Chapter 52
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Secret Order
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Ian had no choice but to accept the emperor's secretive proposal.
It was an imperial command, after all.
What was he supposed to do when the emperor himself ordered it? He had to comply.
Of course, he could've stubbornly refused all the way to the end, but the mission's details were something Ian had no reason to turn down anyway, so he accepted without hesitation.
"If it wouldn't be too rude, may I ask what exactly you mean by a group of evildoers infiltrating the heart of the empire?"
"It's no metaphor. It's literal."
"Literal, you say..."
"There's no need for Us to explain further. What you understand matches Our own understanding perfectly."
If the emperor said as much, the meaning was obvious.
'There are black mages among the nobility.'
Ian recalled the storyline.
The main plot involved the forces of evil, led by Pandemonium, running rampant, turning the land into a chaotic place rife with war and slaughter.
But Ian didn't know the finer details of the story.
Part of it was that he'd only played for a measly 100 hours, but more than that, he just wasn't the type to savor every bit of lore.
He'd skipped through all the story dialogues, so he couldn't be entirely sure, but thinking back, the empire's noble society never seemed all that peaceful during his playthrough.
He vaguely remembered fragmented story snippets from quests he'd taken from nobles and merchants—hints of unrest slipped in there.
'I always wondered why that bloody purge came out of nowhere. Maybe it was because of these evildoers.'
Whether that was true or not, Ian would only find out from here on.
"Sir Ian. Take this."
Ian received a small handheld communicator from a middle-aged man with short, thick black hair and a scar across his face.
His name was Rodin, captain of the Imperial Guard and a knight deeply favored by the emperor.
He was also one of the few who knew about Ian's secret mission.
"Activate it when you have a report to make. A hidden blade of the imperial household will rush to your side."
"Understood."
"This is a gift from His Majesty. Treat it as an honor to your house."
"I will."
Ian nodded, inwardly marveling.
'Never thought I'd live to hear polite speech from the captain of the Imperial Guard.'
Being a court mage had its perks.
Hadn't the man just switched from casual speech to deferential in an instant?
Was this the taste of success?
'Anyway... this thing.'
Ian quickly examined the communicator.
It looked utterly ordinary.
But this was no ordinary device—it could summon the Imperial Shadows.
The shadow knights who pledged loyalty solely to the emperor, guardians of the imperial family.
'Not sure if I should be thrilled or terrified by this.'
Suddenly skyrocketing to prominence and thrust into the heart of a conspiracy—like the protagonist of some tale.
Oh, but this secret mission from the emperor seemed separate from Crown Prince Asteon.
Asteon had seemed completely in the dark.
Or at least, he was pretending to be.
"What will you do?"
"Pardon?"
"How do you plan to carry out His Majesty's orders?"
"Ah, that. I already have some ideas."
It was a bluff.
Ian had no real plan.
'Carry out? I just heard about it myself. How am I supposed to have a plan already? What am I, a miracle fixer?'
But he couldn't say that out loud.
He knew this wasn't genuine curiosity from the guard captain.
'The emperor must've put him up to it.'
So, time for some lip service.
"Ideas, you say? What sort?"
"I'd love to tell you, but forgive me—I cannot."
"Why not?"
"Secrets have a way of leaking out, no matter what."
'I don't know either, sir. I'll figure it out from now on, so please don't ask.'
"It's to ensure the mission succeeds flawlessly—not because I distrust you, Sir Rodin. Forgive me."
"If that's the case, I understand. I was being shortsighted."
Rodin nodded.
Luckily, the dodge seemed to work.
Hmm, maybe add a little more.
"You must know that during my time at the division, I've never once failed a mission."
"I do."
"It's immodest to say it myself, but I've handled every difficult task thrown my way. And each time, I had my ideas."
Another bluff, of course.
'Ideas? I just winged it.'
But the guard captain nodded again.
With proven results, even his bluster was credible.
"So trust me and leave it to me. Just as I've always worked for the empire's peace, I'll do the same this time."
"Mm. Understood. Thank you for indulging my needless questions. Farewell."
Rodin departed, leaving Ian alone to head straight home.
