Do Your Own Revolution-Chapter 129
#128
I remember.
Those dark times when the Great Rupture devoured the world.
I remember the farmer’s lament as he held the blackened soil, and the mother’s scream who lost her daughter to monsters.
I remember the loyalty of the knight who threw himself into the monster’s nest to protect the country, and the valor of the twelve heroes who gathered to close the Great Rupture.
And also, I remember.
I remember the vast lands taken by monsters, and the blue seas covered in contamination.
I remember the countless things we humans have lost, and the fact that we must never invite such a catastrophe again.
However, the Republic failed to remember.
Days ago, I received a tragic report from a loyal Special Magical Power Unit officer.
That the face of an Imperial soldier appeared on the body of a hateful monster.
That they heard the screams of soldiers begging for death, caught in the Republic’s cruel experiments.
Beloved subjects of the Empire!
For a long time, the Empire has protected our territory against the unjust invasion of the Westraine Republic.
Although the previous Emperor ordered peace with the Republic to avoid repeating the tragedy of the past war, the Republic, consumed by misguided ambition, has continuously violated our lands.
Furthermore, they have captured proud Imperial soldiers and conducted inhumane experiments, spreading evil throughout the continent. These Republic atrocities are clearly as great an evil as the rampant monsters disrupting our present Empire.
After much contemplation, I have resolved to declare the following to the Westraine Republic, which threatens the Empire:
All subjects of the Kalhyram Empire shall become combat units for the continent’s permanent peace and hereby declare war against the Republic. We firmly establish that all responsibility for the appearance of the Great Rupture and monsters lies with Westraine, who used weapons of mass destruction. We proclaim that the Republic bears responsibility for all recent monster mutation incidents and rupture appearance events. We define all who support or cooperate with the Republic as traitors and permanently expel them from the Kalhyram Empire.
Imperial Emperor, Friedrich Franz Kalhyram.
Kalhyram Army Marshal, Keiren Buckenheim.
Imperial Year …, …….
***
“T-This is……”
“Hmm.”
Quite some time had passed since radios were distributed throughout the Empire.
Reverse-engineered from those used in the Republic, these devices received signals through radio waves rather than magical power.
And now.
From the radio placed in the center of the conference room, the Emperor’s voice resonated with static.
[… …… ………]
The declaration of war against the Republic.
Listening to it, Duke Buckenheim muttered in a low voice.
“With this, the Emperor’s intentions are clear.”
The Duke’s gaze fell on the Imperial newspaper.
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On the front page was the ‘Kalhyram Army’ conducting a deployment ceremony, receiving citizens’ cheers.
A massive military group encompassing the Imperial Army, Magic Corps, Imperial Guard Knight Order, and Special Magical Power Unit.
This unprecedented large force began advancing toward the Republic under the command of Keiren, who had been granted the rank of Marshal.
A combined army group formed from all the Empire’s military might.
However, those gathered here were not included in it.
The 12 Great Magic Houses belonging to the round table and their subordinate Knight Orders were excluded from the Kalhyram Army organization under the pretext of ‘respecting magic noble rights.’ R̃α𝐍Ȫ𝐁Ɛʂ
“We cannot avoid participating in the war.”
The first to speak was the twelfth seat of the magic houses, Count Drexler.
“Magic nobles have existed as the Empire’s largest magician group, and our role is to protect the Empire. If they win this war without the Knight Orders’ support…!”
“The very significance of the Knight Orders would crumble.”
Count Raikard, holding the sixth seat, agreed with those words.
The Republic’s overwhelming quantity of forces and endless monster invasions.
These were the Empire’s greatest threats, while simultaneously providing justification for magic nobles to control the Empire.
The reason the Empire, with its small population, could simultaneously defend against monsters and Republic forces was because of the knights.
The magic nobles, who monopolized magic imprint and commanded Knight Orders, were protecting the Empire.
‘However, the situation is different from before now.’
The Special Magical Power Unit, a magician group replacing the Knight Orders.
Their emergence had made the Knight Orders become an existence that made little difference whether they existed or not.
“The Kalhyram Army headquarters is serious.”
Count Raikard, resting his chin on both hands, drew up a small amount of magical power to show a document to the nobles seated.
[While each house’s participation of Knight Orders in the Republic subjugation is voluntary, the Kalhyram Army’s supply system and operation plans do not account for Knight Order participation.]
[Considerable time will be required to support the supplies needed for Knight Order operations.]
[Therefore, Knight Orders are recommended to establish supply lines according to each house’s capabilities whenever possible.]
A document bearing the signature of Kalhyram Army Marshal, Keiren Buckenheim.
Seeing this document, the Knight Order commanders from each house felt their vision darken.
‘Supply line establishment and operation was an area handled by the Imperial Army with its large troop numbers.’
