Chapter 35: The Arken Empire
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35: The Arken Empire
"Nothing is beyond human conquest."
Under that slogan, the Arken Empire had enjoyed an era of unprecedented prosperity following the death of Godwin.
The first emperor, Jeffrey Arken, was a legendary hero, a brilliant tactician, and a shrewd politician. He had declared his intent to lay a foundation for the Empire that would not crumble for centuries. To this day, that declaration remained a proven reality.
Godfrey Arken, the reigning Emperor, was a man of unparalleled incompetence and bottomless greed. In any other kingdom, his avarice and capricious governance would have led to total ruin within three years; yet, he had maintained his rule for forty.
He remained in power, and the Empire remained intact. One might even say the Emperor’s mandate was divine.
‘But the Emperor’s authority actually comes from the storehouse.’
The treasures and holy relics amassed by previous emperors were what truly sustained the Empire. To have access to that storehouse meant sharing in that authority—a fact not a single noble was ignorant of.
‘Blinded by gold, they submit to gold.’
The more incompetent the Emperor was, the more the nobles flattered him; the more he strayed from the right path, the more they extolled him. The internal rot would only accelerate, the foundation of the first emperor’s thousand-year empire would crumble, and the downfall would gather speed.
“So, where exactly do you plan on robbing?” Jed asked, looking utterly incredulous.
“The Sealed Warehouse.”
“The Sealed Warehouse…?”
The Sealed Warehouse. While the treasure vaults held priceless gems and relics imbued with holy power, the Sealed Warehouse was the opposite—it housed things that were evil and must never be revealed to the public. Within its walls lay grimoires left behind by demons, as well as forbidden books and magical items developed by Demon Worshippers.
Jed’s expression soured further. Robbing a regular treasure vault was already a suicidal mission, but the Sealed Warehouse was like jumping from the frying pan into a bed of hot coals.
“I’m asking just in case… but can you tell me what you’re planning to steal?”
There was no reason to hide it. “One of the Great Demon’s treatises—specifically, Barbatos’ Shadow Arts.”
Among the seven Great Demons of Hell, Barbatos was known as the Demon of Shadows and Schemes.
“Barbatos…” Jed muttered with a serious face, then looked up. “…Who the hell is that?”
“You don’t know?”
“I’ve heard those damn Amon worshippers mentioned occasionally, but a demon named Barbatos… I’ve never heard of him.”
Though counted among the seven Great Demons of Hell, Barbatos was actually the least influential and the least known.
“It’s only natural you don’t know. He isn’t the type of demon to gather followers like the others.”
This wasn’t because he was too weak to be mentioned, but rather by design. Barbatos was a demon who preferred to move in secrecy. Knowing that low public recognition was advantageous for utilizing his abilities, he never demanded initiation rites or exorbitant prices.
‘Though the conditions themselves are astronomical.’
Among all the magic left behind by the Great Demons, the requirements for manipulating shadows were the most demanding. Even ‘Shadow Hand,’ the lowest-tier spell Ferda had used, was something most mages couldn't handle properly. Consequently, followers of Barbatos were virtually non-existent, and few ever sought his grimoire.
‘Which is why it can serve as a hidden trump card.’
Since the magic was so obscure, people wouldn't know how to counter it. In a battle of wits between mages, catching the opponent off guard was paramount.
“Assuming we do steal this Shadow Arts thing…” Jed voiced the lingering discomfort in his mind. “How do we even get in there?”
Ferda crossed his legs and replied, “You tell me. If it were you, how would you get in?”
“Are you dumping this on me?”
“It’s your area of expertise.”
“I’m no common cutpurse. The only thing I’ve ever stolen is a lady’s heart.”
“Cut the nonsense and answer the question.”
“Hmm…” Jed rubbed his chin, his breath hitching slightly. After about five minutes of silence, he finally spoke. “There have been many who tried to rob the Imperial warehouses. Among them, the group that came closest to succeeding—half-succeeding, really—consisted of ten people.”
“And?”
“In my opinion, you’d need at least twenty people and about a year of preparation. Are you going to hire twenty thieves?”
“No.”
Twenty people and a year? He didn't have that kind of luxury.
“Then how long do we have?”
“We do it now.”
Jed was momentarily speechless. He wanted to ask if Ferda had forgotten everything he just said, but he figured it would just be a waste of breath.
“To do it right now and get away clean… you’re saying I have to rob the place by myself?”
“That’s about right.”
“How am I supposed to do what a team of ten failed to achieve?”
Ferda looked at him with a gaze of absolute conviction. “You can do it.”
Jed felt like he was going to die from the sheer absurdity of it all. However, Ferda felt the same way for a different reason.
‘He’s laying it on thick.’
Jed Swallow. Right now, he was nothing more than a gigolo chasing after women, but he possessed the talent of a Great Thief. In the future, his greatest achievement would be infiltrating the Imperial treasure vaults that no one else could crack.
‘And he did it without a plan.’
