kscans

Chapter 86 - Interlude: The Plan

The Emperor of the Empire was dead.

What in the world had happened?

Let's turn back the clock quite a bit.

The Deom Empire. A nation situated on the northern part of the continent. Although it was a cold region, it wasn't covered in snow year-round. It was merely subject to chilly winds, making it far from uninhabitable. The royal capital was filled with modern buildings, constructed primarily of concrete.

These technologies were spearheaded by a certain clan residing in the Empire: the Dwarves. Their technical prowess was second to none on the continent—in smithing, craftsmanship, carpentry, and manufacturing. When it came to making things, they were number one. Now, however, this race could only be found in the Empire.

The reason was discrimination from other countries.

...Long ago, their overly outstanding skills sometimes gave rise to jealousy. ...For this reason, other nations would impose unreasonable demands on the Dwarves. If they failed, they were met with a storm of verbal abuse, sometimes even baseless accusations. ...Amidst all this, the Empire did not discriminate against them.

...Skill is everything. Because they upheld this philosophy, they gave preferential treatment to the Dwarves. Those who immigrated from other countries were welcomed, and now the entire Dwarven race resided solely within the Empire. Thanks to this environment, it was no exaggeration to say the Empire possessed the greatest technological power on the continent. Of course, it wasn't like this from the beginning; the Dwarves had advanced their skills by referencing the knowledge of a certain great figure.

In the throne room of the royal castle, the very essence of greatness and dignity was made manifest. A red carpet was laid out, and to the left and right stood a pair of bronze statues, each holding a sword that could be called a symbol of power. The king's throne possessed an overwhelming presence, and seated upon it was the Emperor of the Empire, Dion.

He was elderly, in his seventies, but the powerful aura he exuded was in no way inferior to that of the Republic's king. In his youth, he had fought on the front lines and was called a god of war for having slaughtered countless monsters. Standing before the Emperor was a nobleman.

"...Your Majesty the Emperor. ...I have come today with a request. ...Please, I beg of you, send aid to my domain."

To this plea, the Emperor responded, "...And why, pray tell, is this aid necessary?"

Faced with the Emperor's demeanor, which tolerated no falsehoods, the noble explained, "...Well, it is truly embarrassing, but... my domain is near the border with the monsters, and the wounded are being sent to us one after another. ...We are, of course, providing treatment, but... our finances have been depleted by half. ...Even if we were to collect taxes, the people's income is too low, and it would not be enough. ...Please, I implore you, provide financial assistance..."

The Emperor considered the noble's explanation. "...Financial aid is not possible. ...However, I will arrange for medical support. ...Contact them immediately."

He issued the order.

"...Thank you, Your Majesty," the noble said. "...I will repay this debt for the sake of the country."

He prostrated himself, expressing his gratitude. After the noble departed, the Emperor asked, "...Chancellor. What is next on the agenda?"

To this question, the Chancellor replied, "...There are no more audiences for today. ...There are reports I would like you to review, Your Majesty, so please proceed to your office."

The Emperor nodded at the Chancellor's words and made his way there.

The office, while simple, exuded an atmosphere that maintained its royal dignity. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with countless volumes, each one a precious artifact. The desk was of a heavy, solid construction, yet not ostentatious—a magnificent piece that bespoke a long history.

As soon as the Emperor sat down, officials entered from outside and began stacking reports one after another. Once they had finished, the door closed, leaving only the Emperor and the Chancellor.

"...Quite a pile," the Emperor remarked. "...And most of them are about countermeasures for the monsters on the border, I presume. ...How long will this go on, I wonder... this war."

He sighed as he spoke. Seeing this, the Chancellor said, "...Your Majesty, please do not lose heart. ...As it is, the two princesses are at odds, and all the nobles have joined their respective factions. ...For now, no major incidents have occurred precisely because you are still in good health, but how long that will last..."

He said no more.

The Emperor understood. The current situation was the most stable it could be. However, the Emperor was old. He could not reign forever. ...He had to decide on the next emperor. ...He had already made his choice. ...The only question was how to persuade those around him. ...Just as he was thinking this, there was a knock on the door.

From outside, a voice called, "...Father, it is Yorune. ...May I enter?"

"...You may enter, my daughter," the Emperor replied.

Having received permission, the one who entered was the First Princess, Yorune. She was a beautiful woman in her late twenties with flowing blonde hair, clad in a jet-black dress, and possessing eyes of sapphire blue. She was a kind woman who always thought of her people, who called her a saint.

"...Father, thank you for your hard work today," Yorune said. "...Is there anything I can do to help?"

"...No, nothing in particular," the Emperor replied. "...The main tasks are finished. All that's left is to sort through these documents. ...More importantly, are you all right? ...I hear the orphanage you manage is struggling."

To this, Yorune said, "...It is quite embarrassing. ...However, the children are doing their best, so I cannot afford to be disheartened. ...I am doing everything in my power to ensure their futures are not snuffed out."

She answered with a smiling face, but the Emperor could tell she was forcing it. The orphanage Yorune managed was funded by selling livestock and medicinal herbs.

...There was an herb garden in the backyard where they grew carrots, cabbages, onions, radishes, and green onions—herbs that could grow even in cold climates. These were transported to various herb shops in the capital, and they received thirty percent of the sales as profit. ...Herbs that were not fit for sale were used as feed for the livestock.

