Chapter 189: The Divine Empire
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 189: The Divine Empire
The pyramids, architectural marvels even to a modern person, were built in the distant past with nothing but human labor, without the aid of special tools.
If the vast manpower and capital of the more advanced medieval era were concentrated, couldn't a structure be built that, while not quite a pyramid, could rival it?
The result of that effort was now before my eyes.
The stone walls were so high I had to crane my neck just to see the top. The road leading to the gate was so well-paved that carriages wouldn't even jostle. Along the road flowed the Rhine River, where countless ships sailed to and from the city.
What was once a remote village of shifting cultivators had been transformed into a city rivaling any metropolis in scale.
“What do you think?” Muel, who had rushed over as soon as he heard I was heading to the new capital, asked proudly.
It was an achievement accomplished in just one year, so it was only natural for him, the man in charge of the new capital’s construction, to hold his head high.
“Incredible. I thought it would take at least three years.”
Even with all the resources and manpower we had focused here, I had thought it impossible to build a major city in a single year.
But Muel had proven me wrong with the results. It was a miscalculation I was happy to make.
“Haha. It’s not perfect yet.”
He was right. Despite its outward appearance as a proper metropolis, the city's interior was not even half-filled.
“I focused on building the outer walls first. The inside will develop on its own once it reaches a certain scale, without needing any special direction.”
This was to be the capital where the emperor resided. The number of soldiers required to defend it was already substantial, and when combined with the construction workers, the resident population was enormous.
Families sensitive to the winds of power would also flock to the capital to build their nests, causing the population to swell even further.
In other words, a consumer market had been activated.
Furthermore, the new capital was built at the heart of the south, at the intersection of the Rhine River—the region’s lifeblood—and the main road. This meant it was highly accessible.
Merchants would come on their own without being summoned, and in time, the city would grow on its own, like a living organism.
“You can look forward to a reward.”
Muel’s face instantly brightened.
“Ahem. Lady Eusebia also helped a great deal.”
“Oh?”
I recalled receiving a letter while in the Northern Continent saying that Eusebia had joined the city’s construction efforts.
It made sense. Hadn’t she also lent a hand in city administration with Adeleade back in the Western Continent? It was admirable to see her finding things to do on her own initiative.
The royal castle was built on the mountain behind what used to be the cult’s temple. It was a small mountain that could be climbed in half a day, but from its peak, the entire metropolis was visible at a glance.
“Allen…!”
Eusebia was waiting for me at the castle gate. Behind her, Adeleade, Aenya, Cynthia, and Isabel appeared.
“Eusebia.”
“It’s been so long. I was starting to forget your face, you know?”
I had seen Adeleade and Aenya in Dresden, and Eleanor and Piole in Roxwood, which meant I had been separated from Eusebia the longest.
I suspected that was why the other women had yielded the first greeting to her.
“I’m disappointed. I never once forgot you.”
“Oh, come on. It’s just an expression.”
Eusebia rubbed her face against my chest. She had grown even more affectionate.
“Ahem. Shall we go inside and talk?”
At Piole’s urging, who was riding beside me, we entered the royal castle. A brief silence fell when Eleanor alighted from her carriage.
The staring contest between Eleanor and Aenya was so fierce you would never have guessed they were once lovers. Sparks seemed to fly where their gazes met.
Eusebia showed no sign of letting go of me, not even when Piole, unable to watch any longer, shot her a look.
Adeleade stood a step back, watching the scene with a warm smile.
The two newcomers from the Northern Continent, Isabel and Cynthia, seemed to be darting their eyes about, trying to gauge which side would be more advantageous to stand on.
“Ahem. Well, I’ll be off. I have to supervise the construction…”
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Muel tried to slip away. I had no intention of getting caught in the middle of that either, so I put some distance between myself and the group along with him.
“By the way, have you decided on a name for the city?”
“Is this not the city that Your Highness envisioned? I was waiting for you to name it yourself, but…”
“Hmm, then let’s call it El Nova.”
It was an ancient word meaning ‘a new beginning.’
After showering me with all sorts of flattery about how fitting the name was, Muel quickly backed away. The seven women had, at some point, gathered behind me.
“Brother.”
