Chapter 98

In the courtyard of the former residence of the Thirteenth Prince, now a detached palace.

I was sparring with an old general.

Damian Noble.

A straightforward man who still reigns at the top of the battlefield as the strongest general in the empire.

I was sparring with Damian under the pretext of a practice match.

Each strike of Damian's sword was heavy.

It wasn't just a matter of strength.

Each strike felt like it would penetrate to the bone.

There was no flamboyance, just one cut, one kill.

A practical sword, honed on countless battlefields.

Even knowing this, I sparred with him on equal terms, brought the match to a close with a blade lock, and then stepped back.

We ended the practice match at that point.

"Indeed, the strongest general in the empire."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Damian lowered his sword and knelt on one knee.

"Your Majesty has become even stronger. For a swordsman of Your Majesty's caliber to reign at the pinnacle of our empire is nothing short of divine favor."

"You've become quite the smooth talker. Do even seasoned old generals lose their edge with age?"

"All of it is from the bottom of my heart."

"Haha, just kidding. You were already quite old when I met you."

I chuckled, emphasizing that it was a joke.

Damian, with his stern appearance, is a seasoned old general, known for his strictness and inability to take jokes. It's necessary to explicitly state that a joke is a joke.

I gestured and led Damian to a pavilion in the garden, commanding him to sit.

"I called you here today for a specific reason: the Galarwan extermination."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"To be straightforward, I want Jessica to focus solely on Galarwan. For this, I need a complete border blockade, secure supply lines, and vigilance against other forces. I will consult with Henry, but I also want to hear your opinion as the top field commander."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"However, military matters are not my specialty. Personally leading the troops would only lead to the same mistakes seen throughout history. I have set the direction. Do you have any tactics or personnel that match this goal?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Damian prefaced his response.

"First, the border blockade."

"Yes."

"My eldest son, Karl Noble, is the right man for the job. A border blockade requires a certain inflexibility. If he enforces the Emperor's orders without exception, he will fulfill his role perfectly."

"I see."

His seriousness, I suppose.

It might be concerning, but it's reassuring in its own way.

"Next, vigilance against other forces. I recommend my second son, Kiel."

"Why?"

"Kiel has been skilled at enduring pain since childhood and is very patient. There will be no sudden outbreaks of war, and he is well-suited for thorough deterrence."

"I see."

"Lastly, the supply lines. I would like to entrust this to my fourth son, Air."

"Very well, I will entrust it to him. Inform Henry of my approval and consult with him."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I won't go into the details. I want Jessica to focus solely on Galarwan, understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"You may leave."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Damian knelt once more before standing and leaving.

After seeing him off, I called for Don.

"Did you call for me, Your Majesty?"

"Do you know the name of Damian's third son?"

"I believe it's Neil Noble."

"Investigate Neil."

"Why?"

Don, tilting his head in confusion, listened as I explained that Damian had recommended three of his sons.

"That was the opposite of what I expected from a father."

"Compared to the former emperor?"

"Yes. A father who dotes on his children. He wants to lift up his underperforming children through his own influence. The reasons he gave were far-fetched, especially for entrusting the supply lines to his fourth son, who he simply begged to take the job."

"Even that Damian...?"

Don looked skeptical.

I can understand his surprise; Damian is the empire's strongest and most disciplined old general.

It's unexpected to see this side of him.

"That's why I want you to investigate the third son."

"The one whose name wasn't mentioned?"

"Yes."

I nodded deeply.

"If my prediction is correct, the third son is the only one who can succeed without his father's influence."

☆

The next day, in the study.

Don, who had completed his investigation, looked impressed.

"Indeed, Your Majesty, your prediction was correct."

"Really?"

"Neil Noble. He is rumored to have inherited Damian's swordsmanship and is said to have injured Damian during a training session at the age of twelve."

"Damian?"

"Yes."

Damian, despite his age, remains a field commander because he is simply too strong.