...This helped save on feed costs, which was a relief, but the livestock meat did not sell well. The reason was simple: monster meat tasted better. For that reason, the children focused mainly on growing herbs. ...However, perhaps due to the recent bad weather, the herbs were not growing well, and shipments were less than half of what they used to be.

Now, livestock was their only source of income. Despite the hardship, Yorune hadn't given up and was searching for new tasks even children could do, but she hadn't found anything yet.

"...So, Yorune," the Emperor said, his eyes serious. "...What is the real reason you came here?"

"...You see right through me, Father. ...Actually, I have come to consult with you about my younger sister, Grine."

"...Grine, is it?" the Emperor said with a slight sigh. "...I hear she has been frequenting the weapons development department. ...What happened?"

"...She is demanding that the Dwarves create a weapon effective against monsters. ...They have refused, saying it is not so simple, but I hear Grine is pressuring them to hurry."

Seeing Yorune's troubled face, the Emperor said, "...That girl, doing something so foolish. ...I understand. I will speak to her later. ...I'm sorry, but could you please send something to the Dwarves as an apology?"

Yorune nodded at his words and left the room.

The Chancellor remarked, "...It seems her younger sister is as insistent on total war as ever."

To this, the Emperor replied, "...Yes. She says that annihilating the monsters is the best way to reclaim our territory. ...But the number of seriously wounded, not to mention the dead, is staggering. ...In the current state of the war, annihilation is impossible. ...That must be why she ordered the Dwarves to develop a weapon that could turn the tide. ...That's just like Grine to think of something like that."

The Emperor let out a heartfelt sigh. In his youth, he would have understood Grine's feelings. Annihilating the monsters was an absolute necessity, something that had to be done.

...However, as he grew older, he began to wonder. ...He often asked himself if that was truly the right path. Even if they could annihilate the monsters, what if only a handful of citizens were left in the process? ...Could it still be called a nation? ...Of course not. It would just perish.

...The moment he realized that, the Emperor retired from the front lines. The official reason was that he had grown too old to wield a spear. ...But the truth was, he had become afraid. Afraid of continuing to fight and seeing so many more die. That was all.

"...Your Majesty," the Chancellor said, changing the subject. "...What of Princess Yorune's proposal to negotiate with the monsters?"

To this question, the Emperor replied, "...We have not made contact yet. ...But they are certainly out there. Intelligent monsters, a boss who leads a group... a being known as the 'Queen.'"

"The 'Queen,'" the Chancellor mused. "...I believe a soldier on the border overheard monsters talking about such a being by chance. ...Is it possible?"

Seeing his worried face, the Emperor said, "...Whether it is possible is not the issue. ...We must do it. That is all I can say for now. ...And for that to happen, I must appoint Yorune as the next emperor."

The Emperor's eyes were filled with resolve as he made his declaration. To prevent any more sacrifices, the succession had to happen as soon as possible. But first, he had to have a word with Grine.

That night, in the Second Princess's room. A luxurious bed, an antique desk, and a vase with red flowers. It wasn't the height of extravagance, but it was a room befitting royalty. A beautiful woman was slumped over the desk, sulking. She had short blonde hair, blue eyes that were slightly upturned, and was dressed in a crimson gown. She was in her early twenties. This was the Second Princess, Grine.

She was sulking because she had just received a lecture from her father, the Emperor. The topic was her unreasonable demands on the Dwarves. She had been forced to listen to a long tirade and had only just been released. To make matters worse, she hadn't eaten dinner yet. The combination of hunger and frustration had put her in a foul mood.

...Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"...Princess Grine, I have brought your meal."

"...Enter," Grine commanded, her voice sharp with anger.

...The person who entered was a maid. A woman with yellow eyes that exuded a bewitching charm. Seeing the maid, Grine said, "...Thank you. ...You may remain there."

The maid nodded, placed the meal on the table, and stood beside it. As Grine ate, she said, "...So? ...Is everything proceeding smoothly? ...Harynair-san?"

To this, the maid, Harynair the Corruptor, replied with a bewitching smile, "...For now. ...I've been having the nobles you designated inhale the 'mind-control gas' as I pass by them. ...I'd say the preparations are perfect."

"...I see," Grine said, taking a sip of wine. "...Then that's fine. ...All that's left is to set the stage for them to defect to my side at the right moment."

"...But why not control them immediately?" Harynair asked. "...I've been having them inhale small amounts as you instructed, but I think we could have done this much faster with a larger dose."

To this question, Grine replied, "...That would arouse suspicion. ...Father, the Chancellor, and my sister might notice. ...A large dose would allow me to control them immediately, but they would be in a state of near-unconsciousness."

"They would be discovered. ...So, it's better to have them inhale small amounts. ...It takes time, but it should be possible to make them believe they are acting of their own free will. ...Well, even if it doesn't, it's not a problem. ...I simply want to shorten any unnecessary conflict when I take the throne. ...That is all."

With that, she ate the last piece of food and finished her meal.

"...How patient of you," Harynair said with a look of exasperation. "...Humans have much shorter lives than I do. I'm surprised you can wait like this."

"...That is precisely why," Grine retorted, her eyes filled with pride. "...If you rush, you will fail, and you won't be able to take it back. ...To ensure absolute success, waiting is also important. ...Even with our short lives, if we act when the time is right, that alone is enough to satisfy us."

Seeing her, Harynair said, "...I don't really understand that part of you. ...Oh well. As long as you don't disappoint me, I will cooperate. ...That was our promise, after all."

She smiled, her heart racing with anticipation for what was to come.