Part 2, Chapter 2

“It’s been a while, Emperor.”

“It has indeed, Queen.”

Even though a massive war involving more than half of humanity and the majority of beastkin had broken out and ended, the expression of the Elf Queen who greeted me appeared calm.

I knew she had no interest in matters unrelated to the Great Forest, but I didn’t expect her to be this indifferent.

“My father asked me to convey his gratitude. He thanks you for killing that insolent wolf.”

Ah, that wolf… Right, he once tried to devour the World Tree.

“There’s no need to thank me. I merely eliminated an enemy of the Empire. But, Queen, I’ve heard you’ve recently taken an interest in raising beasts.”

“Beasts? Nia is my daughter’s friend.”

Tsk. So that’s how she’s going to play it.

“Let’s get straight to the point. Are you willing to hand her over?”

“Nia’s future is for her to decide. If she wishes to leave, she will. If not, she will remain in the Great Forest.”

Sigh…

I exhaled deeply before speaking.

“Even if I were to bring her to the capital, I never intended to kill her.”

“One of the heroes who slew the Demon King shouldn’t be treated as a criminal.”

If the reports from the Imperial Knights who traveled to the Holy Kingdom were accurate, those words were closer to something the Elf Princess wanted to say, merely spoken through the Queen’s lips.

After all, the denizens of that forest were fiercely protective of their descendants. Even the Queen wouldn’t be much different in that regard.

“Hah, I see. Then let me ask you this—Is Xian with you?”

Xian had only made a brief appearance at the victory banquet before vanishing.

Unless he suddenly developed an attachment to his territory and went to inspect it, he had likely gone to the Great Forest.

“Of course. According to Xian, he had your permission to come.”

“He mentioned having somewhere to go, so I let him.”

“You must have known he would come here.”

“I am not one to chain down a friend.”

To be honest, judging from Xian’s expression at the time, he wouldn’t have stayed even if I had ordered him to.

No matter how many times I say it, forcing Xian to stay is impossible.

He cut down the Demon King, and though he had my help this time, he even slew the King of Beasts.

Considering that even when three dragons, the Giant King, and the Knight God had joined forces, they still failed to kill the King of Beasts before the Great War—was there anything Xian couldn’t cut down?

Of course, that didn’t mean Xian was the strongest being in existence.

If anything, he was like a glass cannon.

His offensive power was beyond anyone I knew, but in other aspects, he was only slightly above or on par with an average Master.

Any deity could likely kill Xian, but conversely, as long as he could land a strike, Xian could kill any deity.

…And the same applied to me.

Not that I believed Xian would ever turn his blade against me.

There was no reason for that to happen. And even if the day came when he opposed me, my Masters would be able to sever Xian’s head before I even had to act.

Well, no point in entertaining useless thoughts.

“Is there room for negotiation?”

Would she give up Nia in exchange for an equivalent price?

At my question, the Elf Queen shook her head.

“My daughter’s friend is not something I can bargain with.”

“Tsk. As expected. In that case, are you willing to support the beastkin?”

At my words, the Elf Queen’s expression subtly twisted.

“If she wishes it, then as much as she desires.”

Her words carried an affirmative meaning, yet her face spoke of denial.

Is someone listening in on our conversation?

It was unlikely that anyone could eavesdrop on the Elf Queen’s communication. However, upon further thought, one individual came to mind.

The Elf Princess.

If she had stolen an elixir for her friend, it wouldn’t be surprising for her to eavesdrop on her mother’s conversations.

“Alright. I understand.”

The Princess wants the elves to support the beastkin, but the Queen does not.

That wasn’t necessarily a bad situation.

It meant that any aid given to the beastkin was unlikely to be substantial.

And even if support was provided, it would be merely for show.

To summarize, the Elf Queen had no intention of handing over Nia, but she also had no real desire to offer meaningful assistance.

“Thank you for taking my sudden call. Let’s revisit this matter later.”

“Of course. Ah, and congratulations on your victory, Emperor.”

It was worth reaching out to confirm the elves’ stance.

After ending the call, I stood still for a moment, lost in thought.

The Queen and Princess are divided.

Of course, the relationship between the Elf Queen and Princess seemed far closer to that of an ordinary mother and daughter rather than a human kingdom’s royal hierarchy. So, the chances of an internal conflict erupting over this were nearly zero.

Still, for a while, the elves’ attention would be focused inward.

