112
I don’t know much about the history of the Empire and the Imperial Family, but even I could tell that the Crimson Crown Prince was a member of the Imperial Family with a peculiar personality.
The upper class of the empire is rigid. Those who live for nearly two centuries are considered full-body nobles. They say that after living that long, your emotions become dull.
Even if it wasn’t exactly that, emotional restraint was an aristocratic virtue. That’s why, in a society where solemnity was prevalent, suppressed desires were stagnant and even rotting away.
As if to challenge such a social atmosphere head-on, the Crimson Crown Prince, despite being a member of the royal family, readily expressed his emotions. He greeted those around him with a rich smile, refreshing words, and a smile.
… … just like you are doing to me now.
“The guards are always trustworthy, aren’t they? Lucas.”
Francesque said, straightening his crimson collar. I stood beside Francesque despite my status as a cadet.
At the head of the parade were ground vehicles such as military armored vehicles and quadrupedal vehicles. On the outskirts, two-wheeled vehicles were lined up at regular intervals.
Woohoo!
A hundred or so large drones were flying in a tight net across the sky. The large drones were about the size of a person.
Large drones were monitoring the crowds surrounding the parade, preparing for any eventuality. Mobile situation rooms would be processing massive amounts of information to protect Francek.
There were about three hundred soldiers who took part in the parade, including fifty guards. There were also about a hundred androids. In addition, there were many nobles and high-ranking officials from famous families.
‘He is solidifying his position as successor through the street parade.’
The procession, which started from the palace entrance, moved along the circular street of the upper area.
The ring road largely circles the upper area. Several large and small roads extending from the ring road reach every corner of the upper area.
Because of the scale of the parade, we could only walk along the circular road. As time passed, the left and right sides of the circular road were filled with people who had come to see the parade.
The parade moved as slowly as its size. Francek was waving his hand to the crowd.
Woohoo!
A large lens was activated in the vehicle at the center of the procession. A hologram projecting Francek’s current appearance in real time stretched upward like a giant.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Francesque’s hologram caught everyone’s attention. Shouts and gasps erupted.
“Fransec! I love you!”
“The Crimson Crown Prince!”
“Look at me! Look at me!”
A few people tried to cross the line in an overly obscene manner. Soldiers and guardsmen tried to stop them by pushing them back.
Easy.
My breath slowly escaped through the breathing filter. I was wearing a helmet that completely covered my face.
There are many people in Akbaran who are after me. I didn’t need to show my face to the public during the parade. It would be embarrassing if someone in the lower areas recognized me.
Francis, clearing his throat, began to speak.
“We… … founded our empire in an environment that was far from blessed. The lands were barren, the waterways were dry, and resources were always scarce. Whether on the planet Ark or here on Novas.”
As Francesque spoke, he moved his hands and arms widely. His voice boomed out through the speakers of the large drones that were spread far and wide.
“Bellato, who took over the mother planet Earth, and Korra, who started on the planet Korta, which was as bountiful as Earth… … .”
Francis closed his eyes and placed one hand on his chest. He paused and continued speaking.
Most of the speech was about Bellato and Chora persecuting the Accressian Empire, something I had heard countless times.
Bellato is a descendant of the Earth that drove us out, and Cora is a descendant of the wealthy who settled on Corta, the so-called Second Earth.
That is why the Accresia Empire hates Bellato and Cora. Our people are descendants of those who were persecuted and driven out from Earth.
The ancestors of the Imperial people were exiled to the planet Ark, which was unsuitable for survival. It even served as an economic colony.
“Those who not only persecuted but also exploited… … now call us the instigators of the conflict and war maniacs who destroy peace. The reason we fought them was simply to survive, and it was never a war for the sake of war. They blame us, completely forgetting their own mistakes.”
Francesque’s speech was appealing. His movements were appropriate, his intonation was strong and soft. His good pronunciation gave him a deep resonance.
“Those detestable people look at us and say that we are the ones who are full of hate. As if we were the ones who did something wrong! But they are the ones who are clearly the perpetrators. And we are the descendants of the oppressed and the dispossessed. Revenge is our natural right, and they are responsible for receiving our hatred and anger!”
Francesque clenched his fists. Where did the truth end and where did the lies end?
The hatred that the Crimson Crown Prince cried out spread. The older, high-ranking nobles still maintained a blank expression. However, the young nobles and vassals who had not yet lived half a century, and those from the lower classes responded as if they were infected by the hatred.
“Wow!!”
The cheers of the crowd were wild and fierce, like an army about to go into battle.
The atmosphere was heated. Francesque was a gifted speaker. Above all, his speech was deeply moving because he expressed his emotions in a way that was unusual for a person of high rank.
The street parade in the upper district was a success. Security was good, so security was comfortable. No matter where you looked, there was no one whose identity was unclear.
The person in charge of security for this parade was Iskan. He approached Francek and whispered softly.
“Are you thinking of going to the lower area?”
