Chapter 321

In the middle of a grassy field slightly away from the valley, the most noble twin siblings of the empire gathered.

“Your Majesty. I, Valencius, have returned from the East.”

Duke Valencius bowed his head.

Jeilliris unconsciously smiled broadly.

“It’s been a while. You’ve returned earlier than I expected. I thought you would come around autumn.”

She admitted to herself that she felt delighted.

‘How nice it is to see you, my other half.’

That statement sounded slightly different to Valencius.

‘I thought you would come around autumn. Jeilliris is personally closing the magical realms and strengthening the imperial authority. In other words, my early return would be a disturbance. Where could I find a place to go…’

Cold sweat trickled down.

He desperately changed the subject.

“Actually, I thought I should stop by Instrumentum…”

At that moment, the Holy Emperor raised an eyebrow as if displeased.

“I’ve decided to stay by Your Majesty’s side.”

‘This should be appropriate, right?’

The Bandit Duke spoke nervously, and fortunately, the Holy Emperor smiled with satisfaction.

“Good. That was a wise decision, Duke. Stay where I can see you.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Valencius thought while observing that smile.

‘How beautiful.’

At the same time.

‘I warned him indirectly to be cautious about meeting the Great Lords and expanding his influence. Don’t worry. That won’t happen.’

Jeilliris thought that Valencius seemed to be under some strange misconception and asked.

“…So what of the elves? Is there ever a chance they would come out of the autonomous district?”

Valencius began a boring yet necessary report.

“Duke Cariousa has successfully conquered the Nayt Archipelago. After completing the construction of coastal fortresses and resettlement projects, he plans to declare himself king.”

“I see.”

“During the conquest, I encountered one elf and one mermaid. According to the elf, the magical realm has caused significant damage to the autonomous district, and they are seeking new land. The mermaid seems to be concocting some blasphemous conspiracy.”

The Emperor briefly closed his eyes.

“Wait, wait, it’s hard to follow.”

“My apologies.”

“Since I became Emperor, I’ve learned a lot, but I can hardly just say ‘I see’ upon hearing that fairy-tale monsters are planning to attack me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Speak a little more slowly. Don’t we have plenty of time and coffee? Sit over there.”

A stone of just the right size for a bench was placed.

The Holy Emperor conjured up winds to blow away the dust piled on the stone, and the Bandit Duke took out a handkerchief from the front pocket of his uniform to lay it down.

The two counts and the clergymen were startled to see the Emperor and the Duke sitting on the stone, and several knights and soldiers offered themselves as chairs, but the two waved them away with gestures.

‘Jeilliris… seems to want to hear my story. This should be right?’

Valencius began reporting as though telling a story.

* * *

“So Lady Trentia has brought in an assassin named Sayah Yan…”

“By involving a fallen noble from the East called Tarti as the Admiral of the Imperial Court…”

“Duke Cariousa has surrounded the Nayt Archipelago…”

His conjecture was correct.

“So it’s the assassin Sayah Yan from the East. I’m curious to see who’s stronger when meeting Caesar’s assassins.”

“Did you say they had a magic tool to walk on water? Hurry up and mass-produce it. I order you to deliver it to the Imperial Court first. I’ll pay a good price.”

“Indeed. In the end, that White Shark will become king. I didn’t expect her to unveil you so brightly. You should have kept at least one prince resembling you alive—ah, but the future is unpredictable.”

Jeilliris sometimes chuckled and sometimes sighed as she listened to his story.

“Interesting. Keep going. We have no alcohol; ah, Count. Thank you.”

After having a decent glass of wine, Valencius almost forgot what he originally intended to talk about.

He talked about the East for a long time, and only then did he collect his thoughts and begin discussing the heterogeneous races.

“Before heading to the East, I had my maid Rudi debut in high society. I had her monitor the suspicious movements among the court nobles in the capital. I wanted to keep an eye on the insurgents’ activities…”

“There was a count selling suspicious magic tools, so you got close to him, and as you were investigating the merchant supplying him, you were suddenly attacked by elves?”

