I, who was eager to retire, became an Imperial General.

Chapter 209 Dissent, the First Oath, Majesty
Meanwhile, in Eleanor, the capital of the Norman Empire, inside the Westeros Palace, in the Upper House.

Looking at the group of ministers before him who were constantly shifting blame and finding various reasons to obstruct him, William on the throne couldn't help but feel a suppressed anger flash in his eyes, but more than that, he felt helpless.

Without military power and with much of his political power stripped away, he was merely a figurehead emperor.

Even now, after defeating the Allied forces six times and even John, the strongest new generation commander of the enemy army, he has proven with facts how wise his decision to abandon the hereditary succession of military power among nobles and expand the scope of promotion to the common people was.

If William continues down this path, he is at least 50% confident that the glory of the empire will extend to the entire continent of Melgar, and may even spread to the continent of Otto and the continent of Amaka across the ocean.

But he ultimately underestimated the greed and selfishness of human nature.

After seeing that commoners might replace nobles, and that the monarch intended to decentralize the powers that were exclusive to them to the commoners.

These self-proclaimed superior beings then began to try every means to prevent this situation from happening.

They even brought up the glory of their ancestors for this.

The thirteen heroes who led the empire to glory were all of humble origins. It was their character and perseverance that earned them the recognition of the gods, and in the name of justice, they saved the Norman Empire from the abyss of evil gods.

From then on, their descendants and followers were able to become nobles with honors.

But after a thousand years, these nobles, who are descendants of heroes, not only failed to retain the courage and justice recognized by the gods, but instead regarded their status as mere accompaniment as the ultimate standard.

They have forgotten the fundamental reason why their ancestors were called heroes.

They even disregarded the future of the empire for their own selfish interests.

It's ridiculous!
The curse that dragon slayers will become dragons themselves has become a reality, even in the present day after the era of gods has disappeared?

How truly pathetic!
Looking down at his red-faced, arguing subjects, whose blood of honor flowed freely, William's eyes were filled with disappointment.

But soon, he buried that emotion deep in his heart, his deep blue eyes fixed on Wolf, who was sitting in the center on his right, resting with his eyes closed, and instead showed a hint of coldness.

It's alright, anyway, he had already made Wolf's point of view clear after the first emergency meeting and had begun to work with Dormammu to make new preparations.

The reason for holding five more meetings was simply to mislead the other side, thus giving Dormammu time to remove the conservative spies within the Third Army, so that he could launch a real rescue plan for the young major who was fighting for him on the front lines and whom he particularly liked and favored.

This was to make it clear to the other party that the empire had never abandoned him, and that he, as the monarch, would never allow the other party's future to end.

Instead, it will elevate it to a level that matches the other person's talent.

Even the position of Prime Minister is not out of the question!
"But before that, I need to be patient and wait for the right opportunity, an opportunity that is enough to uproot these bastards who have been hindering and obstructing me, and hang them all on the gallows!"

"At that time, the world will be at peace, and our great cause will be accomplished!"

"And this time will definitely not be too long!"

William felt a surge of murderous intent, but he didn't show it on the surface. Instead, he maintained an expressionless face and looked down at the scene of the Reform Party and the Conservative Party arguing below.

After a long while, he yawned, then waved his hand dismissively, feigning exhaustion and helplessness.

"I'm a little tired, gentlemen. Let's adjourn this meeting for now. By the way, Prime Minister Wolf, do you have anything to add?"

Upon hearing William call his name, Wolf slowly opened his eyes, then stood up amidst William's disgusted expression, gave William a 'loyal' bow, and then slowly began to speak:

"Your Majesty, I believe that the views of the councilors are all very valuable and difficult to simply categorize as right or wrong. Moreover, everyone's goal is to make the empire great again, and this pure spirit is truly gratifying."

"Therefore, I feel I have nothing to add."

Hearing these hypocritical words, even William couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. Then, his cold gaze swept over the ministers on his right, who stood tall and stared at him with unwavering eyes. They looked righteous and dignified, but their hearts were filthy and disgusting.

He spoke with a tone that was half lament and half sarcasm:

"Is that so? Well, it seems you all are truly 'loyal,' which makes me feel quite 'gratified'!"

When William read those two words, he deliberately emphasized them, and the sarcasm in his tone made the conservatives who heard him hesitant to meet the gaze of the emperor, who seemed to be enraged.

They were afraid of accidentally angering the other party and becoming the unlucky one who would be singled out to vent their anger.

After all, while William couldn't do anything about the bigwigs of the Conservative Party, if he wanted to vent his anger on an ordinary member of parliament, especially if he had a lot of dirt on him, even Prime Minister Wolf would have to compromise.

Otherwise, who knows what crazy things this monarch, whose parliamentary proposals have been rejected six times in a row and who is now almost turning into an erupting volcano, might do.