‘The cost for Knight Orders to establish this independently would be…!’
To suddenly exclude the Knight Orders and go to war alone like this.
The bewilderment dominating the gathering quickly transformed into anger that began shaking the assembly.
“Damn, they’ve gotten so full of themselves!”
“They’re saying they don’t care whether we participate in the war or not?! They really intend to wage war without the Knight Orders?!”
“If that’s unacceptable.”
As angry voices erupted here and there from those who seemed to have lost patience.
A man sitting in a corner of the round table watching this scene slowly opened his mouth.
“For Knight Orders to fulfill their role on the frontlines like before…”
“The Kalhyram Army… You’re saying we must bow our heads to the Emperor.”
In other words, the Emperor was telling them this:
Either submit to gain military achievements.
Or stay put and give up their vested interests.
Choose one of the two.
“This reminds me of the Informant M incident.”
In the moment of silence that followed, Duke Buckenheim quietly spoke.
“I thought we had suppressed everything decades ago, yet they still had the strength to ignite such flames.”
“What do you plan to do?”
Countess Dvorak’s question.
Simultaneously, the other heads’ gazes focused on him.
“……”
“Hmm.”
The magic house heads looking at him.
After examining them, Buckenheim and Nachtval exchanged glances with each other.
Though they had joined the ranks of the 12 Great Houses by producing seven stroke imprint mages, these were houses with relatively short histories.
Their growth had received direct and indirect support from the two houses, so these heads could be considered junior mages raised by the two dukes.
‘To think so many top-tier mages who reached seven stroke would gather like this.’
Though two seats were empty after the two Margraves left the round table, eight seven stroke imprint mages were still here.
The bloodline of heroes.
Rule by magic nobles.
More than enough to maintain it.
Then only one thing remained.
The rule of magic nobles.
To completely stamp out that misguided flame that rejected the rule of heroes.
“If the Emperor wants to strike the Republic without Knight Orders, let him do so.”
Having finished his thoughts, the Duke looked around the gathering and spoke.
“To assess the battlefield situation, we’ll dispatch knights, but limited to lower-ranked ones. Minimize deployment of five stroke or higher mages, including commander-level and above.”
Preserve the high-ranking mages while only pretending to participate in the war.
The hidden meaning in those words was clear without further explanation.
“Once started, this war will continue for at least several years.”
Count Sutherland said that, and.
“All the Empire’s strength will be focused on the Republic, and our Knight Orders can preserve their power until the end.”
Countess Dvorak also added with a faint smile.
“When the Imperial Army… No, when the ‘Kalhyram Army’ can no longer retreat…”
Duke Nachtval’s words receiving that.
After hearing this, Buckenheim took a brief breath before speaking to the round table members gathered together.
“We will change the Empire’s master.”
The heads showing their agreement through brief silence.
Even if variables arose, the round table’s unity was still intact.
“And as a start, we must break the blade tip the Emperor wields.”
The Emperor’s blade.
By now, there was no one who didn’t know that name.
“Eugene Lorentz.”
“To break the Emperor’s will, removing that person must come first.”
“Do you have a plan?”
To his colleagues’ questions, Duke Buckenheim slowly nodded.
“The chess pieces are already prepared. All that remains is to wait.”
Having said that, Buckenheim began discussing detailed plans with the heads.
How to interpret Imperial law, how to invoke the right of imperial succession.
As the heads’ discussion continued for several hours.
‘I have one more thing to tell Eugene.’
Feilun, the first prince of Nachtval, thought while looking at his aged father and Duke Buckenheim.
“Things won’t go as easily as you say.”
Feilun raised his head to look at the knights standing behind each house head.
Secretly exchanging glances with him was Kyle, standing in formation behind Count Raikard.
And young knights and noble heirs with similar looks in their eyes.
The ‘youth faction’ who sympathized with his thoughts and shared his intentions.
Looking at them, Feilun quietly lit up his eyes.
For now, they were merely crouching while hiding their true intentions.
They weren’t the only ones watching for an opportunity.
***
“Let’s have a brief, boring political discussion for a moment?”
I looked around.
Gathered in the conference room were officers and non-commissioned officers who would command each corps.
The unit that started with two hundred had now become a massive organization with hundreds of officers alone.
The momentary feeling of deep emotion seeing those gathered below the platform passed.
I opened my mouth toward the officers assembled in the conference hall.
Over the past 2 years, we’ve been through countless events.
We won the war against the Republic.
Protected the imperial capital from the Revolutionary Army’s hands.
And completely erased the Revolutionary Army remnants and monsters from this Empire.
However, the Empire is still sick.
Though the Revolutionary Army organization has disappeared, conditions have only improved in territory directly under imperial control.
Residents of self-governing territories under magic nobles still suffer from high tax rates.
