Ashes and Kingdoms

Regular footsteps echo in a cool stone palace. Sandals, not Legion Soldier shoes, but walking tone is just like a soldier. A crisp, yet hassle-free, steady walk.

Hearing the sound, the brunette, who was headed for the emperor's desk, let down one mouthful. In a delightful light in his eyes, waiting for him to come, as expected, the Lord of Footsteps grabbed in following the sound of the guards saluting at the entrance and exit. He is a young man with dark colored blonde hair and has a quiet beauty on his neat face.

The dark-haired man looked up at the young man with a loose expression and leaned back.

"I've been waiting for you, my friend. Well done."

Nor do youth respond to the words of welcome by merely glancing at each other. After staring at each other often silently, the man who was sitting on his back clapped his neck and stood up as he tried to surrender. A young man takes his seat on his behalf, saying pale, without blame or irony.

"If you're going to sit here anyway, you're going to have to clean up a little of my work."

The dark-haired man standing beside him grinned bitterly as he leaned against the back of the chair.

"Would you do my job instead? Of course, in terms of authority, there is no problem with the emperor assuming the general command. But then the Imperial Capital will fall in a day."

"A day is terrible"

Half a day, then.

The blonde emperor wrinkled between his eyebrows, but he was not angry, just a small sigh. The Commander-in-Chief will have a tone of heartfelt apology.

"That's a strange thing, Varys. You're smart, and you've been through corps life. I don't understand why it's so refreshing when it comes to the military."

"An old general says." Actually, the battle isn't a theory, it's an intuition, "he says. I can't do anything that I can't get with my efforts. That's why I'm counting on you, General Glaus."

The call at the end of the story was no longer a squared voice. Guess what you're trying to say, Glaus turned true.

"Oh, I'll do my job right, I'll take care of it.... I had news. They see movement on the north side."

"In Vitier State? Eighth Corps?"

"That's right. The commander is Dilgius. restructuring and exercises, collecting large quantities of food"

You're going south.

Varis whispers, and Glaus nods. If it's a riot crackdown in the state or something, you shouldn't have to have so much food available. I guess I'm preparing for a difficult mountain range to replenish.

Problem is, after we cross the mountain. Move west or east. That leans heavily on the balance.

"I have to draw you on my side."

Quietly, Varys said, Glaus turned salty. To the General who did not respond, the Emperor turned his grey brown eyes. Let the signs seem slightly interesting.

After much silence, Glaus gave up breathing.

"I'm not impressed, but it's not a situation I can choose from."

He says and agrees, but entrusts a desire to ask.

"Ask just in case, but still no pulse for Elesia"

"There are no islands to attach. Reconciliation is impossible at last. I can see that it's easier for me to concentrate on the enemy up front with the help of a beautiful woman."

Glaus shook his head at the emperor, who spoke of a rare joke.

"Varys...... that's not funny. After a year of experience working under him when Dilgius was working in his home country, I can't really feel safe pulling him on my side. He's got no talent, no hope, and all he's got is ambition. It would be the mountain of Sekiyama enough to make him hit appropriately and buy time. You still haven't found Senato?

"Not yet."

After a short reply, they were all together and silenced.

Senato-Aedius-Neneis. Adopted by former emperor Fedoras and heir to the throne.

The best part is that we can find this boy's body. That way we can silence Senato-Austra, the dragon horse who wants to hold his grandson to the throne. Even if you were alive, it would be perfect as a bargaining ingredient if you could secure your figure.

But what do you mean that not much more than another year has passed since the Lord of the Imperial Capital was replaced, and we still haven't even found the boy's footprint?

"Did you fly in heaven or dive into the earth? Do it. It's a tricky thing."

"I don't think a child can survive hiding on his own. There must still be people who are hiding it."

Glaus looks up to heaven and Varys roars at the desk. But here or here I said this, it's not like Senato comes out of the pond. He regained his mind and Glaus returned to "So."

"What will Dilgius do, as the search for Senato will have to be left to the soldiers. Send a messenger, or wait for the other move. There will probably be a respite until next spring. It's hard to rush over the mountains before winter - I mean, it's easier to overwinter if you go south, but you'll be anxious to replenish unless you secure your allies. Dilgius is not in the nature of enduring infirmity, nor is he in the position of betting."

