The Emperor (3)
Caesar advanced without hesitation, his gaze unwavering.
Countless people followed in his wake.
An emperor was one who led the people, one who pointed the way.
After scanning the stacked documents and swiftly moving about to grasp the empire’s present state, Caesar began issuing orders in rapid succession.
"The Black Hammer Knights will take charge of the western walls. There was a report of a major battle at the western walls this dawn. Our losses are severe, so replenish the depleted strength."
"Understood!"
"Gather the patients infected by the plague rats in one place and manage them. Assemble every physician in the capital to treat them. Spend as much money as needed—just save the patients."
"Yes, yes!"
"And select knights to explore the sewers. There must be a nest of these demons that keep pouring out without end. Destroy it or seal it. There is nothing to gain from letting this drag into a prolonged war."
"Exploring the demons’ nest… Understood."
"…And how is Julius now?"
"His Highness the Crown Prince is currently bedridden. Priestess Ruel is working hard to treat him."
"Is that so…"
Caesar’s expression darkened for a moment.
Yet he quickly erased that look and issued further commands.
The creaking empire began to move with the emperor’s return.
Like the turning of countless gears, when the great gear that was the emperor moved, the empire itself moved.
—Bang!
Someone kicked open the closed door and strode in.
"You don’t need to bother checking the sewers, I figure?"
Dark-red blood dripped from her black hair and spattered onto the floor. Filth and rotting chunks of meat clung to her body, giving off a foul stench.
The maids nearby shrieked and covered their noses at the reek.
In her hand, a massive axe dangled with the eyeballs and blood vessels of some unidentifiable creature.
Looking at her like that, she was the very image of a murderer risen from hell…
"You are… Friga?"
"Yeah, that’s right. I already went through the sewers first."
The one who had kicked the door open was Friga.
She who had suddenly vanished three days ago, when the plague rats’ assault began, now revealed herself.
"Hold on a sec… Ugh, I thought I was gonna die of thirst."
Striding into the room, she snatched the water bottle from the table and began drinking.
Gulping down the entire bottle in one go, she let out a satisfied "Kyaaah—"
"Ahh— I had no idea how much I missed a single bottle of water."
"Princess Friga, what did you just say? Where did you go? The sewers?"
Every gaze in the room locked onto Friga. Her sudden appearance had briefly overshadowed it, but had she not just said where she had been?
She went to the sewers?
"Yep, the sewers. Seeing those rat bastards pouring out, I got a feeling right away. Ah, this is just like the magical beast attacks up north, I thought."
Rummaging through the fruit basket on the table and devouring them like someone who had not eaten for days, Friga spoke on.
No one rebuked her rude manner. Everyone focused on the words leaving her mouth.
"So I roughly checked for about half a day and got the measure of it. Figured I could go into the sewers alone. So I went."
"What… was inside?"
"Eh— nothing much. Just rat bastards and rat shit."
"Princess Friga, this is no time for jokes. Tell us at once. Did you find their nest? Where is it? The scale? Was there a mother body?"
"Well, I did find the nest. Found it, but… the mother was pretty big?"
"Big? How big are we talking?"
"Uh— bigger than this room, I reckon?"
"Huh…"
"It was pretty damn big. Exaggerating a bit, about the size of a high dragon’s thigh bone I saw up north? Figured I couldn’t handle it alone, so I came out."
"You really do all sorts of things."
A sigh escaped of its own accord. This room was the largest office, and she claimed it was larger still?
This was no ordinary giant rat.
Even so, if it was merely a large rat, the knights and apostles combining their strength should be able to bring it down.
A rough calculation formed in Caesar’s mind.
Mobilize knights and soldiers to deal with the rats on the surface, and if they brought the apostles and the Imperial Guard Knights into the sewers…
Taking out the mother body there would be the best method. If that failed, they would have to seal the sewers.
The best is to kill the mother and wipe out every last rat.
He had a rough estimate. Caesar stood up abruptly and left the office.
"Sir Demonic, where is Sir Demonic?"
"He is currently at the main avenue plaza. I will summon him."
"No. How can I call people who are in the middle of battle to come and go? I will go myself."
Caesar headed out of the palace with a string of people trailing behind him. Before long, the Imperial Guard Knights gathered to escort him.
The scene on the main avenue was disastrous.
Everywhere the streets were gouged and broken from fierce fighting. Blood had pooled into puddles, and maggots and flies swarmed over the rotting rat corpses.
Leaving the bodies would only breed further disease, yet it seemed they had not even had the leisure to clear them away.
—Squeeeak!! Squeak!
"Kill them! Kill those things!"
"Do not retreat! Behind you are your families and comrades!! Do not fall back!!"
The sounds of battle carried from afar. The Imperial Guard Knights quickly blocked Caesar’s path.
Caesar waved the guards aside and advanced. The screams and shouts grew clearer as he drew nearer.
