Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Hitting the Emperor with Brutal Facts (1)
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An utterly unexpected order had come down.
The military was the kind of place where they'd polish the asphalt with shoe polish whenever the division commander showed up, sure...
But was this really happening?
What on earth had I just heard?
"What did you just say?"
"His Majesty the Emperor wishes to see you in person."
I was left utterly dumbfounded the moment I heard it.
The achievements I'd racked up so far were far from insignificant.
But I was just a mere lieutenant colonel. For him to suddenly want to see me in person?
What the hell was this about?
Had I gone too far suppressing the rebellion and somehow offended His Majesty's sensibilities?
I couldn't for the life of me figure out why.
"Did His Majesty mention what this is regarding, Chief Judge?"
"No idea. But it's definitely not to reprimand you. If His Majesty were displeased with your little acts of initiative, someone higher up would've shown up with an arrest warrant issued by the Supreme Court."
The man was chuckling away like it was all a big joke.
But from where I was standing, it wasn't funny in the slightest.
An arrest warrant from the Supreme Court?
That came with a 99% presumption of guilt, and if the Emperor was involved, even if things somehow went my way, it'd still end in a death sentence.
Damn it, was he laughing because as a high court chief judge, he'd never end up in the defendant's chair?
No, judges wouldn't joke about something like this...
So at least it wasn't bad news.
"I see."
"So just relax and go. Besides, would His Majesty really devour one of the Empire's heroic representatives alive?"
Unless the Emperor was the rumored idiot...
As long as his brain worked at an average level—or even at a human one—he wouldn't do me any harm.
All the Empire's high-ranking officials knew we were backed into a military and diplomatic corner right now...
There was no way they'd purge a commander who had endless uses.
Not unless I openly staged a rebellion or something.
"Just go and come back. And getting an audience with His Majesty is a tremendous honor. Plenty of folks retire with stars on their uniforms without ever laying eyes on him."
"In that case, I'll be off then."
"Leave the cleanup to me and the other administrators. This is civil officials' territory from here on out."
Chief Judge Ainz personally handed me the order stamped with the Emperor's seal.
"You'd better hurry. The deadline's ten days from now, and missing it means rotting in a cell for a few days."
"Understood."
I quickly packed a light bag and rushed to the capital.
Missing the deadline would mean enjoying a few days of delightful stockade life.
Luckily, I managed to arrive at the Imperial Palace three days ahead of schedule.
This wasn't my first time meeting the Emperor.
Once when I received the Golden Eagle Medal pinned to my chest, and once during that victory parade.
So I'd faced him twice in total.
Even so, my heart pounded like mad.
Back then, it was just receiving an award from a bigwig. This time, I had to actually talk to him.
"I'll teach you the bare minimum of etiquette."
"Yes, Chamberlain."
"Do not raise your head until His Majesty tells you to. And if you speak without permission to do so, you could be punished for lèse-majesté."
"I'll keep that in mind."
I had no idea what repercussions might come if I displeased the Emperor.
I could suddenly find myself reassigned as battalion commander to a battalion that existed only on paper with zero troops under my command.
In the worst case, poison in tomorrow's meal or an "accidental" death in my sleep...
Best to stick to maximum courtesy.
No need to walk into danger unnecessarily.
"His Majesty approaches."
The chamberlain immediately signaled for us to show our respects.
After about a minute, the Emperor stood before me.
"Raise your head."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
I lifted my gaze to look at the Emperor.
For a man in his sixties, he was remarkably hale and hearty.
"You're quite handsome. Only a touch less so than I was in my youth."
For a split second, I nearly blurted out that it wasn't that big a difference.
But etiquette demanded I not speak until told to answer...
What the hell was I supposed to do here?
As I agonized, the chamberlain nearby gave me hand signals.
"You flatter me, Your Majesty."
"Everything but not being from a great noble house. Well, who cares about titles in this day and age? Don't you think?"
