Episode 580
Chapter 150. When the Price Must Be Paid (3)
The most disgraceful death in the history of the empire.
That’s how the world’s news outlets described the emperor’s final moments.
Since the empire’s founding, there had been times when the Bimont royal family’s position was threatened or when an emperor was deposed for tyranny, but none had met such a pitiful end as Amir Bimont.
He was the first emperor to die without a proper funeral.
Instead, the people left a dark, blotchy stain right in the center of the palace square—a grim reminder and a lesson from the Bimont rulers.
Around the spot where Amir’s stain remained, the ground was littered with stones of all sizes, thrown by the citizens.
Those stones would never be cleared away.
Though grotesque and out of place in the famously beautiful and pristine palace square, the people of Bimont took pride in this sight.
They had only jeered when the emperor branded Hiran a traitor, never daring to act openly. But now, at last, they could show that their loyalty had always been with Hiran, not the royal family.
Naturally, to Dante, the people’s behavior didn’t seem hypocritical or distasteful.
“If Amir Bimont did one thing right in death, it was giving the people a voice,” Dante said, pouring tea into the cups before him—one for himself, the other for Kashimir.
“Though he rarely listened to what they said. Still, he never killed or oppressed them for speaking out. Many emperors couldn’t even manage that.”
“Sir Kashimir.”
“Yes, Lord Dante.”
“You must have heard from Jin.”
“Hmm…”
Dante didn’t ask how Kashimir felt about ascending the throne once the empire was restored. It was as if he had no choice.
“Why me?”
“You are of the royal bloodline. Moreover, you’re one of the leaders of the Seven-Colored Birds—seven noble houses still loyal to the empire, not just the royal family.”
Kashimir’s original surname was Bimont, not Alfrion. He was Amir Bimont’s younger brother and a deposed prince.
Dante saw Kashimir’s rule not as a grab for power but as fulfilling a royal duty.
In other words, paying the price as a member of the royal family—by becoming a worthy ruler.
“No one among the remaining royal scum can take responsibility for this. I didn’t call you here to ask your intentions. I just wanted to speak with you directly. And…”
Dante bowed his head briefly.
“…I wanted to personally express my apologies.”
“Why would you feel sorry to me?”
“Because you deserved a chance for revenge.”
Jin was waiting for the day Kashimir would tell her the story of why he was deposed, but Dante already knew.
As the current head of Hiran, Dante had access to all their information. Though many records were lost when the Black Emperor’s Castle was destroyed, documents about Kashimir remained in Hiran’s Second Castle.
According to those records, Kashimir was deposed due to Amir Bimont’s direct scheming.
It was a common story. Kashimir lost loved ones in the process and, nearly broken, settled in Tikan with his remaining loyalists and Alisa.
It wasn’t a secret he couldn’t share with Jin, but Kashimir still struggled to recall those memories.
“…It wouldn’t be a lie to say revenge wasn’t my only goal. If it were, I would have long ago exposed to the world what Amir Bimont did to me and my family, how he used the people as hostages to drive me out.”
Kashimir exhaled deeply.
“So, there’s no need for you to feel sorry. Let’s get to the point. I imagine what you want to hear is about politics.”
“That’s right.”
“You announced the regency proclamation for tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“Bring it forward immediately.”
Dante’s eyes widened.
“For what reason?”
“If I’m right, the royal family will release an article about the late Amir Bimont today. Not just mocking his death like other outlets, but claiming his tyranny had nothing to do with the royal family.”
Dante had anticipated this and planned a calm response, but Kashimir thought differently.
“Your regency must not seem sluggish compared to the royal family from the start. Though moving the announcement up a day means fewer people will come to your rally, the people’s hearts are already with you, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Sluggish, huh.”
“If the royal family tries to shift blame right after your proclamation, it will look like they’re taking a hit. The nobles will definitely see it that way, even if the commoners don’t.”
“But if we move the announcement up a day, won’t that break our promise to the people?”
“Good point. It’s not wise to act just to seize the initiative.”
If the regency proclamation is moved forward, the royal family will rush to release their own article.
They’ll say Dante broke his promise and that the emperor’s tyranny was a personal aberration.
But the Balmur Alliance has one card the royal family doesn’t know about.
“A trap. If the royal family responds too quickly to the early proclamation, we’ll present undeniable proof that they were complicit in the emperor’s madness.”
“Proof?”
When Kashimir explained, Dante’s eyes grew even wider.