Heading to a slightly elevated high ground, the battle unfolding on the main avenue came into full view.
A thin wall of humans held back the pitch-black waves. The rats crashed in like a veritable tidal wave.
—Squeak!! Squeak!!
"Captain! The rat bastards are swarming!"
"Fall back!! Everyone slowly retreat!!"
As the soldiers blocked one wave, an even larger black wave could be seen crashing in from behind. A critical situation.
Just as Caesar was about to raise what he held in his hand without realizing it—
"Kenis, now!!"
"Yes—!!"
—Kwaaaaaang!!!
A massive explosion of light erupted right in the middle of the pitch-black wave. It was like the sun itself descending upon the earth.
In the place where that sun of light had come, there stood a girl.
A girl standing proudly, holding a massive violet holy sword.
The Hero, Kenis.
—Squeak?! Squeeeak!!
As a hole opened in the middle of the rat swarm, the plague rats visibly panicked.
Then, with a rustling sound, the plague rats vanished somewhere.
Like cockroaches startled by light, the rats disappeared in an instant. Caesar hurriedly headed down toward the avenue where the battle had been.
"Sir Demonic!"
"Your Majesty? When did you wake…"
"Sir Demonic, are you all right? No—more than that, that explosion just now?"
"I am fine. It is merely that there are many of these insignificant small fry. That explosion just now was…"
Demonic’s gaze turned toward Kenis far away. The girl lightly catching her breath, leaning on her holy sword.
"It is the power of that holy sword. According to Kenis, it is a power that can be used once a month."
"Indeed, a holy sword…"
"More than that, Your Majesty, I am glad you have safely awakened. I was quite worried since you had not risen for so long…"
Demonic trailed off as he looked at Caesar’s hand. The intense holy-power weapon held in the emperor’s grip.
He could tell at a glance. It was a weapon of the gods.
"Have you met the god?"
"I have. He even gave me a mission."
"A mission as well?"
Demonic’s eyes flashed for a moment. Just as Demonic’s mouth was about to open, Caesar struck first.
"That said, I will not convert to the Pantheon or anything of the sort. From the start, my mission is as emperor and as a father."
"…I have not said anything yet."
"Is it not obvious?"
"…"
Demonic pressed his lips shut. Caesar chuckled and got to the main point.
About the plague rats’ nest and the giant mother body Friga had discovered in the sewers, and his plan as well.
Demonic listened to his story seriously.
"If Friga’s words are all true, it seems the Apostles and I alone would be sufficient."
"That may be, but we must prepare for the unexpected, must we not? And… if we leave everything that has happened in the empire entirely to the guests, the empire’s face would be in a sorry state."
"Hmm… Understood."
Demonic nodded quietly. Certainly, there was nothing bad about preparing for the unexpected.
Was there not a saying that preparation is better when excessive?
"Then the details can be discussed with the knight commanders—"
—Thudududu
A rumbling of the ground interrupted Caesar’s words.
The surrounding earth trembled lightly, signaling that a countless number of something was coming this way.
The Imperial Guard Knights hurriedly surrounded Caesar.
—Squeeeeeak!!
From afar, the plague rats were charging in a black wave.
"Paladin! They’re swarming again!"
"Damn these demon bastards! Your Majesty, this place is dangerous! Please retreat to the rear at once!"
"…Retreat?"
Caesar slowly shook his head. The place he stood was the land of the empire.
He would not retreat. He would not flee.
For the emperor to flee from enemies on the empire’s land was absurd.
Rather, it was only right that the enemies should flee from the emperor.
Caesar slowly raised what he held in his hand above his head.
It was a massive staff.
The huge scepter reflected the sunlight and shone brilliantly. The sacred silver-white staff displayed its form, and at the top of the scepter, two lions held a single jewel in their mouths.
The jewel shaped like a small sun emitted a radiant light. The sun jewel brimming with sacred light.
"This place—!"
Bang—!
He forcefully slammed the scepter into the ground.
"Is the land of the empire!"
This was the land that had protected a thousand years of history. Not even a single span of land could be given, would not be given.
"You all! Rise and fight!"
As if responding to Caesar’s cry, a dazzling golden light soared into the sky from the sun jewel at the end of the scepter.
The golden light that rose high into the sky formed a spherical shape, creating a massive semicircle.
And then, small golden lights descended like starlight and seeped into the people.
"You are the proud sons of the empire, and we are the children of the empire!"
The soldiers who had been lying down rose one by one. The knights who had been bleeding adjusted their grips on their swords and seized their shields.
The golden light seeped into them and made them rise.
Even their weapons shone with a faint golden light.
"Where is this place—!"
""The land of the empire!!""
"Say it once more! Where is this place—!"
""The thousand-year empire!!""
Yes, this was the land of the empire.
Dare to turn their backs on rat bastards and flee? Caesar could not do that.
"All forces—!"
The empire would never retreat.
"Charge—!"
The emperor, too, would never retreat.