episode_0030

“Breaking through the imperial capital of the Empire with just the two of us already guaranteed exhaustion. But do I really have to sit on the throne? I dislike the chair; it feels unlucky.”

I am currently sitting on the imperial throne of the Sephiroth Empire, a realm proud of its history and tradition.

Yesterday, I was the Kashimir Queen’s slave dog; today, I am the Sephiroth Empire’s Emperor.

Life might be full of ups and downs, but this is a bit too extreme, isn’t it?

“Ras, revenge is only truly complete when you do things you don’t want to. If you’re going to do it properly, you must finish it completely.”

My name is Ras Etgard.

I am the greatest traitor in the Empire’s history.

Having become a subordinate of the neighboring country’s Queen, I infiltrated the imperial capital with her, overturning the imperial palace.

In the process, half the capital was burned to the ground, and key figures of the Empire, such as ‘Heroes’ and ‘Sages’, were killed.

Finally, I personally beat the Emperor who was waiting for me in the palace, dragging him from his throne.

Just as there’s a saying to do everything properly if you’re going to do it, treason must also be done this thoroughly.

If you do everything completely, from start to finish, it ceases to be a conspiracy and becomes a dynastic revolution.

“Whether it’s dignity or cruelty, show it properly. If you’re soft on an archenemy, I’ll be very disappointed.”

Semere Laufeyga Kashimir, the Queen of the neighboring country, is also my master.

She is the most beautiful, intelligent, cruel, and charming woman in the world.

It’s been 10 years since I became sexually incapacitated, and I don’t react to most women, but my heart trembles when I see her.

It’s not a man’s duty to disappoint a beauty, and I have a lot of resentment towards the former Emperor, so perhaps I should toy with him a bit?

“Bring forth the deposed Emperor.”

With an image of boiling rage, I gave the order to the defeated soldier waiting outside.

If my voice, which had just been been conversing with Semere, was as warm as spring sunlight, my current voice was like a boiling pot of oil.

It was a voice that could make the faint-hearted faint, as if they were being fried, just from the energy it carried.

“Ah… Understood…!”

Perhaps seeing the fellow scramble away as if fleeing, Semere stroked me with a satisfied smile.

“Ras, as promised, I intend to make you Emperor of Sephiroth. So, what does that make me?”

Becoming Emperor holds no particular appeal for me.

Semere is my master, so…

“Well, perhaps Grand Emperor? Wouldn’t that be it? Come to think of it, there was a noble who once dreamed of such a thing.”

*Thump!*

“Ow. Why did you hit me!”

Semere glared at me with a coy, girl-like expression she rarely showed.

“You’re just as dense as ever. ‘Grand Emperor’ is all you could come up with… Ugh!! Even when I give hints, stubborn fools never understand. Do as you please with the Emperor. I’ll go see that ‘Empress’ woman.”

Semere, who had been saying she’d be disappointed if I wasn’t cruel, suddenly yelled in anger and vanished instantly.

Though I pride myself on having had somewhat deep interactions with many women in my life, a woman’s psychology is truly this difficult.

While I was pondering why Semere was angry, the one I was waiting for arrived.

“You’ve arrived, Leon.”

“…”

His once impeccably smooth, shining skin, and his brilliant silver hair, inherited richly from the founding emperor, had all lost their luster.

My old academy comrade, archenemy, adulterer, the Emperor of Sephiroth who was called the continent’s greatest… well, there are many ways to describe him, but truthfully, he’s just an idiot, no adjectives needed.

“Indeed, why did you keep him alive, as if you were going to kill him but never did? I don’t understand people like you.”

To keep someone alive just to mock them, someone who could sink their teeth into you – how idiotic is that?

“You probably don’t understand what weight resentment can carry. You were always the one doing the taking… So, how does it feel to have everything taken from you in an instant?”

“…”

He simply stood there, helpless as a mute.

His mana circuits and the mental realm he had built were all burned away.

The only reason he could still move and breathe was due to Semere’s magic.

It was simply a matter of forcibly keeping him alive, deeming it a waste to just kill him.

*Splat!*

I slapped his cheek ever so ‘gently’.

If I hit him hard, he’d just drop dead, and wouldn’t that be a waste?

“If I speak, answer me. Why are you bowing your head and pretending to repent now, you little fly that used to buzz constantly?”

“…Just kill me.”

I scoffed as I watched him tremble, begging to be killed.

“I’m going to kill you anyway, you idiot. But not now. You’ll stay alive and watch me ascend to the throne from beginning to end. You’ll see the Empire that you and your esteemed ancestors built fall into my hands.”

He flinched as if to bite his tongue, but what could a wretch in worse condition than a beggar in Sephyr’s back alleys do?

I snapped my fingers, and the ‘Engravings’ already embedded in his heels and wrists activated, searing him.

“Aaaaargh…!”

