He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 146

Became the Greatest Crazy Emperor – Episode 146

A beautifully decorated banquet hall, filled with men and women in masks dancing with each other.

The scene was a complete masquerade ball, hosted by a newly emerging noble, a Count, in the Southern Territory.

The newly emerging noble was a noble of pirate origin who bought his title with an otherworld version of a Gongmyeongcheop [a document used to purchase official positions] during the last civil war.

“Wow, to become this rich despite being a pirate. His business skills are extraordinary.”

I, attending his ball under a false identity, was honestly impressed, if only briefly.

It was inferior to the balls held in the capital (though Mirror attends in my place), but it was enough to show off the host’s wealth.

“As His Majesty intended, a significant number of pirate nobles are nobles in name only. Not everyone is as well-off as him.”

“I suppose only the truly tenacious ones survived. Like you, Hendrik.”

“Even so, it’s too much to compare me to them.”

Hendrik, the head of the intelligence department who ‘infiltrated’ with me, joked.

Even after becoming the head, he’s still active in the field… I heard there were suspicions that he escaped from his desk because he himself was frustrated.

“By the way, it’s my first time seeing Your Majesty dressed up like this.”

“And you as well. Very mature. Truly befitting a veteran intelligence agent.”

I also joked with him. But neither he nor I were here for fun.

“Disguise is a basic skill for an intelligence agent. Speaking of which, how many intelligence agents do you think are here right now?”

“Heh heh, I won’t say that to save your face. Anyway, how are we going to identify the contact?”

“Well, I don’t know either. I was only told that ‘the fox will approach at the right time’.”

Is it some kind of password? Well, we need to be careful since it’s an important contact.

“More than that… are you alright?”

“What do you mean? Alright?”

“Well…”

Hendrik’s gaze turned in a certain direction. In that gaze were two people who were different from usual.

Igrid and Stella. Both of them were wearing pretty dresses that they wouldn’t normally wear.

“…Well, I was worried, but they seem to be enjoying the ball.”

“No, do you really think so?”

“…? Does it not look like it to you?”

Stella was receiving a constant stream of advances from men. On the other hand, Igrid seemed to be having a drinking contest.

Well, I’m a little concerned that Stella seems to be having some trouble, but aren’t they enjoying themselves?

“…Your Majesty, I am one to never interfere with Your Majesty’s affairs, but do you really not notice anything strange?”

“Strange? Hmm… it was a bit strange since we left the Imperial Palace.”

After talking with my mother, I felt like the two of them were avoiding eye contact.

“Then why don’t you take this opportunity to talk to them? I’m sure they’ll be happy.”

“What about the intelligence operation?”

“…Please leave that to us for now. I guarantee you, that too will be a significant matter for the Empire.”

Hmph, Hendrik, that guy’s bluffing has increased a lot since I last saw him.

But it is the emperor’s duty to indulge his subjects’ advice a little.

I headed straight for Stella and Igrid.

The first one I approached was Stella. She kept refusing the men who asked her to dance or offered her drinks.

“Beautiful lady, why do you keep refusing?”

“I, well… I…”

Stella didn’t seem to know how to handle this kind of situation, perhaps because she was unfamiliar with it.

It was fun to watch, but I decided to intervene before she got into more trouble.

“Excuse me. The lady is with my party.”

“Oh? Is that true?”

“Yes, she is my… companion.”

“…Oh, she had a partner. Well, it’s no surprise that such a beautiful lady would have a partner. Excuse me then.”

Fortunately, the men left without causing any trouble.

“Stella. You don’t seem to be enjoying the ball very much.”

“I, I just can’t do this kind of thing… men and women dancing so close together…”

It seems too stimulating for Stella, who is a cleric. Honestly, it’s a yawn for me, who used to be a modern person.

Well, of course, that’s just how I see it. Everyone here is probably having lewd thoughts. Except for Stella, maybe.

“Oh. Still, wasn’t there even one man you liked?”

“…Your Majesty, there is only one such person for me.”

“Ah, well, of course. You believe in Lustra of Purification. But wasn’t she a goddess? Well, gender doesn’t really matter to a god.”

“…”

I wondered if I had said something unnecessary, as Stella’s eyes, visible beyond the mask, didn’t look too good.

I decided to change the subject.

“Shall we go see Igrid?”

“Yes.”

Escorting Stella, I approached Igrid, who was a little further away.

“Guh, guh… I can’t anymore…”

Thud.

“Everyone’s alcohol tolerance is so low.”

“Hey, Igrid. It’s not that, it’s just that your tolerance is too high.”

Igrid, also wearing a mask and a dress, seemed to have been drinking with men in a drinking contest.

Unfortunately, there were no men who could beat her in drinking, as she was a warrior from the North.

Everyone probably intended to hit on her, but I could only offer my condolences to their livers, which were bombarded with alcohol.

“Is that all? Everyone’s so weak.”

“Hahaha… well, I’m glad you seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“…”

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

Suddenly, Igrid, who had lost her words, stared at me intently. I could also see her cheeks, not covered by the mask, were slightly flushed.

