015. The Guillotine (1)
Elysis Floren, confined to the detached palace, hadn't been sleeping well lately.
She stayed up late into the night, and even if she did drift off, she'd wake after just three hours.
She rubbed her bleary eyes and picked up the newspaper slipped through the door crack.
These days, reading the paper was her only pleasure.
The headline featured a massive photo.
Elysis froze at the sight of Leon Eisen's stern face in the photo.
She froze again reading the text below it.
"Your Majesty…"
That title had referred to her and Ulysian just a short while ago.
But now it belonged to Leon.
Tears streamed down her face.
Where did it all go wrong?
If I'd chosen Leon instead of Ulysian, would none of this have happened?
She wondered.
Never imagining the soul now inhabiting his body wasn't the real Leon Eisen, but someone entirely different.
After the Allied Forces retreated.
I entered Hargen Pass and handed the navy over to Walter.
Then I boarded the express train to the capital.
The soldiers would follow separately.
Right now, I had to do what was necessary.
And it had to be now—while my victory in the war had solidified my power.
I dozed off briefly and woke to find the train already in the heart of Alrenlicht.
Stepping out, cheers erupted.
"Waaaaah!"
"Long live King Leon! Long live! Long live!"
"Just one glance here, Your Majesty!"
Cameras flashed everywhere, petals swirling in the streets.
This massive crowd was all here to welcome me.
"Make way! His Majesty the King is passing!"
Theresia shouted, trying to clear a path, but it was futile.
Only when soldiers arrived did the road to the palace open.
"Whew."
After arriving at the palace.
I washed up quickly, changed into proper kingly attire, and headed to the audience chamber.
Sitting on the throne atop the red carpet, all the ministers gazed up at me.
They waited breathlessly for my words.
"Ahem."
Part of me wanted a smoke, but a king has to maintain dignity.
That could wait.
I tapped the throne's armrest, pondering.
What to address first?
As I mulled it over, Minister of the Interior Ernst stepped forward with perfect poise.
"Your Majesty, congratulations on the victory!"
"Congratulations on the victory!"
They all shouted in unison.
I waved a hand dismissively.
"As the sovereign of Nicator, I merely did what was required."
Ernst looked deeply moved.
And why not? The previous occupant of this throne was that idiot Ulysian.
A bum who did nothing as the nation teetered on collapse—replaced by a capable ruler like me. How could they not be moved?
Put another way.
Ulysian von Nicator had to die.
And it had to be now.
With the Allied Forces repelled and my prestige at its peak.
His head on the block would cement my power.
Any dissenters?
Label them remnants of the old corrupt regime and purge them.
"What of the former emperor's status?"
"He is confined in the underground dungeon, Your Majesty."
"Execute him tomorrow."
"Pardon? P-Pardon?"
Ernst paled, asking again.
"No need for a trial…?"
"Unnecessary."
No matter how incompetent Ulysian was, his father Aurelian's prowess was universally acknowledged.
Most ministers had served under Aurelian.
Me too.
They still held respect for the Nicator line.
So, mobilize those without such sentiments.
"We'll leave it to the people's will instead of a trial."
"The people's will, sire…?"
"Bring the widows and parents of soldiers fallen on the front lines to the execution grounds. I'm curious if they'd choose to kill Ulysian—or spare him."
"Ahh…"
Ernst nodded in understanding and stepped back.
Nicator had survived thanks to me.
But that didn't mean the kingdom was normalized.
This land had rotted through after continental unification.
Or more precisely, after Aurelian's reign ended.
It crumbled the moment Ulysian ascended.
Too much to fix even now.
With power in hand, my path was clear.
Restore Nicator Kingdom to a state capable of reconquering the five eastern nations.
But not actually reconquer.
It would take too long, and it wouldn't stop the Demon King soon to come.
My chosen path instead:
Preserve the Nation and Subjugate the Enemy
Success Probability: Unknown
Estimated Losses: Variable
Time Required: Moderate
A shiver ran through me.
Theresia, at my side, noticed and almost spoke but held back.
"I'm fine."
I stood, gripping the royal scepter and swinging it.
"We'll discuss other state matters starting tomorrow. Today, only the disposition of former Emperor Ulysian."
"Yes!"
The ministers replied in unison.
I scanned them and exited the chamber.
First, a smoke—then think.
Ulysian, true to his romance-fantasy male lead trope, never smoked.
Even original Leon Eisen hadn't before I possessed him.
Makes me seem like the villain here.
Atop the palace, I pulled out my favorite pipe, packed it with tobacco, and lit up.
"Fuu."
I'd finally changed into comfortable casual clothes.
Kingly garb was too restrictive.
I summoned Ernst and Claudia privately with orders.
"The execution ground at the plaza right in front of the palace?"
"Yes."
I grinned at them.
"Mobilize families of the fallen for the crowd."
"Your intent is rather transparent, sire."
Claudia interjected.
"But not a bad method. The bereaved hate Ulysian most, but the kingdom's people loathe him to some degree anyway."
"Exactly."
Ulysian jacked up taxes right after ascending.
No exceptions for the Nicator Empire heartland.
And those taxes funded imperial luxuries.
Not even for the empire's growth.
"Tomorrow at noon."
"We'll prepare accordingly, Your Majesty."
"Guillotine for the execution."
"Pardon? P-Pardon…"
With Ernst and Claudia dismissed, I finally relaxed.
Executing Ulysian wasn't just killing a former emperor.
There'd be those resentful of my downgrading the empire to kingdom and taking the throne.
Ulysian was the trigger.
Kill him, dissenters rise.
Crush them—by purge or force.
His cronies deserved it anyway.
Useless trash.
I checked the status window again.
"National status window."
"Hm."
Definitely improved from before.
But it needed to get better.
First step: kill Ulysian.
I bided my time until the next day.
The next day at noon.
A temporary execution ground was set up in the plaza before the palace.
A single guillotine stood atop it.
War bereaved filled the surroundings.
They all shouted.
"Kill the emperor!"
"Avenge our soldiers' blood!"
"Long live King Leon!"
I watched from right in front of the execution ground.
The palace gates opened.
Ulysian von Nicator was dragged out, looking half-dead already.
"…How does it feel?"
I glanced at Elysis seated beside me.
She could only squeeze her eyes shut, escaping reality.