Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Chapter 43: Revival of the Emperor's Cult (1)
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Raymond rose from bed with a satisfied expression, something he hadn't felt in ages. Thanks to Desia's massage, much of his fatigue had melted away.
That morning brought no urgent reports, so nothing disturbed His Majesty's deep slumber.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the luxury of sleeping in filled him with a refreshing bliss right from the start of the day.
But the good news didn't end there. After rising from bed and enjoying the sandwich and rich tea that his attendant Alex had brought, Raymond set out for a stroll. Just before the walk ended, he felt his Dominion recover.
'What happened this time?'
It couldn't have been the walk itself that restored his Dominion. Raymond pondered the recent orders he'd given, searching for anything that might have influenced the world, until one came to mind.
'The gold mine...?'
It had been some time since he'd ordered the mine's construction. So why was his Dominion recovering only now?
'The mine's activation?'
Sure enough, just as he finished sorting his thoughts and returned from his walk, a messenger reported that magical communication from Rackle Bronze—the commander of Ironhammer left in the Black Mountains—was waiting.
"I'll head there right away."
After downing some cold water, he made straight for the magical communication room. Inside, the assigned mage was standing by. She was a top-tier Imperial Army mage he'd seen a few times before, though her name escaped him.
"The signal is connected."
"Good work."
Raymond patted the communication mage's shoulder in appreciation before taking a seat in front of the scrying orb and looking up.
Rackle Bronze's face appeared in the orb—the man in charge of Ironhammer operations.
A broad grin lit up his hearty features, making it clear even to a stranger that he bore good tidings.
"You've brought good news, I take it."
-Yes, Your Majesty!
Rackle replied in a booming voice, and Raymond nodded before speaking.
"Out with it, then."
-The mining fortress has activated successfully. It was completed three days ago, and we had our first output this morning. Not a single monster has approached the site during construction or even now! This is all thanks to Your Majesty's grace!
Rackle's voice brimmed with excitement, his face alight with joy.
"The suppressor is performing admirably, then."
The suppressor that kept monsters at bay—it was the result of studying Elpis's secret grimoire.
Though Raymond had lent his aid, the Crimson Tower had led the research, so their contributions to its development were substantial.
-Yes, Your Majesty. We've confirmed the suppressor is operating normally. With our safety in the heart of the Black Mountains at stake, we've run multiple verification procedures.
Rackle reported. Raymond nodded in satisfaction.
"Excellent. I'll continue entrusting the mining fortress to you. Keep up the good work."
-I shall give my all, Your Majesty.
The magical communication ended. Soon after, Raymond connected to the capital.
-The capital here, Your Majesty. What are your commands?
The face of the top-tier mage guarding the capital's communication room appeared.
"Connect me to the Minister of Finance."
-We'll summon him at once.
Unwilling to just wait around, Raymond headed to his temporary office in the Ireiser lord's castle to review reports.
Just as he was about to open one, a knock sounded, and the door opened. A Royal Guard entered slowly and bowed.
"Your Majesty. Word from the communication room—the Minister of Finance has responded to the summons."
"I'll go now."
He returned to the communication room and sat before the scrying orb.
-Your Majesty. I heard you were looking for me.
"Gold will soon be shipped from the mining fortress in the Black Mountains."
-Gold, you say?
"That's right—gold. The fortress is newly built, so the initial yield won't be massive, but it should ease the treasury's strain from military expenditures somewhat."
-My thanks, Your Majesty. The Ministry of Finance will make good use of it.
The Minister of Finance bowed his head.
"Once the deficit eases, instruct the Ministry of War immediately to allocate more than half the mine's output to military funds."
-More than half?
The minister's eyes widened. He'd never seen the Black Mountains mining fortress himself, but the reports had informed him of its immense scale.
So an order to divert over half its production to the military was bound to shock him.
"War could drag on—we must prepare. I'll issue an imperial decree in my name. If domestic production falls short, procure what we need from the western island nations."
The world beyond the sea was vast. To the west of the Philius Empire lay the Western Isles, comprising over fifty islands and home to more than five nations.
Fortunately, they maintained strict neutrality, ensuring trade flowed uninterrupted for millennia.
-The Western Isles? Understood.
The Minister of Finance nodded in reply.
"Consult with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this."
-No need for concern, Your Majesty. As always, we'll deliver the best results.
"Good. I trust you."
The magical communication ended. Raymond stretched lightly and left the room. Gestain and Desia, who had been waiting, fell in right behind him, followed by the Royal Guard.
Though coordinating with various ministers via magic comms had taken time, it was still too early for bed. Without hesitation, Raymond headed for command headquarters.
As he entered the wide corridor leading there, Count Denitz emerged from around the corner. He approached Raymond and bowed politely.
"Your Majesty. I was just looking for you."
"What is it?"
"Reports are ready in the command conference room. Shall I give a verbal briefing on the way?"
Raymond nodded slowly to Count Denitz's question.
"A brief summary first."
"I'm listening."