No, with the Revolutionary Army’s pressure gone, their suffering has likely increased from before.
Places belonging to the 12 great magic houses have fewer such problems, but underdeveloped regions.
The more remote the region, the worse these issues become.
Hearing my words, several officers nodded as if they understood.
Commoners born and raised in frontier noble autonomous regions.
Those officers’ distorted faces were filled with hatred toward magic nobles.
“Even with the Revolutionary Army gone, the current Empire is a bomb about to explode.”
“……”
“For now, we’ve temporarily suppressed it by injecting the anesthetic of victory, but the disease spread throughout the Empire still remains.”
After taking a sip of coffee placed on the table, I continued speaking.
This coffee, tasting it, seems Guille made it.
I should shoot him if he touches the coffee pot from now on.
“In this situation, there are two approaches our Empire can take.”
I spoke while holding up my index finger.
“First is pursuing peace and harmony while persuading the magic nobles.”
“Peace and…”
“Harmony… you say?”
“Yes. Peace and harmony. Fixing internal problems one by one through healthy dialogue and discussion.”
Oh my, just look at their expressions changing as soon as I finished speaking.
When I glanced slightly toward Erich, he cleared his throat and avoided my gaze.
“Eugene. From anyone else maybe, but that…”
“Such phrases coming from your mouth……”
“Why? It’s good isn’t it? Dialogue and discussion.”
Shrugging my shoulders, I continued speaking.
“We’d have to face those knight bastards we’d rather tear apart right now, spend months playing mind games over legal interpretations, and continue tedious battles countless times over years.”
“……”
“Meanwhile, they’ll gradually rebuild their lost influence, and the Emperor’s temporary power will wither. Then our Special Magical Power Unit will very slowly disappear from this nation called the Empire.”
Similar to the Imperial Guard Knight Order, the Emperor’s blade that was raised before us.
“Now, a question for you all.”
Looking around at the officers growing darker in real-time, I asked them.
“What method is there to break through this frustrating situation?”
“Just kill all the magic nobles!”
An instant answer.
Looking at the emblem on his chest, he was an officer from the newly organized mobile strike force.
Already wanting to rush out and kill Knight Orders, seems Ortega did a proper job with mental education.
“That’s the right spirit, but wrong as an answer.”
However, I shook my head and said.
“We might find a way to win if we fight, but at least all the officers here would die.”
Of course, I’d survive though.
Seeing the officers chuckling at those words added at the end, I continued speaking with a pleased expression.
“The magic noble faction has about 10 seven stroke mages. We could subjugate them if we poured in the entire Special Magic Unit, but the Empire would become a wasteland.”
“……”
“How happy would the Republic beyond be then? Right?”
The Empire in the original work was like that.
What awaited the Empire devastated by civil war was the Republic’s full-scale invasion.
The revolutionary government carelessly handed the Empire over to the Republic, and the Empire fell to become the Republic’s vassal state.
“That’s why His Majesty the Emperor chose the second option. A very simple and extremely dangerous method.”
I continued speaking while spreading two fingers.
“Administering a stronger anesthetic.”
My smile deepened as I looked at the officers.
“Greater victories. Greater glory. Showing endless victory reports and Republic army corpses while numbing Imperial citizens’ reason.”
The Republic, which had invaded the Empire for decades, was nothing short of a nightmare for Imperial citizens.
Their screams would become a lullaby soothing Imperial citizens, and the sight of the Republic burning under Imperial army feet would become a curtain covering Imperial citizens’ eyes.
“That’s where the significance of this war lies.”
Completely excluding Knight Orders from the Empire.
And numbing Imperial citizens’ reason through consecutive victories and propaganda.
And waiting for that patient intoxicated by powerful anesthesia was.
Major surgery performed by the Emperor himself.
Change the Empire?
Create a new world?
Save the suffering people and build a better Empire?
Sorry, but you’ve got the wrong person.
I’m not a politician but a soldier, and my expertise is closer to destroying countries than running them.
I have neither the intention nor ability to change this hell of a world.
But as one soldier with power, I can definitely accomplish one thing.
“Our Special Magical Power Unit is the scalpel operating on the sick Empire. The blade cutting open the anesthetized patient.”
We’re merely tools cutting out tumors and pulling out the worms that have burrowed into the body.
Growing new flesh and regaining a healthy body was the patient’s role.
“So we have only one mission given to us.”
Overwhelming power unbefitting our position.
What I, who grasped that power, can do for the Empire is not healing it.
It’s finding everything causing the Empire’s suffering and burning it without a trace.
Thud-!
The Republic map on the conference room table.
I took out a dagger from my chest and stabbed it into the very center of that large map.
“The Westraine Republic’s capital, Viselgrad.”
The heart of the Republic that has tormented the Empire for decades.
“Within 3 weeks of war’s start, we will capture this city.”
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