Chapter 27: The unraveling council (1)

‘I really don’t like them…’

If it weren’t for the fact that their status in the empire had become so high as a reward for achieving the feat of subjugating the Demon Lord, she would have immediately ordered them to leave.

Primarily because they wouldn’t have even achieved that subjugation without Logan, who was currently standing behind her.

The members of the hero’s party, excluding him, were so incompetent that she felt they were more of a hindrance to the subjugation.

This made Anastasia’s insides boil even more.

‘But I can’t just kick them out as I please…’

As she first thought, if she got angry and caused a disturbance in this meeting hall, where those who didn’t know the truth of the subjugation journey were present, she would be the only one to suffer.

The power structure of the empire is as follows.

First, the Emperor’s faction, a minority that effectively doesn’t exist, supports her.

Next is the noble faction, led by the detestable Kardo, and finally, the neutral faction.

While divided into these three, she couldn’t afford to cause trouble by quarreling with the hero’s party, which had a good public image.

Especially now, when the empire’s reconstruction needed to be expedited.

‘It seems they want me to lose my reason and run wild, but that will never happen.’

Anastasia resolved thus and was about to start the meeting.

However.

Even before the first agenda item could be properly brought up.

“The unreasonable reconstruction project must not proceed!”

Lian arbitrarily shouted, breaking the flow of the meeting.

“…I believe I made myself clear, Hero-nim? Refrain from unnecessary remarks.”

“Why is this an unnecessary remark? Haven’t you seen the people devastated by the Demon Lord’s army’s invasion? If you increase taxes on their already difficult lives, it will become even harder!”

“Therefore, it has already been decided to request financial support from the nobles so as not to shift the burden onto the imperial citizens.”

Anastasia explained to Lian in the calmest voice possible to avoid losing her composure.

Then, she looked at Kardo, who was sitting in a corner of the meeting hall, and continued.

“In the first place, it’s strange that the Hero-nim knows about this content before it’s even implemented. Do you think it’s acceptable to carelessly leak meeting contents like this, Duke Lindemarck?”

It hadn’t been decided exactly how the project would proceed or how the funds for it would be secured.

It was just that since a lot of expenses were expected, taxes would inevitably have to be raised, and the last meeting had discussed and decided on a direction where the nobles would bear a little more of that burden to reduce it.

However, despite having decided to minimize the tax increase on the common people, for Lian to be so agitated and rampant meant someone had added fuel to the fire.

“Is there any reason to hide it? Isn’t the Hero-nim someone who worries and agonizes day after day for the future of the empire?”

Kardo, the culprit, shrugged nonchalantly and retorted with a sneer.

At this, Anastasia’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and a cold smile formed on her lips.

“That’s right. There’s no need to hide it. However, I believe there’s a problem with conveying exaggerated or false information.”

“False…? Exaggerated…?”

Lian, puzzled by Anastasia’s words, turned his gaze to Kardo as if demanding an explanation.

At this, Kardo, knowing he had indeed spread false information, flinched but quickly feigned composure and denied it.

“I merely told the Hero-nim things as they are, but?”

“Ah, you told him as they are, and the Hero-nim became this angry? The tax increase rate for common citizens shouldn’t be that high, though?”

“Th-That’s…!”

Kardo was at a loss for words at Anastasia’s question.

Because, in reality, the tax increase rate she had imposed on common citizens wasn’t that high.

People might complain about having to pay more money, but if they were told they had to cooperate for the sake of the empire’s reconstruction, it wasn’t an amount they couldn’t afford.

Therefore, Kardo, wondering how to answer this, couldn’t help but be flustered.

However, there was no need for that.

Lian, having already accepted and judged the information in his own way, raised his voice even louder.

“Anyway, it’s true that it’s going up, isn’t it! And the nobles are also citizens of the empire! It’s not right to burden them!”

“Ha…!”

Anastasia couldn’t help but let out a derisive laugh at Lian’s unreasonable attitude.

“Then are you saying we shouldn’t proceed with the empire’s reconstruction project at all, Hero?”

Feeling there was no longer any need to respect such an idiot, Anastasia dropped the honorific ‘nim’ from Lian’s title.

Despite this being a clear signal of her considerable displeasure, Lian paid no attention and shouted even more triumphantly.

“That’s not what I’m saying! Hasn’t the imperial family accumulated vast wealth over the years! If we utilize that…”

“How absurd. Do you think such a thing exists? Even if we wanted to accumulate wealth in the national treasury, it’s only natural that nothing remains because your church and the nobles embezzle it under all sorts of pretexts.”

“Pardon?”

Lian wore a bewildered expression at Anastasia’s completely unexpected answer.

Anastasia cast a cold gaze at the foolish Lian and continued.

“From the past, not only did you fail to pay the taxes you were supposed to, making all sorts of excuses, but during the Demon Lord subjugation, you made even more excuses and didn’t provide a single penny of proper support. Thanks to that, His Majesty, who had no budget and received no proper support, is bedridden and groaning. Do I need to bring up such things for you to understand, Hero?”