"It seems someone is supplying the resistance forces in the occupied territories. We've had successive reports of our supply units being ambushed by irregular armed groups."
"The Free Isirian Kingdom making a move?"
This land had been Free Isirian territory before the Philius Empire's occupation, so they topped the suspect list naturally.
"Doesn't seem like their intelligence bureau. They're barely holding off the Shade assassinations Your Majesty sent their way."
"If not them, then who? Lisbon Maritime Kingdom? Edriger Kingdom?"
The Jeist Magic Kingdom's security mages weren't out of the question either.
They'd intended neutrality at first, but after deploying their 9th Fleet, they'd dragged themselves into war between the Philius Empire and the Three-Nation Alliance. Active involvement now wouldn't be surprising.
"Can't say for sure, but one thing's clear... the volume of supplies reaching the resistance is enormous."
"How do you know that, Count Denitz?"
"Central Intelligence info led to a raid on a resistance stronghold. The report states their stockpiles match the royal army's supply levels."
The royal army was Free Isirian's rare standing force amid their mercenary-heavy setup, so their logistics were top-notch.
Stockpiles on par with theirs were no small matter.
"The resistance is getting more organized. If we let this continue, our supply lines could be jeopardized."
Count Denitz said. The resistance irked him.
He was a tactics expert, but securing occupied territories wasn't his forte.
Of course, his training gave him more insight than most commanders.
"Don't worry too much, Count Denitz. I know an expert in this field."
The Emperor's Cult.
One of the most secretive and ruthless organizations from the ancient era, when the Philius Empire dominated the continent.
In those days, all brutal means were tolerated under the banner of "Imperial Will," allowing the Emperor's Cult to grow its power.
The name evoked a religious order, but in truth, they were more like a political secret police—creating an absolute emperor-worshipping faith to enforce order in occupied lands and hunt down dissenters.
"The most brutal 'unit' in Philius Empire history... but we need their strength now."
Raymond muttered to himself as he quickened his pace toward the lord's castle basement, where the Emperor's Cult slumbered. Gestain, Desia, and the Royal Guard followed silently as always.
"Around here?"
Raymond halted, eyes gleaming. Right before him lay the marker where the ordinary castle basement ended and the Emperor's Cult domain began.
Their raison d'être was blind devotion and exaltation of the emperor. True to that, murals praising the Philius Empire's absolute ruler covered the walls of their domain.
"No trials this time?"
Desia asked softly, glancing at the murals as she followed Raymond, who had resumed walking.
"The Emperor's Cult slumbering here wouldn't dare even think to test the emperor."
"How did they keep out tomb raiders, then?"
"Of course, I passed the minimal authentication proving my imperial bloodline. Without you noticing."
"Goodness."
Desia covered her mouth in shock at Raymond's words.
Ancient magic was profound, but as a high-ranking mage, she expected to sense a barrier's mana signature. Yet there had been nothing.
Ancient magic surpassed her expectations in power and sophistication.
Especially the Emperor's Cult's, renowned even then for its advanced mastery—unlike other imperial reconstruction sites, its mana presence was nearly undetectable.
"Rest easy, Desia. The Emperor's Cult won't harm us."
Raymond soothed her calmly. The tense Royal Guards behind nodded in agreement—they knew of the Emperor's Cult too.
They would never act against the emperor or empire. Their loyalty bordered on fanaticism, making them famed in the Philius Empire as utterly incorruptible.
"Almost there."
Raymond murmured. At the corridor's end loomed a massive golden door. Despite the ages, the Philius Empire's emblematic gold gleamed undimmed, unlike the faded realm.
He approached and placed his hand on the imperial crest engraved on the door, channeling mana. With a heavy rumble, the golden doors parted, revealing a vast interior.
"Inside."
Raymond stepped forward first. As he entered, ancient magical lamps flickered to life after millennia, casting a faint glow.
Darkness receded, illuminating the cylindrical chamber stretching upward. Along the walls, Emperor's Cult members preserved in stasis by ancient grand magic lined the space. Raymond cast a simple spell to count them.
"Roughly four thousand...?"
His Dominion had recovered substantially, but awakening them all was impossible. He didn't know how many he could rouse, but based on past results, it wouldn't be few—and certainly enough to handle the resistance lurking in Ireiser territory.
"I'll awaken them."
"We'll stand guard."
Marquis Blizzard said. The Royal Guards formed a protective formation as Raymond extended his hand, drawing on his Dominion.
Golden energy spread, rousing the priests from stasis.
Though disoriented from eons asleep and their bodies not fully thawed, they first recognized the Philius Empire's emperor, snapped to attention in ranks. A thousand strong, their highest-ranking member stepped forward and bowed.
"Long live Your Majesty! I am Bishop Gustav, head of the Heresy Inquisition Parish."
He was a sixties elder with a white beard. Even through stasis aftereffects, his hollow eyes burned with fervent loyalty to the imperial house.
'Fortunately, we got the Inquisition Parish.'
A smile tugged at Raymond's lips. They would prove invaluable in fully securing the occupied territories for the Philius Empire.