Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 386

Even though the magic towers announced it everywhere, some people still doubted if the video was real. But everyone had to agree on one thing.

– Real or not, the Empire was ready for war. They had been preparing for a long time.

Looking back, moving the Western 5th Legion to attack the Holy Kingdom didn’t seem so strange *then*.

But the Central Army’s movements were strangely fast. They finished getting ready to leave just a few days after the Emperor decided to send more troops.

An army of 200,000 soldiers moved out in just three days. Almost no extra supplies were sent to Aserian. This meant only one thing.

– The Imperial Family had stockpiled supplies to move hundreds of thousands of troops.

For the countries around the Empire, the most important thing was this: the Empire had stockpiled supplies for a huge war.

As soon as the video became widespread, most of the surrounding countries began to move their troops to the borders with the Empire. Also, many envoys from each royal family went to neighboring countries.

– Alliance. The only way to deal with the Empire is to form an alliance.

The smaller countries started preparing to survive in their own ways.

And the Empire, the master of Aserian, was, of course, the most aware of all these changes.

* * * Boom!

“Our grand plan has been ruined before it even began!”

The Emperor’s voice was loud enough to shake the building. His rare outburst, filled with anger, took control of the grand hall.

“Locteus, explain what’s going on.”

He didn’t use a title, just a name. It wasn’t a polite title, but a clear sign of disrespect.

Prime Minister Locteus Gusfelt had served the Emperor for a long time. He understood the meaning of that cold tone.

‘Today might be my last day.’

The old man with a stern face felt death approaching, but he calmly raised his head.

“First, I will report the General Staff’s explanation of this situation.”

The Emperor didn’t respond, but Locteus nodded to someone behind him.

Then, one of the twenty or so ministers kneeling near him quickly moved to his side on his knees.

“The Deputy Secretary of the General Staff, Leri…”

“Be brief.”

“…Yes. I will report the General Staff’s review of the current situation.”

The young man licked his dry lips, looking nervous, as the Prime Minister spoke firmly.

“Special Inspection Department agents, known as Ghosts, are trained to avoid detection and recording magic because of their missions.

But the agents in the video didn’t notice the magical recording at all.

If they had even suspected they were being recorded, the Ghosts would have destroyed the recording first. The fact that they didn’t means one thing.”

Black eyes stared at him. The young man, Leri Gusfelt, was sweating under the pressure, but his voice didn’t shake.

“Either someone used an incredibly powerful magical artifact, beyond anything usually found in training, or a mage-level magic user hid their presence and only recorded.”

Only gods or legendary beings could make such a powerful artifact.

So the answer had to be the second option.

“In other words, Prince Baros…”

As soon as he said ‘Prince,’ he saw the owner of the black eyes frown slightly.

Leri realized his mistake and quickly changed his words.

“No, the traitor Baros worked with a mage-level enemy after planning it in advance. He risked his own life to film the video. And maybe that accomplice is…”

“The Black Serpent, I assume.”

The Emperor’s eerie voice acknowledged the young man’s words for the first time.

“Yes, Your Majesty. And the silver aura in the video belongs to…”

“Jerome, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right. They prepared someone to block the agents and someone to record the video in advance. It’s believed that the traitor Baros had been planning to betray the Empire for a long time.”

“And?”

“…Yes?”

“Is that all the General Staff does? Just tell me what I already know?”

Leri was flustered by the chilling voice and the murderous gaze. He looked to his side.

Cold sweat ran down his face, and his eyes shook. But his grandfather, the Prime Minister, didn’t seem to see his desperate look. He kept his eyes on the throne.

He didn’t offer to help his grandson.

Leri looked at his grandfather, then back at the Emperor. He took a deep breath. *No one will help me here. I have to save myself.*

“Absolutely not, Your Majesty. We’ve run into a problem, but our General Staff has a plan to use this situation to our advantage.”

“…Speak.”

“But to do that… first, Your Majesty must make a bold decision.”

Before the Emperor could react, his grandfather turned to him and glared.

“Leri, how dare you…!”

He seemed to know what Leri was going to say.

– You’re making demands of His Imperial Majesty!

Fortunately, the Emperor raised his hand before his grandfather could continue.

“Continue.”

“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“The plan.”

Leri flinched again at the cold voice, took a breath, and calmly continued.

“First, you must publicly announce that you will give up the conquest of the Holy Kingdom.”

“Leri!”

To give up the Imperial Family’s wish that had lasted for hundreds of years.

His grandfather Locteus roared again at that dangerous statement, but the Emperor calmly asked.

“Why should I do that?”

“Even if we take the Holy Kingdom by force, the Empire’s ultimate goal cannot be achieved.”

