The Oath of Greed
"I swear it upon the Oath of Tenebris's Black Blessing. The above is the full content of the human-side press conference held immediately after the Cezar declared war."
"I see. Thank you, Anima. Sorry to trouble you, but could you brew me another cup of coffee?"
"I will prepare it at once. Would you like me to bring some complementary biscuits as well?"
"Yes, that would be wonderful."
I sat in my office, sipping the coffee Anima had prepared, and continued poring over the endless stack of documents. No matter how much I worked, the pile never seemed to shrink. If anything, it replenished itself the moment I cleared a section. I had declared war, true, but that didn’t mean I would immediately launch an invasion into the human realm. Those who heard the declaration probably assumed I would come charging in at any moment, yet there was no need for such haste.
Honestly, the declaration itself had been unnecessary. What war crimes or cowardly acts could they possibly accuse us of at this point? Still, I had made the proclamation not to intimidate external enemies, but to restrain and unify the enemies within.
"Ah, right. How did the legion commanders react?"
"Shall I report each commander’s individual response?"
"Just give me the overall atmosphere."
"It is not favorable. To be frank, many are reacting as if you have lost your mind."
"Haha, exactly what I expected."
"While the raid on Osril yielded results, they view it as nothing more than a successful surprise attack. They have not yet fully acknowledged you as the true Cezar. Everyone seems to be watching closely to see what your next move will be."
"My next move, huh… Tell me, Anima. If you were in my position, what would you do?"
"To wage war as the Cezar commands, the greatest threat has always been not the enemy ahead, but the enemy behind."
"In other words, cleaning up internal threats takes top priority."
"Yes."
Just as Anima said, the situation inside Ravilis was still far from perfectly resolved. Launching an invasion while our own house remained in disorder would only invite a knife in the back. Since the humans could not storm into Tenebris unless we made the first move, there was no reason to rush out and flail about.
The only one capable of reaching Tenebris was that single lunatic, Inferno. Yet I doubted even that cowardly bastard would dare come alone.
"Anima, let’s flip the question. Aside from internal enemies, which legion commanders do you think could be brought over as allies?"
"Excluding Fade of the Third Legion, none of the commanders are currently allies. However, not all of them are sharpening their blades against you. Due to differences in temperament, the Second and Sixth Legions appear far easier to recruit than Nobel Heine of the First."
"And your reasoning?"
"The character and traits of each Ravilis legion often follow the sin they embody. The Third Legion, for example, represents Wrath. They are known for charging fearlessly into close combat and fighting with unmatched bravery. They also revere strength above all else, true to their nature."
"Hearing that, I’m glad you were part of the Third Legion, Anima."
"Thank you. To continue, the Second Legion represents Greed. Their commander, Gula Quebello, is exceedingly avaricious, yet equally weak to material temptation. If offered suitable compensation, he will always be looking for an opportunity to align himself with the Cezar."
"In simple terms… he’s not exactly the most trustworthy sort."
"Correct. However, there is no one more reliable than a man drowning in greed. Once the reward is secured, he will never betray you."
I found myself agreeing with parts of Anima’s assessment. Opportunists always flock to the strong and the wealthy. I hadn’t particularly favored such people during my days as Eternal, but now that I lacked neither money nor power, they might be the most useful tools available.
"Next is the Sixth Legion. They embody Lust, and their commander is Gini Luxury."
"It’s a woman?"
"Are you interested?"
"No, it’s not that… Just thinking that you were a legion commander yourself, Anima."
"The strongest are not bound by gender or age."
"Fair enough. Please continue."
"The Sixth Legion values stimulation above all else. What they prize most is exceptional beauty and outstanding stamina."
"Which means…"
"I do not wish to say this to you, Cezar, but… the most reliable method with the Sixth Legion Commander would be to tempt her with your body."
Deep fury flickered across Anima’s face. At first I thought she was angry that I would have to resort to such methods, but the true source of that expression was clearly…
"Anima, are you jealous right now?"
