"Decide the empire's future?" Invel Yura's composure finally cracked. "Without His Majesty Zeref, what future does the Alvarez Empire even have?!"
August and Irene exchanged helpless looks.
The empire's chief strategist and administrator had always been completely devoted to Zeref.
Clearly, Invel could not accept the reality of his death.
"Who says the empire has no future?" Larcade finally spoke.
He appeared to be a young man, with features that resembled a blond Zeref, though his appearance was far more flamboyant.
Dressed entirely in white, his body seemed to radiate a faint light, making him almost the complete opposite of the black-clad emperor.
"If August and Irene are telling the truth, then what is there to decide?" Larcade declared, looking around at the other members of the Spriggan 12.
"I am obviously the empire's future!"
His meaning was clear.
He intended to inherit the throne.
The luxurious assembly hall fell silent once again.
Everyone stared at Larcade, unsure whether to laugh at him or call him an idiot.
They had not even confirmed Zeref's death yet, and Larcade was already trying to crown himself emperor.
"Why?"
Jacob Lessio, the Assassin, was the first to challenge him.
Jacob had no intention of supporting Larcade.
August's dislike for the man had always been obvious, and Jacob respected August far more.
Besides, Larcade's arrogance made him difficult to tolerate even without personal loyalties getting involved.
Most members of the Spriggan 12 were not particularly close.
They were all exceptionally powerful mages with strong personalities and even stronger pride.
Gathering that many people beneath a single banner naturally led to disagreements, rivalries, and constant attempts to prove who stood above whom.
Few among them would willingly admit they were inferior to anyone else.
Larcade had always used the Dragneel name and his supposed status as Zeref's son to act however he pleased.
Many of the Twelve already resented him for it.
Now he wanted to become emperor as well.
Jacob's challenge was welcomed by nearly everyone in the hall.
No one immediately stood beside Larcade—not even Bloodman, the other Etherious among them.
"Why?" Larcade repeated, as though the question itself were absurd. "Because I am Zeref's son, obviously!"
In his mind, no one else could possibly possess a stronger claim.
"That argument doesn't hold up," Ajeel Raml said with a mocking grin.
The Desert King was dressed almost like an ancient pharaoh, and he clearly had no intention of supporting Larcade either.
"You're only a demon created by His Majesty."
That struck directly at Larcade's deepest insecurity.
"Ajeel!" His expression twisted. "Do you want to die?!"
Larcade glared at him with open fury, looking ready to kill the Desert King where he stood.
"Ajeel isn't exactly wrong, is he?" Dimaria Yesta added.
The War Maiden stood confidently with her arms crossed.
By rushing forward to claim the throne before anyone had even processed Zeref's death, Larcade had made himself the easiest target in the room.
His years of arrogance had finally come back to bite him.
Larcade fell silent.
A faint suspicion began to form in his mind.
Why did this feel like a trap arranged specifically for him to step into?
"His argument truly doesn't hold up," August said once the mood had shifted far enough. "First, Larcade, you are not His Majesty's son. You are merely one of his demons."
August's voice grew colder.
"And even among those demons, you were never the most complete creation or the one he valued most."
"August!"
Larcade's face flushed red with rage.
He had always known August disliked him, but the old man had finally stopped pretending to tolerate him and was openly humiliating him before the entire Spriggan 12.
"His Majesty's younger brother still lives in Ishgar," August continued. "He is also the demon E.N.D. If blood or status among His Majesty's creations matters, then he has a far stronger claim than you."
That struck even deeper.
Larcade took enormous pride in calling himself the perfect demon, but in truth, he had only been the closest attempt before E.N.D.
The real completed creation was the final demon—E.N.D.
Larcade knew that perfectly well.
Hearing August use E.N.D. to put him in his place filled him with barely contained murderous rage.
"E.N.D.?" Larcade asked. "You know where he is?"
His killing intent was directed both at August and at the brother he had never met.
"I do," August replied. "I learned of His Majesty's death in Ishgar, from Marco Dreyar, Guild Master of Fairy Tail. E.N.D. is also a member of Fairy Tail."
"Marco Dreyar..."
The name immediately caused another wave of discussion among the Twelve.
Marco was extremely famous even in Alvarez.
His achievements had shocked Zeref himself.
Their emperor had never understood how Marco had escaped from Acnologia while protecting every member of his guild.
Marco's reputation had become inseparable from the Black Dragon.
That alone made him terrifying.
Acnologia was a monster even Zeref had feared and could not confidently defeat.
"Master Marco was also the one who removed His Majesty's curse," August explained.
He described what had happened and the part Marco played in it.
There was no way to explain Zeref's death without discussing the Curse of Ankhseram, and once that subject was raised, Marco's involvement could not be avoided.
"So Marco... killed His Majesty?"
Invel's sudden question made both August and Irene pause.
That was a ridiculous interpretation.
Marco had helped Zeref obtain the freedom he had sought for centuries.
Anyone who understood the emperor even slightly should have known how deeply he had suffered and what he had always wanted.
The others might not have known Zeref as well as August did, but accusing Marco of murdering him still twisted the truth beyond recognition.
"If he hadn't removed the curse, Lord Zeref wouldn't have died!"
Technically, Invel's statement was not entirely wrong.
Without Marco, Zeref would still have been unable to die, just as he had been for hundreds of years.
"But death was His Majesty's own wish," Irene said. "It was the release he needed."
She was beginning to realize that the situation might be worse than expected.
Invel was far more stubborn than either of them had anticipated.
August had not even revealed his true identity yet, and Invel was already steering the conversation toward revenge.
The moment that word entered the discussion, several others immediately showed interest.
Dimaria, Ajeel, and Bloodman all voiced support for avenging Zeref.
They were naturally combative, and the idea of war excited them.
August could only stare at them in disbelief.
Leaving aside the obvious fact that there was no revenge to take, did any of them truly believe they could fight Marco Dreyar?
"It's pointless," August said with a weary sigh. "Guild Master Marco is far stronger than you understand. Irene and I tested him ourselves. Even together, we were defeated before we could withstand a single move from him."
"What?!"
Every member of the Spriggan 12 reacted with shock.
Some of them disliked August, but none questioned his power.
The title of Magic King had not survived for decades because of empty reputation.
Others had challenged him before.
They had simply lost.
August had defended his position as the strongest mage in Alvarez through overwhelming strength.
Irene, his equal among the twin pillars, was just as terrifying.
No one doubted either of them.
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