Up until this point, the empire’s high-ranking officials had dutifully followed the emperor, carrying out his tyrannical orders against the common folk with a smile.
That was how they’d curried favor with him, after all. They had shared some of Zilsonia’s authority, and therefore had no reason to care about the suffering of the hoi polloi.
If the emperor said he couldn’t stomach a particularly talented painter who was not of noble blood, the artist’s arm would be maimed in a mysterious “accident.”
If he called an unusually skilled scholar of common stock an eyesore, they would be pressured from all sides into leaving academia.
Twenty years ago, they’d even crippled two skilled knights for the same reason.
They hadn’t at all been afraid of getting their hands dirty. Commoners couldn’t retaliate, given that the officials had been under the protection of the emperor’s absolute authority. Or so they’d been convinced.
But now they trembled in terror, despairing before Crow Titus’s counterattack.
“That madman!” one exclaimed.
“We’re doomed,” another lamented.
“Eeeeek!” shrieked a third.
The man on whose back Zilsonia had painted a target had, incredibly, managed to seduce the emperor’s own mother, Empress Dowager Eldia.
Not only that, he had established his claim over the enamored Eldia in front of hundreds of thousands of people, carrying her before the emperor himself.
“What a terrifying man this Crow Titus is!”
The officials’ hearts shattered at this unbelievable turn of events. After all, who would want to cross someone who’d not only seduced an elderly mother, but even got her visibly thirsty in the middle of the city? No, he was far too terrifying.
Even should the emperor demand Crow’s elimination in the future, they would all vehemently refuse. The officials spoke excitedly among themselves.
“Look at Crow’s—no, Lord Crow’s left hand!”
“That is undoubtedly the royal family’s ring!”
“If Her Majesty gave that to him herself...”
At this point, politically speaking, Crow Titus was invincible. Having been chosen as the consort of the empress dowager meant he was now a member of the royal family—and Emperor Zilsonia’s stepfather.
Even not being of royal stock wasn’t enough of a drawback. In today’s world, powerful aetherborn ran rampant, and due to the recent attack by the Order of the Black Star, Wanpurgis, they had breached the Spirit Wall and begun to advance inland. Now even the complacent inhabitants of the capital were forced to remember that humanity was still in crisis.
Thus, what the royal family needed the most at this moment was overwhelming military power—and a charismatic warrior on whom the people could count to protect them at all costs was a necessity.
“The current royal family, His Majesty the Emperor included, has no real combat experience. Whereas Crow Titus...”
They all knew that Crow was the sole disciple of Iris of the White Blade, vice-captain of the Imperial Order of Magus Knights. That his origins were tragic—he’d become a knight due to the rage he felt at the destruction of his hometown, raided by a dark magus. That as a “myth conqueror,” he could not be corrupted by cursed arms. That Crow was on record as having taken part in the defense of Salem, the only city that had withstood Wanpurgis’s terrorist attack on the Four Cardinal Cities. And lastly, that he was a legend, having single-handedly slain one of the Seven Calamities that had long plagued humanity—Nidhogg, Blight of the Heavens.
He was perfect.
Far too perfect.
Frighteningly perfect.
What good was royal blood compared to this man’s achievements? Anyone who complained about his pedigree only exposed how petty they were. After all, the current royal family and nobility had achieved their greatness not by merit but by riding on the coattails of their ancestors’ deeds, their victories against the aetherborn. In light of all this, no one could really object to Crow entering the royal family.
On the contrary! Upon realizing that a commoner had become a royal, the people rejoiced, erupting into explosive cheers.
“Wh-Whoa! Does that ring mean what I think it means?!”
“Oh my gosh! Crow’s a royal now!”
“Oh shiiiiiiiit!”
Seeing him that close to Eldia already had them going like, “No way!” But then Crow had shown the emperor his ring, and the empress dowager had uttered the words “your new father” and boom! The people’s hopes became reality!
“Hooray! Long live His Majesty, Emperor Crow!” the (out-of-the-loop) crowds shouted in joy.
The Dragonslayer, a commoner just like them, had made the career leap of the century! It stood to reason that they were excited.
Even just in terms of practical benefits, a powerful emperor was a welcome addition. With aetherborn and dark magi running rampant of late, people had been quite frightened, so they were all the more elated at this new development.
So, though the high-ranking officials were terrified at the thought that Crow had joined the royal family, the ordinary people were beside themselves with excitement.
Indeed, everyone completely and fully believed that Crow Titus had married Empress Dowager Eldia.
Crow himself, though?
Um, what?! Uh, they all kinda have it all wrong!
On the outside, he remained stoic. Internally, he wanted to cry.
He’d said that he would scold the emperor in place of his father, yes, but he’d meant this quite literally. He hadn’t meant to say that he was going to be Zilsonia’s new father.
And he’d slipped the ring onto his left ring finger because Eldia had said that, if he was going to act in place of the emperor’s father, he should be wearing it during the ceremony.