When the pain is that severe, you can’t bite your tongue because you’re screaming.

“Your life is no longer yours. Where do you think you’re going to die and find peace? My inauguration isn’t all. You’ll have to bow your head and apologize to all those around me who died because of you.”

Based on my memories and descriptions, Semere promised to create illusions of the dead.

“You and your wretched Empress. Don’t think you can die peacefully right away. Or, you can struggle to survive until the very end, like me.”

I activated the engraving again, and he writhed on the floor, screaming.

With the first scream, my family and the Etgard household.

With the second scream, Marisa, whom I loved.

With the third scream, my loyal henchman Pisces, and the subordinates from the back alleys.

With the fourth scream, those who were like comrades I met on the battlefield…

Every time Leon screamed, the faces of those connections, forged through his involvement and then turned to ash by him, flashed through my mind.

I approached the writhing man, removed the engraving, grabbed his impressive silver hair, and continued to slap his cheeks.

“You accused my family of treason and burned down our mansion. So I set your house on fire too. Half of Sephyr instead of my home, isn’t that a fair amount of interest?”

If a prince burns down someone else’s house, it’s only fair that he should be willing to give up half the capital.

Those who have a lot should lose a lot; that’s only fair.

“You killed my poor subordinate, Pisces. I don’t know if you remember him… So I killed almost all of your subordinates too. Heroes, Sages, Guard Captains, Grand Generals, those kinds of people.”

“…Please… stop and just kill me.”

“He’s gotten stupid in the few years I haven’t seen him. There’s still a lot to account for. My family’s share and Marisa’s, of course… and ‘mine’ is still left.”

A special poison created by mixing succubus tears and high-grade healing potions.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t obtain succubus tears for this, so I can’t make him drink it, but I can still inflict the burning pain and the suffering of having his five senses crippled upon him.

“Burning pain, sensory distortion, ah! And I’m sexually incapacitated. I’ll make sure you experience all sorts of things, so look forward to it. You’ll resent your good bloodline for enduring so robustly.”

*Crunch!*

I stomped on both of his wrists and all ten fingers, crushing every bone joint until he fainted.

Anyway, the bloodline of the Lionheart King, which was never useful in my life, is finally useful in this situation.

To the unknown Founding Emperor, thank you for birthing such sturdy descendants.

I offered a small gesture of gratitude to the founding monarch of this nation, whose bones would be dust in the earth, and whose spirit might or might not exist.

So… why did Semere get upset earlier?

Since I didn’t know the reason, it was time to go find her and ask.

Semere was a generous master who, even if she occasionally sulked, would quickly brighten up if I approached and wagged my tail.

*

“Hngh—!”

I woke up with a startled gasp, having had a vague, nightmare-like dream.

While Semere appearing in the dream itself was excellent and a good omen, the dream was unpleasant because Leon’s presence was too dominant.

Though beating him, tormenting him, and searing him was enjoyable now, it wasn’t particularly fun for me back then.

Having lost everything and with only Semere left by my side, seeing him made me think of the people who had left, and I felt melancholic.

It was amusing how transforming the Sephiroth Empire into the Fallen Sephiroth Nation and becoming Emperor had become a distant memory.

It was the same in my previous life; I didn’t particularly care for the positions of Emperor or high nobility.

Perhaps it’s because I didn’t desire strength to reach such positions, but rather, the positions simply followed naturally as I grew stronger, so I felt no particular emotion about it?

However, in this life, I intend to at least prevent Leon from becoming Emperor.

Even setting aside the fact that Duke Rodrigo is a crippled ambitious man who almost became a duke, if time flows just like before my regression, Marisa will get hurt.

First, my goal is to extract Marisa from both Valencia and the Imperial family at the appropriate time.

Lizley, and especially Emma, will soon approach me; once I get past that, I need to focus on getting Marisa out.

Finally, Semere.

Semere is practically the variable I have the least control over.

This woman could probably conquer Kashimir even without me, but her attack on Sephiroth in my previous life was purely because of me.

Our first meeting in my previous life was truly fated, but in this life, I won’t become a defeated soldier sold off to Kashimir… So, will I not meet her?!

“Oh well, I don’t know. She’s the most beautiful and outstanding woman in the world, so if I make a name for myself, I’ll probably meet her somehow. Even if I get scouted, that’s fine.”

I got up and approached the window, looking outside. It was Friday dawn, with the first light of day dimly breaking.

After my conversation with Father on Tuesday night, he asked for time to think alone.

My persuasion must have worked somewhat, as he said he would scale back the current undertakings to avoid attracting attention and would prepare for exile if things went awry.

To persuade Father, I had subtly controlled my power throughout our conversation, very lightly manifesting an ‘inferno’ like mental image, which had been effective.

Because Father was practically a layman when it came to magic, it seemed to have made him think, ‘Ah… my son truly has something!’

