Do Your Own Revolution

 #071

“Major Eugene Lorentz, Sir! It’s an honor to meet you. This way!”

At a mansion on the outskirts of the capital.

As soon as I arrived at the central hall where the banquet was in full swing, the doorkeeper who recognized me immediately opened the door.

“Wow…”

I let out a soulless exclamation as I saw the banquet hall that unfolded as the door opened.

Was it because the banquet hall was too splendid? That wasn’t it.

For a banquet hosted directly by an Imperial Prince, such grandeur was only natural.

The reason I exclaimed was because I looked around at the faces of the people gathered in the banquet hall.

“Oh, finally here!”

“Major Lorentz! Over here!”

The generals who were difficult to even look at on the frontlines.

Those who were gathered making small talk each turned to wave at me with bright faces when they heard of my arrival.

Where am I?

Am I walking on the Milky Way right now?

Just how many stars are floating in that gathering?

‘No. This isn’t the time to freeze up.’

I can’t miss this rare opportunity.

I need to socialize.

After steeling my resolve, I immediately went into the midst of the generals and saluted.

A shower of handshakes and well-wishes poured in from all directions.

Thanks to achieving a great victory while excluding the Knight Order, my Special Magic Unit and I had become like precious children, bringing good fortune to the Imperial Army generals.

“Lieutenant General Keiren has raised such an excellent son!”

“Indeed! They say heroes recognize heroes, and isn’t this exactly that?”

“Hahaha!”

Of course, for me who had to endure this burdensome attention and goodwill, it was quite an ordeal.

Around that time.

“Major Eugene Lorentz, Sir.”

Imperial Guard Knight Rictus, who had approached behind me, quietly called my name.

“His Highness the Prince is looking for you.”

Thanks for getting me out, you traitor.

After excusing myself from the generals, I followed his guidance out of the banquet hall.

The place Rictus guided me to was a study on the second floor of the mansion.

When I opened the door and entered, two teacups were steaming, waiting for me.

“Major Eugene Lorentz, reporting to Your Highness the Prince.”

“Welcome, Major. It’s an honor to meet the young hero of the Empire.”

The blonde youth sitting across the desk greeted me.

Baker El Kalhyram.

It was quite emotional to meet one of the three who would betray the protagonist in person.

“I saw your unit at the victory parade. The military discipline was so well maintained, it was truly worthy of being called a hero’s unit.”

“It was too generous a reward.”

“Excessive modesty can become poison, Major. In times like these, you should simply express gratitude.”

After savoring a sip of tea, the Prince cut off my attempt at modesty and continued speaking.

“A military force this systematic couldn’t have been created overnight.”

“……”

“The one who created the framework for the unit was your adoptive father, Lieutenant General Keiren. And the one who supported that would be His Majesty the Emperor, who keeps Keiren as his close aide.”

So he wants to cut the unnecessary rhetoric and get to the point.

Having grasped his intention, I silently brought the tea placed before me to my lips.

A bitter taste accompanied by the subtle fragrance of black tea leaves.

This tastes like shit.

Supply coffee with sugar would be much better.

“In other words. You are the sword that His Majesty personally raised to counter the machinations of the magic nobles.”

Like a skilled detective showing off his deductions, Prince Baker smiled slightly at me after finishing his words.

“Well, am I right?”

“If you’ve deduced that much, I don’t think my answer would mean anything.”

Prince Baker smirked at my response, which was as good as confirmation.

‘Indeed, his ability alone is first-rate.’

The insight to read this entire political situation just by reading newspapers while sitting in the Imperial Palace.

If judging purely on qualifications as a ruler, Baker’s ability could be said to be the best among the princes.

“While His Majesty arranged the unit, achieving such results with that unit was your ability. You should be proud.”

“Thank you.”

“However, it’s a most regrettable thing that such a hero has been set on the wrong path.”

At those words, I raised my head to look at Baker’s face.

“What do you mean?”

“While it’s an excellent decision for His Majesty to make his judgment and tighten the reins on the soulless… The timing is too late.”

Having said that, Prince Baker put down his teacup with a sigh.

