Norman went to the emperor’s chambers, guided by a servant of the Tane main palace. He saw the emperor about to enter the breakfast room in the corridor.

“Your Majesty!”

Norman walked past the servant without waiting for him to announce him to the emperor, approaching Kazan. Only after seeing the troubled expression of the chief servant standing next to the emperor did he place his bent arm in front and touch his forehead to it.

“I greet Your Imperial Majesty.”

Kazan did not know who he was. The rude man had not even given his name.

“Who are you?”

Norman thought the emperor knew him but was pointing out the proper etiquette for greetings.

“Norman, eldest son of the Lasbur viscounty, greets Your Imperial Majesty.”

Just in case, he added.

“I am the eldest brother of Empress Pamila.”

Come to think of it, his hair was a reddish color close to orange. The emperor gestured to a servant to show him to the reception room. The servant guided Norman to the reception room.

Kazan went to the breakfast room and slowly ate his formal meal, starting with an aperitif as usual, while being attended to by maids. Kazan tilted his head and looked at the face of the maid who was setting the cutlery and serving the dishes with neat white fingers.

“How old are you?”

The emperor asked, gazing intently at the maid who was cutting bread into bite-sized pieces and placing cheese, salad, and caviar on the plate.

“I will be twenty-five in the fall.”

About Patricia’s age.

When Patricia, who had reportedly escaped from Pana Castle, was brought in by the imperial guards wearing a light blue dress instead of armor and uniform, Kazan was surprised as if he was seeing Aldisha. The image of Patricia suddenly came to mind, and he regretted not having been a proper father.

Twenty-five years old. Today is Pamila’s birthday, gulp.

He swallowed.

“Come to my chambers tomorrow and serve me.”

The maid was so shocked her knees almost buckled, but she gritted her teeth and bowed her head.

“I will obey Your Majesty’s command.”

Kazan picked up the caviar dish with his hand and ate it slowly, as if savoring the savory taste. He grabbed the chin of the maid who was trembling with her slender shoulders while keeping her head bowed, stared at her with a hungry gaze, then roughly lowered his hand.

“Bring tea to the reception room.”

Norman was furious when the emperor, whom he thought would invite him to breakfast together, turned him away.

Usually, he enjoyed alcohol, meat, and women until dawn in the Luken alley, the stronghold of the Lasbur merchant guild, but last night he had repeatedly drunk Atrazhan, Tane’s liquor, while waiting for Pamila at Pyrofe Palace. Early in the morning, a boy came to wake him up, and he hurriedly washed and came to the emperor without eating even a piece of fruit.

While the emperor enjoyed his breakfast, Norman sat alone in the reception room and devoured all the finger food that came with the tea.

After eating dry pastries and sweet bean-filled bread on an stomach made bitter by the strong liquor, his insides churned and grumbled even more.

The emperor received a cigar handed to him by a servant, smelled its aroma, then took a deep puff, sucking it in so deeply his cheeks hollowed.

Kazan savored the unique aroma of the cigar seeping into his body, which was immune to poison and hallucinations.

His naturally strong body recovered quickly without any addiction or withdrawal symptoms. Today, Kazan’s body felt excellent and his mind was clear.

He slowly exhaled the cigar smoke that had circulated through his lungs and asked about the purpose of the early morning visit.

Norman relayed Pamila’s message that had been delivered by the rat boy from Binen.

‘She must be anxious.’

Kazan assumed Pamila was fretting about the birthday celebration being canceled. He could picture it without seeing it. She would be berating the coachman and beating the maids who accompanied her.

“I see. So, have you started gold mining in Karsik?”

Norman’s eyes lit up at Kazan’s question.

“The Karsik officials are extraordinarily picky. There’s a lot they demand before we can start mining.”

After concluding the contract with the Lasbur merchant guild, the Karsik Empire’s foreign minister and administrator sent various official documents.

They said they would grant mining permits only when requirements were met, such as expanding facilities for workers, submitting work uniforms and safety devices, and submitting safety training guidelines for mining workers.

Unlike the Kingdom of Torun, where the Lasbur merchant guild was leading the mining of garnet pyrophyllite, the related paperwork was easily more than 10 times as much.

“Have you met the Karsik emperor?”

“No, not yet.”

“I hear the emperor there makes decisions after persistent discussions in something called a round table conference. You should hurry. Don’t waste time on building auxiliary facilities during the 5-year mining period. If you gain the Karsik emperor’s trust and obtain an extension of the mining period or expand the mining area, I won’t overlook your efforts.”

Not overlooking his efforts meant… bestowing a title?

Norman’s face flushed with excitement. Kazan could see right through Norman. But he had no intention of simply throwing him what he wanted by saying, “Yes, here you go.”

“The empress will become empress consort from today, so you should also learn more about imperial etiquette.”

Empress consort? Norman’s breath caught, but remembering the words to learn imperial etiquette, he restrained his expression of emotion first.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so.”

*

Patrick, who went to the Gratia Hall, the grand banquet hall of Tane’s main palace, nodded to Gluck, the guard captain guarding the entrance, and entered the hall. Eden followed behind him.

Gluck, as Patrick’s man, allowed entry to kings and dukes without invitations, as well as Count Retman, Count Akaban, Pamuk Valenti of Torun, the illegitimate son of Marquis Romanier, including Boss Binen and Roan, and the blind old woman of the Heun tribe, even with fake invitations and without checking the guest list.

After a brief commotion, Emperor Kazan, wearing a golden crown, royal scepter, and red cloak, walked down the corridor.

