The Absolute Evil of the Franz Kingdom

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The absolute evil of the Franz Kingdom! While Chris was pouring his heart and soul into the Multi-level Faith Dividend System, I was also working ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠myself to the bone. Specifically, in the dungeons.

Less than a week after mentioning it, I walked back in there on my own two feet. This time, not as a prisoner, but as a guard. As the iron bars slid open, the characteristic dampness and the metallic stench of blood wafted out. A smell that would make anyone else shudder. Yet, why did it feel so familiar to me? How tragic.

But I had no choice. We had caught a massive fish. This haul must have been truly monumental. Though I was the one who lured them in, the leaders of the kingdom's three largest revolutionary organizations—Red Fox, Blue Mon, and Justice—had all been captured.

At first, their eyes were full of defiance, and their resistance was formidable. It was enough to make me admire them, thinking, Ah, so this is the caliber of person required to lead a revolutionary organization.

"No matter what you do, I won't open my mouth."

"Give it your best shot. You think this is my first time in a cell?"

"Pfft—how cute. If you let me go, big sister might do something nice for you."

They were all different, but I could tell who was who just by their tone of voice. The three leaders of Justice, Blue Mon, and Red Fox.

A few days had passed since their imprisonment, but there was still no real progress. Time ticked away, and not a single one of them opened their mouth. Ultimately, I took charge of them myself.

"P-Prophet!"

"I will take over from here."

"B-but... these bastards are incredibly stubborn. Even for you, Prophet, this might be difficult."

"With the power of faith, they too will be moved and speak the truth willingly."

"Uh... well..."

I smiled at their doubtful gazes and spoke.

"In my country, we have a saying."

"What kind of saying?"

"Water knows all the answers. Just assist me, please."

Black hair, black eyes. As the handsome East Asian man approached, the look in their eyes shifted. That was the man who had been in the plaza that day. How he had managed to pick out and capture the entire revolutionary organization from among the massive crowd was still a mystery. However, one thing was certain.

Someone sold us out from the inside.

He had planted a spy. And he had done it so stealthily that they hadn't even noticed. They readily acknowledged their opponent's capability. They were, after all, the leaders of revolutionary groups. They possessed confidence, ability, and pride—lacking in nothing, and they were appropriately lofty. To the point where they were still planning for the future even in this desperate situation. After all, revolution was not something one could undertake with a normal state of mind.

The leader of Justice slowly began to analyze his opponent. East Asian. Age in his early to mid-twenties. Having achieved such a feat, he probably believed he was the protagonist of the world. He seemed to think that the moment he opened his mouth, we would easily spill our secrets, but the leader sneered inwardly. He would rather die than speak. What would his first words be? He would probably try to either 'cajole' or 'threaten' them. For example—

"Do you believe in Ifrit?"

"What kind of bullshit is th—"

"Dunk him."

Pfffft-!?

"Pull him up."

"Do you believe in Ifrit?"

"Do you think I'd—"

"Dunk him."

Pfffft-!?

"Pull him up."

"Do you believe in Ifrit?"

"Look... about that... shouldn't we at least talk like human be—"

"Dunk him."

Pfffft-!?

"Pull him up."

... One hour. The faces of the other two watching this turned deathly pale. Once again, the man's mouth opened, and the same question came out.

"Do you believe in Ifrit?"

The middle-aged man, water dripping from his face, looked at the other two. Their eyes were filled with determination. Seeing that, the other two were able to steel their wavering resolve once more. They nodded.

"Excuse me..."

"Speak. I am listening."

"Can I tell you about Red Fox or Blue Dog instead?"

A faint smile played on the man's face. At that, the middle-aged man shouted.

"Isn't the reason you're doing this because you want information?! I'll spill everything about that crazy bitch from Red Fox and that mad dog from Blue Dog!"

"You crazy bastard?!"

"You son of a bitch! You call yourself a revolutionary?!"

The middle-aged man did not turn his head. Completely ignoring the screams echoing from behind him, he only stared at the man standing in front of him. Water continued to drip from his wet face. This was the deciding moment. The leaders of Red Fox and Blue Dog assumed the man would naturally agree to the traitor's offer.

"That is not the answer I was looking for. My question was whether you believe in Ifrit."

"No... I mean... I don't think you fully understand. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportu—"

"Dunk him."

"N-no! I believe in Ifrit! Ah! How holy He is!"

As the other two watched, the man looked near the middle-aged man's head, wore a benevolent smile, and spoke.

"Dunk him."

Their information? I didn't need it in the first place. The people were already on my side. What could these guys possibly do now? Just quietly become my unpaid slaves.