For a moment, the entire House of Lords chamber fell into a deep silence.

It was as if the noisy scene from before, resembling a bustling market, was just an illusion.

Seeing this, William lost interest in arguing with the crowd and wearily raised his hand:
"In that case, I hereby declare the meeting..."

However, just when William thought the farce was about to end and he could return to the palace to inquire about the progress of Dormammu's rescue plan,

At this moment, a voice that surprised everyone suddenly rang out from the arena:
"Your Majesty, I have an objection!"

"!"

In an instant, everyone turned their gaze toward the person who had spoken, and upon seeing the face of the person who had raised the objection, everyone's heart sank.

Even Wolf, who was always calm and collected, couldn't help but pause for a moment.

At the same time, as if he had thought of something, a shadow crossed his eyes.

He wanted to stop the other party from continuing this foolish behavior with a cold look, but the other party seemed not to understand the warning in his eyes. Instead, he stepped out of the conservative party's seat under the gaze of everyone and slowly walked to the center.

Then, to William's astonishment, he suddenly knelt on one knee and uttered a sentence that caused an uproar throughout the hall:
"Your Majesty William, today, in the name of the descendants of the thirteen heroes, I hereby request the execution of the Holy Revenge Order!"

Dressed in the attire of a marquis, slender yet broad-shouldered, with his blond hair meticulously combed back but slightly graying at the temples, Irias Beate, once hailed as the Empire's 'Hand of Ruin and Domination' and having earned the same title, ranking 96th in the Grand Order, gazed resolutely at the monarch on the throne and spoke:

"In the name of the oath of the thirteen brothers of the Round Table, please grant my request!"

"!"

Upon hearing this, everyone realized that things were probably going to get serious.

However, compared to the reformists who were furious about being restricted from sending troops, and the conservatives who were smug about their political power.

At this moment, both of their expressions simultaneously shifted to each other.

Even Wolf, who had served as prime minister for many years, had never shown any loss of composure in public.

His face was also somewhat gloomy at this moment, and his eyes were fixed on the scene where people ignored his warnings, even though they knew that doing so would get them kicked out of the conservative party completely.

The Marquis of Irias, whose power has waned, could even cause the Beatrice family to become victims in political struggles.

While feeling extremely angry, I was also filled with complex emotions.

As a descendant of the Caster family, one of the thirteen heroic families, and the current head of the Caster family, Wolf was naturally familiar with the Holy Revenge Order.

The original Holy Revenge Decree belonged to the Thirteen Round Tables. Because the original Holy Revenge Decree involved the national and family traditions, the content was very complex and redundant.

In short, it can be understood that the direct descendants of the thirteen heroic families have been cut off or are about to be cut off due to hostile forces.

At this point, the head of the corresponding family, or the current monarch, can issue a divine vengeance decree.

Unite all members of the existing thirteen hero families to launch a desperate revenge against the hostile forces.

Regardless of stance or national politics, it is an act of revenge, the purest form of revenge in the world.

Only when the true culprit is killed, the opposing family is wiped out, or all the descendants of the thirteen families are exterminated, can this initial oath made by the heroic ancestors of the thirteen families in the name of brotherhood be terminated.

This is the fundamental reason why the thirteen hero families are able to work together.

It is also a contract that none of the heroic descendants of the thirteen families of the Norman Empire can refuse.

Denying this agreement would mean betraying the Council of the Round Table, denying family honor, and betraying the empire.

Anyone who dares to do such a thing will stand completely against the empire.

Even if the rebels can be suppressed with absolute power, the family that commits such an act is destined to be despised by the world and become synonymous with 'traitor'.

The price was too high; even Wolff found it hard to accept.

It was precisely because he understood the stakes involved that he tried to stop Irias when he showed signs of applying for the Holy Revenge Order.

However, he still underestimated the determination of this former champion who had lost contact with his only son on the Falcon front and whose fate was now unknown.

Even more unexpectedly, the other party's doting on Dolan could reach this level.

He was even willing to abandon the future of his entire family, choosing to hasten his own death with his already severely injured and short-lived body, all to exact revenge on the allies and orcs of the Faoken Front for his worthless son.

Thinking about this, Wolf couldn't help but feel a growing disgust for those damned Allied soldiers.

Knowing full well that Dolan was the only heir of the Beatrice family, and that Elias was willing to pay any price to redeem his son if he could capture him alive.

But the other side was still foolish enough to target that good-for-nothing, causing what could have been an Allied victory to result in heavy losses for the reformists and the downfall of John Maslow, whom William had tried to support.

He could also use this as an excuse to make the monarch, who was blinded by power and unable to extricate himself from the path of leading the empire to destruction, let his respectable yet hateful thoughts of centralized power dissipate and come to an end.

