Chapter 9
Chapter 9: The Etiquette Enforcer Erik (1)
“Did His Imperial Majesty truly make such a decision?”
A trial that wasn’t a trial was held, and before the members of the Noble Council could even attend, the Emperor had ended everything.
There was guilt, but it was pardoned.
Instead, he appointed him to the position of Director of the ‘Possessor Management Bureau,’ which would manage possessors and investigate the Labyrinth.
“He calls it punishment in words… but isn’t it actually an enormous reward?”
“Huh. To think some religious zealot would devour such a goldmine.”
“Having to send those honey pot-like possessors to the Labyrinth.”
The nobles felt despair.
They were nobles who had been hiding possessors through back channels and conducting countless businesses.
“At least when the immediate execution law existed, there were some we could hide…”
“Now the good times are all gone.”
As long as the nobles fulfilled their duties, the Emperor showed quite a generous attitude. This was because the Empire’s nobility carried obligations of corresponding weight.
“It seems His Imperial Majesty intends to use those bastards directly.”
However, there was never any compromise regarding matters the Imperial Family handled directly.
War and Labyrinth management were prime examples, and now the possessor problem had been added.
“How is sending them to the Labyrinth using them?”
“Well, it’s sending them to die.”
The real world differed from the game in many ways.
The Labyrinth was no exception.
The difficulty had become horrendous.
“Tsk, they’ll die in droves. Of all places, sending them to the Labyrinth.”
It wasn’t for nothing that possessors chose black mages and tried to level up through murder.
The real world’s Labyrinth operated on entirely different principles from games made of data fragments.
“There’s no answer…”
“The losses will be enormous.”
Silence descended upon the conference room.
Possessors were similar to unmined mithril mines.
As the nobles writhed in regret, one man stepped forward.
“If we work through that Erik fellow… wouldn’t there be ways to use the possessors before they die?”
He was a man with horizontally slitted eyes and a notably long, curled mustache.
“Does Your Grace have an alternative?”
One of the four ducal houses supporting the Empire, Duke Jenedik Raffin, opened his mouth.
“Marquis Aaron, didn’t you make a fortune with the lipstick business? Count Hanzo with the clothing business, and even that northern Grand Duke created the Yeti Coat brand with yeti fur business.”
It was talk about the possessor business.
‘Why mention departed carriages?’
The other nobles wondered about Duke Raffin’s words.
“I’m sure you’re all curious why I’m saying this.”
Duke Raffin was both a duke and the owner of a magic tower.
Everyone opened their ears wide.
“The pilgrim of the Astia Religious Order—honestly, to nobles’ eyes, those religious zealots are no different from thugs.”
It was a somewhat problematic statement.
“Trusting only in the name of a pilgrim… Aren’t they the ones who stir up the continent as they please?”
“But aren’t they ridiculously strong?”
Yet the nobles agreed.
As the Religious Order’s influence grew, they too had developed complaints.
“What about the position of Director of the Possessor Management Bureau? Since His Imperial Majesty personally appointed him as Director, it’s obviously higher than most ranks.”
The Empire was a nation without even a state religion, and Erik was the one to whom such an Empire’s Emperor had granted power.
“What exactly are you trying to say…”
“But isn’t that Erik fellow only fifteen years old?”
Thud!
Silence fell over the Noble Council’s conference room.
“He’s fifteen years old?”
“Didn’t you know?”
His massive build and the perception of him as a cleric made Erik’s age difficult to gauge.
That was understandable, as pilgrims were usually positions held by old monsters who had become strong enough to delay aging.
“Fifteen years old—about the same as my daughter.”
The nobles activated their happy circuits.
The Astia Religious Order didn’t prevent clerics from marrying.
“Heh, by appearance, wouldn’t my daughter be more suitable?”
“Hehe, isn’t your daughter over thirty?”
“I have a son too.”
The conversation that began casually with marriage talk gradually ripened.
Serious money talk began.
“Cooking and boiling a young brat is no trouble at all.”
“We could find possessors who can make that infinite power engine too.”
“An engine that generates infinite magical power without magic stones…”
“That’s not all. There are also intercontinental ballistic missiles, aren’t there?”
“Flying objects that cross continents! I’m truly curious what kind of world the possessors come from.”
“Haha! What are you so worried about? We’ll see it in the Empire soon!”
The nobles recited information obtained from possessors they had captured, each dreaming their own dreams.
Then suddenly, one noble discovered something strange.
“But why hasn’t the Prime Minister said a word?”
This was because the Prime Minister, who was closest to the Emperor and held the position of second to none but first above all, had been quiet.
The Prime Minister’s title was Duke, and he too wielded considerable influence in the Noble Council.
“Hehehe. You fellows.”
The Prime Minister swept back his red hair and said:
“Erik’s nickname is the Etiquette Enforcer. If you act like that, you’ll face tremendous humiliation.”
The child who used to beat up nobles at just seven years old, trusting in his master, had now turned fifteen.
‘At fifteen, he has both power and position.’
