III. Imperator's Lonely Heart
3-1
The Imperator's armies stormed in the northern states for the first time,
Passing through city gates scorched by war.
“Another tyrant still!”
So exclaimed the angry child.
The rock tossed from up high
Hit the girl's crown.
The crowd shrieked and retreated…
Fearful of the ruler's flames of fury.
The girl reached out, not to straighten the crown on her head,
But to help up the child shivering in dread.
“I heard, in the old laws of this land,
Whoever assaults the crown shall be punished.
But I wear another land's crown,
And your old laws should also be abolished.”
After many days, the Goldweaver discovered in shock,
That wearing a crown or a hat to the side was now this land's fashion,
Likely to remain with the Imperator's name in tradition.
3-2
The so-called heroes with golden blood in their veins,
All have the qualities to fight for the Coreflames.
Who's to say this was not the gods' plan?
To have the heroes at each other's throats,
So the divine could hide in old laws' lair,
And laugh, play, and gloat.
Who made this world a chessboard,
And with one stroke, one river,
Created the boundary between god and man?
“Dux Gladiorum, Dux Carminum, Dux Helkolithist, Dux Fragoris, Dux Brumalis…
Heed my call…”
The girl stood before a mighty army with her scepter.
“Today, I will insist on crossing the Rubicon.
Gather the might of all heroes
And begin the journey to slay gods.”
3-3
Half the Coreflames were now in her hands,
And the hidden Trickery Titan stirred,
Leaving taunts.
“Hehehehe! Grow taller, puny empress!
Otherwise you won't be able to catch me.”
The Imperator summoned the heroes to discuss,
Finally stopping after much hesitation.
As they had already pinned down the bones of Earth's beast,
They let that thief live for a bit longer in bliss.
The warrior of the fractured blade laughed boldly…
“Our sovereign is good at open strategies
And struggles with Trickery.
But where is that lithe fish?”
The Imperator replied with a chuckle.
“Her? She probably disliked the scent of cats
And submerged herself in the baths.”
3-4
The years spent with her dukes
Didn't seem too far distant.
Yet only after the end of many wars did the heroes discover
How the Imperator's form walked more and more alone.
“The road of a ruler is a lonely one.
One day,
We'll only be able to see her retreating form.”[1]
The swordmaster of singing waves was worried too.
When all others had departed in intoxication,
The two of them gazed into each other's eyes,
Towards torrents deeper than their fates,
And sank into profound silence.
“Drink one more cup with me, my dear follower.”
In the end, the Imperator first broke the silence.
“When compared to the taste of salt and blood, I sometimes miss your ambrosia…”
3-5
About the Destruction about to be born
And the eternally occurring extrapolation,
The Antikytheran spoke of all this in words unceasing.
“So this is the old world I must fight against.”
The girl's expression bore no sorrow or tragedy.
Instead, she looked more solemn and ready than ever.
Whoever stated that two kings could not meet face-to-face in chess?
[2]“I am the sovereign of Okhema.
I once faced the gods,
So what do I have to fear about the “laws” hanging behind such gods?”
“I will chop up the old laws and let them be firewood for the new.”
No matter the cost.
That was the Imperator's lifelong conviction,
Never changed, always persistent.