Zeke wore a puzzled expression at Duke's words.
"What do you mean by stopping the Family Head?" Duke furrowed his brow as he replied.
"When I look at Arthur, I often feel like he's on the edge of a precipice." Zeke couldn't quite grasp what Duke meant.
'The Family Head, precarious? How could someone who reached the Grandmaster realm be like that?'
At that moment, memories from his previous life flashed through Zeke's mind.
In his past life, Arthur Draker had suddenly passed away from illness.
He wondered if that death connected to Duke's worries.
'I just can't imagine that man dying from illness.' Duke continued slowly.
"Arthur has always been the type who must achieve whatever he sets his mind to. He's been that way since he was young."
"He's not much different now."
"True. Except for his relationship with Laura, nothing has ever gone against that guy's wishes."
Zeke recalled his mother, Laura Agamemnon, whom he had seen when he traveled back in time.
She was strong-willed and independent.
Her personality didn't match at all with Arthur Draker, who was two-faced.
In fact, at that time, Laura had despised Arthur.
'I still wonder why Mother married Arthur Draker. Did those two really love each other?' Zeke made a mental note to ask Rex Thurn about it in detail when they met later.
Moreover, the Laura Agamemnon he had encountered seemed warmer toward Ramon Siemens than toward Arthur Draker.
Given the current state of the Siemens family, Zeke found it hard to believe she had shown him any fondness.
He could only assume there was something from the past that he didn't know about.
Seeing Zeke's serious expression, Duke said.
"Watching Rom's mad emperor makes me worry that Arthur might end up the same way someday."
"Surely not."
Duke gave a wry smile at Zeke's response.
He knew to some extent what Arthur Draker was secretly doing through Baron.
It wasn't as insane as the emperor's actions, but they were far from sensible.
If Arthur Draker hadn't held such immense family power, he might have been summoned by the elders and stripped of his position as Family Head right away.
"Anyway, I want you to become the Family Head, Zeke. Maybe then this mad family could become a bit more normal."
"If that's the case, couldn't Sister Kali do it just as well? She's the most normal Draker
I've ever seen."
Duke shook his head.
"I like Kali too, but she's not quite up to it. She's already struggling with her role as Guardian Knight. She's an outstanding knight, but her political abilities don't match her talents. If she became Family Head, she'd be pushed around not just by the elders but by the heads of other families too."
The position of Draker Family Head wasn't something one could endure just by being strong.
The reason Arthur Draker wielded the greatest power among past Family Heads was not only his skill but also his exceptional political acumen.
Kali excelled as a knight, but she lacked that political sense.
Through this recent incident with the Principality of Vadoka, Duke had instead discovered that talent in Zeke.
"If you declare that you'll seriously enter the competition for heir, I'll support you from behind."
The competition for heir was ultimately a power struggle within Draker.
The outcome depended on how much support from various factions one could gather.
Right now, Kali had overwhelming backing, but if Zeke stepped forward and Duke shook up the board of the Four Seasons Star from the shadows, the result was unpredictable.
Zeke fell into thought at Duke's words.
His original plan had been to install Kali Draker as Family Head, step back from the political fights, grow stronger, and then slowly take the position after her.
But now that things had progressed this far, one concern weighed on his mind.
'The Narak bastards and the prophecy of the Demon King's revival. If I stay in the background, I won't be able to use Draker's power to stop them when the time comes.'
It was possible to wield the family's power through Kali, but there were clear limits.
Moreover, if Kali couldn't fully seize control as Family Head, the elders would likely put the brakes on things.
'If I become Family Head and take full control of the family in advance, I can strike at them more effectively. I could even fabricate a pretext to wipe out the Siemens family entirely.'
Seeing Zeke deep in thought, Duke said.
"It's not an easy decision, so take your time to think it over. Andrei, Aul, and I will be staying around you for a while, so there's no rush."
Zeke felt genuine gratitude for Duke's consideration.
"Thank you, Master. By the way, there's one favor I'd like to ask."
"What is it, my disciple?"
"Please train my subordinates hard."
Through this battle, Zeke had realized that the knights under him weren't yet tapping into their full potential.
He pulled out a book from his inventory—a compilation he had organized in his spare time from the proper aura training method he had heard from Shattan Draker.
Duke, glancing over the aura training method Zeke handed him, asked in surprise.
"What is this?"
"It's something I researched and restored from a find in an ancient ruin. I thought you could review it and apply it to the knights' training while drilling them."
Duke carefully examined the book, nodding in wonder at the method that differed from conventional aura training.
"This seems worth studying. Since Andrei and Aul can handle things on their own now, it should be fine to take on the others."
"They're sturdy ones, so it'll be fun to push them."
Just then, someone knocked on the door and entered.
It was none other than Captain Decker.
He approached Zeke and Duke with a grave expression.
"My lord, urgent news has come in." Decker continued hastily.
"The imperial army led by the emperor is continuing its advance across the border toward the Principality of Vadoka." Zeke frowned at the report.
"Didn't Her Holiness the Pope send a personal letter? Saying the Ork Legion has been repelled and to withdraw the troops." Decker nodded.
"Yes. But the emperor is pressing on regardless. And... the envoy who delivered the letter hasn't returned."
Zeke and Duke's faces hardened at those words.
Duke clicked his tongue.
"That mad emperor is really going all out now." Zeke turned to Decker.
