Silence filled the air as Werther Bennett, Knight Commander of the Imperial Guard, released his pressure and brought everyone to their knees. I was the only person who remained unaffected, since I was also an Aura Master. Sir Alwin, who was right in front of me, wore a stricken expression on his face. Sweat beaded his forehead and ran down his cheek.
“I came here to greet Lord Wulfe and escort him to His Imperial Majesty,” Knight Commander Bennett said in a cold voice. “And what do I find? Knights of the Imperial Guard acting like a gang of thugs instead of the knights they’re supposed to be.”
Knight Commander Bennett marched towards Sir Alwin and I. His footsteps rang out, each containing a certain finality to it. Even I felt a chill run down my spine, and I was an Aura Master. It must have been worse for everyone else.
“Sir Alwin Bretz,” Knight Commander Bennett said when he reached us, “Explain yourself.”
Knight Commander Bennett eased his pressure a bit. Sir Alwin gasped and fell forward onto his hands and knees, like a puppet that had its strings cut, unable to lift his head.
“Kni-Knight Commander, I-I…” Sir Alwin stuttered so hard that he could hardly get a single word out.
“Perhaps I should explain the situation, Knight Commander Bennett.” I said. “Otherwise, we may be here all day.”
The Knight Commander studied me for several moments. His expression made it clear that he viewed me as some sort of troublemaker. However, before he could answer, Sir Alwin found his courage. The knight lifted his head and pointed a finger at me.
“This bastard threatened us, Knight Commander!” he shouted. “We were merely defending our honor as knights of the Imperial Guard!”
Knight Commander Bennett frowned at that.
“Is this true, Lord Wulfe?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“I did no such thing.” I said. “I just-…”
“That’s a lie!” Sir Alwin shouted, interrupting me. “Everyone here can-…”
I released my own pressure and brought it to bear on Sir Alwin. He choked on his words and crumpled to the ground.
“Don’t interrupt me.” I said, an edge to my voice.
Knight Commander Bennett gestured towards me.
“Lord Wulfe, please release Sir Alwin.” He said in a polite, but firm, tone.
I complied. While I didn’t think much of Sir Alwin and his ilk, the same could not be said for Knight Commander Bennett. He was a baron’s son, but through his own merits, he climbed his way to one of the highest positions someone could achieve within the Reichwald Empire. That alone was enough to earn my respect.
However, he was also one of the people who taught me the way of the sword, back when I lived at Guld Manor. It was only for one lesson, but my progress improved by leaps and bounds after that one lesson. I owed him a great deal.
After I released Sir Alwin from my pressure, he laid there on the ground, panting. He wasn’t going to interrupt me again any time soon.
“As I was saying,” I said, “Sir Alwin and his subordinates tried to bar my path forward when I insisted on entering the imperial palace. I told them that they had neither the authority nor the strength to stop me. I also said that if they insisted on standing in my way, I would remove them as obstacles.”
Sir Alwin pushed himself back onto his knees.
“See?” He said. “This bastard did threaten us!”
I snorted.
“That wasn’t a threat.” I said. “That was a statement of fact.”
“Punish him, Knight Commander! The honor of the Imperial Guard is at stake!”
Knight Commander Bennett glared at Sir Alwin.
“Silence.” he said, his voice sharp and cold. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”
Sir Alwin looked stricken, as if he hadn’t expected Knight Commander Bennett to rebuke him.
“But-bu-”
Knight Commander Bennett cut him off with a sharp gesture.
“Lord Wulfe is His Majesty’s guest and the heir to House Kaltbrand.” The Knight Commander said. “Through your own actions, you’ve doomed yourself and your subordinates. No one, not even Prince Cornelius, will be able to save you now.” He turned towards me and gave me a deep bow. “I apologize for what happened, Lord Wulfe. I will see to Sir Alwin’s punishment myself. You have my word.”
“Knight Commander!” Sir Alwin exclaimed, his face pale.
I studied Knight Commander Bennett for a moment. On the surface, I put on a cold facade. However, I felt gratitude underneath. I didn’t know why Knight Commander Bennett was helping me, but I learned a valuable piece of information thanks to him. He mentioned Prince Cornelius, which meant that Sir Alwin and his people were connected to him somehow. I guessed that they were his supporters, which would explain their arrogance. The backing of a member of the royal family allowed one to get away with a lot of things.
The question was, did Prince Cornelius order Sir Alwin to make things difficult for me? Or had Sir Alwin acted of his own initiative? Maybe someone else was behind this incident, and they were using Sir Alwin as a pawn. It was difficult to tell. I was ignorant of the situation here in Haven. The Blue Shadows had agents here, but I hadn’t had a chance to meet up with them yet. Not only that, but I hadn’t had a chance to speak with Lina. She was better informed of the situation here in Haven, but we refrained from discussing it during the trip here. We wanted to rest and relax before diving in the quagmire that was Haven’s high society.
