Do Your Own Revolution

#072

Bang-!

The conversation with Prince Baker did not continue any further.

“Someday, you’ll definitely regret that decision.”

With those brief words as his last, Baker sealed his lips and immediately stormed out of the banquet hall.

What remained was small talk with the chattering Imperial Army generals.

While walking through the garden after finishing the socializing that had been interrupted by Baker, I heard a familiar voice from beside a tree.

“I saw His Highness the Prince on my way here. He looked terrible, did something unpleasant happen?”

A man approached me waving his hand, wearing the blue uniform worn by knights.

Seeing that figure, my eyes widened.

“Senior?”

Feilun lu Ross Nachtval.

Why is someone who should be at the Knight Order here at this banquet?

“I didn’t know you were in the capital.”

“There was a noble council hosted by Nachtval. Since I finished all the scheduled matters, I thought I’d come see my proud junior’s face. But…”

Feilun’s eyes moved as he continued speaking.

What his gaze fell upon was the major insignia shining on my chest.

“I never imagined you’d become such a big shot in the short time I haven’t seen you. You’ve already surpassed my rank.”

“Hearing that from the Second Prince of Nachtval doesn’t make me happy at all, Senior.”

As if it makes sense for a ducal heir to envy a major’s insignia.

While bantering like that, I looked at the silver emblem on his shoulder.

The silver emblem symbolizing the position of Knight Order Vice Commander.

And even the mark proving he was a four stroke imprint holder.

Gauging his magical power, he had grown to be almost equal to Claude.

“Enough with the greetings. I came because I have something to tell you.”

Saying that, Feilun took out a cigarette from his breast pocket and put it in his mouth.

Want one too?

Sure.

As I accepted a cigarette from Feilun and absently watched the smoke rising from one corner of the garden.

“There’s talk about your unit going around among the nobles.”

Starting with unwelcome news, Feilun began to relay the detailed atmosphere within noble families.

“Of course, it’s not considered too serious yet. The rebel army problem is more urgent, and the power vacuum on the western front was painful even from the nobles’ perspective.”

I suppose they’re quite pleased to have a firefighter to fill that gap.

“However, the reason nobles aren’t wary of your unit is…”

“Because they found out that most are two stroke imprint holders and use magic bullets as standard weapons, right?”

“Exactly.”

Feilun ground out his finished cigarette and said while looking at me.

“A disposable group meant to temporarily replace the Knight Order’s vacancy using low-grade imprints and magic bullets. That’s how Duke Nachtval views your unit.”

“That’s partly correct.”

“So, what’s the real story?”

A moment of silence.

“…You’re being very direct.”

“Don’t want to tell unit information to a magic noble?”

“Of course not.”

Looking at the smooth-talking Feilun, I spoke with a smile.

“We are disposable.”

“……”

“But what I’m disposing of isn’t people, but magic imprints.”

With that opening, I explained to Feilun what kind of organization the Special Magic Unit was.

What forms the foundation of the Special Magic Unit is imprints.

More precisely, it was a system that could mass-produce imprints of consistent quality.

“A system that can utilize the power of a standardized group rather than the mighty strength of individual knights…”

“And the 200 members working with me are the first seeds to achieve that plan.”

Hearing my explanation, Feilun nodded with a serious expression.

“The field experience gained at the front lines is shaped into training materials in Erich’s hands, becoming know-how to train the next members.”

“……”

“The magic imprints of members who’ve grown through repeated battles are analyzed, then reborn as the next generation’s magic imprints by Keiren’s imprint specialists.”

So stroke by stroke. If we create and strengthen the next generation’s magic imprints.

If we can mass-produce magic imprints of three strokes or higher and implant them in my fully grown army…

“You’ll have mages rivaling knights literally pouring out.”

“And when that happens, we can steal the title of ‘Guardians of the Empire’ from the Knight Order.”

And at that moment, the significance of magic nobles in the Empire disappears.

They’ll become outdated relics of a bygone era, displaced by the Special Magical Power Unit.

All the plans are prepared.

However, to realize all these plans…

“You needed to blind the eyes of magic nobles and the Knight Order.”

After hearing my explanation and blueprint, Feilun immediately struck at the blind spot in my plan.

“Precisely.”

The fact that their vested interests come from the monopoly of magic is something the magic nobles themselves know better than anyone else.

They’re not the type to sit idle when a new mage group suddenly appears.

However, with this city parade as a turning point, the existence of the Special Magic Unit has been revealed to the entire Empire.

Magic nobles have started watching me and my unit, and sooner or later, they’ll begin to check us.

So…

‘The Revolutionary Army will need to work ve~ry hard.’

I recalled Baker who had left while thoroughly heated up.

Considering the timing in the original story, the Revolutionary Army should contact him soon.

And Baker will plan to overturn the Empire with the Revolutionary Army for his own power.

While providing all sorts of confidential information and movements of magic nobles and the Knight Order to the Revolutionary Army.

“Work hard for the Revolutionary Army, Prince Baker.”

You need to fight hard and make the Revolutionary Army grow into an even more powerful group than now.

