Ranker's Return

Supplementary Story 17

In the imperial palace of the Yusma Empire which was at the height of its splendor, the most decorated palace was the emperor’s palace where the emperor stayed. There was a storm in the middle of the great hall of the emperor’s palace, which normally should’ve been quiet.

“What are you doing, Alexander?!! What qualifications do you have for sitting on the throne?!” a man, who seemed a bit young but gave off a cold expression, screamed with a red face.

“You are noisy, Edward. His Majesty suddenly passed away. It is naturally the 1st Imperial Prince who will fill the spot.” Alexander, the man sitting on the ornate throne, looked at his brother with an expressionless face.

“It is sophistry. How can an unqualified person rise to the throne? As long as you aren’t the crown prince, I also have the right to succeed.”

“You are the one speaking sophistry. Everyone except for you knows who should be in this position. Isn’t that right?”

The dumbfounded Edward couldn’t withstand his anger and swung his fist through the air, firing out blue pure energy. Alexander showed no agitation when he saw the pure energy flying toward him with destructive force. He simply raised his hand lightly toward it.

Then something amazing happened. The surface of the deep blue pure energy started to distort. The pure energy lost its form and exploded in the air.

“Don’t forget that the only one who can use magic power in the great hall is the emperor, Edward,” Alexander rebuked Edward’s behavior with words that were as cold as his expression.

“It is the same when you use magic power, Alexander,” Edward growled. He really didn’t like Alexander’s current gaze.

‘Is this the way you should look at your brother?’

There was no positive emotion in Alexander’s eyes, only a strong feeling of looking down.

“You are an imperial prince, Edward. You should show self-restraint. Don’t come out of the palace for a while—for around a year.”

Edward laughed as soon as he heard Alexander’s words. Alexander’s actions were something only the emperor could do.

“Who should be the one with self-restraint? What type of qualifications do you have?” Edward felt that this was absurd, and that feeling soon turned into anger, leading him to shout louder than before.

“Lebron, take Edward to his palace. In addition, tell the imperial knights. Make sure they ensure Edward’s safety for a year.” Alexander just said what he needed to say as if he hadn’t heard Edward’s words.

“I accept Your Majesty’s orders.” Lebron appeared at the entrance of the great hall and bowed toward Alexander. Then he immediately approached Edward. “Let’s go to the palace, 2nd Imperial Prince.”

Lebron was very polite. He was courteous toward Edward.

“Lebron... How can you...?!” Edward, however, felt betrayed.

Lebron was Alexander’s fellow student, but at the same time, he was one of Edward’s close friends.

“Let’s go for now.” Lebron left the great hall with Edward, who was so tense he was as rigid as a rock.

Alexander watched the two of them disappear. Then he closed his eyes and leaned back against the throne.

“This is the real beginning.”

The faint energy emanating from Alexander’s body filled the great hall.

***

“How can you do this to me? Alexander is crazy! He climbed to the throne without following the proper procedures! His Majesty’s funeral was only over today!” Edward screamed at Lebron the moment he returned to his palace.

“Everything is for the Yusma Empire, Edward.” Lebron no longer had the appearance of a servant from the great hall and instead returned to acting as close brothers as usual.

“This? Is this for the empire? Alexander became the emperor, and you became Alexander’s dog!”

Lebron wasn’t greatly offended by Edward’s harsh words. ‘It is a natural reaction.’

Edward had a very normal reaction. His father died, and his brother rose to the throne like it was an opportunity, rather than showing tribute to their father.

“Screaming won’t change anything. In addition, now isn’t the time to have a power struggle for the emperor’s position.” Lebron tried to soothe Edward, but it wasn’t a situation where Edward could be soothed.

“A power struggle? Now... Does it look like I want to be the emperor?!”

“I know you aren’t thinking about it.”

“Yet you said that?”

“That is how your actions seem. It would’ve already spread to the nobles. 1st Imperial Prince Alexander sat on the throne, and 2nd Imperial Prince Edward went to see him, screamed, and was punished.”

“......!!!” Edward’s expression stiffened. He wasn’t a fool. He understood exactly what Lebron was saying.

“And you know... Alexander isn’t obsessed with the throne either. The situation just turned out this way.”

“The situation? Is there something I don’t know?”

“I didn’t know this until recently. The empire is rotten beyond imagination.”

“I know there is a problem with the empire, but I’m not going to ignore procedure to fix it. Don’t take tradition lightly.” Edward shook his head. He knew that the empire wasn’t normal. It was strange for the empire to function properly when the emperor didn’t handle government affairs. However, one couldn’t replace the emperor just because they were an imperial prince.

“It isn’t like that, Edward. It is serious. There are many high-ranking nobles involved. The one year that Alexander mentioned means the deadline to wage a war with them.”

