He Became The Most Insane Emperor Of All Time [EN]: Chapter 9

I Became the Crazy Emperor – Episode 9

“You all look grim. I understand. You must be thinking you’re suffering because of some weird emperor, right?”

“No, Your Majesty!”

What do you mean, no? It’s written all over your faces.

Seeing the soldiers’ faces, clearly annoyed by the sudden antics of the military commander… no, the visit to the unit, I deliberately put on a smiling face and said,

“I know you all think the newly enthroned emperor is just being capricious [impulsive and unpredictable]. I don’t intend to punish you, so there’s no need to deny it.”

“……”

“But I’m not really trying to torment you for no reason.”

I rested my sword on the ground and adopted a more solemn attitude, saying,

“A war is coming soon.”

The words that followed were enough to shock the soldiers.

A silence fell over the forest, as if a monster had appeared.

I twirled the sword I had placed on the ground, drawing their attention as I continued,

“Whether you like it or not, war is inevitable.”

It didn’t matter whether the enemy was external or internal.

“What matters is that you survive the upcoming war.”

I didn’t say anything cliché like winning the war was important.

For soldiers, survival is important; victory is a secondary concern.

Seeing the soldiers’ faces finally turning serious, I drew my sword from its scabbard.

With a *shwing* sound, the well-honed blade emitted a chilling aura.

“I cannot be a wise emperor. It’s not that I’m foolish, but I don’t have the talent to persuade my rivals with a few speeches or benevolent acts.”

Not all problems can be solved with intelligence, reason, and logic.

That’s impossible even in modern democratic countries.

Much less in a barbaric medieval fantasy world.

“But I swear on this sword, I will not send you to the battlefield to die alone.”

I didn’t say everyone would survive.

Some will die.

Some will survive.

What determines that is ultimately the fortune of the battlefield.

But there is something that can be decided by human will, not luck.

That is to instill the courage to fight, ready to face death.

As a method, the ruler being with the soldiers is a surprisingly traditional approach.

“Until you are ready, I will share your hardships.”

Eating the same food, undergoing the same training, and sleeping in the same rough places.

If necessary, I might even stand on the same battlefield.

“That’s all I can promise you. Nevertheless, I have expectations for you: that your efforts will overcome the crisis of the empire.”

Whether you meet those expectations is your choice.

With those words, I ended my speech.

How will they take my words?

-*Clack.*

No sooner had I wondered that than –

-*Clack, clack, clack.*

The eyes of the ragged soldiers had changed.

Without anyone telling them, the soldiers were aligning their scattered ranks.

The sound of their footsteps replaced their answer.

“It seems we are ready, Your Majesty.”

“So it seems.”

It felt like taking the first step.

* * *

“Understand? The training method is very simple.”

Train like it’s a real battle, and fight like it’s training.

It’s a saying I’ve heard so often I could get PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event], but the slogan itself isn’t wrong.

“You will find and attack me and the Royal Guards in the forest, treating us as the enemy! If you succeed in a valid attack, you pass!”

But slogans alone are empty.

If you want training to be like a real battle, then the training must be very efficient and appropriate.

“Those who succeed in attacking will receive tiered rewards!”

Whips alone are not enough to motivate people. Of course, there must be carrots as well.

The soldiers, hungry for rewards, showed interest in my proposal.

“I repeat, this is clearly an opportunity for you as well.”

Wearing tattered clothes that I didn’t mind getting dirty, just like the soldiers, I said the words they had been longing to hear.

“It’s the only chance you’ll have to legally hit the emperor.”

Some soldiers laughed at the unexpected joke.

The solemn knights looked uncomfortable and quickly straightened their faces.

But I, with a childlike smile, said,

“Especially if you catch me, your reward is one year’s salary. Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone [achieving two aims with a single action]? A chance to legally beat your annoying superior and earn money! Isn’t that right!”

“Oooooooooh!”

This time, the reaction was openly enthusiastic. So, you guys wanted to beat me that badly?

Of course, there was no way I would be easily caught, so I was just stirring up false hope, but those whose hard times were beginning today needed a circuit of hope.

“Your Majesty, isn’t the reward a bit excessive?”

The captain of the Royal Guards, who had a somewhat rigid personality, seemed worried, showing his weakness in this area.

I shrugged at him and said with an exaggerated gesture,

“If you’re worried, just make sure no one succeeds. The rewards for the soldiers will be deducted from the salaries of those who allowed the attacks.”

So, if you don’t want your salary cut, stay sharp.

“I was going to go easy on them, but I guess I have to do my best.”

Surprisingly, even the Royal Guard captain, who seemed only solemn, showed a hint of humor.

Of course, no one can stand having their salary cut.

* * *

“Aaaaaaah!”

“That way! That way!”

“Don’t let them get away!”

“Agh, help me!”

The hunting grounds were quite large, but people’s shouts spread farther than expected, so as soon as the training started, I could hear small voices spreading from all over the forest.

“Everyone is full of enthusiasm. As expected, there’s nothing as effective as financial incentives.”

