Chapter 82: The Uprising

He wasn’t worried.

At least, not about the Killer Knights losing. They were the vanguard during the eight-year war, known for crushing their enemies and carrying out massacres.

‘After all that carnage, there’s no way they’ve gone soft.’

So, as before, he left the Revolutionary Army to Deon Hart’s knights. He wouldn’t need to think about it again until he received the report.

The Emperor sat at the head of the meeting room table, elbow propped on the edge, idly stroking his chin as he watched the others engage in debate.

Whenever his golden eyes, like those of a predator, flashed, the nobles exchanging opinions would flinch, but no one dared to comment on it.

What they needed to focus on now was the Emperor’s announcement from earlier. A topic thrown out as if to emphasize that the war wasn’t ending yet.

[Which kingdom should we conquer next?]

This was said even before the subjugation of the Ireon Kingdom was fully complete.

Despite many initially opposing the war, no one brought it up now.

It wasn’t that their minds had changed. It was simply that they could physically feel the Emperor’s displeasure.

Life being precious to them, they couldn’t say a word and could only continue the pointless discussion.

In the stifling atmosphere, one noble dared to address the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, forgive me, but no matter how I think about it… this war seems difficult.”

His voice trembled. The surrounding nobles audibly inhaled.

Knowing he might have just signed his death warrant, he squeezed his eyes shut, but the Emperor didn’t punish him immediately.

The predator, who had been observing the meeting with his chin propped up, slowly lowered his arm and straightened his posture.

A semblance of a smile appeared on his otherwise expressionless face.

“Oh? And why is that?”

“The troop numbers… are a significant problem.”

“Troop numbers, you say….”

The Emperor immediately understood what he was getting at.

Instead of saying anything, he nodded, urging him to continue. Emboldened, the noble slowly began to elaborate.

“The conquered kingdoms themselves are variables. To monitor them and prepare for any possible situation, we need a certain number of troops. The Revolutionary Army within the Empire is a prime example of such a variable.”

“And since I have no intention of stopping the war, the number of deployable troops will continue to decrease.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. There are limits to how many troops we can utilize from the conquered kingdoms, so the problem will only worsen over time.”

Battles inevitably lead to casualties. It might be fine for now, but if this continues with the next war and the one after that, the impact of the losses will snowball.

Moreover, occupying a kingdom requires a certain number of troops. Considering this, it was obvious that the number of available troops would drastically decrease.

‘If we completely crushed the conquered royal family and squeezed every last soldier dry like during the eight-year war, it wouldn’t be completely unsustainable, but….’

The fact that the Emperor had accepted the Ireon Kingdom’s surrender and spared the royal family meant the situation was already different from the eight-year war.

The noble glanced at the Emperor cautiously.

Fortunately, he seemed alright so far.

“…Resources can be acquired through conquest, but soldiers cannot. Unlike the armies of other kingdoms, the Imperial army has a strong sense of pride and loyalty to the Empire. Soldiers obtained through conquest will never be the same.”

“N-now, now. That’s enough.”

Another noble, fearing the Emperor’s imminent explosion, carefully tried to stop him.

Other nobles who had some connection to him also quietly called out to him, not wanting to see their acquaintance’s head roll.

“Well, we can always replenish troops by conscripting commoners. We could just sweep up the impoverished from the slums. Since the Imperial citizens are fighting for the Empire, their loyalty is a given….”

“Nonsense! The morale of the soldiers is also crucial in war! How motivated can someone who’s been forcibly dragged into service be?!”

“If they want to live, they’ll pick up a sword and fight.”

“How can you even say that…!”

“Enough, let’s focus on the original agenda, Margrave of Amiable! Even if their morale is low, they have numbers on their side, how dare you….”

“There’s a limit to pushing forward with numbers alone and controlling them like puppets according to the commander’s strategies! Therefore…!”

Becoming agitated and raising his voice, Margrave Tender Amiable inadvertently turned his head sharply to look at the Emperor and froze. The other nobles, who had mindlessly followed his gaze, also stopped breathing for a moment upon seeing the Emperor.

The Emperor’s golden eyes glared at them, filled with murderous intent ready to erupt at any moment.

“……”

“……”

In the silence, the Emperor raised his hand to stroke his chin. Even this small gesture made the nobles flinch drastically.

“I wasn’t aware you had such talents, gentlemen. How can you bark so well?”

“……”

“However, I couldn’t possibly ignore such utter nonsense.”

A chilling voice, as if carrying the biting cold of a winter mountain peak, descended.

“To say that we can replenish troops by conscripting commoners, was it?”

Overwhelming murderous intent poured down on the entire meeting room.

Something was wrong. The nobles, sensing their lives hanging by a thread, hurriedly lowered their heads. The Emperor, his expression hardened, scanned them and began to speak, each word deliberately spat out.

“Do you even know why commoners pay taxes?”

During the eight-year war, he had conscripted the common people. It was a distasteful act that forced him to confront his own priorities and selfishness, something that now weighed heavily in his heart.

A measure taken as a last resort when troop numbers dwindled. How infuriated he had been when ordering it.

To suggest that action, which had plunged him into guilt and intense self-loathing and marked the true beginning of his nightmares, as a viable option.

“Taxes are the price for protection and welfare.”

In exchange for collecting taxes, they were meant to protect them and ensure they could make a living.

That was the duty of a noble who held a territory, and the duty of the Emperor.

“And yet, after collecting those taxes, your first thought when troop numbers are low is to immediately conscript the common people, just now?”

