Excalibur Chronicle of Raidorl

The air in the room froze at Zacharias's dumbfounded words.

The soldiers surrounding the emperor on his throne turned fearfully to look at Gilbert's face.

The prince's face turned pale and his lips quivered as if he were in a noh mask.

Zacharias looked pityingly at his son, who had fallen silent, and sighed deeply.

“I thought you had a great cause in mind when you rebelled against me, but……I didn't expect it to be because of petty jealousy. It seems that you overestimated yourself. I'm disappointed in you, son.”

“Jealousy You say?!……”

The Prince's face flushed with rage at his father's taunt, finally managed to get the words out.

“What do you think I've been doing for you all these years?  You can't …… call it jealousy!”

“Hmm… If it’s not jealousy. How about calling it a feminine thing for my son.” 

“…..!”

Gilbert grips the sword at his waist.

His hand, trembling with anger, is about to draw the blade and behead his father.

Gilbert breathes hard for a few moments, then regains his composure and slams the question down on Zacharias again.

“……This is the last time, Father. I want you to tell me why you disinherited me.”

“Hmm.”

Seeing the colour of madness in his son's eyes, Zacharias also turns serious. He answers Gilbert's question in a straightforward manner.

“It's simple. It's because you weren't chosen for the holy sword.”

“It's…… not that simple!”

“What? That's a strange thing to say.”

The emperor sniffed boredly at Gilbert's contorted face.

“The Empire is the land of the High King. The emperor's mission is to unite the continent by force of arms and create peace in the world. It’s the emperor's duty to destroy the demons that eat people, the dragons that burn the earth, and the witches that blow the doomsday trumpet, and to protect the peace of mankind. Therefore, the emperor must be chosen by the holy sword, the sacred instrument of salvation.” 

“……..”

“But, my son. You were never chosen by the Claíomh Solas of Lighting, the Gjallarhorn of Ice, or my sword, Durandal of Flame. Therefore, I have disinherited you as you are not capable of being an emperor. Now, are you satisfied with this answer?” 

“…… Father, do you judge a man to be emperor only by his strength? Do you think that wisdom and connections are of no use to a man who stands above others?”

“Of course not.”

Zacharias replied to his son's blood-curdling words in a straightforward manner.

“In the land of the unknown, you can be king by being kind. But this is an empire. An EMPIRE! This is the land of the High King, ruler of the continent. A weak man has no right to be king. Do you not know how much pain a weak king who is only popular can cause others?” 

As he spoke, he thought of his father's face.

The emperor was a great king who was loved by his people for his kindness and humanity.

He was a gentle king who did not take a strong stance towards the outside world, and because of this he was unable to stop the conflicts that broke out in the surrounding countries.

As the most powerful hegemonic power on the continent, he was unable to unite the surrounding countries.

A king who is loved and respected by his people. It is a wonderful thing.

But it is better not to be kind, than to be loved, tamed and disrespected.

It would be better for the emperor to be feared and hated.

“The empire does not need a weak king. No matter how hard you try, I will not make you the next emperor.”

“…… So? Do you want to abolish me and make that slave boy the next emperor?”

Gilbert thinks of the face of his half-brother, who is now the wielder of the holy sword Galarhorn, and asks.

“You mean Chandler? Well, it could be him, or it could be Célia.”

“She's a woman! She's not fit to be emperor!”

“That's good. If this empire lasts long enough, it may have a female emperor.”

“Father, ……, would you rather have a man of slave blood and a woman, Célia, than me? As the first prince, I have done more for you and for the empire than those two have done for me, those two who were only chosen by the Holy Sword. ……!” 

Gilbert's body swayed from side to side.

He has a ghostly demeanor, and his eyes, which have lost their light, are filled with madness.

“Then …… I'll prove that I'm strong enough without the Holy Sword! I will kill the emperor, the holder of the holy sword, and show him my power!”

Gilbert raised his hand and the soldiers who had surrounded the emperor closed their distance.

“Hoo? This is hilarious! Rebellion is a sign of growth. What a joy it is!” 

“Shut up! You are a foolish emperor who knows only power! Go to the depth of Tartarus!”

Gilbert drew his sword. At the same time, more than a dozen soldiers thrust out the tips of their spears at the same time.

One sword and a dozen spears. The inevitable death rushes to Zacharias as he sits on his throne.

“Your ambition….Your ambition is admirable! But……”

Zacharias breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at his son, who had swung his sword with a look of pity, mourning and great tenderness.

“It is a shame that he is not strong enough. A pity he has no power….After all, the qualities of an emperor are strength and violence.”

Zacharias murmured sadly and picked up a sword which was propped up on his throne.

It's an old sword with a ruby on the hilt – he doesn't even pull it out of its scabbard, but cleaves it sideways in a sitting position.

The slashes were so poor that they could not even be called attacks, as they were made with only the strength of the arms and not the legs and feet.

“Gyaaaaaaaa!”

However, from the tip of his sword, red lotus flames burst forth and cut down the soldiers who attacked him like a blade. The corpses, burned through the torso and cut in two up and down, crumble in the audience room, and the smell of burning flesh fills the room with smoke.

Among the wreckage is even that of the First Prince.

Gilbert did not even realise what had happened to him, he had died with both eyes wide open in astonishment.