Was the alcohol kicking in late?

“Do you… have something to say?”

I sensed it instantly.

This pattern of questioning is definitely… “How do I look today?” kind of woman’s language?

Come to think of it, both Igrid and Stella were looking at me with expectant eyes.

It’s quite unexpected that the two of them would use such advanced woman’s language, but I’m not stupid enough not to notice that much.

“The dress suits you very well. You look like an ice princess.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. Any warrior would propose to you.”

“…”

Igrid slightly lowered her head, as if it had worked. I said to Stella as well.

“Stella too. You look chaste but beautiful.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes, you would have been popular if you weren’t a priestess, right?”

“…I suppose so.”

Stella’s face also seems to be turning red.

As expected, I am a wise emperor who can read the hearts of his subjects. That’s how it will be recorded in history.

“Then.”

“Then…”

“…You go first, Igrid.”

“No, you can go first, Stella.”

“…?”

Suddenly, the two of them started to yield to each other, as if they were trying to say something to me but were being cautious.

I don’t know why they’re suddenly doing this. What’s going on?

“Oh, you were here, Franz.”

“…!”

At that moment, there was someone who called my name.

Turning around, there was a red-haired woman wearing a fox mask.

The woman, with her hair color matching, was wearing a very elegant red dress.

She revealed a very graceful figure and held out her hand to me.

“Would you like to dance a song with a fox, Mr. Wolf?”

The mask I was wearing was a wolf mask. I took her hand in accordance with ballroom etiquette and replied.

“I’d be delighted, lady.”

“But who are the people behind you?”

At the fox-masked woman’s words, I turned around.

Igrid had cold eyes, and Stella had a painful look.

“We’re fine. Igrid, let’s go somewhere else.”

“Let’s do that.”

But soon they gave way on their own.

Did they catch on?

“It seems like you hurt the ladies’ feelings?”

“They’re not fools enough to not know the importance of the mission.”

“Oh my, straight to the mission talk?”

“The fox has come, can the wolf pretend to be oblivious? Isn’t that right, Sarah?”

The corners of her, Sarah’s, lips went up.

“That’s right. We need to approach the target, act natural.”

Sarah began to dance, leading me.

It was amazing how she moved little by little, naturally, while pretending to dance naturally. I wondered if nobles needed these skills to survive.

“The target is… the Count after all?”

I asked in a low voice. It was because we were gradually getting closer to the Count, the host of this ball.

“The Count is from a pirate background, and he has shown his skills through his old pirate connections. In the underworld.”

“I see, that’s how he created this much wealth. But is he also involved with the cults?”

The problem in the Southern Territory that the Empress Dowager sent a letter about was the cult problem.

Sarah nodded at the question.

“If involved, he is involved.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“Well, first of all…”

Click-

“Shoot and think.”

Taang!

As soon as she was within effective range, she took out a gun hidden under her dress and shot the Count.

“Kyaaaaak!”

“Countess!”

No, to be exact, she shot the Countess who was with the Count.

The Countess, who had a beauty that didn’t match the Count, was standing next to the Count and supporting him.

Perhaps because of her beauty, all the men were in a daze.

“How dare you! Kill her!”

“Assassin! Kill the assassin!”

Sreung!

So, they shouted at Sarah, who immediately fired the gun, and the guards drew their swords and approached.

“The Countess was the target?”

“Yes.”

“But she just looks like a normal person…”

“That can’t be.”

Ttak- Sarah snapped her fingers.

-Kkyaaaaaaaaak!

Then the Countess, who was lying down as if dead after being shot in the forehead, sprang up like a spring.

-How dare you! Make a fool of me!

“It was a silver bullet that is effective against sea spirits. She wouldn’t have been able to stand it without revealing her true form, right?”

The Countess had transformed into a bizarre shape, as if her beautiful figure was a lie.

“M-My god! It’s a monster!”

-I’m not a monster! Honey!

“Uwaaaaa!”

The Count, as if he didn’t know anything at all, started to run away. But he didn’t run very far.

“Protect the Maiden of the Sea!”

“She wants men!”

“Y-You guys, what the hell…!”

The Count’s subordinates were also transformed. Their arms and legs had turned into octopuses, and seafood was growing on their faces.

Such guys started to appear all over the ball. Even among the men and women who were dancing!

“Kyaaaak! Save me!”

And the slaughter began.

“It has begun. Silver Rose!”

Clang! Shuuuuuuuuk! Teop!

I already knew that there was a possibility that this ball was cursed.

That’s why I had put Silver Rose in a suitable place in advance, and as soon as I called it, it broke through the window and flew to me.

“Counterintelligence Knights! Eliminate the monsters!”

And I had planted people as well.

As Hendrik shouted, the male and female counterintelligence knights, who were disguised, took out their hidden weapons and started the battle.

“Then shall we dance a song properly, Sarah?”

“Let’s do that, Your Majesty.”

The real ball had begun.