Chapter 573: Cleaning Up (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 573: Cleaning Up (3)
Early morning.
Without any warning, hundreds of tanks and armed soldiers entered downtown Moscow and seized control of the streets.
They threatened the citizens, forcing them into designated areas, and mercilessly used violence against anyone who resisted.
People tried to escape the city by any means necessary, but faced with tanks blocking the roads, they had no choice but to surrender.
In the process, not only were there minor injuries, but serious ones as well, and the scene quickly descended into chaos.
The only silver lining was that despite the pandemonium, there were no fatalities.
This was due to the brainwashing inflicted upon the soldiers.
Logically, it would be difficult for any soldier, no matter how disciplined, to readily obey an order to suppress their own people without just cause.
After all, their own families, friends, and lovers could be among those citizens.
However, the artifacts provided by Belmoras contained a brainwashing power so potent it could instantly dominate not only soldiers but even low-rank Hunters.
The only reason the soldiers weren't killing resisting citizens was because if a sacrifice was killed without undergoing a special process, its soul would escape to the ring of reincarnation.
In a way, you could say they were lucky.
The order to keep the sacrifices "fresh" had, in effect, saved the lives of Moscow's citizens.
The problem was that this brainwashing was beginning to reach its limits.
“Aaaah! Andrei!!!”
“They're... they're hitting people?! Have these military bastards all gone insane?!”
“Everyone! Those crazy soldiers are trying to kill us! Are we just going to stand here and take this?!”
No matter how numerous the soldiers were, they couldn't outnumber the citizens.
Furthermore, the fact that not a single gunshot had been fired gave the people an opportunity for their rage to overcome their fear.
As a result, citizens rose up all over the city, and the situation escalated to an irreversible boiling point.
If a full-scale battle were to break out between the citizens and the soldiers, it was painfully obvious that there would be countless casualties.
Moreover, even if the situation were to be resolved later, the aftermath would undoubtedly leave a severe, negative impact on the entire nation.
“What a mess.”
And Valentina had no desire to see things escalate that far.
Appearing at the top of the Federation Tower, she drew her exclusive regalia, Glacia, and gathered her magic power.
Fwoooosh—!
In that instant, a wave of magic power, like a chilling north wind, swept across all of Moscow.
The storm of magic unleashed by the archmage was more than enough to sever the magical paths of the brainwashing cast on the soldiers.
“Huh? This is... Moscow, isn't it?”
“Why am I here? And who are all these people...?”
“I'm sure I was just leaving the base for my vacation... Huh?”
Freed from the brainwashing, the soldiers were momentarily lost in confusion, unable to grasp the situation. However, thanks to the swift judgment and command of competent officers, further bloodshed was avoided.
Watching this unfold, Valentina kidnapped a government minister she had been keeping an eye on. Then, using her authority as the White Tower Lord, she seized control of the state broadcast to transmit an emergency address.
[...Respected citizens. I am Aleksandr Vyacheslavovich, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federation. I know that many of you must be experiencing extreme anxiety and fear due to the large-scale suppression that occurred in Moscow today. First and foremost, I express my deepest regrets for this.]
Aleksandr Vyacheslavovich. He was one of the few figures who belonged to the president's opposition.
[The current president, Igor Vladimirovich Krasov, made the misguided decision to mobilize military forces using artifacts designated as illegal under international law, all to maintain his own power. In the process, a grave crisis nearly erupted, one that could have led to a direct clash between citizens and the military. This is an act that can never be justified, for any reason.]
[I determined that if this situation were left unchecked, it would escalate into irreversible bloodshed. Therefore, with the cooperation of the White Tower Lord, Lady Valentina Sasha Danilova, we have lifted the brainwashing inflicted upon the soldiers and, in coordination with the military command, have ordered the immediate withdrawal of all troops.]
[Some of you may wonder why I, a mere Minister of Foreign Affairs, would make such a decision. However, as the Minister of Defense was also in collusion with the president, there was no other choice.]
