He assisted the empress and stood at the forefront of the rebellion, ruthlessly issued a warrant for Sanbete under the pretext of buying weapons, causing significant economic turmoil in the empire.

In the process, three aristocrats were murdered by him, and many knights also met their deaths.

Lastly, without declaring war and without any provocation directly related to the rebellion, he attacked Landhill, causing substantial property and personnel damage in the territory. Moreover, he even recruited mercenaries from a foreign country, considered illegal within the empire.

“Execute him.”

Count Grandel was executed right there on the spot.
Darkness had already fallen over Jakohehna Square.

Even though his death alone was enough to instill anxiety in the empress and her kin, who were already trapped in the palace, it added restlessness.

Grandel was the central figure of the war to make Anthony Marquis a crown prince and the irreplaceable pillar of the empress.

When Count Grandel breathed his last breath, the crowd demanded more vehemently to pull the empress out of the palace. However, until midnight, the empress did not show herself in Jakohehna Square.

Carson now thought he had to end the situation with his own hands. If people here got more excited, it would eventually lead to bloodshed.

Just as Carson was preparing to enter the palace himself to pull out the empress, a man who seemed to be a deputy of the Imperial Knights hurriedly came to him.

“The empress is not to be found.”

Carson frowned at the unbelievable news.

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not in the empress’s palace. It seems like she has fled.”

He glanced at the people. He felt the imperial citizens watching him with sudden changes in the situation. Carson tried to maintain a composed expression as much as possible.

When Carson climbed to the highest point on the large platform set up in the square, the voices of the people that had been roaring suddenly subsided.

He took a deep breath and stood straight.

“I am the eighth prince of this country, the lord of Landhill, which has been unified with Lezonia, and the new marquis of Monstera, Carson von Raymond.”

As Carson shouted loudly, everyone’s eyes sparkled, focusing on him. No matter how many people of the aristocracy gathered, they never used honorifics towards the common people.

“I am now standing at the highest place, but I carry the feelings of the lowest.”

As he raised his voice towards the people, sighs could be heard here and there.

Carson spoke loudly, and even sighs could be heard here and there as he conveyed his feelings to the people. He continuously stopped the attacks of Puddifin, who had constantly threatened Monstera, and was the only key to boost the empire’s economy through the railroad.

Moreover, Carson appeared, and the internal conflict where people killed each other came to a halt. He also distributed grains to the starving.

Although incompetent, he was the only crown prince recognized by the compassionate emperor and the perfect son of God under the protection of the temple.

Carson von Raymond was, in fact, the emperor himself, whom the imperial citizens most desired at the moment.

“I lost my mother at the hands of the empress, almost lost my only intact blood, my younger sister, who is the sole princess. Also, though we are half-siblings, many brothers were killed by the empress.”

When Carson reached out to Noah, who was standing behind him, he handed over a long scroll about the height of a person to Carson.

Without hesitation, he unfolded it. It didn’t take much time for the people to recognize that the painting in Carson’s hands was the empress’s portrait.
“The empress fled in the face of all the demands and anger of the people.”

As Carson spoke, a rising murmur grew louder, and shouts of resentment erupted from various places. Carson gestured for his knights to grip the painting from both sides.

Drawing a sword from his waist, Carson raised it before the people.

“This is the sword that the former emperor wielded when founding the Kanez Empire.”

With his words, a long blade emerged from the scabbard. People, even though it was just an object, focused on Carson’s words again, looking at the gleaming double-edged sword.

“Today, the empress abandoned the castle and fled, but right here and now, we will condemn her for all her sins.”

Lifting the sword high, Carson immediately swung it towards the empress’s portrait.

The sound of the torn portrait echoed like the screams of those facing execution. In that moment, through the torn portrait, Carson glimpsed a familiar face.

“Ines…?”

His words were like a whisper, unheard even by those standing nearby. The familiar figure of the woman and the sound of the paper tearing disappeared into the cheers of the crowd.

Dismissing it as a mere illusion, Carson refocused on the present.

Swinging the sword back to his side, he adjusted his attire. Brushing his hands through his hair and straightening his posture, Carson faced the crowd. Responding to his actions, the people began chanting his name.

“Carson, Carson, Carson!”

Reaching out, Carson silenced the crowd. After a brief pause, he flashed a confident smile, his golden eyes resembling the face of a self-proclaimed king.

“I, Carson von Raymond, hereby declare that I will offer sacrifices at the Heclethia Temple, receiving the spirits of the past emperors and leading the empire.”

Simultaneously with his declaration, the high priest stepped forward and knelt before him.