He didn’t even expect welfare. It wasn’t an easy task, and even he hadn’t achieved it.

But shouldn’t they at least provide protection?

“Instead of offering your own private soldiers, or volunteering to go to war yourselves! You unhesitatingly suggest conscripting the common people!”

“……”

“And then you have the gall to say that since Imperial citizens are fighting for the Empire, their loyalty is a given? There’s a limit to the drivel you can spew! What on earth are you mistaken about, and what are you even saying?! The Imperial citizens protecting the Empire is a choice, while the Empire protecting its citizens is a duty! Imperial citizens can abandon the Empire at any time if it fails to fulfill its role!”

“How could a commoner….”

“Of course! If the Empire doesn’t treat its citizens properly, why would they stay and pick up arms to defend it?! Your arrogance is beyond belief, utterly ridiculous. I can already foresee your precious positions crumbling due to the citizens you’ve turned your backs on, your heads on the guillotine.”

“Your Majesty!”

“Your words are excessive!”

“Excessive?”

Did they truly not understand why he was so angry?

During the eight-year war, when troop numbers were insufficient, the Emperor had first ordered the nobles to participate. So, it wasn’t as if they were unaware of this option.

It was simply that their own safety and wealth were more important to them than the Imperial citizens.

‘I don’t have the right to be angry, having pushed for this war….’

If the Emperor was losing his mind, shouldn’t his subordinates at least keep theirs? What would happen if they all lost it together?

Disgusting. They were, and he himself was too. It was unbearable.

Without realizing it, he gripped the hilt of the sword leaning against the throne.

He only became aware of his action when the chancellor cleared his throat.

“Ahem.”

The sound of him changing the atmosphere snapped him out of it.

With the atmosphere slightly eased, the others also seemed to regain their senses. The nobles, their faces pale with terror, hurriedly bowed.

“My deepest apologies.”

“My judgment was clouded.”

“…Yes, clouded it was.”

The Emperor surveyed the nobles’ ashen faces and released the sword hilt, running a hand over his face. A black phantom flickered in the corner of his vision.

He didn’t need to ponder why. He gritted his teeth and spoke.

“Being foolish isn’t a crime, but for those in positions of power, it is. Do you understand how many lives are determined by a single piece of paperwork you draft or a single word you utter? It seems you need to reconsider the meaning of noblesse oblige.”

“We are ashamed.”

“…I apologize to the Margrave of Amiable, but I have no intention of delaying or stopping the war. So, let me make this clear. If troop numbers become insufficient, I will first order you to participate in the war.”

Just like during the eight-year war.

“The criteria will be the same as then. For families with two or more men, at least half of your private soldiers and one man must participate unconditionally. Otherwise, you must provide two-thirds of your private soldiers.”

“……”

“The conscription of commoners is, and will only be, a last resort.”

“……”

The Emperor watched the silent nobles for a moment before letting out a silent sigh and crossing his legs.

His more relaxed posture eased the nobles’ tension as well. After giving them a moment to compose themselves, the Emperor spoke again.

“Now, let us return to the original agenda.”

Which kingdom would be best to wage war against next?

…….

After dismissing the meeting, the Emperor returned straight to his office, tossing his sword aside and collapsing into his chair. Resting his elbows on the desk and pressing his temples, he absentmindedly looked down at the desk.

There, a piece of pottery he had been examining before the meeting was placed.

One of the spoils of war from the Ireon Kingdom.

Royal pottery, was it called?

Although he was no connoisseur of crafts, he could sense its exceptional quality and elegant lines.

And the thought he had at the time was….

‘Could this be sold to fund the war effort?’

He consciously tried to push away the unpleasant events of the meeting, focusing on the object in front of him.

But it was a futile effort.

As the Emperor turned the pottery this way and that, intending to examine its base, he noticed something strange.

A black stain on the white pottery.

Thinking something had gotten on it, he rubbed it with his thumb, but nothing came off.

Staring blankly at his clean thumb, the Emperor shifted his gaze back to the pottery. As his eyes focused, the black stain moved.

A twitch.

And then—WHOOSH—

The pottery began to turn black, like ink spreading on paper.

Tap, tap.

“Your Majesty, it’s Ardal….”

CRASH!

The sound of something breaking made Chancellor Ardal, standing at the door, freeze. Without asking for permission, he quickly opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes widened as he took in the scene of destruction in the office.

It was broken. The priceless royal pottery.

“Y-Your Majesty… what is the meaning of this….”

His lips trembled. At the ensuing groan-like voice, the Emperor, letting out a dry sigh, replied indifferently.

“…The pottery was ugly. Must have been a defective product.”

“Ugly…! But Your Majesty, you don’t even know anything about pottery!”

The chancellor’s cry, as always, went ignored. The Emperor stared blankly at the broken shards of pottery.

…The hallucinations were getting worse. It wasn’t affecting his daily life yet, but still.

The thing that had consumed the pottery was definitely a hallucination. A being confined to the realm of the mind, unable to directly influence reality.

He lifted his head. Behind the chancellor, he met the gaze of something black, chuckling as it looked at him.

‘…….’

Ha, the Emperor laughed deliberately.

The chancellor frowned, wondering how he could be laughing after causing such damage, but he paid no mind.

His sour mood in the meeting room was also because of this. How could he be in a good mood when he needed to focus on state affairs but was constantly being interrupted?

It wasn’t like he was planning on living a long life anyway, so why the rush?

‘Impatient bastards.’