Chapter 63

After that, Empress Via, having recovered her health, began to appear in official settings once again.

At court, the faction led by Empress Maial and her adoptive father, Lord Sezon, who was carrying the emperor's child, gradually gained strength. On the other hand, Prince Alek, after securing the support of the Antoire Knights, brought the Rofman Knights into his camp, and the balance of power between the two factions was evenly matched.

The gears began to turn in December. After Empress Maial gave birth to the prince, Lord Sezon, with luck on his side, quickly strengthened his presence at court. A grand ceremony was held to celebrate the birth of the third prince, and it seemed that Lord Sezon would seize the momentum. However, an unexpected tragedy struck Ancheize.

Emperor Parisis passed away suddenly.

The news quietly spread through the silent night of the imperial palace. Most of the nobles were asleep, unaware of what had happened, while only a few who had obtained the information began to move to seize power.

Sais noticed the unusual commotion after Prince Alek had already left the palace with a small group of his men. He quickly changed his clothes and tidied himself up when he received a summons from Empress Via.

Empress Via had just finished a conversation with the head of the servants and returned to her room, already changed into a simple black dress. Her hair was tied back on both sides, and she had only applied a touch of rouge to her lips. She must not have had time to dress up, but her simple attire only accentuated her fresh beauty.

The first thing Empress Via said to Sais was, "The Rofman Knights will come to guard us," which left Sais speechless for a moment.

"Rofman? Not Antoire?"

"Antoire has already been contacted. I expect Lieutenant Amon or someone similar to lead a squadron to Prince Alek. I asked the Rofman Knights to guard us."

Sais, who was not convinced, pursed his lips. Seeing this, Empress Via smiled slightly.

"Are you displeased that I asked Rofman?"

"No..." Sais couldn't bring himself to say it and lowered his eyes.

"Listen, Ebeck. The emperor's passing has not been made public yet, and as a secondary consort, there is nothing I can do. If I judge that I don't need to call you until morning, what would you think?"

Sais looked up in shock. "Please don't joke about such serious matters!"

If Empress Via didn't need him during such a critical time, he would be so devastated that he might dig a hole and hide in it. He might even sit on the floor, hugging his knees, and write words on the ground with his fingers.

"It's the same thing. Rofman is loyal to Prince Alek. It would be impossible not to rely on them at a time like this."

"...I understand."

Sais reluctantly accepted this, but the words that followed were not to his liking.

"Also, I want you to get along well with Lord Rofman."

"Why?"

"Because Lord Rofman is a very honest and admirable person. I think you'll see that when you meet him."

Sais couldn't help but turn away. Lord Rofman, one of the three great knight orders, was a noble far above Sais's reach. However, it was unacceptable for Empress Via to praise another knight.

Lord Rofman, upon receiving the request from the Crystal Palace, immediately led his troops to provide protection.

Rofman, a knight order with a stronghold in the east of the imperial palace, had a crest featuring a stag and laurel leaves. Compared to the fiery Antoire and the ornate Reiatou, they were known for their practical and robust nature.

Sais had always thought their deep blue uniforms, darker than jade, were plain, but the sight of the deep blue knights unfurling their banners of stag and laurel leaves to protect the Crystal Palace was magnificent and powerful. Empress Via, watching from the window, remarked, "How reliable they are."

The night was still dark, but the situation was changing rapidly. News came that Prince Alek had seized control of the emperor's palace, and the joy was short-lived as an unbelievable report arrived that the treasury, where the imperial crown and scepter were stored, had been occupied by Reiatou knights.

Upon learning that the throne would remain vacant, Empress Via suggested moving to a different location so that the prince could focus on securing the palace. Preparations were made hastily, and by evening, she had moved to Rofman's stronghold.

The entry into the castle was quiet, with only three maids and a few guards accompanying her. However, there was a bit of a commotion when Rofman's side objected to allowing Antoire guards inside the castle.

Sais understood their reluctance to let members of another order into the castle, but he was not about to be separated from Empress Via during such a critical time.

Empress Via intervened in the argument. She asked the Rofman officer who was refusing entry, "Please limit Ebeck's access to certain areas."

"This person is deeply loyal to Prince Alek and has a trustworthy character. If you show him the areas he cannot enter, he will surely follow the rules. Ebeck is not the type to wander around the castle without permission. I will take full responsibility for this."

Thanks to Empress Via's mediation, Sais was allowed to enter the castle. He was given a small room not far from where Empress Via would reside. The room was small, with only a bed and a simple wooden desk, but he could use the dining hall for meals, and the servants would take care of laundry and cleaning, so he could live comfortably.

Life at Rofman started this way, but it was not as bad as he had expected.

At first, he was naturally met with suspicion, and when he went to the dining hall, there was always an empty seat around him. However, Sais had a thick skin and enjoyed his meals without worrying. It was natural to stand out when one person wore a different jacket among the deep blue uniforms (he didn't wear the Antoire uniform to avoid unnecessary trouble), and as long as the food was good, that was all that mattered.

He continued to train in the corner of the training ground to keep his body in shape. One of the senior knights, impressed by his sword skills, challenged him to a sparring match, and the atmosphere gradually changed. Sais was skilled, and knights respect those with strength. Gradually, he began to converse with the Rofman knights, and he started to think they weren't so bad.

Sais had always thought of Rofman as a dull and unremarkable order, but they were actually simple, honest, and skilled in combat. They preferred practical and solid fighting styles, avoiding unnecessary movements, which made them seem plain at first glance, but they were unexpectedly strong in a fight. They were also skilled in incorporating body techniques, and kicks and leg sweeps were common in actual combat.

A proud and flashy Reiatou knight would probably make a face at such a dirty fighting style, but Antoire, another order, was more pragmatic and would use any means to win. In this sense, Sais easily adapted to Rofman's style.

However, from Sais's perspective, Rofman was too much of a model student. Their simple and honest way of life, valuing benevolence and righteousness, was something to aspire to as a knight, but Sais preferred a group with a bit more playfulness. The enthusiastic and carefree atmosphere of Antoire, which was sometimes overly energetic, suited his personality, and he was glad he had chosen Antoire.

Sais thought to himself that it was partly due to the Antoire instructors, who were particularly extreme. When Prince Alek, the leading candidate for the next emperor, caused trouble, they would douse him with a bucket of water and send him to the reflection room. Sais's year, witnessing this, learned that it was dangerous to defy the instructors and became a bit more subdued. This might explain why their year was a bit smaller in size.

Thus, Sais fully integrated into the Rofman Knights and trained diligently every day. In the afternoons, he was often called to Empress Via's tea parties and had become familiar with the Rofman officers. Despite the situation, he was having a very productive time.

However, while Sais spent his days without a care, he was often plagued by a sense of loneliness and helplessness at night, lying in bed alone.

He knew the cause. Before coming to Rofman, Empress Via had spoken about leaving Prince Alek's side after his ascension to the throne.

Until now, she had been the only secondary consort by the prince's side, but she had no power base in the court, with only her half-brother, Prince Seltis, as a blood relative. Prince Alek needed a strong and well-supported primary consort, and Empress Via, as a secondary consort, would be the biggest obstacle to the country.

When Prince Alek ascended to the throne, it would be necessary to remove the secondary consort as soon as possible. Empress Via, more than anyone, understood this necessity and had already made up her mind to step aside.

Her decision was not out of sacrifice but out of pride. She only wished for the country's peace and the prince's happiness.

Sais had to respect her thoughts, and this was probably not a distant future.

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Today, the first and second volumes of "The Royal Story of Ancheize" are simultaneously released by Ichijinsha Novels. Thank you for your support.