Kill the Emperor

Translator: AkazaTL

Pr/Ed: Sol IX

***

Chapter 87: To the Empire (2)

"If you are the Northeast Branch Manager of the Wind Tail Merchant Guild, you were someone I was going to meet once anyway."

"I am only grateful if you think so."

"By the way, what brings you to this airship? I know this ship is for transporting delegations to participate in the Sacred Festival."

"In principle, that is true, but actually, I am carrying out an order given by someone who has a connection to the Empire. So, I boarded the airship despite my shame."

As Mikhail said, it was not uncommon for high-ranking officials of each country to use merchant guilds to procure publicly or privately needed goods.

However.......

"......If I think that I am also included in the reason you boarded the airship, is that my excessive self-consciousness?"

Mikhail only bowed his head once again with a polite smile instead of an answer.

"Could you prepare something simple to eat and send it to my room?"

"Yes. I will prepare and bring it up, Your Excellency."

Hein gave an order to the head servant and stood up from his seat.

"I think it would be right to move somewhere else. Follow me."

"I am only grateful, and grateful again that you spare your precious time for me."

Hein, grasping Mikhail's intention, passed through the corridor again, returned to his room, and sat on a chair.

"So, what is the real reason you found me and boarded the airship?"

"Could you wait for a moment? There is something I need to check before I speak."

Before sitting down, Mikhail took out a crystal ball from inside his clothes and stroked it.

Then, a green light emitted from the crystal ball after vibrating once.

"......Hmm, it seems there are no listening devices. I apologize for the delay, Your Excellency, since my main job is what it is...... Haha, I hope you understand with broad generosity."

Only after confirming that there was no separate listening device in the room did Mikhail sit opposite Hein.

"Your Excellency, it is truly apologetic to say this, but I heard that two merchant guilds under our Wind Tail committed a grave crime in Zodiac recently."

"Yes. Such a thing definitely happened."

"I sincerely apologize for causing trouble to Your Excellency and Zodiac by failing to strictly manage the subordinate merchant guilds."

"I don't think that's something you need to go out of your way to apologize for. Since it is impossible to perfectly supervise illegal acts of subordinate merchant guilds in the first place."

"My heart feels much lighter to hear you say this. Thank you very much for showing generosity."

"However."

"Please speak. Your Excellency."

"If you are thinking of spouting nonsense to me from now on, you will become very sorry then, won't you?"

At Hein's sharp gaze, Mikhail gulped without realizing it.

"First...... I will pour you a glass."

Before bringing up the awkward story, Mikhail chose to pour a glass of wine.

Soon, Hein's glass was filled following the smooth hand movements he displayed.

"Good."

"Your Excellency, couldn't you release the members of Tombstone and Mikal Merchant Guilds you are detaining?"

"Very good."

Whether he was ignoring him intentionally or not, Hein only slowly savored the wine without giving an answer to Mikhail's question.

"If your eye for picking people was as good as your skill in picking wine, such a thing wouldn't have happened in the first place."

"It may sound like an excuse, but appointing them as subordinate merchant guilds was not a decision I made."

Mikhail showed a bitter smile while refilling Hein's glass.

"Is there a reason I should release them?"

"Actually, while coming here, I pondered continuously about the justification and legitimacy for why Your Excellency must release them. But...... no matter how much I thought, the answer didn't come out. So, I decided to give up on this side, haha. However, after racking my brain, I was able to come up with a few reasons why Your Excellency should show generosity to them."

"Then shall we hear the explanation about those 'reasons'?"

Hein looked at Mikhail, who was showing an awkward smile.

"Your Excellency, there are too many people in this world who do not know shame. The bigger problem is the fact that such people often have decision-making power."

"Shame?"

"Yes, that is correct. The most regrettable point is that the situation of our Wind Tail Merchant Guild is also not much different."

"......."

"And those who do not know shame often think they have been insulted when their faults are discovered."

Mikhail expressed it in a roundabout way with euphemisms, but it wasn't difficult to understand the meaning hidden within.

In other words, Mikhail is saying,

'You mean the owner of the Wind Tail Merchant Guild is angry because I detained them.'

"Are you saying I should release the criminals, ignoring the national law, fearing the tantrum the Master of Wind Tail Merchant Guild will throw?"

