Chapter 25: VOLUME 13: CHAPTER 1
A rumor was going around the Empire lately.
Emperor Sylvius Lockhart Mavis, the so-called Devourer of Lands, had been possessed by a demon.
"Hahahaha! My precious daughter! Come! Come!"
And this rumor originated from the Emperor's sudden change in demeanor.
"I greet His Majesty, the Sun and Moon—"
"—Stop with the trivial formalities," said the Emperor happily. "And stop addressing me by title. I've told you before, didn't I? Call me father."
Those inside the Emperor's office – the Chief Royal Advisor and the secretaries – were getting used to this by now. Ever since the Empire agreed to be part of the Coalition Army, the Emperor's character changed completely.
Emperor Sylvius was still cold and cruel to his vassals, but whenever someone related to King Lark was involved, he would instantly turn into a benign old man.
It was blatant favoritism.
The Emperor spared no effort in showing everyone that he was on King Lark's side.
"O-Of course, father," said Princess Luna.
Princess Luna was flustered not by the words that came out of the Emperor's mouth, but by the words that had formed at the top of his head.
Shockingly, even the thoughts of the Emperor changed completely.
[Ah, my precious daughter.]
[My daughter, whom King Lark favors the most.]
[As I've thought. This is the right decision. In order to gain King Lark's recognition, I have to take care of you more.]
It was terrifying how obsessed the Emperor was in gaining King Lark's favor.
[I may look like a fool right now to others. And there are rumors going around about me being possessed by a demon, but who cares?]
[They didn't see the fight between King Lark and the Demon Lord's clone.]
[Had they seen it, they would probably make the same decision.]
After seeing the fight between Lark and the Demon Lord Barkuvara's clone, something snapped inside the Emperor. All of the shackles restricting him from joining the Coalition Army – his pride, power, and status – broke completely.
Seeing the imperial capital almost fall overnight made the Emperor realize the gravity of the situation. That event solidified his decision to join the Coalition Army and be under King Lark's protection.
"So, what brought my precious daughter here?" said the Emperor.
Princess Luna lightly lowered her head. "I see that you're in the middle of work. First, I apologize for disturbing you, Father."
Although the capital had been freed of flesh eaters, and the portal at Cattlewood Plains had been closed, the aftermath of the fight with the demons had taken its toll on the Empire.
They'd lost not just two major cities and several towns and villages, but also hundreds of thousands of citizens and tens of thousands of imperial soldiers. And to make things worse, their two strongest warriors – Master Harris Mavis and Sword Saint Isaac Segarus – had perished in battle.
If one of the neighboring countries decided to attack them now, the Empire would have a hard time defending its territories.
"Not at all, not at all!" said the Emperor. "These paperworks can wait. So, don't be afraid and tell me everything, my precious daughter."
Princess Luna paused for a moment. She breathed in heavily and said, "I'm a bit troubled… father."
"Troubled?"
"Yes. I heard that my brother, Prince Quinn, is returning to the capital. He's probably heard about Kiera. There's no reason for him to suddenly return when he should be overseeing Meredith City, otherwise."
"I see." The Emperor rubbed his short ashen beard. "This is about Kiera, huh? Don't worry, Luna. As promised, she'll be sent to Duke Hara to become one of his wives."
This was the deal Princess Luna made with them in exchange for contacting King Lark.
"But Prince Quinn…."
"He's being heralded as the Empire's hero after killing the obelisk in Meredith, but so what?"
For the first time since their meeting, the Emperor's eyes turned cold.
"I am the Emperor. No matter how popular he is, Quinn is nothing but a mere prince of this nation. He's going back to the imperial capital despite the imperial decree to stay in Meredith City? Hah! He's not even the crown prince yet and he already dares to bare his fangs before me?!"
Emperor Sylvius said firmly, "Listen, Luna. No matter what happens, I will be on your side. Even if it's Quinn, if he dares do anything to you, he'll be sent to the guillotine. You have my word."
Princess Luna knew that Emperor Sylvius was doing this for the sake of gaining the approval of King Lark, but hearing of it was still rassuring regardless.
Now that the Emperor had given his assurance, Princess Luna no longer have to fear anything even if Prince Quinn returned to the capital.
"Thank you, Father."
"This much is natural, my precious daughter," said Emperor Sylvius. "If you have other concerns, don't hesitate to speak with me."
***
After Princess Luna left the office, the Chief Royal Advisor spoke to Emperor Sylvius.