Considering their general disinterest in the continent, their involvement in human affairs was now virtually nonexistent.

The beastkin had lost their power. The elves wouldn’t intervene.

The beastkin attacked the Empire first, so even the Pope, who had tried to persuade me, had lost his justification.

The Empire was weaker than ever, but paradoxically, there was no one left to stop us.

“Minister Dia.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Summon the Imperial Assembly. Call upon all those with titles.”

The Imperial Council had long been rendered obsolete by the Imperial Assembly.

And after the dissolution of the Assembly, I alone had dictated the course of the Empire, leaving no need for such meetings for over a century.

But what I was about to do now could not be accomplished alone.

Thus, I was reviving a meeting that had long vanished into history.

It was time to redraw the map of the continent.

————————————————————————

The Imperial Assembly Was Convened

Dukes, distant barons from remote provinces—every noble with a title was obligated to attend this grand assembly.

It was an exceedingly cumbersome event, and even though all the nobles gathered, the ones who truly led the discussions were the Emperor, the major vassals, and a few high-ranking nobles beneath them. The assembly often held little actual significance.

But this time was different.

The central region, once divided between the Emperor and the Triell family, had fully fallen under Arhan’s control following Derman Triell’s death. The western region, ruled by the Grepa family, remained intact.

However, the southern region of Lute had suffered near-total devastation from the Demon King’s army. When it attempted rebellion afterward, the family was wiped out. Likewise, the eastern region of Giore had risen in revolt and met the same fate.

That meant new rulers were needed for both the south and east.

With such expectations and hopes in their hearts, the remaining nobles of the Empire made their way to the capital.

Those who had triumphed over the beastkin, whether through personal ability or the strength of their retainers, arrived in anticipation of rewards from the Emperor, daring to dream of advancement in rank. Even minor nobles who barely owned land could not help but feel hopeful, now that territories without lords were scattered across the continent.

Among them was Baron Chern of the south.

He ruled over a single, small village and had once been a vassal under Giore. However, his domain had been so insignificant that he had little direct connection with Giore himself.

That very insignificance turned out to be a blessing—when Giore returned alongside the beastkin and took up arms against the Empire, Chern chose to fight the beastkin rather than betray the Emperor.

Not widely known due to his reserved nature, Chern had some talent with the sword. He had reached the level of an Expert some time ago, and with that skill, he had managed to drive off the beastkin who had underestimated his small village and recklessly attacked.

“Hmm? Isn’t that Baron Chern?”

“Ah, Count Pell.”

The gates to the capital were overflowing with nobles arriving from all over the continent.

Since the decree had forbidden any noble from riding in carriages near the gate, everyone had to make their way on foot. Even Marquis Grepa himself had entered the capital on foot.

Thus, as Chern walked toward the gates, he encountered another noble from the south—Count Pell.

“Well, well, I had no idea you were so skilled with the sword. Why did you hide such talent?”

“Haha, what use is a sword in such a small village?”

Despite both being nobles from the south, the difference in status between them was vast.

Unlike Baron Chern, whose name was virtually unknown in the capital, Count Pell was a prominent noble, famous for his loyalty to Arhan and one of the few southern nobles who had never sided with Giore.

Now, he was the last remaining count in the south, and rumors swirled that he would be granted a marquis title and become the new ruler of the region.

“Well, regardless, your achievements should not be overlooked. When I meet His Majesty, I’ll be sure to mention your contributions.”

“Thank you, Count. By the way… Have you ever met His Majesty in person?”

“Hmm. A long time ago, yes. Back before he ascended the throne.”

Count Pell took on a nostalgic expression as he continued.

“I always believed he would become an extraordinary ruler. Not only did he crush the armies of those arrogant Daman scum, those insolent Triell traitors, and those foolish Edelvine fools, but he even slew that monstrous beastkin god!”

After the war ended, the Imperial Intelligence Division’s first task was to spread stories.

Given the extensive losses suffered during the war, they focused on emphasizing the strength and numbers of the foes the Empire had fought… and how those overwhelming enemies had been utterly crushed.

Some parts were true. Some parts were exaggerated.

They downplayed the Empire’s own losses and emphasized how they had slain a being akin to a god. In doing so, they further elevated the Emperor’s legend.

Of course, a handful of skeptics scoffed—“A god? At most, it was just another Grand Beast!“—but they were a minority.

