Chapter 163: Commotion (2)
Aside from being horrified, all the nobles were silently in agreement as the Emperor leaned his elbow on the armrest and crossed his legs.
Hmm— a low voice slipped out.
"So... you wish to say that I am the root cause?"
"I am deeply sorry, but the disloyal thought that the Demon Realm would not have intervened had Your Majesty not plotted the conquest of the human world keeps raising its head. Even if the future had not changed and the war with the Demon Realm had broken out as it was, the situation would have been far better. For there would have been no consumption of troops due to a war of conquest. Moreover, did things not erupt magnificently over the Deon Hart matter not long ago?"
The Emperor, who had been listening calmly even up to the earlier content, lifted his gaze at the name that suddenly popped out. The nobles, who had been watching the situation with bated hearts, swallowed their breath.
The name Deon Hart had become a forbidden word before the Emperor, so how swollen with audacity must one be to dare utter that name aloud?
As if not even feeling the horrified gazes of the nobles, the audacious noble continued without hesitation.
"Before he mentioned Your Majesty, there has been something I have wanted to ask you all along."
"......."
"Did Your Majesty know that he was the 0th Legion Commander?"
It would be a problem if he knew, and a problem if he did not.
The nobles looked at the Emperor all at once, as if demanding an answer. At this moment alone, there was no distinction between the Noble Faction and the Imperial Faction.
There was no one on his side here. Enduring the countless stares that felt as if they might crush him to death, all alone and steadfast, the Emperor slowly opened his mouth.
"This is a question that has strayed far from the agenda. I clearly raised the agenda concerning the support of Reweche."
"......Your Majesty."
"And is that what is important in the present situation? No matter what answer I give, nothing will change. Would it not be more important to oppose the demon-race, defend the Empire, and further preserve the human world? I would appreciate it if everyone committed themselves more faithfully to the war."
The Emperor's words were not wrong, but that did not mean his sins and the previously posed question disappeared.
Especially now, in this standoff over the nobles' participation in the war and the matter of handing over even their few remaining private soldiers, it was not something that could be easily let slide. The noble opened his mouth.
"But Your Majesty, how can we stay still when we are on the verge of being stripped of the bare minimum necessary to protect our families and territories? One of the reasons the Empire must support Reweche is also occupied by Deon Hart's statement, so why does Your Majesty demand sacrifice only of the nobles...."
"Shall I take up a sword and go out myself, then?"
The noble's words were not wrong either.
Deon Hart revealed himself as the 0th Legion Commander and implied that the Emperor also knew this. Since he pointed to the Emperor and called him an untrustworthy man, humans across the entire continent were watching the Emperor and the Empire's every move with nerves on edge and keen sensitivity.
Thus, because of public perception alone, the Empire could not simply stand by and watch as its ally, which had helped it so much until now, suffered, and this too could be said to be caused by the Emperor. In such a situation, to try to seize even the nobles' remaining private soldiers, they had every right to feel wronged.
'But.'
The Emperor tilted his head as if making a point.
"I asked if I should personally take up a sword, go out for support, and confront the demon-race on the front lines."
"......."
"I have already devoted all the troops under my command to this war. This means there are no more troops to send out."
"......We are aware that there are troops on standby at the palace."
"Did they really appear to be guarding me or this palace in your eyes?"
There was no way.
Just because they do not move does not mean the pieces on the chessboard are not part of the battle between black and white.
Those waiting at the palace were chess pieces that had risen upon the chessboard, silently awaiting their turn. They were always on a war footing, waiting for the moment to sortie.
The Emperor had already placed every piece he held onto the board called war.
"Therefore, the only remaining military strength left to me is this body of mine. So now, shall I personally go out and confront them?"
"......."
"Or shall you tell me to hand over the minimum bastion for defending this Empire to another country, now when we do not know when or through what route the demon-race might invade?"
It was an awkward thing for someone trying to take away what the nobles claimed was the 'minimum bastion for defending their territories' to say, but the Emperor, who knew the difference and superiority in the object being defended, was undaunted.
"If the reason you oppose is to protect your territories, then I'd rather ask you this. When did I ever tell you to abandon your territories for the Empire? I plan to use the private soldiers I collect from you to defend your territories."
"Then there is no need to collect the private soldiers in the first place...."
"I plan to distribute the troops to all territories near the Boundary Line and operate them in a way that provides immediate support once word of a clash with the demon-race is received. Rather, it will be easier to deal with the demon-race than when you had to defend with only your own private soldiers."
The nobles' expressions split.
The faces of those with territories near the Boundary Line brightened, while dissatisfaction settled on the faces of those with territories in relatively safe locations. The Emperor concluded his words without a shred of concern.
"Of course, once the war ends, I intend to return your private soldiers."
That is, assuming they are still alive.
Having swallowed the skeptical assumption, he returned to the initial topic. In truth, the nobles' opinions were merely for reference, not very important. Even more so if they were resistance.
Why else would a tyrant be a tyrant?
"I will send troops composed of the poor and commoners to Reweche. I intend to fill the vacancies in the troops caused by this with the soldiers handed over from you. Do not worry, as I will appropriately place them in positions to 'defend your territories'."
"We have not yet agreed...."
"I will gladly comply, Your Majesty."
"Margrave of Amiable!"
And with even a noble agreeing like this, the outcome was as good as decided.
The Emperor smiled faintly.
* * *
After the meeting ended, the Duke went to see the Emperor.
"You managed to brush it off well."