He entered accompanied by imperial guards and Prince Chris. Kazan went to the seat of honor in the hall.

The nobles, including Duke Parse who had arrived earlier, all stood up and bowed, waiting for the emperor to be seated.

Kazan briefly scanned the hall and said with a frown.

“I see some uninvited guests?”

As if waiting for this moment, Gluck announced in a booming voice.

“His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of the Karsik Empire!”

Harchen bowed to Emperor Kazan and then went to stand next to Patrick. Kazan sensed the uneasy atmosphere from the expressions of the uninvited kings and dukes and the Karsik emperor.

Kazan lowered his right hand and gripped the sword between the folds of his cloak.

At that moment, Patrick stood up.

“May I have your attention. I am Patrick, Crown Prince of Tane. I hereby declare the dissolution of the imperial noble council to decide on the deposition of the Tane emperor and the punishment of the empress, and announce the convening of an imperial people’s assembly including commoner nobles and imperial citizens.”

“Waaaah…!”

The shout became the fuse.

Seven kings and Tane noble youths stood up behind the standing Patrick, along with young men who had agreed to follow Patrick’s will.

Prince Chris, who had been looking around as he entered the hall following Kazan, also stood up in an awkward posture.

Clang clang clang, clang clang.

Emperor Kazan drew the sword sharpened by Prince Chris II and aimed it at Patrick’s neck.

Clang clang clang.

At the same time, Harchen drew his sword and put it to Emperor Kazan’s neck.

Then Eden, Calip, and Lean drew their swords and surrounded Kazan, pointing them at him.

Clang clang clang.

Dozens of Emperor Kazan’s imperial guards surrounded Harchen’s group. The grand banquet hall, Gratia Hall, suddenly fell silent as if frozen. Those gathered covered their mouths with fans or gloved hands.

The sword blades unfolded in layers around Patrick, Kazan, and Harchen shone in the tense silence.

“Haah, Patrick. You?”

“Your Majesty. If you call it rebellion, so be it. However, my purpose is to eradicate the corruption scattered throughout Tane and rebuild a new Tane Empire. Your Majesty and the empress have condoned far too many misdeeds and committed evil acts.”

Kazan could not comprehend why Harchen of Karsik was pointing a sword at him. Patrick’s knight, Eden. The knights of the Karsik emperor.

All these people follow the will of that weak Patrick?

“So… Patrick, what are you trying to do now. Karsik emperor, now.”

Kazan could not concentrate, as if standing on the slope of a crumbling mountain.

“Harchen, are you now to me?”

Harchen said coldly with an expressionless face.

“If you resist Patrick’s will and refuse to abdicate, I formally request a duel.”

Kazan looked at Duke Parse with fierce eyes. Fortunately, Duke Parse was pointing his sword at Harchen’s group along with the imperial guards.

‘Yes, Duke Parse and Pamila were right. Patrick, you bastard.’

“Why should I, who am still hale and hearty… But why you too, Harchen?”

Kazan could not accept it.

“The crime of a cruel father who dragged my wife, Patricia, to the battlefield in armor since she was a young girl. That’s a price I want to pay.”

Harchen slashed the air steeply with his sword and then put it back to Kazan’s neck.

“I formally request a duel at the time the Tane Imperial People’s Assembly ends.”

Kazan could not refuse the Karsik emperor’s duel request in front of so many people. He was once the war-mad Emperor Kazan who had dyed the continent of Arkan red with blood flowing from his sword.

“I accept the Karsik emperor’s duel.”

Harchen lowered the sword that had been aimed at Emperor Kazan’s neck.

“Waaaah. The Karsik emperor has requested a duel!!”

“A duel between the Tane emperor and the Karsik emperor!!!”

A boy with a horn threw pre-prepared papers into the air and blew his horn.

Then Patrick grabbed and lowered the wrist of Emperor Kazan, who was aiming his sword at Patrick’s neck. Having accepted the duel, Emperor Kazan could not swing his sword now.

“I propose the deposition of His Imperial Majesty.”

“Waaaah, it’s Crown Prince Patrick’s rebellion!!!”

“He has called for the deposition of His Imperial Majesty!!!”

Another boy with a horn threw papers into the air and shouted.

Next to the boy blowing one horn, another boy blowing a different horn threw papers and left Gratia Hall. Another horn-blowing boy threw papers and went outside the palace, to Burk Central Station.

On the last day of August, 989 in the Karsik Imperial calendar, 773 in the Tane Imperial calendar, the end of summer. A rebellion broke out led by Patrick, Crown Prince of Tane.

Patrick Calian Evas declared the convening of a Tane Imperial People’s Assembly to proclaim a new imperial authority for the Tane Empire.

An impromptu Imperial People’s Assembly trial was held to eradicate corruption in Tane. The Imperial People’s Assembly trial was conducted by Count Retman and Pamuk Valenti.

Documents handwritten by Patrick, Count Akaban, and Pamuk Valenti at Count Retman’s territory, outlining the significance of the Imperial People’s Assembly and methods and basic laws for laying its foundation, were distributed to the people gathered in Gratia Hall and to the horn-blowing boys.

“The delegation bringing the Karsik emperor’s reply was ambushed by someone in the border county, and the beheaded bodies were dumped on part of the border county fortress wall. The mastermind behind this incident is Pamila Lasbur.”

The hall stirred at Count Retman’s calm voice. The staged assassination of the imperial delegation was not known to the capital’s nobles, and the incident had been buried.

“I will call Empress Pamila Lasbur as the first defendant.”

Patrick stood up, looked around the hall, and answered.

“Pamila Lasbur is dead.”