Officially, he had done it three times, but according to Jed’s own claims, he had visited twelve times. This meant he already knew the flaws in the surveillance system and how to exploit them.
‘Of course, that’s a story for the future.’
It was difficult to expect the reputation of a Great Thief from him right now. At this moment, he was just a flirtatious pest, far removed from a master thief. Ferda had taken all of this into account when moving forward with his plan.
“There’s no need to worry. I’ll be the one setting the stage.”
“You will, Regent?”
Ferda nodded and pointed to his eyes with his index and middle fingers. “All you need are your two eyes. Everything else is secondary. Do you understand?”
“…Somehow, that makes me even more nervous.”
Jed’s anxiety spiked. In his experience, no task required more skill than one where the employer told you to bring only the simplest of tools.
‘Can I really trust this man?’
He had been lured in by the promise of help with his high-society debut, but it felt like the requirements were getting higher by the day.
“You look troubled.”
“Wouldn't you be? My life is on the line here,” Jed snapped. His head was beginning to ache from overthinking.
‘Too much deliberation leads to a blunder.’
If Jed refused, Ferda would have to give up on Barbatos’ Shadow Arts. Or rather, things would become much more complicated.
‘I’ll have to play that card.’
Ferda decided to make the choice easier for him. “The Sealed Warehouse contains the dirty secrets the Empire wants to hide.”
“…Is that so?” Jed replied, his face clearly asking why Ferda was telling him this.
“Among those secrets, there should be information regarding the Red Eye Tribe.”
“!”
The whining Jed vanished instantly. His eyes sharpened with intensity. “Are you certain?”
“I have no intention of breaking my contract with you.”
Jed had stipulated that he would leave if Ferda ever tried to deceive or merely use him. Thus, he didn't think long. His answer was concise.
“Fine. Let’s do it.”
Everything was moving according to Ferda’s design.
* * *
Before officially setting out, Ferda paid a visit to Count Consilus.
“Greetings, Regent. I heard you have business in the Empire.”
“I do.”
“May I ask what brings you there?”
“Actually, I was going to ask you that. I need a reason to go, even though I don't strictly have one.”
“Ah, I see what you mean,” Consilus replied, stroking his beard. “Why not mention the vacancy left by Thesalos Wolcher? You could say you need a suitable replacement…”
“Ah, I have thoughts on that. I have someone in mind, but the right candidate hasn't appeared yet.”
“If you give the word, I will have my men search for them.”
Ferda could have given a description, but he didn't want to go that far. It would be more troublesome if the person went into hiding upon hearing they were being sought. Instead, Ferda spoke cryptically.
“There is a man whose presence alone will make your breath hitch.”
“Make my breath hitch…? Could you be more specific?”
“No need for specifics. You’ll feel it the moment you see him. Just give that knight the position.”
“I understand. I shall do as you wish, Regent.”
Though he had failed to gather wandering knights, Ferda was still in the process of recruiting guardians for the territory. He decided to believe that the man would eventually come seeking him out of interest.
Consilus began to think of another angle. “Perhaps you should inquire about the Grand Council?”
“The Grand Council?”
“Yes. All kings and nobles of ducal rank or higher in Serdes are qualified to attend. You’ll need someone to verify your identity, so it would be best to stop by and inform His Imperial Majesty or his kin of your intent to participate.”
The Emperor or the Princes. They were a loathsome bunch, but Ferda knew he would be crossing paths with them frequently from now on.
“Good. I’ll use that as my excuse. What is the current political situation in the Empire?”
“It’s a complete mess,” Consilus said, shaking his head. “It’s currently a three-way power struggle.”
“And who are the central figures?”
“The Emperor, the 1st Prince, and the 2nd Prince.”
“The Emperor is fighting his own sons?”
Consilus nodded. “Absurd as it is, yes. At one point, the 1st and 2nd Princes joined forces to try and oust the Emperor.”
“But they failed, I assume.”
“Yes. The Emperor may be incompetent, but he is razor-sharp when it comes to his own power. He neutralized them by stoking the fires of the succession dispute between the two brothers.”
By presenting a new future instead of an existing enemy, he had created a new conflict. As long as he kept them at each other's throats, their strength would wane, and they would lose sight of their original goal.
‘Even a rotting throne has its splinters of wisdom…’
There was a reason the man had managed to cling to power for so long.
“So, on the surface, it’s a three-way struggle.”
“On the surface… yes, on the surface, it is.” Consilus was puzzled by Ferda’s choice of words, but he didn't pry.
Ferda considered the three figures before asking Consilus, “If it were you, which of the three would you side with?”
“If you’re asking me, I’d say the 2nd Prince.”
“And why is that?”
“The 2nd Prince has always prioritized national defense. He’s personally led campaigns to repel monsters and secure the Empire’s borders. His interest in monster subjugation makes him comparable to the first emperor.”
It was as Consilus said. The 2nd Prince’s main support came from the military factions that the 1st Prince had failed to recruit. He intended to compensate for his lack of political influence with tales of martial valor.