“……I don’t know what financial incentives are, but it’s quite an ingenious training method.”

Of course. It’s a job with a lot of money on the line, so who wouldn’t be enthusiastic?

But the worrying thing was that the level difference between the Royal Guards and the regular army was too great.

Of course, I had to adjust the difficulty, but deliberately going easy would somewhat diminish the meaning of the training.

“It’s not just the soldiers, but also the knights of the Imperial Army who are the problem. Even if they just command well, the soldiers would have a chance to win.”

The knights thought it was enough to be brave, but as someone who knew the concept of non-commissioned officers [NCOs, military officers who have not earned a commission], I found it a bit disappointing.

No matter how much one knight rampages, there are many times when bravery alone is not enough.

There was a need to train those who could command the soldiers more efficiently.

I needed such talents, and fortunately, I had the eyes to see them.

“Gamekeeper, is your name Jack Forest?”

“That’s right, Your Majesty. But how do you know my humble name?”

The gamekeeper, who had been attending me since I came to the hunting grounds, asked with a puzzled look.

Rather than answering, I first looked at his excellent stats.

[Name: Jack Forest]

[Position: Imperial Hunting Ground Keeper]

[Disposition: Tactical, Meticulous, Calm, Loyal]

[Stats: Administration 6, Diplomacy 4, Combat 8]

[Skills: Ambush, Tracking, Stealth, Sniping, Survival, Swordsmanship, Animal Affinity]

It’s amazing to see.

No matter how I look at it, he’s not an ordinary gamekeeper.

“What wouldn’t I know if I, the emperor, wanted to know? More than that, it doesn’t seem to me that you’re an ordinary gamekeeper.”

Amidst the noise of the training coming from all directions, I walked through the bushes with him, saying.

Even if it wasn’t for the status window, his impression and atmosphere, his nimble steps, and the subtly visible trained muscles were telling me that he was definitely not an ordinary person.

“I was a Helmart Ranger. I served in the western part of the empire. I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret.”

“If it’s the Helmart Rangers, are they the ones who remain in the north and west?”

“Yes, it’s a unit that has been around since the days of the Helmart Kingdom.”

It was a patrol unit with a tradition that had been incorporated into the empire after the kingdom had fallen long ago.

“But why did you become a gamekeeper?”

He didn’t seem to be old enough to retire.

“……I had personal circumstances.”

“Is that so? Well, I won’t pry into it.”

There was no need to pry into personal pasts.

But I couldn’t give up the idea of ​​recruiting him.

“Looking at it, it’s a waste to leave you as a gamekeeper, don’t you want to join the Imperial Army?”

“I am sorry, but I don’t know if I, in my humble position, will be of any help.”

Jack said humbly, but having seen the status window, I had no doubt that he was definitely a helpful talent.

“I won’t tell you to return as a soldier. But there are other ways, aren’t there? If you don’t mind, I’d like to entrust you with the training of the Imperial Army.”

“Don’t they have imperial knights for that?”

“I’m not disparaging the knights, but I don’t think they can teach the soldiers tactics.”

I continued, still listening to the shouts coming from here and there.

The basis for my words doesn’t have to be found far away.

The mock battle that is taking place all over this forest right now.

The results were clearly showing the evidence.

“In your opinion, can the soldiers win this training by simply training in swordsmanship?”

“……I don’t think it will be easy.”

“That’s right. But fighting isn’t just about strength. Those who know how to use tactics are more advantageous.”

Although the difference in physical ability has a great influence on the training, the rules given to the training are overwhelmingly advantageous to the soldiers.

If the soldiers, who are numerically superior, move tactically using those rules, they may not be able to win everything, but they may be able to win some.

“And you clearly have the tactical knowledge to teach the soldiers. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right.”

Perhaps it was because I spoke as if I had seen through everything, but he did not deny my words.

“If Your Majesty really wants to use me, I have no intention of refusing in the end.”

It seems he didn’t have no intention from the beginning.

Rather, he had his own pride.

“But it won’t be easy to turn them into rangers with me alone.”

Jack added, showing clear pride, that they would have to go through formal ranger training with other rangers.

“I’m not asking you to demand that much, but do what you can.”

In the first place, what I want is not to make them well-fighting soldiers.

It is to train soldiers who can judge or knights who can command them.

Soldiers who think and fight only according to orders are common.

But those who understand combat and think tactically were not common.

Usually, those who play such roles are non-commissioned officers.

It is difficult to expect the current soldiers to play the role of professional non-commissioned officers.

But if I bring in Jack and give them various training, it will be different.

Because they will be able to learn the fighting methods of the rangers, who are skilled at chasing enemies or hiding in reverse.

“More than that, it seems they’ve come near here.”

At that time, there seemed to be a group of soldiers who had found us.

“That’s right. Then Jack, show your skills. Let’s give them a head start.”

Immediately, I and the Royal Guard captain, who had been silent, ambushed nearby according to Jack’s instructions.