Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Support
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After a long and complicated process, I finally found myself in a private audience with the Emperor.
To be precise, we weren’t entirely alone. An old man with a full head of white hair stood by the Emperor's side.
“……”
Sage Rotern.
Also known as the Quest NPC.
This time, I wasn't joking. In the original story, he was the character who constantly dished out quests. That's why you had to seek out Rotern every time you visited the Imperial Palace.
The Sage's signature abilities were clairvoyance and foresight.
They were imperfect and couldn't be used often, but he invested every one of his few opportunities in the Hero's party.
Go here, go there.
Take care of something at that location.
He helped advance the story in that general fashion.
A sort of navigation system, if you will.
Thanks to him, we never had to wander around aimlessly, unsure of what to do next. My memory wasn't perfect on the finer details, so the Sage’s importance remained.
I vaguely recalled the backstory I had once skimmed over. In his youth, Rotern had served as a companion to a Hero. They eventually fought a decisive battle against the Demon King, but the outcome was far from good.
He was the sole survivor.
Though he had dealt a significant blow to the Demon King, he lost the Hero and all his companions.
After a brief spell of indescribable loss, Rotern vowed revenge and pushed himself relentlessly.
Thus, he became the nightmare of the Demon King's army. He dedicated his entire life to seeing the Demon King's downfall.
Rotern was a truly great magician.
Sage was a glorious title bestowed upon only one person in an era.
The pinnacle of countless magicians. He was in a league of his own.
In his prime, he even had the spectacular achievement of defeating one of the Four Heavenly Kings single-handedly.
His power was simply overwhelming.
He may have been humanity's strongest, surpassing even the Hero.
Well, as for now…
He was living proof that time waits for no one.
He looked for all the world like an old man on his last legs.
I was confident I wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly collapsed. The Sage had lived more years than even the elven lady.
White hair and a white beard covered his entire face. He kept his eyes closed, as if even opening them was a struggle.
Hmm, isn't this elder abuse at this point?
I was starting to feel bad about receiving quests from him! Of course, I had no intention of refusing any he offered.
Ultimately, the Sage survives until the very end. A terrifying testament to his willpower, waiting patiently for the Demon King's demise…
The long game pays off.
He was living proof of that saying.
So be it. All I had to do was gratefully accept the Sage's assistance.
As a sign of my respect, I would help him achieve what he had yearned for his entire life.
Soon, the Emperor introduced Rotern.
He said the Sage had supported Heroes both materially and spiritually over many long years. We were scheduled to receive that tremendous benefit as well.
“First, we should discuss ‘that matter.’”
The Emperor’s gaze fell upon the princess.
His tone remained the same, but the atmosphere shifted completely.
The Emperor's Domain Expansion.
The Emperor's Breathing, First Form.
I could feel a distinct weight, as if such things actually existed.
I was beyond its influence, but the princess tensed up, seemingly crushed by the pressure.
I wondered how she would overcome this trial. For now, all I could do was watch.
“We are all busy people, so I would prefer we stick to the practicalities.”
He was telling us to dispense with the formalities.
The girl cautiously replied that she understood.
“What is it you desire from me?”
“Your Majesty’s grace, the Empire’s support.”
“Specifically?”
“I do not have the right to request specifics…”
“It is fine. Speak your mind freely.”
“……”
She struggled to catch her breath.
She seemed to be hesitating out of sheer reverence. If only she’d learned a thing or two from me, this would be easier…
Do this for me. And that, too.
If you don’t, I’ll quit being a Hero and all that!
Naturally, I didn't have the guts to say that either. Well, the princess surely had her own way of doing things.
“First, I shall inform you of our situation.”
The princess began her calm explanation.
She revealed that she commanded roughly 10,000 troops and 120 knights. While not a small number, it was far from enough to rebuild a kingdom.
That force would be enough to become a regional power at best. A typical, ordinary kingdom could mobilize around 50,000 soldiers.
If she wanted to accomplish anything, she needed at least that many. Even with 50,000 troops, heavy losses were expected in the process of driving out the Demon King's army.
They called it rebuilding the kingdom, but in reality, she had to build a new one from scratch. Maintaining the form of a kingdom with the remaining forces was nigh impossible, but…
The princess would accomplish that very feat. She would use her unique charisma to unite the hearts of her people.
Her current self was simply not yet fully grown. All that was left for her was to mature, in both body and mind.
What? She's turning twenty next year, so she's all grown up, you say?
You don't know the half of it. There's a reason the princess is my favorite character. I can't go into detail, but… anyway! She becomes far more incredible in many ways.
“Given the circumstances, material resources would be more urgent than manpower…”
“Yes. I hope you will provide military supplies for our forces.”
The reality was that they could do nothing on their own.
They needed everything—food, clothing, weapons. The Emperor stroked his chin and casually uttered a single, questioning phrase.
“Can you explain why I should do that?”
“—!”
I told you to state what you want, not that I would grant it.
A subtle, mischievous smirk played on his lips.
At last, the Emperor's test had begun.
He intended to see just how determined she was.
This is why unsecured loans are so difficult.
In the princess's case, her credit score was at rock bottom. The only reason she was even being heard was because she was a Hero; normally, she would have been turned away at the door.
An army was a monster that devoured money; every single aspect of it consumed vast funds. Thus, this was a matter even the Emperor couldn't decide on lightly.
Perhaps it was even more than that.
Viewed dispassionately, there was no reason to help her at all. It would be one thing if the kingdom were still intact, but it was utterly ruined.
