Chapter 175: The Controlled Emperor
Grausam was not human. He was a demon, a rare and powerful one with a talent for mental magic. His ability was a subtle and insidious form of control, like a master musician who could, with a silent touch, play upon the hidden melodies of a person's soul.
And his purpose in approaching the emperor was not to help him. In fact, the very rise of the Southern Unified Empire, the threat it now posed, it all had the faint shadow of demonic influence behind it. It was a part of Shurahat's grand plan, a diversion to keep the Kingdom of Ersten occupied.
Grausam's true target was the holy sword, the 'Light of Ersten', which had been enshrined in the deepest part of the palace for a thousand years, a vessel that now held a millennium of human faith. The secret of the sword, that it could be used to wield the power of faith, should have been known only to the royal family. But over the long years, there had always been a few... traitors. And so, the secret had been revealed to Shurahat.
He had even come to a bold conclusion: the god-slayer's victory over the goddess a thousand years ago had been made possible by the power of faith, and the 'Light of Ersten' had been his vessel.
And so, the holy sword, a legacy of the great Rhodes, was both a deadly poison to the demons, and a tantalizing prize. And after hundreds of years of study, a mad plan had formed in Shurahat's mind: if they could seize the sword, and use their own magic to corrupt it, to reverse its core power, then even they, the demons, could wield the immense power of faith within it. And then, the entire continent would be theirs. The Kingdom of Ersten, without its greatest weapon, would be nothing. And the demons, with the power of the holy sword, would be invincible. Even Serie, the strongest mage in the world, would be no match for them.
And to get close to the heavily-guarded sword, the best way was to first get close to the emperor. Grausam's mission was to slowly, but surely, gain his absolute trust, and then, with his mental magic, to guide him, to allow him to get close to the holy sword.
In the days that followed, he demonstrated his astonishing power. He personally went to the southern border and, in a single, decisive battle, he had unleashed a spell that had covered the entire battlefield and had driven thousands of the Southern Empire's soldiers into a frenzy of self-slaughter, and they had been utterly routed.
The news was a great victory for the Kingdom of Ersten, and the emperor's trust in him grew exponentially. He was even invited to the holy St. Kalua's magical academy to give a lecture to the apprentices there. He, of course, had accepted. His teaching methods were both mysterious and effective. The students who had attended his lecture had all shown a remarkable improvement in a short period of time. But no one had noticed the strange, unsettling light that now sometimes flickered in their eyes.
His position in the court was now secure. He was the emperor's most trusted advisor. And he was a master at playing upon his fears, at offering seemingly-reasonable solutions. He was a patient hunter, and he was slowly, but surely, leading his prey to the trap he had set.
And the time was now ripe.
One night, the lamps in the royal council chamber were burning bright. The emperor was once again poring over an urgent report from the border. The Southern Empire's main army was now gathering in force. It was clear that they were about to launch a full-scale invasion.
"Your Majesty," Grausam's voice was a soft and timely sound, "their ambition can no longer be contained. This time... it will be a decisive battle."
"Grausam," he said, his face a grim mask, "if a war breaks out, the loss of life will be immense. And though our own kingdom is not without strength, I do not wish to go down that path."
He was not afraid of the Southern Empire. What he feared was the demons, who were still a threat, a threat that lingered in the deep shadows of history. If he were to be weakened in a war with the Southern Empire, and the demons were to then attack... what would he do?
"Your Majesty," Grausam said, and stepped closer, his own eyes now a swirling vortex of a dark, subtle power, "to use conventional means will only lead to a long and bloody war. Unless... you were to use an unconventional power, a power that could end this war quickly."
"You mean—" he began, a sudden, wild thought in his mind.
And Grausam's voice, now imbued with a magical, persuasive quality, echoed in his mind. "The holy sword, the 'Light of Ersten'."
"The holy sword!?" A jolt ran through him. A flicker of excitement, but it was quickly suppressed by a deep and abiding awe, a fear of the sacred. "No! It can only be used in a time of a dire, national crisis!"
The Holy King Norne's own last words. It was not to be wielded unless the kingdom was on the verge of destruction, or to fight the demons. And now... they were not even at war with the Southern Empire.
"Your Majesty!" his voice was now a sharp, commanding sound, a psychic shock that overrode all his hesitation. "These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. Now is the time to draw the sword, to show the Southern Empire its true power, and to crush their greedy ambition once and for all!"
And under the influence of his mental guidance, the emperor's own thoughts began to turn. "But even if we were to draw it, we would not be able to unleash its full power."
"Do not worry, Your Majesty," he said with a mysterious smile. "I have traveled the continent, and I am very familiar with the holy sword. Perhaps... I can guide you in unleashing its true power."
A wave of a powerful, psychic suggestion washed over the emperor's own mental defenses. On a normal day, he would have been able to resist. He was a mage himself, after all. But the attacks had been so subtle, so insidious, woven into their everyday conversations, and he had already fallen under his influence.
The awe in his eyes was now being replaced by a feverish, fanatic gleam. He could see it, the sword, in all its glory, and the army of the Southern Empire, turned to dust before it. The Kingdom of Ersten would be great again.
"Are... are you sure?" his voice was hesitant, but his eyes were shining with a terrifying light.
"For your glory, Your Majesty," he said with an elegant bow, "I, Grausam, will do all that I can."
"Good!" he said, and stood. "Tomorrow, I will take you to it!"
"As you command, Your Majesty."
Grausam bowed his head, and in the shadows, his smile widened, a cold and cruel expression that the emperor did not see.
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