Chapter 13:
The Emperor
THE ARGOS, DONE FIGHTING, descended to Baron Glynn’s planet. We came to rest right above the enclosed city that contained the baron’s mansion.
All those nobles in Cleo’s faction who hadn’t abandoned me gathered in the Argos’s large meeting room. I was on a platform in the center of the chamber, alongside today’s other victor, whom I’d invited to the Argos: Viscount Myatt.
Despite the viscount’s victory, he didn’t look too good. After all, the nobles from Calvin’s faction who’d been supporting him weren’t behind him. Right now, he was as meek as a kitten.
As he visibly broke out in a clammy sweat, I applauded him. “Viscount Myatt—congratulations. It’s your victory.”
Following my lead, scattered applause broke out from the stern-faced nobles around us as well. Some looked unhappy with how things had gone, while others wore aggressive smiles. Viscount Myatt appeared terrified to find himself surrounded by them. He didn’t look one bit the victor.
That was only natural. On the surface, this war had been a simple squabble over territory, but in reality, it was a contest that would decide the next emperor. In terms of the fight for territory, Calvin’s faction had won; with the bulk of their forces lost, however, they’d been defeated in the succession conflict.
Viscount Myatt knew all that, so he couldn’t enjoy his “victory.”
I offered him some kind words. “Sadly, we couldn’t go to Baron Glynn’s aid in time to save him. I didn’t expect his subjects to kill him in all the confusion! I must say, though, I’m impressed by you guys. You made me realize that I’ve still got a ways to go myself.”
Essentially, I was actually the one who’d killed Baron Glynn. To be precise, it was Tia’s decision on the ground to let Glynn’s subjects slaughter him—but since I’d signed off on her actions after I found out about them, responsibility lay with me.
“Y-you killed Baron Glynn,” Viscount Myatt murmured hoarsely.
“What an accusation. We tried to save him, but we were a moment too late. That’s the truth of the matter, don’t you think?”
When I pressed him to agree, Viscount Myatt nodded repeatedly. Really, he had no choice but to agree; he apparently had enough wit to realize that if he didn’t, he’d be erased too.
I moved things along. “Well, let’s carry on to addressing post-war matters, shall we? House Glynn lost, and the head of their family is dead, so the baron’s territory will go to the victor. Any objections…?”
I looked out at the gathered nobles, but they only nodded along or looked apathetic. Why would someone else’s territory dispute interest any of them? Nothing they expressed here would make them richer.
“Rejoice, Viscount Myatt. This planet now belongs to you!” I put my hands on the viscount’s shoulders.
He didn’t seem at all happy about the news, though. “I-I can’t maintain a planet like this. And I can’t accept having to shoulder House Glynn’s debts.”
Naturally, House Glynn’s debts would come with their ruined planet. The victor took everything from the loser, and in the Empire, that included debt. The Empire was especially strict regarding overdue taxes and debts to the nation itself. Viscount Myatt wanted to avoid paying Baron Glynn’s debts at all costs.
I dropped my smile and put some pressure on the viscount. “It’s your win here—take it without reservations. You can’t just abandon it. House Glynn is no more, after all… You destroyed it.”
“Wh-what?!”
House Glynn apparently comprised plenty of extended family members, so any number of people could potentially have inherited the baron’s title. When they heard what had happened, however, every single one of those relatives had given up their right to that inheritance. It was like House Myatt had struck the coup de grâce on House Glynn—and if that were the case, there was no getting out of this for Myatt. The Empire would make him take responsibility.
The viscount was turning pale, so I gave him an alternative. “If you don’t like that, hand over Charlot to me. If you do, I’ll take the baron’s home planet and his debts as well.”
Myatt widened his eyes at this proposal. The nobles around us started to clamor, but the viscount wasn’t going to let the opportunity go. He leaped on my proposal.
✦ ✦ ✦
Details about the proxy war had reached the Capital Planet as well.
Victory had gone to Viscount Myatt, but it was Cleo who’d won the succession conflict. Many objected to that outcome, of course, but the vast majority came to terms with it.
Accepting his loss, Calvin summoned Cleo to his palace.
“Tell me this one thing. Did this go the way you planned it to?”
At this point, Calvin didn’t bother venting his grievances. All he wanted to know was Cleo’s true objective.
Cleo stood before Calvin with sorrow on his face. He answered truthfully: “I never expected this. I didn’t think Liam would wipe my Imperial Guard out either. He really never does what you expect of him.”
Cleo likewise hadn’t anticipated this outcome.
Calvin sighed quietly. “It would seem he found out we were cooperating. So? What do you plan to do now? House Banfield has climbed to the very top of the Empire. If you’re going to be crown prince, and eventually emperor, getting on his bad side won’t be very smart.”
When Cleo thought about his future reign, he always envisioned one major noble house getting in his way. Although he’d now won the succession conflict, there was still a big problem for him to deal with. Calvin had asked what Cleo planned to do now partly from curiosity, but he also wanted to get a sense of Cleo’s true character.
“He’s killed my vassals, so he’ll have to pay the price for that,” Cleo replied. “I have no intention of letting him do as he pleases.”
Hearing Cleo’s answer, Calvin laughed at himself. “If you’re the one I lost to, it shows how much I’m worth. My only true opponent before was really Liam—Count Banfield, rather.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? As I am now, even my older brother won’t get away with talking to me like that.” Since Cleo was practically crown prince already, he made his displeasure clear. His words implied, “I can have you killed if I feel like it, you know.”
But Calvin felt no need to fear Cleo. After all, the defeated prince was already set to be handed over to Liam. Whatever Cleo said, Calvin doubted Liam would let his brother have him.
“You should just have laid low until you were emperor,” Calvin told him. “From now on, you’ll be Count Banfield’s enemy. If you’d let him underestimate you, you might’ve had some moves you could make, but now it’s you who’ll be taken down easily if you aren’t on your guard. Why do you think Count Banfield’s been looking after our brothers Wallace and Cedric? If he backs one of them and takes you on, you’re done.”
Calvin felt that, if Cleo had wanted to beat Liam, he should’ve kept quiet right up until they fought—and shouldn’t have started that fight until he was crowned. Now wasn’t the time to betray the count. Cleo frowned when he heard that, but Calvin simply looked up at the ceiling.
“You were too hasty. Well…I guess that goes for me, too. If I’d gone and bowed my head to Liam back there, maybe I would’ve made it out of this with my position intact.”
Calvin could never have expected things to go this way back when he offered to let Liam to join his faction. He regretted not inviting Liam personally, but at the same time, he couldn’t help laughing at himself. He was amused that he kept reflecting on such things, even though he knew that was pointless now.
Standing, Calvin gave Cleo some last parting words. “From now on, you’re crown prince; first in line to the throne. Let me congratulate you.”