novelraw Chapter 81 : Chapter 81
Chapter 81 : Chapter 81
Chapter 81
[Partially loading previous playthrough's records.]
[Error - No information on the previous playthrough exists.]
[Error - No record of a normal playthrough exists.]
[Partially loading the first playthrough's record.]
***
There are countless rumors about the Emperor of the Empire.
From rumors that he is the son of God, that God himself descended to this land to save the continent, or that he is a hero from another world, to rumors that he is mad or has a fatal illness.
It was only natural for there to be many rumors about a man who had achieved what no one had thought possible.
‘It must be even more so because he has thoroughly hidden his appearance.’
The Emperor rarely showed himself.
He hid his appearance to the extent that there was not a single portrait or statue of him, and now that he had unified the continent, he did not meet with anyone except for a handful of his closest confidants.
‘I thought rumors were just rumors, but……’
Ian, who had let out a small sigh, forced his unmoving feet and headed for the Emperor's bedroom.
***
The Emperor was special to me.
To the extent that even while not being swayed by any of the rumors, I had thought that the rumor of the Emperor being the son of God had some credibility.
He was my closest friend, a parent-like figure, and at the same time, my idol and hero.
No, he was still more precious to me than anyone else.
Thud, thud, thud.
As I approached the bedroom, the knight who was guarding him greeted me with a smile.
“Ah, Lord Ian.
Have you come to see His Majesty again today?”
As I nodded, he quietly opened the door.
“He seems to be in a good mood today.”
I wonder.
I don't think so.
After forcing down a bitter smile and exchanging greetings, I entered the bedroom.
“Ah, you’re here?”
The Emperor, who had barely managed to sit up in bed, smiled and spoke.
“I apologize for being late.”
“What are you sorry for.
What brings you here today?”
The reason I had come to see the Emperor was the same as yesterday.
That is, there was no reason.
Even if there was a reason for me to have rushed to prepare and come here since morning, I couldn't find an answer.
So I found the same words as yesterday and spat them out.
“I came because I wanted to hear more of your story.”
At that, the Emperor, who had chuckled, smiled sadly.
“Ian, it's okay, you don't have to try so hard.”
“No, I really came because I wanted to hear more of your story.”
And I knelt down in front of him and waited for his story.
There are countless rumors about the Emperor.
And one of them was clearly true.
“Alright, I'll tell you from the beginning for a change.”
He was either mad…….
“I'm, actually not from this world.
I came from a small country on a planet far away called Earth.”
Or a hero from another world.
***
The first time I met the Emperor was when I was wandering the streets after being kicked out of my family.
“I finally found you!
Ian!”
The boy who had shouted that said with a smile as bright as the sun.
“All I need is you!
All I need is you!”
He, who was said to be the umpteenth prince of the Empire, had turned a scoundrel who had been wandering the streets into a human being.
He always spoke to me with a smiling face, and he would simply give me the answer to any question I asked.
Honestly, I couldn't find a reason why he needed me.
Because the Emperor was a perfect and complete human being even before he became emperor.
The political strife that should have lasted for ten years ended so easily it was absurd, and the same was true for the battle for the throne that should have been stained with blood.
Because everyone in the Empire had unanimously acclaimed him as emperor, and all who opposed him had fallen.
On the day he ascended the throne, I offered him my sword, and he demanded only one oath.
“I, the Emperor of the Empire and the master of this continent, do declare, my sharpest sword and most loyal knight.
My only hope and beacon.
I will always speak the truth to you, so will you believe my words?”
“Even if I were to offer my soul to the devil, I would never doubt you.”
After answering so, I smiled at him who was sitting on the throne and asked.
“Your Majesty, how do you feel?”
“The prologue is finally over.
It's so boring, I tell you.”
It was a memory that was still vivid.
Because I was so happy that he had become emperor.
And because I was so proud that I had become his sword.
At that time, I didn't understand what the Emperor's words meant.
In fact, I thought I didn't need to know.
Because I believed that he would naturally tell me whatever I needed to know.
And the day after he became emperor, he declared the conquest of the continent.
***
After that, I was his sharpest sword and most powerful piece, and I was called a war hero.
Although, of all the things they praised, there was nothing that I had truly achieved.
“Wooooo.
I'm so jealous of Ian.
Do you like being called a hero?”
When the Emperor had asked that, I was so embarrassed I didn't know where to put myself.
“I am just ashamed of the false reputation.”
I think I had answered something like that.
Because it was a victory and a reputation I had obtained by following the tactics, the art of war, and the countermeasures that the Emperor had taught me.
Everything I had was the Emperor's, and it was thanks to the Emperor's teachings.
Although every time I said that, the Emperor would beat his chest and get angry, saying that I had really done it all.
“You don't believe me again?
Don't you remember offering me your sword?
You said you would follow and believe me no matter what.
I'm telling you, you really did it all.”
When he said that, I could only laugh.
While being grateful that my lord was such a kind person.
***
Conquering the continent was not easy even with the power of the Emperor and the Empire.
Every moment was an ordeal, and there was no end to the battles to be fought.
If it weren't for the Emperor's god-like arts of command and personnel management , the Empire would have lost the title of Empire in the war of conquest.
Because the talents of all the people he had brought with him shone like stars, and they all showed off their abilities in the war of conquest.
