He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 160

Shortly after, joyous news spread throughout the Empire.

Though the marriage was already planned, the specific date for the wedding was set.

The citizens of the Empire were overjoyed, and it was announced that a grand wedding, parade, and festival would be held publicly, with all citizens encouraged to come to the capital.

However, not everyone was happy about this joyful news.

“Damn it, you must have heard the news, right?”

“Of course. The Emperor, that cursed bastard, is getting married. With three brides, no less.”

“Ha! Just like a tyrant! He’s really gone wild now!”

Who would dare to speak so irreverently of the Emperor?

None other than the remnants of the secessionist forces from the last civil war.

All were originally members of noble families who had lived comfortably, but after their families fell and they survived, most looked like rough mercenaries due to their hardships.

In fact, they had been making a living as mercenaries, underworld thugs, and thieves until now.

“But at the same time, this is a good opportunity for us.”

“Yes… Coincidentally, he’s digging his own grave.”

But they hadn’t gathered here just to lament.

“At this wedding… we will take our revenge on him.”

Revenge.

At those words, all the secessionist remnants gathered in that place became solemn.

No matter what they do now, there is no way to regain their past glory.

But all that remained was their spite, so they had no choice but to take revenge in a dirty and dishonorable way.

“We’ll kill his loved ones before his eyes. We’ll massacre his loyal subjects as well. Furthermore, we’ll destroy his precious Empire.”

“Yes, that’s right. But we can’t do it alone.”

“Oh, of course. But don’t worry. We’re not fighting alone.”

Of course, they weren’t just plotting some futile revenge with their remaining forces.

Surprisingly, they had backers.

“The Empire still has many enemies.”

“Doesn’t seem like it anymore? We’ve allied with the Greenskins in the west, and the Elves have self-destructed like fools. The Abyss of the Southern Sea is about to become one with the Empire?”

“Even so, it’s true that there are many potential enemies. More than anything… we haven’t even faced the most powerful enemy head-on yet.”

“The most powerful enemy…”

A fallen noble, with one or two teeth missing due to hardship, smiled and answered the question.

“The Demon race. The Demon Realm beyond the north. They are now seriously paying attention to the Empire’s expansion.”

“Ooh… indeed!”

The Empire’s greatest enemy, of course, is the long-standing nemesis, the Demon race.

Of course, their hostility towards the Empire was nothing new, and cultists had been operating secretly within the Empire all along.

Recently, due to thorough counterintelligence, the cultists had been almost completely annihilated, but the Demon race’s machinations still existed, and those gathered here were among them.

“They have agreed to provide us with an artifact. An artifact that opens a portal to hell. If activated, it can turn any city into ruins.”

“I see! Then we’ll use it in the capital?”

“Of course.”

“…That’s a good plan. But do we have to target the wedding? Wouldn’t it be better to detonate it when the enemy isn’t prepared?”

The sympathizer’s question was reasonable. So the organizer nodded, but pointed out what he had overlooked.

“That’s not wrong, but if we can’t deceive the eyes of the Counterintelligence Knights, it will be more difficult to infiltrate during peacetime. It’s better to strike when the number of visitors increases and their surveillance capacity weakens.”

“Ah, I see. My thinking was short-sighted.”

“There’s another reason. That artifact requires a lot of soul energy to activate.”

“We don’t have the resources to gather sacrifices?”

Like most black magic artifacts, it requires sacrifices. But of course, these beggars couldn’t gather many sacrifices without being detected.

“There’s no need to gather sacrifices. You just need to activate it in a densely populated area.”

“Hoo, so one of the reasons for using the wedding is that?”

“Exactly. The many people gathered there will soon become sacrifices.”

“We’ll kill his subjects and destroy the capital, Augsburg. It’s truly a satisfying revenge.”

“Hehehe… indeed.”

They all began to grin sinisterly.

With renewed motivation, some began to offer more suggestions.

“There are several artifacts. Of course, it’s better to scatter them in suitable locations rather than concentrating on one place.”

“That’s a good idea. Even if one artifact fails, another might succeed, right?”

“Not only that, but let’s also deal with those detestable women who will become empresses. Even if the Emperor is difficult to assassinate, they won’t be. Let’s take them out with snipers.”

They laughed with joy. They felt no guilt about betraying their former homeland, the Empire.

In the first place, they didn’t have much patriotism towards the country; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been secessionists.

“Then let’s keep quiet until the day of the uprising. The Demon race says that the Emperor even uses doppelgangers like slaves.”

“Indeed, he’s a terrifying figure. But don’t worry. I won’t even meet my lover until the day of the uprising.”

They all made such solemn resolutions and parted ways. It was the only moment when the secessionists were of one mind.

So they were convinced that there could be no betrayal.

But their resolve became meaningless just five minutes after they parted.

“Ugh, what a pain in the ass. Is the easy life in the palace over now? Emperor, you bad son of a bitch…”

The very person who had just warned to be careful of the Emperor’s doppelgangers was actually Mirror himself, the Emperor’s doppelganger [a magical duplicate or body double].