"…How could one as insignificant as I dare feel such an excessive emotion?"
"But your face is saying something completely different…"
"Is there something strange about my expression?"
"No. Yeah… it’s nothing."
Right. I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.
"Both individuals and their legions would prove immensely helpful to you in your current position. The Second Legion excels at gathering information, while the Sixth Legion’s specialty lies in assassinations and espionage. For someone who requires intelligence as badly as you do, Cezar, those two units may well be the most critical."
"Understood. Then send a summons to the Second Legion Commander. Tell him to meet me around dinnertime. It would be good to talk while sharing a meal."
"I will convey your wishes at once."
After that, I buried myself in paperwork until evening. The day was so overwhelmingly busy that I barely noticed time passing.
"I greet the Cezar."
"Good to see you. Sit down, quickly."
When Gula Quebello, the Second Legion Commander, arrived at the dining hall for the evening invitation, he displayed far more courtesy than any other commander I had met before. His face was exactly as greedy as his legion’s name suggested, yet that very greed seemed to make him more polite than anyone else in order to satisfy his own desires. The slight cognitive dissonance was unavoidable.
"Do you have any preferences? Seafood, perhaps?"
"If it is bestowed by the Cezar, this humble one is prepared to swallow even lye."
"Haha, I like that answer. I asked them to put extra care into tonight’s meal, so I hope you enjoy it."
"This humble one is overwhelmed by your grace."
The beginning was light small talk. Like a man and woman meeting for an arranged introduction, our conversation flowed from personal matters to the food once the dishes arrived. Only after a long while did we finally reach the real reason for the meeting.
"Gula Quebello."
"Yes, Cezar. Please speak."
"How much is your loyalty worth?"
"You are direct."
"Beating around the bush would only breed suspicion."
The Second Legion Commander appeared to ponder for a long time before opening his mouth again.
"Cezar, allow this humble one to ask the reverse. What can you offer me?"
"I can give you a great deal of money."
"This humble one already possesses enough wealth to build several mansions as grand as palaces."
"I can grant you power."
"Power is also appreciated, yet this humble one knows his place. I would never presume to desire more authority than I deserve."
"You certainly have a lot already."
"Yet greed is the desire to possess even more despite having much."
He was right. The usual offerings held no appeal for him.
"You truly are a man who embodies the word greed."
"Haha, I am deeply honored."
"Very well. I swear it. If you truly know your place, I will grant you three requests that even the Cezar can fulfill."
"Cezar, then this humble one has one question."
"You may ask."
"What do you believe is the greatest thing the Cezar possesses?"
What I possess. Money? Power? No, those things are not particularly important to my core self. They weren’t before, and they aren’t now. So the greatest thing I have… is obviously…
"Conviction in victory and a desire for domination. I will never be defeated, and every person will kneel and bow their head before me. I am giving you the opportunity to be part of that."
A faint smile formed on Gula’s lips. He rose from his seat, knelt on one knee, and lowered his head.
I, Gula Quebello, Commander of the Second Legion, hereby swear upon the Oath of Tenebris’s Black Blessing that I shall devote my entire life to the true Cezar and offer him my eternal loyalty!
"I, too, swear upon the Oath of Tenebris’s Black Blessing. The name Ira will make Tenebris great."
"Your grace leaves me speechless!"
The Oath of Tenebris’s Black Blessing. Anyone who understood the weight of those words could only be satisfied. For any member of Ravilis or Tenebris, it was an absolute vow that could never be questioned or broken.
"Gula Quebello, you are truly a greedy man. I am very satisfied."
"Greed is my strength. I vow to offer the Cezar the very thing that stimulates my greed the most."
"Good. I will trust you."
I had successfully recruited the Second Legion Commander. Yet, honestly, I felt a little disappointed.
Anima even gave me a contingency plan in case things went badly, but I didn’t get to use it at all…
I never expected it to be this easy…