Terminally-Ill Genius Dark Knight

184: The Imperial Authority Struggle [1]

The tyranny of the First Prince Louis had begun. Before anyone could intervene, the beheading of two individuals served as proof. Penelope, unable to believe her brother’s shocking behavior, could only tremble with a feeling of utter despair.

The emperor. She understood that the position weighed heavier than she thought. She imagined that it might be dirtier and more repugnant.

but to this extent?

No matter how wild Louis had been… She never imagined he would fall this far. His actions had gone far beyond excessive. Even if he ascended to the throne in the future, he would face a tidal wave of opposition.

Commoners and nobles. He was suppressing everyone. Promising to favor only those who blatantly flattered him, he demanded that others kneel at his feet to gain power. This was not the kind of governance Penelope envisioned. This was not the empire that her father, Esteban had built.

Dark clouds finally loomed over the once radiant empire, bringing with it the worst-case scenario, a storm of rebellion. Penelope pressed her lips together tightly. With an expression full of killing intent, she glared at her brother and spoke

“You have become pathetic.”

“What do you know to spew such nonsense? Do you think you can ignore your older brother because you have some talent in magic? Did you think the world is entirely on your side? Don’t make me laugh…. I am the first prince, Louis, the rightful heir of Arkheim!”

At that moment, Penelope realized something. The first prince Louis was consumed by something.

And it was already too late to turn him back.

“…This trash.”

At that moment, a figure emerged through the crowd. It was none other than Paracelsus. He had been observing the situation from a distance, waiting for the right opportunity, but then, in an instant, the head of a commoner he had been conversing with flew off. As if that wasn’t enough, Louis went as far as to decapitate a fellow noble, declaring that he would reign over this place. He then went on to utter an unbearably arrogant statement:

A new sun has risen in Arkheim.

It was a declaration that no one could accept, and even he himself would not be acknowledged for it in the future. It was an unforgivable situation, and Paracelsus could no longer hold back. He rose from his position. At that moment, the voice of his master, Celsus, seemed to faintly echo in his ears. Before his tightly shut eyes, memories of the past vividly unfolded as if sketched before him.

— Keep in your mind, Paracelsus. Never oppose the imperial family of Arkheim if you wish to die peacefully.

— They are dangerous.

— Everything you possess, they will find a way to take it from you.

The words his master, Celsus had once uttered flashed through Paracelsus’s mind, but he had already made his decision. Even if it meant his death here, he could not endure without bringing it to an end. That was Paracelsus. Someone who just naturally took actions others might call foolish, while others call that it’s shortened his own life. He was the conqueror of the East, the [Ashen Wolf]

‘I’ll kill him. Prince or not…!’

Amidst the incomprehensible situation, his rage continued to surge.

Human life? He had trampled upon it many times himself.

Born in the barren lands of the East, where survival was impossible without doing so, Paracelsus’s status was miserably low. Moreover, he had been abandoned at an orphanage immediately after birth. Even when he barely joined the knighthood, he was branded with disgrace and driven to the brink of death. At just thirteen years old, the world, the continent was cold to him.

Thus, he fought. He traversed the barren lands in a robe, beheading bandits, stealing embezzled taxes from overfed nobles, and taking away gold and treasures of all kinds. Of course, not all of it was used for good purposes. He considered what he fought for at the risk of his life as his own. Of course not that he ever wanted to be a thief, but among those who sought his help were like insects, clinging to others, offering something only to demand far more in return.

People who preferred to remain idle. Paracelsus understood that.

Therefore. Not even once did he consider himself a good person

But

Even so, people are selfish and impose their own hypocritical standards of good and evil.

And Paracelsus now realized that his own standard had just collapsed. He could not tolerate the current situation.

“Why are you all frozen? Everyone Stand up! Fight!”

So he raised his voice. Fight, he said.

If you didn’t want to lose your life in vain at this place of learning, you had to fight.

But sadly, most people were already too terrified to stand or move on their own.

“N, no! If I defy the prince here, what will happen to my family? What about my mother and father?”

“What do you know, you lowly commoner? In our noble family…!”

“Don’t make me laugh! Your Highness! Take that wretch down first!”

“Ha”

The scent of blood spread across Paracelsus’s lips. Unconsciously clenching his lips tightly, a trickle of blood seeped out. Feeling a vivid surge of anger and rising mana, he shook his head.

“In the end, it was you who placed the chains around your own necks.”

Paracelsus, as if truly disappointed, drew his sword. Though not a renowned blade, it was a transparent, pure white sword that carried a pristine light. At times, it was a crude weapon that cut through light itself and led the way to save lives. Yet, its true nature was slightly different. Paracelsus took one step forward.

The first half, the first form of the Living Sword. Gold (金). A brilliant light enveloped Paracelsus’s sword and soon illuminated the surroundings.