His strength, which makes him a "war maniac," has led to both numerous military achievements and frequent punishments for overstepping.

He has often annihilated enemies when it wasn't necessary, causing local resentment and prolonging both the war and its aftermath, leading to his demotion.

Thus, despite his military achievements and frequent punishments, he has not advanced to a position in the Ministry of War and has remained in the field.

To have injured Damian at twelve...

"I want to meet him. Do you know where he is?"

"Yes, I will guide you."

☆

In a tavern in the town below the castle, the man was there.

He sat in a corner, drinking alone with a sly smile on his face.

His appearance was not dirty but rather careless.

He wore the clothes of a local thug, but they seemed to have been washed, giving him a mismatched look.

His large build and the eye patch over his right eye added to the impression.

In the bustling tavern, there was a noticeable empty space around him.

I went straight to him and sat across from Neil.

"Are you Neil Noble?"

"Yeah, want a drink, kid?"

Without asking for my name, he first offered me a drink.

I took the cup Neil offered and drank it in one go.

"You're drinking pretty cheap stuff."

"Alcohol is good as long as it gets you drunk. It'll be piss by tomorrow anyway."

"True, that makes sense."

"So, kid, what do you want? Do you have something to ask me?"

"I'm here to recruit you. Are you interested in serving the imperial household?"

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I admire your skills, but is that enough?"

"Fair enough. Serving the imperial household means serving the emperor, right?"

"Exactly."

"Then..."

Neil grinned, poured himself another drink, and drank it in one go.

"I'll consider it if the emperor comes to recruit me himself. Tell him that."

"Is that all? Then consider it now."

"Huh?"

"I am already here, in front of you."

"..."

The cup slipped from Neil's hand, rolled on the table, and stopped against a bottle.

Neil, too, was frozen in place.

"Is this... real?"

"Yes."

"Y-You're... the emperor... Your Majesty!"

Neil suddenly came to his senses, stood up in shock, and drew the attention of the entire tavern.

"Yes, I am the emperor of the empire, Noah Ararat."

As I announced my name, I used the power of Leviathan to display the emblem of the ship.

This was a declaration using a magic sword that would make anyone believe I was the emperor.

It worked on Neil as well.

"The emperor himself? And from the start?"

"Is that strange?"

"Did your father ask you to do this?"

"No."

I smiled.

I picked up the cup Neil had dropped, poured more alcohol, drank it, and smiled.

"Damian only recommended the other three."

"..."

Hearing this, Neil regained his composure and laughed nihilistically.

"Sounds like Dad. Those three need to stand on their own. Dad is getting old, and they can't keep relying on him forever."

Neil's complaint was laced with a bitter smile.

It seems Damian's doting on his children is quite significant.

"Haha."

"What's so funny?"

"I just thought you wouldn't be jealous when you heard that."

"..."

"Well, that's not important. The fact that I'm here in person is. Will you consider serving me?"

"No way, I'm not good with formalities or court etiquette."

"That's not a problem. You can stay as you are."

"..."

"What do you mean, stay as I am?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Isn't it strange? You're the emperor, you know, with all the dignity and tradition."

"Those things are less important than getting the right people."

"..."

Neil was speechless.

After a moment, he looked up at the sky and burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, you're something else. I've never heard of an emperor like you."

"Is that so?"

"I like it. If I can stay as I am, I'll serve you."

"Agreed, thank you."

I said this and extended my hand for a handshake, which Neil took, laughing even harder.

---

Name: Noah Ararat

Emperor of the Empire

Gender: Male

Level: 17 + 1 / ∞

HP: C + B Fire: E + S + S

MP: D + C Water: C + SSS

Strength: C + S Wind: E + C

Stamina: D + C Earth: E + C

Intelligence: D + A Light: E + B

Spirit: E + B Dark: E + B

Speed: E + B

Dexterity: E + C

Luck: D + C

---

And with that, the "+" in my status increased by one.