I Didn't Want to Become the Emperor of This World

Chapter 20

Viscount Krain.

As he had told Duke Vaimal, he was heading to the West Palace, where Duke Panshin was staying, to observe Duke Panshin's movements.

Though he was entrusted with an important mission, Viscount Krain's mind was filled only with thoughts of the benefits he would gain after Duke Vaimal became king.

Smirk.

‘Once Duke Vaimal becomes king, I must take that bitch Elly Heinem from the crown prince. The crown prince is still young, so he wouldn't have laid a hand on her, her body must be clean, right? A guy who can't even properly walk out of his room, there’s no way he would have messed with a girl, right?’

Viscount Krain passed the Central Palace and approached the West Palace. Even then, he couldn't erase the dirty delusions from his mind.

‘When I become a duke, that bitch will regret it too. If she had just obediently crawled before me, she could have become my wife or concubine, but now she'll become a slave. Hehe… I'm looking forward to it. The sight of her, unable to wear even a single thread, kneeling before me and begging for mercy—.’

Just as Viscount Krain continued his unbearable delusions.

Grab— Stab! Stab!

“Ugh…?!”

Someone covered his mouth, someone stabbed his neck with a dagger, and yet another someone stabbed his heart precisely with a dagger.

In the assassination that happened in an instant, Viscount Krain collapsed to the floor without even being able to scream.

‘…Who, who? Why are they killing me?’

—that thought flashed through a corner of Viscount Krain's mind, but before his thought could finish, his heart stopped.

Thud.

As Viscount Krain collapsed to the floor, the three assailants who had assassinated him checked his body once more to make sure their assassination was successful and nodded their heads.

“He's definitely dead. I didn't expect Viscount Krain to come out of the palace, but it made things easier. We would have killed him somehow even if he was inside the palace.”

“Did you leave the traces properly?”

“The assassination was carried out using the methods of the Panshin Ducal Faction’s assassins, and the disguise is perfect. Duke Vaimal will think that Duke Panshin is attacking him, and will eventually attack Duke Panshin.”

“Good, our mission is complete. Now the rest is up to Vice-Captain Hagen.”

“Hehe… it’s a shame we can’t see Vice-Captain Hagen’s acting.”

“Let's ask him to reenact it later. Now, enough with the chatter. Let's go back.”

Nod— Nod— Nod.

The three nodded their heads and disappeared.

The ones who assassinated Viscount Krain were knights of the 3rd Knight Order, among them those with dark pasts from their days in the back alleys—

They were men who had joined the Knight Order out of respect for Jereuth, who, despite being a commoner from the same back alleys as them, had become a knight captain.

The knights of the 3rd Knight Order were all men with many stories of their own.

***

In the office on the top floor of the East Palace, where Duke Vaimal and his faction were gathered.

The duke and the nobles following him, unaware of what had happened, were still celebrating their victory.

“‘Your Majesty’, please try this wine! It's a wine I had a hard time getting from my acquaintance in the Brighton Empire.”

“Sssip… I shouldn't drink too much before a big event, will it be alright?”

“Surprisingly, this is a wine that doesn't get you drunk at all, no matter how much you drink. It's truly a perfect wine to enjoy at a time like this. Let me pour you a glass―”

As one noble fawned, another, not to be outdone, interrupted.

“If you don't get drunk from drinking it, what kind of wine is that? It's just juice.”

“……Haha, that's not it. It gives you a moderate buzz―.”

“‘Your Majesty’, instead of such a clumsy drink, please try this. It's a liquor said to be made with the scales of a Drake, a descendant of the Dragon!”

The noble who had first offered the wine frowned at the noble who cut him off and offered liquor.

However, in order not to raise his voice in front of the cheerful duke and not to ruin the victorious atmosphere, he kept his mouth shut for now.

‘That son of a bitch… trying so hard to look good to the Duke.’

It was a noble who was inwardly cursing another while he himself was trying to flatter the duke.