“Of course, even that isn't a perfect answer. If he truly cared about national defense, he would have reached out to the Far East by now.”
“True enough.”
Having heard the Count’s opinion, Ferda nodded as if he had made a decision. “Then I shall write three letters: one to the Emperor, one to the 1st Prince, and one to the 2nd Prince.”
“Shall I assist you?”
The Empire still believed Count Consilus held more influence than the Regent. However, Ferda shook his head.
“No need. I’ll send them under the name of the Regent of Valdrova.”
“If that is your wish…”
The reason Ferda was sending three letters was to gauge their intentions. It is the thirsty who dig the well, and the desperate who reach out first. Ferda was curious to see which of them would extend a hand to him. Count Consilus stepped back, sharing that same curiosity.
“I have a separate request for you, Count.”
“Name it.”
“Do you happen to have any unclaimed corpses?”
Bodies with no names, no known origins.
“Unclaimed corpses… yes, we should. I believe one was recently discovered near the outskirts of the territory.”
The timing was perfect. “Excellent. Have that body burned at the stake.”
“Burned at the stake…?” Consilus blinked. Not a cremation, but an execution by fire? He couldn't help but ask, “I must ask… is this for the sake of the Far East?”
“Of course. It certainly isn't for my own personal amusement.”
“Then I understand.”
“Make sure it looks like you’re burning a real piece of work. That will be enough.”
“Haha, the gods will be angry with me.” Consilus toyed with his necklace—an amulet worn by followers of Alte, the state religion of the Empire.
“Is there any human in this world who hasn't sinned at least once?”
“True.”
Though desecrating an innocent corpse was distasteful, Consilus didn't argue further. Whatever the case, he needed to trust Ferda if he wanted the Far East to prosper.
* * *
After sending the three letters to the Empire, Ferda boarded his carriage. It was naturally impossible to receive a reply immediately, and Ferda didn't expect one. That was the core of the strategy.
‘What matters is how they react to a one-sided communication.’
He was accompanied by Jed, as well as Arwen—a knight under Count Consilus—and his subordinates. After a full week of travel, they finally spotted the massive stone walls rising from the plains.
‘The Arken Empire.’
The landscape of the capital, a blend of lush greenery and well-tended fields, was a sight to behold. Jed, looking out the window, smiled with excitement.
“The Empire is impressive every time I see it. It’s always worth the trip.”
“I suppose.”
Every noble and commoner yearned for the capital. The Rosnova family, too, had once desired to join the ranks of the central nobility. Yet, Ferda felt no such need. That place was a den of monsters wearing human skins, the very threshold of hell. Why would anyone want to enter?
They reached the great gates. Ferda presented his identification to the sentry.
“Please wait a moment.”
The sentry went into the guardhouse to verify the documents. However, several minutes passed without any order to proceed.
“Looks like we’re off to a bad start,” Jed remarked gloomily, but Ferda saw it differently.
“This is a green light.”
“A green light?”
“Making a noble wait means there’s a specific reason for it.”
A moment later, a luxurious white carriage pulled up inside the gate. The fact that he was being asked to switch carriages meant he was being taken directly to the Imperial Palace. In other words, someone had responded to his letters.
The knight leading the escort placed a hand over his heart and gave a polite bow.
“Welcome to the Empire, Regent! I am Marco, Commander of the 5th Knight Order of the Imperial Household.”
“A pleasure to meet you.”
“This way, please…!”
Under Marco’s guidance, Ferda moved to the other carriage. When Jed tried to follow, Marco blocked his path.
“My apologies, but who might you be, sir?”
“I’m his employee.”
Marco’s expression turned cold. “Employees are not permitted in this carriage. Only those invited may enter the Imperial Palace.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Step back. This carriage is bound for the palace.”
Jed stepped back with an embarrassed look. Thus, Ferda proceeded toward the palace alone.
‘Utterly decadent.’
It was like a commoner trying to show off in front of royalty. Ferda’s own carriage had been lavishly decorated, but the Imperial carriage offered a level of comfort that was in a different league entirely.
Ferda glanced out the window at the passing scenery. As expected of the capital’s main thoroughfare, the streets were clean and filled with smiling people. It was a place brimming with the hope that every noble dreamed of. There was a reason why nobles who entered the capital suffered from a sort of withdrawal the moment they left.
But where there is happiness, there is an equal measure of misery. And that misery was currently targeting Ferda.
Ferda’s sharp intuition caught an unusual gaze. A man hidden in an alleyway was stealing glances at the carriage.
‘He’s targeting this carriage.’
The soldiers guarding the perimeter hadn't noticed him yet. A preemptive strike by the guards was unlikely.
‘I can neutralize him before he attacks.’
He was the only one who could protect himself. Ferda reflexively began to form a mana sphere. Not knowing what the man might do, he prepared a covert counterattack.
As the distance closed, the man suddenly lunged out and blocked the carriage’s path.
Neigh!
The horses shrieked and reared back in surprise, bringing the carriage to a bone-jarring halt.