Lord of Caldera - Chapter 369

Chapter 369: Chapter 369 Escalating Tension
“Has the Crown Prince lost his mind? Branding the Count a traitor will only force him to retaliate!”

“This is worse than that. Such a public declaration leaves no room for reconciliation. Now, one of them has to die for this to end.”

“A civil war is inevitable… Let’s just hope we don’t get crushed in the middle like shrimps caught between whales.”

Sylas wasted no time responding. Even before the Crown Prince’s declaration had settled, he issued his own counter-proclamation:

“The Crown Prince claims to be His Majesty’s rightful proxy and heir, but his recent actions are highly suspicious. Has he not imprisoned the Emperor and usurped the royal signet ring to wield power unlawfully? If so, Maximilian himself is the traitor!”

Maximilian’s fury boiled over. Sylas’s accusations struck at the Crown Prince’s weakest point: the question of legitimacy. Worse still, Maximilian had no way to refute them.

The reality was undeniable—Maximilian had indeed pressured the Emperor into relinquishing the signet ring and isolating himself from the court.

Sylas pressed this advantage relentlessly.

“If my claims are false, then reveal His Majesty! Let the Emperor himself affirm the Crown Prince’s legitimacy, and I will surrender and present myself at the Imperial Court!”

The Crown Prince’s response was predictable but unconvincing:

“His Majesty is gravely ill and requires absolute rest. No one may see him until his health improves.”

This flimsy excuse only deepened the nobles’ suspicions. From the start, many had doubted the plausibility of the Emperor willingly ceding power.

The Emperor was infamous for his obsession with authority. The idea that such a man had willingly handed over control was laughable.

Yet the nobles had remained silent. Why?

“It’s no secret that the court nobles are complicit. There’s no point in pushing this further.”

“What’s the use? Challenging the Crown Prince will only earn his ire.”

Now, however, Sylas’s defiance was shining a spotlight on the Crown Prince’s precarious position, and the Empire braced for the largest civil war in its history.

“Besides, that senile Emperor is exhausting. Let’s just ignore this and move forward.”

This sentiment, a kind of “let’s keep things smooth and avoid trouble” approach, had prevailed among the nobles. But now the situation had shifted dramatically. The impending civil war demanded clear justification for each side’s actions.

For nobles who had declared neutrality, a legitimate cause could compel their involvement. Conversely, without justification, even potential allies might turn their backs.

Historically, the Imperial side held the upper hand in such matters. Nobles had always acknowledged the Emperor as the rightful ruler, and to deny the Emperor’s authority would be to undermine the legitimacy of their own houses.

But this only applied when the Emperor’s claim was uncontested.

“If the Crown Prince is a usurper, then there’s no reason to pledge loyalty to him, is there?”

“Absolutely. In fact, Count Sylas is the true loyalist. He’s fighting to rescue the Emperor from captivity.”

“Then joining Sylas’s side is the true act of loyalty. After all, our allegiance is to the Emperor, not the Crown Prince.”

Nobles aligned with Sylas seized upon this reasoning and quietly distanced themselves from the Crown. Without legitimacy, the Crown Prince had no means to hold onto those lacking genuine loyalty.

At the same time, Sylas’s allies began to act.

The movement began in the North. Bjorn immediately released a public declaration as soon as hostilities between Sylas and the Crown Prince became clear.

“The Emperor, who restored the title of King and supported the North’s unification, has bestowed upon me an immeasurable debt of gratitude. Yet the Crown Prince dares to depose His Majesty and forcibly seize the sacred throne? He must return the throne to its rightful owner and step aside immediately!”

“That damn bear! Do Northern barbarians know no civility?” Maximilian growled through clenched teeth.

He hadn’t expected much from Bjorn, but such blatant condemnation still stung. Unlike other regions, the North had no neutral parties. Every noble, without exception, sided with Sylas.

“The Northern ingrates dare to betray the Crown despite our recognition of their sovereignty? Unforgivable!”

The court nobles averted their gazes, remembering all too well how the Crown had manipulated the North with food supplies and restricted gemstone trade. The North had suffered greatly under Imperial policies—any Imperial loyalists there would be the true anomaly.

“What about the West and South?” Maximilian demanded.

“Count Bill of the Corleone family and Countess Ray of the Hernig family have issued their declarations,” a courtier reported nervously.

“Give them to me! I’ll read them myself!” Maximilian snatched the scrolls and began to read.

As expected, both families declared support for Sylas. However, Corleone’s statement was notably measured:

“Present the Emperor’s decree. Everything remains uncertain, and we cannot discern who speaks the truth. If this request is ignored, we will have no choice but to question the Crown Prince’s legitimacy.”

n other words, they demanded credible evidence. If the Crown Prince failed to provide it, they would side with Sylas.

The intent was transparent.

“Maintaining appearances while still supporting the dragonslayer, are they? I thought him a mere knight, but he’s far shrewder than I expected.”

Despite his irritation, Maximilian couldn’t help but admire the Corleone family’s tact. Their declaration upheld decorum and respect for him as the Crown Prince.

But his anger flared anew when he read the Hernig family’s statement:

“Usurper, your head belongs on a pike above the city walls!”

“That crazy woman!”

It was no surprise that Ray, Sylas’s vassal, declared against him. But couldn’t she at least have made an effort to craft a semblance of justification?

Simply calling him a usurper and promising his death—without any logic—was outrageous.

“Have the Western nobles taken no action in response to this nonsense?” Maximilian asked.

“Well… there was some initial unrest among the Western lords…”

“Of course there was! Who wouldn’t be unsettled by such a ridiculous declaration?”

Though he gnashed his teeth, Maximilian allowed himself a small smile. Ray’s rashness had created an opportunity to exploit.

“Try persuading the Western nobles. If they’re wavering, this is our chance!”

“Apologies, Your Highness… but that seems impossible.”

“What?”

“The Western nobles were momentarily unsettled but have since stabilized. Most of them have now pledged their support to Countess Ray.”

“This is madness!”

Maximilian’s eyes widened in disbelief. How could the Western lords rally behind such an ill-conceived statement?