Semi-Coercive Imperialist-Chapter 134: Your World (2)

......One day, as I was preparing for a trip to Zerpha.

Nobles from the Imperial Palace came to visit the knight order in person. By the hierarchy within the palace, they ranked fairly low. They offered me expensive gifts–which I refused, of course–and then asked me something.

"Sir Knight. There is an unwritten rule in the Imperial Palace that no matter how fiercely people fight, it never goes so far as dismissal from the House of Nobles."

It was precisely because of that garbage unwritten rule that the palace had stagnated.

"I'm sorry, but no such unwritten rule exists."

"In the past hundred years, there hasn't been a single dismissal–"

"Before that, there were. Quite a few, in fact."

"Ahem......."

Deep worry settled over the nobles' faces. I could practically hear the gears turning in their heads.

"But, Sir Knight. Surely Lord Reutern does not truly desire Lord Julius's dismissal. He has, until now–"

"If that's what you believed, you were mistaken."

I rose from my seat.

With a quiet exhale, I poured hot water into a coffee cup in a thin, steady stream.

"......Hmm. I wonder what people out there really think of me."

I took a leisurely sip of coffee. The nobles' eyes were still fixed on me, and I continued in a low voice.

"Well, some call me a monster, some call me a knight, and others call me a heretic. Let me be clear. I'm not nearly as meticulous and calculating a person as you all seem to think."

A small, dry laugh escaped me.

"I'm nothing more than a greenhorn knight barely entering his third year."

At that, the nobles' expressions shifted. Their worry only deepened further, and.......

"Th-then, are you saying that Lord Reutern himself orchestrated all of this?"

I raised an eyebrow slightly. There was no need to leave a verbal lie on record.

Nonverbal communication was the best tool for letting them interpret the situation however they wished.

"I couldn't possibly fathom all of His intentions, but perhaps. He may have anticipated all of this from the very beginning."

I elevated Reutern II. Praised his abilities to the fullest.

“Ha……”

The best ending for me would be for them to tear each other apart in the mud until they destroyed themselves. So if Reutern's reputation rose as an impressive facade, it wasn't a bad thing.

“Whew.”

"Hah."

The palace nobles, clearly having never expected my reaction, gaped like goldfish, exchanging meaningless glances. I gazed down at them with indifference.

"It seems our time is up."

"Ah, yes. Then we shall take our leave."

"Thank you for making the time for us."

They hurried out, retrieving the wristwatches they had left with my aide.

There is a mandatory condition for entering my office.

No one is permitted to wear an analog watch in my presence.

* * *

The transport ship crossed the western border and reached Zerpha. I first visited the border village beyond the gorge that Lieutenant Colonel Han had once traversed.

"......This place has grown quite a bit too."

The money I had given when buying several hundred cattle had, in the span of nearly a year, multiplied into several thousand heads.

Herds of grazing cattle stretched endlessly across the horizon, and the village itself seemed to have expanded, brimming with vitality.

"This village currently supplies provisions to our unit. The quality of the beef is excellent, and above all, the villagers are so eager to learn the Imperial language that there are no issues with communication."

Lieutenant Colonel Han continued.

"Also, the pastureland here grows unusually fast."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Thanks to the terrain, with the gorge and the Alberon Mountain Range encircling it like a folding screen, the Mana in the atmosphere seems to pool in the basin and enrich the soil."

The nature of Mana. It differed from terrain to terrain, from space to space, and here it nourished the grass and the land.

It meant this was a natural-born pastureland.

If it had been bombed as it was before the regression, it would have been destroyed forever, turned into barren wasteland.......

"Interesting."

The course of history I had diverted was slowly gathering small tributaries into a river.

I turned my gaze to Lieutenant Colonel Han.

"Is the operation ready?"

"Yes, sir. It is."

"Then let's go."

I boarded the transport ship again.

The annexation of Zerpha.

The first button to be sewn into the history of the continent, by my own hand.

If at all possible, I simply hoped Crown Prince Alonso would comply with my wishes without incident.

.......

"Sir Maximilian! You've finally come!"

"Yes. It's been a while."

The Zerpha Royal Palace, Alonso's reception room. Crown Prince Alonso welcomed me with a brighter face than ever.

"Has it been nearly a year?"

"Yes, it has. It was winter then, too."

"Ah~ that's right. Come, sit down, sit."

We sat across from each other at the table and exchanged light pleasantries.

"Thanks to the Empire maintaining Zerpha's security and taking responsibility for our supplies, the Royalist Faction has been holding strong."

