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“Joshua Sanders has arrived, Your Highness,” Kiser’s guard reported.
Kiser nodded.
“What are you going to do now?” Kaizen, who was standing beside Kiser, asked.
“I’d better talk to him,” Kiser remarked, shrugging.
“With that bastard?” Kaizen growled.
“He might have a different mother, but we share the same blood, right?” Kiser calmly replied.
“You’re bullshitting again!” Kaizen shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t accept that.”
“That doesn’t change the truth that has already been revealed.” Kiser stroked his chin.
“Hey, why don’t we, the real brothers, have a constructive conversation?” Kaizen suggested.
“A constructive conversation?” Kiser repeated, perplexed.
“All the bullshit that he babbles aside, I admit that he has skills and I assume you think the same. Am I right, brother?”
Kiser stayed silent, but Kaizen took that as a tacit agreement.
“We have a variety of choices,” he continued. “We can place his ex-subordinates before him and appeal to his emotions or disqualify him by postponing the time that he would be bestowed with the position. The nobles are still on our side, so he can’t do anything on his own. If we work out our stories, then we have a ton of other methods to stop—”
“What difference would it make?” Kiser interrupted, his eyes turning cold.
“
What?”
“It doesn’t matter if he’s the genius of the century and renowned as the Hero King, he’s still a boy who recently became an adult. If we can’t control him now, would we be able to protect our throne even when one of us becomes the emperor?”
“Only the people who have eaten grilled fish know the taste of grilled fish[1]. He would need to take a seat in order to think of a way to cook the fish, right?” Kaizen shrugged.
“Anyone can eat a grilled fish. They just can’t eat them because they don’t have the fish to grill.” Kiser crossed his arm.
Kaizen’s eyes narrowed. “In the end, Having the right to eat a grilled fish is also a matter of your ability.”
“The important part is how you get the fish, not how you cook the fish. Due to that right, no one taught us how to fish.”
“You’re so frustrating!” Kaizen angrily roared back. “So you’re going to serve the fish that you almost caught to that reckless simpleton because you don’t have the power to pull up the fish even though you threw the bait? Is that what you truly want, brother?”
“Just like you said
 if I’m not capable enough, then I have to.” Kiser shrugged.
“Huh?” Despite his hot temper, Kaizen noticed something was up with Kiser and stopped. He chuckled dumbfoundedly. Kiser’s eyes were vacant as if he had truly given up on everything. It looked like he had become a completely different person over the past several hours.
‘Did something happen in the meantime? But he has been cooping himself up in the colosseum, so nothing could possibly have happened
’ Kaizen thought. But then he flinched when a memory flashed through his mind.
“Or
” Kaizen narrowed his eyes.
Kiser looked askance at Kaizen.
“Did you hear something else from the Magic Tower?” Kaizen asked.
When he heard the words “Magic Tower,” Kiser froze, and Kaizen didn’t miss that.
“I knew it
” Kaizen shook his head.
Kiser bit his lower lip. “
How did you know?”
“Do you think this gigantic palace is only filled up with your people, brother?” Kaizen jokingly said.
“
You’re right.” Kiser nodded.
“Now out with it,” Kaizen urged. “What news in the world could have possibly made my confident brother this timid?”
Kaiser was silent for a moment.
“There’s something going on in the continent.”
“Of course there is.” Kiser shrugged.
“I’m not just talking about Reinhardt,” Kiser added.
Kaizen had been so certain that his prediction was right. Being proven wrong made him frown.
“Then what do you mean?”
“It looks like our Avalon has also become their target,” Kiser explained.
“That was also expected; that was exactly why we needed to stabilize the Empire—”
“I mean we don’t have the time to prepare anymore.”
“
What?” Kaizen flinched.
“I received a report that a large army is moving on the border between our Empire and Reinhardt.”
“What?” Kaizen was the one who froze up this time.
“It’s the southmost border. That’s very far from the downtown area, so I highly doubt that those soldiers are moving to spar with one another.” Kiser sat down in his seat.
“Oh, fuck
” Kaizen unconsciously cursed. “Are you sure the report you received is correct? Why would the Swallow Empire come after us and not the Hubalt Empire? They’re the ones who took Reinhardt
”
Duke Eima, the current occupier of Reinhardt, handed over the city in less than a day, which was much faster than Kaizen had expected.
Kiser nodded. “I repeatedly verified it with Count Gaerman, who protects the borderline area.”
Kaizen was not mollified.
“So why would they go after Avalon?!”
“Tsk.” Kiser clicked his tongue. “Cool down a little, Kaizen.”
“What?” Kaizen growled.
“What are you suggesting we do? Shall we run to them crying and ask them why they are attacking us?” Kiser snapped back.
“That’s—” Kaizen gritted his teeth. He took a deep breath before continuing, “
How big is their army?”
“It’s not perfectly accurate, but
” Kiser bit his lower lip. “There are at least two hundred thousand soldiers.”
“Tw-two hundred thousand?” Kaizen’s jaw dropped.
The Swallow Empire had deployed two hundred thousand soldiers when they brought the Thran Kingdom to the ground. The Swallow Empire would definitely not mobilize that amount of soldiers to just provoke Avalon.
“Are th-they truly
?” Kaizen stuttered.
“On the other side, we have thirty thousand border guards in the area right now, so Duke Tremblin requested more soldiers and permission to go to war,” Kiser calmly explained.
Kaizen’s face brightened up at the mention of Duke Tremblin.
“Of course we should give permission!”
“Do you think that is enough?” Kiser asked.
Kaizen shut his mouth in surprise.
“Reinhardt was not the kind of city to give up easily, so if I consider the very worst scenario, then it would mean that everything was an act and the Swallow and Hubalt Empires formed an alliance...”