Most nobles took great pride in the idea that the Empire, and its Emperor, had surpassed even the divine.

“Ah, it’s our turn now. Let’s head inside.”

Still chatting, Count Pell naturally continued walking alongside Chern, leaving the baron with no choice but to follow.

“Next! Ah, Count Pell!”

Only elite knights of the Imperial Order had been stationed at the gate, as the position required people capable of intimidating lesser nobles simply by name.

“Ah, Sir Zron! It’s been a while.”

“It has indeed, Count. And the gentleman beside you…?”

“This is Baron Chern! A warrior who fought and triumphed against the beastkin.”

Before an Imperial Knight, Count Pell made sure to lavishly praise Chern. The baron, meanwhile, simply kept silent, unsure of how to respond.

“I see. You have done a great service. You may proceed.”

The knight offered a slight nod of respect to Chern before stepping aside.

And thus, one by one, nobles from all across the Empire entered the capital—until, at last, the Imperial Assembly began.

“Thank you all for gathering here today. Now, let us begin.”

The first day of the Imperial Assembly.

I sat at the head of the chamber—a hastily reconstructed hall, replacing the former Imperial Council—and declared the meeting open.

As I scanned the room, I recognized far fewer faces than I did not.

Not surprising.

I usually only dealt with my closest subordinates, like Dia and Giel, as well as dukes and marquesses who served as direct vassals.

I rarely interacted with lesser nobles, and most of those I had encountered in my early days had long since perished.

“Before we begin formal discussions, I will first confer rewards for service. If anyone wishes to object, speak now.”

The Imperial Assembly was conducted as follows: the Emperor (or sometimes a vassal lord) spoke, and those who objected were given a chance to voice their dissent.

After a moment of silence, I continued.

The Grand Dukes were absent—after all, they were more like figures of legend than actual nobles, so no one questioned their absence.

“First, Duke Fael . You safeguarded me, struck down the foolish Master who followed the remnants of a fallen kingdom, and played a role in defeating the Beast God. Your contributions are vast.

Thus, I hereby elevate House Fael to a Grand Duchy and grant you the entire land of Tamiel as your domain.”

This had been prearranged a few days ago.

Finding someone to govern Tamiel had proven impossible, so I had reluctantly entrusted it to Duke Fael.

Right now, it felt more like a burden than a reward… but in time, the sheer size of the domain would make it a prestigious boon.

“If anyone objects, speak now.”

No one did.

“Next, Sir Kraol. You led the Mage Corps and repelled Daman’s vast army. Your accomplishments are significant.

Thus, I grant you the rank of Honorary Count and 200 platinum coins.”

Magicians of the Mage Tower and Empire typically held no noble titles, but an honorary countship for Kraol was well deserved.

Skipping over the Imperial Knights, whose rewards would be handled upon retirement, and the Imperial Black Knights, whose recognition would be given in private…

“Next—Duke Audas.”

My old friend, Xian, had returned from the Great Forest to attend.

“You have merit… but also faults.

Does anyone wish to speak on those faults?”

A strange atmosphere settled over the chamber.

Not because no one knew.

But because everyone was waiting to see who would speak first.

“Your Majesty commanded Duke Audas to capture his former beastkin companion, yet there are testimonies that the duke refused. May I take this opportunity to inquire about this matter?”

Count Megan glared at Xian with eyes full of fury—an expression that all but confirmed he had lost someone to the beastkin.

Yes, this is the moment I was waiting for.

The Imperial Black Knights had delivered my command to Xian back in the Holy Kingdom, and naturally, I hadn’t been able to silence them.

As a result, rumors had spread—stories that my proud friend had outright ignored my order.

I had my suspicions about the source.

The Saintess.

She couldn’t openly express support for Nia, so instead, she was creating problems for me like this.

“Very well. Then I shall take this opportunity to ask as well.

Xian, my friend—why did you refuse?”

As soon as I spoke, surprise rippled through the room. Even Count Megan, who had brought up the issue, looked momentarily taken aback.

They had likely expected me to protect Xian as I always did.

To bury the matter and let it pass.

And, honestly, if I didn’t need their support and agreement right now, I might have done just that.

But things were different this time.

I turned to Xian, signaling him to answer.

“…I have no excuse, Your Majesty.”

As planned, Xian bowed his head and offered no defense.

Just as we had agreed the night before.