“Alright. I’m coming.”
As Aenya led me into the royal castle, I had a thought. If Jin, who had fled after our shocking first night, had also been here, I might have run away myself.
*
“The cleanup of the Noble Faction is proceeding smoothly.”
Piole, who had taken on the role of military advisor, reported on behalf of the absent Muel, Dreng, and Sir Zant.
The Noble Faction, which had been nothing more than a loose coalition, could not withstand Jin’s schemes. After all, isn’t it human nature to put oneself first?
For them, dealing with the chaos that had befallen their own houses took precedence over their goal of checking the rise of a powerful new force.
Thanks to that, I was able to finish the post-war arrangements without interference. Immediately after, I dispatched armies with Dreng, Muel, and Sir Zant as their respective commanders.
The Noble Faction, still in disarray, failed to form a united front and was being defeated one by one.
“Anything unusual?”
“A few families have expressed their intent to surrender. They said they would, provided we meet a few conditions.”
Opportunists were everywhere.
“Conditions, you say. They still haven't learned their lesson. They should be begging for mercy…”
The tide had already turned in my favor. Their resistance wouldn't change a thing.
“So, should I refuse?”
It was Cynthia who answered Piole’s question.
“We should minimize bloodshed unless absolutely necessary.”
She had been cautiously observing the fierce women around her until now, but it seemed she was finally ready to step forward. At my nod, she continued.
“The world Sir Allen will rule is vast. So vast that it will be difficult to manage directly. In such a situation, if your reputation also falls into the gutter, rebellions could break out across the land.”
Piole frowned.
“Hmph, we have thousands of soldiers hardened by years of war. We can easily crush a mere provincial rebellion.”
“That may be true now. However, just as there are times of prosperity, there are also times of decline. And rebellions tend to arise during times of decline.”
Piole didn't hide her surprise.
“I thought you’d just spout some stuffy old rhetoric. You’re not much like a cleric, are you?”
“Because before I am a cleric, I am Sir Allen’s wife.”
“You…”
“Piole.”
At my call, Piole pouted and sat back down.
“So, what are you suggesting?”
“We accept their surrender and recognize their assets. In return, we confiscate their fiefs. Those fiefs within reach of the central administration will become demesnes, while those too distant will be distributed to clerics.”
“Clerics…”
Cynthia, revered as a Saintess in the Northern Continent, had her power base in the church. In other words, strengthening the clerics as she suggested would strengthen her own power.
She was cunning. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say she was good at looking out for her own interests. It was likely a result of her upbringing in an orphanage, where she had nothing to call her own.
However, there was another woman in this meeting who was no less cunning than she. But when our eyes met, she just beamed at me.
This is unsettling…
She was up to something.
While I was watching Aenya, Cynthia continued.
“Though they are called clerics, their actual role will be that of officials dispatched from the center. Since clerics cannot have children, they cannot pass down their titles.”
Thanks to the influence of Raceni, who was now the Pope, the Western Continent had many devout and upright clerics. Appointing them as lords shouldn't cause any problems.
Of course, who knew what would happen as time passed. But that wasn't something I needed to worry about.
It was then that Aenya stepped in.
“That’s a good idea. But if we’re going to use clerics, isn’t there a better way?”
“A better way…?”
Cynthia flinched, glancing nervously at Aenya. Her status as my blood-related sister created an unapproachable aura.
The only one who could stand up to Aenya was Eleanor, who could unite the women with her natural charisma.
Aenya’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Many among the clergy received their holy orders simply to maintain a noble status and lifestyle. I’m sure some of them are from the very Noble Faction families that are resisting us.”
“You want to use them?”
Aenya nodded.
“Yes. That way, we can deal with the remaining forces of the Noble Faction without getting our own hands dirty.”
It seemed Aenya disliked the idea of giving away fiefs for free just because they were clerics, even if those lands would be returned upon their death.
Truly, she was as greedy as her brother. However, there was a problem with her plan.
“They won’t turn on their own families without a price. And the price they’ll want will surely be land.”
They wouldn't dare while my power was absolute, but the moment I showed any weakness, they would use that price as justification to claim the fiefs as their own.