It was already 6 p.m.
Work hours were over—no mission mattered now.
The first thing Ian did upon returning home was eat the meal Kez had prepared.
He used to cook for himself, but ever since Kez arrived, the goblin had taken over cooking duties.
And surprisingly, Kez was pretty good at it.
Ian's quality of life had improved even more as a result.
"This is delicious. What meat is this?"
"Yes. Rabbit meat, sir. I bought it from the market on Moonlight Street in the southern district."
"Oh, there's a market there?"
"Yes. It opened a few days ago, and they sell high-quality meat at good prices. Keruk."
"Really? That's quite a trek. You went all the way there for ingredients? Good job."
"P-Pardon? Y-Yes. Th-That's right. Everything for my m-master. Keruk."
Kez stammered oddly.
Then coughed.
'Choked?'
Ian brushed it off and nodded. Despite his goblin looks, Kez had gone shopping on his own. A fine assistant indeed.
The more he watched, the more commendable the goblin seemed.
"Didn't people stare or whisper about you?"
"Some stared, but no whispers. And with my hood covering my face, it was no issue. Keruk."
I see.
Makes sense—it wouldn't be that strange.
Near the magic tower, goblin slaves wandered the streets all the time. Nothing odd about it.
"Oh, right. I heard a new merchant house opened on Moonlight Street. Alchemi Merchant House, was it?"
"Kerhek! Cough cough!"
"What? Actually choking?"
"N-No... cough!"
"Told you to eat slower."
Ian patted Kez's back.
It seemed to settle.
"Keruk, s-sorry. To think you'd touch this lowly servant's body..."
"Sorry for what? Calm down and have some water."
"Yes, sir."
"You feeling okay?"
"Pardon? No, I'm fine."
"Really?"
Ian tilted his head.
'Why's he shaking like that?'
He hadn't been like this before.
"Speak up if you're sick. I'll give you the day off."
"N-No, I'm not sick. No need to worry. Keruk."
"Fine then."
Probably just an off day.
That happens.
"Anyway, you've heard about Alchemi Merchant House, right?"
"Y-Yes. I h-have. Keruk."
"Something's off about them lately. Their growth is explosive."
Alchemi Merchant House.
A new upstart group run by an alchemist, true to its name.
The proprietor was skilled enough to win favor among the Alchemist Guild folks.
They mainly dealt in potions, and their momentum had Ian hearing about them constantly.
"What if they end up swallowing my dad's merchant house too?"
"I-I doubt it. Your father's house is one of the empire's top firms. H-How dare a puny little outfit challenge a giant like that?"
"True."
Kez seemed oddly agitated, but Ian nodded it off.
He knew Kez was always passionate about his master's affairs.
The goblin bowed his head at every chance—what was odd about that?
"Anyway, thinking of checking them out later. They say their stuff is top-notch. Gotta be something useful for our alchemy research, right?"
"Yes. Whatever you wish, master."
"Good. I'm done eating—heading to bed."
"No research tonight?"
"Nah. Got to enter the palace early tomorrow. Oversleep, and I'm done for."
Ian rose and went to his bedroom. About 30 minutes later, snores echoed, and Kez let out a deep sigh.
'That was close. Almost blew my masterstroke plan for him.'
Kez hurriedly prepared to go out. Now, while his master slept, was the perfect time.
From their routine, he knew Ian slept soundly until morning.
No intruder short of an assassin would wake him.
'No time to waste. Must finish the final test.'
He dressed quickly: tunic and pants, then a full-body gray robe. With an illusion-masked face, his green skin was perfectly hidden.
Perfect disguise.
Kez focused. Mana surged, and his body teleported.
Space transfer magic.
He arrived at Moonlight Street.
A tall fence at the alley's corner, buildings within.
The crossed-flask merchant mark, and beside it, the grand gate labeled Alchemi Merchant House.
He knocked, and someone emerged, bowing to Kez.
"Master, you've arrived."
"Yes. Everything go well in my absence?"
"Yes. All orders fulfilled. Just the final test left."
"Excellent."
Kez smiled in satisfaction. Thinking of his struggles made it all worthwhile.