"Prince Quinn will be enraged when he hears that his sister was sent to Duke Hara."
Emperor Sylvius didn't look up, his eyes glued to the document he was reading, as he replied, "How narrow-minded. It was a promise we made back then. If Luna didn't contact King Lark that time, the capital would have been gone by now."
The Chief Royal Advisor agreed.
Although it was cruel, sending Princess Kiera to Duke Hara was a cheap price to pay in exchange for the survival of the imperial capital.
The Chief Royal Advisor looked out the window. The sky was clear, and the weather was perfect for a stroll.
"Your Majesty, I believe it's about time you make a public appearance," said the Chief Royal Advisor.
"Is it about the rumors?"
"Yes. Although we've cleared the capital of all demons, the citizens are uneasy, Your Majesty. It wouldn't do us good if the rumors that you've been possessed by a demon blows out of proportion. The opposing factions might even use this as a pretext to start a rebellion."
Emperor Sylvius put down the document he'd been reading, stamped it, and looked at the Chief Royal Advisor.
"Tch. Those damn buffoons. Very well," said Emperor Sylvius. "Since I'm making a public appearance to appease the people, I might as well visit the Magic Tower being constructed by the Coalition Army."
"Then, I shall make preparations immediately, Your Majesty."
***
Escorted by imperial knights, Emperor Sylvius went toward the place where the coliseum was previously located.
The corrupted tower killed by the ancient fire Dragon had long been removed from here. In its place, a magic tower similar to the ones in the Kingdom of Lukas was being constructed.
"We're here, Your Majesty."
Emperor Sylvius stepped out of the carriage.
Immediately, the workers from the Empire knelt on the ground. In unison, they paid respect to the Emperor.
"We greet His Majesty, Emperor Sylvius Lockhart Mavis, the Sun and Moon of the Empire!"
"We greet His Majesty, Emperor Sylvius Lockhart Mavis, the Sun and Moon of the Empire!"
On the other hand, the dwarves who'd been supervising the work didn't kneel. Instead, they lightly bowed their heads in respect.
Emperor Sylvius looked around him. The base of the magic tower was nearly complete.
"Greetings, human Emperor." A dwarf came forward and introduced himself. "I am Ninishushukai, younger brother of Ninirukiriri. Deputy Chief Engineer of the Third Weapons Factory."
Those were strange names, the Emperor thought.
"My older brother is in charge of building the magic towers in the Kingdom of Lukas, while I've been given the task of building the magic towers of the Empire."
There was arrogance within the dwarf's voice, as though he was doing the Emperor a favor.
Under normal circumstances, the Emperor would be fuming with rage by now, but the current Emperor simply let the transgression pass. He'd already heard from King Lark how powerful these magic towers were. Even if this dwarf were to insult him here, he planned on letting all of the words pass through his ears.
"I see." Emperor Sylvius looked at the base of the magic tower and nodded approvingly. "Both brothers had been chosen to supervise the creation of the magic towers. How interesting."
Ninishushukai rubbed his nose. He said smugly, "This much is natural. We're also the ones who made the traps and formations in the Lair of the Great Guardian Deity, after all."
Hearing that the dwarf was one of the people who made the traps of the Dragon's Lair, Emperor Sylvius felt more reassured.
"Marvelous."
Emperor Sylvius approached the base of the magic tower. It was at least a hundred meters wide, and the blocks at the base were engraved with complex runes and patterns.
"As expected of dwarves. There's nothing more reliable than them when it comes to crafting things."
Emperor Sylvius touched one of the engraved runes and traced it with his fingers. He said, "I heard you need adamantite for the core of the tower?"
The dwarf said, "That's correct, Emperor."
"Gaillart."
The Chief Royal Advisor said, "Your Majesty."
"How's the removal of the adamantite from the staff?"
Adamantite was so rare that even the Empire had trouble procuring them for the creation of the magic tower. To fix this problem, Emperor Sylvius decided to dismantle one of the treasures passed down to the royal family and use the adamantite extracted to build the magic tower.
"I believe it'll be completed in three days."
"Send the adamantite to Sir Ninishushukai as soon as it's extracted."
"Understood."
"Sir Ninishushukai, do not mind me," said Emperor Sylvius. "I'm only here to spectate."
"Is that so?" said the dwarf. "Then—"
The dwarf deeply breathed in, and in a voice disproportional to his short size, he hollered, "STAND UP! BREAK TIME'S OVER! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"
The workers looked at each other. They were unsure if this was the right thing to do, as they were still under the presence of the Emperor.