“How many more years will His Majesty live? He won’t even make it past 10 years at most. Do you think it’s possible to root out all the cancerous growths in this empire within less than 10 years?”

“This could be considered disrespectful words, Your Highness.”

“This is advice I can give because I am a prince. It’s too late now to perform surgery on the empire. I’d say there’s more possibility in the revolution that the rebels are clamoring about, overturning everything from the foundations.”

Watching Prince Baker argue roughly, I inwardly sneered.

‘He’s spouting nonsense. The bastard who’s supporting those rebels from behind.’

While I was thinking that, Baker continued to pour out his passionate speech toward me.

“Moreover, think about it. By the time your prime arrives, when that power and spirit of yours reaches its peak, His Majesty’s reign will be over. Isn’t this such a regrettable thing?”

“There’s no reason to find it regrettable. I’m just following orders as a soldier of the Empire.”

“Will you be able to say the same thing when a puppet of magic nobles like Meihen ascends to the throne?”

Look at this bastard?

Baker, who brought up the First Prince’s name, spoke to me as if driving in a wedge.

“Having someone who thinks at least somewhat similarly to you become the monarch. Wouldn’t that be much better for your future, and for the empire?”

“So, are you saying I should take Your Highness’s side in the upcoming succession competition?”

“Exactly that.”

Noticing my gaze becoming cold, Prince Baker lowered his voice.

“Major. I will become Emperor.”

“……”

“And as Emperor, I will rebuild the foundation of this empire that has been devastated by the magic nobles’ rule.”

Having opened with that, the Prince began to deliver a speech to me.

He would root out every single one of them who monopolize magic, exploit the people, and carelessly wield the wealth and power they’ve accumulated through such means.

After revealing his aspirations in such a manner, the Prince, seeming emotionally charged, drank his cold tea.

“Overthrowing the magic nobles and restoring their twisted power structure to its rightful state. Wasn’t that your true purpose!”

Just like your father, Lieutenant General Keiren.

Watching him speak in a tone like an agitator, I thought.

What an absurd, disgusting pretense.

‘Come to think of it, he manipulated the Revolutionary Army the same way in the game.’

Someone who has lived his entire life in the palace since birth claims to sympathize with the people’s suffering? Supports revolution?

What nonsense.

He was nothing but a monster obsessed with power who would stop at nothing to overcome his lowly birth.

‘If I were truly an upright Imperial soldier, I might have been moved.’

A royal family member who sheds tears thinking of the lower classes.

A true king’s material who cares for the people but lacks the power to fulfill his will.

His intention in deliberately putting on such an act before me was clear.

He must know about my commoner background and plan to use it.

He probably thought he could easily manipulate me by showing sympathy for the people’s suffering.

However…

‘Sorry, but I’m not interested in social reform.’

What was it he was spouting?

Breaking the monopoly on magic?

The final stage of my plan through the Special Magic Unit is to monopolize magic, so who are you to break that up as you please?

Saving the exploited masses?

What do I care if they do it or not? I’m already part of the privileged class.

Leave all that human rights movement stuff about saving the masses to the Revolutionary Army you support.

I’m already getting a headache just thinking about the salaries and medals I need to give my subordinates.

Unless I were the original protagonist, Baker’s proposal was nothing but empty words to me now.

I opened my mouth toward Prince Baker.

“Crushing the magic nobles who exploit the people and changing the corrupt empire… Yes. I think it’s an admirable goal.”

“See, you think so too? In that case!”

“Work hard at it.”

Baker’s face immediately hardened at my response.

“What did you just say?”

“I said I’m not interested, so work hard at it on your own.”

“You seem to have misheard my words. Major. I’m not trying to ascend to the throne for my own power. I made this proposal to save the suffering people…!”

“From the beginning.”

Cutting off Baker who was trying to say something more, I opened my mouth with a sardonic smile.

“The context is all wrong, Your Highness.”

“……Context?”

Looking at Prince Baker’s contorted face, I spoke slowly.

“A penniless prince who has no faction, no connections, no funds, with nothing but the seventh place in the succession rights.”