"Your Excellency, if you dare forgive me, I will say one more thing. I heard that when it comes to governance, not all problems can be divided into right and wrong."

"So?"

"To tell you in advance, I do not have even the slightest arrogant thought of trying to disturb Your Excellency's peace of mind with nonsense. However, the reason I say this is to convey objective facts to Your Excellency as much as possible, so I ask for your understanding."

After letting out a sigh once, Mikhail opened his mouth with a voice that became much more secretive.

"Within three months from now, quite an interesting thing will happen between the Esper Kingdom and our merchant guild."

The Esper Kingdom is a nation located in the northeast of the continent, possessing land about the size of Zodiac, Nefam, and Volmada combined.

Of course, since it also possessed national power befitting that scale, it could be called a powerful nation incomparable to Zodiac.

"An interesting thing? Sooner or later, Wind Tail Merchant Guild will become a state-run merchant guild. Congratulations."

It wasn't a common sight for the owner of a merchant guild to hand over a significant portion of shares to the state and become a state-run merchant guild receiving special privileges, but it wasn't a very rare occurrence either.

'Considering the scale of Wind Tail, the Merchant Guild Master will be granted a significant title, and might even form a marriage relationship with the Royal Family. If that happens, the Merchant Guild Master's influence in operating Esper's state affairs will also become strong.'

If it was this much, the necessary conditions for Hein to release the members of Tombstone and Mikal Merchant Guilds could be said to be already sufficient.

"Your Excellency, one of the ringleaders who led the smuggling had an arm cut off, and I understand that both have already received flogging that will leave marks on their bodies. Even if you release them at this point, there will be no damage to Your Excellency's prestige. If Your Excellency releases them, there will also be compensation commensurate with the harm they caused. Your Excellency, I earnestly request their release once again."

"Do you think I am being stubborn because of personal prestige?"

However.

"I am sorry, but I have never even considered such things in the first place. They committed crimes punishable by death under Zodiac's national law, and I only executed the national law. The investigation is currently ongoing, so the sentence will be executed as soon as everything is finalized."

There was no wavering in Hein's decision.

"And tell the Master of Wind Tail. If he wants to restore the branches of the merchant guilds that received the order prohibiting business, tell him to send a letter of apology sufficient enough to persuade me."

"Your Excellency."

At Hein's firm appearance, Mikhail bit his lip once and asked again.

"Is there no possibility you would reconsider the current decision?"

"I promise. That won't happen."

"Understood, Your Excellency. I am just sorry for disturbing your peace of mind with useless words."

Trickle-

Mikhail, having confirmed Hein's intent, filled Hein's empty glass with a resigned expression.

"I have one question."

"Please speak."

"The thing that will happen between Wind Tail and the Esper Kingdom, isn't that something you shouldn't tell me?"

"Haha, actually that is true. Normally, such high-level information that decides the fate of the merchant guild shouldn't be leaked."

For some reason, the resigned Mikhail's expression looked very refreshed.

"Nevertheless, the reason you told me this fact?"

"Didn't I tell you a little while ago? That I have admired Your Excellency all along."

"Are you trying to say it's not flattery?"

"To speak a little more in detail, perhaps it would be a more accurate expression to say that I support you because what Your Excellency wishes to do aligns with my plan. Your Excellency, if you don't mind, may I also have a glass?"

Hein took the bottle from Mikhail's hand, poured it directly into his glass, and asked.

"I understand that the Wind Tail Merchant Guild mainly deals with nobles. Then isn't it normal for you to dislike me?"

"Those who are busy taking immediate profits right in front of their eyes might think so."

Mikhail answered after drinking a sip of wine.

"Generally, if one is a merchant, one must secure minimum stability. The best way to increase this stability is to expand the customer base that can buy my goods."

From Mikhail's mouth, a calculation completely different from the arithmetic currently accepted among the continent's merchant guilds burst out.

"I think that for a merchant guild to grow its scale further, it shouldn't simply hang onto a few nobles, but contemplate the diversification of sales items. But what if a world comes where all the people of this continent can spend money for their tastes, not survival? Wouldn't the goods I can sell increase that much?"

"Small profits and quick returns, huh."

"Hmm, rather than small profits and quick returns, I would say it is strengthening the roots of the merchant guild. I have a wish that our merchant guild becomes one that has taken root more firmly than any other place."