For the Empire, this was a kind of investment, one where the prospect of recovering even the principal, let alone any interest, was dim.
Anyone could see that the chances of rebuilding the kingdom were remarkably low. It would take a miracle that would astound everyone to make it happen.
And…
A Hero was one who performed miracles.
In that moment, a light flickered in the girl's eyes. The princess straightened her back and looked at the Emperor.
“Our forces are composed of veterans who survived the last war. They are all excellent warriors. Furthermore, they are armed with a burning desire for revenge against the Demon King's army. Having overcome starvation and continued their training, I dare say their actual combat strength is equivalent to that of the Empire's elite legions.”
“Hmm…”
“Additionally, should the circumstances allow, we can recruit more troops.”
Many wished to enlist, she said, but they had to be turned away due to various issues.
It meant that if they had ample supplies, they could even field 50,000 soldiers.
Esterize powerfully projected the air of a leader guiding a faction.
“When war breaks out, countless Imperial soldiers will shed their blood. A portion of that… we will shed in their place.”
At her willingness to stand at the forefront of battle, the supreme ruler of the Empire smiled meaningfully.
“So you would sacrifice your people to rebuild your kingdom… What crime have they committed?”
“……”
“If you have something to say, speak. I will hear your rebuttal.”
An undeniable, uncomfortable truth.
The final trial had arrived. The princess pressed a hand to her chest, as if in pain.
Ah, you can't falter now!
Just get past this, and everything will go smoothly!
My own heart was pounding in my chest. Wanting to cheer her on, I reached out and took her hand.
Flinch.
She reflexively turned to me. Her eyes asked what was wrong, and I simply nodded in response.
Was it the warmth I conveyed?
The princess quickly regained her composure. Then, as if she had never wavered, she confidently stated her conviction.
“I am a Hero. Though I feel unworthy of the title, I have no intention of turning back. As a Hero, I will fight for everyone. Sacrifice is inevitable in any endeavor… I am prepared to make sacrifices alongside my people.”
Who would dare speak of sacrifice before a Hero?
Of all the people in the world, a Hero’s shoulders bore the heaviest burden.
Rebuilding her kingdom was not a selfish desire.
Of course, as the last of her royal line, she must have lingering attachments, but her desire for everyone to be happy as they once were surely came first.
“Doing my best to reduce the sacrifices is the optimal path… Beyond that, I do not know.”
The girl's eyes burned with a controlled flame.
With that, she had unabashedly revealed her beliefs.
She was finally showing her true self. She had passed the final test splendidly, making my worries seem foolish.
A man like the Emperor would have surely grasped the princess's sincerity. And as if to prove it, the weighty air around him dissipated.
“…A marvelously strong conviction. As expected, there was a reason you were chosen as a Hero.”
The highest of praises continued to flow. He had fully acknowledged her.
There was no need to see what came next. The Emperor, as if boasting of his own magnanimity, threw her a blank check.
“We must decide the scale of the support. Name what you need.”
“Uh, that is…”
“I am willing to provide as much as you require. You will only lose out if you try to be reserved and ask for less.”
“……”
His completely changed attitude left her dumbfounded.
The girl who had once shyly coveted the Empire's entire annual budget.
The moment had finally come for that dream to become reality. After much deliberation, the princess cautiously requested military supplies and funds on a scale that could sustain 30,000 troops for about three years.
“Is that sufficient?”
“Yes. This is already an immense request, so anything more…”
“Very well. The Empire will cover half.”
“—??”
Wait, hold on…
Why half? He spoke as if he'd give her everything!
It's not good when a man of the Emperor's standing gets this playful…
Of course, even half of that was beyond her expectations… but still, it felt a little off!
The princess was left slightly dazed.
Knowing what was coming next, I leisurely enjoyed her reaction.
“As for the other half… it would be best to secure it as aid from the neighboring kingdoms.”
“—!”
Her expression was one of utter shock.
From the princess’s perspective, she had every reason to be startled.
The Emperor's words carried immense weight.
It meant he would use subtle threats to squeeze contributions from the surrounding nations, which in itself was an act of supporting the reconstruction of the Kingdom of Castilla. It was no different from declaring that the Empire stood behind the princess.
- Neighboring Kingdoms: Oh, you guys are ruined? We’ll gladly take that empty land off your hands!
- Kingdom of Castilla: You wicked fiends! I hate you more than the Demon King's army!
That had been the general flow of things, so for the princess, this must have been incredibly satisfying. With the Empire involved, they would have no choice but to provide aid, like it or not.
It wouldn't have been strange for her to feel a sense of triumph, but the princess was first moved to tears by the Emperor's generosity.
“Ah, how can I ever repay this grace…”
“Grace? One might think I was providing this for free.”
“…I shall sincerely pray for Your Majesty’s long life and for the continued glory of the Empire.”
The Emperor smiled gently.
He seemed pleased by the princess's show of respect.
“All I wish is for you to focus on your duty as a Hero.”
By now, the girl's eyes had turned red.
Having achieved something she had never imagined, it was no wonder.
In truth, this was how things were always meant to be.
This war between humanity and the Demon King's army was to be the last.
The stage was set for both sides to exert their full strength.
Moreover, there wasn't just one Hero in this era, but two.
To the Emperor, that fact might have felt like some kind of divine revelation.
Well then…
With the princess's business concluded, it was time for me to have a moment of clarity with the Sage.