Thus, Duke Vaimal's office looked harmonious on the outside, but if one looked closely, a power struggle among the nobles was taking place.

Isn't that what ‘politics’ is?

It was then.

—BANG!

“D, Duke… N, no. ‘Your Majesty! S, something terrible has happened!”

A soldier from outside shouted urgently as he entered the office. It was a soldier wearing a helmet that concealed his face.

For a mere soldier to kick open the door without permission was a great rudeness, so the nobles snarled.

—How dare you enter His Majesty's room without permission?!

—Which unit are you from! Are you from the 1st Knight Order?! Hey, Head of the 1st Knight Order! How do you manage your subordinates?!

—Drag him out!!

The nobles who were shouting were mostly those who were in a bad mood because they couldn't properly flatter Duke Vaimal. They didn't lower their voices, as if they had found a target for their anger.

“Now, now, be quiet!”

Duke Vaimal silenced the nobles' shouts, rose from his seat, and asked the soldier.

Duke Vaimal, still unaware of the situation, had a somewhat dazed voice.

“Sigh… what is it that you had to kick the door open? What was so urgent?”

“Th, that! I, I just found Viscount Krain dead while on patrol! I, I saw it myself! Viscount Krain's body is also on the first floor right now!”

“……What?!”

‘Viscount Krain is dead.’

At that one sentence, the noisy office became as quiet as a dead mouse.

Then it started to stir again.

—V, Viscount Krain is dead?

—Don't tell me… he was assassinated?

—What kind of nonsense is that! Who would dare attack Viscount Krain now! Attacking him is like rebelling against Duke Vaimal—no, His Majesty!

The murmuring of the nobles only added to the confusion, and Duke Vaimal's thoughts also stopped at the sudden event.

‘…Viscount Krain is dead?’

As Duke Vaimal was thinking blankly, a knight approached him.

It was the Head of the 1st Knight Order, Charlemarton, who had been waiting only for the moment to reveal his presence.

‘This is an opportunity. An opportunity for me to seize strong power in the new kingdom. A crisis has come, and if I play an active role and make Duke Vaimal king, the next duke is me.’

Charlemarton, not wanting to miss this opportunity, spoke firmly to the duke.

“Duke. This is an attack on the Vaimal Ducal Faction. So we must immediately prepare the knight order and attack the one who assassinated Viscount Krain.”

“Wha, what are you talking about! Who is attacking me!”

“Isn't it obvious? Who would attack you in this situation, Duke.”

“Don't tell me… that bastard Duke Panshin attacked me?”

“Who else could it be but him?”

After answering Duke Vaimal, Charlemarton turned his head and looked at the soldier who had brought the news of Viscount Krain's death.

“You there, soldier.”

“Yes, yes!”

The soldier's face was not visible and his voice was heard for the first time. He was an unknown soldier. However, none of the nobles paid any attention to a mere soldier.

There were many soldiers that even the Knight Captain Charlemarton did not know.

Honestly, wouldn't it be stranger for a knight captain from a noble family to know the face and voice of every soldier?

Therefore, Charlemarton, without any particular suspicion towards the soldier, continued to ask what he intended to ask.

“How was Viscount Krain dead?”

“Pardon? Ah, that… he was dead with daggers in his neck and back.”

“A typical method of the Panshin Ducal Faction's assassins. The back was probably stabbed near the heart, right?”

“Th, that’s right.”

“He probably couldn't even scream properly if he was hit like that. Were there any other traces?”

“Um… not particularly. It seemed Viscount Krain couldn't resist at all.”

“If it was the Panshin Ducal Faction's assassins, it's possible Viscount Krain couldn't react at all. It's become even more certain. That it was the Panshin Ducal Faction that did this.”

Charlemarton spoke to the duke as if he already knew everything.

“Duke, as I told you, Duke Panshin has finally drawn his sword. The knight order that the Panshin Ducal Faction boasts of—the assassins among them have begun to move.”

“……That bastard Panshin, he finally—!!”

The duke shouted in rage.