“High-ranking nobles? Earls? Or a marquis?” Edward’s expression stiffened. He never dreamed that even the nobles would have a problem. The status of the high-ranking nobles in the Yusma Empire was that great.

“So stay silent for a year. Don’t go out of the palace and just train. You are next after Alexander,” Lebron said. He made eye contact with Edward and continued, “I don’t know what you think of Alexander, but the Alexander I know is never active. It won’t work if it isn’t you. Once the time comes, you just need to step up.”

“Make me the emperor?” Edward’s expression became strange. To be honest, he had never thought about it.

‘Me as the emperor?’

Alexander, Edward’s older brother, overwhelmed Edward in every way. He naturally thought that Alexander would be the emperor of the empire.

‘It isn’t that bad.’

It felt like he received an unexpected gift.

“Is that possible?”

He couldn’t really believe Lebron’s words. The position of emperor couldn’t be given up so easily. It could only be transferred in unavoidable cases such as death.

“You don’t have to worry about that. It will be solved naturally.”

Alexander had the same concerns as Edward, but he quickly found a solution.

“Alexander and I will cut out the rotten parts of the empire. There will be a lot of blood flowing in the process. The nobles who have seen the whole process naturally won’t have any objection to Alexander being removed from the throne. Then you can step up and become the emperor with the support of the nobles.

Alexander simply had to come down from power, and the problem would end.

“There is no guarantee that Alexander will do that, right?”

However, all of this was only if Alexander gave up the throne. Edward didn’t believe in Alexander very much. To be exact, he knew the magic of the position called the emperor.

“Who knows...? Alexander? Indeed...” Lebron scoffed. Alexander was never like that.

Lebron explained, “He pretends that he isn’t like this, but... Alexander stakes everything on the sword even more than I do. The emperor’s seat is cumbersome...”

Lebron had firm faith in this. It wasn’t that Lebron believed in Alexander; he believed in his own eyes.

“I wish that was the case.” Edward shook his head.

“It seems like you have understood everything, so I will be leaving. I have a lot of work to do.”

After confirming that Edward’s emotions had subsided, Lebron prepared to return. He was so busy that he couldn’t stop.

‘There is no more time to waste here.’

This was enough to soothe that child.

“This is my last piece of advice. Don’t waste your time and train. In the end, all that is left is the one sword in your hand.” Lebron left one last piece of advice to Edward before turning and exiting the palace.

***

Lebron returned to the great hall where Alexander was.

“You came back sooner than I thought. How is it?” Alexander asked.

“I briefly explained it. He seems to be interested in the emperor’s position. I could see greed in his eyes,” Lebron answered.

“That sounds good to hear. I just hope he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

“You will give it to him as long as he is breathing. I don’t think he will get into an accident. He isn’t that stupid.”

“Don’t you know him? He has caused an accident a few times. That is why I attached the knights to him.” Alexander shook his head. Edward wasn’t a fool, but there was definitely an immature part to him.

‘He can’t control his emotions properly.’

Alexander hoped this wasn’t the case, but in his mind, it was already a predetermined fact that Edward would cause an accident. Now he was just thinking about how to handle it well.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. A man entered the great hall where there were only two people. The name of the man who appeared was John Blake, the duke of the empire and the teacher of the two men.

“Your Highness Alexander, what is going on?” John Blake was polite. He would’ve spoken informally if they met at home, but this was the imperial palace. Alexander wasn’t his disciple but the 1st Imperial Prince of the Yusma Empire.

“Teacher, you must now call him Your Majesty, not Your Highness,” Lebron immediately pointed out.

“Your Majesty? It is too early to be called that. The coronation ceremony hasn’t even been held.” John Blake shook his head. The title had to be clear. Alexander was confirmed to be the next emperor, but he wasn’t the emperor yet.

“I don’t care if it is Your Highness or Your Majesty.” Alexander wasn’t offended by John Blake’s words and actions. It wasn’t very important.

“We are going to start a war, Duke,” Alexander said.

“A... war?”

“We have to show the power of the imperial family. It is time to tell them who the master of the empire is.”

“This is premature behavior, Your Highness.”

“It is better to move as soon as possible. If we move step by step, the damage will only increase. We have to blow it up at once.” Alexander raised his hand and pretended to cut his neck.

‘He has already made up his mind.’

The troops might already be moving. In the past, Alexander only went out so decisively after all the preparations were done.

“I will stop the other nobles.” John Blake eventually sided with Alexander.

“Thank you, Duke Blake.” Alexander rose from the throne and walked toward Lebron and John Blake.

“The coronation will be held in Franc, not the capital.” Alexander left the great hall with these words.

‘Ultimately, I made these guys get blood on their hands...’

John Blake looked at Alexander’s disappearing back and couldn’t hide his complicated expression.

“Take good care of His Majesty. Nothing dangerous will happen, but... we should still be cautious.”

“I understand, Teacher.”