“Say hello, this is Trimia.”
It was also around that time that I met Trimia again, the prince of the former kingdom who had saved me.
Trimia, who was said to be raising bandits, was a genius of strategy, and from the moment he joined, the Empire began to swallow the continent like a hot knife through butter.
And before even 10 years had passed, the Empire became the sole nation on the continent.
***
The Emperor's calm voice continued.
“It was so funny every time they called me the son of God or a hero from another world.
I had a hard time holding it in, you know?
I was just a ruined person from a game.”
A commoner from a kingdom called Korea, and an ordinary person with nothing special other than having wasted his life on a game called 『Lost Chronicle』.
The Emperor had already explained himself that way several times.
‘『Lost Chronicle』, you say……’
If the Emperor's words were true, wasn't that a pretty plausible name?
'Lost Chronicle' in a world that repeats itself hundreds of times.
“But, when I cleared the final stage, a message popped up!
Saying there was a next update.
Honestly, I thought the developers had given up on the game.
I thought it would be fun and started it.”
Passion began to fill the Emperor's calm voice.
“And I came to my senses in this body.
Do you know when that was?
20 years ago, 20 years ago.
There are so many enemies in this body, I had to be careful even to breathe for the first 5 years.
The royals put their professional spirit into assassination.
They come up with all sorts of creative and artistic methods in each playthrough.”
The Emperor showed the scars left on his upper body and laughed like a madman.
“This one was from the nanny, this one was from my younger brother, this one was… who was it?
Was it an assassin, a boss, or a maid, anyway, at a tea party I was invited to……”
There were dozens of names for the dozens of scars, and the Emperor remembered all of them as if it were a matter of course.
“What's really strange is, I'm already losing track of how many playthroughs this is.
I can't even remember my own name.
At this point, I'm not just a pro, I'm a rotten water, a fossil, but even so, I started with this many scars.”
The cackling Emperor grinned and said playfully.
“So what was it like when I failed?”
I hadn't asked any questions, but I reluctantly nodded.
Even though I had already heard it dozens of times and knew the answer to that question.
“Usually, I'm locked up for a few years.
That's the worst.
One time, a duchy succeeded in a coup d'état and locked me up for 15 years, and I was really going crazy.
I shouted every day that I'd rather die, and those crazy bastards cut my vocal cords.”
That duchy had fallen due to some incident even before he became emperor.
Not a single person who had set foot in the duchy had survived.
Because a maliciously persistent and tenacious 'misfortune' had swallowed them all.
And a few of the names of that misfortune were 'Ian'.
“Anyway, once you get past the beginning, the rest is easy.
As long as you survive the damned assassinations, it's not hard to move people.”
A nonchalant voice followed, as if it were no big deal.
“The easiest are the heroines and villains in the Empire.
If you know all their weaknesses, you can just find them and get rid of them.
At first, I killed all the enemies, but then I thought, there's no need to do that.”
He shrugged his shoulders and gestured outside with his chin.
“That guy outside is originally a villain too.
He's a guy who hates the royal family because of his family's revenge.
But if you move him in a certain way, you can have him on your side.”
That too was true.
A few days ago, on the day I had first heard this story, I had gone to see him and had looked through the records left in the royal archives.
Our oath had not been broken even once.
***
“…Then the ‘Monarch’ route ends.
Conquering the continent isn't that difficult if you just find the heroes well and raise them as hidden pieces.”
I still didn't understand most of what he was saying.
And yet, I didn't ask him.
Just as on the day he became emperor.
Because he would naturally tell me whatever I needed to know.
“So, ta-da!
Here we are!”
The Emperor, who had spread his hands with an exaggerated gesture, shouted proudly.
“Is that so?”
“I've been explaining for over a few hours now, and that's all you have to say?
Are you really that cold?”
“I apologize.”
“There's nothing to be sorry for.
You're so boring, I can't even play a prank on you.
Your life is a documentary, a documentary.
You're a one-man National Geographic.”
“I apologize.”
“Forget it.
What can I even talk to you about.”
And then he giggled and whispered.
“Actually, to be honest, you know.”
He looked up at the ceiling and continued.
“I've only come this far less than twenty times.”
If my guess was right, those twenty times would be a period of about four hundred years.
“But I've never succeeded.
Not once.
The main thing is to stop the next invasion, but as soon as I enter the main story, all sorts of crazy shit happens.”
He let out an annoyed sigh and continued.
“Within a month, a rebel army will rise in the southern region.
Then I will dispatch the royal knights.”
“If it's a rebel army, the local nobles……”
“Ah, it's more certain and faster to kill them all than to find the culprits.
I've calculated it several times, and it's better to turn the south into a barren land.”
His voice gradually lowered.
“Then, something will happen in the west, and then in the north.
Then the Empire will prepare for war while being torn apart into four or five pieces.
Actually, I've tried ignoring it all and just using the royal forces, but that was far from enough.
So I have to just let the west and the north do as they please.”
A hint of a sob mixed into his voice as he muttered, as if reciting a predetermined outcome.
“So I'm just lying in bed like this.
If they think I'm not in good condition, they won't have any useless greed……”
Tears flowed down the cheeks of the Emperor, who had been staring blankly at the ceiling like that.
“But, as I was just lying here and planning the next plan, I finally saw it.
That this time is also a failure.”