“Indeed… I think my choice to entrust the empire to you was the right one. I have no skill in politics or governance.”
“Well, from what I see, Lord Dante has a power similar to Prince Jin’s—the power to draw people in. That’s why, even after it was revealed that Hiran possessed the White Stone, the people still love him.”
The White Stone was real, and its existence had spread chaos throughout the empire.
In fact, just having the White Stone was enough to earn the people’s resentment against Hiran, regardless of cause.
Even if Gliek couldn’t have awakened without Ziphl and the emperor.
“If such a power exists, it’s not mine alone, but that of my grandfather and all of Hiran.”
“Anyway, let’s go. Time to give those disgusting mystics a taste of their own medicine.”
The prediction that fewer people would come to the regency proclamation was unfounded.
As soon as Dante left Hiran’s Second Castle and began moving, a tide of people surged toward the palace.
When the emperor branded Hiran a traitor, he looked down on the people from atop a massive golden palanquin.
Now, Dante stood on the pile of stones the people had thrown.
“From today until the empire is restored, I, Dante Hiran, will serve as regent on behalf of Kuron Bimont, the rightful heir of Amir Bimont.”
The crowd erupted in cheers, while the royal family’s lackeys who rushed out to the square scowled.
But their grimaces were premature.
“Kuron Bimont will never officially ascend the throne. He will remain a figurehead until my regency ends, then be stripped of his title and return to being a commoner.”
Kashimir had advised Dante to openly declare Kuron a puppet.
“W-What! That’s an insult to the royal family!”
“Prince Kuron is blameless in this matter! He’s only nine years old. He did not partake in Amir Bimont’s tyranny.”
“Whatever the reason, you must know the damage the White Stone caused the empire. Do you think Hiran deserves the throne?”
Some nobles raised their voices.
“Hiran is not usurping the throne. A non-Bimont family ascending is impossible. I will support whoever the purest royal heir is, so they may take the throne.”
“Hah! So you plan to install another puppet after Kuron and rule from behind the scenes?”
Dante locked eyes with the noble who spoke.
The man flinched at the murderous intent he sensed.
“Do you not know the loyalty Hiran has proven throughout history? If we wanted that, Hiran would have been the new royal family long ago. Even now, without my grandfather, it’s still possible.”
As Dante summoned his energy, the ground trembled. Having inherited all of Ron’s vitality and freed from chaos, his power was now immense beyond comparison.
“Does the royal family have any means to stop me? Even borrowing Ziphl’s power is difficult now. The only reason I haven’t destroyed the rotten royal family and nobles is not mercy… but because you still have a role to play in this land.”
“V-Very well. I will correct your actions as a seizure of power, not the throne. But remember, though the people may support Hiran now, a usurpation without legitimacy will eventually turn their hearts away again!”
With that, the nobles fled the square on trembling legs, rushing to prepare their response.
Dante turned back to the people.
“The first thing I will do as regent is move the capital. Not all administrative offices and institutions, but symbolically, I will choose the territory of the Black Emperor’s Castle as the new capital.”
The crowd murmured. Moving the capital to the Black Emperor’s Castle seemed like a power grab, just as the nobles had said.
“Currently, Geomhwangseong has become a land of death, inaccessible due to the chaos that swept through. Yet, there is a light there that can purify the corrupted empire. Within a few months, it will be possible to observe that light. When that time comes, I ask you all to take a look. If, after seeing it, you find the symbolic relocation of the capital unjustified, I will withdraw the plan. Now, the second matter…”
A shadow of sorrow flickered in Dante’s eyes.
“A joint funeral ceremony. Starting today, for ten days, we will hold a national mourning period to honor those who fought for the empire and for Hailan, and erect a memorial monument.”
This was met with unanimous agreement from the people.
Those who ran rampant and those who stood to defend the empire alike must now face the consequences.
“The third is to devote all efforts to cleansing the contaminated regions. Once these three tasks are complete, I will step down from the regency and return to my role as Lord of Geomhwangseong to protect the empire.”
From that day forward, a flood of articles poured out—announcing Dante’s brief but decisive regency and the state of the empire. As Kashimir had predicted, the royal family immediately began distancing themselves from the emperor.
But no sooner had reports surfaced claiming the royal family had no ties to the emperor than evidence arrived, confirming their unity.
It was the corpse of a demon, obtained by Jin in the past from the Wantaramo Forest and entrusted to Valeria.