Ch.146Kill Each Other Starting Now. (3)

# Chapter 146: From Now On, Kill Each Other. (3)

As expected, the Vatican’s direct forces were in no state to respond to our surprise attack.

We were able to land a critical hit on the back of the Vatican’s head quite comfortably and easily.

And those Vatican loyalists who had their backs so neatly struck by us…

Between Zeltech’s mercenaries and our mobilized Internal Affairs security forces, purge units, and Imperial Guard.

Plus the mercenary fleet of Warlord origin and the 3rd Fleet led by the crustacean Admiral Zeidler.

Thanks to this fantastic combination, they were pummeled from front and back, resulting in their complete annihilation.

“W-why is the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry protecting heretics?!”

“You madmen, did you forget our Empire is a refugee-friendly nation and just stand by while refugees were being massacred?”

Of course, there was the minor issue of us having to put on quite thick-skinned faces during the process.

“The Empire has finally come to help us!”

“Wow!”

Thanks to that, we achieved the effect of looking like heroes rescuing innocent(?) refugees from crazy cult members, so what did it matter?

“…Wait, didn’t those bastards attack our corporate alliance first?”

“Is this for real?”

Of course, some Zeltech businesspeople who knew the situation were dumbfounded by the current state of affairs, but…

“Oh, I’d love to hear more about that story in detail, if you have the time?”

“…”

So what exactly could they do about it?

Zeltech’s specialty of media play?

If we deployed Alina using her Master System Administrator functions, we could easily handle any collusion between capital and media, and then some.

Besides, we didn’t even need to use Alina.

Most of Zeltech’s available funds had already been drained by hiring mercenaries.

To engage in another hopeless large-scale expenditure here… that would be tantamount to lacking the qualities of a businessperson.

It might be different if they could somehow consolidate their opinions and push through as a massive public will.

But Zeltech wasn’t just one or two companies.

How could hundreds, thousands, no, tens of thousands of companies concentrate their opinions without any separate coordination agency or command?

Well, it’s not that they didn’t have one, but…

“We pledge absolute loyalty to the Holy Sebelli Empire.”

“Money just duplicates itself even if we do nothing!”

“Sebelli is the best, everyone should convert to the religion.”

The command structure that should have played that role was already undergoing real-time hypnotic brainwashing and religious corruption by us.

And it was too late to go to another country, as the image of Zeltech abroad was at its worst due to the “pranks” I had pulled.

As a result, those who knew the truth were forced into silence.

While the majority of the foolish ones only saw what was currently visible.

“The actions shown by the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry were like a ray of light for us oppressed Zeltech refugees.”

“Let’s give another round of applause for Minister Arto’s decision!”

The numerous Zeltech companies ended up being used as our trumpeters and, simultaneously, as excellent means of capital exploitation.

——————————-

Of course, our work wasn’t finished with that.

More precisely, while our handling of Zeltech was sufficient, we still needed to deal with the remaining papal loyalists within the Vatican.

However, in that process, we encountered an unexpected outcome…

“We surrender.”

“…Oh?”

Unlike other units, we were able to witness the voluntary surrender of those we considered most threatening due to their overwhelming size as a literal “fleet.”

The so-called Judgment Fleet.

“Do you believe that?”

“No way.”

However, we weren’t naive enough to simply accept such a voluntary surrender.

While the purge unit’s stealth destroyers in Kazan orbit.

And part of the capital defense fleet mobilized with the help of Arthraia, including Ashna Levia, kept the Judgment Fleet in check.

We decided to summon the admiral of the Judgment Fleet to the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry to hear their circumstances.

Of course, if I personally conducted the hearing, it would only expose my limitations.

So I just maintained a suitably chuunibyou-like gravitas while staying quiet.

The rest would be handled by Riel and the others.

But the admiral of the Judgment Fleet, whom we greeted prepared to torture if necessary…

“I think I know what you’re thinking, so I’ll be honest, Minister Arto.”

