He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 295

Becoming the Greatest Crazy Emperor – Episode 295

Death is something destined for everyone.

Unless science in the distant future extends lifespan infinitely.

But just because it’s a truth that comes to everyone doesn’t mean everyone accepts it without regret. That goes for even an old man who doesn’t have the strength to lift a spoon.

Growing old makes you indifferent to death?

That’s just something people say to look cool in front of young people.

At least, almost no one would willingly choose to die if they didn’t have to.

Such people either have a sense of duty, an incredibly strong spirit of sacrifice, or are just mentally unstable.

I was the same.

Even though I died fighting for the empire as an emperor in another world, it’s not like I didn’t want to live.

“But I didn’t expect it to turn out like this.”

I, who had faced death as an emperor, had thought that I might awaken again.

Why? To be honest, that’s how the endings of the web novels I occasionally read went.

Of course, it was rare for someone to die like me, but usually, after completing a task, they would return to their original world, right?

But the truth is, I didn’t have much attachment to my original world. Because my original life was terrible.

Of course, it’s a bit ambiguous to say it was that terrible.

It’s not like there’s nothing I miss enough to not want to go back. If nothing else, I really miss the entertainment.

But still, the thought of “But this world isn’t so bad either?” was stronger than going back to my original world.

Why? Actually, it’s because of curiosity.

I wanted to know what happened to the world I lived in, how it was changing, and if it was doing well.

Isn’t that natural in some ways?

These days—that is, before I was reincarnated—the protagonists in novels always have endings where they return with their heroines. It’s like they’re erasing the traces of the other world they were in.

Can people really do that? Have absolutely no attachment to the future of a world they saved or developed with their own hands?

Even in my case, many people revered me as an emperor. Most protagonists in novels are later greatly recognized as heroes.

Usually, that creates affection, and even if it doesn’t, there would be at least simple curiosity left. It’s strange to only wish to return to the original world without any attachment.

Anyway, why am I saying all this?

Because I’ve come back to life.

In the empire 100 years later.

* * *

Franz Ludwig von Rosenkranz.

The 23rd emperor of the empire.

When he ascended the throne, no one had any expectations for him.

A young emperor who succeeded the prematurely deceased former emperor.

Compared to the emperor, who was young and attractive but clearly lacking in experience and age, the elector princes were immediately powerful adversaries.

Everyone thought the elector princes would subdue the emperor. The empire at that time was so rife with the possibility of rebellion that it was an open secret.

If it ended with a rebellion, it wouldn’t be so bad, but everyone lost hope when they thought of the empire’s own destruction.

“…But Emperor Franz displayed fearless courage and sharp intellect to suppress the elector princes’ rebellion and stand against the pressure of foreign powers… Your Highness, are you listening?”

“I’m listening.”

Sorry, I wasn’t really listening.

The old tutor was passionately talking about the achievements of the great Emperor Franz, but I was listening with one ear and letting it out with the other.

That’s… my story. What’s the point of listening to a story I already know?

Of course, it feels different to hear my story from someone else as if it were a great achievement, but honestly, I’ve heard that story to death since I woke up again.

Honestly, I want to find out about other things now, but more than that, why am I possessing the body of my descendant, whose name I don’t even know?

Since my name is Kyle III, it’s easy to guess whose descendant I am.

Kyle’s descendant… in other words, a great-grandson. I possessed the body of a descendant exactly 100 years later.

“Your Highness, I know my lessons are boring, but you are undeniably a direct descendant of the great emperor. You must have the demeanor and intellect worthy of that lineage.”

The tutor said, as if complaining, at my slightly distracted appearance.

In effect, he was saying, ‘You still have terrible behavior and nothing in your head,’ but I didn’t get angry at such rudeness.

Why? Because I, ‘Kyle III,’ seem to deserve to hear such things.

After possessing and being reborn in this body, I found out that my reputation was terrible.

The Demon King’s son, I was always out with bad demon friends, pretending to train as a knight, but really just causing trouble, and my relationships with women were so messy that I had already replaced countless women.

A so-called ‘scoundrel.’ The typical guy whose body the protagonist possesses in novels.

Honestly, if he were allowed to live like that, he would not only make the people around him tired but also be absolutely unfit to be king, but… honestly, my heart ached a little.

Even if he was such a bad guy, he’s still my descendant. It didn’t feel good to be occupying the body of such a descendant.

But the soul of that descendant was no longer felt in my body. I don’t know if it disappeared or went somewhere good.

Anyway, now that I can’t take it back, I have no choice but to live diligently in my descendant’s body from now on.

“I understand, teacher. I apologize.”

“…? Your Highness, are you serious?”

Even though I apologized, the tutor looked at me with disbelief.

Well, that makes me feel a bit awkward….

Well, it just means this guy’s behavior was that bad usually.

“Of course, I have decided to become a new person from today. But that’s why… I already know enough about the Great Emperor, so I want to know more about the history of my bloodline.”

