He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 11

I Became the Crazy Emperor – Episode 11

I Became the Crazy Emperor 11

Returning to the palace, I finished my bath and met with the Empress Dowager.

“The empire is currently in unprecedented political turmoil.”

Having finished my bath and while cooling my languid body, I even poured tea for the Empress Dowager myself.

As the Empress Dowager spoke as if testing the waters after receiving the tea, I nodded and said,

“Indeed, but I doubt you came to me just to state the obvious.”

The empire was experiencing such political chaos that saying it was simply on the decline was an understatement.

Not all the feudal lords were like this, but some were in a state where they could revolt against me at any time, each in their own way.

There probably aren’t many who openly want to wear the emperor’s crown.

But the feudal lords, if they wanted to and had the power, were qualified to wear the emperor’s crown.

It’s just that the crown has no value, so they don’t obsess over it.

“Of course, Your Majesty. But it is precisely because of this chaotic period that there is also opportunity.”

The Empress Dowager said, cutting the cake that came with the tea.

“If this cake is the empire, then this knife is Your Majesty.”

A cake called the empire.

The knife that cuts the cake.

Then what are the cut cakes?

“Everyone else besides Your Majesty.”

Stories too dangerous for the servants to hear began to emerge.

I gestured to a court butler waiting beside me, and he quickly sent the maids out.

Commoners who couldn’t handle stories of hidden agendas were better off not being here.

“The feudal lords. For now, they are the ones who make up the empire.”

“That is correct, Your Majesty. But not all of them are beneficial to you.”

As the Empress Dowager said.

Separatists.

Traitors who want to go under other races.

Followers of the Demonic Realm.

Those who have fallen into heresy.

Such people were mixed together in the current empire.

“Of course, they are cakes containing poison that should not be eaten.”

But you can’t exclude all the cakes.

If so, the empire can no longer be an empire.

That’s why those who can be embraced must be embraced.

“Then we need to distinguish who has no poison.”

But how do you know who is not poisonous?

I can say with certainty that those who remain now have their own survival strategies.

Those who didn’t would have already been swept away.

“It’s surprisingly simple, Your Majesty. Not just anyone can harbor the poison called treason.”

A world where anyone can hide a knife behind their back and stab you at any time.

But in this world, only those with the stature can look for opportunities.

[Quest: Co-opt the Minor Nobles]

[All political schemes need pawns. Co-opt the minor forces for the integration of the empire.]

[Reward: Acquire Prosperity’s Favor Stage 1]

Those who are too small to harbor that poison.

Co-opting them could be the beginning of a scheme.

“Let’s talk more about it, Mother.”

It was a night when schemes were being hatched.

* * *

It’s not just commoners who suffer in times of political turmoil.

Even nobles, if they are minor nobles without the power to protect themselves in times of turmoil, are bound to be swept away by disaster.

Of course, this mainly happens to humble families, but surprisingly, even nobles who are counts cannot rest assured in this era.

Even if they are the same count, the power of the family and the territory varies greatly.

Even if it’s on the decline, the empire still has a vast territory, so the scale of the power struggles is still extraordinary.

“His Majesty fully understands the position of the Earl of Lanford. So he will surely make a good offer to you.”

“That’s a relief, but I hope His Majesty knows that even holding this position is an adventure for me right now.”

The Earl of Lanford understood the current state of the empire well, so he knew that one wrong move could lead to the destruction of his family.

In fact, many large and small noble families have been destroyed since the time of the previous emperor.

As many new families appeared for various political reasons, it was an era when territorial wars between families were not uncommon.

It was originally the emperor’s job to prevent that.

Now was an era when the emperor’s authority could not prevent it.

So you shouldn’t give anyone a cause. Of course, a cause is something you can create, so in the end, the most important thing is power.

‘We are not in a position to develop that power, but why did the emperor call me at such a cautious time?’

In his heart, he wanted to decline the invitation for fear of getting caught up in unnecessary trouble.

But the Earl of Lanford’s family had been declining for a long time, so he could not refuse the emperor’s invitation.

The emperor’s authority was not as great as it was in its heyday, but it was not at a level that the Earl of Lanford’s family could ignore.

In addition, the emperor even sent the head butler with a carriage to bring him, so he couldn’t make excuses.

“His Majesty is a wise man, so you don’t have to worry.”

The Earl of Lanford felt uncomfortable when the Jurgen Palace Head Butler, who felt like a snake, spoke as if reading his mind.

But he didn’t show it and asked back.

“If you say so, but aren’t we going to the palace now? It feels like we’re going deeper into the forest.”

“Ah, that? That’s because we’re actually going to the forest. We’re going to the imperial hunting grounds, not the palace.”

“To the hunting grounds?”

Why go to the hunting grounds instead of the palace? Naturally, such a question arose for the count.

And the question naturally created suspicion and anxiety.

It may seem like an unnecessary prejudice, but the hunting grounds are a place that satisfies the entertainment of the nobles, but also a place where nobles often die in ‘accidents’.

