Trash Must Be Disposed Of
Trash Must Be Disposed Of
"Now then, since the corpse has been neatly cleaned up, let's resume the meeting. You busy gentlemen should get to leave work on time, after all."
Despite the light tone, the atmosphere in the conference hall remained freezing cold.
Or rather, it was consumed by sheer terror.
The lingering scent of blood and the bloodstains soaked into the carpet.
While those were by no means small details, the primary reason they were terrified was this:
"N-Not just anyone, but the Commander-in-Chief...?"
"I-Isn't he the supreme commander of the military...?"
"Oh good lord... Not only does this leave a massive flaw in national security, but if things go wrong, a war might even break out."
Concerns whispered so softly they should have only reached the person right next to them floated into my ears.
It was definitely a dangerous choice to make.
If I let things fizzle out like this, a civil war would break out, but if I killed all the retainers, the country would be ruined.
Then I'd become a super dumbass recorded in history for all eternity.
So, to replenish my sugar levels, I popped a wild raspberry brought by Alice into my mouth.
"Anyone want wild raspberries? They're organic. Good for your health."
"""......"""
"No one? Then who's up to report the next agenda item?"
"May this humble servant make a report, Your Majesty?"
From among the retainers who were keeping their mouths tightly shut while eyeing each other nervously, one man raised his hand.
The Chief Justice. The man who oversaw all laws in the Empire.
Despite sitting right across from the Commander-in-Chief, he was the first to regain his composure and suppress his emotions.
"Of course you may. First come, first served for things like this. Want some wild raspberries?"
"I believed that Your Majesty must feel an immense burden due to your sudden ascension to the throne. Thus, to relieve Your Majesty's anxieties, I have prepared a bill."
I received the document he handed over through Alice.
Strengthening privileges for nobles who committed crimes, alongside expanding the authority of the Ministry of Justice.
Other than that, it was a scrap piece of paper suitable only for firewood, stuffed with difficult jargon, but the moment I read the final paragraph, a pub, a scoffing laugh slipped out.
Now this is quite blatant.
"A Regency Act? A brazen bill that lets the retainers run all state affairs by majority vote, even without the Emperor's approval."
The Chief Justice's eyebrows twitched. But he soon wore a sly, snake-like smile.
"It is strictly a bill intended only until Your Majesty becomes accustomed to imperial duties. Minor state affairs will be handled by us high officials, so Your Majesty need only focus on the bigger picture."
Yeah, right. Who gets to decide what's 'minor'?
He wrapped it up in plausible words, but the essence was ultimately, 'Just be a figurehead boss.'
The moment I put my seal on this bill, having my hands and feet tied was a foregone conclusion, and if I got unlucky, it was obvious a blade would slide into my throat while I slept.
If the Commander-in-Chief was merely at the level of self-interest, this old man deliberately came to swallow the Empire whole.
"Rejected."
"......Your Majesty, please do not look at the tree, but look at the forest."
The Chief Justice's smile vanished completely.
"The Commander-in-Chief has been executed. In a situation where no one knows what kind of bloodstorm will blow over the Empire anytime soon, just cleaning that up will be overwhelming for you. Please consider the heartfelt concerns of your loyal subjects."
Now he was straight-up using a tone of blackmail.
It was clear hostility, practically asking if I thought I'd be safe after turning the Ministry of Justice into an enemy on top of shaking up the military.
At the same time, it was an expression of confidence that I couldn't kill him.
Because the more core figures disappeared, the more I would lose out.
This bastard and that bastard alike, it was the pinnacle of bullshit arrogance and complacency.
"I appreciate you worrying about my safety, but your acting is way too sloppy. If you wanted to show sincerity, you should have squeezed out at least a drop of crocodile tears before shoving it at me. Don't you think?"
I slowly stood up.
I could feel the retainers who were tempted by the Chief Justice's words suddenly catch their breaths.
In the eyes of the full-of-confidence Chief Justice, a momentary crack appeared as well.
As I stepped forward through the heavy air, unable to withstand the pressure, the Chief Justice took a backward step as if fleeing.
"W-What do you mean by that...!"
"Just as the Chief Justice said, the void left by the Commander-in-Chief is a very, very big problem. So from now on, I am going to eliminate the dangerous elements that could cause secondary damage, is what I'm saying."
Sensing instinctively what came next, the Chief Justice's face turned pale white.
"Y-Your Majesty! There is no law that permits executing the head of the judiciary without any justification! This is blatant tyranny, and the Empire's jurisprudence—"
"Imperial Constitution Article 4, Paragraph 2."
As I coldly cut him off, the Chief Justice wore a dumbfounded expression.
"......Pardon?"
"Anyone who shakes the foundation of the Imperial Family or intentionally threatens the security of the Empire may be executed immediately without trial."
"T-There is no way such a law exists...!"
"Why wouldn't it exist? It's written very clearly in the Constitution book tucked away over there in the study collecting dust. Has a fellow who is supposed to be the Chief Justice not even studied his own major?"
Only now realizing it was no joke, the ugly bravado evaporated from his face.
Legs trembling violently, he even had spasms from the approaching terror of death.
Standing before that pathetic sight, I took just one step back and continued.
"Just now, the Chief Justice used the Commander-in-Chief's death as an excuse to threaten my safety, and shoved a Regency Act that limits the Emperor's power right in my face."
"T-That was...!"
"Even if I strike off the Chief Justice's neck right here, right now, it counts as an extremely legal and exemplary execution of the law. Do you understand?"
"Please wait just a moment, Your Majest—"
Daenggang—!
Once again, Alice's slash, whose shadow couldn't even be seen, decapitated the Chief Justice.
