He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 223

“The enemies are cowering. Don’t be afraid, their king is abandoning his own kind for his own gain. In contrast, we have His Majesty the Emperor with us!”

“Long live the Empire! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

The enemy is cowering. Yet, they’ve expanded the front lines.

They had no choice. Their numbers could swell enormously, but it was a pack society where challengers to the leader could emerge at any time.

The Beast King couldn’t concentrate his forces densely and had to spread them all out.

Perhaps he didn’t expect me to suddenly strike at the Western Territory.

He must have believed there were more urgent fronts or that I would be held back elsewhere.

“Push forward! Sweep away all those scattered by that bastard so they can’t regroup!”

Of course, the Beast King, not being a fool, would try to quickly redeploy his forces.

But I had no intention of allowing that.

“Charge! For the Empire!”

“Dark Knights, show the beasts what the justice of darkness is!”

There was no need for all legions to move together.

Infantry, cavalry, and artillery, which had been marching separately, were all reintegrated into fixed regimental units.

We were conducting a forced march in the style of Napoleon. Of course, the soldiers’ fatigue increased rapidly, but it didn’t matter.

After all, the enemy’s elite troops weren’t moving. Even if they wanted to, we were too fast.

The enemies we encountered couldn’t mount a dense resistance and collapsed one after another.

“You have been defeated. Surrender!”

“Kuh, kugh… I surrender.”

Moreover, realizing the hopeless difference in power, they chose to surrender more easily than expected.

“The Beast King has lost the right to lead the pack. He doesn’t trust his own kind and fears fighting against the enemy!”

“Then will you defect to us?”

“You can’t rule us as slaves!”

“I don’t particularly intend to rule you as slaves. There are already some who have defected, you know?”

“Ahem! If you respect our traditions, we will acknowledge you as the leader of the pack instead of that weakling who has lost his qualifications!”

…They’re defecting and acting like they’re doing us a favor. No wonder the Beast King doesn’t trust these guys.

They’re just beasts, succumbing to power.

I’m a little reluctant to think that these guys should be accepted as Imperial citizens, but at least there won’t be any major trouble while I’m in charge.

Yeah, that’s all that matters. If nothing goes wrong, I’ll look after them until my son’s or grandson’s generation, but after that, it’s not my fault, right?

“With this, we’ve cut off all the limbs. But why isn’t that side even twitching, even with all their limbs cut off?”

“Perhaps they don’t even consider them limbs?”

“…Maybe. Do they think we’ll get tired and fall apart?”

But the Beast King didn’t budge. What is it? Really, what is it?

It didn’t make sense tactically or strategically.

Of course, he could abandon those he didn’t trust as a purge.

But to have almost all his bases taken and still be holed up only on the southern coast of the Western Territory?

What on earth is his intention… I would soon find out.

“It seems the Beast King has crossed over to the Southern Continent! The Beastmen have sent a navy!”

These bastards… are running away?

* * *

-Retreat, Kark. You have no chance of winning against the Empire now.

“Do you think I fear fighting!”

-The issue isn’t whether you’re afraid. Simply put, you are weaker than the Emperor.

“…….”

The Beast King recalled his conversation with Rasgar on the ship.

It was a humiliating conversation. Naturally, the Beast King had tried to refuse.

-Will you refuse? If so, then you are no longer needed. I will kill you myself.

However, he couldn’t refuse.

It was a matter of pride, but he was not only inferior to the Emperor but also weaker than Rasgar, the minion of the Creator God.

Of course, he wasn’t one to yield simply because he was weak.

He could confront Rasgar, who was merely stronger, if he put his mind to it.

At least he could ignore his orders and fight.

But when the Imperial Army began to counterattack, he couldn’t.

When that Emperor rampaged last time and the Beast King’s ‘self-proving’ failed, and when that Emperor proved the Dragon’s Soul.

His leadership was cracked then. Distrust spread among the pack, and some subtly showed signs of challenge.

Because of that, he had to be careful and leave for the Southern Continent as Rasgar advised… but that was only half the truth.

The real reason was very simple.

“I… am feeling fear.”

His hand trembled. The Emperor is coming, the one with the Dragon’s Soul is coming, the mere fact made him feel ‘fear’.

Beasts are braver than humans. But they are only brave to the level of beasts.

Instinctive obedience, fear, and awe towards the strong. It was a limitation engraved in the species.

It was unbelievable. To feel such a thing from a mere human leader.

Even without facing him directly.

Bang!

“I can’t accept it….”

-Are you resentful, Beast King?

Then Rasgar’s whisper was conveyed. He, who was pushing back the Greenskins in that distant place, felt Kark’s anger and sent a telepathic message.

-If you are resentful, become stronger. Your soul is still lacking.

