He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 12

Became the Crazy Emperor – Episode 12

Became the Crazy Emperor 12

“It’s an honor that Your Majesty has personally invited me, but may I inquire as to the reason for this meeting?”

Count Lanford, visibly surprised by my sudden invitation, struggled to conceal his bewilderment.

Though in his late 30s, he seemed somewhat green for the head of a noble family, projecting an aura of sincerity and zeal.

“Shall we converse while taking a stroll?”

Count Lanford.

Objectively, he was a run-of-the-mill count with a commonplace title.

Neither remarkably deficient nor exceptionally distinguished.

He simply possessed a county of average size.

Even with the title of Count, the county’s dimensions varied based on the feudal family’s history and influence, but his remained at a standard, unremarkable level.

“What is your assessment of yourself?”

I posed the question as we ambled toward the forest bordering the Demon Realm, a locale with a tranquil yet ominous ambiance. Count Lanford responded, his voice tinged with trepidation.

“I am merely a man devoted to my family.”

Despite his apprehension, he delivered his response with commendable clarity.

It was a measured answer, avoiding both arrogance and excessive humility.

“Is that so? Then allow me to rephrase the question.”

He was an ordinary noble, devoid of towering ambition.

But that very quality made him ideal for my current purposes.

“If presented with the opportunity, would you entertain the notion of elevating your family and yourself?”

I posed the question, turning to face him directly.

Simultaneously, I raised a hand.

Instantly, soldiers armed with crossbows materialized from the undergrowth.

Count Lanford, who had been oblivious to their presence until that moment, appeared both startled and alarmed by their sudden emergence.

“Y-Your Majesty… What is the meaning of this?”

“This is a question, a proposition, and a veiled threat, all rolled into one.”

So choose your words with care.

Unless you wish to forfeit your life prematurely.

It was, in essence, a threat, but I felt no compunction in delivering it.

There was little reason to coddle such a minor count.

“W-What manner of response does Your Majesty seek?”

“I hardly believe you are naive enough to be ignorant of the answer. Your excessive prudence is a weakness.”

It was somewhat disappointing, but he was undeniably intelligent.

And based on my prior intelligence, he was also quite competent.

He possessed a keen awareness of his family’s relative weakness and maintained a delicate equilibrium, avoiding alignment with any single faction.

The territory under his governance was also managed with commendable efficiency, considering its size and the surrounding circumstances.

‘He might not be prime minister material, but could he be suited for the role of Minister of Internal Affairs?’

I had anticipated encountering talents on par with Umbaekho [likely a reference to a character or historical figure known for mediocrity] at best, given his status as a weak noble. However, encountering someone of his caliber suggested that surprisingly capable individuals might exist even among the lesser nobility.

“If Your Majesty poses such a question, naturally, I would desire such advancement. However, Your Majesty…”

He addressed me with continued courage, acutely aware of the crossbow-wielding soldiers still trained upon him.

“…Nobles from humble families such as mine are wary of reaching for branches beyond our grasp.”

Survival instinct.

If the powerful must master the art of kingship, the weak must master the art of survival.

This man possessed a profound understanding of the survival strategies employed by the weak.

That very quality made him all the more appealing to me.

With proper cultivation, he would undoubtedly prove loyal. Even if he were to rise in prominence in the future, betraying me would be difficult, given the deeply ingrained habits of the weak.

He was precisely what I required at this juncture.

“For attempting to grasp branches beyond our reach invites only ruin, leaving us without recourse.”

Even now, he subtly deflected my ‘proposal.’

He was subtly conveying his unworthiness while avoiding direct offense.

Of course, I had no intention of allowing him to slip through my fingers so easily.

“Then what if you were not alone in this endeavor?”

I informed him that he would not be the sole target of any potential repercussions-

“There will be many eager to ascend, even if you decline.”

…I deliberately fostered a sense of competition.

In the eyes of the count, who had been feigning weakness, a flicker of ambition, small yet discernible, began to ignite.

