Chapter 39
Chapter 39: Selection (3)
When conversing, it is customary to start with light small talk. For a socially competent person, it is a basic courtesy one should possess to a certain degree.
"The [Imperial Divine Knight Order], truly a magnificent name. Your Majesty—."
The conversation with the Emperor was the same.
"The Continental Unification Army is also a name I myself bestowed."
Erikhad his own insights into the method of conversing with an absolute being. It was something honed by his mentor Riferoze.
'Indeed, offering praise for trivial things is quite effective.' After all, even the greatest of people thirsted for small compliments.
Erik offered his admiration once more for the Emperor'ssense of naming.
"It is a name that very well conveys the determination to unify the continent, Your Majesty."
The light conversation soon transitioned into a pleasant meal.
"Let us begin."
The Emperor first picked up his fork, seizing a giant dragon tail. In his rough hands, the fork appeared toy-like in size.
'The Rule of the Strong.' Hands that suited the iron law of the ImperialPalace—that only the strong could become Emperor.
After the Emperor picked up his fork, Erik too reached out and brought the dish before him.
"Do you enjoy dragon tails?"
It was the same menu as the Emperor's.
Erik answered with a bright smile.
"They were a delicacy. My mentor and I would often enjoy them while training in the Stateless Territory."
With similar culinary tastes, the conversation ripened.
Small talk drifted lightly across the quiet dining table.
"Ho, the Mandrake tempura would be a bit bitter."
"Haha, it suits my palate quite well."
Dragon tail, fairy elixir, Mandrake, World Tree leaf steamed dish, and so on. As Erik consumed all manner of delicacies, he gauged the Emperor's intention.
Surely the apex of the Empire did not go through all this trouble just to share a meal.
'It is money.'
Once he realized, he could not help but notice. Hundreds of millions of Gold had been burned in a single meal.
Which meant. That what the Emperor would offer in return for making good use of Erik was also money.
"The Emperor is truly stingy. All he gave to me were tasteless vegetables."
The evidence was clear. The menu Riferoze had mentioned and Erik'smenu were on completely different levels.
When the meal had ripened and there were more empty plates on the table.
"Let us end the meal here."
The words of the Emperor as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.
Beside him, Parkthe butler approached respectfully, draping a fresh napkin over his arm.
Glance!
Erik turned his eyes to see Jang Du-sik observing the nobles seated below the banquet hall.
Rather than a napkin, he stood leaning on one leg, using a club as a walking stick, his eyes blinking slowly.
'How fascinating he must find it.'
Just as Jang Du-sik marveled at the nobles, the nobles in turn admired the consecrated Jang Du-sik.
The conversation between the Emperor and Erik did not seem to register. In fact, the talk of tasteless food had been mostly the main point.
'Imperial Divine Knight Order.'
The nobles believed the essence of this meeting lay in the initial conversation. They all seemed thoroughly captivated by the [Emperor's] words.
However, the real discussion was only now beginning.
Most of the nobles had seen Jang Du-sik, but the eyes of the influential great nobles still remained fixed on the Emperor and Erik.
'It is beginning soon.'
An appetizer of small talk. Then, having warmed up appropriately through the meal, what would now commence was the main topic.
A tradition of the Imperial Palace of the Empire, the banquet. The essence of it was in the discussion that took place after the meal.
"A banquet requires a subject to discuss."
The Emperorspoke first.
Indeed, the supreme being of the Empirewas the one who led and guided all conversation.
Erikbowed his head.
Though he had been granted the honor of sitting across and sharing a meal with the Emperor, the Emperor remained the Emperor.
Now what would come was a conversation where a subject had been decided upon beforehand.
'Will he speak of the Great Cataclysm Patch?'
Though called a conversation, the true nature of a banquet was in fact conducting grand discussions on matters of national governance.
'Or perhaps, he might speak of strategies for conquering the highest floors of the Labyrinth.'
Erik was organizing his words, contemplating what the Emperor might be interested in.
But the words that came from the Emperor's mouth were somewhat unexpected.
"According to the Information Bureau, there are over 500,000 Possessors."
The subject was Possessors.
Just as Erik had confirmed in the Labyrinth, their number exceeded 500,000.
"How should they be managed?"
The Emperor posed the topic.
And a thick smile formed at Erik's lips.
Was this not his area of expertise?
'An entire territory consumed by a full-price fraud scheme, the emergence of the Dark Magic Group.'
Such matters made the 'Possessor Problem' more important than the GreatCataclysm Patch or the conquest of the Labyrinth.
Thus, Erik answered.
