Chapter 7

For two years, Latil lived a busy life. The education of the Crown Prince, which had been given to Lean, was transferred to Latil, but the schedule was tighter than when Lean was being taught. Since Latil had to inherit the education that Lean had received from a young age in a short period, the teachers had no choice but to be even stricter. However, Latil followed all the schedules without complaint. He didn't want to lose to Tella, he wanted to defy the expectations of Anakcha, the concubine and mother of Tella, and he didn't want to miss the opportunity that had come his way. Hyacinth also unexpectedly helped. Although he didn't directly assist, Latil had to study even harder to avoid thinking about Hyacinth whenever he had a moment of free time. However, things took a turn when the emperor, who was in the process of reforming, was assassinated within the palace.

"What do you mean? Father was assassinated?"

"Your Highness, you must return to the palace immediately!"

Latil, who had been away from the palace for over a month to meet his brother Lean, left the temple in a hurry upon hearing the news. He rode back to the capital as quickly as possible with a few knights. Father was suddenly assassinated? The sudden news was hard to believe, more so than being sad. However, Latil had to turn his horse around and couldn't even enter the capital.

"You must flee. Prince Tella has taken control of the palace with his private army and is trying to capture you, Your Highness."

Thanks to a guard who had been praised by Latil in the past, Latil managed to leave the capital without being captured by Prince Tella. Latil first took refuge in the nearby Melosi territory, where the father of one of the knights was a lord. After a few days, Latil finally learned more about the situation.

"Prince Tella seems to be using the late emperor's body to tie down the pro-emperor faction and manipulate the will."

"He will likely call the lords and high-ranking nobles to swear allegiance."

"Yes, we can't afford to waste time. There are many neutral factions that haven't firmly aligned with either you or Prince Tella. We must act quickly to turn the tide before Prince Tella convinces them."

With the supreme commander gone, the royal guard and the army were not under anyone's control. While Latil could gather more private soldiers than Prince Tella, the problem was that Prince Tella had the emperor's body. Another issue was that a civil war in the capital would severely damage the people's trust.

'Tella, you bastard. I knew you'd cause trouble someday.'

Latil muttered a curse under his breath.

"We need to persuade the Duke of Artax, who has the most influence."

* * *

When the emperor, who was expected to live for many more years, was assassinated, chaos erupted among the nobles. Those who supported Latil were furious, and those who supported Tella cheered. However, the most influential faction, the pro-emperor faction, which did not belong to either side, was the most confused. They were in shock over the emperor's assassination but had to make immediate decisions. Whose side should they take? Whom should they support? Should they remain neutral? Revenge and investigation were secondary. The country and the people needed a new emperor to stabilize the nation. However, the pro-emperor faction, who had been watching the princess grow leisurely, thinking the succession was still far off, found it difficult to make a decision. A prince who lacked legitimacy but was prepared, or a princess who had legitimacy but was unprepared. Which would be more beneficial to the country, and which would be more beneficial to themselves? The nobles were busy calculating.

At the Duke of Artax's residence, the duke and his wife were also discussing the situation.

"Of course, we must support Princess Latil!"

Surprisingly, the duchess's opinion was firm. The duke, unsure, asked, "Is that so?"

"Of course!"

The duke paced the room anxiously, watching his wife's reaction.

"But, my lady. Shouldn't we wait and see? The country needs a strong emperor. While I personally prefer the princess, I want to see her overcome this challenge on her own."

The duchess clicked her tongue.

"Do you really want to see her overcome the challenge, or do you just want to switch sides to the winning side?"

"To be honest..."

"My dear, we need to take a risk. You want to watch the princess overcome the challenge? You'll just sit and watch when she becomes a successful empress. But if you help her when she's in trouble, she'll remember us."

Still, the duke didn't respond, and the duchess raised her eyebrows.

"Are you saying it doesn't matter if Prince Tella becomes emperor? Your reaction is so lukewarm."

"Prince Tella is as intelligent as the princess. He's a bit of a dreamer, but that's a flaw that can be corrected through experience."

"What are you talking about? Our princess is very sharp."

"I know, but she only received two years of imperial education. No emperor has ever ascended the throne with only two years of education."

The duchess sighed.

"You frustrating man! Think about it. We have three sons."

"Is that important?"

"It is! Our second son, Phemkus, has a history of conflict with Prince Tella."

"That was when they were young..."

"They still don't get along."

The duchess huffed and approached the duke, lowering her voice.

"If Prince Tella becomes emperor, things will either stay the same or get worse, and Phemkus will have a strained relationship with him. But if Princess Latil becomes emperor, think about it."

"Hmm?"

"Really, you? Think about our eldest son, Ranamon. He's not just my son; he's the most beautiful man in the Talium Empire!"

"Oh!"

The duke finally exclaimed.