Pfffft-!?

"Gurgle... why...?"

"You lack true faith."

After all, tasks like warfare, administration, and diplomacy couldn't just be handed over to commoners picked off the street. I needed educated people. And the educated class in this country had either fled into exile or used their sharp minds to seek new power. In other words, the people in front of me were all elites who had completed higher education. Every time one of these bastards converted, my free time increased. On top of that, since they were criminals, I didn't even have to pay them. I was getting graduate students to grind away in my place. How could I possibly resist?

Two hours.

"Do you believe in Ifrit?"

The light had completely drained from his eyes, leaving them looking like frozen pollack left out in the summer sun. At my question, he nodded.

"I-I believe."

Sure enough, a tag indicating a believer appeared above his head. I wore a benevolent smile. A look of relief washed over his face, as if thinking, It's finally over.

"Dunk him."

"Eh...?"

I mean, he was going to be placed in a vital position. A mere regular believer wouldn't cut it. The average standard for our church was a fanatic.

Pfffft-!?

Three hours passed. He had finally become a believer with true faith.

"You may untie him now. His mind and body are extremely weak, so please provide him with food to recover his strength and give him one of the rooms in the mansion to rest."

But you were the one who did this to him!

One of the guards, who had been watching with a pale face, spoke up cautiously.

"Um... wouldn't he try to escape? It doesn't look like he's acting, but..."

"He has voluntarily chosen to join the Ifrit Church. As the Prophet, I simply choose to believe. If he runs away, that will be entirely my responsibility."

I clasped my hands together and bowed my head. Reverently, as if praying. At that sight, the look in the guards' eyes changed. The fear vanished, replaced by blossoming faith.

"Ah, Prophet..."

Of course, the other two didn't share the sentiment.

"Crazy bastards."

"Lunatics."

The limp man was dragged away across the floor, and silence enveloped the dungeon once more.

"Now, let us continue. Who shall be next?"

Gulp.

"...Actually, now that I think about it, Blue Dog might have been a revolutionary who supported the kingdom all along. The r-reason we chose blue was to match the colors of the national flag and foster a sense of belonging."

"Cut the crap! You're the one who said you'd take the king's head first if we overthrew the state! Unlike those lowlifes, we of the Red Fox are a prestigious noble family that has endured for generations—"

"Pfft, who's talking crap here? Prestigious? You mean extinct. Your family was wiped out after staging a rebellion!"

"What? What did you just say?!"

Before a single day had even passed, all of them had attained true faith. As they left the dungeon, limp and exhausted, their faces were filled with profound peace.

"Hallelujah."

It wasn't like I only stayed in the prison. Church by day, office in the evening, and dungeon by night. I lived like that for an entire week.

Within the church, talks began to emerge about the need for people who could act as our hands and feet, assisting Chris and me. There was simply too wide a gap between the lower-ranking believers and the high leadership. It was like a fresh intern and the chairman sitting in the same meeting room. Who would dare to speak up? Thus, we decided to recruit middle management. Fortunately, Chris recommended some decent candidates. Three in total.

"Apprentice Priest James. Apprentice Priest William. Regular Priest Anna."

As I called their names, the three of them, who had been frozen solid like ice, reacted simultaneously.

"Ah—P-Prophet! The Prophet called my name!"

"That day, I-I was the very first to arrive! Prophet!"

"Kyaaa—it's really the Prophet!"

Looking at their deeply moved faces, I smiled gently.

"The Ifrit Church has only recently been established. There are still many shortcomings. Yet, it is thanks to dedicated individuals like you that we have been able to come this far."

At my brief praise, their eyes sparkled.

"The reason I summoned you is because our church now needs people to bridge the gap and communicate between the believers and us."

I could see the sheer emotion on their faces.

"I will dedicate myself even more fiercely to the church."

"If it is such a task, I-I will gladly do it! Even if I must sacrifice my very body, I will accomplish it!"

"Me! Choose me, Prophet!"

The glares they shot at each other were icy.

"Do you not know the order of seniority?! Back off!"

"These things should be decided by age!"

"Ahem! Let us go by the order of joining!"

"A mere Apprentice Priest talking back to a Regular Priest?"

I liked that they were all brimming with passion.

"There is no need for the three of you to fight. This is a mission bestowed upon all of you. It is... the first doctrine handed down by Lord Ifrit."

As the Prophet finished speaking, their expressions turned dead serious. Amidst the breathless tension, I opened my mouth.

"Repay kindness tenfold, and vengeance tenfold."

In front of the granary. A representative from the church was distributing grain to the people.

"Brother. Next time, we will bring even more grain."