“You’re talking about something obvious. I know the current tense atmosphere very well. But even so, it’s something that can’t be avoided.”
Francesque spoke words that were a paragon of the science of kingship.
“……All right.”
Iskando gave up on persuading me and nodded. He nodded at me as if asking for my favor and stepped aside.
Francek and I stood on the largest and tallest vehicle in the parade. Safety was a concern, but so that the public could see Francek well was equally important.
And the public must not feel that the Crown Prince of the Empire is hiding among his subordinates. The founder of the Empire, the first Emperor Dino Kratzia, was the one who fought the enemy ahead of everyone else.
It was the same now. I was the only one standing next to Francis. The other guards were standing guard at a distance from under the vehicle.
We completed a full circuit of the upper zone’s circular road. The parade stopped at the gate connecting the circular road and the lower zone’s central road, and there was a break.
I also took a breath and stared at the gate.
The checkpoint was only partially open, allowing more than a dozen large vehicles to pass through. Cargo vehicles were passing through the open passage. This was the entrance and exit for logistics transport.
The central road from the gate ran straight through the lower zone and out to the outside of Akbaran. However, the central road was not a road for the people of the lower zone. It was a road for transporting goods from the outside to the upper zone smoothly. That is why the central road was connected to the airport and the train station.
“Cars 7 through 13, go back and get repaired. Are the reinforcements still far away? What are you doing, you idiots?”
In the distance, officers were moving busily. Even during break time, only a few people were able to rest.
The officers were reducing the size of the procession. It was because of Francis’ orders.
“Today, we’re going to go a little differently. We’re going to visit here, here, and here. The road will be narrow.”
Francek pointed to the holographic map in front of the officers and administrators. It was a square and some streets where people often gathered in the lower areas. People’s faces were embarrassed.
However, no one questioned Francesque’s firm words. Only someone as high as Iskane, the head of security, could make a suggestion. Even then, if it didn’t work after one attempt, he would give up and accept it. There was no second attempt.
It was a sight that showed the authority of Francesca.
‘I have no choice but to comply with unreasonable demands.’
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To the outside world, Francis was a solid crown prince. He was popular with the public. No one could stand against him.
After talking to the officers, Francis returned to me. He stood out wherever he went thanks to his crimson uniform.
“Lukaus, you are from the lower classes too.”
“Also called irregular.”
“I like people like you. That’s why I like Iskan. It’s not the nobles who support the empire, but Irregulars like you.”
It seemed to be true that Francesque liked Irregulars.
“Excessive praise can seem false, Your Majesty.”
I answered cynically. Perhaps Francesque would prefer this reaction. Yes, my guess was right.
Francesque smiled coolly and even put a hand on my shoulder.
“It’s not a lie. There is no such thing as fair opportunity in this world. And life is unequal. The Empire is no different. It’s a dirty word, but it’s true. Rather, it’s a deception to say that there is fairness and equality.”
I instantly thought of Ilay. The current Francesque looked strangely similar to the old Ilay. The content of the speech was like that.
Francesque continued talking without paying any attention.
“Because irregulars like you emerge like thorns through the ground, the system is maintained and society is stable. It is an unfair and unjust world, but… … because there are those who rise above the harsh environment, people have the illusion that it is fair and have hope that they can do it too. It is physically impossible for everyone to live in abundance. However, hope can be given to everyone. That is the role of a ruler.”
It’s a good thing I was wearing a helmet, because I was so impressed that I opened my eyes wide.
I recalled Kinuan’s words, and my mouth borrowed Kinuan’s words.
“People live on hope, not despair.”
That’s what Kinuan had said before. Francek nodded with satisfaction.
“You can endure misfortune only if you have hope.”
Francis was a painterly emperor, idealistic but not vain.
It is a dizzying world. Order contains chaos, and chaos contains order.
It is even ambiguous what to believe and what to hate. Will is nothing more than a temporary phenomenon created by electrical signals and chemical reactions. Therefore, a strong will is nothing more than an illusion.
… … Then what should I take as a guideline as I move forward?
“Today, I’m going to go deep into the lower zone. I think it’ll be a good opportunity. Well, actually, I got advice from my brother. He said that people would be more impressed if I visited during a dangerous time. Even though he’s my brother, he’s a deep guy, so I’ve been getting help from him in many ways. You’ll see him someday.”
I felt a splitting flash in my head. The puzzle pieces fell into place in an instant.
‘Ivan Kratsya.’
The brother that Francis was talking about was definitely Ivan. Ivan led Francis to the inner part of the lower area.
In the lower zone, or today, or maybe tomorrow, or in the near future.
Even if I don’t want to know, I will realize the mission Ivan has given me. It will probably be something I don’t want.
“Ready to pass through the gate.”
Iskan approached us. Francek and I looked down ahead. The line, which had shrunk in size, was neatly organized as if measured by a ruler.
Woohoo.
The gates of the gateway opened, and Francesque’s procession left the upper quarter and proceeded into the central street of the lower quarter.