Until they can face off against magic nobles and wage total war with them.

So when they follow the original story’s conflict and the fight between the two forces for the Empire reaches its climax.

My army and I will activate the final plan to seize the entire Empire.

Along with one fatal move arranged by the Emperor.

***

“That bastard without even traceable lineage dares to insult me-!”

At Prince Baker’s mansion located in the imperial capital.

Only after repeatedly confirming there were no listeners did Prince Baker begin to fully vent the anger built up to his head.

“Huff…! Huff……”

After turning the room into a complete mess like that.

Just as Prince Baker, with a reddened face, barely managed to calm his trembling hands.

“It seems you failed to recruit the Empire’s new hero.”

“?!”

At the voice coming from a corner of the room, Prince Baker’s eyes widened greatly.

An intruder? No, that couldn’t be.

As far as he knew, there shouldn’t be anyone who would target his life in the current situation!

No, now wasn’t the time for such worries.

He needed to call Rictus quickly…

However, that thought lasted only briefly.

Seeing the man who walked out of the shadows, Prince Baker had no choice but to stop mid-sentence.

“You are…?”

“I’m sure you already know with your intelligence network, Your Highness, but it would still be courteous to introduce myself.”

An inexplicable chilling aura hidden beneath a smiling face.

Looking at the man bowing toward him, Prince Baker spoke.

“Randall, Dean Clark…”

The imperial palace raid incident led by Maximilien, the founder of the Revolutionary Army.

The very person who infiltrated the palace with Maximilien at that time and stole five magic imprints from the imperial archive.

And now, a top executive of the rebel army…!

“What business does the rebel army have with me? Are you here to kill me?”

“Of course not.”

If that were the case, I wouldn’t have shown my face like this.

Sneering like that, Randall casually settled into the chair opposite Baker.

The composure that only an overwhelmingly strong person could maintain.

And Rictus who hadn’t responded despite signaling since earlier.

Prince Baker collected himself before slowly meeting his eyes.

The man before him could kill him with just a finger if he wanted to.

“The reason I came here is to make a proposal to Your Highness.”

“A proposal?”

“You desire the imperial throne, don’t you? Isn’t that right?”

At those words striking right at the core, the prince immediately drew in a sharp breath.

“Your ability is incomparable to other trash, and your will to reform the Empire is abundant, not to mention your vision for running the Empire.”

“……”

“But Your Highness cannot become Emperor. What do you think is the reason?”

In place of the silent Prince Baker, Randall opened his mouth slowly with a broad smile.

“Because half the blood flowing in Your Highness’s body came from a lowly commoner.”

How did they find out?

It was information I never told anyone.

Baker ground his teeth and growled at Randall.

“So. Was your purpose in finding me to mock me?”

“On the contrary. We came here to propose collaboration with Your Highness.”

“Collaboration? Collaboration!”

Hearing those words, Baker stood up from his seat as if it wasn’t even worth laughing about.

“Are you saying I should join your treason using the imperial throne as bait?! Just what do you rebels think of the imperial family…!”

“Then you can keep sitting in this greenhouse and wait for your approaching death.”

Randall’s cold words cut off Baker’s voice.

“At this rate, First Prince Meihen will ascend to the throne anyway. You don’t think Prince Meihen with his absolute power will leave other imperial family members alone, do you?”

“…!”

Baker couldn’t refute those words.

It was obvious.

That was exactly why he was struggling so desperately to obtain the throne.

“As an imperial prince, there must be much information that we cannot obtain. Please share that information with us, and occasionally move according to our instructions.”

Randall whispered to Prince Baker with a smile spread across his face.

The Emperor’s movements, intelligence department trends, flow of noble funds, et cetera.

Information he had been collecting all along.

“If you do so, we of the Revolutionary Army will support Your Highness as the next Emperor.”

Hearing those words, Baker clenched his fist.

The rebel army executive who came to find him.

And the proposal he was offering.

This could be the last chance that came to him.

“Be branded a traitor and executed, or be poisoned by Meihen after he becomes Emperor. What laughable choices.”

And finally, he made his decision.

Rather than sitting and waiting for death, he would bet everything on this slim possibility.

“Fine. I’ll join you.”

“An excellent choice. Then later…”

Just as Randall was speaking with a satisfied smile after hearing the desired answer.

“So next time we meet, you’d better drop that awkward Empire citizen act.”

At Baker’s following words, Randall’s expression briefly stiffened.

“…How did you know?”

“Though you’re imitating an Empire citizen’s accent, the pronunciation differs at several critical points. The way you hold your teacup also differs from the Empire style. Not to mention hiding your face.”

Saying that, the prince put on a deliberately relaxed expression and smiled at Randall.

“A Revolutionary Army executive from Westraine, it seems even you rebels have quite complicated internal affairs?”

“……”

The insight to deduce Randall’s origins from fragmentary information and elements.

The ambition to launch a counterattack without fear even after witnessing his magical power.

‘I thought to use and discard him as a mere chess piece but…’

Randall looked at that face with fresh eyes.

Baker El Kalhyram.

If properly cultivated, he might become an excellent tool like Claude.