Everything should have unfolded this way.

But why did those damn Allied soldiers have to kill such a talentless and incredibly troublesome piece of trash?
Don't they understand that killing Dolan would bring them no benefit whatsoever, except for causing heavy losses to the Allies on the Falcon front?
"idiot!"

Wolf muttered to himself, unsure whether he was criticizing Irias's impulsiveness or the Allied forces' folly.

But looking at him, who had recovered from his shock, his expression was now replaced by ecstasy, and he seemed to be radiant, like a king who had become several years younger.

At that moment, Wolf, the powerful prime minister, clearly realized this.

The Empire's all-out war against Faoken is likely to become an unstoppable fact.

As if to confirm Wolf's guess, the next second, amidst the ashen expressions of the conservatives, the fervent shouts of the reformers, and the resolute yet relieved gaze of Arias, the scene unfolded.

He slowly rose from his throne at some unknown time, and unusually drew the decorative cross-shaped longsword from his waist. It was as if, years ago, Wolf had been utterly disappointed by his predecessor, who had succumbed to the allure of reaching godhood and even using his family's bloodline for experiments, and had decided to support the young prince, who had endured countless hardships, on his path to becoming king.

The other party had bestowed upon him the same consecration ceremony with an attitude of admiration and unprecedented trust.

In William's voice, which had involuntarily deepened with the passage of time.

William possessed a pure, azure blueness that seemed like a magical lake, yet it inspired an irresistible courage that compelled one to submit to him.

William possessed an unparalleled and impeccable kingly aura, yet he always remained resolute in keeping his word.

As expected, the verdict was delivered in the way everyone anticipated:
"Arias Beate, in the name of the heir to the Thirteen Round Tables and in the name of the current monarch of the Norman Empire, I hereby approve your application!"

"May Luminar, the Lord of Holy Light who breaks free from depravity and whose brilliance will never fade, bear witness to this moment!"

"Your enemies are also the blood enemies of the thirteen brothers of the Round Table."

"In this battle, even if it exhausts the nation's resources, we must fight to the death!"

"Till death!"

As William finished speaking, the reformers seemed to fall into an unprecedented frenzy, raising their right fists and roaring desperately in response to the will of the monarch they followed.

At the same time, like a rabid wolf, he stared fiercely and coldly at his political enemy opposite him.

In contrast, the conservatives on the left looked at each other in bewilderment.

Even under the fierce gazes of the reformists, many members of parliament began to break out in a cold sweat, and could only helplessly raise their right hands slightly while mouthing the words.

But seemingly afraid of displeasing Wolff and other core members of the conservative party, they remained silent throughout and made very subtle movements, so subtle that it was not even clear whether they had made any moves at all without close observation.

"..."

Behind Wolf, right next to him, Defense Secretary Michel, also had an extremely gloomy expression on his face.

However, unlike the timid ordinary members of the conservative party, he showed no fear at this moment. Instead, his eyes became increasingly ruthless and cold, and even when he looked at the monarch on the throne, there was no respect in his gaze.

It even carries a hint of sarcasm and defiance!
And Michel certainly had the capital to do so, or rather, in his perception, the conservative party had ample capital.

With the military power they wield, changing the monarch on the throne would be as simple as a thought to Prime Minister Wolf, whom they follow.

Even these reformist lawmakers are nothing more than ants that can be wiped out in a matter of minutes.

Aside from Duke Ostan, who is a descendant of the Thirteen Heroes and holds great power in the Imperial Navy, dealing with him would be quite troublesome.

Those small families who tried to rely on a weak monarch, hoping to gamble and see if they could rise to glory from there.

And those declining families whose heritage was lost due to unforeseen circumstances, and which are no longer as glorious as they once were.

These people simply don't have the resources to fight them, let alone withstand the wrath of 120,000 magic soldiers and the Empire's four million-strong army.

Therefore, there is no doubt that in this confrontation, compromises have to be made because of the so-called original oath.

Despite appearing to be at an unprecedented disadvantage, they are actually the ones who dominate this confrontation and have the best chance of winning.

Wolf only needed to nod slightly or give him a look.

Without a doubt, Michelle would be the first to step forward and forcefully suppress this ridiculous proposal.

As Prime Minister Wolf's most loyal follower, and someone who knows his true thoughts.

Michelle knew very well that the Prime Minister's actions, which appeared to be jeopardizing the future of the empire in order to protect his own interests, made him an outright traitor.

But Michelle knew William’s ambitions better than anyone else.

The other party is a monster who will never be satisfied.

Centralization of power is merely the first step the other side wants to take. Influenced by the glory of the so-called heroic age, they attempt to replicate the heroes of this era and become an unprecedented monarch.

It will only be driven by an insatiable thirst for power and achievement.