“Very well.” I said. “I’ll leave it to you.” I gave Sir Alwin a cold look. “See that Sir Alwin’s punishment isn’t too light. After all, he insulted House Kaltbrand. Otherwise, I will assume that the Imperial Guard holds House Kaltbrand in contempt.”
Knight Commander Bennett rose from his bow.
“Believe me, Lord Wulfe,” he said, “That won’t be a problem.”
“Knight Commander, you can’t do this to me!” Sir Alwin yelled. “Once His Highness hears of this-Urgh!”
I grabbed Sir Alwin by the throat, interrupting him.
“You attacked the heir to House Kaltbrand.” I said, staring him right in the eyes. “I could kill you right here and now, and no one would do anything about it. However, to help him save face, I’m letting Knight Commander Bennett handle your punishment. That said, make no mistake. House Kaltbrand will remember this, Sir Alwin.”
I tossed him to the ground. He laid on the ground, coughing and gasping for air.
“Shall we go to His Imperial Majesty now, Knight Commander Bennett?” I asked. “I’m sure we’ve kept him waiting long enough.”
The Knight Commander nodded and retracted his pressure. Everyone around us, with the exception of Sir Alwin, let out sighs of relief. Sir Kane pushed himself to his feet, his complexion still a little pale.
“You there.” Knight Commander Bennett said, gesturing to two of the Imperial Guard. “Take Sir Alwin to the dungeons. Consider this your chance to redeem yourselves.”
The two Imperial Guards glanced at each other, before they sprang to their feet.
“Yes, Knight Commander!” They said in unison, saluting him.
The two Imperial Guards then took Sir Alwin, their former superior, by the arms and dragged him off. Sir Alwin struggled to break free, but the two Imperial Guards were also Aura Experts.
“Release me!” He shouted as they dragged him off. “I said release me! I order you to let go of me!”
The two Imperial Guards ignored him and soon dragged him out of earshot.
“As for the rest of you,” Knight Commander Bennett said to the remaining Imperial Guards, “I might show you clemency, depending on your behavior going forward. In the meantime, you’re all dismissed.”
The Imperial Guards stood up, each of them wearing an uneasy expression on their face, before they left. However, Sir Kane made sure to retrieve his weapons first.
“If you would follow me, Lord Wulfe.” Knight Commander Bennett said.
With that, Sir Kane and I followed him into the main building of the imperial palace.
----------------------------------------
As Knight Commander Bennett led Sir Kane and I towards His Imperial Majesty, I examined our surroundings. Like the exterior, the interior of the imperial palace’s main building was beautiful. It continued with the white and gold color scheme. Priceless works of art decorated the walls. A plush rug covered the marble floor, muffling our footsteps.
It felt cooler inside the main building, which I appreciated. A subtle sweet scent filled the air, though I couldn’t discern the source. We passed by several servants and Imperial Guards on our way to see His Imperial Majesty. The former bowed, while the latter saluted us.
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“Once again, I apologize for Sir Alwin’s behavior, Lord Wulfe.” Knight Commander Bennett said, glancing back at me.
I shook my head.
“There’s no need for you to apologize, Knight Commander Bennett.” I said. “The fault lies with Sir Alwin, not yourself. I don’t hold you accountable for his actions.”
“Even if you don’t, I do,” Knight Commander Bennett said. “He is my subordinate, so I am responsible for his actions to a certain degree.” He sighed. “If I had known what he had planned on doing, I would have put a stop to it before it started.”
I nodded in acquiescence rather than quibble about it further.
“In that case, I accept your apology.” I said.
“Thank you, Lord Wulfe,” Knight Commander Bennett said. “You are most generous.” He paused. “Though, this cloud has a silver lining. This incident will give me the excuse I need to get rid of Sir Alwin. He has been a thorn in my side for a while now, ever since he became Prince Cornelius’ supporter. It was just a matter of time before he turned against me and tried to usurp my position.”
I raised an eyebrow at that.
“Did His Imperial Majesty tell you to be this candid?” I asked. “I can’t think of any other reason why you’re being so open with me.”
Knight Commander Bennett shook his head.
“No.” He said. “However, His Imperial Majesty never ordered me to not be candid with you. Besides, it’s a well known fact that Sir Alwin was one of Prince Cornelius’ supporters and that he coveted my position.” He scoffed. “Still, even with His Highness’ backing, I can’t believe Sir Alwin was stupid enough to draw his blade against you. Not only are you the heir to House Kaltbrand, but you are also an Aura Master.” He looked back and gave me a smile. “On that note, let me congratulate you on becoming the youngest Aura Master in the history of the Reichwald Empire.”