"THE EMPEROR SAID HIMSELF HE'S ONLY HERE TO SPECTATE! WHAT ARE YOU IDLING FOR?! STAND UP! WE HAVE A TOWER TO COMPLETE! MOVE, BASTARDS!"
Just like his older brother, Ninishushukai did not tolerate any mistakes when it came to his craft. He understood how special this magic tower was, and he wanted to present it perfectly to the ancient fire Dragon Vulcan.
The workers stood up and went back to work. Some moved stone blocks, some carried crates filled with pulverized mana stones, and some engraved markings on the tower's base.
Once this tower was completed, it would serve as a powerful defense against any invaders.
Emperor Sylvius felt satisfied as he watched the magic tower start to take shape.
After inspecting the magic tower, Emperor Sylvius decided to visit the camp located outside the capital.
After the Empire became part of the Coalition, the Coalition Army came back to the imperial capital and set up camp on its outskirts. And currently, this camp was the place where King Lark stayed in.
They'd offered King Lark a residence in the imperial palace several times before, but he refused every time, saying he preferred staying in the camp instead.
Of course, Emperor Sylvius made sure to bring Princess Luna with him.
The camp of the Coalition Army was a magnificent sight.
Dwarven warriors, elven archers, power suits, and the seven-headed creature. No matter how he looked at it, this place was no longer a camp but a stronghold.
The Coalition Army would be frightening as an enemy, but they were reassuring to have as an ally.
The Elven Commander, who was nearby, was about to greet the Emperor's group when the seven-headed creature suddenly spoke.
"Human, my God is currently busy with his training. If you're here to meet him, go back."
Blackie didn't bother hiding his dislike of the Emperor. Subjected to seven pairs of murderous eyes, even Emperor Sylvius felt somewhat intimidated.
Emperor Sylvius was about to concede and go back when Commander Khuumal refuted the words of the Scylla.
"Lord Blackie, that goes against the will of King Lark," said the elven commander.
"W-What did you say, elf?!"
"King Lark said that should the Emperor visit, we should not restrict his entry into the camp."
Blackie became speechless the moment Commander Khuumal used Lark's words in the argument. He lost the moment the elven commander used the 'God Evander card' against him.
Blackie snorted, averted his gaze, and mumbled, "Tch. Pesky long ears. Do what you want."
"Did you come here to meet with King Lark, Your Majesty?" said Commander Khuumal.
The Emperor surveyed the surroundings briefly and then nodded. "That's right. And my daughter here also wishes to see him, so I brought her with me."
Hearing this, Princess Luna, who'd been silently standing behind her father all this time, was flustered.
"E-Eh? W-What? Fa… Father!"
Commander Khuumal gazed at the princess and didn't comment on the topic. He said, "Then this way, Emperor. Please follow me."
With the elven commander at the lead, the Emperor's group arrived at the place where Lark was currently training at.
By the time they arrived, Lark was swinging the glaive of the Founding Emperor, his white shirt drenched in sweat, clinging to his abdomen and chest.
Despite already noticing the Emperor's arrival, Lark still continued swinging the glaive for several more minutes with a single-minded focus. And when he finally stopped, he immediately greeted the Emperor.
"Apologies for not greeting you immediately, Your Majesty," said Lark. "I was in the middle of mana suppression and couldn't stop midway my training."
Lark noticed Princess Luna. He smiled at her. "It's been a while, Princess."
Those were simple words, but they were enough to make the princess' face flush red. Although she'd met Lark several times before, this was her first time seeing him train and wear such simple clothes. Moreover, the sweat made his clothes stick to his skin, accentuating his chiseled body.
Seeing this side of Lark, Princess Luna felt heat course through her entire body. It was a strange feeling, as though someone had turned on a machinery inside her.
"No need for apologies, King Lark," said the Emperor. "We are the ones who came here unannounced in the first place."
Lark laughed, "Your Majesty is too kind." Using a towel, he wiped off the sweat on his face. "What brought His Majesty here to our camp?"
"Luna here wants to see you."
"F-Father!"
"And I want to see the camp of the Coalition Army with my own eyes."
Lark replied, "I see. Then let me guide you around, Your Majesty."
With Lark at the lead, the group toured the camp of the Coalition Army.
Due to the nature of the Coalition and the diversity of its members, the camp was basically divided into six areas.