“Indeed.”

Jeilliris clicked her tongue.

“Then what happened to that count?”

This time it was Valencius’s turn to click his tongue.

“…He truly knew nothing. I wrapped it up with just a fine for his ignorance.”

“Ha.”

“Rumor has it that the magic tools received from the real elves are creating a frenzy at the auction house.”

“That’s infuriating. I’d want to tax them.”

“I’ve donated a large amount to the church, the imperial court, and the victims involved. Since I’ve already paid a price commensurate with that ignorance, I humbly request that you spare me from any further punishment.”

“Well, if you put it that way, I understand.”

Jeilliris slightly shifted the topic.

“So, were you successful in tracking them down?”

Valencius bowed his head until it touched the ground.

“The Black Iron Knights and the Azure Knights, as well as the warlocks of the imperial magic guild, have searched the area but couldn’t find them. I’ve commanded Sayah Yan, but she too has found nothing.”

“Hmm.”

“Since it has been a long time since a high-level spirit magician disappeared, everyone feels unfamiliar with their abilities.”

Jeilliris nodded.

A strange glimmer briefly shone in her eyes.

“The timing is indeed quite coincidental.”

Valencius nodded.

He was thinking along the same lines.

“Both elves looking for new land and elves trying to reclaim old land have emerged. It means that the once-silent heterogeneous races are considering moving.”

The Holy Emperor frowned nervously.

“If they have some sense, they must know the situation of the empire. Now that the East has stabilized, I’ll turn my eyes toward the Southern Continent, while you will chase and contain the insurgents.”

Valencius felt that the vague anxiety he had felt became more concrete with each word he spoke.

“Yes. While I hold firm, Your Majesty will strike at the roots of their existence, and with the collapse of the Southern Continent, the insurgent forces will disband. Eventually, that sect will receive considerable support from the Southern Continent’s feudal lords.”

“Indeed.”

He was aware of much and, therefore, felt considerable fear.

“To put it differently, it means that all the administrative power and military strength of the empire will be poured out towards the South and the insurgents, leaving us with no capacity to contain the heterogeneous races in the meantime. And they must also be aware of that.”

“Do you think the insurgents and the heterogeneous races are hand in hand?”

The Holy Emperor asked.

The Bandit Duke answered carefully, surprisingly not gossipy.

‘Elves also despise the corruption. Before the return, they never truly allied with each other.’

Her red lips momentarily hesitated before slowly parting.

“There may not be direct collaboration, but… they have a common enemy. And that enemy is our empire.”

The morning sun rose, brightening the world.

Receiving that light on his back, the Holy Emperor murmured languidly and emptily.

“It’s awkward to say this, but the world is indeed harsh. It seems to throw too many trials at us.”

“Yes. Therefore, I should send envoys…”

Valencius attempted to discuss strategies.

“I too must give trials to the world. I must complete what our ancestor left undone a thousand years ago. Going from the ruler of five races to that of one race isn’t entirely bad.”

Jeilliris spoke about a policy of extermination.

Her golden eyes sparkled like the sun in the sky.

* * *

“Your Majesty. Please hold firm! Nothing has happened yet.”

I desperately tried to stop Jeilliris.

I no longer wanted meteors.

Jeilliris attempted to shake me off and get up.

“Ugh!”

I was pushed away like a paper doll, and she startledly pulled me back again.

“The elves have already entered the capital and caused a ruckus; how can you say nothing has happened!”

“The insurgents and the Southern Continent take precedence.”

“Then what are you planning to do about the heterogeneous races?”

She asked as if to silence me.

But I was someone who returned and had my own answers for the heterogeneous race issues.

“Create a divide.”

“A divide? What does that mean?”

She tilted her head in confusion.

I bit my lip lightly with tension and began to explain.

“First, control the merfolk with the Southern mermen, and through the Admiral of the Evil Fleet, restrain the Southern Continent.”

Jeilliris wrinkled her brow.