Of course, it was an open secret that some of those ‘accidents’ could be intentional.

“Haha, you don’t have to have strange misunderstandings.”

Was he too obvious about his worries?

The Jurgen Head Butler said as if to reassure him.

“I, I didn’t say anything.”

“It’s written all over your face.”

The Earl of Lanford felt like he was watching Jurgen, who was narrowing his eyes and speaking, actually flicking the snake’s forked tongue.

“Whatever His Majesty wants, would he need to use such despicable means against your family?”

Even if the imperial family has fallen, wouldn’t it be nothing to trample on a mere count’s family?

“Cough, cough…”

The head butler said something subtly annoying, but it wasn’t wrong.

Then why did the emperor call him to such a place?

While still feeling doubtful, the carriage stopped and someone came.

“Nice to meet you, Earl Lanford. I am the gamekeeper, Jack Forest. I will guide you to where His Majesty is.”

As soon as he got out of the carriage, the gamekeeper who appeared from the bushes came and greeted him.

Lanford was still uneasy and looked around anxiously.

But soon, he had no choice but to stiffen at Jack’s words.

“Follow me, but please follow quietly and carefully. You must absolutely follow my instructions.”

“Wh, what’s going on?”

“You will see soon.”

The Earl of Lanford, feeling uneasy, was a little scared, but he couldn’t turn back.

On the other hand, the head butler and the gamekeeper were lowering their posture between the bushes as if they were used to it.

Unlike the two, the count was awkward to lower his posture, but soon followed them.

“Shhh, don’t make any noise from now on because it’s nearby.”

‘What the hell is there!’

After walking for a long time almost sitting down, the gamekeeper Jack spoke in a very small voice and looked at the empty forest.

The count’s eyes only saw bushes, trees, sloping roads, and occasionally curved land, so he wondered if the gamekeeper was teasing him.

But then.

“Got you, you bastard!”

“Keueuk!”

It was clearly an empty forest, but suddenly there was a rustling sound from one side of the bushes and someone was rolling on the ground.

Judging from the dirty face and leather clothes, he looked like a robber.

On the other hand, the one who threw him down was also wearing light leather clothes, but he was a tall and well-built silver-haired young man.

The count felt that he looked familiar.

“Now, shoot!”

But even before he could think of his identity, those who had been hiding in various places all at once came out and shot arrows at the young man.

The arrows had their tips removed, so they were not lethal, but they flew quickly towards the young man like ordinary arrows.

“Not bad, but not enough!”

The young man shouted as if putting in energy and swung his sword once to cut down the flying arrows.

This skill, also known as ‘arrow cutting’, is usually performed among knights, but it was not a skill that knights preferred.

It was more effective to avoid it, trust the armor, or use a shield.

But the young man easily cut down seven arrows.

Of course, he couldn’t help but roll his body to avoid the arrows that continued to pour down after that, but that alone was enough to impress the count.

‘He’s quite skilled. The imperial family has weakened, but if there are still knights like that in the imperial family, it’s not easy to ignore them.’

The Earl of Lanford’s family, who couldn’t even dream of having a knight of that level as a vassal, didn’t think about it, but in any case, the knight’s skill was great.

Moreover, the development of the ensuing battle was also worth watching.

He got up immediately after rolling and dashed towards the enemies, and in the meantime, he avoided or cut down the flying arrows as if water was flowing.

The enemies were scattered in various places in the bushes and shot arrows, but even though it was a great ambush, it sadly acted as a poison because the silver-haired young man overcame everything with his physical ability.

Because they were scattered, they could not concentrate and resist, and were being defeated individually.

“Show some more guts!”

At the young man’s command, they gritted their teeth, and some made reckless charges to buy time, while others tried to concentrate and solidify their defense in the meantime.

But the silver-haired young man rather slipped away from the one who charged and broke into the ones who were trying to solidify their defense.

Pow! Kwaduk! Chaeng!

That was the end. He struck the opponent with the sword’s surface, knocking them all down.

They barely didn’t faint, but they seemed to have accepted defeat and didn’t resist anymore.

While the count was admiring what he had seen so far, the head butler and the gamekeeper came out of the bushes where they were hiding.

“Good job. It’s good to see you improving day by day!”

“Good job, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, it’s the head butler and Jack. What’s going on with the two of you during training?”

And the count was startled to hear the conversation they were having.

‘Yo, Your Majesty? Then that person is… the Emperor?’

Only then did he recall the new emperor he had seen from afar when he attended the inauguration ceremony not long ago.

But the slender and weak impression from that time had disappeared, and there was only a young man full of masculinity in front of him.

“Are you Earl Lanford? You’re finally here; I’ve been preparing for two weeks to meet you. Nice to meet you.”

“I, I’m honored, Your Majesty.”

Lanford, who directly confirmed with his own eyes that he was completely different from the emperor he remembered, had no choice but to have his spirit broken from the start.