The head rolled across the floor with its terrified expression intact, but this time, no screams erupted from anywhere.
If the first was pandemonium, the second was pure horror.
Covering their mouths, they couldn't even blink.
Among those retainers, I looked for the High Chancellor.
"You're last, High Chancellor."
"......!?"
"You've embezzled quite a lot since the late Emperor's time. Especially right after Cain died, the amounts became astronomical. Why, did you gain confidence thinking a pushover Emperor was ascending the throne?"
I scattered a stack of papers pulled from my chest toward the retainers.
The numbers and contents written on them, documents stamped with the High Chancellor's seal.
The retainers, who were furrowing their brows wondering what this was, jumped in shock.
"T-This is...!?"
"Slush funds accumulated from taxes, along with a list of laundered territories...?"
"Good heavens... How much money is all of this?"
No matter how much I avoided my destined death, the fact that I was the second son of the imperial family remained unchanged.
As there was more than enough risk of being used as a political tool, I had been collecting the weaknesses of the powerhouses second only to Cain—the three I decided to kill today—for a long time.
I never thought I'd end up using them like this, though...
The High Chancellor, who was looking at the Chief Justice's corpse with trembling eyes, instantly dropped to his knees right on the spot.
"S-S-Spare me, Your Majesty...!"
"If you'd kept it moderate, I might have. But this amount is equivalent to three years of the Empire's budget. You're a grand figure who severely delayed the nation's development, so why should I?"
"If you cannot forgive me, please have pity on the people...!"
Raising his head, the High Chancellor appealed, spitting saliva as he spoke.
"From the Commander-in-Chief to the Chief Justice... two pillars of this nation have collapsed overnight...! If even I, the High Chancellor, die, state affairs will go beyond being paralyzed—Lugunica will be destroyed! Have mercy, I beg you!!"
Coming close to death must have caused his brain cells to go into overdrive.
Certainly, no matter how much justification I secured or competence I displayed, I would ultimately just become a tyrant.
Because once practical problems started arising from today's purge, those arrows would inevitably be pointed at me.
Letting it slide would be the wise choice, but...
So what?
I just have to make sure it doesn't turn out like that.
"Whether it's the Chief Justice or the High Chancellor, is it a trend for high-ranking folks not to study the law?"
"L-Law...?"
"Imperial Constitution Article 2, Paragraph 1. The Emperor, who is the master of the Empire, may act on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief, Chief Justice, and High Chancellor—the supreme heads of judicial, administrative, and military branches—in their absence, without any restrictions."
"......!? S-Such a stupid bill...!"
"It actually exists."
After all, this is a rofan novel.
My older sister used to say, 'Cain is the supreme absolute monarch who is weak only to the female lead!'
Back then, I mocked him asking why he bothered separating the three branches of power if he was going to do that, but since it exists, there's no reason not to make use of it.
"E-Even if such a law really exists, it is physically impossible! No matter how outstanding Your Majesty is, do you not know that you only have one body!?"
"I know."
"......Pardon?"
"Look, the Emperor proved his competence through this meeting. On top of that, he even possesses an exclusive magic ability. What problem could possibly arise here?"
The brain-frozen High Chancellor's eyes opened wide with a Ssuuk— sound.
His trembling gaze drifted downward, and he gasped once more at the dark-red blade tip piercing through his own stomach.
"You guys. You trash infesting the country."
A voice echoed from behind. The High Chancellor turned his neck toward it.
Standing there was a clone of me, Dante De Lawrence, with lightless black hair, black eyes, and striking sharp features.
"H-How... could...! T-This...!"
With a rather futile final cry, the sword was pulled out, and the High Chancellor collapsed.
As I roughly shook off the blood, the reactions of the retainers who had been watching the series of events resounded.
"The Emperor is... two people?"
"Is it magic? Clone magic...? But there's no mana at all..."
"C-Could it be... exclusive magic!?"
Fortunately, it didn't seem like any further explanation was needed.
Summoning two more clones from the shadows, I proudly...
...sit on the throne and cross my legs.
"From now on, We are the Commander-in-Chief,"
"the High Chancellor,"
"and the Chief Justice."
Receiving all the gazes upon my body—gazes that were unmistakably different from when I first came here—the corners of my lips curled up.
"Now then, from this moment on, the real 527th State Council Meeting shall begin. Everyone, take your seats."
After that, the State Council Meeting proceeded smoothly and wrapped up without a hitch.
With all the powerhouses who dared challenge imperial authority getting their heads chopped off, how could it not go smoothly?
As I walked down the hallway, Alice stuck to me like a shadow.
"You worked hard."
"You worked hard too. It must have been a while since you drew your sword, but your skills are as sharp as ever."
"Please praise me more. Pat my head, too. While you're at it, doing a hug as well would be even better."
Seriously, she doesn't know the first thing about modesty. Can't she do something like 'I merely followed my master's orders'?
As I lightly stroke her hair so as not to mess it up, the corners of her eyes—which had been wearing a smile like a gentle puppy's—droop slightly.
"Will you be all right?"
"About what?"
"Four Gods Shadow makes four bodies, not four heads, doesn't it?"
That's true.
The clones have no self-awareness, so I have to manually control every single one of them.
It means essentially handling three jobs simultaneously in real-time—like having to look left while looking right, so to speak?
Even so, there's no problem.
"Don't worry. This is strictly a temporary measure anyway."
"Meaning?"
"There's no way one person could overturn an entire country alone, right?"
That's why society creates organizations, builds systems, and sets standards.
The standards have changed, so next is the system. Then the organization will naturally move accordingly.
In short.
"From high officials down to the lowest foot soldiers. Starting tomorrow, they're all fucking dead."