Chapter 27: 26

Bang! Thud!

At that moment, a loud explosion erupted and the palace gate broke apart. Senior vassals quickly ran away during this unexpected situation. 

Soon, dozens of the Imperial Knights wearing armors jumped in from the side gate of the palace and drew their swords to protect the Emperor.

“It is treason!”

“Protect the Emperor!”

With the spring sunlight shining, a gray-haired old man wearing shabby clothes entered the place. His body was normal size and his face looked normal. Yet, he was relaxed and beating the dust off his clothes with his hands at the palace where the Emperor and his senior vassals were present.

But the Imperial Knights, protecting the Emperor, were not relaxed. Actually, they were anxious and frightened. The swords in their hands were trembling.

This old man wearing shabby clothes and looking completely normal was the Grand Duke Cloud. 

“In an enormous empire, there’s a lot of enemies.”

The Emperor rose from his throne by instinct. Nobody knew why the Grand Duke Cloud was angry but still, if the Emperor said something wrong right now, he would be beheaded. Sixty years ago, the Grand Duke Cloud beheaded Tyrant Rotfuze after breaking into the Imperial Palace protected by 100,000 Imperial Guards and Knights. He’s the strongest swordsman in the world.

“Grand Duke, what are you talking about?”

“Why haven’t you told me?”

With his eyes full of murderous spirits, he stepped slowly forward. The marble floor was cracking in every step. The Emperor stood up from his throne and stepped back. 

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think I can live for thousands of years?”

“······.”

“Then, do you think this empire will last thousands of years?”

“······.”

“What are you going to do after I die? How could you let such a talented person, who’s sent from Heaven, get murdered?”

“Who are you talking about?”

Grand Duke Cloud shook his head.

“Even though the empire is enormous, there are only a few talented people. After I die, how will you defend against the great Orc hero Grolmogg? And who do you think can nip treasons and revolts in the bud?” 

“Well, still we have nearly 40 Master Swordsmen in this empire.”

Grand Duke Cloud made a worrisome smile.

“Haha. People say that Master Swordsmen could fight against 10,000 swordsmen. But actually they have no idea what they’re talking about. 40 Master Swordsmen? Unfortunately, they are a piece of cake for Grolmogg.”

“Are you serious?”

“Why did you let Yan die? That kid was the only one who could take over my role.”

The Emperor quickly waved his hand. He now realized that Grand Duke Cloud came to ask about Yan’s death.

“Grand… Grand Duke, I also feel really sad about Yan’s death but there’s nothing I could do. Yan, my nephew, wreaked havoc in the Great Temple of Divinum and before I knew it, the Great Flaming Saintess gave him God’s punishment. If I could save him, I would’ve done it for sure. He’s the son of my only little sister. How could have I turned away from him if there’s anything I could do?”

“Oh, that’s the real story?”

As the hand of the Grand Duke Cloud accidentally touched the hilt, the Emperor was terrified.

“Grand Duke…! I will recruit young and talented swordsmen from all over the empire. Among them, there will certainly be a few who are as good as Yan. Then you can find and train them into the pillars of this empire. Don’t you think it’s a nice plan?”

Grand Duke Cloud laughed hollowly.

“It’s not that a genius swordsman can become a Master Swordsman. Only those who find their own path could become a Master Swordsman. That’s why it’s considered impossible to become a Master Swordsman for those who are under forty.”

“What do you mean? I can’t understand at all.”

Grand Duke Cloud smiled with murderous spirits. 

“Do you think I had murdered only one emperor?”

The Emperor felt eerie.

“Well…”

“And do you know why the Great Emperor Siegfried died so early?”

“I have no idea.”

“Then I will tell you why. To become a Master Swordsman, one should cry out with tears of blood during the time of horrible adversity. How could a mere genius understand my teaching? We have our own way of communication!” 

After the shout out, the Grand Duke Cloud walked towards the Emperor very closely and drew his sword which was still inside its sheath. 

“The Grand Duke! How could you behave so rude in front of His Majesty!”

Grand Duke Cloud stopped walking for a moment and stared at Grand Duke Carl with weird eyes.

“Ah, Grand Duke Carl.”

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“Of course, you know who I am.”

“You raised a great son. Yet, how could you let your son of a very young age become a Master Swordsman? Tut, tut.”

Hearing such a strange comment, the Grand Duke Carl got red in the face.

“That’s a rude comment!”

“You are a man of integrity as I heard. But I am still not sure whether you have an evil intention or you just don’t know what you are doing…”

After finishing his sentence, the Grand Duke Cloud glanced at the Emperor who’s hiding behind the Grand Duke Carl. 

“What do you mean?”

“You are the one who’s in the greatest danger. In fact, the Kingdom of Carl was most difficult to conquer after all.”