Then, a strange thought flashed through his mind.

‘…Wait, something is strange.’

Duke Vaimal, who was so shocked by the sudden death of Viscount Krain that he couldn't properly grasp the situation at first, was also a seasoned fox who had reigned in noble society for a long time, so suspicion naturally began to arise.

‘The only reason Panshin would attack me at this point is to reduce the number of nobles who support me. Then would Panshin have bothered to leave evidence? Isn't it easier to just kill the nobles quietly? Making a fuss would only raise our vigilance, so it would be better to kill them one by one quietly.’

If it were the usual Duke Vaimal, the moment such a suspicion arose, he would have logically examined it one by one and come to his own conclusion.

But the situation was so urgent that Duke Vaimal made a big mistake. Instead of coming to a conclusion himself, he asked someone else.

And of all people, it was Charlemarton, who had to conclude that this assassination was unconditionally the work of Duke Panshin.

“……Charlemarton, I will ask you.”

“Speak, please.”

“If it was the Panshin Ducal Faction who assassinated Viscount Krain, their purpose would be to reduce the number of nobles who support me, right?”

“That's right.”

“Then why did they bother to leave the evidence and the body for us to know? If they did that, we would obviously strengthen our guard. If it were me, I would have quietly assassinated the nobles one by one. Isn't that more logical from the perspective of the bastard Panshin, who is assassinating to reduce the number of nobles who support me?”

Duke Vaimal's thinking was logical and accurate.

However, Charlemarton shook his head.

“There is a reason why Duke Panshin assassinated Viscount Krain and showed it off openly.”

“A reason for showing it off openly? What is it?”

“It is to make the nobles afraid and leave Your Grace's side of their own accord. He is threatening them that if they do not follow his side, he will send assassins tonight to kill them one by one.”

—Th, that!

—Hey, Knight Captain!

—That bastard is spouting nonsense again!! Us, leaving the Duke… no, ‘His Majesty's’ side!!

At those words, the nobles were about to rise up again. But this time, Duke Vaimal immediately stopped them.

“Shut your mouths!! Can't you see the Knight Captain and I are talking?!”

—…….

—…….

—…….

—…….

As the nobles hastily shut their mouths at his shout, the duke had Charlemarton continue speaking.

“……Continue speaking. What do you mean by the nobles leaving me of their own accord.”

“Yes. As I said earlier, although on the surface it seems many nobles follow you, Duke Vaimal, in reality, the nobles are still contemplating which duke to support. They have not fully made up their minds.”

“……So?”

“In the midst of that, Duke Panshin has thrown a clear threat to the wavering nobles. The threat that ‘If you do not follow me, I will kill you like Viscount Krain.’”

Charlemarton looked at the several nobles staring at him as if they were pathetic and continued to speak.

“Even those in your office, Duke, were greatly agitated as soon as they heard that Viscount Krain was dead. They were scared. So how would the other nobles, knights, vassals, and servants who are not here be?”

“……They would all be afraid. That the Panshin Ducal Faction's assassins might come and kill them too, like Viscount Krain.”

Duke Vaimal, who was muttering to himself, seemed to have been persuaded by Charlemarton.

Charlemarton would not miss that moment, and he delivered the final blow to Duke Vaimal.

“Duke, we cannot leave it like this. We must immediately gather all the nobles, knights, vassals, and even servants so that they do not break away from our forces.”

“To prevent them from breaking away… are you saying to gather them all in one place so that no one can escape from me?”

“Yes. But that's not all. Since we were attacked, we must retaliate. Otherwise, there will be those who mistake the Duke for being scared of Duke Panshin, and on the day of the Throne Handover Ceremony, there may be those who cast their votes for Duke Panshin.”

“Hmm…”

Duke Vaimal contemplated Charlemarton's logic.

‘Hearing it now, he’s right. If I can't make a strong decision here, those who follow me will also be scared. Above all, since it's essential in politics to return as much as you've received, I can't leave that bastard Panshin alone either.’