“Well, if I tell them this, they’ll give me a lot of reward money. Then I’ll have plenty of fun. Hehe…”

He was once a demon, but now he had become accustomed to the affluent life in the Empire and had already become the Emperor’s pet.

Of course, that wasn’t as important as having learned about the assassination attempt in advance.

* * *

“Long live the Emperor!”

“Congratulations on your wedding!”

“Ah, the brides are so beautiful!”

Marriage is said to be the tomb of life.

But it’s true that it’s the most splendid tomb.

And perhaps no one’s wedding is more splendid than that of the Emperor, me.

“Lady Sarah is the most beautiful! She deserves to be the Empress!”

“Ha, you don’t know anything. Lady Stella is the most suitable to be Empress, but she conceded for political reasons.”

“Come on, don’t fight and have a drink. After all, Lady Ygritte is the real Empress.”

The citizens were all delighted. It wasn’t just that they were happy that the Emperor was marrying beautiful brides.

To them, this scene represented hope for the future, unlike the Empire of the past, which had only declined.

Everyone sang the anthem of hope together, rejoicing and laughing.

“Disgusting creatures. Soon that laughter will disappear.”

But there were those who did not.

“Hehehe, you’re holding a parade so openly? Your arrogance has led to the death of your lovers, Emperor.”

Clink-

A secessionist remnant with a sniper rifle aimed.

Although he was quite far away, he had honed his sniping skills and would shoot as soon as he had the chance.

“Now, who shall I kill first…”

“I’d target Sarah first. Sarah already knows all your locations.”

“Oh, really? Thank- huh?”

Thwack!

The sniper, startled by my voice from behind, was punched and knocked unconscious.

“Sigh, it’s not easy to get married.”

To have such a big event happen on my wedding day. I don’t know what the future holds.

“Well, is this also the burden of the Emperor? No, it’s closer to the burden of the head of the household.”

Clank-

I picked up the sniper rifle that the guy was going to shoot, trying to bear the burden of the head of the household.

It felt heavy, as if I was really carrying a burden, but soon I waited for the signal.

Bang! Pow!

Not long after, the sound of celebratory gunfire rang out.

Thwack!

In time with that, I sniped another sniper.

How did I know his location?

-The next location is the third floor in the two o’clock direction.

Stella was telling me through a divine magic telepathic message.

Of course, it was Sarah, who was skilled in ballistics and had a deep knowledge of sniping, who was telling her the location.

“I found it, Stella. Tell Sarah I appreciate her hard work in finding it.”

-Yes, Your Majesty.

“Oh, and thank you for your hard work too.”

-……I, It’s nothing much.

Thwack!

I didn’t stop sniping even while listening to Stella’s shy voice.

How dare they try to assassinate my wives. Of course, my wives weren’t the kind of people who would obediently be attacked.

From the moment Mirror brought the information, they had been thoroughly prepared.

-The Counterintelligence Knights and the Northern Warriors have collected all the artifacts.

“Ygritte has also done a good job. I’ve just dealt with all the snipers. It’s all over.”

They had reversed the situation and dealt with the guys who were trying to cause an accident during the parade.

They had worked hard to prevent any commotion in the process.

This public wedding was not just a personal event for me, but had to be a hopeful message showing the Empire’s strength.

And it was successfully completed……

-Wait a minute! The prisoner just said that there’s one more artifact! They just activated it!”

“Where is it?”

-The bell tower!

……It seemed it was too early to think so.

I immediately looked at the bell tower. But even if I flew there right now, it would take time.

If it had already been activated, there was no way to stop it.

“T, This is bad. Evacuate the people right now-”

-There’s no need to do that, Emperor.

“Ygritte?”

At that time, Ygritte’s voice was also heard through telepathy. It seemed she was communicating through Stella.

-I will freeze time for a moment.

“What?”

Crackling-

As soon as I heard those words, I heard the sound of the surroundings freezing.

As Ygritte said, time froze, and I was the only one moving in the frozen world.

-Emperor, we have also become your kin. Now our power has also become stronger.

“Indeed.”

Deciding to get married, I had made my wives my kin [a magically binding relationship].

Stella already was, but it seemed that Ygritte’s power had also become stronger as Ygritte’s kin, just like Stella.

I didn’t know for sure, but Sarah would probably be the same.

“Then I’ll be back, Ygritte. No, you’re my wife now.”

-……I’ll be waiting, E, Emperor… no, dear.

Leaving behind Ygritte’s somewhat different answer, I quickly headed to the church’s bell tower.

Whoosh-

“Now, let’s activate the artifact.”

“Huh? Who’s there-”

Stab-

“It’s me, you bastards.”

“Y, Your Majesty!”

“I’m sick of you guys too, now disappear into the history of the Empire.”

Swish, swish!

A barrage of shadow blades covered them.

They were stabbed and torn apart by the shadow blades without even having a chance to resist.

I had no intention of sending them to the gallows. The captured guys would also be dealt with quietly and secretly.

“There’s no need to create a funeral atmosphere on a festival day.”

Is it a festival for me? No, it may be a funeral, but for the citizens, a festival is just a festival.

I smiled contentedly and looked down at the 모습 [Korean word for ‘appearance’ or ‘sight’] of the Empire seen below the bell tower.