Although Kaizen insisted in his mind that it was impossible, he couldn’t help but hold his breath.
“I know Duke Tremblin is the Sword Emperor, but he’s not enough—even the Dark God died because of them.” Kiser sighed.
“Wa-wait, the Hubalt Empire was already betrayed once, so there’s no way that they agreed to form an alliance,” Kaizen desperately refuted.
“You’re right,” a new voice suddenly interjected.
Kiser and Kaizen simultaneously turned their heads and saw Joshua quietly looking at them in front of the door to the first-class seats that had been prepared for high-ranking figures at the top of the colosseum.
Kaizen’s eyes widened. “Wh-when did you
?”
“You shouldn’t ask me that since you’re the one who summoned me here.” Joshua shrugged.
Kaizen wanted to say more but couldn’t, so he mumbled something incomprehensible.
Joshua turned his head to look at Kiser. “You already knew I was here, didn’t you?”
The elder prince nodded. “I ordered my men to let you in as soon as you arrive.”
“Which means?” Joshua asked.
Kiser hesitated for a moment, but spoke with determination.
“I want you to help this Empire. Please depart for the border immediately and assist Duke Tremblin there.”
“Brother!” Kaizen instantly shouted.
“Stay still, Kaizen.” Kiser glared at him.
“But—”
“Are you going to play emperor alone after you lose our country?” Kiser growled.
That was when Kaizen shut his mouth.
“On top of that,” Kiser explained, “Duke Tremblin said he’s not sure if he can stop the enemies alone and requested this.”
“Th-The, Duke Tremblin requested this?” Kaizen questioned.
“That means this is not the time to protect our pride,” Kiser said. He turned to regard Joshua again. “Will you do it?”
Joshua stood silent and unmoving, draping the room in quietude.
“Is that an order?” he finally asked.
“No.” Kiser firmly shook his head. “I’m asking you a favor to stand up for the Avalon Empire, not for me.”
After he had finished speaking, Kiser stood up from his seat and—shockingly—bowed to Joshua.
“B-brother
!” Kaizen stammered, his jaw nearly touching the ground.
“Please...” Kiser was still bowing.
Of course, Joshua wasn’t the kind of person who would readily do Kiser a favor just because he bowed.
“I did hear that no younger brother is better than his older brother[2],” Joshua said, smirking at Kaizen. “And it seems your head is quite heavy, Your Highness.”
“How dare you
!” Kaizen growled.
“Kaizen,” Kiser quietly called.
Kaizen gritted his teeth. “I
 must also ask you for a favor
”
“I can’t hear you very well. Maybe because it’s really loud inside the colosseum
?” Joshua trailed off.
‘That son of a bitch
!’ Kaizen felt the anger boiling up inside him, but he couldn’t show it.
“Please, Joshua Sanders.” Kaizen bowed, biting his lower lip so hard that it was about to bleed.
Joshua finally smiled.
‘This isn’t a bad method.’
Since he had found Lugia’s trail, he had to leave anyway, so before he did that

“I’ll go to the border,” he said, nodding.
Kiser’s head jerked up; he hadn’t expected Joshua to agree to do it so easily.
“Are you serious?”
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
“I want to request two things in return,” Joshua said.
“
Go on.” Kiser gestured for him to continue.
“First of all, I want to visit His Majesty’s chambers.”
Kiser squinted at him. “When you talk about the chamber, you mean
?”
“I’m talking about His Majesty’s bedroom,” Joshua explained, “which even you can’t enter, Your Highnesses.”
Kaizen almost blew his top.
“Are you serious—!?”
However, Kiser quite raised his hand to stop Kaizen.
“Okay, I’ll see to it so you can enter the room as soon as you return.”
“No.” Joshua shook his head. Kiser tilted his head in confusion.
“I want this done immediately,” Joshua insisted.
“You mean
” Kiser trailed off.
“I want to enter the room before I head off to the border.”
“
 I'll see to it.” Kiser nodded.
Although he wasn’t sure what Joshua was thinking, Kiser had already decided that he was going to grant every request Joshua made. Besides, there was no reason for Kiser to not show him the bedroom; even if it held significance, it had lost its owner.
“What is your other request?” Kiser prompted.
“If I safely return after I get the job done
” Joshua quietly said, looking straight into Kiser’s eyes.
“If you safely return?” Kiser repeated.
“I want you to publicly announce that I’m one of the Brittens.”
“That’s
” Kiser had to hesitate after he heard Joshua’s second request. If Joshua was actually a Britten or not didn’t matter because Kiser was the First Prince—so if he announced that, he was officially acknowledging Joshua as his competitor. It was obvious what would happen afterward.
“It’s absolutely impossible!” Kaizen shouted.
Joshua paid no mind to Kaizen.
“You haven’t already forgotten what you said, have you?” Joshua said, quietly pressuring Kiser.
Kiser’s eyes widened.
“There is no emperor without his country,” Joshua reminded him.
“
Alright.” Kiser nodded.
“What do you mean, ‘alright,’ you bastard brother?!” Kaizen shouted.
Meanwhile, Joshua smiled contentedly and turned away.
“Are you going to leave right away?” Kiser asked.
“It’s an urgent matter,” Joshua replied.
Kiser’s expression changed slightly.
“Why don’t you meet Kaiser if you’re going to drop by the palace?”
Joshua came to a halt.
“By now, he must be with a guest whom you would be glad to meet,” Kiser informed him with a shrug.
After a moment of silence, Joshua simply answered, “I’ll do that.”
Then he walked away from the first-class seats.
1. The metaphor started from the Korean idiom. It means people who are used to something can easily do it again. ☜
2. It’s an old saying in Korea. It’s not really used anymore. ☜