"If Princess Latil becomes emperor, things will at least stay the same, and if she does well, we could make Ranamon the imperial consort. Haven't you heard about Karisen? The duke initially supported Prince Heum but quickly switched to Emperor Hyacinth and made his daughter the empress. Why can't our son do the same?"

"Exactly! Our son can become the imperial consort!"

* * *

Surprisingly, the first person to send someone to the Melosi territory was the Duke of Artax. When he arrived, Latil was discussing ways to bring the Duke of Artax on board with the knights, so she was surprised and ran out to greet him. Moreover, the duke didn't just send an envoy; he came in person, which surprised Latil even more. He even brought a handsome man in a gray robe, whom Latil recognized as the duke's eldest son, Ranamon. Ranamon was famous. Although he rarely attended social events, he always dominated the gossip columns when he did, and Latil knew at least fifteen young ladies who were pining for him. Confused, Latil was warmly comforted by the Duke of Artax.

"You have been through a lot, Your Highness."

"Thank you for coming, Duke."

"Trust me, Your Highness. I will restore everything to you."

Was he always this polite to me? Latil was grateful but also confused by the duke's sudden kindness. However, she needed his help. The duke looked at Latil as if she were his future daughter-in-law and gently pushed his son forward.

"This is my son, Ranamon, Your Highness."

Ranamon, who had been standing expressionless, took a step forward. As they faced each other, Ranamon glared at his father and reluctantly greeted Latil.

"I am Ranamon. It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness."

Ranamon was not only uninterested in social events but also in politics. Latil had never seen him in the palace, unlike other heirs who were busy with their education and knight training. Why was he suddenly brought here, and why did he look so unhappy? Despite her confusion, Latil accepted his greeting.

"Ah, thank you. You must have had a long journey."

Watching the awkward interaction between Latil and Ranamon, the Duke of Artax smiled approvingly.

"Ha ha. Both Your Highness and my son have beautiful black hair, so you look like a pair of mandarin ducks."

"Huh?"

Latil's eyes widened at the unexpected mandarin duck comment, and Ranamon glared at his father.

'What is he doing? Why is he saying this?'

* * *

With the knights joining Latil, the royal guard, who were supposed to remain neutral, naturally sided with her. The Duke of Artax persuaded the pro-emperor faction, and those who originally supported Latil gathered in the Melosi territory. Latil spread rumors in the capital that "Prince Tella is trying to seize the throne while the princess is away. The princess can suppress this with force, but she is hesitant to act to avoid harming the citizens." However, Prince Tella countered this effectively, making it difficult for Latil to retake the palace. Tella spread a false rumor that the emperor originally wanted to pass the throne to the princess but, after being assassinated, left a will changing the successor to Prince Tella due to concerns about the princess's short education period. This rumor, though baseless, resonated with those worried about the princess's lack of experience. It was more plausible because it acknowledged the emperor's preference for the princess. As a result, neither side could gain a clear advantage. Eventually, the citizens began arguing over who should become emperor in taverns and restaurants. After six months of small-scale battles near the capital, Latil devised a plan.

"We need to use another country."

"Isn't that risky? Foreign forces can be a double-edged sword."

"We'll only seek support."

"That won't be easy..."

"I have a surefire method."

Latil traveled to neighboring countries, deliberately portraying herself as inexperienced and weak, and used this to gain foreign support. The strategy was to exploit the fact that foreign countries would not want a strong neighboring ruler. With the support of neighboring countries, Latil finally reclaimed the capital and imprisoned Prince Tella. Tella's mother, Concubine Anakcha, ran out barefoot to beg Latil.

"Your Highness, please forgive my son just once. Tella was a beloved son of the late emperor, and he is your half-brother. For the sake of your late father, please spare Tella's life."

Her tear-stained face was pitiful. People thought Latil would not kill Tella, even if she didn't forgive him. Tella's supporters, also imprisoned, tried to comfort him.

"Female emperors are usually merciful. Even if she punishes you severely, it will likely be imprisonment. There's no need to be so afraid."

"Of course. As long as you're alive, we can plan for the future. Don't worry, Your Highness."

"If you're exiled, it will likely be to the Arond Tower or the Sosta Castle. We'll gather your supporters there and prepare for your escape. An opportunity will come."

"Even a small opening in power can be used to regain control and reverse the situation."

When Latil calmly ordered Anakcha to return to her quarters, her supporters also believed she would not impose harsh punishment. However, a week later, Latil surprised everyone by ordering Tella's execution and Anakcha's confinement. Tella and those who had hidden the emperor's body and raised weapons against Latil were either executed or demoted. Before making the decision, Latil's face was filled with sorrow, but her commands were sharp and decisive. People recalled the prophecy the sage had made to Lean and Latil.

- This princess has the qualities of a conqueror. If she becomes emperor, much blood will be shed, but the Talium Empire will flourish.

In the spring of 517, after consolidating her power by eliminating Tella's influence and arranging the late emperor's funeral, Latil, at the age of 19, was finally crowned the 19th emperor.