He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 17

Became the Crazy Emperor – Episode 17

Became the Crazy Emperor 17

“Secure the perimeter. They might attack again.”

“Those persistent bastards, how many times already—”

Pshuk!

“Keuk!”

“Enemy!”

The full-scale reclamation of the Demon Realm had begun.

The Imperial Central Army, recalling their training, advanced into the depths they had never dared to tread before.

And they soon understood why this place had remained a Demon Realm for so long.

-Keeeek!

-Kieek! Humans! Meat! Slaves!

Goblins ambushed them relentlessly as soon as they set foot inside.
Goblins might be considered insignificant monsters, but in the Demon Realm, which was practically their home, it was a different story.

“Poison dart arrows! Raise your shields!”

“Return fire! Quickly!”

“I can’t see where they’re hiding!”

Poison darts flew from unseen locations.

If they let their guard down even for a moment, goblins would suddenly jump out from the trees, from the bushes, or even from underground, stab them with daggers, and run away.

Even the soldiers who had undergone rigorous training were responding calmly, but casualties were inevitable as they encountered situations they had never experienced in training.

“Protect the wounded! Evacuate them to the rear!”

The vanguard suffered particularly heavy losses.

They didn’t abandon their comrades who had fallen from poison darts, and they endured, alerting their allies to the danger and requesting support.

“Who’s rushing to request support… !”

Just as the vanguard was desperately fighting against the goblins swarming from all directions.

“There’s no need.”

“Y-Your Majesty!”

I arrived at the battlefield just in time.

Sreung-

As the soldiers were surprised by my arrival, I drew my silver holy sword and charged forward like a tidal wave.

There were only ten goblins visible, but there were probably more hiding in unseen places.

-Expensive human!

-Kill him! Kill him and take everything!

The goblins were overconfident in their numbers, which outnumbered me by more than tenfold.

They believed that no matter how strong I was, they couldn’t possibly lose with their overwhelming numbers.

But that was arrogance.

Kaga gag!

Goblins on the left were aiming for my weak spot with spears.

The spears they thrust were cut down like scarecrows with a single swing of the holy sword.

Seokeok, Chwaak!

The goblins, who had lost their weapons in an instant.

Having lost even the means to threaten me, they were defenseless against the ensuing barrage of attacks and were chopped to pieces.

-Keee! Revenge! Revenge for our kin!

-Kill! Eat!

The left flank had collapsed, but the goblins on the opposite side tried to respond immediately.

“They’re far too slow compared to them.”

Compared to the heroes of Leonis.

It was truly like a tortoise and hare… no, more like a hare and a maggot.

No matter how many of them there were, no matter how they attacked from hiding.

They couldn’t be a threat if they were this slow.

-Keeeek!

-Nimble human!

-Can’t hit him!

All I had to do was dodge.

I was even easily dodging the poison dart arrows they were shooting.

Even if they were coated with poison, they couldn’t pierce armor, so I, who was wearing full-body armor, was unlikely to be hit.

“Let’s help His Majesty! Quickly!”

“Those who can fight, join in!”

I was more than capable of toying with the goblins on my own, but the soldiers, emboldened by my performance, joined the fight.

That alone reversed the tide of battle.

The goblins, who had been at an advantage, suffered devastating losses and had to retreat.

“Don’t worry. You’re all healed now.”

“T-Thank you, Saintess.”

“I’ve detoxified everyone who was poisoned. But don’t overdo it for a while.”

Stella, who had followed behind, began to tend to the wounded soldiers.

From the moment the reclamation of the Demon Realm began, many soldiers were able to save their lives thanks to her.

So, I’m grateful that she came along, but…

“I didn’t really expect this much, though.”

Stella was devotedly caring for the soldiers.

The reason she came all the way here was because I had acknowledged the fact that I had met the gods.

I had deliberately revealed it, partly to gain her worship and reverence.

But I didn’t expect her to want to watch over me so closely that she would follow me all the way here.

First of all, it’s a good thing that she can heal the soldiers, but…

“Bishop Stella.”

“Please, call me Stella.”

“Stella. Do you intend to keep following me?”

“Yes, I want to keep seeing the work that Your Majesty is doing.”

Stella spoke without the slightest hesitation, with an attitude that didn’t betray any suspicion or sinister schemes.

She looked as if she had fallen for someone, but of course, it was a different feeling from ordinary affection or love.

Yes, this… it feels like looking at a fanatic who has fallen for a cult leader.

I can’t deny that I intended it to some extent, but to be honest, it’s a bit *b 부담스럽네* [burdensome/uncomfortable].

“Alright, stay as long as you like.”

Of course, *b 부담스러운* [burdensome/uncomfortable] is *b 부담스러운* [burdensome/uncomfortable], and helpful is helpful.

If she’s going to follow me around and help me with my work because she likes me, I have no reason to refuse.

However, one thing bothered me.

“But I want to make one thing clear. Is this the official position of the Purification Order?”

Stella staying by my side longer.

That’s a willingness to contact me and improve our relationship in some way.

But is that the will of the Purification Order itself, which she belongs to and represents, or is it her personal will?

That’s what I needed to make sure of.

