Chapter 114 - Typhon’s Dark Cloud (1/2)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Veronica rode on the White Oak and was sailing on the spacious Dolgon River, when the Cecil territory’s first brick-kiln yard was emitting smoke, when St. Soniel City’s influential nobles and the king’s advisers were discussing the southern border’s situation and the conflicts between the warlocks and mages in the north… the Typhon Empire’s strongest knight lord, Duke Ferdinand Wendell, was caught up in deep anxiety.
He was situated in a residence within the empire and was standing in a tall tower while looking down at the majestic imperial capital. Occasionally, he would look at that pitch-black imperial palace that was enveloped in prestige.
This was the capital of the Typhon Empire, Aldernon.
This city’s name originated from the ancient giant language, and it meant ‘City of a Thousand Years’. Even though Typhon was a new empire that had been established for only two centuries, its proud citizens believed without a doubt that they had constructed a grand city that was just like the great dynasties recorded in myths and that had been standing tall in this land for at least a thousand years. Everything in this city seemed to be demonstrating such pride and spirit.
This city had countless spires that stood tall, countless sculptures of heroes that were sculpted from monoliths. They rose steeply from the ground as though they were pointing at the horizon and challenging the sky. In between the rows of gothic structures was the orderly and expansive ‘Imperial Avenue’ that allowed 10 carriages to ride through side by side. This avenue split Aldernon into east and west city districts. There were plenty of straight, leveled, and spacious roads that extended out from Imperial Avenue, delineating orderly regions for the entire city.
The entire city was like a complex geometrical diagram with distinct edges and a structure. Everything was clearly planned and in good order, making it entirely different from other kingdoms that had chaotic, trite, congested, and worn-down capital cities. Because this city was indeed brand new. The old imperial capital had already collapsed and sunk into the ground two centuries ago. The emperor who had prepared prematurely had constructed a new imperial capital on this plain before the disaster and had named it ‘Aldernon’. Due to the empire’s formidable strength and meticulous planning and considerations, when Aldernon was constructed, it had become one of the continent’s most magnificent and grandest cities. From the beginning to now, Duke Ferdinand deeply felt proud to be able to live in such a grand city in such a grand nation.
But today, there was a feeling of crisis that he felt from the bottom of his heart. Even when he looked at this flourishing capital city, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
The emperor who had great skill and strategy, Emperor Rosetta Augustus, had seemingly made the decision to have a war with the Anzu Kingdom. He had rejected all of the anti-war chancellors; he had even chased the peace-advocating Count Winterhold out of the imperial palace. This was a resolute attitude that was unprecedented.
To be honest, Duke Ferdinand wasn’t worried about the direction of this war. He believed in the imperial army just as he believed in his own military skills and in his blade. He knew that the northwest’s Anzu Kingdom was a trite and weak nation. It had the same long history as the Typhon Empire, but the kingdom had been restricted by its own history, turning it into a sluggish old man who only had one breath left. Their army and weapons hadn’t made any progress for centuries and would never be a match for the imperial army. By contrast, the Typhon Empire had multiple successful military reformations and administrative innovations that had made this nation shine with vitality and vigor like never before. Be it the soldiers in the army, all levels of officials, or the citizens, the Typhon Empire had always been superior to its regressing neighboring nation. There wasn’t a need to worry about the outcome of this war.
Ferdinand was only worried about the emperor, worried about Rosetta Augustus’s personal condition.
The emperor had always been an awe-inspiring and decisive person, but he wouldn’t take arbitrary action to this extent. He would listen to each chancellor’s opinion seriously even if those opinions weren’t enough to change his mind; he would still listen patiently and wouldn’t reject opposing voices. He valued each and every nobility and would never publicly humiliate an authoritative Count by chasing him out of the imperial palace. But now… he had done both of those things.
Duke Ferdinand recalled the scene of the last time he met with Emperor Rosetta Augustus. That awe-inspiring emperor was seated in his black iron throne, and his entire body was enveloped by the shadows of the throne’s back and his crown. He might have been patient enough to listen to every word of his most trusted duke, but he gave a sickly reply and didn’t seem like he wished to say an additional word.
When Ferdinand left, he clearly heard the emperor speaking to himself toward a basin at the front. It was as if the basin had a hidden listener and was conversing with the emperor.
Withdrawing his vision from the distant imperial palace, Ferdinand made a deep sigh.
He thought about the curse that was handed down in the Augustus Clan’s bloodline. The curse that only a few individuals knew of and that had only appeared two centuries ago.
They would normally hear voices that no one else could hear; they would see things that no one else could see; they would be able to understand forbidden knowledge that no one else could understand. They would be able to obtain extraordinary wisdom and insight from the knowledge and would be able to make advanced considerations and planning, but ultimately…
Their minds would be dragged into that unseen and unheard world, leaving behind a body that had fallen into madness.
Before the last meeting with Emperor Rosetta, he was still sober and could talk normally. However, Ferdinand was deeply concerned that… the signs of madness had already started to appear on that sovereign.
He turned around and pulled a rope by the side, causing a bell to jingle that was meant to call a servant. The balcony door opened as an attendant in a blue smock appeared in front of Ferdinand.