* * *

“Was he deliberately concealing his strength by maintaining such a low profile?”

Count Lanford muttered to himself within the confines of his carriage, en route back to his territory.

The Emperor’s proposition was undeniably audacious, yet its implications were far from trivial.

“To restructure the power dynamics by uniting weak nobles such as myself.”

Count Lanford revisited the Emperor’s proposal, considering the broader context.

The political landscape surrounding the imperial capital, Augsburg, was largely defined by three dominant factions.

The first was the Karstein Dukedom.

A dukedom that had maintained its independent power base in the heart of the empire for generations.

Conversely, the second, the Malenberg Dukedom, was a family elevated to ducal status in the preceding generation.

Both families were actively vying to consolidate the surrounding forces, while the third faction comprised those who had yet to pledge allegiance to either.

Individuals such as Count Lanford himself.

“Does the Emperor intend to absorb us, the buffer zone, to challenge the two dominant powers?”

The reason they had managed to remain neutral, despite the two powers’ attempts to assert regional dominance, was that these weaker nobles served as a buffer between Karstein and Malenberg.

“But the Emperor has entered the fray. The game has changed. What course of action should I pursue?”

Today, the Emperor had unequivocally demonstrated his resolve to unify the empire completely.

The ideas and plans he articulated gradually swayed Lanford, who found himself increasingly persuaded by the Emperor’s vision.

Lanford couldn’t suppress his shock upon hearing it.

“To establish an absolute monarchy by dismantling all feudal powers.”

And that collaborators like himself would be recognized as new vested interests under that absolute monarchy.

It was a perilous yet alluring proposition.

At the same time, it was virtually impossible to refuse.

For any refusal would be met with swift elimination by the Emperor.

“I cannot align myself with either of those two families either.”

Until now, he had navigated a precarious path, acting as a buffer.

But now that he had chosen a side, he would find no protection from the opposing faction.

He would merely serve as a shield.

“He must have foreseen all of this and extended the proposal to me.”

Count Lanford felt a strong conviction.

Yet, strangely, he felt more exhilarated than apprehensive.

It felt as though he had stumbled upon an unmissable opportunity.

The ambition to seize this opportunity and elevate himself and his family.

The Count himself was taken aback by the discovery of such ambition within himself.

“Whether the Emperor’s attention will truly prove to be an opportunity remains to be seen…”

Of course, this was a gamble.

A gamble where he could win big by staking everything, but also lose everything in the process.

But even considering the risk of failure, the potential rewards were too significant to ignore.

“To grant me the rights to the Demon Realm development project immediately…”

The Emperor had even dangled a substantial carrot before him.

In return, he was tasked with uniting the other weak nobles, encouraging them to flock to the Emperor’s banner.

A clear quid pro quo, where each party offered and received what they needed.

Naturally, the Count found himself in a position where he could neither easily refuse nor readily accept.

The more he contemplated the situation, the more inclined he became toward acceptance.

“Moreover, this Emperor seemed remarkably strong. Unlike the powerless previous ruler…”

Count Lanford had witnessed him personally training the troops.

It was a stark contrast to the previous ruler, who had distanced himself from military matters to the point of being labeled ineffectual.

He was like a tyrant.

No, he had a strong intuition that even the term tyrant might fall short of describing him.

“It’s a gamble worth taking.”

Bold gambles demand bold individuals.

The Emperor appeared sufficiently bold, and the Count also possessed a surprising degree of audacity, enough to wager on this gamble.

Ultimately, the Count resolved to board the same ship as the Emperor.

Meanwhile-

[Quest Completed]

[Successfully persuaded Count Lanford.]

[Acquired ‘Prospera’s Favor Stage 1’ as a reward.]

“That’s it. One more pawn added to the collection.”

The self-willed Emperor was simply pleased to have another subordinate at his disposal.

* * *

“Drive them this way!”

“There, maintain formation! Shields up!”

Even before the advent of firearms, humans hunted beasts.