“Right. The Admiral is still playing that role well. Just the other day, he sent offerings looted from the Southern Continent aboard his private fleet. But how exactly will you find merfolk and mermen, and how will you negotiate with those monsters?”

I felt my heart tighten as if it were about to burst.

“Please don’t ask where I heard this.”

“Fine. I understand.”

Jeilliris nodded readily.

“The Admiral is the Mermaid Princess, isn’t she? The princess who continued a thousand-year contract in place of the sleeping king.”

“How do you…?”

She stiffened as soon as she heard my words.

An unusual surprise flashed across the previously languid face of the Holy Emperor.

It was a look I absolutely didn’t want to forget.

I wanted to secretly sketch her portrait.

For a moment, she clicked her tongue and resumed speaking languidly.

“Right. I just said I wouldn’t ask. Let’s assume we keep the South restrained like that. For now, keep talking.”

I continued, even as I doubted whether it was right to share this so easily.

“Now, remaining are the elves, beastmen, dwarves, and insurgents. However, dwarves have a poor relationship with insurgents and are a noble race with a strong sense of pride, so there’s nothing to worry about while the empire fights the insurgents.”

“That could be the case.”

“The elves are already aware of the danger. We can strategize gradually. Since you are the strongest in this realm, any enemy that is dangerous to you is an undiscovered enemy, not a strong one.”

Jeilliris bit her lower lip as if she were dissatisfied with something.

“Just because I’m safe doesn’t mean everything is fine. Not just for me, but for you… for the citizens of my empire as well.”

Somehow, the emphasis on ‘you’ was strong, but I let it pass.

She had a look on her face as if she would knock my teeth out if I pointed something out.

“Well, now the remaining issue is with beastmen, and they are indeed the most dangerous.”

“I think so too. Until they transform, we cannot greatly distinguish their appearance, right? Of course, some races can be identified through silver… but there are clear limits.”

“There’s a very simple way to resolve them. It only requires a bit of gold.”

Jeilliris raised an eyebrow.

“Gold?”

* * *

“So you’re saying that the heterogeneous races didn’t become extinct a thousand years ago, but are still somewhere informed and once again targeting the empire?”

In an eight-story stone building in the old slums, I sat across from Konel and narrated a long story.

I leaned comfortably against the sofa, Konel leaned forward as if ready to dash out, while her guard boy widened his eyes like saucers.

“Exactly.”

He had a face I seemed to recognize from somewhere, but it was the boy who had been sneaking around looking for the insurgents during the oath period.

His name would have been… Die?

Now appearing somewhat more mature, I found it quite pleasant.

Konel twisted her face like a greedy squirrel and said.

“Duke Your Highness. That’s truly irreverent to say, but what do you mean by something like the Rapture tribe?”

This showcased the perception gap between the common people, who were fairly close to pure humans, and the heterogeneous nobility.

To us, the heterogeneous races seemed like the world we were accustomed to, but to them, they were entirely monsters from a fairy tale.

Thus, I didn’t have any hope that she would understand right away, nor did I expect her to, and simply continued with what I needed to say step by step.

“Amon is the god of warriors.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“At the same time, he is the guardian deity of the wolf beastmen tribe.”

Being a perceptive girl, Konel furrowed her brow.

“Are you suggesting to counter beastmen with beastmen?”

“Correct.”

“Then my security team needs to be more active, right?”

I grinned and tempted her.

“Exactly. How about playing the role of a priestess—or rather, a pope, properly this time?”

With half a whimper, Konel shook her head.

“No! I don’t want to! Even now, I’m being attacked like crazy for being a heretic! Those damn bastards!”

I held up three fingers.

“I’ll anonymously donate 3,000 gold coins to the order. Use it as you wish.”

* * *

“Did you hear they’re building a new temple in the New Town?”

“A heretical temple. These are the end times.”

“No, it’s not. It’s about training to maintain a healthy mind and body, not revolting against the light.”

“Living with a healthy body to pray harder and live devoting oneself to the light? That’s the vibe I got. I went, and it was pretty good.”