The people clasped their hands and bowed their heads, their eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and awe. It was then. A priest standing nearby approached and whispered. Of course, while it was called a whisper, the volume was such that anyone nearby couldn't help but overhear.

"Apprentice Priest James... we have no more grain left."

"...Stop."

"Even now... shouldn't we stop distributing the food..."

"Apprentice Priest William. Can you not see the starving believers right in front of me? How could I possibly stop?"

"Damn it. If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠only it weren't for the Franz Kingdom."

Only after the words slipped out did William quickly cover his own mouth. He lowered his head, his eyes filled with belated regret.

"I am sorry."

"Be careful. Even if they are an atrocious nation that intercepted and stole the grain we requested, and even if they declared war on our kingdom when we protested—nothing has been officially confirmed yet! So please refrain from mentioning the Franz Kingdom as much as possible. Do you understand? The F-R-A-N-Z Kingdom."

Incidents like this were happening simultaneously all across Elium. Rumors gathered and coalesced. Finally, they began to spread as a single, fully formed narrative: The Franz Kingdom is illegally intercepting the grain Elium purchased for its people. And when we protested, they started a war.

The source of the rumor? The Ifrit Church. From the perspective of the people, there was no need to even weigh the options on a scale: a neighboring country they already detested versus their fellow citizens who were feeding them. Doubt quickly vanished, leaving only one thought in their hearts.

"They say the neighboring country is wealthy... while we are starving like this..."

"And they want to take even this from us? Those Franz bastards...!"

Fire ignited in the eyes of the people.

"This is all because of Franz."

"Priestess Anna said so. She said even my back pain is because of the Franz Kingdom."

"Oh my god, my back hurts too. Could it be...?"

Slowly but surely, their anger was channeled in a single direction. They became consumed with rage toward the atrocious empire of evil, the Franz Kingdom. And the church responded to their fury, announcing that they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were recruiting an army to punish the wicked Franz Kingdom.

If one had to name the least popular place in the kingdom, a certain department always took first place: the military recruitment office. To the people of Elium, the military was originally a symbol of distrust. If you want to demand loyalty, you must at least give them a reason to be loyal. But the Elium Kingdom was the weakest nation on the continent. Situated right in the center of the continent, it was constantly squeezed by the surrounding superpowers. To make matters worse, the country possessed absolutely zero resources, making it impossible to accomplish anything on its own. On top of that, until recently, the military had been a hotbed of corruption. Although it was supposedly reformed now, restoring public trust took time. It was a total disaster. Even if a citizen managed to muster some loyalty, the mere sight of the military would make it vanish like magic. There were countless other reasons as well. Thus, it was only natural for the recruitment office to be unpopular. In fact, it should have been completely deserted.

"Excuse me... is this the place where they're recruiting soldiers?"

"Huh? Yes! Yes, it is! Please, come right in!"

But things had changed. Not long after that man arrived, a non-stop stream of people began visiting the recruitment office. So many volunteers flooded in that even if every single soldier in the barracks stood up to help, they couldn't keep up. The sheer volume was staggering. Previously, they had been in a position where they had to accept anyone—even children and the elderly—as long as they had the strength to hold a sword. Now, they were in a position where they had to screen and select from a massive pool of applicants.

—"Why can't I enlist?!"

—"Elderly sir! Please go back! We will protect the kingdom!"

—"How infuriating! Those despicable Franz Kingdom bastards!"

—"You're too young."

—"Go back home and drink your mother's milk, kid. Big brother will go take care of the Franz Kingdom."

—"Tch."

—"Let's goooo!"

Inside the barracks. Arsen, completely unaware of the situation outside, sat at his desk. In his hands was a document related to 'Troop Reinforcement'.

He had been nursing a massive headache over the recruitment for the past few days. Forced conscription was fast and reliable, but the risks were equally high. It could easily make them prey for revolutionaries, and even if it didn't, it could trigger a public outcry or a peasant rebellion. Arsen massaged his throbbing temples. Just then, his adjutant, whom he had sent outside, rushed back in.

"G-General!"

"What is it?"

Arsen raised his head with great effort.

"The enlistment rate...!"

"It... must be abysmal. You're new here, so you might not know, but that's completely normal."

"No, that's not it! We exceeded our target quota this morning, and now there are so many applicants that we have to screen and filter them!"

"...?"

"I think the citizens have risen up in unison to save the kingdom in its time of crisis!"

For a moment, Arsen's face stiffened at his adjutant's words, but he quickly composed himself. Thanks to that last comment, he was absolutely certain of one thing.

"By any chance... have you been drinking?"