I returned his smile.
“Thank you.” I said. “Though, I can’t take all of the credit. The only reason why I progressed as fast as I have is because I had excellent teachers such as yourself to show me the way.”
Knight Commander Bennett shook his head.
“No need to be so modest, Lord Wulfe.” He said. “I just gave you a few tips and tricks that I picked up over the years. You’re the one who made good use of them.
I refrained from saying anything further.
We continued on our way, until we reached a door that led to a balcony overlooking one of the imperial palace’s many gardens. That surprised me. I expected to meet the Emperor in his throne room, or at least in one of the imperial palace’s sitting rooms.
“Go on ahead, Lord Wulfe.” Knight Commander Bennett said. “His Imperial Majesty is waiting for you. Your bodyguard and I will be waiting out here.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“You aren’t going to ask me to relinquish my weapons?” I asked.
“There’s no need.” He said. “Even a blind person can tell that you’re unarmed.”
I snorted at that, before I opened the door and walked out onto the balcony. It was a small space, lined with a decorative metal railing, that had a great view of the imperial palace’s gardens. I found the Emperor sitting at a small metal and glass table in the center of the balcony. A pot of tea and two cups sat on the table.
He looked much the same as I remembered him, a tall and imposing man with a powerful build, short golden hair, and golden eyes. A trimmed beard covered most of his face. Despite this, I saw that he shared many of the same facial features as Mother, though his were sharper and more masculine. He wore a white and gold outfit.
However, there were differences as well. The Emperor seemed older than I remembered. There were lines on his face that weren’t there before and an air of weariness hung over him. That said, age made him no less dangerous. In fact, it had the opposite effect, like a lion that had grown more experienced and cunning with age.
His presence was as imposing as ever. In fact, since I was an Aura Master, I was more sensitive to it than before. The Emperor wasn’t an Aura user or a magician. However, he brimmed with divine power. It was like standing in the presence of a sun in the form of a man. I was an Aura Master and I now wielded the coldfire, but I doubted that I would be a match for the Emperor if it came down to a fight. The only people who also gave me this sort of feeling were Mom and Dad.
Hilmar Reichwald, the head of House Reichwald and the Emperor of the Reichwald Empire.
I walked over to the Emperor and bowed.
“I greet you, Your Imperial Majesty.” I said.
The Emperor shook his head and waved a hand at me.
“We can dispense with the formalities this time, Lord Wulfe.” He said. “That isn’t why I called for you.” He gestured to the chair opposite his. “Please, sit.”
I blinked at him in surprise. The Emperor’s attitude caught me off guard. It wasn’t what I expected. The last time we met was when Father adopted me into House Guld. Back then, the Emperor scared and intimidated me with his mere presence. However, the Emperor before me seemed… casual, for lack of a better word. It felt like I was meeting with an old friend of the family instead of the ruler of an empire.
I sat down. To my surprise, the Emperor poured tea for me. I wasn’t sure how to react to that.
“Before we begin, I have to know,” he said as he sipped his own cup of tea, “Do you prefer to go by Wulfe or Wulfram?”
I shook my head to regain my composure and shrugged.
“Either one is fine with me.” I said.
The Emperor nodded.
“In that case, I will call you Wulfe.” He said. “I called you here as a Kaltbrand, not a Guld.”
“And why did you call me here, Your Imperial Majesty?” I asked. “Please forgive my impertinence, but I find this entire situation… strange.”
I couldn’t help but feel suspicious of the Emperor and his motivations for summoning me. House Kaltbrand served House Reichwald, but the two families always seemed to be at odds with one another. The Emperor’s actions towards me just deepened my suspicions.
“Let me guess,” he said, giving me an amused look, “You expected me to try to plot and scheme against your family?”
I just smiled at the Emperor and refrained from answering.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “We can save all that for the future. That isn’t what this conversation is about.” He gave me an intense stare. “Do you know what the foundation of any relationship is, Lord Wulfe?”
I blinked at him in surprise. I had not expected the conversation to go in this direction.
“Excuse me?” I blurted out, unable to help myself.
“Communication and trust.” The Emperor continued, as if I hadn’t said anything. “Without either of those, bonds will weaken or break altogether. Whether those bonds exist between individuals, or entire families.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Are you talking about the bond between House Reichwald and House Kaltbrand?” I guessed.
The Emperor nodded.
“Yes.” He said. “For almost a thousand years, our two families have served as pillars of the Reichwald Empire. There are other pillars of course, but House Reichwald and House Kaltbrand are two of the most important ones. This is because of the bond between our two families.”