"......That's good to hear."

I picked up the teacup and took a sip. The black tea tasted quite good. No matter how I thought about it, Zerpha had far too many fine ingredients.

The Crown Prince, reading my expression, casually broached the subject.

"That said, I sometimes wonder whether this devoted assistance to Zerpha is Maximil⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌ian's personal decision, or the will of the Imperial court......."

A faint trace of suspicion lingered in the Crown Prince's eyes. I regarded him steadily.

"Ah~ of course, I trust the Empire, but that is exactly the Republican Faction's rallying cry. That the Empire intends to swallow Zerpha whole."

"Do not be swayed by the enemy's propaganda. That is precisely what they want."

There was no need to answer his question directly.

I would simply convey my sincerity.

"I hold genuine respect for you, Your Highness."

"Hm? No, well, what brought that on so suddenly......."

"As you know, countless royal bloodlines exist within the Empire."

The Empire had begun in the center. Originally, only the territory now called the central region had been "the Empire" but it expanded endlessly into the east, north, west, and south, swelling in size. In that process, the royal families of fallen kingdoms who had "cooperated" with the Imperial house were absorbed into the palace as its nobility.

"But now, those people in the palace, compared to Your Highness, Crown Prince Alonso, are very......."

I gazed into the air and briefly closed my eyes.

In the past, the royals had been used as chess pieces by the Emperor to check the power of the Empire's founding meritorious subjects, and now the side effects of that were manifesting.

Alonso likely knew that history as well.

"They are nothing but deeply corrupt, worthless parasites."

"......Come now. I'm sure they have their own admirable qualities."

"No. Recently, that conviction has only grown stronger. When you hear the full story later, you'll be shocked."

I let out a deep sigh, feigning exhaustion.

"A very serious incident has erupted in the Imperial Palace, and it seems an entire high-ranking seat in the House of Nobles may be swept away."

I was planting an escape route for Alonso.

Even if you abandon this palace, there will be a seat for you in the Imperial court.

"......As always, time will pass and it w⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌ill gradually be filled by someone else, of course."

But judging by Alonso's face, he didn't seem interested yet, so I took a step back.

"I suppose so."

Alonso licked his dry lips. He had a different worry. Most likely his growing distaste for the Royalist Faction's military leadership.

But he was too timid to voice it aloud.

I said it for him.

"Your Highness. I've heard rumors that Zerpha's military has been embezzling the supplies I've been sending."

"......."

Alonso nodded as if he'd been expecting this.

"I've heard the same. From my inner circle."

So it seemed Alonso had, at some point, acquired an "inner circle".

"Yes. You must know why I've come here as well."

"Of course I do. I have not the slightest intention of betraying you."

"Then, would Your Highness serve as my justification?"

I deliberately drew out my voice. As if soaked in fatigue, as if sick of politics, making no effort to hide it.

"If you give me that justification, I will deal with them personally."

Alonso nodded with confidence.

"Do so. I've already told my inner circle to follow your lead. They'll be a great help to you."

Alonso emphasized his inner circle. I suppressed a smile and produced a single document from inside my coat.

"And this is a roster to replace the military positions that will be vacated."

I placed it on the table.

"Please take a look."

At that moment, Alonso's expression hardened.

I continued as if I hadn't noticed.

"Please use it as reference when steering the political landscape going forward. If you place them in key positions and keep them close, they will be able to support you perfectly."

The Crown Prince's expression wavered coldly. He glanced at me, then took another deep breath.

He needlessly adjusted his perfectly fine attire, straining to maintain his usual stern royal composure, and spoke quietly.

"......I'm sorry."

His voice trembled faintly.

"Sir Maximilian. This constitutes interference in Zerpha's sovereign right to appoint its own officials."

"......."

I watched him in silence. Alonso met my gaze only halfway and spoke.

"Zerpha still has its sovereignty, after all."

As Crown Prince of a nation, he had, somewhere along the way, developed pride.

"I have received tremendous help from you, Sir Maximilian, but I cannot hand over the authority to appoint my nation's officials."

My eyes settled int⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌o a calm stillness.

"My kingdom. Our Zerpha's......."

Beneath the table, Alonso clenched both fists tight, yet could not hide even their trembling.

He was truly a timid man.

"Our soul, our heart. Those still belong to us."

"......."

I remained silent. Without a word, without betraying any expression, I simply maintained the stillness.

I waited like that, and just as Alonso's breathing grew ragged, I smiled gently.

"Yes."