The Duke's eyes curved as if in praise.
The question regarding Deon Hart being the 0th Legion Commander was quite fatal to the Emperor. It was truly the worst kind of question, yielding only unfavorable results whether affirmed or denied.
However, it had at some point fizzled out as the conversation continued. It was the Emperor's intention.
"But until when will you be able to brush things off like this? The nobles are not foolish. They know well that a weapon is not a one-time-use item. They will not judge a perfectly functional weapon to be useless just because the opponent parried its attack once."
They would hide it behind their backs again and wait for the right moment.
The Emperor frowned and looked at the Duke. Irritation he could not conceal seeped through his gaze.
"What is it you want to say?"
"Even now, it is not too late."
"......Ah."
To hand over the Emperor's throne.
"At the very least, please hand over all authority."
It was truly dumbfounding that he was lusting for power even in this state of affairs.
While the Emperor let out a hollow laugh in disbelief, the Duke continued.
"You must be tired."
"......."
"Since you have given the nobles a good pretext, only more tiring and exhausting days lie ahead. The hallucinations and auditory hallucinations too...."
Glancingly, the purple eyes that had followed the Emperor's gaze to scan the empty air returned to their place.
"They have only gotten worse, and do not seem to have improved."
"......For you to worry about me, I've lived long enough to see such a thing."
"What do you mean by that? I have always been worried about Your Majesty. So, how about stepping down now and getting some good rest?"
As if he had heard all sorts of jokes, the Emperor pointedly snorted.
"You are telling me to hand over all authority to a man who cannot even properly defend his own territory at present. Ridiculous."
"......."
The Duke's troops were few in number due to the Revolutionary Army's attack. Was it sufficient explanation to say he could not even send support to the war?
The Emperor, who had initially investigated, suspecting it was a shady trick by the Duke to conserve his forces, could not hold back his laughter upon confirming the wretched state of the Duke's troops.
[Ah, so in the end, that arrogance tripped you up and you fell flat on your face.]
The Duke's expression, his pride hideously scraped, hardened. The Emperor continued, paying it no mind.
"And you must have played a considerable role in the present situation as well, so how dare you try to pretend you are uninvolved?"
"What do you mean?"
"Who else but you would be capable of killing Cruel Hart?"
The timing of the rumor that Deon Hart had killed Cruel Hart spreading was uncanny from the start. To spread so shortly after it became known that Deon Hart was an enemy.
The Emperor knew very well who would do such a thing.
"You must have killed him right before Deon Hart's eyes, without a doubt. Is that not why he is running around like a madman?"
"......Aha, Your Majesty."
It was a sharp point, but the Duke instead smiled.
"You knew and stayed silent."
"......."
"I understand. Because now is the time we must unite against a single enemy. Had the truth been brought to light, division within the Empire would have occurred."
The Duke was certain that the Emperor would not reveal this fact. The Emperor clicked his tongue quietly.
It was just as the bastard thought. The division within the Empire, dangerous in and of itself, would not stop there but would also affect the alliances between nations.
Therefore, Edoardo Desert chose silence as Emperor. He had silently assented to making Deon Hart a common enemy.
"......That being the case, your sins will not disappear."
"If they are not revealed, they are not sins."
"A vicious statement. Since it is not the kind of thing that can be hidden forever, I don't know what you believe in to be so brazen."
At the venomous remark, the Duke smiled.
"I am so honored by Your Majesty worrying for me that I scarcely know what to do with myself, but I am more worried about Your Majesty. You insist on keeping your seat to the end. I shall earnestly pray that no unfortunate incident occurs where you are dragged down, defeated by your hallucinations."
"I appreciate the well-wishing."
Since there was no one around, harsh words were exchanged.
The Emperor ended the conversation by brushing off the Duke's sharp words filled with sarcasm, and turned his back.
And on his way to his office, he received a headache-inducing piece of news from the knight who had come for the twelfth report.
"......Say that again. What did the Lofty Knight Order do?"
"The Murderers, I mean the Lofty Knight Order... deserted while en route."
"......In the end."
* * *
The sky today was blue without fail.
On the ground of the battlefield, thick with the smell of blood, I looked up at the sky where a cool breeze must be blowing, then lowered my head and swept my gaze across the assembled squad members of the Murderer unit.
Though there was no battle, the sudden assembly order had left them bewildered as they stared blankly at me.
I quietly broke the silence.
"There's something I want to ask."
Responses came immediately.
"Who is it!"
"Where are they!"
"Should we bury everything but the head, or bury them cleanly including the head?"
The Murderer unit members threw out questions, each with their eyes gleaming. In the situation that instantly grew noisy, I fell silent for a moment.
Just as I was about to raise my voice, thinking the conversation would not proceed as it was, a booming shout came from one side.
"You little shits, you can't ask that!"
"......Then?"
At someone's counter-question, Cleter turned his head and looked back this way. A polite question was posed.
"How many are there?"
"Aha!"
What 'aha'....
Since it was obvious that at this rate I would never get to the main point if I lived forever, I immediately opened my mouth.
"I heard a rumor that some of you bastards use drugs even when there's no battle."
"Ah......."
"Seems it's true."
"......."
A few visibly flinched and stealthily averted their gazes. A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
"Don't do it."
"......."
"Do you want to die? It seems you don't want to go back? That's a method for surviving on the battlefield, not something for you to use in daily life."
On the battlefield, since you go mad, I go mad, everyone goes mad, using drugs might not stand out much, but daily life was different.