What changes would the Empire face going forward?
The Prime Minister was curious about that.
‘First, all the grease in those nobles’ heads will be cleaned out.’
***
“They say the Emperor has an impatient temperament…”
“Hey, brother, do you really have to talk like that in the Imperial Palace?”
Erik visited the possessor detention camp with Jang Du-sik.
Should this be seen as reflecting the Emperor’s vigor, or his refreshingly straightforward personality?
“Du-sik, they lock me up in prison for ten days and then tell me to start work immediately upon release—of course I’d be pissed off.”
“Huh… Brother, you’re really, how should I put it… Aren’t you afraid of the Imperial Family’s ears?”
Erik brushed off Jang Du-sik’s words.
‘He’s doing it for them to hear.’
The Emperor’s personality was magnanimous.
If one wasn’t going to observe etiquette with razor-sharp precision, then acting wildly like Erik was also one method that could earn favor.
‘Of course, without results, it’s straight to the guillotine without mercy…’
Erik’s information network, which had ears reaching even the Imperial Family, knew many things.
Things like the Emperor’s preferences and personality weren’t really secrets.
This was because his actions were so conspicuous.
“They really housed possessors right in the heart of the Imperial Palace.”
“Du-sik, the Royal Guard and the Imperial Magic Tower aren’t scarecrows.”
Erik remembered the First Sword he had faced in the great hall.
Though incomparable to his master, it was an unfathomable martial prowess.
‘So that’s why he told me to reach 3rd tier.’
His master had set conditions for Erik: the age limit of fifteen and opening 3rd tier Divine Power.
Until then, it was a threat not to do anything.
He had thought it was unnecessary stubbornness, but facing real powerhouses in the Imperial Palace, he understood completely.
The Imperial Family’s greatness wasn’t just military might.
‘What an enormous scale.’
Erik marveled at the Imperial Palace’s scale.
The Empire’s Imperial Palace was seven massive castles combined.
Between the castles stood various buildings handling practical affairs, and Erik and Jang Du-sik stood before the most roughly built structure among them.
“Brother, why did you bring me along exactly…”
“Du-sik, you have to enter the Labyrinth with me too—why ask such an obvious question?”
A newly made sign written in continental common language gleamed.
[Possessor Detention Camp]
Looking at the sign, Jang Du-sik gaped and began hitting his own head repeatedly.
“It’s not a dream, Du-sik.”
“Really… you’re really taking me to the Labyrinth?”
Instead of answering, Erik approached the front of the possessor detention camp.
“Attention!”
Imperial Guard soldiers saluted Erik and opened the door.
Creeeeak.
As the door opened, intricately carved magic circles densely packed inside were revealed.
“Huh! Brother. Those are all explosion magic circles… Aren’t we going to die?”
Jang Du-sik was shocked seeing the layers upon layers of magic circles.
Erik strode boldly into the dark corridor.
“What exactly do those Imperial Magic Tower bastards do… putting such large-scale strategic magic in just a detention camp?”
The corridor walls were also surrounded by all kinds of magic circles, most of them related to extreme destruction.
Jang Du-sik looked over the walls with quite an interesting expression.
Then suddenly, fear arose.
“Here… there’s even divine explosion magic.”
“Don’t be scared, Du-sik. My body itself is divinity.”
Jang Du-sik still couldn’t believe the fact that Erik was a possessor.
‘A possessor who uses Divine Power…’
That’s probably why he could establish such a position.
Jang Du-sik’s benefactor was Erik.
‘So those possessor bastards can’t stab brother in the back, I’ll protect him!’
Who’s protecting whom?
Knowing he’d get smacked in the back of the head, he didn’t voice it, but Jang Du-sik steeled his own resolve.
“Jeez. Even if brotheris fine… that level of high-concentration divinity will blow up and kill anyone, even non-possessors!!!”
Smack.
Having said something unnecessary in his awkward emotions, Jang Du-sik got smacked in the back of the head.
“Ugh.”
Rubbing the back of his head and looking up, they had somehow arrived in front of the prison holding possessors.
“There are procedures, so please wait a moment.”
The Royal Guard guarding the entrance told them to wait briefly and went inside the detention camp.
While waiting, Erik and Jang Du-sik chatted.
“Du-sik, how are the new clothes the Empire provided?”
Erik said while adjusting his neat ceremonial robes.
“Huh, jeez. You’ve become a complete authority figure in an instant.”
The pure white suit, swollen as if about to burst with muscle, was eye-catching.
Especially the chest area. This was because numerous insignia were attached there.
In the Empire, insignia were used to guarantee the status and power of the person in question.
“…Why would they give such preferential treatment when you literally burned their son to death?”
Jang Du-sik was amazed at the massive authority Erik had gained.
“Well, I suppose they think of me as an alternative to cover up the Imperial Family’s shame.”
Erik said while fiddling with the insignia on his chest.
‘Maybe the Emperor has gone mad?’
Even to himself, the authority given seemed absurd.