He didn’t even ask about Marisa’s secret or the source of other information I knew.

Anyway, today is my last day in the capital for a while, so I should put other matters aside and go heal Mirha.

[Come dressed properly. There’s an escort besides me, so be on time, and don’t use Peer. He’s a former high priest, so if you try clumsy black magic on him, you won’t even be able to pick up your bones.]

I sent a message to Pisces, and a reply came back shortly after.

It was a shoddy reply, matching his combat prowess.

[No…! I can’t believe I have to escort such a dangerous person… Are you perhaps giving extra hazard pay? Hehehe…]

Extra pay, my foot.

I should be charging extra for escorting the academy’s greatest goddess.

That fellow, true to being a small-fry black magician, was scared of priests, just like before the regression.

I should exercise, eat breakfast, and head out quickly.

Heidi, Father, and Mother all seem to find me difficult somehow, so it’s uncomfortable to be at home.

*Knock knock knock—*

A small knocking sound came, so I quickly went and opened the door.

“Rinaldo? What brings you here so early in the morning?”

My little brother stood at the doorway with a slightly disappointed expression.

“I wanted to play with Big Brother, but you’ve been busy all week… I haven’t played at all! Big Brother’s going out again after breakfast today, aren’t you!!”

Ah.

Our youngest seemed very disappointed that I hadn’t played with him, despite him waiting eagerly for me to come.

“Hmm…! Big Brother was bad. Then how about we go out together when I leave today? I’ll tell Mother.”

“Yay!! Hehehe!! It’s a promise! I’m going out with Big Brother~”

Goodness, why would he like this dark-hearted big brother so much?

It’s true that the past me was a good brother who played well with his sibling…

“Rinaldo, when you get a girlfriend, you won’t even look at Big Brother… Yes, I guess it’s right to think of this as the good old days.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend! I don’t like girls~ I like Big Brother the most. I’ll play with Big Brother next time too.”

Watching my brother innocently say things that would make Mother clutch her neck if she heard them, I had a feeling that promise wouldn’t last long.

*

“Oh my! Ras brought his brother? Hello~ I’m Rosalie. Your name is Rinaldo, right?”

“Uh-buh-buh…!”

My brother, who claimed to like his big brother the most, was already flustered by the academy’s greatest beauty’s greeting.

Ms. Rosalie is certainly beautiful.

Even by my standards, having seen countless beauties, Ms. Rosalie was an extraordinary beauty, ranking among the top three.

It must be because she’s *that* beautiful that she could make our youngest, who declared his big brother the best, stumble like that.

“She’s Big Brother’s school doctor-nim. You rascal, even though you’re tiny, you already know what’s pretty.”

“Big Brother, I’ve never seen anyone prettier than Lizley Noona…!”

Come to think of it, this kid was quite shy even when he saw Lizley.

But they say children’s eyes are honest and accurate, and today’s reaction was certainly more intense.

“Hmm~ Ras, your cute brother says so, but what about you? Would it be too annoying if I asked?”

“No. Don’t people’s eyes all see similarly, Teacher-nim? You’re prettier. Much prettier.”

I casually threw it out, and Ms. Rosalie turned her head slightly and muttered.

“Rosalie..! You’re not dead yet! Even if it’s just a polite remark, it’s something!”

Her voice projection is good, so I can hear everything…

Anyway, a true man pretends not to know in such situations.

Afterward, we cheerfully ate some food from street vendors and headed towards the meeting place with Pisces.

Hmm…?

But near our meeting place, a familiar woman was standing.

She was wearing a slightly short black dress that flowed airily, emphasizing her slender figure and style.

She also had a slightly suggestive choker around her neck…

As passing men glanced and admired her, she subtly puffed out her chest, as if saying…

‘This is how I look when I really put in the effort. Hehehe…!’

“Oh, my fate…”

As soon as I was within telepathy range, I sent a telepathic message to my utterly disobedient subordinate.

[Hey, I told you to come dressed properly. Why are you dressed up? Get out here with your mask on, properly, or you’ll get five hundred knuckle raps.]

My shoddy subordinate, Pisces, crumpled his expression in a frown at my threat and looked around nervously.

Then he saw Ms. Rosalie smiling brightly beside me, and looking a bit dejected, he entered an alleyway.

About five minutes later.

“Greetings. I am the back-alley doctor…”

He appeared before us, wearing the beaked plague doctor mask I had bought him.

Unlike his strutting appearance just moments before, Pisces was now a cowering wretch, his swagger greatly diminished.

“Wow…! That’s fun and cool!!! Hello!!!!”

For reference, our Rinaldo was even more enthusiastic about the man in the beaked mask than he was when he first saw the world’s beautiful Ms. Rosalie.

Indeed, he was still at an age where he was most excited by cool and novel things, after all.