Ch.186Chapter 186. An Unchanging Plan

It was bound to happen someday.

Until now, they had quelled the people’s anger by putting forward Heroes, but most of these were merely symbolic achievements led by idols.

At some point, the theory of “Heroes’ Uselessness” began to spread among the people, and coupled with increasingly severe exploitation, this led to riots.

“Emperor Orion, come out and explain yourself!”

“Why are you neglecting state affairs! Behead those incompetent pigs immediately!”

A massive number of citizens gathered in front of the imperial palace.

Even if they held only torches and farming tools, their overwhelming numbers meant that the elite soldiers guarding the palace had their limits.

But currently, subjugation missions for the succession ceremony were underway, making it difficult to recall external forces.

“We oppose further investment in meaningless activities like Hero summoning!”

“Why are we doing things like exploration in times like these! My hometown is still occupied by the Demon Tribe!”

“When will my son who was drafted as a soldier return!? At least tell me if he’s still alive!”

“Disclose where our assets were spent! Spit it all out now!”

Though they were holding back the crowd with shields and barricades, some were determined to enter the palace at the cost of their lives, beyond just shouting.

If they advanced any further, they might have to prepare for bloodshed beyond forceful suppression.

“Block everyone from entering the palace!”

“Ah, it’s impossible! There are too many of them!”

“Damn, how do we calm this down…”

“Isn’t it simple?”

At that moment, a woman in black clothing slipped past the troubled commander.

She then brushed back her blonde hair, gathered magical power in her hand, and fired it toward the crowd.

-Crackle!

An explosive current formed by combining the vast magical power emitted by her artifact with its unique ability.

When a citizen hit by the attack turned to ashes, the surrounding crowd erupted in shock.

“Eek! She killed someone!”

“Y-you monster! You monster!!”

“Ah~ Monster, what a thing to call a Hero~”

Crackle, crackle. The crowd backed away nervously as electricity sparked from her hand.

Seeing this, Hero Yusulhae burst into laughter, then frowned at the frozen soldiers.

“See? Kill one and they quiet down right away. When it gets too noisy, instead of awkwardly blocking them, just execute a few and they’ll naturally quiet down~”

“B-but Hero. That will only fuel their anger further.”

“Pfft, so what if they get angrier? These pigs and dogs are already overflowing anyway~”

“P-pigs and dogs…?”

“If you’re born lacking and stupid, and have no luck on top of that, you should just accept your fate and live submissively. They have nowhere else to go, yet they gather here demanding money—you can see their intelligence level just from that~”

These were words no one expected from a Hero who should know honor and nobility.

Yet Yusulhae remained confident.

Having spent a long time among the upper class, she had come to see herself as blessed and to look down on those who couldn’t become Heroes.

“Or what, don’t tell me you’re the same as them?”

Such arrogant character would only grow stronger as long as she wasn’t directly threatened, even with blood on her hands.

With this attitude she deemed appropriate, she extended her sparking hand and smiled confidently.

“I thought someone living on tax money would be smarter, but don’t tell me you’re on the same side as those pigs and dogs over there?”

Treating angry citizens like livestock?

For people like her, does even this fierce riot not register?

-Crackle.

But both soldiers and citizens must yield to overwhelming power.

As the soldiers finally turned away in silence, a man in the crowd raised a spear and shouted.

“Aaaaargh! I can’t live like this anymore! Prepare yourself, you damn Hero! I’ll show you the taste of the magical tool I invested my entire fortune in!!”

Shabby appearance and unremarkable looks.

Based on this alone, Yusulhae snorted dismissively, assuming the spear thrown at her would be equally worthless, and flicked her finger to deploy a magical shield.

As expected, the spear should be blocked by the shield, followed by an electric current that would burn him to ashes.

-Thunk!

But the spear penetrated the shield and pierced her chest.

“Kuh, huk…”

A painful groan escaped her lips.

As her eyes rolled back and her body collapsed to the ground trembling, the man who threw the spear began to cheer.

“Ha, haha! How does it taste!! The power of a spear with everything focused on penetration!”

Though he had put everything into that single attack, it was enough to end the life of a careless Hero.

Standing before the instantly killed corpse, the man began shouting to inspire the frightened crowd.

“Everyone, look closely! Even Heroes die when stabbed in vital spots! They’re just humans like us, only stronger!”

“Will we continue giving our money to summon such incompetent people!? Rise up everyone!”

“Drag the Emperor from his throne!!!”

The realization that even Heroes who overwhelmed them had weaknesses and could be killed led to an awakening among the people, strengthening their resolve to enter the palace.

“D-damn it! We have no choice now! Designate anyone who enters the palace as rebels and shoot them!”

“Suppress them first and think later! Bring more Heroes!”

Soldiers making extreme choices against the rampaging crowd.

While chaos engulfed the area around the palace, the commotion was limited to the ground.

Amidst the riot, the sky remained free, and those traversing it could reach their destination without interference.

“My goodness~ What’s happening here~”

A maid who caught a bat landing on the palace window listened to its cries with an intrigued smile.

“I was wondering when everyone would return, but to think such a thing happened… I should deliver this good news to the Crown Prince~”

Ascetic Scheherazade.

For her, who believed asceticism was a quality necessary for the noble, the news delivered by the bat that escaped from the sanctuary was quite favorable.

How fitting for asceticism that her careless kinsmen had fallen into a succubus’s trap and been annihilated!

“The Crown Prince is currently meeting with His Majesty in the annex.”

Though riots were occurring outside, confusion had not yet reached inside the palace.

Guided calmly by the maids, Scheherazade eventually entered the annex where Crown Prince Seis was located.

“Crown Prince~ I have good news…”

“…”

“Oh my, is now not the time to speak?”