Aleksandr broke out in a cold sweat as he read the speech Valentina had prepared for him.
He was certainly grateful that she had rescued him from an FSB underground interrogation room, but if he had known he would be forced to read a speech denouncing a dictator head-on, he might have preferred to stay locked up.
But it was too late to back out now.
Aleksandr squeezed his eyes shut.
[...Currently, the military is no longer aiming its weapons at the citizens, and all on-site clashes have ended. Order is being restored.]
[My fellow citizens. The nation does not belong to any single individual. The military, too, exists not as a tool to protect power, but to protect the people. I acted today to uphold this principle. And I will continue to do my duty to ensure that Russia does not collapse into further violence and chaos. I earnestly ask you all: please remain calm. The nation's order will be preserved. Thank you.]
[Furthermore, the main culprit of this incident, Igor Vladimirovich Krasov, along with 59 other high-ranking government officials and military generals, were executed on the spot by the judgment of Lady Valentina Sasha Danilova... Huh?]
As he read the contents of the address, Aleksandr thought to himself.
Maybe being waterboarded in that FSB interrogation room would have been better after all.
*
Two days had passed since Igor's death.
In just two days, a massive wave of change had swept through Russia. Aleksandr, who had been semi-forcibly made the acting president by Valentina, was spending his days in nerve-wracking agony, cleaning up the mess his predecessor had left behind.
“...You're here.”
Buried under a mountain of documents, Aleksandr looked up at Valentina, who had once again appeared in his office. His face was etched with dark circles.
“You look like hell.”
“...It's because I haven't slept a wink in two days.”
“Is that so? Well, they say suffering when you're young builds character, don't they? Just suffer a few more days.”
“Young...”
As a former minister, Aleksandr was already in his mid-fifties.
Of course, as a Bear-kin, his lifespan was longer than that of an ordinary human.
Though his appearance was that of a quintessential middle-aged man.
Valentina, on the other hand, despite being hundreds of years old, boasted the youthful appearance of someone who had just entered her late twenties.
Hearing such words from Valentina, who looked for all the world like his niece, Aleksandr couldn't help but feel strange.
“Stop whining. Didn't I get rid of all the political enemies who would have gotten in your way so you could focus on state affairs? And if you have time to sleep, you should be using it to solidify your support base. You'll have to run when the election is held, won't you?”
“...Can't you just be the president yourself, Tower Lord?”
“A man who was once a minister doesn't even know that the Magic Towers do not interfere in politics?”
“...”
At Valentina's words, Aleksandr pressed his lips shut.
For someone who claimed not to interfere in politics, she had killed dozens of high-ranking officials and generals in the past two days.
“Anyway, aside from your excessive whining, you seem to be doing a decent job. I suppose I won't need to visit you anymore.”
“...May I ask one last thing?”
“What is it?”
“Why me?”
Aleksandr looked at Valentina with a very serious expression.
“There are plenty of people in the opposition more capable than I am. It didn't have to be me...”
“Because you were the only one.”
“...Pardon?”
“At the year-end party last year, you were the only person who didn't look at me with sexual desire. That's the only reason.”
“...”
Aleksandr recalled the party held at the end of last year.
Valentina, dressed in a velvet gown, had been so dazzlingly beautiful that she had instantly captured the gazes of even the high-ranking officials and tycoons who had brought celebrities as their partners.
Aleksandr had been no different.
But there had been one crucial difference between him and the others—
“...You do know that I'm gay, right?”
“Hmm? Even better. At least I won't have to worry about you running the country into the ground because you're crazy about some woman.”
“...”
With a sly smile, Valentina turned toward the door.
“Are you leaving already? Since you're here, if you could just help me with a few things...”
“Sorry, but that'll be difficult.”
Valentina raised her left hand.
On her ring finger was a ring set with a beautifully crafted diamond.
“I'm busy with my honeymoon, you see.”
*
It was early morning, just as dawn was breaking.