I frowned.
“Forgive me for saying this, Your Imperial Majesty,” I said in an unapologetic tone, “But I was under the impression that our two families weren’t on good terms with one another.”
“They aren’t.” The Emperor admitted. “House Kaltbrand is too powerful and too influential, so House Reichwald seeks to curb them and bring them to heel. Meanwhile, House Kaltbrand seeks to defend and preserve its independence and autonomy as much as possible. It’s the same song and dance our families have performed since the founding of the Reichwald Empire, and I doubt it will change anytime soon.”
Once again, the Emperor’s candid attitude caught me off guard and I wasn’t sure how to respond. I came to this meeting expecting to defend myself against the Emperor’s schemes, not… Whatever this was.
“However, despite all that,” the Emperor continued, “When necessary, our two families will stand united and work together for the sake of the Reichwald Empire. This is why communication and trust is so important. The relationship between your father and I is a perfect example of this. We don’t like each other.” He wore an exasperated expression on his face. “In fact, we actively dislike each other. He hates that I keep telling him what to do, and I hate that he stays in the Barrens all the time instead of performing his duties as the empire’s only Grand Duke. There is more to the Reichwald Empire than that frozen waste-…”
The Emperor stopped himself and took a deep breath before continuing.
“My point is,” he said, “Despite our mutual dislike of one another, your father and I will put aside our differences for the sake of the greater good when we need to.”
I started to understand what the Emperor was getting at. Our two families were at odds, often scheming and plotting against one another. However, they worked together for the sake of the Reichwald Empire as a whole.
“Whenever the bond between our two families weakens, disaster follows and innocent people suffer.” The Emperor said.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Such as during the Year of Betrayal.” I said.
The Emperor looked surprised at this.
“You’re more knowledgeable than I expected.” He said. “But yes. The Year of Betrayal was the greatest failure of both our families. House Reichwald was at fault, I won’t deny that, but House Kaltbrand bears its fair share of responsibility for what happened.”
I almost scoffed, but remembered that I was talking to the Emperor himself and held back.
“Yet we weren’t the ones who tried to erase the Year of Betrayal from the annals of history.” I said. “House Reichwald did.”
The Emperor nodded.
“True.” He said. “However, we have never forgotten it ourselves. We must not, lest we risk repeating history. There cannot be another Year of Betrayal.”
I nodded to the Emperor.
“On that, we agree.” I said.
“Which brings me to why I summoned you here, Lord Wulfe.” The Emperor said. “I know why you are here. Even an idiot could guess that House Kaltbrand will involve itself in the imperial succession. In the near future, there is a good chance that our families will work against one another. Our next meeting will not be as friendly as this one. However, I want you to promise me one thing. No matter who becomes my heir, I want you to maintain the bond between House Reichwald and House Kaltbrand. Regardless of your personal feelings towards them, never forget that. Follow your father’s example.”
I sipped my tea, which had gone cold by this point, to give myself time to think.
“That won’t be a problem for me, Your Imperial Majesty.” I said. “During my time as a mercenary, I often worked with people I despised.” My voice turned cold. “However, maintaining a bond requires effort from both parties. What if your heir refuses to cooperate?”
The Emperor’s expression hardened.
“That won’t happen.” He said. “I won’t let it. Only a worthy heir shall inherit my throne. I love my children and my nephew. However, my responsibilities as a ruler take precedence over my personal feelings.”
His words sent a chill down my spine.
“That said, I hope it doesn’t come to that.” The Emperor said. “The less I have to interfere with the succession, the better.”
I stared at the Emperor. This entire conversation felt surreal to me. I never expected to have this sort of discussion with the Emperor. Was this what it meant to be a Kaltbrand? I supposed so. Privilege and power came with heavy responsibilities.
At that moment, I heard raised voices coming through the balcony door. One sounded like Knight Commander Bennett, while the other was unfamiliar to me. The latter was trying to get through the door to the balcony, while the former was impeding them.
“With that, our time together is at an end, Lord Wulfe.” The Emperor said with a sigh. “A shame. I don’t often get the chance to relax and unwind like this.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“I can freeze the door if you wish.” I said.
The Emperor looked tempted by this, but shook his head in the end.
“No, though I appreciate the offer.” He said. “I have another meeting I must attend after this one.” He studied me for a moment. “However, I will give you one last piece of advice. You are a Kaltbrand, which means that outside of your parents, the only person you answer to is me. No one else. Not even the other members of the imperial family have the authority to command you, including the Empress. Keep that in mind going forward.”
I nodded and opened my mouth to respond. However, before I could, the door to the balcony burst open, ending my private meeting with the Emperor.