Clerics from noble backgrounds were often secular, and a fief received as a reward would give them a pretext to claim ownership. In other words, the point of using clerics would be lost.
Aenya grinned.
“What meaning does a claim have without power to back it up?”
The second sons and younger children, forced to become independent due to primogeniture, had no power. They were lucky to receive a few coins from their family when they left.
Families that weren't particularly powerful often sent them out with nothing at all.
How well could such men fare against their own houses, even with our support? Even if they won, it would only be after suffering immense losses.
In other words, Aenya was suggesting we cast them aside once they'd served their purpose.
“That’s too…!”
Cynthia looked shocked by the cruelty hidden behind Aenya’s beautiful face.
Aenya scoffed at her.
“They’re the kind of people who would betray us anyway. What’s the difference between killing them now or killing them later?”
“But…!”
Cynthia turned to the other women for help, but no one came to her aid.
Eusebia and Piole let the troublesome political talk go in one ear and out the other, while Adeleade, already a seasoned politician, was unconcerned.
Even the youngest, Isabel, just blinked her eyes blankly. After all, her own approach to me had been for purely political reasons.
“The problem is Allen’s reputation. What will people say if you use and discard so many people?”
Only Eleanor voiced an objection. Cynthia’s face brightened, thinking she had finally found an ally. But only for a moment.
“If you’re going to do it, you have to do it so that no one finds out. Make it look like they naturally destroyed each other.”
When Eleanor continued, Cynthia couldn't help but frown again. Aenya, who had been watching Cynthia, licked her lips and said.
“You’re cute, aren't you?”
“What…”
As a startled Cynthia flinched, Eleanor smiled gently and offered a piece of advice.
“Be careful. Aenya is omnivorous. She doesn’t discriminate between men and women.”
“Eek…!”
A shocked Cynthia stumbled and fell to her seat. The other women watching couldn't hold back their laughter.
“Oh, you were joking…!”
Cynthia laughed along awkwardly. That is, until Aenya spoke.
“I’m not joking, though.”
Cynthia was no match for Aenya. She had succeeded in her goal of strengthening the church, her backer, but she had been pushed aside by Aenya and failed to make her presence felt in the meeting.
That was not what I had intended. Cynthia was the church’s representative and the right person to keep Duke Signir in check in the Northern Continent.
In other words, I needed to empower her.
“That’s enough playing around. Cynthia, there is something I need you to do. Ensure that as many high-ranking nobles from the Northern Continent as possible attend my coronation. It shouldn’t be difficult if you use your reputation as the Saintess and your potions.”
The coronation was scheduled for two months from now. That would also be the day the empire was proclaimed.
“May I ask why?” Cynthia asked, having barely regained her composure. The other women also looked curious.
“After the coronation, I will lead an expedition to the Eastern Continent. The problem is that the Star Witch might persuade the southern nobles to attack our empty home.”
The Eastern Continent was not an environment where we could benefit from others’ conflicts, as we had in the north. The Witch of the East was the mastermind who had ruled the continent since time immemorial.
This meant our opponent would be the entire Eastern Continent. In other words, the expedition could only succeed if we combined the military strength of the West and the North.
“So, it’s a show of force?”
I nodded.
“A witch with no roots cannot step into the open. As talented as the Star Witch may be, she cannot stand above the nobles. In other words, if we can instill fear in the southern nobles who attend the coronation, they won’t dare to act rashly for a while.”
Due to her inherent limitations, a witch’s role is confined to that of an advisor. Her influence would inevitably diminish with physical distance.
She wouldn’t be foolish enough to come herself.
Given that she had yet to reveal herself, she must have realized I knew she was my enemy. That was why this method would work.
“I will see it done.”
Though she had been outmaneuvered by Aenya, Cynthia was quite cunning herself. She couldn't have failed to realize this was her second chance.
And she proved she had done her best. At the coronation two months later, she brought every single high-ranking noble of note from the Northern Continent.
The problem was that she had also brought an uninvited guest. Judging by her tilted head, she didn't seem to know who she had brought.
I faced the uninvited guest.
“Ophelia…?”
The woman, who looked as if she could be Jin’s older sister, smiled gently. She was Ophelia, the Witch of the East.
Her other name was the Immortal Witch.