Chapter 685

Even if he wanted to listen to nagging all day, the emperor doesn't have time for that. After finishing his entrance ceremony, the emperor returned to the palace. Charlotte was by his side as he sat on the throne, and the officials began their reports. They informed him that the warp gate of the human autonomous region had been destroyed, again. The emperor expressed frustration and pressed his fingers against his temples. The citizens were the ones who destroyed the gate, as they feared it was a ticking time bomb. Despite the fear, the benefits of the warp gate couldn't be ignored, and the area around it was heavily guarded. The emperor decided that from now on, the autonomous region government would cover the cost of repairing the gate. The autonomous region was home to many humans who refused the demon king's rule and gathered there to live. They couldn't survive without the support of the Holy Empire, and it was Charlotte's plan to keep them under control. The emperor listened to various reports and made decisions with Charlotte's advice. The matters at hand were vast and involved many lives, but the emperor remained focused and made judgments one by one. "Your Majesty, the person who vandalized your statue in the Algir region last Monday has been caught. He is a 67-year-old man who lives nearby and is currently being held by the guards."

"Why did he do it?"

"The reason is not important, Your Majesty. Vandalizing a statue that resembles Your Majesty is a challenge to your authority and should be punished severely."

"And Monday? I don't remember, how did he vandalize it?"

The official reporting to the emperor paled at his question. The emperor had so much to hear every day that he often forgot things.

"He, he... he urinated on it."

"Urinated? Ah... I think I heard about it."

The emperor crossed his arms and thought for a moment.

"I didn't even ask for that statue to be installed in the first place."

The demon king seemed to be searching his memory.

"I don't know who it was, but some sculptor made it and offered it to me..."

"Ernak, Your Majesty."

As Charlotte whispered the name, the demon king nodded as if he remembered.

"Yes, Ernak. He made it as an offering to me. But isn't that the case with all the statues and sculptures of me?"

"That's right, Your Majesty."

"If I didn't ask for it, why is it a challenge to my authority if citizens vandalize something they made themselves?"

There were such things all over the empire in various forms.

Artists or groups who praised the demon king made all sorts of artworks, regardless of his wishes.

"Because a statue resembling Your Majesty symbolizes your authority in itself."

"Then shouldn't we stop people from making whatever they want to represent the great and dignified emperor? That could also be seen as a challenge to my authority..."

Before the emperor could finish his sentence, Charlotte cut in.

"If we start censoring like that, we'll end up banning even the bards who sing of Your Majesty's achievements, and create an unnecessary atmosphere of fear. Surely, inevitably, people will think that the imperial family is inconsistent if we start censoring like that."

"Is that so?"

"Fearing idolization by banning idolization is also a very powerful form of idolization, Your Majesty. And if we issue a ban and then retract it later, the people of the empire will only feel unnecessary confusion. If we do that, people will inevitably think that the imperial family is inconsistent."

"I see... let's just forget about it then..."

If left alone, people would make statues of the emperor as they pleased, and argue about whether it was right or wrong.

If they were told not to do it, the things that needed to be banned would become endless, creating a meaningless atmosphere of fear and increasing resentment.

If they retracted the ban later, the emperor's meaningless actions would be ridiculed.

So, leaving it alone was the best solution. "Anyway, punish the old man. Maybe he had too much alcohol. When a person is thirsty, they may relieve themselves in a place they shouldn't. "

".... Yes, Your Majesty."

Knowing that the emperor rarely punishes in such cases, the official eventually sighed and nodded his head.

"Give him a warning. Tell him that if he does such a thing again, he will have to urinate in front of the emperor himself. I wonder if he can do that."

The old man would be released with the emperor's strange warning.

Many reports continued to come up.

When the emperor's judgment was close to a mistake, Charlotte quietly talked to the emperor and made a decision.

Everyone knows that Charlotte is the real power behind the new royal family.

