Chapter 94: The current Emperor-Harl
The imperial capital of the Austin Empire—Winds.
It was the nation that had ignited the flames of the First World War.
Yet before the chaos of war consumed the continent, this empire had once been known across the world as a great nation of culture and peace, one of the most influential powers on the planet. At the very heart of Winds stood the imperial palace itself, towering over the capital in overwhelming splendor.
Majestic.
Brilliant.
A masterpiece of architecture destined to remain in history for generations to come.
White marble walls gleamed beneath the afternoon sunlight, while enormous stained-glass windows reflected countless colors across the palace courtyards. Elegant towers pierced the sky like spears of gold, and everywhere one looked, the empire’s long history and pride could be felt.
Even amid wartime, the place possessed a beauty so complete that it almost felt untouchable.
“Now then, now then—thank you both for coming all this way.”
It was there, within that magnificent palace, that Emma and I were personally welcomed by the current emperor of the Austin Empire—Harl.
“We are deeply grateful for your invitation, Your Majesty, Emperor of Austin.”
“No, the honor is mine. To welcome the two heroes of the Eastern Front to my imperial capital brings me great joy.”
The emperor’s voice was calm and dignified, yet there was unmistakable warmth within it.
“Thanks to your achievements, the condition of my empire has improved more than it has at any point in recent years.”
“To receive such praise directly from Your Majesty is a tremendous honor,” Emma replied gracefully. “Surely the souls of those who fell in the East will also find reward in hearing such words.”
“If mere words from me can bring them peace,” Emperor Harl said with a solemn smile, “then I shall offer as many as needed.”
“I am certain the soldiers of our kingdom would be delighted to hear that.”
“That gladdens me to hear. And let me be clear—my gratitude will not end with words alone.”
The emperor’s expression sharpened slightly as he continued.
“The Kingdom of Lunoa’s victory on the Eastern Front was magnificent beyond measure. To liberate the Kingdom of Poln in a single counteroffensive… there is no doubt that campaign will be remembered in military history.”
His eyes moved between Emma and me.
“And the two of you, who became central figures in that achievement—as well as General Newsbeck—your reputations continue to spread without end. I suspect I shall regret for the rest of my life that I could not meet General Newsbeck in person today. She is that remarkable a figure.”
“General Newsbeck remains occupied with the reorganization of the Western Front,” Emma answered smoothly. “We deeply apologize that she was unable to attend during such an important occasion.”
“No matter. There is no issue whatsoever.”
The emperor waved away the apology.
“The last thing I desire is to hinder your nation’s efforts. In fact, quite the opposite—I strongly wish to support them.”
“We are grateful to hear Your Majesty say so.”
“At long last, my empire has succeeded in suppressing the insurgent factions within our borders. With that, we have finally reclaimed the oil-producing regions that had been occupied by the rebels.”
His tone grew colder when speaking of the rebellion.
“The insurgents had amassed not only petroleum, but considerable mineral resources as well—including iron deposits. My empire intends to transfer all of those resources to the Kingdom of Lunoa. Furthermore, we plan to prioritize the export of oil extracted from the newly reclaimed fields to your nation.”
“That—!”
Emma instinctively leaned forward.
Beside her, I found myself drawing in a sharp breath as well.
The proposal was almost too good to believe.
“Your kingdom’s victory is our victory,” Emperor Harl declared firmly. “If it is aid given for the sake of triumph, then my empire has no intention of withholding it.”
“Are you truly certain?” Emma asked carefully. “Our kingdom is already fully occupied by the war against the Kingdom of Friez. At present, we have little we can offer in return.”
“That sentiment applies equally to us.”
A faintly self-deprecating smile crossed the emperor’s face.
“To speak honestly, my empire is still struggling merely to maintain domestic order. The fact that this is all we can provide is what truly embarrasses me.”
In other words, what the emperor meant was simple:
The Austin Empire was too consumed with stabilizing internal security to dispatch reinforcements to the Western Front.
But in exchange, they would provide desperately needed resources—and hoped that would suffice.
“Your Majesty’s consideration humbles us,” Emma answered immediately. “We shall repay this support with victory. That, I swear.”
“A truly reassuring promise,” Emperor Harl said with satisfaction. “I am glad to hear those words from the heroes of the East.”
Emma accepted the offer without a moment’s hesitation.
To begin with, the Kingdom of Lunoa had never truly expected military reinforcements from the Austin Empire. The troops we had never counted on were absent, yes—but instead we would receive resources we otherwise could never have obtained.
Frankly speaking, this outcome was incomparably more valuable.
The current Kingdom of Lunoa desired resources far more desperately than additional soldiers.
Oil.
Iron.
Industrial materials.
Those things determined victory now.
“I am glad I was able to spend time with the two of you today,” the emperor said.
“The honor was ours. Thank you for granting us such valuable time.”
“The funeral is scheduled for one week from now. Until then, I hope you will enjoy the empire to your hearts’ content.”
“A generous offer indeed. We shall make the most of this rare opportunity to rest.”
“Yes,” Emperor Harl replied with a gentle nod. “Please do enjoy yourselves.”
The Emperor of the Austin Empire had died.
The weight carried by those words alone was immense.
The late emperor had long stood as one of the central figures of Europe, and so dignitaries from nations across the world were gathering for his funeral. Among them were even representatives from enemy states such as the Kingdom of Friez.
For now, the East had fallen quiet.
And in the West, both sides had reached the point where neither could make a decisive move.
Thus, without major conflict, a temporary ceasefire had been arranged between the nations locked in war, allowing important figures from every corner of the world to converge upon the Austin Empire one after another.
For the moment—
The front lines had stopped.
And what was about to begin instead…
…was diplomacy through mourning.