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The atmosphere inside the sealed room was utterly bizarre. The 330-square-meter room was divided neatly in two: half of its occupants stood on the east side of the central pillar dressed in snow-white, and the other half stood on the west side wearing pitch-black clothes.
These people were Heimdall’s forty-nine “apostles.” The fiftieth apostle had been killed by Joshua.
“Heimdall is furious,” a man said. He wore a mask marked with an impressively large number one. “I’m sure you all know why even if I don’t tell you. Therefore, I’ll give you all an order.”
Another man snorted. “First Irregular, why should we follow your order?”
“Do you have a problem with that?” The First Irregular asked.
“And if I do?” The man with the mask marked with the number two slowly stepped forward.
The First Irregular curled up one end of his mouth. “Then fight me. Our apostle ranks are decided by one rule: the strongest taking everything. If you don’t like my method, then you can just beat me.”
The First Irregular instantly turned belligerent, releasing an energy that was strong enough to shake the entire sealed room.
“I’m actually glad to hear—”
“Hey, hey, come on! Don’t do this again.” A new man quickly interrupted the conversation between the two.
“Stay out of this, Marco.”
“Jabel, I know you two have a love-hate relationship, but now is not the time,” the third apostle, Marco, amicably advised them.
“A love-hate relationship?” The second apostle growled. “Bullshit…”
“Let’s say the two of you fight in this room. Will Heimdall let it happen when he’s already pissed off?” Marco reminded them.
The second apostle trembled for a moment and shut his mouth.
“By the way, Arietta, didn’t you say you met him in the palace?” Marco asked.
Porth Arietta, the fourth apostle, nodded. “Yes, I did, but most of the people in this room have also met him.”
“How was he?” Marco asked.
“Well…” Porth stroked his chin and grinned as he reviewed the memory. “He’s truly the son of Heimdall.”
“…Your compliment is going too far,” Marco mumbled.
The first apostle frowned. “Watch your mouth, Arietta. You’re talking about a god—it’s meaningless to talk about the son he had before he became a god.”
“I’m just saying.” Arietta shrugged. “In the end, he did make a remarkable accomplishment. Joshua Sanders is now the great hero that ended the war and saved his country. At this rate, it looks like our plan of controlling this country as we like is going to go completely awry.”
“We certainly can’t consider this matter lightly,” Marco agreed. “Who knew one person would change the destiny of the entire continent?”
Arietta’s smile deepened. “Right? This is why I can’t help but mention that he’s Heimdall’s son.”
The more they continued, the heavier the air in the room became… In the end, the first apostle burst into anger.
“Enough!” he roared, and released his tempestuous energy.
“Heimdall will return soon, so we need to restore everything to its original state,” the first apostle said determinedly.
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“How? You must have heard already, but he’s a force to be reckoned with. He even defeated the Crimson Sky and Martial Emperor…” Marco felt the first apostle scowling at him, and added, “No one in this room has figured out the full extent of Joshua Sander’s power.”
“…That is why the four of us should work together on this,” the first apostle suggested.
All the apostles’ eyes widened—they had definitely not expected that.
The First Irregular was known to be as prideful as he was skillful. But he now suggested cooperating…
“Oh, wow, will the sun rise from the west tomorrow?” Marco clapped loudly despite the first apostle giving him a death glare again. “Of course, if the first apostle said so, we should definitely follow.”
“…Silly.” The second apostle snorted and turned his head away.
“I’m telling you that Joshua Sanders is currently our biggest obstacle,” Arietta insisted.
“So do you have a plan in mind?” Marco asked her. “It seems you would need Heimdall’s permission first.”
The first apostle shook his head. “We don’t need to bother Heimdall with this matter.”
“You must have forgotten that Joshua Sanders is his son, regardless of all else,” Marco reminded them.
“It doesn’t matter because I will take full responsibility,” the first apostle quietly said.
Marco’s back straightened in surprise. “In that case…”
“Get to the palace of those vermin who don’t know their place right away. They must be having a festival right now.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” Marco slyly answered, and immediately disappeared from the room.
“Things are taking an interesting turn. It looks like I’ll meet him again.” Arietta said before he left. He sounded genuinely pleased.
The remaining forty five apostles gradually followed them, but not everyone left…
“Are you not going?” the first apostle asked.
“…Promise me,” the second apostle said.
“Promise you what?” The first apostle tilted his head in confusion.