They create a seemingly magnificent empire, but in reality, it can only shine for one lifetime. Then, due to the lack of talent in their successors, the empire will completely collapse like a bubble.

This is something Prime Minister Wolf absolutely will not allow to happen.

Therefore, even if it means temporarily jeopardizing the empire's future, even if it means personally sacrificing countless individuals who are beneficial and talented to the empire.

Even the eldest son of the Castells family was pushed to a cold death by Prime Minister Wolf due to factional strife.

The Prime Minister has paid such a high price and suffered even more than William.

How could the other side tolerate this selfish monarch leading the empire down that damned path of destruction?
"Give the order, sir!"

"I will accomplish everything you want me to accomplish, and I will do everything you expect me to do!"

"I will carry out your will without reservation!"

"Even if it means sacrificing our lives, or even burying the Lart family!"

"Therefore, give the order, Lord Wolf!"

"Right now, right at this moment!"

Michelle stared fervently at Wolf, who had his back to her, her mind racing.

Then, under his excited gaze, he saw the man who had given him that secret speech in the library about the contradictions between the state and the monarch.

The great Lord Wolf, who was so impressed by this that he abandoned everything to follow him, slowly stood up from his seat.

Then, under the gazes of everyone, whether fervent or disgusted.

The other person's rosy lips slowly parted, uttering a sentence that chilled William to the bone:

"Your Majesty, I believe your words and actions seem a bit too rash, don't you think?"

"Wolf Caster, do you intend to break the oath of the Council of the Thirteen Round Table Brothers?"

For the first time in the House of Lords, William abandoned the title of Prime Minister that he already loathed. His eyes, like those of a raging white dragon, were fixed on the figure in front of him who had once been his mentor and friend, but now had completely diverged due to their respective ideologies, and were now almost at the point of drawing swords against each other.

The voice was devoid of its former hypocrisy and kindness, filled only with the purest hatred and murderous intent. Though its tone was utterly calm, it sounded as if a colossal dragon was roaring in the air.
Are you sure you want to do this, Wolf?

"..."

Wolf did not speak; he simply narrowed his eyes and calmly met William's gaze from the head of the table.

As if confirming something, after a long while, to everyone's astonishment, a smile slowly appeared on his usually calm and collected face.

"!"

However, seeing Wolf's inexplicable smile, everyone felt a chill they had never felt before.

It wasn't that the other person's smile was terrifying; on the contrary, it was a gentle smile that could be described as a warm, comforting smile.

It could even be described as kind.

But here's the problem.

As someone who had personally killed countless enemies and experienced the most brutal hell.

He indirectly orchestrated the annihilation of hundreds of families, and even personally strangled his own eldest son due to political rivalry. He was a man whose cruelty and ruthlessness were almost at their peak.

But he revealed a gentle and kind smile.

This matter itself is already outside the realm of common sense!

Even William began to feel somewhat uneasy at this moment.

Just as he was about to forcefully order the members of the Royal Secret Surveillance Force hidden around him to take action and suppress all the conservatives to prevent any unforeseen events from happening that he could not control,

The next second, Wolf's words stunned everyone.

"No, I just think that a mere Faoken Bay is not enough to warrant such a large-scale war by the Empire!"

"!"

Facing the astonished, puzzled, or thoughtful gazes of the crowd, Wolf put his hands behind his back, then slowly opened his eyes, scanning the various faces of the people in the room one by one, before glancing over Irias, who was kneeling on one knee in the center of the hall, his head turned away at some point, now staring up at him expressionlessly.

It seemed to mock the other party's foolishness, yet also to express pity for the soon-to-be-extinct Beatrice family.

He slightly curled the corners of his lips, lingered on the other person for a moment, and then turned his gaze back to his monarch, who was holding a long sword but had inexplicably furrowed his brows and staring at him with a cold and gloomy look.

Then he slowly read out his answer:

"If we are going to annihilate the enemy, then we must annihilate them completely."

"The Holy Revenge Order initiated by Marquis Elias will be participated in by the Imperial First Army Group, which is under the Rhine Military District and consists of 6 troops of the Ministry of National Defense stationed in the capital of Eleno."

"The 1 active-duty garrison mages of the Imperial 1st Air Force Army, which has just completed its preparations, will also be heading to this battlefield."

"With absolute power, we will completely annihilate all those on this island who attempt to oppose our army, and turn them into an abyss that will make the whole world tremble."

"Only such slaughter can atone for the pain of the extinction of the direct bloodline of the Beyate family, one of the thirteen heroes, be worthy of the name of the Holy Revenge Order, and demonstrate the supreme majesty of the Empire!"

"This is my reply. I wonder if Your Majesty is satisfied with it?"

……

　I'll write more tomorrow. That's all for now, time for bed~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)