I sat up in bed, stretched lightly, and looked around.
“Mmm... Papa...”
To my left, An was fast asleep, her pale, naked body exposed.
I gently stroked her hair and looked to the other side, but no one was there.
All that remained in the empty space was the faint scent of the tuberose bath salts Valentina favored.
'She already left?'
Lately, Valentina had been so busy she barely had time to breathe, leaving for work before sunrise and not returning until nearly midnight, day after day.
It was a shame, but it couldn't be helped.
With the vice-master, Dmitri, being treated as effectively missing in action, all of his duties had fallen squarely on Valentina's shoulders. On top of that, the higher-ups in the magic world had used this incident as a pretext to dispatch an investigation team.
The official reason was Valentina's excessive political intervention, but the real purpose was undoubtedly to keep her in check.
Of course, it was safe to assume there was no chance of Valentina facing any real disadvantages because of it.
According to Valentina, this was something of an annual event.
Ssk-
I got out of bed and quietly left the bedroom.
Then I went into the next room, sat cross-legged in the center, and took a small wooden box out of my inventory.
Click-
Inside the box was a ruby that held a beautiful red light.
[Refined Demon's Essence]
Grade: Epic
Contains a large amount of demonic energy.
Upon consumption, you will acquire the Authority, 'Maestro of Discord'.
Last night, Tam succeeded in absorbing Andras's vengeful spirit.
Of course, the thought that Tam had been gleefully biting, tearing, and tasting it was a bit unsettling, but this was no time to be picky.
Two days ago, witnessing Valentina's magic, I realized just how much I was still lacking.
'...A day might come when an opponent too powerful for me to handle comes after the lives of my women.'
Of course, it would be best if that never happened, but with so much to protect, I always had to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
That's why I had to get stronger, as fast as possible.
If it was for that purpose, I could eat anything, even if it was someone else's chewed gum...
Trrrrring-
Just then, a familiar ringtone echoed through the room.
My gaze naturally fell to my phone screen.
[Caller: Choi Hyena]
“...”
It's not for nothing they say a guilty conscience needs no accuser. The moment I saw the name on the screen, a cold sweat started pouring down my back.
And it was a video call.
My hands trembled as if I had a tremor, but I couldn't avoid it.
Slowly, I lifted the phone, took a deep breath to calm myself, and answered the call.
“A-ahem... Hello?”
-...
“Uh... Good morning?”
-...It's night in Korea.
“Ah.”
-Hey.
“...Huh?”
Apparently displeased with my dazed response, Hyena shot me a glare, her expression prim.
-You said you'd be back soon. Do you realize it's already been over a week since you said that?
“W-well...”
I could reverse-calculate 6th Circle magic without much trouble, but in front of Hyena, my brain felt like it was cramping up.
Was it because I had so much to feel guilty about?
-It's not like I'm going to eat you. Why are you acting so shifty?
Noticing my unusual reaction, Hyena blushed and began twirling a strand of her hair.
-...I was just whining because I missed you.
“...I'm sorry.”
-Tch. I'm always the only one who's serious about this.
“I'll be back really soon. When I do, let's go on a date or something...”
Creek-
In that moment, something completely unexpected happened.
“Papa...?”
“?!!”
An had opened the door and come in.
I was so focused on my call with Hyena that I hadn't noticed her approach.
No, in the past, I would have sensed her immediately.
But lately—perhaps because her talents had blossomed after being freed from the curse—An had developed a very unusual aura.
Like a spirit.
Thanks to that, it had become incredibly difficult to read her mana or her presence.
Moreover, the problem didn't end there.
An, wearing only a thin slip, was rubbing her eyes sleepily as she entered the room, and her exposed figure was perfectly visible on my phone's screen.
Cold sweat poured down my back like rain.
With the feeling of a cow that had just realized it was being led to the slaughterhouse, I slowly turned my head—
-...Huh?
And my eyes met Hyena's, her expression colder than I had ever seen it before.