Lord of Caldera - Chapter 365

Chapter 365: Chapter 365 The Crown Prince Take Over
“This is maddening,” Roman muttered, rubbing his face with both hands.

The moment the court nobles took over the Emperor’s duties, it was as if scavengers had descended from all sides. Most of them didn’t even bother hiding their intentions.

The reasoning was simple: without formal delegation of power from the Emperor, the court nobles had no real authority.

“If only His Majesty had officially transferred his duties, or at least granted us some disciplinary powers, these issues could have been resolved easily.”

Unfortunately, Roman knew better than anyone that the Emperor would never do such a thing. The Emperor hated sharing power and loathed sharing responsibility even more.

He would never risk appointing an official deputy only to be held accountable for that deputy’s mistakes. The Emperor preferred to throw all responsibility onto others and then discard them when convenient.

“He has done this countless times before. Many have been expelled from the court in this manner. It seems it’s my turn now.”

As a bitter smile formed on Roman’s lips, one of the court nobles approached him with a whisper.

“Chancellor Roman, the Crown Prince has sent you a letter.”

“The Crown Prince?”

Roman’s brows furrowed as he accepted the letter. It was unusual for the Crown Prince, who had largely stayed out of political affairs, to reach out to him directly.

After reading the letter in its entirety, Roman’s expression hardened. He closed his eyes in deep thought before finally speaking with resolve.

“Inform His Highness that I will meet with him this evening.”

That evening, the Crown Prince and Roman met in secret. In the following days, the Crown Prince began meeting with prominent court nobles, one after another.

The nobles were taken aback by the Crown Prince’s sudden activity. He had always kept a low profile, so why was he acting so boldly now?

Before their suspicions could grow, Maximilian made his move.

“The Empire now stands on the brink of collapse,” he declared during a sudden appearance at a council meeting. “And yet, His Majesty neglects his duties. Not a single minister dares to offer him counsel, and I find this deeply troubling.”

“…!?”

The nobles were alarmed by the Crown Prince’s bold and dangerous statement. However, Maximilian continued without hesitation.

“Therefore, I intend to plead with His Majesty to resume his responsibilities. If anyone here is willing to join me in this endeavor, I ask for your support.”

“Your Highness, if you are willing to risk your life for the right cause, how could I hesitate? I will join you!”

“As will I!”

Chancellor Roman and several senior court nobles immediately rose to stand by Maximilian’s side. The sudden turn of events left the others stunned.

“I must see His Majesty immediately. Step aside!” Maximilian demanded.

“Your Highness, His Majesty has ordered that no one be allowed to enter,” a servant stammered.

“Are you another spineless lackey, blindly following orders without the courage to speak up? If so, I will gladly sever your head myself!”

Maximilian unsheathed his sword, and the terrified servant quickly stepped aside. With nothing to impede them, Maximilian and the nobles proceeded without interruption.

When they reached the Emperor’s chambers, the Royal Guards bowed their heads.

“Welcome, Your Highness. We’ve been expecting you.”

“Where is Sir Jurgen, the Captain of the Royal Guard?” Maximilian asked.

“He is inspecting the apprentice knights. He won’t return until his duties are complete.”

“Good work. You are a true patriot of the Empire.”

Maximilian strode into the Emperor’s chambers without hesitation. Moments later, angry shouts and cries erupted from within.

“Is no one out there? Remove these insolent fools at once!”

“Your Majesty, please…”

“If any of you sycophants dare to enter, I’ll cut you down myself!”

The terrified servants hesitated, glancing at the intimidating Royal Guards, who merely stared them down coldly. They had no choice but to turn away.

After some time, Maximilian emerged from the chambers, looking completely unbothered. In his hand was the Imperial Signet Ring—the seal of the Emperor.

Returning to the council chamber, Maximilian spoke calmly.

“I implored His Majesty to resume his duties, but he wept, saying his illness prevents him from carrying on. He has entrusted me, his heir, with the future of the Empire. I ask you to support me as you have supported him.”

The court nobles fell silent. They all knew there was no way the Emperor would say such a thing.

However, they also couldn’t openly challenge the Crown Prince. It was clear that he had already secured the backing of key figures like the Chancellor and senior nobles.

Moreover, many of the nobles were already exhausted by the Emperor’s erratic behavior.

“Well, the Crown Prince is the legitimate heir anyway. What does it matter if he takes the throne a little early?”

“Unless His Majesty himself denies it, why provoke unnecessary trouble and make enemies?”

The court nobles rationalized their positions and bowed deeply. With no objections raised, Maximilian took a seat beneath the Emperor’s throne.

This gesture signaled that, while he would act as the Emperor’s proxy, he would not claim the title of Emperor until the formal coronation. By adhering strictly to procedure, he aimed to minimize resistance.

“As the Emperor’s proxy, I will now issue my first order,” Maximilian declared.

“Please, Your Highness, speak.”

“Summon Leon Winslow from the western territories immediately! He has been accused of secretly plotting rebellion, and I must hear his explanation directly!”

Maximilian’s words caused the nobles’ expressions to stiffen.

Leon Winslow was better known as the acting lord of the Hernig estate than as the heir of House Winslow. He was responsible for managing all Elven trade on behalf of the current head of the Hernig family.

Now, Maximilian was ordering his immediate summons.

“Your Highness, is it not true that Leon Winslow currently serves as Hernig’s acting lord?” one noble asked cautiously.

“That is correct.”

“Even so, summoning the acting lord of an estate on such short notice might cause problems…”