“Th-That’s…”

As Lian was at a loss for words and mumbled, Sera interjected with a gentle and benevolent smile.

“Your Majesty, I believe you are exaggerating somewhat. The nobles must have had their own circumstances, and as for the church, we did not try to hide our assets. Not only did we pay taxes to the empire on time when we had legitimate income, but we also did not spare any effort in relief activities for the poor.”

“Ha…!”

Anastasia was speechless at Sera’s detestable hypocrisy.

And Lian, thinking she couldn’t refute it and was conceding, began to shout triumphantly again.

“That’s right! Why are you shifting the blame to us! Can’t you see here? Even Duke Lindemarck has become haggard because his livelihood has been ruined!”

Lian shouted confidently, certain that this time Anastasia wouldn’t be able to offer even a slight rebuttal.

However, the expressions of Kardo and Sera, who knew well about the humiliation from the last meeting and the reality of the council, couldn’t help but harden with bewilderment.

‘What a foolish hero!’

‘Ha, he should have just kept his mouth shut and stayed still, this idiot!’

Sera hurriedly scanned the expression of Duke Lionel Barenhoff, the leader of the neutral faction nobles, who was seated in the center of their section.

“…….”

He was merely listening to the argument with an expressionless face.

At this, Sera couldn’t help but click her tongue inwardly.

‘Tsk… this isn’t good…’

Since he was a person who rarely showed changes in expression, it was impossible to know exactly what he was thinking, but the atmosphere was not good.

Because, in the first place, he too was a noble, so it would be natural for him to dislike bearing the burden of financial support for the project.

However, despite that, the fact that he was remaining silent and watching without uttering a single word meant he had no intention of siding with them.

‘This fool is ruining everything!’

Sera, belatedly, tried to stop Lian again by poking him in the side, but this stupid oaf endured the pain and continued what he had to say.

“Keuk..! Th-Therefore, as for the funds for the reconstruction project, it’s right for the imperial family to bear more of the burden, and not only that, but for the impoverished commoners, you should also provide relief aid…”

Just then.

“Your head is still in the clouds, Lian.”

Logan, who had been listening quietly, cut him off with a cold voice.

“What did you say…?”

Lian, who had been passionately speaking with great enthusiasm, was flustered by the unexpected blow.

But Logan, without changing his expression, shot back even more scathingly.

“The Demon Lord is already defeated. How long are you going to keep insisting on your ridiculous stubbornness and forcing it on others?”

“Stubbornness! This is conviction!”

“Conviction? Do you not know how many people were sacrificed because of that conviction?”

“That’s…!”

Lian was momentarily speechless at Logan’s point.

At this, those in the meeting hall began to murmur.

“Sacrificed because of conviction…?”

“It seems there was some unpleasant incident…”

Lian, quickly realizing the situation was becoming unfavorable, immediately raised his voice and retorted.

“Bringing up past events and cowardly trying to muddy the waters, you’ve really changed, Logan! I clearly told you, it was a sacrifice for the greater good!”

“Ha…! Changed? Wouldn’t it be strange if I didn’t change? After being in a party with a b*stard like you, who doesn’t even make an effort to break that d*mn stubbornness and just covers up the deaths of countless people with excuses!”

“Th-That’s…! It couldn’t be helped! We are the righteous hero’s party, and following the Goddess’s will, we fight fair and square…!”

“What a joke! Did the Goddess really tell you to do that? Did she tell you to prioritize that fair and square nonsense over people’s lives!”

Had he ever shouted in anger like this in his life?

Logan, as if unleashing all his pent-up emotions at once, shouted in a very agitated voice and shifted his gaze from the hero to the saintess.

“It would be faster to ask that esteemed Saintess-nim of yours rather than you! Right? Now! Sera, answer me!”

“!!!”

Sera was flustered as the arrow was aimed at her.

‘Really… what a useless idiot!’

She couldn’t help but curse Lian inwardly.

Because he had recklessly run wild, creating a truly difficult situation.

If she really had her way.

‘I just want to say yes, but…!’

She couldn’t.

‘Anyone else, maybe, but to this person…!’

Because she couldn’t do that.

Sera quickly racked her brain, wondering how to answer.

But, quite frustratingly.

“Don’t bother Sera! I’ll prove it!!”

Lian stepped forward instead and tried to draw his holy sword.

Sera, horrified at the sight, stopped him.

“No, Hero-nim!!!”

“Don’t stop me, Sera! We need to show Logan, who betrayed our party and clung to the Crown Princess, clearly! The Goddess’s will!”

“Stop…!”

Sera desperately tried to restrain him, but.

Lian had already drawn the holy sword Elysium from its scabbard.

Then.

Viiiiiiing!!!!

Elysium emitted an ominous vibration, as if screaming in agony.

Papat papapat!!!!

White flames and electric-like sparks erupted erratically from the blade.

And then it suddenly exploded.

KWAAAAAAAANG!!!!!!!

“Aaaaaaaargh!!!”