Chapter 66 – 22. Interlude – Empire
“This is an emergency. Secret Service Officer.”
“I heard the situation. Are the elves attacking you?”
The capital of the empire was full of bureaucrats who were busier than ever. After the death of the previous emperor, all sorts of incidents were erupting in all directions now that the three-year mourning hadn’t even ended.
The news of the revival of the demon king who was defeated 500 years ago was heard, and the dependent countries took advantage of the chaos to seek independence. The nobles, who had been oppressed by the previous emperor, who had a reputation as a tyrant, thought that their era had returned as they saw the inexperienced young heir. The royal family’s relatives are making a fuss saying that the emperor will be ruined if a young girl inherits the throne, and that they must be replaced, even though they cannot help the successor.
It was literally a situation of domestic and foreign exchange, and here was the news that the elves had raided and burned the border town.
“Why did the elves attack you?”
“I think it’s because of the logging problem.”
Elves and humans have continued to antagonize and cooperate for thousands of years, but since the Empire was founded, they have become outright rivals. Just as the old man gave up his place to the young, the elves were giving up their place to the humans. The issue of logging the forest was an issue that could not be narrowed down between the two parties.
“Our people went into the territory of the elves while looking for firewood for the winter, and the dwarves shot and killed them all. Next, we went to the village of the loggers and killed them, and the local governor responded by dispatching troops.”
What happened after that was a war by escalation. What started as a minor provocation or clash had turned into a large-scale all-out war.
“Good job. Keep reporting the information.”
“Yes. Secret Service Officer.”
The spy disappeared into the shadows of the imperial palace, and the minister headed for the courtyard of the palace. At the Imperial Palace Parade, the guards were busy training in preparation for a sudden change, and the servants and maids were trembling with anxiety, saying that a coup could break out at any time.
‘Everyone is worried about a coup.’
The empire officially has no emperor. Unlike barbarian tribes, in which the son automatically becomes king when the father dies, the imperial succession system requires the approval of the Senate before the descendant of the previous emperor can have legal authority.
‘In other words, it’s a very good system for a coup to occur when the emperor changes.’
People thought The previous emperor, LaChapelle IV, was a young girl, but LaChapelle’s eldest daughter was just an orphan crying after losing her guardian.
The current emperor is only twenty years old. No matter how short the lifespan of a medieval land is, it is an age that lacks experience in taking over and rolling the government of a huge country. In addition, the image that is known to the outside world is that of a kind and kind princess…
‘A 20-year-old girl crying after losing her father.’
Tasilonia is an empire founded by soldiers and ruled with the sword. No general, even an ordinary sergeant, has any intention of serving a 20-year-old girl as emperor just because she is the daughter of the previous lord. Tassilons are ambitious people who only serve the strong.
So people around the world think. The senate will not endorse a new emperor, and sooner or later a military coup will occur and the successor will be replaced.
More mature, experienced characters.
For example, there must be the Empress’s uncles.
Like the generals who rule the military.
Or maybe bring in the exiled crown prince who fell into drug addiction and lose his royal family rights, set him up as a puppet and share it among themselves?
‘It must be the same case with the elves’ movements.’
Since the crown princess looked weak, the enemies of the empire rose up. At this rate, everything the Tassilonians had built over 100 years might collapse.
‘Something might be needed.’
A plot to remove the child empress from all walks of life and raise a new emperor is already in progress, but he did not participate in the plot because of his relationship with the previous emperor who appointed him. However, she may be wrong.
‘Should I join right now?’
The Empress is a child who does not know the world outside the imperial palace. Empress Empress Dowager has her own track record of enduring in imperial politics, but she cannot be prevented by the imperial politics from the ambitious corps commanders. Because the civil war is close to the folk games of the empire.
Secret Service Officer Rasmus entered the audience room with such complicated thoughts in mind. I saw the sarcophagus of the previous emperor who had not yet left for the burial place, and there was a young woman sitting next to the sarcophagus in modest mourning clothes.