“No. It’s not the Order’s position yet. To be precise… the Order is closer to being in opposition to me.”

Stopping her care for the soldiers, she started to head back.

It was the same when she came, but when she went back, only my guards were around.

In other words, Stella had no guards, so I could harm her if I wanted to.

In that state, Stella was making a very dangerous statement.

“If they’re in opposition, that means they’re hostile to me.”

“Yes, regrettably and impudently, they will be aiming for Your Majesty’s… authority, as well as your position.”

She put it very euphemistically, but to summarize, they want to depose me.

I don’t know what they’re aiming for after deposing me.

But that in itself was nothing new.

“Nothing new. It’s a world where those who are loyal to the Imperial Family are rare.”

Except for those directly related to the Imperial Family, such as the Captain of the Guard, the Prime Minister, the Head Butler, and the Grand Empress Dowager.

It’s now a time when hoping for loyal subjects has become a vulgar joke.

So, it wasn’t strange that the high-ranking elders of the Order, or the Order itself, were hostile to me.

“So, everyone, put away your killing intent. What are you doing to our guest?”

So, I gestured to stop the surrounding escort knights.

The moment Stella made a dangerous statement, they had their hands on their sword hilts, ready to harm Stella at any moment.

But when I stopped them, they finally released their hostility and withdrew the murderous intent that had been permeating the area.

“My guards were rude. Stella.”

“No, Your Majesty. It’s only natural.”

I felt the demonic energy lurking around this Demon Realm and said to her.

“Thank you for understanding. But I’m also curious.”

Even though I’m getting stronger at an unbelievable rate, the Demon Realm is not a safe place for me.

A place where I don’t know what kind of monster or danger might be lurking due to the demonic energy.

It’s a place where neither I, the Emperor, nor Stella should come recklessly.

“If your intentions are different from the Order’s, why are you taking the risk of following me to a place like this?”

It’s a good thing that she started to follow me.

But the motive is something that I can’t understand.

She’s not my subject, nor is she my blood relative like the Grand Empress Dowager.

She just felt divinity or holiness from me.

But even if she’s a devout believer, is that enough reason to take such a risk?

Normally, even such a person would prioritize the interests of the Order or their own interests.

“That’s because I’m not much different from Your Majesty.”

“Not different from me?”

What does this mean again?

I tried to guess what hidden dagger she had in those words.

But I couldn’t think of anything because I seemed so different from her that I couldn’t say that I wasn’t different from her.

She’s trying to heal the wounded without hesitation, even though they’re the enemy’s army.

No matter how you look at it, she’s a devoted saintess.

She’s too different from me, who’s an emperor but doesn’t really have any *애민정신* [love for the people/caring for the populace] for his people.

“Your Majesty will carry out whatever you desire to the end. I am no different from Your Majesty in that regard.”

But what Stella meant was different.

Listening to her words, I thought that what she said didn’t seem wrong.

Just like I, who became the Emperor, was pushing forward with what I wanted to do almost recklessly.

If she had some kind of belief that she was pursuing, she would never give up.

The only difference was that the motive for that obsession was desire and devotion.

“I suppose that’s true in that regard. So, what is it that you desire?”

So, what does she want?

The answer to that question was somewhat like her.

“The salvation of the Empire.”

Rebuilding the collapsing Empire.

Quelling the internal chaos and uniting everyone to fight against external enemies.

Saving the *신민* [subjects/people] who are suffering even at this moment.

It was truly a wish that only a saintess filled with devotion could make.

And it was also terribly unrealistic.

“That’s a very you answer.”

But I didn’t deny or ridicule it.

Wanting the impossible, the unrealistic, is the same for me, isn’t it?

According to the scenario of this collapsing Empire, as the scenario of ‘the fall of mankind’ says.

Even my surviving as Emperor while doing my part was originally close to being a delusion.

Normally, it would be difficult to even remain as a puppet emperor.

But I have the ambition to bring the entire Empire under my rule.

Even that is not motivated by a grand belief, but by a strange desire to do whatever I want.

If you ask which of the two of us, Stella and I, is more unrealistic, I think many people would choose me.

“So, you’re going to go against the Order’s will and watch over me for that salvation.”

By doing so, you’re hoping that the relationship between me and the Order will somehow improve.

You’re going to use yourself as an opportunity, but it’s very self-sacrificing, and in some ways, it has very *정략적인* [political/strategic] elements.

I can’t ignore Stella’s goodwill, and the Order will be embarrassed by Stella’s impulsive actions, which they put forward as a face.

I don’t know if Stella intended this, but if she really has *구밀복검* [ulterior motives/a hidden agenda] intentions, it was a more insightful strategy than I thought.

“Do as you wish. But if I could give you one more piece of advice.”

Sreung.

Cheok.

“Be aware that using yourself as bait is too big of a gamble.”

I drew my sword and held the blade to her throat.

It was to warn her that she could lose her life at any time because of this gamble.

“No matter how devoted you are, you’re just one person.”

One person alone cannot put out all the fires that have spread to the world.

Even if that person is brave and devoted and throws himself into the fire.

Not knowing that and jumping into the fire is as crazy as setting the world on fire.

But there were sometimes such people in the world.

And they often praise that devotion as heroic.