How much effort for this result.
'All for my master. I made this bold decision just for him.'
Working as Ian's assistant, he'd noticed something.
Ian paid no mind to his alchemical byproducts.
Potions, catalysts, and synths rotting in storage.
Kez hated the waste. Sell them, and it'd be a fortune.
'Master cares little for money. He's a mage, a researcher. And from a wealthy family.'
It made sense.
'I'll bring him greater wealth. Enough that he can research alchemy endlessly without a worry.'
A true assistant fills their master's gaps.
Whenever Ian was away, Kez worked tirelessly, as if he had two bodies.
Robe for body, mask for face—hiding his goblin nature, he gathered people and founded the merchant house.
Thus, the mysterious alchemist-run upstart Alchemi Merchant House was born.
'Started by supplying the Alchemist and Mercenary Guilds.'
It grew fast.
The goods were top quality.
Ian's warehouse scraps were doomed for disposal anyway, so Kez siphoned them off bit by bit to the guilds.
Thus, Alchemi began gaining fame.
Once on track, Kez launched his mid-term goal.
Project: Mass-Produce Household Homunculi.
Literally that.
Mass-produce and sell household homunculi.
To whom? Nobles. Or rich merchants.
Plenty of potential. He'd already perfected them.
Just hadn't told Ian.
'Master, forgive this foolish servant. I never meant to deceive you. It was all to bring you greater riches...!'
Presenting to Ian would've delayed mass production.
But succeed in mass production, deliver riches alongside? Double the joy.
The project began, and now completion was near.
'Master, wait. I'll bring you vast wealth. Keh heh heh.'
Late night.
Hiding his sly intent, he issued orders to his staff.
Quitting time, but double pay kept them moving.
Acting as proprietor meant no goblin tells—especially no "keruk."
Normal goblins couldn't help it, but as an elder goblin, he could suppress it.
"How were the first and second test evaluations?"
"The first got mixed reactions. Customers were iffy."
"Iffy how?"
"They cleaned things they weren't supposed to. Intelligence too low, probably unavoidable."
"I see. Second test?"
"Much better. Cleaned autonomously without orders, no errors. Customers loved it."
"Good. Drawbacks?"
"Price, as expected."
"Price..."
"Yes. Higher intelligence meant higher cost. Even nobles balked—said they'd just hire maids."
"Right."
Kez quickly gathered feedback and pinpointed fixes.
"Remove the language function entirely."
"Pardon?"
"They just need to handle chores. No need for chit-chat, even with egos. Cut language boldy."
"Brilliant! Production cost halves!"
They tested immediately. A prototype homunculus glowed, splitting into 20 new ones.
Round, slime-like blue bodies, no legs, two arms.
One held a broom, the other a dustpan.
The lead one, Prototype Scrubby 29-1—a blue slime-spirit homunculus—spoke first.
"Swish!"
Kez stroked his chin at the bouncy little cleaner.
"Language gone. But that swish cry's unavoidable?"
"Yes. Couldn't change it. Cleaning's their essence."
"Fine. Test it."
They did. Told to clean a dirty spot, Scrubby 29-1 bounced over.
"Swish!"
It swept dust with broom and dustpan.
Then...
"Hup."
Dumped the dust into its mouth and chomped.
Gulp!
Swallowed the dust.
Its body turned black, polluted-like.
But it shivered, returning to blue.
"Purification flawless. The water affinity did the trick."
"Yes. Time halved. Ready for market."
"Set to enjoy purification?"
"Yes. And mope if they can't. Mana from purification smooth?"
"Perfect."
More tests followed.
Fetching items, serving food—Scrubby 29-1 aced them all. Kez nodded happily.
'Finally, the harvest.'
A superb housework spirit.
A downgraded version of the originals for Ian, but sales-ready.
"Produce a batch now. Deliver to pre-orders."
"It's late..."
"They're waiting for my word. They'll answer."
"Yes."
"Watch reactions, then launch first sales. Gear up."
"Yes!"
Kez's smile deepened at their enthusiastic reply.
'Master, just wait. I'll bring joyous news.'