Emperor’s Alternate - Chapter 76

It was a gathering that evoked the phrase an elite few without effort. From beside the pavilion, the gentle sound of the water lily stream broke the stillness now and then.

Unlike his usual attire, Lecan wasn’t dressed for the battlefield, nor was he wearing the formal sparring garb used at court receptions, or even his customary uniform. Today’s clothing was something softer, more relaxed in fit. That said, no one could mistake it for anything other than the wardrobe of nobility.

It was then that the librarian spoke.

“Even I… phew, my lord… I’m still catching my breath, but I hadn’t meant to bring up politics, not in a place like this, with the air so clear. Still, there are troubling rumors circulating about His Majesty that we can’t ignore.”

That blunt opening struck with enough weight to silence the others not formally invited. They nodded without hesitation.

Lecan lifted his teacup and brought it to his lips.

“It’s true, Your Highness,” another subordinate followed, voice steady. “When we were all being dragged before the tribunal, punished for crimes we never committed, we assumed it was His Majesty’s command. We were sure the Abel Empire or the ‘reformist’ faction had to be behind it.”

“But according to the report of a trustworthy informant, even the Abel Empire seemed surprised when they caught wind of the situation.”

“There’s testimony from a courtesan, too. Said the reformist nobles were drinking when the news broke, and they looked genuinely taken aback.”

“More than anything, His Majesty’s conduct has been… unusual.”

“Oh, if we’re speaking of His Majesty, I’ve a great many things to say,” Benedict muttered. “Those white elephants, for one.”

The librarian and strategist, Ark, gave him a knowing nod before continuing.

“To be frank, everything feels off… across the board. While His Majesty spent most of his time at the courtesan’s es— ahem, that is, Her Majesty the Dowager Empress’s residence — it was difficult to glean a clear picture of his day-to-day affairs. Of course, everyone’s aware of his remarkable entrance scores at Persi Academy… but what followed — his academic output was certainly novel in theory, but the actual achievements? Disappointingly sparse.”

“I’ve heard as much,” another murmured. “My son was in His Majesty’s cohort. Said the group scores were unusually high, but when it came to individual assessments, His Majesty consistently ranked near the bottom.”

“Most likely,” said Ark, “those loyal to him worked together to raise the group average. But in situations where no one could cover for him, his true ability showed…”

“Wait—did you just say ‘his true ability’?”

The librarian paused. One of the nobles seated at the table, a senior figure among the so-called neutral faction, had raised an eyebrow in mild rebuke.

“…Forgive me. It’s only conjecture for now. But truthfully, since His Majesty’s ascension, all reports have been of wine, women, and little else. Not once have I received word of any studious diligence.”

“Is he not simply a genius, then?”

“A genius?” Ark gave a tired laugh. “What kind of genius publishes endless magical theories without so much as lifting a book, and whose every political accomplishment is quietly credited to the Dowager Empress? Even assuming he were born gifted beyond reason… it all feels too clean-cut. Too… orchestrated. And so, I began to imagine a different possibility.”

The others were murmuring now, but Lecan said nothing. Arms folded, eyes closed, he remained still as stone. His teacup was forgotten on the table. Yet even in silence, his presence dominated the room.

Ark didn’t flinch. He trusted that Lecan, silent or not, would listen to every word with unshakable care.

“For the sake of argument,” the strategist said, “I will refer to this hypothetical party as the Unknown. As in mathematics — an unknown variable.”

“…Unknown?” someone echoed, confused. “And who exactly is this Unknown meant to be?”

“Let us imagine,” Ark began carefully, “that all the brilliance attributed to His Majesty — the apparent genius, the political acuity ascribed to the Dowager Empress, the inhuman foresight to predict a volcanic eruption down to its cycle, the patience to gather a decade’s worth of blackmail on rivals and strike at the perfect moment — what if all of that… belonged to someone else entirely?”

“That’s absurd. You’re saying such a person even exists? Who? Where?”

The outburst came sharp, angry. The room stirred.

If Lecan had truly perished in that volcanic blast, everyone present today would have followed. Perhaps not physically, but politically, they’d have been buried alive.

They had no choice but to suppress their ire toward the imperial family, but now Ark was giving them a new direction, a new name to curse. The air burned with contained rage.

The head of a militant noble family slammed a thick fist onto the table. His voice was thunderous, and his beard bristled like a lion’s mane.

“I cannot forget what was done to us! No matter how I try, the humiliation still boils my blood!”

Ark reached once more for his water, drank slowly, then set the cup down. His voice dropped to a hush.

“…There is, in fact, a darker rumor.”

At these words, even the ‘neutral faction’ nobles, who had until then shown no restraint in their fury, flinched. Benedict, who had been nodding along in agreement, now unconsciously licked his dry lips and turned his gaze to the distant mountains.

“…Could it be?”

“…That rumor, you mean?”

“I’ve heard whispers of it circulating among the common folk in the square recently.”

“…I’ve heard it too, but it’s such an absurd tale…”

The entire room was filled with an unmistakable sense of unease, as if they all wished to avoid this topic at all costs.

Lecan, arms crossed, slowly opened his eyes. He looked languid, but there was a sharpness to his gaze. For a moment, everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably, sensing the weight of his attention. Ark, however, was undeterred, maintaining his polite composure as he spoke.

“The rumor is that His Majesty the Emperor is, in fact… the illegitimate son of the late Duke Rotea, a family that was annihilated for treason.”