"A Purification operation must be conducted throughout the entire Empire."
***
Dark Magic Group Board of Directors.
The headquarters of the Dark Magic Group—a massive black hexagonal pillar placed in the heart of the Demon Realm—was bustling.
"What, we invested how much in the Marquis of the Frontier? And he exposed it, losing the entire territory?"
"This is maddening. I told you so, didn't I? The position of representative should always belong to a Possessor!"
"Ahem, ahem. In any case, shouldn't a new representative be selected?"
The core of the Dark Magic Group was the shareholders with equity stakes.
All personnel except the chairman were elected by the board of directors' decisions, no different from proxy agents.
The owners of the company, the shareholders, sat on a lofty platform looking down below.
It was there that a woman bowed her head.
"CEO Makia Jang-chen, if you have any explanation, do present it."
A hearing was held.
The woman with six black lines beneath her eyes gazed up at the directors on the platform with her head bowed.
Her jet-black hair flowed down with her lowered head.
"The cause of failure was that we harvested in the Empire's 2nd Labyrinth Floor."
She recited her words with her head still lowered.
A tone that was both noble and audacious.
"Hmph. So you are saying it is the board's fault for choosing the Empire?"
"If you said such a thing before the major shareholders, you would have been offered as a sacrifice on that spot!"
At her words, the elder directors on the black platform bristled.
With that, Makia Jang-chen, the representative of the Dark Magic Group, lifted her head.
Her dark and murky eyes swept gently across the platform.
Sigh!
The woman called the representative was beautiful.
From her long hair to the one-piece dress she wore, and the veil draped across her head. Everything about her was black.
Moreover, her eyes were an even deeper and murkier shade of black.
'How beautiful, with eyes so turbid.'
Among Black Mages, she would not be called less than the most beautiful.
"What if we attempt to conquer territories on the outskirts of the Empire?"
The representative suddenly proposed to the board.
A hearing was a place to ask and answer, to receive criticism for wrongdoing.
To make a counterproposal there?
It was audacious beyond measure.
In some ways, it was outright presumptuous, but the content itself was utterly deranged.
"The Empire has an Information Bureau."
"Is it an impossible feat?"
Immediate objections arose.
The woman lifted her veil, gazing at the board.
Between the blacks, translucent glass-like white skin was revealed.
"Among the Astia Religious Order, the Almanism Church, and the Lu-SolaceChurch—the three religious factions—the Empire is where their influence is weakest."
Bold speech, beautiful appearance. And the six lines beneath her eyes signified her capability.
Business initiative, bearing as a representative, and the ability to back it up—all sufficient.
The board found merit in her words.
'If we exclude the capital and the territories of the great nobles…'
'It might be possible.'
The Emperor and the great nobles are monsters.
However, in the Empire's frontier, and even more so in such minor territories, the situation would be different.
After finishing his thoughts, an elder director of the board asked.
"A harvest in the Empire is not a bad idea. However, what do you intend to do about Riferoze's disciple?"
Erik, a child with monstrous Divine Power at fifteen years old. At such a young age, he had even risen to the position of Director of the Possessor Management Bureau.
"Did that bastard not sabotage the plan for the 2nd Labyrinth Floor?"
"Because he declared a Holy War, our losses are immeasurable."
Between the jet-black curtain, the movements of the board grew bustling.
Below the platform, it seemed they were conducting discussions with sound blocked off.
The representative of the Dark Magic Group waited confidently, gazing at that curtain.
After some time passed.
"Let us hear the method."
"If there is merit to it, we shall nullify the proposal to remove you from the position of representative and allocate a budget for the Empire operation."
The woman laughed darkly, covering her lips with her hand.
Her blackened long nails moved languidly.
What rose above her hand was a map of the Empire.
"Since territories near the front are dangerous, I intend to target the south."
The south of the Empire.
A vast expanse of cultivated farmland, fertile land that filled the Empire'sbelly.
And.
"Those nobles there have no obligation regarding the Labyrinth."
The southern Empire is militarily weak.
Wealth had been concentrated there, while military strength had been reduced to maintain balance of power.
And the woman chose that land.
"There are many nobles who enjoy playing with money, I hear."
"Hmm, do you intend to use Possessors like in the Garcian Kingdom?"
"Yes. As the board is aware, their numbers have greatly increased."
"But even so, would not a [Purification] operation eliminate the Possessors?"
Possessors are fragile. A single person, or even monsters that they cannot properly catch, there are many who flounder at level 1.
"That is why I have secured collaborators from the Almanism Church."
"Religious fanatics would cooperate?"