"Right. So first, do you want me to send you a parent book and leave the food alone? Now I'm still watching the west and east, but when it moves out, it'll be temporary. On the south side of the tower, increase Costom's strength to prepare for the attack from Nakte and Dilgius' movements. I'll take care of the details."

"I accept your orders, Your Majesty."

Glaus bowed his back and laughed when he saw His Majesty the Emperor of the Day looked disgusted, raising one finger with a playful trick.

"There's one more thing you can put in your ear"

"... what"

"There's a dragon in the north, too."

Toss the bean shell aside. Unfabricated, Glaus spreads his hands. Varys frowned, but did not surprise, I see, and nodded.

"It was expected. Daimyo, it would be a rumor that Dilgius circulated as a cloth stone to build his own independent kingdom."

"No, it's not Dilgius"

"Then who?"

"I don't know. Rumor has it that the dragon saved the plight of one soldier. I'm just not talking about seeing the scene or the dragon right away. It is also well thought of as a wastage with a tail, but at least not that Dilgius named Dragon Marquis"

Varys was silent and listened to the report, but he shook his head slightly and small.

"... must have been late"

"What do you mean?

"Since the spread of the Elesian rumors, I had expected that any dragon rumors or self-proclaimed dragon marches would appear mushroom-wise everywhere. Dilgius must have missed the opportunity to name Dragon Horse after the rumors of the people. Now that the empire has fallen to earth, it's more effective to borrow dragon glory than emperor."

Looking down at the emperor, who distorted his lips in mockery, Glaus said with a complicated face.

"Then why don't you name the Dragon King, not the Emperor?

"It's ridiculous," Varys said overnight. "That's what keeps me going. The dragon kingdom will be disturbed everywhere. Back to the dark old days. My father Genus understood the danger. Therefore he tried to sharpen the power of the Dragon Marquis and the aristocrats who would enter them. I did it the wrong way, and I'm pretty sure the eyes and reason I saw were cloudy."

…………

"If Kazu does not resurrect the will and ideals of why he called Dragon King an emperor without name to this world, the empire will perish. Do you realize that, Glaus? While there is civil strife, the situation on the border, north, east and west, is completely unclear. All I hear is dim, uncertain rumors. It's as if only the heart is pulsating, unaware that they've ripped off his hands and legs. As it is, its heartbeat is not far away."

A dark and harsh voice, as if to foresee the future. The burden on your shoulders seems visible.

Glaus smiled, pounding the emperor's shoulder, as if to take on the load.

"To prevent that, are we there?

"... oh yeah"

Slowly he nodded, and the emperor finally put a grin on the edge of his mouth. If you change your mood, organize the documents on your desk quickly, run your eyes and finish signing and writing, you'll already take a seat.

"Well, I'm going to have to go horn to horn with the loud guys. I'm sorry you had to replace me in this battle."

"I give you the medal, Your Majesty."

Glaus stepped aside, grumbled, and grinned bitterly. Although the Dragon Horse Council was dissolved by the Genus Emperor earlier, councils by noble and civic representatives other than Dragon Horse survive. It is now the only place for national political deliberation.

"Tax increases and austerity are inevitable if war costs are high. The size of this year's theatre festival has already been reduced, but if the interested shopkeepers are dissatisfied. All the more so because there are senators who incite it."

"That's why I don't know what you're going to do with your qualitative contract."

Glaus, sympathetically, but teasingly, touched the emperor's long coat. It is obvious that it is clean but worn out, and the edges are about to rub off a little.

Varys looked down at it too, clapping his shoulders with an indescribable look.

"People need something visible, Glaus. In fact, if you pay for the emperor's costume, it will be quite a forehead. Added to feed the mouth of the people, dissatisfaction will also be contained a little. Well, I asked for the North thing."

Just sayin ', the emperor also leaves the room without a confession. In the same, pale and steady, irresistible steps as usual.

When Glaus dropped off his back, he also left the room to face his enemies.