“The ultimate goal, you say…”

“Yes. The Imperial Family’s goal of becoming the spiritual leader of the continent cannot be achieved in the current situation. Even if we ignore the reasons and occupy the Holy Kingdom, the continent’s people won’t accept it. In the end, we’ll repeat the mistake of 400 years ago.”

400 years ago, the Order was dissolved, and Resolutium overthrew the corrupt clergy.

Most people thought it was the result of the priests cleaning up their own problems, but the Imperial Family had actually influenced it from behind the scenes.

At that time, the Emperor of the Empire claimed to be the agent of the Nine Gods. He replaced the fallen Order and gathered the scattered true priests. But those who pretended to bow down followed the nine saints who appeared 100 years later. They established Noviens and created a holy city within the Empire.

The authority that the Emperor of the Empire had built over 100 years collapsed when the saints sent by God appeared. A powerful force was established within the Empire’s territory.

The Emperor at the time was very angry, but he couldn’t show it because the public supported the Order because of the miracles performed by the nine saints. The past actions of claiming to be the agent of God actually helped the Order rebuild.

The Emperor’s anger was directed at the gods.

– The timing and location of the holy city were too convenient. Find out how much the gods can interfere in the human world.

Since then, the Imperial Family has secretly studied how saints, priests, and holy knights are created.

The data left by the divine being, the ancestor of Ares, was very helpful in understanding the process. The ancient data, once thought to be nonsense, became the key to discovering the secrets of God and the temple.

Because of this, the Imperial Family was able to draw conclusions about how gods, saints, priests, and holy knights are created.

– We need a reason that the gods will accept.

The funny thing is that the reason doesn’t have to be true.

The Nine Gods didn’t recognize the perfect truth. The Order’s authority could be obtained as long as the public, the majority of the people, accepted it.

This was a hypocritical system that didn’t fit with the teachings of the Nine Gods, who promoted good.

From the moment they discovered this, the Imperial Family doubted the existence of gods and temples. The emperors of the Empire, who learned the secrets of God and the temple, began to see the Nine Gods as competitors to be defeated, not beings to be served.

Seizing the Order was only part of that grand plan.

‘Of course, we couldn’t announce this publicly.’

The Emperor chuckled and looked at Leri again.

“Yes, it will be difficult in the current situation. But I created the General Staff to come up with a plan to achieve the goal even in this situation. Not to hear you say give up.”

A cold air tightened around Leri’s neck.

But he had the courage to say what he had to say, so he came forward as the representative of the General Staff.

“Give up the Holy Kingdom and gain the world, Your Majesty.”

“Ha.”

Leri quickly continued, unsure if the Emperor’s exclamation was admiration or a sigh.

“You can publicly announce that you will endure it for the sake of peace on the continent, even though it’s unfair. Endure until the truth is revealed.”

“…”

“And secretly contact the Holy Kingdom and demand that they announce their respect and support for the Empire in exchange for abandoning the conquest.”

“And?”

“Once public opinion is settled with the Holy Kingdom’s declaration of support, our army can simply chase the Black Serpent ‘to reveal the truth.’ We can say they are spreading rumors about the Empire and creating a crisis on the continent, and that they are ‘accidentally’ hiding in the surrounding kingdoms.”

Ah!

A low exclamation came from the kneeling ministers, but Leri didn’t flinch.

The Emperor smiled and asked.

“…Do you think all the rulers and nobles of the surrounding kingdoms are fools?”

“Individuals may be foolish, but groups are not. But because groups can’t represent the interests of everyone, they sometimes make foolish choices.”

“…The words of the sage Arius.”

“Yes. Whatever the truth, if we present a reason, even if it’s just on the surface, we can divide the opinions of the group.”

“In detail.”

“All of our neighboring countries trade with the Empire. And many nobles benefit from that trade. We can influence those who have to be friendly to the Empire to create conflict and cooperate with us.”

“Hoo?”

“If they cooperate, we can openly bring the Empire’s army into that kingdom. Even if it fails, we can conquer them by saying they are helping the Empire’s enemies. Now that we’ve drawn our swords, shouldn’t we use them properly?”

The Emperor smiled for the first time.

“Good. You’re worth the money I invested.”

Leri, who had been sweating, smiled. Locteus, who had been prepared for death, clenched his fist.

The Empire’s goals, which seemed to be divided into conquering the continent and annexing the Holy Kingdom, were actually the same.

The Emperor of the Empire wanted to become the ruler of everyone on the continent, both in power and in spirit.

‘Even if we achieve one goal first, the other is only a matter of time.’

Things had gone a little wrong, but it was just a matter of changing the order.

The Emperor shouted, filled with ambition.

“I accept the General Staff’s opinion. Negotiate with the temple and carry out the plan. As soon as Sword Soul and Cutting Wind return, begin the full-scale grand plan!”

“Yes!”

“Yes! Your Majesty!”

The twenty or so civil officials, who had almost died, shouted loudly, shaking the grand hall.