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“Your Highness, why did you go that far?”
Kiser was in hot water as soon as he returned to the council chamber. The nobles on his side immediately started criticizing Kiser’s announcement.
The only reason they had survived was that they had happened to be away from the capital at the time of the massacre.
“The public’s opinion of the Britten family has dropped severely.”
“You gave an Imperial Order to Joshua Sanders to kill his own father? Everyone is pointing fingers at the Imperial Family for your cruelty.”
The Imperial Family’s public image was already bad because the devastation of the citizens’ lives was primarily caused by the two princes. However, the citizens weren’t trying to distinguish who was right or wrong—they just needed someone to take out their anger on.
“The prestige of the Imperial Family has been dragged through the mud. There are over a thousand Imperial Knights, but they needed the Martial God’s help in dealing with a single man, the former Duke of Agnus…”
“That is not the only problem. The nobles want to send their own investigators to investigate the massacre further.”
Kiser finally sighed. “Someone has to take the responsibility in the end.”
“Your Highness, you need to be strong. It’s obvious how the other nobles are going to react after they’ve lost the heads of their families. If they direct their anger at us—”
“Kaizen is dead,” Kaiser interrupted.
“…Yes, that’s right. You are the only legitimate heir to the throne, Your Highness.”
“No, there is one more.”
The noble’s eyes widened. However, Kiser wasn’t even looking in his direction anymore.
“…Here is what we’re going to do,” the Prince stated. “His Majesty, Kaizen, and over a hundred nobles officially were slaughtered by the previous Duke of Agnus and a group of unidentified assassins named ‘Heimdall’. Burn all the bodies before the nobles dispatch their investigators.”
A storm of shock hit the nobles in the council chamber.
“Yo-Your Highness, but…”
“They won’t believe us, but they won’t be able to pry any further since His Majesty and Kaizen are dead. Of course, the nobles will also lose all faith in the Imperial Family…” Kiser trailed off with a faint smile. “...but that’s only going to happen if a Britten takes the throne.”
“Yo-Your Highness, wait—”
Kiser nodded. “Yes, I’ll take responsibility. The next heir to the throne can be Joshua Sanders, the Martial God and my aunt’s son. Besides, he’s the hero who took down the leader of the assassins.”
“Your Highness!”
“I now know the truth, and everything has to be straightened out. However, I don’t have the right to do so when I turned the Empire into this mess.” Kiser relaxed, as if a great burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. “The citizens are in need of a capable leader now more than ever. If both candidates have the right to inherit the throne, it’s only right that the more skilled one rule over this Empire.”
Footsteps suddenly echoed off the walls of the chamber.
“…Here comes the protagonist,” Kiser mumbled. ”The man that will take the throne.”
“The Martial God!”
Even the nobles that had remained silent turned to look. Serciarin was beside Joshua too, although she didn’t look good.
“Master!”
“Joshua!”
Kiser’s smile deepened. “You two look great together. Besides, the citizens will accept you as the next emperor after you relieve their anxiety, but too many people witnessed what actually happened for us to be able to hide the truth from the other nobles too. Of course, I’m sure you’ll take care of that, won’t you? He got rid of all the trash that needed to be taken care of anyway, so don’t think of it as trouble.
“Joshua Sanders, take the throne. Everyone will accept a member of the Imperial Family with the title of Martial God as the next emperor.”
Cain repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists; it seemed like he had a lot to say. On the other hand, Charles was looking back and forth between Cain and Joshua with her hands clutched against her chest. Meanwhile, the Auxiliary Battalion’s knights were looking at Joshua with worried eyes.
Joshua’s eyes widened as Cain suddenly knelt down in front of him in addition to pressing his fist against his chest as he normally did—an honor reserved only for the emperor of Avalon.
“I genuinely didn’t expect the day I would salute to you like this would come, master,” Cain said.
“Cain, I haven’t…”
“It’s for the people. Besides, haven’t you already publicly declared that you’ll become the next emperor? Or do you really want another civil war to break out? A duke’s bastard became an emperor,” Cain mumbled with a mischievous grin. “Isn’t my investment a total success? Let me live gloriously now, master.”
