyone told me I should just sit there and keep quiet.  But more than that, I owe him a debt for overlooking the punishment of my niece after her betrayal.”

Officially, Elynsia’s choosing to support Georg had been left ambiguous.  Having it now be so brazenly recognized left Hades with a distant look on his face.  Even Morgan, who had provoked him, was dumbfounded.

“You… you really should just sit there and keep quiet.
“Umu!”

“—As for myself.”

Igor spoke with a soft voice, but one that carried well and calmed those around him.  He continued with a formal tone.

“His Highness Listeard— My grandchild gave me a sermon, ‘Any of the Three Dukes who opposes the Dragon Emperor and divides the country is evil.  If you have the pride worthy of the Duke of Leilsatz then you should immediately make your way to the Dragon Emperor.’  My, how he has grown— Even though he’s a brat who still has yet to cross swords with Kratos.”

The winkles at the corners of Igor’s mouth twisted with mockery as force entered his eyes and he gave a low laugh.

He had none of Morgan’s eeriness.  There was simply pressure.  It wasn’t magical power or anything of the sort, but merely the experience gained by one who has lived through an era. —In fact, twenty years ago, after becoming enraged at the former Emperor Meronis for considering peace with the Kingdom of Kratos, he gathered the Three Dukes and together marched on Kratos’ royal capital.

“When I heard that that Prince Listeard-dono entrusted Valeburg to you, I was astonished.  I rushed here to your side, wondering, ‘Has it finally come?’  Did you think I was only now turning my hand in favor of yours?”
“In truth, that is what is happening.”
“Naïve.”

Dan, Igor struck the floor with his cane and continued with a scoff.

“You are naïve, youngster.  Do you not understand what makes the present?  It is your choices.  You forgave Elynsia, persuaded Vissel, and won Listeard over to your side.  That is why what followed was connected.  This is what connections, what politics, are.  Simply eliminating that which you don’t care for is simple enough, but nothing will endure if you do.  Do not rely on the divine majesty that blinds people’s eyes.”

There’s logic to his words.  Igor’s expression softened as Hades sat back into his chair and rested his cheek on his hand.

“I believe I have said something presumptuous.  Think it the ramblings of an old man and forgive it.”
“—I understand the position you all hold.  You acknowledge that I am the Dragon Emperor, but you do not know whether I am fit to be Emperor.  Hence, you were waiting to see how my reign would develop.  However, once my elder sister and elder brothers lowered their heads to you, you finally dragged yourselves here before me.  In other words, you yourselves admit to not having been of any use up until now.”

Bruno blinked while Morgan let out a stifled laugh.

Hades, recrossing his legs and lifting his chin, makes a declaration.

“If you want this so-called trust from me, then give your utmost working.  Just ensure you aren’t used and then cast out.”

“Then, please answer me, Your Majesty the Dragon Emperor. —Can we assume the crop failure spreading from the Lakia mountain range as the doing of the goddess?”

Hades, having almost gained certainty to Igor’s question, gave back a dubious nod.

“Most likely, but it will not spread any farther, and it will not continue. The goddess no longer has that kind of power.”

---

Read more than 10 posts ahead and support Faux on Patreon for only $2~

<Previous Chapter

Next Chapter>