First were the two supplies center, where rations were kept in place. This place was heavily guarded by elven archers, whose senses were keener than most people.
Second was the Mobile Weapons Factory – a name proposed by the dwarves – which served as the weapons depot of the Coalition Army. This place was guarded dwarven warriors, and they even saw a couple of power suits stationed nearby.
The third was the Headquarters where Lark and Vulcan stayed. This place was also where the officers of the army convened for meetings.
"Vulcan is currently sleeping inside," said Lark. "If there's something you wish to discuss with him, I can wake him up for you, Your Majesty."
Hearing Lark's suggestion, Emperor Sylvius was horrified, "No, no! There's no need for that, King Lark!"
Emperor Sylvius tried his best to hide it, but everyone noticed the subtle fear in his voice. Even now, Emperor Sylvius could still remember that time when Vulcan released his dragon fear in the throne room.
Emperor Sylvius could only imagine what would happen if they woke up that irascible Dragon.
"Is that so?" said Lark. "Then, this way please."
They continued the tour and eventually arrived at the other areas of the camp.
The fourth area was where the dwarves resided, the fifth area was where the elves stayed in, and the sixth area was the training grounds located at the outermost part of the camp.
Near the end of the tour, Emperor Sylvius said to Lark, "King Lark, we've decided to rebuild the Fourth Tower of Mages."
"I see."
"And Jacob 'Triple Cast' Fraser will be the new Master of the Fourth Tower."
"If it's Lord Fraser, I believe he'll do well as the new Tower Master. But Your Majesty, I heard that everyone in the Fourth Tower was killed back then?"
"Not everyone," said the Emperor. "There were mages who left for Kreceir City to accompany the Quinn Army. Although there are only around a hundred of them, I plan on incorporating everyone into the Fourth Tower. Of course, it'll take some time before they could return."
Although Master Haldor and the mages of the Fourth Tower had been killed by the Demon Lord's clone, the tower itself where the mages resided were practically untouched.
The Emperor said, "I've seen the magic tower, King Lark. The dwarves are capable, and they should be able to complete it even without you around."
Lark understood what the Emperor was trying to arrive at.
"They're the perfect people for the job," said Lark in a satisfied voice.
"Are you still planning on going to the Republic, King Lark?" said the Emperor.
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Lark. "Although the demons retreated and the portal is now closed, it would be prudent to try to get more countries join the Coalition."
"It will not be easy," said the Emperor. He said those words from experience.
Back then, the Empire refused to join the Coalition Army even when faced with the immediate threat of the demons. And now that the demons had retreated back to the Demon Realm, it would be even harder to convince the other nations to join the Coalition Army.
Lark also knew this.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Still, I have to try at least."
The Emperor nodded in understanding.
"Of course. Feel free to use my name as you see fit during negotiations, King Lark. Although we've suffered much damage from the war with the demons, this is still the Great Empire. If needed, we can send our army to the Republic of Everfrost. I will willingly go to war with them if that's what's needed for them to join the Coalition."
Lark laughed, "There's no need to go that far, Your Majesty."
Had someone from the Republic heard this, they would have been utterly terrified.
It was no simple threat, especially when the one who said it was Emperor Sylvius Lockhart Mavis.
Although he'd fully submitted to Lark, he was still known throughout the continent as the Devourer of Lands.
"And… another thing," said Emperor Sylvius.
With a gesture of his hand, the Emperor asked his escort knights to vacate the area. Only Princess Luna and the Chief Royal Advisor remained by his side.
"What I'm about to tell you is privy only to the Sword Saint and the Chief Royal Advisor. But I believe there's merit in telling you."
Emperor Sylvius paused and said, "The ruins located in the Republic. It was the primary reason we've been trying to wage war with that nation."
"Ruins?" said Lark.
"A treasure trove, King Lark," said Emperor Sylvius. "I've been coveting the artifacts in those ruins, but after what happened to the Empire, I've lost interest. How should I say it? It feels that even if I get my hands on them, they'll be useless if I'm unable to properly wield the items. This realization dawned to me after seeing you fight the demon using the glaive of Founding Emperor."
It was really amazing that Emperor Sylvius had changed so much after nearly losing everything overnight.
"If you're going to visit the Republic, you should visit those ruins, King Lark."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Zexos
Zexos Author’s note: sorry for the delay. I got sick and had a hard time getting back to writing after recovering.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone