Overgeared

It had been confirmed that Mercedes disobeyed an order and went to Valhalla. Breaking an order was proof that she had lost faith in the emperor, while visiting a hostile kingdom without permission was evidence of rebellion. The contents of Gyuratan’s report contained clear slander and distortion of facts. The behavior of the First Knight was a cause for emergency because she had gone to visit the enemy.

‘There is a reason why Mercedes visited Valhalla.’

She had tried to get revenge by finding the Undefeated King’s descendant. In fact, there was no way she would join with Valhalla. Emperor Juander was convinced of this. However...

‘It is also true that she broke my orders.’

Sadly, the emperor had no choice but to doubt Mercedes’ loyalty. If she were truly loyal to him, she wouldn’t have left his sight for any reason.

‘Well, I never expected loyalty in the first place.’

It was natural. Even the trusted Piaro had betrayed him and the empire. The so-called knights were no different from clowns. Loyalty was merely a mask that could be thrown away at any time.

‘But it would be nice if I could trust Gyuratan a bit more.’

The Fourth Knight Gyuratan was the decisive figure who revealed Piaro’s betrayal 12 years ago. What was his reason for monitoring the Red Knights and turning Mercedes into a villain by distorting the truth?

‘There might be something dangerous. I have to watch out for Mercedes.’

Emperor Juander made a decision.

“The First Knight should be loyal to the royal family, but Mercedes abandoned her duty by breaking my orders. I will deprive Mercedes of all her qualifications, and she will be disciplined for three years.”

It was like a bolt out of the blue. The big and small officials were upset.

Who was Mercedes? She was the person who united the Red Knights which had been fractured due to Piaro’s betrayal. Thanks to her work, the Red Knights could be maintained and stability restored. She showed bravery in wars and activities which were difficult to emulate. Mercedes was the symbol of a new era. Yet the emperor was throwing away this symbol? The wave of shock created at this time was terrible.

Even the emperor’s aide thought negatively about it.

“She is under the empress’ command. No, I don’t think you should do this, even if she is a puppet of the empress.”

“That’s right. Disqualifying her is on a different dimension from simply disciplining her.

“You have to think about her influence. There is a fear that the knights will go against Your Majesty. I think it is right to give proper disciplinary actions.”

Would the Red Knights follow Duke Limit or First Knight Mercedes? Most of the knights were likely to choose Mercedes. Mercedes was a respected knight, so the emperor’s decision was puzzling.

“Hrmm...” With even his closest people reacting like this, the calm emperor became frustrated. He tapped the table with his thick fingers. Then suddenly...

Kwaduduk!

Strange noises came down from the ceiling.

“...!”

In the emperor’s office, Emperor Juander and the dukes sitting around the table looked up.

“Wait a moment.” Guard captain Bain, who was always protecting the emperor’s side, jumped up. The falling metal chandelier was caught in Bain’s big hand.

“W-What is this...?”

The faces of the dukes turned white. The chandelier hanging on the ceiling had suddenly fallen?

‘What an ominous sign!’

This was the emperor’s office. It was impossible for the facilities to not be maintained properly. Indeed, there were no signs of old age on the chandelier. In fact, it seemed new. The dukes read this as the sign of a disaster and were anxious. However, the emperor was furious. “Empress...!”

bulged as he realized something. The empress wasn’t a puppet of the nobles but their leader. The emperor confirmed that this chandelier was a

“Understood!”

The dukes, who had been sitting heavily on the ground, rushed out of the room. There were already hundreds of guards in front of the office. Emergency commands were ringing out all over

now! Don’t let a single mouse leave

“Yes!”

Empress Marie! This is a

“Yes!”

chaos poured out. The political situation of the empire was changing rapidly. At

news was delivered to the emperor. “A corner of the southern wall

“What?”

which hadn’t allowed a single enemy since its founding, had collapsed? To think that all of this was happening so suddenly? It was an unprecedented event and emotional instability started to bubble deep in the heart

***

that isn’t beautiful.” In the empress’ palace, the noblewoman bowing whilst on her knees kept on saying flattering words. She was carefully painting the empress’ nails. A noble lady from a good family was on her knees and doing someone else’s nails… It made the maids, who were at one side, restless. They knew that they would eventually receive

powdered pearl might not be beautiful enough for your

a bliss that couldn’t be spoken. A noble lady was like a puppy before her… The feeling of this power was

doing

would be like. Marie’s desires were overwhelming. Her goal of putting the

was a beautiful song like an angel was singing. However, the noblewoman and the maids knew. They couldn’t

“Your Majesty!”

“...Huung.”

empress stopped humming and moved her gaze. Viscount Albert had urgently rushed over, panting harshly. “It is better

than confused. She was the empire’s empress and would later be the mother of the emperor. Yet she now had to avoid the emperor? Her?

“Duke Grenhal is headed for this palace, but his mood is

“Duke Grenhal...?”

emperor coming here?

going on,” the empress said, realizing that the mood was unusual. Then she immediately rose from her seat, and the maids carefully put on her

The maids cried

today. Viscount Albert bit his lips so

knight ran and reported to the empress, “I heard that the mobile hanging in your bedroom fell down.” (Mobile: a decorative structure that is suspended so

stiffened. “What is the

said that the mobile became

Empress Marie immediately grasped the situation. “Right now... Prepare the carriage right now. I must meet His

empress heard a voice, “I have already prepared the

top of a rhino. The empress didn’t like his gaze. However, she couldn’t express this. Duke Grenhal, who boasted the

you for

***

“This is serious.”

the awfulness, the empress’ palace was peaceful on the

in the afternoon, this was overturned. Veradin identified the cause and decided that the empress’ position would be greatly reduced from

move, we might be

Marie’s command. They

new nesting site is

Agnus had stayed at the empress’ palace for

‘Let’s leave this palace.’

poison. Then it would be hard to go anywhere

be nice to move to the

this was good timing to try new challenges. Veradin thought so and felt a clear sense of hope. He

were greater in number than he had imagined. For the sake of revenge,

Step, step.

“.....”

second step, a

as he left the palace. He felt a sense of discomfort. Due to the absence of the empress, the knights and soldiers who used to be on guard everywhere couldn’t be seen. Then he realized… this was no longer a safe