◈ 183. [Side Story] Reader’s route (2)
“I knew your meaning well, Ash.”
After a long silence, the emperor spat out.
“It’s quite a feat to break the mold confined to ‘peace’ and become a ‘player’ yourself.”
… peace? player?
Suddenly, the game term came out. I opened my eyes wide in surprise.
“What does that mean, Obama?”
“I mean literally.”
The emperor smiled calmly and sat back down.
“On a chessboard called the world, not just a piece manipulated by others, but a person who carves out his own destiny.”
In his hand, he was holding a chess piece – the black king.
“Discussing the fate of the world, putting the lives of others into words, and directly fighting for world supremacy—a being on a higher level. A person who is qualified to play chess himself.”
Fuck!
The emperor placed the black king audibly on the arm of his chair.
“That is what a player is.”
“… .”
“To put it a little simpler, you could also call him a prince.”
I thought of the chessboard placed next to the emperor’s throne room.
Chessboard, pieces and players.
Then those who called me a player… … .
“How can you, the youngest, most foolish, and weakest, grow up this far on your own! As a father, I am happy.”
widely!
The emperor growled as he roughly clutched the chess piece in his hand.
“However, it is difficult for the emperor to forgive easily.”
“… .”
“There is no parent who will not welcome the independence of their children. This is the imperial family and I am the emperor. In other words, the Declaration of Independence on the southern front also means that that much territory is out of imperial rule.”
An eerie glow shimmered and radiated from the emperor’s entire body.
“Do you think you would tolerate such a thing when Jim is alive with both eyes open?”
“… The Southern Front is unmistakably the land of the Empire and the domain of Obama. Just another three years.”
Standing still and not being overwhelmed, I raised my voice.
“As a completely independent front for three years, I ask you to leave all the struggle and governance in the area in my hands.”
No matter what I did or did on the southern front, the imperial family would not care. That was what I was hoping for.
But the emperor, of course, couldn’t just allow it.
“Why should Jim do that? So, what kind of utility is there for the imperial family and the empire?”
okay.
In the end, what moves people is not justification, but practicality. I have to convince them with that truth.
“I will present the magic stones acquired on the southern front to the imperial family.”
At my words, the emperor’s straight eyebrows furrowed.
“hearthstone? Of the crossroads?”
“yes.”
Mana source that can be harvested from the monster’s body – Manastone is the biggest strategic resource produced in Crossroads.
However, most of its production is consumed in the southern part of the continent.
This is because Crossroads is located in a remote area, so distribution is not easy.
Merchants in the Crossroads take magic stones to other southern cities and countries to sell them. There’s also quite a bit of demand for magic stones there.
but.
“The invasion of monsters is getting stronger. In other words, the collection of magic stones is also increasing.”
After I became the lord, the production of magic stones exploded. Because monsters are pouring out like crazy.
Right now, the warehouse in Crossroads is full of unsold magic stones.
I didn’t sell it to control my profit, but it was because demand couldn’t keep up with supply anymore in the southern part of the continent.
This magic stone is provided free of charge to the imperial family.
… Not all, but only half?
“With this level of Magic Stone, you should be able to activate the Dark Beast Everblack without human sacrifice in the future.”
“… .”
“Then there will be no need to harm innocent people anymore. There is no need to bring the prisoners of the Principality of Bringer or the citizens of the outskirts and burn them as fuel.”
A smile crept across the emperor’s lips.
It was difficult for me to guess whether it was ridicule, cynicism, or some other meaning of the smile.
“That is an interesting proposal. However, the distance between the ecliptic and the cross road is very far. Roads are not properly paved, and security is unstable. How are you going to distribute the magic stones to the ecliptic?”
The first thing I thought was, wouldn’t it be the end if I rode a non-empty ship and transported it to the sky?
It can’t be. Airships are the most important force in the Empire, which has few ships.
You can’t deliver a package by fighter jet. In that case, it is clear that he will not accept magic stones.
Transportation by sea is also difficult. Crossroads is a city located inland, and the southern sea is teeming with pirates.
Ultimately overland. must be transported by ground.
“It is as Obama said. Although the national road project is said to be in the final stage, the road to the southern front has not been properly paved. Because it was a remote area that was not included in the road project in the first place.”
“Yes.”
“So I’ve talked to the top lord of Wintersilver beforehand.”
Wintersilver is needed here.
“The Winter Silver Merchants have decided to take responsibility for building the road to the southern front and fully take charge of the distribution of magic stones.”
“Hoo… .”
“If you are already in charge of the national road project, the Winter Silver corps will pave the way to the southern remote areas, and since you have secured a distribution network, you will safely transport magic stones to the ecliptic.”
The smile on the emperor’s lips grew thicker.
Not caring, I turned my eyes to Lark.
“Also, the Winter Silver Merchants promised to supply the materials needed on the Western Front at cost.”
The face of Lark, who was listening with his arms folded, also flashed.
“Then there won’t be any need to burn the Duchy of Bringer anymore. There will be no need to plunder innocent citizens.”
I looked at Fernandez this time.
“Also, the information gathering power of the Winter Silver upper ranks is quite high. We have informants all over the country. Right now, the sources of information for the words I said today are all from the top of Wintersilver.”
Of course, the information Wintersilver brought was only fragmented circumstances.