The red moon emblem signifying ‘Imperial Family Direct Agency.’ The chilling guillotine image meaning ‘Immediate Execution Authority.’
As a symbol of ‘cooperative relations between the Empire and the Astia Religious Order,’ the Empire’s flag and the Religious Order’s symbol were displayed side by side on Erik’s chest.
On the highest shoulder decoration, an old iron badge meaning ‘Pilgrim’ stood out.
“So what’s the extent of your authority?”
“Well, roughly speaking, I can carry out immediate executions regarding possessor charges, and conduct independent investigations of nobles.”
“Huh… This is the first time the Emperor has directly granted a position to a religious zealot, isn’t it?”
Erik nodded without answering.
‘I need to change course.’
His eyes were calm yet somewhere felt chilling.
Having been forced to reveal himself earlier than planned, he thought he should dream bigger.
“Du-sik, what level of achievement would make the Empire establish a state religion?”
“Huh… The Emperor is in a position above ten thousand people, and the Emperor comes before even gods—how could that be possible?”
“Well, just keep that in mind for now.”
It was time to meet the possessors.
Click.
The deepest part of the possessor detention camp.
The heavy prison door covered with various magic circles opened.
“Attention! We greet the Director of the Possessor Management Bureau.”
The Royal Guard offered a respectful salute to Erik.
This was different from the casual speech he’d used just before. As Erik looked at him questioningly:
“His Imperial Majesty’s permission has been granted, so from this moment, Director Erik, you are my superior.”
He learned the reason.
This damn Empire’s nickname was the Empire of Loyalty.
The Emperor’s overwhelming approval rating.
And a talent pool to match.
‘A real leader indeed.’
Moreover, the Emperor possessed considerably flexible thinking.
Just look at the possessor utilization method.
“First, I need to see the possessors’ faces.”
Erik very naturally gave orders to the Royal Guard in a commanding tone.
“Attention! We’ve classified the bastards by individual type. Please refer to this chart.”
The Royal Guard followed Erik’s orders as if it were natural.
Erik thought while skimming through the documents handed to him.
‘The Empire has its own method of distinguishing possessors.’
[Class – Warrior] – 53 animals.
[Class – Archer] – 34 animals.
[Class – Mage] – 14 animals.
[Class – Black Mage] – 1 animal.
[Class – Necromancer] – 7 animals. . . .
Well, possessors were being expressed as ‘animals‘ without any human rights…
To Erik, such things didn’t matter at all.
***
A giant paladin appeared.
The location was the Empire’s possessor detention camp.
It was the deepest underground prison even within that.
“Shit… is this for real?”
Park Chang-ho, who had surpassed level 20 and unlocked the community function, felt like his breath would stop.
“Why?”
“They locked us up to use us anyway, so don’t be scared.”
The possessors imprisoned in the Empire’s detention camp numbered about 200, strictly screened and confined here.
Since the first one brought here had been there for over a year, they wouldn’t be sent straight to the guillotine.
It definitely should have been that way.
“Check the community posts quickly… We’re all going to die.”
Park Chang-ho muttered in despair.
[Possessor Survival Tips – Empire Political Changes]
[The successor to Riferoze Astia, who disappeared five years ago, has appeared. Riferoze was the person who reduced black mage players to zero, and his disciple is now in a cooperative relationship with the Empire.
Achievements: Burned the Third Prince to death for being a possessor, there are even witness accounts of him being blown up. It wasn’t false accusations—he was really a possessor. The Emperor was so pleased he immediately gave him the position of Director of the Possessor Management Bureau.
Three-line summary:1. Erik is the disciple of a crazy possessor massacre perpetrator.2. He’s said to be fifteen but ridiculously strong.3. He’s a lunatic who burns even princes to death just for being possessors, so everyone be careful.]
[Photo]
Possessors dragged into this strange world had made communicating with each other through the community function their primary goal.
Viewing was fine, but writing posts in the community required surpassing level 20.
If the Empire was keeping them, most had surpassed level 10, and there were quite a few above level 20.
“Huh…? Burned royalty?”
Possessors had also gathered local information.
What kind of country was the Empire?
The Empire was a nation of imperial supremacy without even a state religion.
“And got recognized for competence?”
As it had been originally on Earth, the community after being possessed in the game wasn’t much different.
Major events were usually things you’d be surprised to see but had no connection to yourself.
But this time was different.
Creak! Click!
Mechanical devices turned and the detention camp’s main gate opened.
Brilliant golden waves seeped through the door crack like sunlight, and the possessors’ faces turned pale with terror.
“Di… divine power…”
“He really is huge.”
Soon, through the wide-open door, a man with a massive yet handsome appearance emerged.
Brilliant golden hair and vivid golden eyes.
And a face white as jade stood out.
“I am Erik.”
He said indifferently while surveying the prison.
Then he handed each of the imprisoned people a sheet of paper.
And then said:
“Record the total value of assets stored in each of your inventories and detail how many tiers your system shop has opened.”
Radiating such brilliant Divine Power, it felt like you’d burn to death if you disobeyed.
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