Unedited chapter. It will be edited soon.

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Naturally, the emperor understood that he had made a mistake. He had been easily led to take a bait he shouldn't have taken, one that made him dig his own grave in the conversation.

He couldn't go on like this.

"Do you need to force it, Robert Priestley?" he asked.

Robert sneered. "Don't think I don't know your intentions."

The emperor sighed. There was nothing he could do.

"I must say you are good, Robert Priestley. You realized my intentions from the moment I arrived." He laughed. "But realizing intentions is not the same as knowing how far I have gone in them."

He then took an item out of his inventory and looked at Miroc. "Being an independent academy, you tend to give full importance to what the board of directors says, right?"

"That is correct, Mr. Emperor," Miroc replied.

"And you, as directors, have the ability to bring forward certain tournaments if necessary and if requested by the other academies. I also heard that you listen to the president on this matter and hold a vote to make the best decision," he said, looking at them all.

They nodded, although they did not understand what he meant.

Then, Miroc showed his badge and smiled. "As the new president of the board of directors of the Main Branch of the Royal Academy, I want to open a vote. All academic branches have requested that the Battle of the Hierarchies begin, and several of them have said that it doesn't matter if healing magicians are used to heal those who are seriously injured. The advance comes in response to new threats faced by some foreign countries and the possibility of a tournament between nations this year."

The emperor produced not only a badge that only Miroc could have, but also all the documents signed by the other branches that said exactly what he had just said.

For most, this move was surprising.

There was only one who reacted immediately.

"As the new finance director, I support the new president in his first open vote!" Miroc declared, showing his badge as the new director.

At the same time, another director, the former finance director who had changed positions and been given a new position, also declared his agreement.

Although all the directors knew that they were on the emperor's side, allowing the emperor to be the president of the academy?

That was...

A clear violation of the rules established by the Lockwards many years ago!

But they had no time to think.

The emperor spoke again, this time looking at Robert.

"Lady Loren is here precisely for this reason. The church's regiment of healing mages has made itself available for this, because we have received the support of the Theocracy in defense of the empires that have taken an interest in our lands. So I hope... that you will not interfere in the internal affairs of the academy," he said, smiling slightly.

Although Robert was initially surprised, he soon calmed down. This guy had really played his cards right, although he had to say that it was all the fault of this useless board's betrayal.

The Duke of Velharthe frowned and looked at the emperor. "You are pushing things beyond what you can afford," he said suddenly.

The emperor looked at him. "Do you know my limits, Duke?"

"I don't know your limits, but I do know your strength. Perhaps Lord Robert or the Evergreens can't do much against you and your people, but do you want to break Lockward's rules? I never thought I'd say that our emperor was suicidal."

"Haha, of course I don't intend to break the Lockward rules. But if they don't want to look after the empire's welfare abroad, then I have to do it, you see? Don't talk about foreign policy when you live locked up in your duchy." He seemed to mock the Duke, which made him fall silent.

He was a calm man, so he sighed and looked at Miroc. "To think that you got there thanks to me, but now you turn your back on the main branch. I must say you are a disgrace to your family. I'll have to pay them a visit later."

Miroc swallowed hard... he was actually among many dragons, and he was just a lone tiger.

"You shouldn't talk about foreign policy in front of me either, Emperor," Robert Neville said suddenly. "I've been listening quietly, but your words are becoming increasingly ominous. Who controls the most borderlands? Any of you?" He looked around at everyone on the other side and smiled.

"Or is it me?"

"Who knows the situation at the border best?" He then looked at Lady Loren. "Is it you, Lady Loren? Or is it me, known as Neville of the Lands?"

The emperor frowned, along with the rest of the castles. "Does a Noble House really intend to speak where only castles have a say? Hmph, deluded."

"Hahaha, you know my power better than anyone, Emperor. Don't try to hide the sun with your finger. And I know very well what is happening outside. Don't try to fool us with a finger on your forehead."

"Hmph." The Emperor snorted. "You're not the only one who controls border territories."

Robert Neville scoffed. "Although I'm the weakest of those who rule them, don't you think? I believe I would be the first to be attacked."

"Hmph. Then you're simply hiding things from the majority. I recently heard that you were even seeking help from small-time mobsters, so that idea wouldn't be far-fetched."

Neville stared at him, a look that the Emperor ignored.

Still, he couldn't continue to ignore it.

Robert Priestley, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up.

"Fictitious wars that are sure to spread through the empire like wildfire and everyone will believe, royal betrayals, and for the first time in history, a castle wanting to interfere in the most internal decisions of the Royal Academy... Wanting to move tournaments forward to benefit some or simply because he wants what he has said to be done." Robert Priestley listed everything he had just seen.

"I don't know your intentions, Emperor. But I don't care. And I don't care to hide mine either, so I'll make them clear to you today," he declared firmly.

"I am Robert Priestley, and no one is going to come and try to rule my own backyard. I am Priestley, I have ruled these lands since ancient times, long before your family even existed, and you intend to come to my own backyard and lay down rules for me?"

His words struck softly but directly at the minds of his adversaries.

Today, with my name on the line and my life at stake, I once again put my family on the table for war. Clans Keller, Murphy, Morgan, Griffin... If you want to wage war against me, with nefarious intentions of destruction, then I will tell you that we will sink together. I am Priestley, I rule over the banks and mines of the territory. This economy is sustained by my name, and my face is printed on the bills that circulate in the streets."

Finally, his adversaries frowned.

Everything he was saying seemed slightly familiar.

There was a kind of déjà vu, but not remembering something they had experienced, but something they had heard. Something they had read.

In fact, the spectators, already in shock from so many things happening down there, frowned.

They also remembered something like this. Their hearts rose to their chests.

Immediately, the Emperor stamped his foot hard on the ground. "Do you dare, Priestley?!" he roared.

Robert smiled coldly. "I hereby call my family into indefinite seclusion. All Priestley banks, lands, mines, and properties will be closed until further notice. You want war? You want to dominate us? You don't respect what Lokward stipulated 5,000 years ago? Then I'll give you the war you want so badly." He declared and signed a document he took out.

He had it prepared in advance. "I just need to send it. How about it?" He sneered.

He stood with his hand raised, because he knew he wasn't alone.

Miss Evergreen, who had remained silent, sighed visibly. Her brother beside her could only shrug. There was no alternative.

So she stepped forward.

"The empire was developing well, wasn't it?" she said, looking at the emperor. "Some say that when something is developing well, a person is tempted to do things wrong, because every advance needs to have its setback."

"But this kind of setback is ridiculous. We lived through it once. And we're going to live through it again." She didn't have to say anything else. She took out a document, previously signed. "My Evergreen family is no longer united in marriage with the Priestleys, but there are historical ties of fellowship that still remain, even in enmity. For years you've wanted to sink your teeth into the South, haven't you?"

"Now you have the opportunity," she declared. "But you will have to face the consequences. I asked my parents for support, and they sent me this letter. Today, Evergreen declares that if you want to drag us into the mud, we will drag you with us. We may be weakened now, but we are still ourselves. Evergreen's confinement will begin as soon as I leave this space. Do you want to take that risk?"