“You mean about His Majesty the King and His Majesty the late King.”

“That’s right.”

“Very well. Then let’s go over their history.”

The tutor, thinking that I had finally come to my senses a little, cleared his throat with a satisfied look and continued the story.

“Now, where should I start… Oh, yes. Let’s start with King Kyle the First unifying the Demon Realm.”

Excited, he began to tell stories about my son Kyle, who was born between me and Ygritte.

After listening to that story, I came to one conclusion.

‘This is exactly like a Northern Duke who builds power in the frontier?’

No, of course, Kyle is essentially from a Northern Duke family from the start… but, well, he was more like a Northern Duke than his father, Duke Hector.

What does that mean?

Who is the most familiar Northern Duke to Koreans? It’s Yi Seong-gye [founder and first king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea]. And Yi Seong-gye stole a country.

My son Kyle’s actions were almost the same.

I made him the king of the Demon Realm, but that was only a measure to permanently divide the Demon Realm for the sake of the empire.

Yes, ‘division’ not ‘unification.’ A king can either unify or divide a country depending on how he is used.

It’s a natural story. If one day you had to serve the child of another country’s king as king because you lost a war with that country, that country would be divided into pro-traitors and pro-independence factions that day.

Kyle was a pawn for that. Kyle was willing to accept that role. No, that’s what I thought.

“The late King personally suppressed the chaotic disputes of the demons and distributed their rights to the commoners. As a result, demons from commoner backgrounds like me were able to serve in high positions. Yes, the Demon Realm is now more innovative than any other force. It is different from the false usurpers in the south.”

The tutor continued to explain passionately. I could feel his extraordinary pride in the unified Demon Realm. The Demon Realm was truly changing because of the late King’s actions.

“Do you understand? We demons are the true direct line of the empire. Someday, we must defeat the usurpers and restore the spirit of the empire.”

“I see… Can you tell me more about that? What happened in the empire during the late King’s time….”

“Oh, of course. You seem to be focusing on my lesson today.”

Actually, rather than focusing, I just wanted to know what had happened.

As you can tell from his words, the empire is now more divided than when I died.

Actually, I thought splitting up would happen someday, but I didn’t know it would happen in just one generation.

“The empire was peaceful until the reign of Emperor Leon. Even if it wasn’t as much as the Great Emperor’s time, Emperor Leon was a good ruler. The problem arose when he died early.”

“Died early… I see.”

“Yes, he died from overwork….”

…I felt a bit bitter when I learned about the circumstances of my other son, Leon’s, death. But I continued to listen to what had happened.

“Just as Emperor Franz did, Emperor Leon also had several concubines to have candidates for the throne. Of course, the only person he designated as crown prince was the direct heir. The problem was that the direct heir was younger than the children of the concubines. In fact, there was an older direct son, but he died of illness.”

“Then could it be….”

“Yes, after the emperor died early, a usurpation occurred. Under the pretext of becoming a regent in place of the young emperor, he began to carry out a de facto usurpation and exercise tyranny. Eventually, the empire was divided into loyalists and rebels, leading to a civil war.”

It was a bitter thing. That the empire would be divided so futilely….

Well, a coup can happen with just one misstep.

Even though a monarchy seems to be able to inherit stably on the surface, if the succession structure goes wrong even once, it’s easy to end up like this.

“At that time, the loyalists, centered on Emperor Daphene’s uncle and the Pope, were 오히려 driven into a corner.”

“The loyalists’ power was that weak? Those who were loyal to the Great Emperor would have certainly become loyalists, right?”

“That’s right. But the vast majority of the rebels sided with the regent who was calling for a halt to reforms.”

“Halt to reforms….”

“They opposed the reform of political power left as the Great Emperor’s legacy….”

“That’s what it was….”

It’s bitter. My legacy was meant to prevent something that would happen someday, but it became a snowball in itself.

I wonder if this should be called a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“Anyway, it was at that moment when the loyalists were in crisis that our demons intervened. The late King supported the loyalists and participated in the war to stop the rebellion. And he led the civil war to victory with the powerful unified Demon Realm army. Do you understand now? Your Highness, as a direct descendant of such a proud person-”

Having learned all the information I needed to know, I let the tutor’s continued words flow out of one ear and fell into thought.

‘I need to find out why I was reincarnated, but I also need to pay attention to how the empire is doing. Fortunately, I was reincarnated as a prince. First, I need to meet the king and think about it.’

Thinking that, I decided to meet my father. Kyle’s son, Kyle II.

“Teacher, listening to you makes me curious about my father. But I want to meet him in person rather than hear an explanation.”

“Ah… His Majesty will surely be busy….”

“Isn’t it important to show him that I, who used to be a scoundrel, have changed?”

“Ah, that’s true. I understand. I will convey your words.”

That’s how I was able to have an audience with my father. After a while, I met my father-

“You are not my son.”

…I was faced with an unexpected situation.