“…Hmm?”

“We accept and adapt to reality, and simply wish to remain faithful to our duties.”

Was showing us a completely cooperative attitude.

“No, they’re being too submissive from the start.”

“Could this be some kind of deception?”

As a result, they received cross-fire suspicious glances from our personnel, whose basic passive skill was paranoia.

“We are loyal to the Vatican, not the Pope. We do not question the cause of the Pope’s passing.”

“Hmm.”

“If necessary, I can swear by the Great Sky.”

At the mention of the oldest and most solemn religious oath, we nodded and decided to remove the “purge” part from the treatment of the Judgment Fleet.

And after dealing with the Judgment Fleet.

We decided to spend considerable time contemplating how to capture and punish the remaining papal loyalists within the Vatican.

Of course, the Pope… that sweet potato lump might have given some crazy orders to the fanatics called “loyalists.”

And since they were the ones massacring truly innocent refugees just because the Pope was killed by someone of the same race.

In our internal meeting, we were about to conclude that we should just capture and eliminate all the papal loyalists.

But shortly after.

“…So who did you say?”

“Emilia Hart, who served as the Pope’s direct aide, Duke Arto.”

We couldn’t have anticipated at all that the very person who should be commanding the loyalists within the Vatican would bring Vatican personnel to the Diplomatic Enforcement Ministry.

And then appear alone in this place.

Of course, that was that.

[Pause]

[Unpause]

After organizing my thoughts through the pause.

I maintained the most indifferent attitude possible as I spoke to Aide Emilia before me.

“So, what were you thinking coming here?”

Of course, since I’m not a natural-born superhuman like Arthraia.

Despite my attitude, I tried not to let my guard down, with purge units, various auto-turrets.

And defense field generators ready to protect me at any moment.

But…

“I’ve heard that Minister Arto doesn’t care much for flowery language…”

“That’s right, isn’t it?”

“I see, then I’ll speak directly.”

Aide Emilia, who had been questioning Riel, finally opened her mouth to me with an expressionless face.

“As of this moment, our Vatican ceases all combat operations, and will follow whatever treatment Emperor and Minister Arto decide to impose.”

“…”

The moment Aide Emilia made this emotionless declaration of surrender and extended her hand to me.

-Ding♪

[Pause]

[Event: The Vatican’s Submission]

[You have saved the Empire from the disastrous course of fanatics through sinister politics and schemes.]

[Of course, the Vatican still had enough power to resist if they wanted to.]

[Aide Emilia, who had been leading the Vatican after the Pope’s explosion, judged that continuing this path would only result in the Empire’s division and the Vatican’s annihilation.]

[As a result, Aide Emilia chose to surrender to you to prevent the division, or rather the Vatican’s destruction.]

‘…They’re surrendering like this?’

At this incredibly anticlimactic progression, I felt some strange, indescribable emotion welling up.

‘Well, there’s no need to waste any more of the Empire’s forces, so I guess it’s for the best.’

But since this meant we wouldn’t have to waste our already insufficient forces on unnecessary civil wars or whatnot.

To shake off this strange emotion that was welling up.

[Unpause]

As soon as I unpaused, I vigorously nodded and grasped the hand that Aide Emilia had extended.

“Good, I accept your proposal.”

“Thank you, Minister.”

And while holding her hand, I brought up one more point that had been bothering me.

“Then can you now recall the other units that continue to fight, and pacify them?”

Hearing my tone that sounded more like an order than a question, Aide Emilia showed a faint smile for the first time in this meeting and said to me.

“Those fellows are already irregulars who don’t listen to me, so I don’t mind however you choose to deal with them.”

And seeing Aide Emilia’s eyes that weren’t smiling despite her faint smile, I could understand how the situation was unfolding.

‘…So she’s saying those guys don’t listen to her anyway, so I can kill them or spare them as I see fit.’