“Once I take down Joshua Sander, you’ll never play boss like this again. It’s ridiculous.”
The first apostle’s eyes turned sharp; he knew how to read the room. If he said that the strongest took everything, things were going to become more complicated. Each apostle had a distinct characteristic, so they were as proud as they were skilled. However, they shared the same goal.
“I promise.” The first apostle nodded.
“…Tsk.” The second apostle lightly clicked his tongue in discontentment, then he left.
The first apostle finally stood alone in the silent, sealed room. His eyes shone coldly, determined to eliminate Heimdall’s son.
Now was the time to rise into the light.
* * *
The sound of footsteps was the only noise disturbing the silence in the chamber.
Who would think that the twenty-year-old man passing by them had brought the two great Stars low and put an end to the long Continental War? He had even regained the lost glory of the Avalon Empire.
“Joshua Sanders…” One noble unintentionally mumbled. Since the chamber was so quiet, his voice sounded thunderously loud.
“It seems he’s changed… Am I mistaken?”
“Right? He’s more… dignified.”
“By the way, shouldn’t we at least act happy? He’s still the hero of our country, but our welcome is…”
“His Highnesses will take care of it.”
All the nobles turned in the same direction.
Kiser managed to smile despite their gazes and stand up from his seat. Just like he had said, he couldn’t let his personal feelings affect his actions as a prince.
“You’ve been through a lot,” he gently said to Joshua. “It must have been a long journey, so why didn’t you use the warp gate…?”
“It was better to make my presence felt in the Empire.” Joshua shrugged.
Kiser was about to praise Joshua again, but flinched. “…Everyone in this country would know of your hard work even if you didn’t do that.”
“The people know, but you don’t.” Joshua looked around the chamber.
“What…?” Kiser frowned slightly.
“Needless to say, you all must have been thinking about gaining more profits, so I just wanted to make my presence felt a little more to stop you from getting any ideas,” Joshua casually informed them.
Kiser squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Despite everything, Kiser couldn’t say anything in reply, because…
“…You’ve proven your loyalty to the country with your deeds. Since you’ve saved the country from a great crisis, it’s obvious that you’re the last person who would consider committing treason. I admit that there have been misunderstandings, so, on behalf of my father and all the members of the imperial family of Avalon, I give you my sincerest apology,” Kiser said.
Joshua smiled coldly. “That’s it? That’s your apology?”
The nobles’ had been standing perfectly still while Joshua conversed with Kiser, but Joshua’s remark made them flinch.
Kiser immediately shook his head. “I’ll make a public statement regarding the imperial family’s mistake and restore your tarnished honor, along with your title and rank. In addition to that… I’ll grant you the peerage of duke. You’ll become Duke Sanders, not Duke Agnus. You’ll hold the same title as your deceased father… I hope this will be enough.”
Joshua glanced around. Judging from how the nobles were calmly standing still, it seemed they had talked it all out.
“…Ha.” Joshua quietly chuckled. “One sows, and another reaps… I guess that saying was made for this kind of moment.”
“…What?” Kiser asked.
Joshua looked straight into Kiser’s eyes and growled, “Don’t mistake yourself, Prince Kiser. You aren’t the emperor of this country or anything else. You’re just an incompetent prince who almost destroyed this country because of your own greed.”
The two princes and all the nobles became petrified by Joshua’s openly revealed hostility.
“Just like I told you, I only want one thing,” Joshua intoned, his monotone voice echoing in the quiet chamber.
It didn’t take long for Joshua to become certain of his decision. No matter how strong he was, he had a goal he couldn’t achieve—the dream of never losing his people again. He didn’t need to look far to know that his subordinates had suffered the moment that Joshua had gone away. Therefore, he now needed the power that no one would so much as think to mess with, not combat power.
What Joshua said next was the perfect method for him to achieve that dream.
“The throne,” Joshua bluntly stated.
A storm of shock hit the princes and nobles, yet someone quietly stood beside Joshua in support of him.
Kiser shook like an aspen leaf after belatedly realizing who that person was. “Du-duke Tremblin…?”
“I, Geschard kon Tremblin, strongly support His Highness the Fifth Prince, Joshua; I welcome his long-awaited return to the palace after his long journey,” Tremblin said.
Joshua’s smile deepened. “If anyone has a problem with this, speak now.”
Joshua had cast his bid for supremacy of the palace of the Avalon Empire as soon as he’d returned.