Grand Duke Carl’s eyes were shivering. His family was descendants of the Kingdom of Carl which was conquered by the Grand Duke Cloud.

“That’s totally ridiculous! I will always be loyal to the Imperial Family of the Yorsahim Empire.”

“Haha. That’s not something you can decide.”

“What? How could you!”

Grand Duke Cloud turned around.

“Human life is like a river. So when people encounter adversity, they bend in many directions. Haha.”

“Grand Duke!”

“Grand Duke. Just keep one thing in mind.”

“What?”

“The river flows and eventually it reaches the sea. So, don’t bend too much.”

“······.”

With a smile on his face, the Grand Duke Cloud walked for a little while. Then he poked his sword, which was still inside its sheath, on the marble floor. And he yelled at the Emperor even without turning around.

“I will give you three years! Prepare a million troops as well as money and resources to wage two years of war. Then I will go to the Orc Plain and behead Grolmogg. Do you understand me?”

The Emperor’s face got lean. Preparing a million troops was almost impossible even though his empire was enormous. He might be able to recruit soldiers forcibly but military costs were astronomical and he had no idea how to make that kind of money.

“A million? That’s impossible without the proactive cooperation of the other aristocrats.”

“Then tell me if there are any aristocrats who refuse to cooperate. I will meet them and ask for help earnestly.”

It sounded scarier than a murder threat. The Emperor nodded his head back and forward several times.

“Then I will try.”

“I am not kidding you. Three years later, one of two men will be beheaded. Either Grolmogg or an incompetent emperor.

The Emperor got white as a sheet. He had no other option. He must prepare a million troops and war funds.

“Oh, I understand… I will prepare the troops for sure.”

“Okay then. I will trust you and leave now.”

Walking out of the palace, the Grand Duke Cloud sighed quietly. The fate of the empire was on the brink of ruin and those in powers were completely free from care.

‘Grolmogg…’

Orcs worshipped power and followed those who’re strong. Orcs had already gathered their strength under the great hero Grolmogg and were on the alert for an opportunity to invade Yosrahim Empire’s territory. Yet the reason they hadn’t made their move was because Grolmogg was wary of the Grand Duke Cloud.

But unfortunately, the Grand Duke Cloud was slowly dying right now. Mana in his body was diminishing day by day and his strength was getting weaker so much. At this rate, he could not stay strong for another ten years.

Of course, if he became a Soul Master, he could recover all his strength but after trying for the past 60 years, he drew a conclusion that it’s impossible for humans who had never seen spirits and experienced their effects.

It seemed that soon he might have to answer the call from God.

‘Yan… if he were alive…’

Unlike other Master Swordsmen, Yan achieved an accomplishment of becoming a Master Swordsman right after turning the legal age. It would never have been possible if he had not been deeply enlightened after overcoming difficult adversity. In other words, he understood the true way of life which was beyond the dimensions of swordsman philosophy. In fact, even much bigger philosophical logic could not explain what had happened to Yan.

With Yan, there was a chance to overcome the current crisis because he could understand the teachings of the Grand Duke Cloud. If the Grand Duke Cloud passed down all the learnings in his life and concealing his death afterward, the Yosrahim Empire could buy a significant time to prepare for a war against Orcs. As Grolmogg had also lived the same as the Grand Duke Cloud, he would know what kind of swordman Yan was. Grolmogg would certainly be intimidated a lot by Yan’s existence.

Meanwhile, the Lumen Kingdom’s Elpane Cydes who’s one of Three Great Continental Swordsmen could keep Grolmogg in check. Once Yan successfully became a Mind Master, Grolmogg would be in huge trouble again. Even for Grolmogg, it’s very tough to fight alone against two Mind Masters.

However, Yan never had a chance to bloom and died very young. What a lamentable death for the Grand Duke Cloud. Now if he died in this circumstance, everything would be over. Elpane Cydes, who’s a low-rank Mind Master, could never fight alone against Grolmogg who’s a high-rank Mind Master in full maturity and became a Berserker.

Fortunately, three Great Saintesses on the side of the Power of Light had recently descended. But it’s just a stopgap measure. Even though these Great Saintesses owned Sacred Weapons, they could not defend themselves from Grolmogg who could weaponize all the objects around him and throw swords from places others couldn’t see.

That’s why only a Mind Master could fight against another Mind Master. The Seven Sacred Weapons were just symbolic stuff. They were only useful when massacring those who’re weak.

Now, there’s only one option left. Despite suffering huge damage, the Grand Duke Cloud himself should lead troops into the Northern Orc Plains and behead Grolmogg. Then Orcs would scatter and fight each other so they could not even think of invading the Yosrahim Empire.

Of course, even if this plan worked, there’s no way to suppress possible rebellions within the empire. It should be dealt with by those in power who’re currently ruling the empire

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