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Chapter 169: She Played the Role of Adopted Daughter Too Well

Kaiser sniffled.

“Who the hell thinks they’re an emperor?”

“They say he is the emperor.”

“What crazy fool is impersonating the emperor?”

When the emperor moved, he usually alerted his destination through a letter first. Unexpected arrivals typically only occurred during rebellions.

Kaiser climbed up to the castle wall.

One of the Sun Knights shouted again.

“Open the gates!”

“Hey, are you a Sun Knight?”

The Sun Knight was heavily armored in silver, and his helmet obscured his face and expression. However, his demeanor was incredibly imposing. “No, but he really looks like a Sun Knight.”

Kaiser tilted his head, and then jumped down from the castle wall.

Thud!

Dust rose into the air.

“Is he really the emperor?”

“Watch your words.”

The Sun Knight pointed his sword at Kaiser. “Enough. I’ll speak directly.”

The knights parted the way. A man on a white horse removed his helmet.

“Whoa?”

Kaiser regarded the man. “It really is the emperor.”

“How dare you! Can’t you kneel immediately?”

Kaiser scowled and then asked the emperor, “Is that punk a newbie?”

“Yeah.”

Kaiser crossed his arms and scoffed. “Hey, I’m friends with Nelak. I once saved his life.”

He rummaged through his belongings. “Oh, where is it?”

He scratched the back of his head. “Lost it.”

“You lost the Silver Star Medal?”

“Can it be reissued, by any chance?”

Nelak chuckled in disbelief. Kaiser hadn’t changed even as he aged.

“So you really are in charge of the South Gate guard of Winter Castle.”

“I like it here.”

“I’d appreciate it if you used formal language in official settings.”

“Well, then don’t give me the Silver Star Medal.”

“You lost it, didn’t you?”

“Reissue it for me.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I told you, I like it here. I have a friend.”

“A friend?”

“Viola. You know her, right?”

Nelak nodded. “Selina has a keen interest in her too. Anyway, this friendship ends here. I’m here as the emperor now, and I command the captain of the Winter Castle guard to open the gates.”

Kaiser’s eyes narrowed. “Leading fully armored Sun Knights?”

Besides, you hate heavy armor. Why are you dressed like that?” Kaiser pulled out a massive axe from his dimensional space. This giant axe, known as the “Kaiser Axe,” was a dangerous weapon called Kaiser’s showdown weapon. The Sun Knight commander, Ron, unsheathed his sword.

“How dare you draw a weapon in front of His Majesty the Emperor? Is this treason?”

“Eh, then are you guilty of treason too?”

Ron didn’t want to relive that experience again. “You’re not human; they say you’re a gorilla, so your intelligence must be gorilla-level too.”

“Those with the Silver Star Medal can pull weapons in the presence of His Majesty.”

“That’s a different story when there’s obvious hostility.”

“Oh, wait. Didn’t you get beaten by me in the past?”

Nelak raised his left hand. “Enough.”

And with his right hand, he unsheathed his sword. Swish— The clear sound of drawn steel could be heard.

Nelak slowly spoke.

“Kaiser, do you mean to say you won’t open the way?”

“I just have a feeling your intentions as his majesty seem… disrespectful.”

“You’re crossing the line. As a last courtesy, I’ll advise you.

Open the way.”

“The captain of the Winter Castle guard won’t let heavily armored knights into the castle.”

“You can’t hold me back alone.”

“I can stall.”

Kaiser glanced behind him. The current situation would soon be reported up the emergency contact line straight to the Duke’s mansion.

“I am the captain of the guard.”

Kaiser drew a line in the ground with his axe. “No one crosses here.

Not even the esteemed emperor.”

My little friend is inside.

*

As Kaiser expected, the disturbance at the South Gate was quickly relayed to the Duke’s mansion.

Viola also heard the news.

The person who relayed it was Zeno.

Zeno smiled broadly as he said, “If this goes unchecked, no matter how much of a Mercenary King you are, your head will roll.”

While it was true the Mercenary King was strong, he couldn’t take on the entire Sun Knight order led by the Sword Saint. Viola sighed and said, “That won’t happen.”

Viola knew about the relationship between Kaiser and Nelak. Despite appearances, they shared a bond closer than blood brothers.

Later, when Kaiser drunkenly tossed the “Kaiser Axe” at Nelak, Nelak simply laughed it off. He was oddly tolerant towards Kaiser.

“I won’t be able to chop off the Mercenary King’s head. It would turn all the mercenaries of the continent against us.”

Viola felt this situation was oddly artificial. It seemed deliberate, as if someone was trying to create a commotion in front of Winter Castle.

That was her instinct as a reader.

“I’m curious what the princess is thinking?”

“You’ll find out soon. For now, my father will handle the situation.”

Ultimately, the situation was resolved by Heron himself. He directly opened the gates of the South Gate. “Captain of the guard, stand down.”

“Darn it.”

The captain of the Winter Castle South Gate, Kaiser, had no choice but to step back at the words of the Lord of Winter Castle. Heron spoke.

“What is His Majesty the Emperor doing here?”

“The welcoming has been downgraded, Duke.”

Nelak sheathed his sword, and the Sun Knights did the same. Though their numbers were in the dozens, their movement was one. “I suspect a rebellion in Winter Castle.”

“However, Duke Heron has taken on an honorable duty as the frontline shield protecting humanity, so I came here to verify with my own eyes. I will investigate the Sun Knights and this place, so you must cooperate with the emperor’s event.”