As it seemed Duke Vaimal was swayed by Charlemarton's persuasion, some nobles began to waver, saying that Charlemarton's words seemed right.

—Well… he's not wrong. We are loyal subjects, so we will stick with His Majesty until the end, but we can't know what's inside the other bastards.

—He is the Head of the 1st Knight Order who survived the war with the demons. If he speaks with such confidence, it must be certain.

—Panshin, that despicable bastard… since his skills are lacking, he tries to shake us with such dirty tricks!

—But isn't the timing of Viscount Krain's assassination too perfect? To die as soon as he left here… perhaps someone is communicating—

—Hey! Don't say such things!

The nobles were agitated. No, the supporters were agitated.

In that turbulent atmosphere, Duke Vaimal judged that he had to make a decision first.

And that decision was to entrust everything to Charlemarton, who had the most military power in this place.

But before that, there was something Duke Vaimal had to confirm.

“……Charlemarton. I also agree with your words that we should attack Panshin first. But if we start to attack Panshin first, one problem may arise.”

“Are you saying the king might declare martial law?”

“You understand quickly. Yes, I am worried about martial law. It's the only authority left to the king.”

Duke Vaimal clasped his hands and said in a heavy voice.

“If the king declares martial law, we who preemptively attacked Panshin will become rebels, and the 3rd Knight Order that follows the king will attack us. At that time, if Duke Panshin's 2nd Knight Order attacks us along with the 3rd Knight Order, we are finished―.”

“Duke, the king will never declare martial law, even if you beat him to death.”

“How do you know that? What if you're wrong―.”

“If that weak king, ‘Philip,’ had the guts to declare martial law, he would have done so long ago. Before he was treated like such a cripple.”

Charlemarton, who even cut off Duke Vaimal's words to state his opinion firmly.

He was now even pressuring Duke Vaimal.

“Duke. Are you going to be indecisive like the king, lose everything, and disappoint me and the other nobles? Or are you going to show that you are different?”

“……”

“Tonight is the first page where the history of the Vaimal Kingdom begins. If you cannot make a decision at this important moment, Duke Panshin will gain the throne and we, the Vaimal Ducal Faction―.”

As Charlemarton was speaking, a noble interrupted him.

“Knight Captain! No matter how you put it, attacking Duke Panshin means starting a civil war! Do you intend to turn this royal palace, with its history and tradition, into a battlefield?! Are you crazy?!”

The noble raised his voice, but it had no effect on Charlemarton, who had been through numerous battlefields.

“Didn't the war already begin with the assassination of Viscount Krain?!”

“……”

“Duke Panshin killed Viscount Krain, so if he becomes king! What do you think will happen to all of you!! You'll all die like dogs!!”

Despite being an opportunist who only pursued his own interests, Charlemarton's voice contained the spirit of a knight captain who had roamed the battlefields.

At that spirited roar, all the nobles could not help but shut their mouths.

That was the same for Duke Vaimal. He was overwhelmed by the spirit.

“……Alright, let's do as the Head of the 1st Knight Order says.”

Duke Vaimal made his decision and ordered the nobles.

“Everyone, grab your swords and follow the command of the Head of the 1st Knight Order to attack Panshin. I… will watch the situation from here.”

While pushing others into a civil war, Duke Vaimal decided to stay in a safe place.

The duke declared a civil war. Before the nobles could stir at that command, Charlemarton began to command the nobles.

“What we are about to do is not a civil war, but a Purge. A Purge to eliminate the enemies of the newly born Vaimal Kingdom in advance! Follow me!! If you do not follow, you will be considered a traitor and executed!!”

—Yes, yes!

—Follow, follow Knight Captain Charlemarton!

—The greatest loyal subject of the Vaimal Ducal Faction!

—Waaaaaaah!

It was the nobles who immediately began to flatter Charlemarton, who had seized power in an instant.

With this, the ‘self-destruction of the noble faction,’ or the ‘noble civil war,’ predicted in Leonardo's had begun.