Chapter 266: The Southern Unified Empire
In the South, within the Imperial Palace of the Unified Empire.
A crimson carpet stretched from the palace gates all the way up the steps, ending at the Imperial Throne—the symbol of the highest power in the empire. The banners of the empire hung from the four walls, and the air was thick with the scent of incense and the tense aura of authority.
A minister dressed in civil official robes knelt before the throne, his voice booming as he reported to the Emperor seated above:
"Your Majesty! The King of the largest kingdom in the East has officially dispatched an envoy, expressing his willingness to submit to the Empire and become an inseparable part of our glorious nation!"
Upon the throne sat Legate Othast, Emperor of the Unified Empire. A man in his prime, barely over thirty, he smiled upon hearing the news, the corners of his mouth curling into a satisfied arc.
Four hundred years ago, the Southern Unified Empire had been nothing more than a small, insignificant nation that appeared out of nowhere, not unlike the Kingdom of Ersten when it was merely a city-state.
But through continuous development, it had gradually become one of the most powerful nations in the southern continent.
Especially under Legate's reign, it had transcended the identity of a mere kingdom, evolving into a super-empire spanning the southern, eastern, and western regions.
Legate gently stroked the armrest of his throne, his deep voice echoing in the spacious hall.
"Excellent! With this, the last stubborn stone in the East has been incorporated into the Empire's map."
He lifted his chin, his gaze cast toward the distance. "Now, all that stands before the Empire is that self-righteous lump in the center of the continent called Ersten, and a few insignificant small nations around it."
His tone was thick with contempt.
As for the lands further north, comprised only of a few scattered independent cities and dangerous uninhabited zones, they had never even entered his plans for the imperial map.
At most, when he truly unified the continent, he would send someone to negotiate with those city lords, exchanging practical aid for their submission.
Although this would bring the Empire face-to-face with the threat of the Demon Race, Legate didn't care in the slightest.
For a thousand years, those cowardly demons had only dared to cower in the barbarous lands of the North. In his eyes, they couldn't stir up any waves.
His gaze shifted to the side of the throne, where a figure stood quietly.
The person wore dark mage robes, their face hidden in the shadows of a large hood. Only a jaw with wrinkled, aged skin was visible.
There were no exaggerated mana fluctuations around him, yet he gave off a sense of unfathomable silence.
He was the strongest mage of the Unified Empire, and also Emperor Legate's teacher—Friedrich.
"Teacher," Legate spoke, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry but mostly a decision already made. "Now... can we finally make our move against the Kingdom of Ersten? I have waited too long."
At this moment, his ambition to unify the continent was laid bare.
The last time he deployed troops against Ersten, even going so far as to send soldiers into their territory, was to provoke a conflict and create a pretext for war.
However, they had been forcibly beaten back by two powerful mages who appeared out of nowhere. Throughout the entire ordeal, Ersten had maintained restraint, refusing to give him an excuse to escalate.
The first mage specialized in eerie mental magic, capable of plunging his elite legions into illusions where they slaughtered each other.
The second was even more terrifying. Disregarding mana consumption entirely, he unleashed a torrential rain of high-ranking offensive magic, utterly crushing Legate's vanguard with sheer, overwhelming violence, leaving behind a massive psychological shadow.
If that mage hadn't been a man, Legate would have suspected it was Serie herself taking action.
Friedrich raised his head slightly. The shadows in his hood shifted, revealing the lower half of his face and a pair of black eyes.
He shook his head slowly, his voice unoptimistic. "Your Majesty, times have changed. I fear we have already missed the optimal window of opportunity."
"Why?" Legate's brows knit together instantly.
"Because of the Continental Magic Association." Friedrich's voice was flat, but it was like a bucket of cold water poured over Legate's burning ambition.
"Serie sits in the Royal Capital of Ersten. The association she founded has now become the new holy land in the hearts of all mages."
"Most critically, according to reliable intelligence, a significant number of mages who passed the association's exams have chosen to join Ersten's military or magical institutions. They have become something akin to our own Imperial Court Mages."
"Fidel has already assembled a mage corps that cannot be underestimated."
Legate's face darkened instantly. His fingers tightened unconsciously, nearly cracking the armrest of his throne.
He knew this news, of course. But every time he heard it mentioned, he felt an incomparable frustration.
"That bastard Fidel..." he gritted his teeth. "He has the devil's own luck! To actually be able to move that elf, Serie! What price did he pay?!"
He couldn't understand why the elven saint, who prided herself on neutrality and held a transcendent status, would suddenly step down from her pedestal and intervene so deeply in the affairs of human nations.
"The price may not be the key," Friedrich said indifferently. "What matters is the result. Ersten is rapidly closing the gap in magical power between us."
"Attacking now... even if we win, it will be a pyrrhic victory. Once the Empire's elites are exhausted, the surrounding powers that have just submitted will likely become restless."
Legate snorted coldly, forcibly suppressing the irritation in his heart.
He took a deep breath, seemingly wanting to change the subject. Yet, because the topic involved Serie, he inevitably thought of another name.
"Speaking of magic... that God-slayer, Rhodes. Hmph, truly the biggest fool in human history!"
Legate's tone was full of ridicule, laced with disdain. "He possessed the power to define the rules of magic, yet he insisted on writing some bullshit commandment in that damned Codex of Origin, stating that mages should not participate in internal human conflicts!"
"Because of him, for a thousand years, any mage with a bit of skill has had their hands tied! That Saint Katiya Academy is the best example—parasites who take money but do nothing! Possessing powerful strength yet acting so timidly!"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became, his voice rising a few octaves. "What a powerful force mages are! Look at the performance of my Court Mage Corps on the battlefield. Invincible! Unstoppable!"
"Yet such a powerful weapon was personally shackled by its own creator. It is truly laughable and pathetic!"
He seemed to have found an outlet for his frustration and continued his tirade. "And that founding Emperor of Ersten, Norne."
"Wasn't he supposedly a partner of the God-slayer Rhodes? To stupidly follow this rule as well, guarding a Holy Sword without using it... truly foolish beyond redemption!"
"The day I march into the Royal Capital of Ersten, the first thing I will do is topple his statue in the central plaza! I will show the world just how fragile those rotten ideals really are!"
Friedrich listened quietly to the Emperor's complaints, his expression under the hood unchanged.
It wasn't until Legate mentioned toppling Norne's statue that he moved slightly.
His brow furrowed, but he said nothing.
His Majesty was still a bit too impatient. However, as long as it didn't touch upon certain specific matters, Friedrich had no intention of speaking up to correct him.
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