I was able to figure out the truth without difficulty because I was aware of the various events that would happen in this world in the future.
“… .”
Fernandez kept glaring at me, as if he was quite upset that the Dark Lady was exposed to what he had been doing in the ecliptic.
I smiled at Fernandez like that.
“It seems that there are quite a few gaps in the Aegis task force’s hasty expansion.”
the emperor said The Aegis task force tripled in size to maintain the central front.
Expansion of the organization in such a hurry exposed a lot of gaps.
The priest who was used as a spy is discovered, and the attempt to kill Serenade by fire fails, and even detailed information is leaked to the civilian top… … .
The name of the special task force has become colorless.
repair is required
More than anyone else, Fernandez, the commander of the dark department, must have felt it most.
“If the Winter Silver corps cooperates in collecting information from the dark department, it will help fill that gap.”
“… .”
“That way, instead of blindly arresting and torturing innocent citizens, we can definitely hunt down the suspicious thugs.”
The emperor, who had been quietly listening to my story, is now smiling, showing his teeth.
“ash. my son Do you mean, in short, that keeping the Wintersilvers alive not only benefits all four fronts, but also eliminates the need to take innocent lives?”
“That’s right.”
“So you’re saying you want to drop the plan to eat the caravan and save your ex-fiancée?”
I honestly nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Ahahahaha!”
The emperor smiled cheerfully and stared at me.
“Your proposal seems tempting at first glance, but why? These are things that can be done after killing the daughter of the count and consuming the upper house in the imperial family?”
– These are things that can be done after killing you and eating the southern front in the imperial family?
It felt like that.
“Because there is no need to kill and take over.”
I calmly shrugged my shoulders.
“The current usefulness and efficiency of the Winter Silver Merchant are all due to the Lady of the Winter Silver Countess leading it as the head of the Merchant.”
The current usefulness and efficiency of the southern front all come from me leading it as a commander.
“There’s no need to mess with the count’s daughter and put someone else in her place to reduce efficiency. Even if you leave it alone, you will still be loyal to the imperial family.”
There is no need to drop me and put another southern front commander in his place to reduce efficiency.
After all, the southern front is the land of the empire anyway.
“The Lady of the Earl and the Winter Silver Merchant will be useful. On all four fronts and here in the Empire.”
I will be useful to you too.
There is no talented person who can better control the southern front than me.
There is no one who can kill monsters more efficiently than I can dig up magic stones and bring them back.
“Please save the Winter Silver Merchant. Also, please allow the southern front an independent route.”
Acknowledge my usefulness.
Acknowledge the usefulness of serenades too.
Me and Serenade- Your Empire needs it.
“… .”
The emperor smiled and glared at me expressionlessly.
It was a golden gaze that seemed to scan not my appearance, but my soul. I caught his gaze without backing down.
“good night.”
Then the emperor spoke.
“But the decision will be made after meeting the Lady of Wintersilver, not you. Where is the Countess’s daughter?”
“You haven’t come to the party yet.”
Fernandez’s eyes flashed sharply.
“We have dispatched a special task force. You will not come alive.”
“well.”
I grinned.
“You’ll have to watch it to know.”
***
And the serenade arrived at the grand banquet hall.
Although he had a messy appearance, he entered this place despite going through rough times to keep his promise to me.
Before going to the serenade, I approached Princess Yoon first.
He got down on one knee in front of her and carefully took her hand.
“I’m sorry, Yun.”
Princess Yoon’s eyes widened at the sudden apology.
“It was short but enjoyable. But I guess we’ve come this far.”
“… ?”
In an instant, surprise filled Yoongi’s bright yellow eyes. You’re smart, my princess.
“Could it be that you kicked me as soon as the engagement was announced?”
“It happened.”
“Didn’t you say you were going to marry me?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve never said that with my mouth.”
I told my hyungs that I would break off the engagement with Wintersilver and that I would meet you. You never said you were accepting the marriage?
“The announcement of the engagement was also done at will by Obama, and there has never been an ok sign. It was a fun dance, though.”
“no… .”
“You were also grateful for this marriage, weren’t you? I want you to meet a nice muscle man like you, not a bad reputation like me.”
In front of Princess Yoon, who stiffened with her mouth open, I slowly stood up.
“Don’t worry. The alliance between the Aryan Kingdom and the Empire will be strong. Functional alliances through clean contracts, not through old-fashioned arranged marriages. Let’s go for a relationship that’s cool and refreshing like the snow that falls in summer.”
“… .”
When she returned it exactly what she said, Yun was dumbfounded before finally speaking.
“Prince Ash. You really are a playboy son of a bitch.”
I shrugged.
“That’s what I’ve always heard.”
And I went down the platform and walked towards the serenade standing in the middle of nowhere.
***
Current.
In the middle of the party, receiving everyone’s attention.
I whispered in her ear as I danced with a serenade barefoot.
“… This is the conversation between me and Obama.”
I told the serenade the conversation that had just taken place at the Guardians’ meeting.
While gently waltzing with me, Serenade listened to my story in silence.
Her complexion is pale, but her silver eyes are sharp.
“serenade. This is the final ordeal you must pass.”
For you to survive and for me to survive.
the song ends
Before finishing the dance, I made eye contact with the serenade and asked.
“Are you ready to meet the highest person in the country alone?”