Aaaaargh! Why’d Eldia have to go and tell me to put the ring on, and be all like, “Here’s your new dad” at the emperor?! Now everyone has the wrong idea!
Or at least, that was why he thought everyone had the wrong idea. In reality, she hadn’t intentionally misled anyone. Eldia genuinely wanted to marry Crow to bring stability to the nation.
And she believed he was on the same page.
Oh, Crow! she thought, unaware of the young man’s inner turmoil. You’re so dutiful to your nation, offering yourself up to someone like me! I will cherish you for the rest of my days! ♡
Eldia sincerely respected him. And just as she’d hoped, the citizenry had accepted Crow as a new member of the royal family. With this, making him the new emperor would be trivial, she thought.
Nor was she alone in thinking this.
“W-We’ll gladly support Lord Crow as well!” said the high-ranking officials, doing a one-eighty and joining the people in cheering.
Having witnessed the young man’s terrifying plot to publicly NTR an elderly mother, they’d become fearful of him. And after seeing the crowds’ reaction, they decided to side with him outright.
“Protect our country, Emperor Crow!”
The masses, in their ignorance, continued to celebrate.
Though the masses were easily swayed by fleeting emotions, they were also pragmatic and cruel. Their consensus was that, compared to the powerful and gallant Crow Titus, the emperor was a pathetic old man, making funny noises as he fainted. Rumors also abounded of Zilsonia’s hatred for the common folk, and who in their right mind would love an emperor who hated his own people?
As their distaste for the emperor grew, public opinion flipped entirely in Crow’s favor.
And so, the high-ranking officials turned traitor, the people cheered, Eldia had nothing but respect and affection for the young man, and Crow himself was in the middle of nervously going, Now what? Now what?!
Zilsonia, now bereft of all support, gripped his staff tightly.
Damn you, Crow Titus!
With anger in his heart, the emperor stood up. Between the shock of his mother being snatched away and the painful stares from those around him, he was in such anguish he wanted to cry.
But one thing kept his heart from breaking—the golden scepter in his grip.
That’s right. I still have this. It can dissolve living beings. I must persevere! I will endure this humiliation and wait for my opportunity to kill Crow! The emperor clenched his teeth, desperate to suppress his rage.
This was all to eradicate Crow once and for all.
He would swallow this brain-shattering humiliation and endure this disgraceful ceremony. He would endure this man stealing his elderly mother away. Zilsonia wanted to snap, to cry, to retch, but he poured every fiber of his being into holding back.
“My sincerest apologies, Crow!” he exclaimed, bowing his head dramatically.
At the emperor’s gesture and words, Crow’s eyes widened.
“Zilsonia?” the young man asked, frozen in shock. What? What?! The emperor apologized?! Huh?! Even though, from his point of view, I may as well be NTRing his mom?!
Without a moment’s hesitation, the emperor continued the charade. “With a pathetic son like me, it’s no wonder my mother would entrust her heart to you!” he said, letting crocodile tears flow.
And Crow, gullible idiot that he was, fell for it.
“I see. So you’re aware of how things stand,” the young man remarked. Seriously?! Aw, he’s so understanding! We just needed to have a chat!
Internally, Crow was relieved.
Originally, when he’d heard he was to reprimand the emperor at the ceremony, he’d fretted, Oh man, he’s gonna be so mad at me!
Then, on the day of the scolding, Eldia had said something misleading and had ended up being mistaken for Crow’s fiancée. Crow’d been shaking in his boots, thinking he’d definitely get in trouble.
But look at what had happened instead! The emperor that he’d been so terrified of had bowed his head low in front of everyone!
Crow was so impressed he couldn’t help but go Bravo! at the older man’s sportsmanship.
“Let’s set aside the matter with Eldia for now,” the young man said. “Zilsonia, by apologizing, are you acknowledging you tried to have me assassinated?”
“Indeed. I am man enough to face my guilt head-on,” the emperor said, further impressing Crow by not dodging his question.
See, the young man’s thought process was so flimsy that, when directly confronted with what looked like remorse, he thought, Well, guess I’ll forgive him!
If Crow had been the angry sort, he’d have been more like, Do I look like I care? Shut up. I’ll kill you.
But he wasn’t. He was meek. The worst kind of meek.
“Is that so? Zilsonia, you seem to grasp the error of your foolish ways,” Crow announced, relieved on the inside. Wow! Genuine repentance!
“Y-Yes! I am but a foolish criminal,” Zilsonia replied, seemingly apologetic.
How dare you call me foolish! he thought, seething on the inside. I’ll destroy you, bastard!
Thus did their high-stakes yet ultimately pointless psychological warfare begin.
✦ ✦ ✦
Coming up, in the final chapter of Volume 2...
Oblivious Dumbass, NTRer of the Elderly
vs.
Garbage Old Man!!!
Let the trash battle from hell commence!