Even though her audience room was generally a dull funeral atmosphere, it gave the illusion that her room was brightened by her presence alone. Just looking at her, befitting a descendant of an ancient lineage, is dazzling.
“Your Majesty the Emperor. I ask for an audience.”
“Come on. Secret Service Officer.”
The empress shook her hand, skipped her miscellaneous protocol, and got to the point. On the other hand, the Secretariat thought that the empress was too undignified. Her excessive pomposity is not good, but her overly pragmatic attitude is bad for a monarch. Because her dignity and authority are the source of power for monarchs.
“No. The sword made me an emperor.”
“… Of course. Your majesty.”
She is an ignorant little child.
She has to protect herself.
“Anyway, what are you looking at?”
“The elves have attacked. Yeocha and chacha… “
Her gray-haired empress silently listened to the minister’s report, only nodding her head. Just like she always did. It was too complicated a subject for a 20-year-old girl to understand.
“… That’s why the elves are the first to attack, but since we can’t afford it right now, it would be better to send an envoy to promote peace.”
However, the empress laughed.
The arrogant smile of a person born into the imperial family.
“Do you really believe that intelligence?”
“Your majesty. My spies have been trained for decades… “
The Empress waved her hand, and her guardsmen dragged her man, who had become a mess. The minister did not recognize who it was at first, but when her mouth opened, he knew from the voice that it was the agent who had just reported to him.
“I am the minister… I’m sorry… “
“?!”
“FALSE… It was information. The truth is that the local governor launched an attack on the forest to collect elven slaves, and the elves retaliated.”
The intelligence officer’s eyes widen. I felt it with intuition trained for decades, but this was unmistakably true. The spy tricked himself!
“Did you get bought off?!”
“The family was held hostage, so they couldn’t help it.”
“Your majesty… Our families… “
“Let me meet my family.”
“I’m sure you’ll rescue my family!”
The Empress drew her ceremonial knife and struck the spy in the throat. The person who had been alive until just now turned into a piece of meat and tumbled across the floor. The swordsmanship was not that of an ordinary princess, but that of a high-level swordsman!
“I was rescued.”
Good!
A treasured sword stuck in a scabbard!
“Immediately after, she executed all of them as traitors. She understands that you had to betray Jim’s minister to protect her family.”
The Empress looked with pity at her neck as it tumbled across her floor. She had a kind mind and was a ruler who felt sorry for her people.
She just, she loved power more.
Like all politicians.
“So please understand me too.”
The intelligence officer shuddered. It was because she had noticed her treachery in advance, and the empress had just shown her knife skills, which were not at the level that she had learned as a hobby in a greenhouse.
“Your Majesty, sorry… “
“Minister.”
The Minister’s body stopped.
The Empress raised the corners of her mouth and smiled strangely.
“You are Jim’s friend. Just as you acted as Jim’s friend. So at least today you don’t have to fear Jim. Jim is forgiving of mistakes.”
Death to disloyalty.
Punishment for incompetence.
Opportunities in mistakes.
Faith in loyalty.
“Do you remember the principles of our dynasty?”
“No, of course.”
“You were loyal to the emperor, but you made a mistake with me. So you will know what to show Jim from now on.”
The Empress chins up again, and this time a masked assassin emerges from the darkness and truds toward the Secretary of Intelligence, holding out a scroll with both hands. I could still feel the courtesy in her polite demeanor.
“This… ?”
“Let’s kill.”
“!”
Judging by the thickness of the scroll, this number was in the thousands. Besides, those whose names are written are influential figures in the empire, so they won’t be caught meekly…
“… All right. Quickly and secretly——”
“No. Proceed noisily and slowly.”
“?!”
“You would think there would be a civil war.”
The Empress smiled as she looked at the minister. An empire is a country built by soldiers, in other words, it can do anything with the support of soldiers.
“But the military knows who the real power is.”
“… “
“So, make the execution of the Killing Department as loud and noisy as possible. So that the whole world can watch and shudder.”
The intelligence officer bowed his head in true respect. The young woman in front of her was no longer her close friend’s daughter, she had become her own lord.
“Yes. Your Imperial Majesty.”