“I reigned as the strongest in the eternal hunting grounds. What on earth is lacking in me?”

-Lacking. Everything. The materials, the civilization, the spirit of your race. Even your soul is weak.

“……!”

Everything was being denied.

However, what preceded anger was the feeling of acknowledging it.

“…What do you want from me?”

-While you take refuge in the south, take everything you can from there. Learn what those of your kind have and do. And… take it.

Rasgar’s whisper continued. It was like the whisper of an evil demon.

-Your army is weaker than the Emperor’s, but they have value. Your army will make them want to devour each other.

-Exploit that gap. Learn from them, become stronger, and devour them in reverse. Thus, buy time. Beast King.

That stimulated his other instinct.

Beasts have wildness, and wildness has a nature different from the morals of civilization.

The strong eat the weak.

And the one who devours… becomes stronger.

“Yes, I was still weak.”

The reason was also simple.

There was a shortage of prey. To satisfy the beast’s wildness.

That prey is across the sea. Like plump pigs.

Even those of the same race. Those who can be swallowed without even plucking their fur.

“I’ll eat them all.”

Your materials, your civilization, your spirit, even your gods.

“And I will return in the time of the beast, Emperor.”

Until then, enjoy this victory.

* * *

“To think he’d tuck his tail and run without even fighting.”

It was very unexpected. Was he that much of a coward……?

“No, Your Majesty. The one I know would not run without even trying to fight. At least not without a reason.”

“I don’t know what that reason is?”

“I can guess two reasons.”

The Dragonkin, who knew the Beast King better, told me the reasons.

“One is someone’s persuasion.”

“Someone’s persuasion?”

“In other words, your rival player. The Creator God may have ordered him.”

“I didn’t know they were on such a hierarchical footing that he would follow orders.”

“We also have doubts about that. But it’s not that strange. It’s in the nature of the Beastmen to follow someone strong enough to follow.”

Well… there was no rule that they couldn’t. Besides, this escape was cowardly but quite strategic, which the Beast King wouldn’t have thought of.

At least I didn’t think he was brainy enough to come up with such a strategic retreat.

“Then what’s the second reason?”

“Simple. He might have been afraid of you.”

“Didn’t you say he wouldn’t run without even trying to fight?”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t afraid. And he has a reason to be afraid of you. Because you possess the Dragon’s Soul.”

Ah… there was that.

“If your soul stimulated an instinctive fear in him, then all his passive responses are explained. It was fortunate that you took the Dragon’s Trial.”

“Well, I would have won even if I just fought.”

“Of course, you would have… In a way, it was a beast-like action. It is also the instinct of a beast to sense danger and flee.”

I nodded at the Dragonkin’s words. However, now the calculations have become more complicated.

“I can’t cross over to the Southern Continent and strike now. It’s become more troublesome.”

Them having an unexpected safe zone.

Of course, it was good news that they had completely given up the Western Territory. With this, the Empire will be much more stable.

‘For a while,’ that is.

“The problem is what comes next…….”

Now that the Western Territory has been subjugated, the only option I have is to consolidate my internal affairs.

I can’t completely disband the army, but now is the time to manage the internal affairs.

The problem is that I have to watch it for at least 10 years.

And I had to consider that the enemies would not be idle for 10 years.

There was a possibility that the enemies would also develop as much as we did.

Perhaps new enemies might join in.

“But I can’t go on a rampage here anymore.”

It was time to rest from the war. Of course, I will continue to fight defensive battles, but in this flow, the enemies will not be able to launch full-scale attacks.

The Undead of the Eastern Territory, which are different from ordinary armies, are another matter… but the demons of the Northern Territory will not be able to easily invade.

Celestial beings? They have to sort out their internal strife first, and the Greenskins are not pushed back by Rasgar.

“As soon as the system of the Western Territory is reorganized, the army will be recalled.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Now, for a while, I won’t have much time to wander outside the Imperial Palace.”

“The Empress and Prime Minister Bright will be pleased to hear that.”

The Captain of the Guard joked. I smiled bitterly. How worried were Sarah and the others.

It seems like it’s time to educate the princes as well…….

In 10 years, even if the princes are not fully grown, they will be old enough to show their talents.

It was necessary to think about the succession at this time. Of course, if there is no problem, the eldest son will inherit the throne as the Crown Prince…….

Frankly, the Empire after me was likely to become a system where it would be difficult for the Emperor alone to run it.

At that time, reliable people must assist. The Emperor’s brothers.

The problem is that power cannot be shared even with blood. How often do kings or emperors’ brothers stab each other in the back?

To prevent that, there must be deeper brotherly love… or a purge of fratricide.

“To have to play the role of a father after being an emperor… I’m sure I didn’t try to be an emperor for this reason.”

Somehow, regret came late, but it was too late.