Of course, neither the surviving nobles nor the Imperial Knights could say anything else. Since the Crown Prince had accepted Joshua as the next emperor, the nobles and knights’ lips were sealed. Merely questioning would be treated as treason.
“Your Majesty.”
Cazes and Ranger approached and stood on each side of Joshua, then knelt with their backs to the throne.
“Take the throne.”
* * *
Everything was sorted out quickly—it needed to be for the greater good. Avalon’s citizens were tired because of the long civil war. Surprisingly, the nobles didn’t resist much since most of the noble family heads that opposed Joshua had been slaughtered by Emperor Marcus. It also kept Icarus, the new military advisor, busy.
“You! Have you dispatched a delegation to the Hubalt Empire?” Icarus shouted.
The other strategists that had been busily walking around the room answered one by one.
“Yes, I have!”
“A delegation has been dispatched to the Swallow Empire too!”
“To the other kingdoms too!”
“When you make up a delegation, you need to assign the nobles that are higher-ranking than a count, so that the other countries won’t feel like they’re being looked down upon!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Following Icarus’s order, all the strategists moved in perfect order; they knew that Icarus, the next emperor’s long-time strategist, was going to be the new power here. Of course, there was one person who looked at the sight with discontent. It was Zegar, the ex-military advisor and the Duke of Reye.
“Military Advisor Icarus…” Zegar quietly said.
“Ah, Your Grace,” Icarus replied. “You were still here?”
A vein bulged on Zegar’s forehead. “Do you really have to send a delegation in time like this?”
“My, I explained already. Just let me deal with it. You aren’t technically a military advisor anymore…”
Although Icarus said the last sentence in a barely audible whisper, there was no way Zegar would miss it.
“Ugh…! I’m asking if we really need to bother sending a delegation!”
“It’s our future emperor’s glorious coronation day. Of course we need to dispatch them,” Icarus said as if it was given.
“Other countries are already busy as hell since they haven’t finished taking care of the Continental War’s aftermath,” Zegar refuted.
“Do you really not get it?”
“What…?”
“The leaders of the countries that we sent the delegations have legitimacy—like Emperor Cerona of the Swallow Empire and the pope of the Hubalt Empire—and they’re all against the Continental War. We need to accept their legitimacy and quickly declare the complete cessation of the Continental War, don’t we?”
Icarus’s wise words instantly shut Zegar down.
“…You’ve already planned that far?”
Icarus smiled. “Of course; I’m Icarus, the first strategist of the Sanders Family.”
* * *
A month later, a loud fanfare echoed through the air. Brilliant magic fireworks joined it, beautifully decorating the sunny sky. Today was a day that would go down in the history of the Avalon Empire. Delegations had arrived from the other countries to celebrate the coronation, despite the chaotic state of affairs in their homelands. Ulabis and Lilith, the two most powerful people in the Swallow and Hubalt Empires, even came personally to the coronation ceremony.
Before the eyes of the world, Joshua, the star of this coronation, walked down the long red carpet that extended beyond the wide-open palace gates to the platform in the great plaza of Arcadia.
“He’s handsome.”
“When was he not?”
“I really didn’t think he would become the great emperor. Shall I try seducing him since I’m here?”
“Wake up. He’s become a man beyond our reach.
“Well, I’m quite popular in the Hubalt Empire, so wouldn't I still have a chance?”
While Lilith and Ulabis bantered, Joshua had reached the platform.
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“Woahhhh!!!!”
The citizens of Avalon shouted thunderously as Joshua slowly reached his hand out to the gold crown that shone with a brilliant gravitas.
‘Emperor…’
Many memories flashed through Joshua’s mind. There was still a lot on his mind, and he didn’t think this was the end. In fact, he was just getting started now. He was going to protect his people and build his own empire. He wouldn’t let anyone take anything from him—not again.
‘No matter what.’
Joshua set his jaw and grabbed the crown.
“Woowwwwww!”
The crowd’s earsplitting cheers rolled over him.
* * *
On the last day of Year 728 of the Continental calendar, Joshua Sanders became the 52nd emperor of the Avalon Empire.
* * *
The end of 《The Legendary Spearman’s Return》