"There is much discontent with the Empire, I found."
"The Possessors can be well hidden."
Even such fragile Possessors, they possessed remarkable aspects in other ways.
'They are adept at all manner of fraud, and have exceptional financial knowledge.'
After all, the Dark Magic Group's very genesis was influenced by Possessors.
If one used those living in hiding—Possessors who had recently become possessed—…
And if the Almanism Church even obscured the Imperial vision for them.
It would certainly be possible.
"Approval."
Thud!
The board had made its decision.
A massive stamp descended from the black platform.
Fluttering.
Catching the paper drifting down from above, the woman laughed darkly.
***
"A voluntary confession period for Possessors, and then Purification operations afterward! A splendid idea!"
The Emperorwas pleased with Erik's proposal.
Though it was said that the Imperial Enchantment Tower could produce imitations of Holy Water, it was wholly insufficient to manage such vast territories.
The Emperorwho denies the gods. Even if gods existed, the Emperormust stand higher than the gods.
The most supreme being is the Emperor.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The priests and knights of our Religious Ordershall locate all Possessors throughout the Empire."
To make such a proposal to a religious faction first went against the Emperor's temperament.
The Emperor must be omniscient and the most supreme being.
'Similar to North Korea's Kim family.'
Of course, their abilities were incomparably different…
In any case, knowing this, Erikhad made such a proposal first.
"There are tens of thousands of these Possessors, so how do you intend to manage them?"
"If Your Majesty were to establish a new divine city under the strict supervision of the clergy, how would that be?"
The Emperor gazed at the red beard visible below the platform.
The beard of the Prime Minister.
Tremble!
It clearly trembled, a proposal that would surely bring great benefit to the Empire.
'Culture, civilization.'
Though the ideologies of the Possessorswere dangerous…
They had many uses in various ways.
The Emperor laughed hehehehe.
"Good. Since it is a request from the Religious Order, I shall set my compensation generously."
Erik's eyes sparkled.
It seemed the discussion would end here, he felt.
'The meal is done and the discussion concluded.'
The glory bestowed in a banquet. What would now be granted was compensation.
Creak!
"Let us conclude the banquet."
The Emperor rose from his seat.
His towering form was like a weapon itself. Massive and ferocious, honed to its limits—something that transcended humanity.
That Emperor swung his arm.
Whoosh!
As the wind pressure arose, the nobles below the banquet hall swayed in the gust.
All attention concentrated on the Emperor. Or rather, it was an existence that could only be gazed upon.
"To Erik, the National Commissioner, who prevented the machinations of the DarkMage targeting the Empire in the Labyrinth, a reward of 1 billion Goldshall be granted."
Erik'seyes widened.
Was this not enough money to rise directly to the 4th Tier?
'I made such a fuss to earn 200 million…'
Memories of struggling for pocket change in the Porchani Newspaperflashed through Erik's mind.
His ability had merely surfaced, yet the scale of money had changed.
This was not the end.
"The Possessor City to be newly established hereafter shall be placed under direct Imperialcontrol, and its management shall be entrusted to Erik, the National Commissioner."
Considering his affiliation with the Religious Order, a title was not granted, but…
'A quasi-lord.'
A sort of workaround.
A display of the Emperor's wit, keeping in mind the Religious Order'spotential objections.
Erik'slips curved into a broad smile.
'Fortunate that the discussion ended quickly.'
Now he would need to tactfully make his exit and move to the Religious Order.
Just as Erik thought this.
"Banquets are normally held at night, but I have taken great liking to the discourse I shared with Erik, the National Commissioner."
Thus, the Emperor spoke.
"Erik, the National Commissioner, as a final reward, I shall grant you an opportunity to become acquainted with a member of the Imperial Family."
There was no proposal from the Emperor. He did not ask.
He simply issued a command.
Erik concealed his slightly furrowed brow and bowed his head.
Erik followed the Emperor out of the banquet hall.
"Erik, the National Commissioner, do you know that I have a youngest daughter?"
As the Emperor walked through the long corridor, he casually bragged about his children.
"My eldest son has devoted himself to conquering the Labyrinth, my second son possesses unparalleled talent in warfare, and my third daughter is a magical prodigy beloved by mana."
'This insane Emperor.'
He was unmistakably arranging a blind date for his daughter—a shameless matchmaker.
Erik shut his eyes tightly.
"My youngest daughter has shown great interest in you, Erik, of late."
'Hmm…'
At the Emperor'swords, Erik felt a sense of dissonance.
"She was so delighted when I made her the youngest."
Thud!
Erik'sfootsteps stopped.