I yielded without resistance.

"Your Highness is, as expected, of noble blood."

As if acknowledging him, I picked up the roster.

"As you say, if I were to meddle even in matters like this, it would clearly be a violation of Zerpha's sovereignty. An act of disrespect."

Riiip– shred!

"Then please consider this, too, a gesture of my sincerity."

I tore the paper in half.

"I respect you, honor you, and trust you, Your Highness."

"Wh– what......."

Perhaps he hadn't expected me to back down so easily. Alonso's eyes went wide.

"Sir Maximilian......."

He even looked deeply moved, nearly brimming with tears.

But there was a reason behind my retreat.

The "groundwork" had already been completed quite thoroughly.

──Eight months prior.

Maximilian's residence.

I had personally interviewed agents recruited from across the E⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌mpire, one by one.

"Your Zerphan is native-level. The accent is flawless, too."

Since there were a fair number of Zerpha-mixed individuals even within the Empire, I selected them rigorously and fabricated their identities. They spent months at Ebenholtz Main Castle undergoing grueling training under Enzi. After completing vocational training, cultural studies, and thorough ideological vetting, they departed the empire disguised as Zerpha's elite–graduates of Imperial universities, businesspeople, and specialists.

Every one of them was "my people".

They bribed the Pro-Imperial Faction members within the Zerpha Royal Palace and naturally infiltrated the palace's core departments. There was no limit on operational funds, and they scattered money as easily as breathing. My money never stayed in one place. It circulated through the entire palace like blood through veins, and my people's reputations rose by the day.

"Is this person really that capable?"

Crown Prince Alonso was a pure and naive man.

"Yes. An elite graduate of the Imperial Central University. The Empire offered him naturalization, but he reportedly returned to his homeland deliberately, for Zerpha's sake."

"Oh. Such a loyal subject....... I should meet him."

When enough people praised someone as competent, he believed it without question. It never occurred to him to look into it himself.

"Your Highness. This is silk I brought back from my trip to the Empire."

"......Oh? Isn't this Northern Snow Peric?"

My people presented him with fine silks, gifted him beautiful sculptures, and occasionally, at official functions where the Crown Prince was in attendance, they wielded impressive expertise and difficult terminology while feigning deep devotion to Zerpha, etching the impression of "loyal, capable subjects" firmly into his mind.

On top of that, they occasionally fought on his behalf against the palace nobles and military officials who disrespected the Crown Prince, steadily building a power base that was solely Alonso's.

The result.

"Nice shot!"

The caddy who applauded beside Alonso every time he played golf, helping with his swing. Exceptionally skilled and silver-tongued, the Crown Prince was particularly fond of him–he was my person, planted there by me.

"Your Highness. It appears the capital's finances will finally turn a surplus this quarter."

Right beside him, the treasury official whom Alonso trusted implicitly was also my person.

"A surplus? A surplus? Is that even possible?"

"Yes. The emergency fiscal plan I proposed four months ago has proven effective."

They manipulated the numbers with cunning precision. Deficits were minimized on the books, and the massive funding secretly funneled in from me was inflated as if it were the result of their own policies, all while they performed the role of loyal subjects with the ability to save the kingdom.

"Ha...... Well, well."

The people I had sent all became Crown Prince Alonso's inner circle.

They had been recruited to become his inner circle from the start, after all.

"As I tho⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌ught. You are all my treasures."

The head of security who protected those people at his side, the chief of staff who coordinated the Crown Prince's schedule, the head chef who managed the palace's provisions–

All of them were my people.

──And so, the Crown Prince's surroundings were already filled with my people.

Alonso had come to trust them completely, so he probably had no idea. Not even in his dreams.

It was better for him that he never found out.

“……When I look at Your Highness Alonso.”

Back in the reception room of the Zerpha Royal Palace.

I gazed at Alonso and smiled softly.

“For some reason, I am reminded of my past self.”

At those words, Alonso wiped the cold sweat from his brow and waved his hands dismissively.

"Oh, come now, why would you say something like that?"

Relieved, as if he hadn't expected me to yield so easily, as if his worrying had been for nothing–he resembled the endlessly timid version of me from before the regression.

He resembled my past self, who had known nothing and simply been pushed around.

"I truly appreciate your understanding. I knew you of all people would understand, Sir Maximilian."

"Yes."

And that was precisely why.

"If not me, who else could understand you, Your Highness?"

It would be far better for you to live happily in your own world, knowing nothing at all.

Because for someone like you, this world is far too cold, and far too cruel.......