"Yes, indeed."
"Bold one, aren't you? Do you really think titles mean nothing?"
I'd heard that up until fifty years ago, promotions were capped by noble rank.
Barons topped out at brigadier general, viscounts at major general, and only earls or higher could reach lieutenant general or field marshal.
But that was ancient history now.
These days, it was about who was competent, who played politics well... or more precisely...
"All commanders of the Empire are Your Majesty's sword."
"A textbook answer. But I like it. Go on."
"If it's the sword wielded by the great Frederick the Great, even a cheap soldier's blade carried in the hands of a mere grunt holds more value than any ornate sword. Conversely, even a sword decked out in gold and silver is just a gaudy trinket if wielded by a common soldier."
The Emperor burst into laughter, clutching his belly at my words.
But he didn't seem displeased.
"Do you truly believe titles are mere decorations?"
"For a soldier, the only important things are realizing Your Majesty's will and cutting down the enemy. Whether I have a title or not, whether I'm rewarded or not—it doesn't matter to me. As long as I can slay one more foe of the Empire to protect Your Majesty and Your Empire, that's enough."
My statement could make enemies of the traditional great nobles.
'That is, if it leaked out.'
But the Emperor wouldn't go blabbing this around.
The grand chamberlain and chamberlains moved according to the Emperor's will, so if he didn't want it spread, it wouldn't.
"Is that what you consider a soldier's duty?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I'd like to hear what led you to that thinking. Speak freely."
It was what Admiral Yi Sun-sin, whom I so admired, had done.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin, who had everything except for serving under that fool King Seonjo.
Even after Seonjo stripped him of his rank and slapped him with a ridiculous false charge that led to torture, he remained loyal to the end.
And in doing so, he protected everyone in Jeolla Province.
I didn't delude myself into thinking I could become a great soldier like him.
But if you aim to draw a tiger, at least you'll end up with a cat, right?
"While studying history at the officer academy, I read about many famous generals. Plenty remained loyalists, but many became traitors."
"...Indeed."
"There was one common trait among the loyalists. They carried out any order according to the will of the monarch who held them in hand."
Admiral Yi Sun-sin hadn't always perfectly obeyed Seonjo's orders...
But he'd followed the vast majority.
He even carried out the reckless directive to take the Joseon navy alone to attack Busan, the enemy's home base.
"In that process, they grew wealthy, gained honor, and became nobles."
The Emperor's mouth began slowly splitting into a grin all the way to his ears.
He seemed deeply intrigued by me.
"Some loyalists were still purged. What do you think of them?"
"At the very least, they could hold their heads high. I don't want to live a life I'm ashamed of before my own eyes."
Mid-conversation, the Emperor called for the grand chamberlain.
A broad smile lit his face.
"Grand Chamberlain, didn't I tell you? Lieutenant Colonel Schumacher's loyalty is beyond doubt."
"My apologies, Your Majesty. I must have worried needlessly."
"No, you were just doing your job. Who knows what suspicious sort might approach me?"
I absolutely could not let my guard down.
The Emperor showing this relaxed demeanor and luring me into easing up...
Didn't mean I'd passed with flying colors and earned true trust.
'If anything, it's like I've just made the first cut.'
"I trust you absolutely. But you said something amusing to the field marshal once. Do you remember?"
"The words I spoke to His Excellency the Field Marshal when I first entered the General Staff?"
"That the Empire is in dire straits on the brink of collapse, potentially within 10 to 15 years. Has that view changed?"
Saying my thinking had been wrong wouldn't disappoint the Emperor here.
I could chalk it up to inexperience back then.
And the Empire had secured considerable military superiority on the continent through victories over the Dolce Republic and Ortz Kingdom.
But a loyal servant—no, a soldier...
Had to speak the truth even if it was shoved down their throat.
"Your Majesty, the Empire is currently facing its worst crisis since its founding."