However, in those times, firearms lacked the power to fell even elephants with a single shot, making the relationship between hunter and prey more dynamic.

“It’s coming this way!”

“Loose the crossbows! Draw the bows as well!”

“It’s coming!”

Of course, hunting in a world devoid of powerful firearms was inherently perilous.

And that reality held true in this medieval-esque other world.

-Growl! Woof woof!

A colossal wolf, standing on four legs and as large as an adult male, snarled at the soldiers, baring its ferocious fangs.

Thud!

“Aaaagh!”

“Hold the line! Thrust with spears!”

“Open the shields on the count of three! Then fire!”

“One! Two!”

“Fire!”

Even when confronted by such a formidable monster, the soldiers did not flee or freeze, despite their fear.

This was a testament to their rigorous training and the occasional hunting exercises they had undertaken.

Of course, this was their first encounter with a wolf monster of that magnitude; previously, they had only faced wolves about half that size.

-Clang! Clang!

The giant wolf was not an invincible entity.

Its sharp, resilient claws battered the shields, threatening to shatter them after only a few strikes. Meanwhile, spears, arrows, and bolts rained down upon the monster.

Although they struggled to pierce its tough hide, they occasionally found purchase, drawing blood.

The monster was clearly from the Demon Realm, but that’s why it was a manageable opponent.

It was a creature that couldn’t withstand the competition for survival in the Demon Realm, which was clearly not a human domain.

It was still an immature individual to the point where it had to invade the human domain.

-Grrr…… Grrr!

Crash!

“Ugh! The shield is broken!”

However, it was not to be underestimated. Soon, a shield shattered, exposing some soldiers to danger.

The soldier, sensing imminent death, closed his eyes, helpless.

“You bastard!”

But the monster did not harm the soldiers.

Because I seized the moment when the monster was completely vulnerable.

Stab.

[Ambush Attack Successful!]

[Additional Damage Occurred!]

-Kuhheoheong!

“Tough bastard.”

I had aimed for the heart through the monster’s exposed flank, but the sensation of the sword entering was dull.

Even with the amplified power from the ambush skill, its physical resilience was remarkable, even for an immature specimen.

It would have been ideal to imbue the sword with Aura [magical energy].

As the Emperor’s sword, it was a respectable weapon, but on its own, it struggled to penetrate the monster’s thick hide.

I would need to acquire a superior sword or enhance its sharpness with Aura, but I had yet to master the art of imbuing a sword with power.

-Keuheong!

The wolf monster writhed in agony as the sword pierced its flesh.

Before I could drop the sword in the struggle, I twisted the blade, swiftly retrieved it, and retreated.

The monster’s sharp forepaw grazed my armor.

Claw marks marred the expensive plate armor, crafted from precious steel.

A direct hit would not have been fatal, but it would have been far from pleasant.

“We must aid His Majesty!”

“Aim and fire at the wolf!”

In the meantime, the soldiers supported me with arrows and bolts.

They could have struck me, given my proximity to the target, but their repeated hunting drills had honed their accuracy, eliminating any hesitation.

-Keuhing! Keuheoheong!

“Now!”

While I evaded the wolf’s relentless attacks, the barrage of arrows and bolts hampered its movements.

At that moment, I swung the sword with all my might at the wolf.

-Keureureureong!

“Die!”

Slash!

The sword’s sharpness remained unchanged.

But the force behind it was greater, tearing through the wolf’s lower neck with a clumsy yet decisive blow.

The wolf, its neck severed, thrashed briefly before succumbing to death.

“We caught it!”

“Excellent work, Your Majesty!”

“You all worked hard too! The hide isn’t too damaged at this point.”

The soldiers who had participated in the hunt wore bright smiles.

Their share of the spoils would increase with a successful hunt.

It had been a month since they began training, shuttling between the Demon Realm and the border.

They had only started hunting in earnest about two weeks prior, and their teamwork was already commendable.

“Is it time to commence the Demon Realm development project soon?”

It was time to initiate the next phase of the plan.