Chapter 106

Etias read the contents of the letter I handed him with a hardened gaze.

After a moment, he spoke in a cool voice.

“The five allied nations of the Western Continent.”

On the continent, there were more than a dozen countries sharing borders, and Oswell was one of the top five largest empires.

The “five western nations” usually referred to these countries:

Barzenka, Gran Orden, Idhelm, Ramis, and Chen.

Among them, Barzenka and Gran Orden were great empires rivaling Oswell.

The other three were smaller states, but each had its own strengths.

“The top secret the Duke of Elemore tried to give to the Rebel Emperor… it wasn’t the list of your revolutionary army.”

I spoke in a calm voice, feeling my heart pounding.

“This letter was urgent news that the western nations were planning to invade Oswell.”

In the original story, it never reached either the Rebel Emperor or Etias.

The Duke of Elemore had died, and Katrin had been executed.

Most likely, even three years later—after they finished preparing their invasion—Oswell would have faced their armies without knowing anything.

“We must prepare for war quickly.”

I could never accept seeing Etias’s hard-earned empire trampled.

“If not… the empire will be engulfed in the flames of war. So, somehow…”

But now that this letter had been found, I hoped the future could change.

When I bit my lip, fists trembling, Etias—who had been thinking with heavy eyes—spoke.

“Then we must form our own alliance.”

“…What?”

I hadn’t thought of a solution, my mind going blank, but he said it as if it were simple.

“No one on the continent wants the current balance to be broken.”

“…Ah…”

“Especially Yuquibis Holy State, which is on the same level of power as Gran Orden—they hate them for religious reasons. If we reveal their ambitions, Yuquibis will try to stop them with us.”

The letter mentioned “rift mages turned into monsters,” and it was obvious who was controlling them.

Gran Orden was the only country on the continent that openly revered heresy and magic.

As Etias said, Yuquibis despised them and could become an allied force under the pretext of a holy war.

But Yuquibis alone wouldn’t guarantee victory.

“Will other countries help too?”

“We’ll have to reach out, but I believe it’s more possible now than during the Rebel Emperor’s reign.”

The Rebel Emperor had made unfair treaties with small nations around the empire and plundered their wealth.

But after Etias took the throne, Caron had built friendly ties by easing their burdens, earning support for the new emperor.

“And…”

A negotiation—no, a threat—suddenly came to mind, and I spoke.

“If the western nations conquer Oswell, we just need to remind others they’ll exploit them even more, not less.”

At my words, Etias’s lips curved faintly. He leaned closer to my face.

“Yes, this cunning side of you is also charming.”

He smirked at my startled reaction, then straightened and looked at the letter again.

“Judging by the seal, it belonged to Marquis Messes of Barzenka, and the brown-stained parts are definitely blood. He probably delivered this letter to the Duke of Elemore and died soon after.”

“Maybe he was a pacifist trying to stop a continental war.”

Etias nodded.

“Perhaps. In any case, if you hadn’t brought this today…”

My chest trembled at his words.

“…We would never have known what was coming.”

“…I’m glad it’s not too late.”

He set the letter down and looked at me.

“By the way…”

“…Yes?”

“It really was you who started the fire in the Duke of Elemore’s study, wasn’t it?”

The fact, buried until now, made me twitch my fingertips.

“If not, how else would you have known the top secret wasn’t the revolutionary army’s list?”

That was true.

I had burned the entire study to ash, thinking that if only one document went missing, the Rebel Emperor might suspect something.

I gave a small nod to admit it.

“Perhaps it was for the revolutionaries.”

His low voice, paired with his deep gaze on me, made my eyes waver.

‘That’s not it…’

“You’ve always been my savior.”

His eyes, full of emotional turmoil, were fixed on me.

As I felt my heart pounding in rhythm with his gaze—

“Your Majesty.”

Caron’s voice called out.

Only then did I breathe again. Etias smirked slightly and told Caron to come in.

“I heard you have urgent news.”

Etias handed him the letter I had brought and gave a stern order.

“Caron Fernar, use this letter to immediately inform the security ministries of each nation that the continent is in danger.”

Caron, startled, read the letter quickly. His face turned pale.

“I… I will obey at once.”

“And…”

Etias continued with a cold tone.

“Also, send invitations to the grand ball celebrating the new emperor’s coronation. It will be the perfect reason to gather guests from each country.”

Etias’s judgment was swift and precise.

“Furthermore, several months have passed since this letter was written. The enemy’s forces may already have infiltrated the empire to threaten our security—conduct thorough inspections.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Seeing him respond to the crisis without hesitation reminded me why he was truly emperor material.

‘So cool… Etias…’

Light from the tall window softly covered him, as if protecting something sacred.

Caron bowed his head deeply to Etias, then also to me, before leaving.

I looked at Etias.

The fear that had seized me when I first found the letter seemed to melt away.

I felt certain—we could overcome this.

Really, it was a relief we weren’t too late.

“I won’t tell you not to worry.”

His low voice sank into my heart.

“Just…”

He leaned close to me.

His lips, near my ear, spoke in an intimate, gentle tone.

“Trust me.”

I flinched.

Then slowly, Etias pulled away from my ear and looked me in the eye.

His deep gaze held mine as he reached out, gently lifted my hand, and slowly knelt on one knee.

The emperor, in his uniform, lowering himself before me—it startled me enough to step back, but he didn’t let go of my hand.

Then his low voice, filled with strong sincerity, reached me.

“You, and this country you’ve given me—”

“…Your Majesty.”

He brought my hand to his lips.

Heat spread to my cheeks as my heart ached sweetly.

From the thick black hair and shadowed face, the bridge of his nose stood out like a sculpture.

I felt his breath on my skin.

“I will protect them.”

His vivid blue eyes, filled with firm resolve, shone brightly.

Pant, pant—

Heros was talking with the imperial veterinarian about the Duke’s condition when he saw Caron rushing off somewhere in the distance.

“Marquis.”

Heros gave the veterinarian a signal of excuse and raised his voice to call Caron.

“Steward—no, Guildmaster Jeffrey Whistler. What is it?”

Caron stopped and approached Heros.

With a serious face, Heros made a request.

“Please check Quaidon. Reports came in by messenger bird—there seem to be monsters there.”

Quaidon?

Caron looked at Heros and then nodded.

He already knew what kind of organization the Scavengers were, and how formidable their guildmaster was.

If Heros was saying this, there had to be a reason. Trust shone in Caron’s eyes.

“Thank you for this valuable information for the empire.”

Having a man like this as an ally, on the same side—it was a great reassurance.

‘If it weren’t for Lady Elemore, this would have been difficult.’

She was a treasure of the empire.