“……!”

“Such a person proposes to an Imperial hero who commands 200 mages? Telling me to come under your command?”

With a twisted mouth, I spoke while slowly releasing magical power.

“There’s a limit to being full of yourself.”

“……!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Baker’s face, which had been struggling to maintain composure, distorted uncontrollably.

The Emperor’s death was predetermined.

However, I had no interest in the succession competition that would follow.

Why, you ask?

Because I had already accepted an even bigger deal.

***

It happened the previous day.

Summoned by the Emperor, I visited his study for the first time in a long while.

“Your Majesty. Major Eugene Lorentz reporting.”

“Yes. You’ve come.”

The Emperor, whom I met again after four years, looked much more aged than when I last saw him.

“Don’t worry about me. At this age, one naturally ages day by day.”

Though the Emperor waved his hand with a weak smile, it was clearly evident that he was pushing himself.

The Emperor who was wearing away at his dying life to attend to state affairs and shape the empire.

Though his body was dying moment by moment, his eyes alone remained vibrantly alive.

The Emperor who looked at himself held such inexplicable fervor while dealing with him.

“With such a grand return, there must be many talents drooling over you. Isn’t that right?”

“The Seventh Prince has invited me to a banquet. I expect to meet him tomorrow.”

“Baker. Yes. So he’s starting to move as expected.”

Having said that, the Emperor seemed to be thinking about something with furrowed brows.

After a moment of silence had passed.

“I heard you killed the Republic’s hero.”

After a while, what the Emperor brought up was a completely different topic than what I had expected.

“Klaus Medvedev. He was a formidable opponent who caused my imprint to overload.”

“He would have been. The Red Bear of the Republic. A man who would have eventually taken the Republic into his hands.”

At that even-toned statement, I opened my eyes wide.

“Did you see a prophecy?”

“I merely spoke of what I saw in the past. Just as I myself am aging, the power of prophecy I possess is also gradually wearing away and weakening.”

Does that mean he can’t see the future now?

While feeling slight regret, the Emperor looked at me and spoke.

“Those born with the fate of kings cannot be easily killed. Unexpected accidents, untimely lightning… countless causalities protect the owner of that fate.”

Causality protects that existence.

In other words, it was what you’d call protagonist plot armor.

“You who were born with the fate to twist such causality and kill possibilities. That is the destiny you were born with.”

Having opened with that, the Emperor looked at me and spoke.

“When someone like that, born with the fate of a king, intervenes.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Listen. This is an imperial command.”

At the unexpected words, I hurriedly tried to deflect the Emperor’s words.

However, the Emperor stopped me with a resolute expression and continued speaking.

“Others might think you merely killed one promising soldier. But I am different.”

“……”

“He was originally a man destined to grasp the Republic in his hands. One born with the terrifying fate of a plunderer who would make the Republic more powerful and eventually take the Empire.”

Rising from his seat, the Emperor continued speaking to me.

“However, none other than you cut off that possibility.”

Heat rose in the Emperor’s eyes as he looked at me.

An expression as if he had decided something.

After catching his breath for a moment, the Emperor placed his hand on my shoulder and spoke.

“Eugene Lorentz. As the master of the Empire, I ask you.”

“Please speak.”

“After twisting the given fate and bending numerous causalities, what do you seek to achieve?”

No need to contemplate.

As before, my answer remained unchanged.

I immediately looked into the Emperor’s eyes and spoke.

“To survive.”

Without being betrayed by anyone.

Without being used by anyone.

Without giving up anything I have in my hands.

By my will, by my desire.

That’s how I will survive.

Since falling into this damn game world, up until this point.

That has always been my goal.

“Excellent.”

Hearing those words, the Emperor spoke with a satisfied expression.

“If your will desires life, then you and I are moving toward the same goal.”

“……”

“Then I can make this proposal to you without worry.”

Having said that, the Emperor opened his mouth toward me in an even voice.

“Eugene Lorentz.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

And at the Emperor’s following question, I could only open my eyes wide, unable to find words to answer.

“After I leave this world, would you consider becoming the master of this Empire?”