The First Prince raised his voice in mockery.

“You fool. Just a mere commoner, dare to challenge me?”

“You’d say the same even if a noble stood against you”

Paracelsus replied, continuing to unfold the next form. The second form, one his master had warned him never to reveal before others, was now unleashed.

The first half. The second form of the Living Sword——

Very few people at this point knew of the second form of the Living Sword. To describe it briefly, despite being a sword created to save lives, its technique was chillingly brutal and ruthless.

The Salvation Sword (救援劍)

— Salvation? If you want to truly save someone, you must first become strong.

— Only when they swing their blade from a position others cannot reach, will they be called the strong.

— The Living Sword encapsulates this essence.

Paracelsus’s master, Celsus, one of the three Sword Emperors, had taught him this special sword. This became the foundation for Paracelsus to earn the title of Conqueror of the East and the nickname [Ashen Wolf.] Despite being so young, he annihilated countless bandit groups in the East, and his reputation continued to rise. This feat remains one of the enduring legends of the East.

The Salvation Sword was a technique that made a knight colder and stronger. Combining swift footwork with precise strikes to vital points and blood vessels. It was one of this sword’s core techniques.

Swish, swish—!

The transparent light enveloping the white sword began cutting down the soldiers of the First Prince Louis, who were holding hostages. The movement was flawless. His perfect posture was imprinted in everyone’s eyes. None recognized his sword, but it was clear to all that it was completely different from other swordsmanship. That itself was shocking.

For a moment, the First Prince seems faltered, showing faint hesitation. But that was all.

The first form of the Living Sword, Gold (金), and the Salvation Sword were without a doubt excellent techniques. But in the end, they weren’t enough to handle all the soldiers. All he could do here at best was to buy time, burning his life away like a moth drawn to a flame. Either way, other guys must feel that way too. When the First Prince Louis thought as much, a voice rang out from behind him. A youthful boy’s voice, he gave a deep impression of carrying an inexplicable strength.

“It seems the First Prince’s tyranny is worse than I expected.”

A frail-looking boy, having just disposed of the soldiers pressing him down, stood and gazed at the prince.

Leon von Marvas. One of the dark family heads.

“Ha…. now even a dog of the Dark family dares to challenge me?”

“Forgive me, Your Highness, but even if I weren’t dark family, I believe I’d still have done the same. It seems far with my methods. I felt ashamed for thinking that I would support you”

Leon spoke calmly, summoning a massive Death Knight beside him with his mana. An undead that is rarely seen in the continent, a quite powerful summoning monster.

Together with Nox, Leon had reached a new level of strength. However, Leon’s situation is even worse compared to Paracelsus’s. The reason was simple.

“A dark family mutt dares to oppose me? How laughable.”

The First Prince Louis unleashed his magic, and began channeling it into a spear handed to him by a knight behind him. It was of the lightning attribute, the power known as [Divine Punishment], passed down exclusively within the direct line of Arkheim. Since this attribute was capable of dispelling darkness, it was very dangerous. Especially in battles against a Dark family, it made them almost invincible.

Louis hurled the lightning-infused spear with force loaded in his shoulder, a sharp sound piercing the air as it streaked toward Leon. But at that moment, the same golden light that infused the prince’s spear descended from the sky, bringing the situation to an abrupt halt.

The source was none other than his half-sister, Penelope von Arkheim.

“Brother, no, Louis von Arkheim. As an imperial princess, I can no longer stand by and watch your disgrace. From this moment, in the name of Arkheim——”

Golden hair, the symbol of those who carried the blood of the Arkheim Empire, scattered along with the dark clouds loomed in the sky.

It begins to shine as blood siblings begin to tear each other apart, just like a tragic event occurring elsewhere.

“I shall judge you, traitor.”

Kwak! Kwak! Kwak! Waves of mana erupt with her gestures. Thus, the earnest battle of strength between the two begins.

“Very well. If you think you can, then try! No matter how extraordinary your talent is, I shall prove your insignificance before my army. In the end, it is I, Louis von Arkheim, who will survive and stand at the top of the empire!”

Thunderclouds strike down. The prince’s forces, like countless dots, along with the hidden forces of the princess’s faction, surge up between the northern byways and waterways of Eldain. She had experienced countless assassination attempts. Even in this situation, Penelope’s meticulous preparation was typical of her.

At that moment, Penelope von Arkheim finally realized. Unless she killed her brother, the empire’s safety could never be secured.

She understood that she must now abandon the title of [The Benevolent Princess] and cast off her shackles.

“For the sake of the empire’s safety, please die, brother.”

A chilling frost filled the princess’s two pupils. As her focus vanished, immense mana engulfed the Sidus’ hall roof.