Despite acknowledging her presence, Crown Prince Seis remained silent.

As she watched quietly, the Emperor lying before Seis began to speak with a strained voice.

“Remember, my son…”

Weakened after a lifetime of being plagued by society’s parasites, he now faced death.

But perhaps because of this, his will to convey his realization was all the more earnest.

“We all… cannot survive… unless we become slaves to someone. In such a world… people like us… must rely on those with greater power.”

Words that could be dismissed as the ramblings of a senile old man.

Nevertheless, Seis was quietly listening to these words that had been repeated before him many times.

“Remember, my son. Always… humble yourself… and find with your own hands… the one you must follow. I have left everything you need… follow it…”

At the end, the old Emperor’s strength failed and his head dropped.

Scheherazade approached him and whispered when his eyes were completely closed.

“Has he passed away?”

“…If you were to suck blood here, he would.”

Was there hostility in those cloudy eyes looking back at her?

Whatever it was, harming the person before her would be a severe loss from her perspective of seeking asceticism.

“Don’t worry. You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

She was genuinely looking forward to what would happen after her news was delivered.

****

“…I see.”

But the Crown Prince, moving through the palace after leaving the annex, simply acknowledged everything that happened in the sanctuary with his usual calm response.

“My goodness, why so quiet?”

This was an unexpected reaction for Scheherazade.

Those damned influential figures who had squeezed the empire’s lifeblood had been annihilated by a plot devised by a member of their own organization.

“It seems there was indeed a problem in the sanctuary since they haven’t returned, but the source of this information is questionable.”

Despite such momentous news, the Crown Prince maintained his composure.

It wasn’t just a matter of hiding his emotions. Realizing this, a dejected Scheherazade faced further questioning from Crown Prince Seis.

“Geographically, the sanctuary is completely isolated from the outside world, making it difficult even for me to confirm news without a messenger. But given your nature, I doubt you would have placed any surveillance on them.”

“Of course not~ Why would I follow a bunch of vampires rushing to drink virgin blood?”

For a vampire, wouldn’t sitting on the ground eating dog food be more heretical?

Suppressing such thoughts and waiting for an answer, Scheherazade spoke quietly with a sad expression.

“…The one who sent me the news was someone I served long ago. They probably sent it believing only I remained here.”

“Long ago?”

“Before humans killed humans, before races waged war against each other… a king who ruled the most prosperous paradise in a primitive era when there was nothing to depend on?”

A serious attitude and bitter smile.

Unlike her usual lewd grin, in this moment of nostalgia, her face showed a glimpse of pity.

“Under that person, all races could live equally and faithfully to their roles. At least until they considered the meat that descended from space as a blessing from heaven and gathered representatives of each race for a feast.”

“…You mean the catalyst for your obsession with ‘outer gods’?”

“When each gained power, they were no longer satisfied with the peaceful small enclosure and waged war leading their races. But eventually, judging their innate power incompatible with their own race, they abandoned even their kin and proclaimed themselves the most noble beings.”

The former leaders of ancient races who, intoxicated with themselves, abandoned their kin and disappeared, ultimately becoming parasites of society.

But wars don’t stop just because they disappear.

“Not only did they ignore their kin, but they became obsessed with the source of blood in their bodies, seeking purity… I wonder how that appeared to that person?”

They must have felt disillusionment.

Especially since they dreamed of a world where everyone could live equally.

“Is your perverted inclination related to that as well?”

But what concerned him more was her reaction after hearing about the fate of the man she directly called her “former lord.”

“It’s not perverted, it’s refined and elegant. That’s what aesthetics is about.”

To this curious question, Scheherazade smiled awkwardly and placed her finger on her lips.

“And I’ll remain silent on your current question. Speaking of that wouldn’t be elegant at all.”

“…How unusual. You being silent.”

“Because there are more important matters to discuss now.”

Then she asked with sharp eyes.

“So, what will you do now?”

The evil beings who had been manipulating humanity from behind the scenes were all gone.

Would freedom and salvation now come to humanity?

“…Nothing will change.”

Crown Prince Seis denied this.

Without a moment’s hesitation. By his own will.

“The reason my grandfather bowed to your kind was to unite humanity scattered by war.”

If the remaining humans weren’t united, the species itself might have disappeared.

And even if they intended to use and discard humanity, it was their role to manage from behind the scenes to ensure society’s maintenance until that time came.

The current riot outside occurred because their prolonged absence prevented necessary management.

“But even with external dangers still present, the current imperial citizens are prepared to destroy their own foundations for the freedom that has come to them.”

Yes, even if one problem is solved, the problems that have been covered up don’t disappear.

Calamities still come to this world, and the chaos they cause stimulates the masses and hinders the establishment of a solid foundation.

Even if there are leaders who could become the center, history proves that if their sense of justice differs, they will clash and divide.

“Do you think someone other than me… say, this great lord you mentioned, could solve this situation?”

“Yes, it would be the same with anyone but you.”

Whether a certain race wins, or whether there exists an exceptionally great hero among them, in such a world, hoping for everyone’s happiness is nothing but an extravagant delusion.

Having just realized this point, Scheherazade opened her drowsy eyes and asked.

“…Does this mean you’ll proceed with the plan unchanged?”

The plan to usher in the “Age of Nihil” to end the chaotic era that followed the age of war through successive calamities.

“A gathering will be held soon, so prepare.”

To Crown Prince Seis, who revealed that the plan was nearing its final stage, the being who had now become the only one to inherit “pure outer god blood” bowed her head and answered.

“I will obey your command, my lord.”

She felt no resistance.

The person before her was about to rise as an unprecedented tyrant.

The ascetic firmly believed that by following him alone, her wishes would be fulfilled.