"So, Mr. Merchant, who likes me. I heard good information along with good wine, but I won't be able to grant your request. Sorry about that."

However, Mikhail shook his head and answered.

"Actually, from the moment I received the order from the Merchant Guild Master to persuade Your Excellency, I didn't expect you to change your mind."

"Then, there must be a reason why you came all the way here knowing clearly it wouldn't work."

"Yes. I wanted to meet face to face with Your Excellency and have a conversation, even for a short while. And I had one thing I wanted to say."

"If there is something you want to say, say it now."

"Your Excellency, it might sound absurd to say this when those belonging to our merchant guild have committed grave crimes, but not all merchants of the continent are shameless."

"Really?"

"Yes. If I were the top decision-maker of the merchant guild, I would never have done the brazen act of trying to persuade Your Excellency for such unscrupulous criminals."

Mikhail filled the last glass for Hein, then stood up and bowed his head.

"I really wanted to tell you this. Thank you for sparing your precious time to listen. Your Excellency. I will take my leave now."

The moment Mikhail, who stood up, was about to leave, a voice holding him back was heard.

"One more thing. If you were the Master of Wind Tail, how would you have handled this matter?"

"You cut off one hand of one main culprit. Then I would have immediately made a request to Your Excellency."

Mikhail gave the answer immediately without a shred of hesitation.

"To cut off both wrists of not just one, but both of them."

"......That's a shame. I quite liked this wine, but now I can't drink it anymore."

Hein picked up the empty glass.

"If it's alright with you, I will gladly prepare and bring up wine while you stay on the airship."

"This must be the merchant guild's item? Shouldn't you not waste precious items on a partner of a failed negotiation?"

"The internal regulations regarding goods are tricky these days because the economy is not good, but this much is fine. Since I will process it as my personal gift to Your Excellency."

"You are openly feeding me a bribe."

"As expected, you have insight. Since you saw through my ugly inner thoughts this quickly, I don't know what to do with myself."

"You may leave. I don't know about you, but it was a pleasant time for me after a long while."

"It was also a very enjoyable and glorious time for me, Your Excellency."

The next morning.

"I deliver a gift from the Wind Tail Merchant Guild to Your Excellency."

On Hein's table, a bottle of chilled white wine was placed neatly.

***

A laboratory cast with dim light emitted by luminescent stones embedded here and there on the ceiling.

The person occupying the center of the laboratory where pale chill flowed was a young man with a slender build.

Click, click.

The young man, who was lost in thought while rolling dice made of bone, opened his mouth with a cold voice.

"I sincerely respect Father. Do you know the reason?"

"Well."

"It's simple. Father is the Emperor of the Empire, and being an Emperor itself qualifies one to receive everyone's respect. That's why I cannot accept it."

The young man's silver hair twinkled, emitting light even in the dark room.

The young man, impressive with eyebrows stretching in an unusually fine arc for a man, continued his words.

"That incompetent, brazen, and even foolish Brother inherited this Empire just because he was born a little earlier than me. What do you think?"

"Does my opinion matter? Since I am like an alter ego who serves the Prince's will anyway."

The person who answered the silver-haired young man's question was a young man impressive with navy blue hair coming down to his waist.

No, it was a boy.

"Haha! Since when did your tongue become so smooth? Well, still, hearing such words from you doesn't feel bad."

The silver-haired young man picked up a dagger instead of the dice, then burst into laughter while spinning it round and round.

"Father delegated the tasks related to this Sacred Festival entirely to Brother. Perhaps he wants to solidify Brother's position as the successor to the throne using this opportunity. But what to do about this? As you know, our Brother is absurdly incompetent."

Was he confident that he was absolutely competent? The silver-haired young man laughed while constantly mentioning the word incompetent.

A smile also formed on the lips of the blue-haired boy watching that appearance.

Yes, the 4th Prince of the Akrishima Empire, 'Suleiman Tercios', was definitely competent.

Drunk on the sweetness that competence gave, he himself was also following him.

"And if an incompetent person takes on a task not befitting their station, it is the principle of all ages and countries that the heavens send down punishment."

Suleiman lifted the sharply sharpened dagger and leveled it with his face.

And smiling widely, he said.

"What do you think? Zephyros."