"Is the emperor definitely marching on the Principality of Vadoka?" "The exact destination isn't clear yet, but the direction suggests so." Zeke had a good idea of where the emperor was heading.
'The ruins of the First Holy King Gio Rubern.'
Since he knew the emperor's goal, Zeke had asked the Pope about the location of the Holy King's ruins.
But even the Pope didn't know the exact spot.
She had only vaguely heard from her predecessor that the ruins might be underground beneath an old castle site not far from the Principality of Vadoka.
'This is an opportunity. I need to head to the ruins first, set a trap, and deal with him there.'
He couldn't let the mad emperor run rampant forever.
Zeke stood up and said to Decker.
"Decker, defend the Principality of Vadoka with Sir Baord. I'll scout the emperor's side briefly."
Decker was taken aback.
"Alone, my lord?" Zeke nodded.
"If too many move, we risk exposure. It's better solo. I'll just check the situation and return, so don't worry too much."
The Holy King's ruins might hold relics left by Gio Rubern.
Bringing others could complicate things, so going alone was wiser.
Zeke mounted Bucephalus and headed straight for the old castle site said to house the ruins.
'Mad emperor. The Holy King's ruins will be your grave.'
*
Thud thud thud thud!
The emperor's army advanced relentlessly, the banner of the Sacred Wolf fluttering at the forefront.
Leading the army was the Knight Order of the Celestial Scorpion Palace.
At the very front of the order was Vice Captain Carlito, with Captain Gillian beside him.
Surprisingly, Captain Gillian's face was covered by an iron muzzle, his body bound in thick leather restraints and sealed with chains.
Even more astonishing was that, despite Gillian being restrained like a beast, not only Vice Captain Carlito but the entire Knight Order rode on in silence.
The emperor's army, led by the Knight Order of the Celestial Scorpion Palace, arrived near the Principality of Vadoka after crossing the border of the Holy Kingdom in this eerie formation, without pause.
As the march halted briefly, a black-robed mage approached Gillian and Carlito.
The cultist mage, with black lips and black nails, relayed the emperor's words to the two.
"The Principality of Vadoka has refused our entry. His Majesty is angered by their rudeness and says we must claim compensation for the effort of marching here and the provisions consumed."
At the mage's words, Carlito spoke.
"It's unacceptable that His Majesty is angered. I'll lead the troops right now, destroy the
Principality of Vadoka, drag out the Pope, and offer her head to His Majesty." It was an extreme statement utterly unlike the usual Carlito.
The mage shook his head and continued.
"His Majesty said to first head to the ruins of the First Holy King, excavate the tomb, and recover the remains. He is greatly angered that the Holy Kingdom has left the First Holy King's remains abandoned. Since the Rom Empire inherits the traditions of the Holy
Empire, it is proper to properly enshrine the neglected remains of the First Holy King, who laid the foundation of the Holy Empire, and punish the sly rabble of the Principality of Vadoka."
Carlito nodded at those words.
"Truly His Majesty's wisdom. We'll head to the First Holy King's ruins immediately."
Already brainwashed by the cultist's dark sorcery, Carlito was little more than their faithful slave.
They informed the Knight Order of the Celestial Scorpion Palace that the destination was changing from the Principality of Vadoka to the First Holy King's ruins.
The knights of the Celestial Scorpion Palace prepared to move again without a word.
Like Carlito and Gillian, they too had been brainwashed by the cultist's sorcery, obeying orders without question.
Reduced to puppets that followed commands without will, the knights of the Celestial Scorpion Palace mounted their horses with dead eyes and trailed after Carlito and Gillian.
The emperor's long procession began moving again.
The mage who had relayed the message and the ruins' location to Carlito passed by the soldiers shambling like ghouls with their dying eyes and headed toward the ornate golden carriage.
Bowing his head, the mage slowly boarded the golden carriage, where the banner depicting the Sacred Wolf—symbol of the emperor—fluttered.
The golden carriage was so vast it seemed like a massive room moving on its own.
In the center of the carriage lay a couch, surrounded by translucent curtains.
The emperor of the Rom Empire was right behind those curtains.
The mage bowed before them and reported.
"Your Majesty, I have conveyed the order to the Knight Order to head toward the ruins." A ragged breathing came from beyond the curtains.
It sounded as if death was imminent.
At the mage's words, the breathing quickened briefly before a clear voice emerged from behind the curtains.
"Even with the sacrifices continuing, why does my condition not improve? Didn't the
Serpent in the Black Mouth promise a reward befitting the price?" To his question, the mage bowed his head again and replied.
"How could lowly beings like us comprehend the will of the constellation? We merely convey what the constellation desires."
At those words, the golden carriage suddenly shook with a rumble.
The mage looked up in alarm.
At the same moment, he clutched his throat in agony.
"Kuhh! Y-Your Majesty."
A sinister voice came from beyond the curtains.
"The only reason I tolerate wretched scum like you is one: to keep my soul bound to this flesh. Etch that firmly into your filthy minds. If you deceive me or scheme anything suspicious, that instant I will tear your bodies to shreds and feed them to the wolves." As the words ended, the pressure choking the mage's throat released.
The mage, eyes filled with fear, glanced beyond the curtains before prostrating deeply and hastily descending from the carriage.
Once more, the carriage filled with the emperor's labored breaths, and the great army marched silently toward the old castle ruins.