However, she is respected as a remnant of the Gradius royal family because she never does anything against the emperor's will or orders anything he did not ask for.

And, the topic that always comes up soon arose.

"Your Majesty, there was a witness report about the warrior in the Olland region of the Kernstadt West."

The quiet atmosphere in the council room sank.

Of course, there are two most sensitive topics throughout the empire.

One is the warrior, Ellen Artorius.

"Also, there was a witness report about Emperor Berthus in the Olland region about two months ago."

The other is, of course, the former emperor, Berthus de Gradius.

"When you combine these two cases, it is not that the emperor and the warrior are acting together...."

"Can you take responsibility?"

"...."

"I said, can you take responsibility?"

The official who reported the incident bowed his head even more in front of the emperor's cold gaze.

"We have sent out missions every time there was a witness report about the warrior and the emperor. However, I remember that there has never been a time when the information was true."

Most of the wanted criminals are false witness reports.

It is unknown whether there was any real information among them.

However, all pursuits have failed.

And this time, the emperor hoped to just watch the witness report.

"Your Majesty, I am just... presenting the information that has come up."

"Isn't it your 'opinion' to 'assume' that the emperor and the warrior are together based on two witness reports?"

"Well, that's..."

"How long do we have to waste the empire's power on mostly false witness reports? There were even guys who provided information without knowing the appearance of the warrior or the emperor. There were times when witness reports came up at the southern and northern ends of the continent at the same time."

But it was not the reporter who answered, but someone else.

"Your Majesty, the emperor and the warrior are the biggest threat to the current empire. When those two reach the autonomous regions, humanity will gather again, and even the impure elements within the empire will be misled. Even the smallest information about those two individuals must be treated with respect."

Other advisors did not hesitate to agree as if the statement was correct.

Although the autonomous regions are practically in a state of slavery, it is true that they have not been executed, and their resentment remains the same. Translation: If the previous wars were just resistance from those who couldn't overcome their anger, a real war could happen the moment the disappeared emperor or warrior reappears. Those who remain in the empire instead of leaving for autonomous regions and hate the demon king could also follow their lead. Therefore, the emperor and the warrior are a real threat to the empire. Some still believe that they are hiding somewhere to save humanity from the demon king's oppression, and the warrior monks in the autonomous regions still believe it. Therefore, the only way to remove the empire's burden is to find and kill the warrior and the emperor for those who are loyal to the emperor. All their words come out hoping for the empire's eternal peace and prosperity. Although there may be incorrect information in their words, there is no reason to doubt their loyalty. Therefore, there was a considerable bounty on Ellen and the emperor's head, and the emperor could not deny their validity. To justify the demon king's rule, they had to make the warrior and the emperor into demons, and the propaganda continued. Now, they worship the demon king as the savior of the world and hate the warrior and the emperor. In reality, civilization has been somewhat rebuilt, and the absolute hunger problem has been almost solved, and people are restoring ruined cities and buildings and expanding their living space. It is not a time of peace, but it is approaching that era. Most people believe in reality and substance. After the demon king's rule, many people's lives have improved. Therefore, people believe in the demon king. However, unfortunately, after the Gate incident, no matter who was in power, things could only get better. Only the demon king held that power. In reality, the situation could only get better, and the demon king did not commit any unnecessary violence against those who accepted his rule. Not all policies went smoothly, but there was no meaningless tyranny or massacre. There has never been a sudden gathering of people to burn and kill them anywhere on the continent. In fact, many people were afraid of imagining such things, which surprised the demon king. Moreover, didn't he make autonomous regions for humans who refused to be ruled and act as their protectors? Of course, everyone knows that the name protector is just a name, and in fact, they are all monitors. In the end, unlike in the early days of his reign, now, due to the improved living conditions, a considerable number of humans support the demon king. Therefore, they only hate the warrior and the escaped emperor as their opponents. It is a natural phenomenon. Therefore, it was an inevitable reality that the entire continent was tracking them, even if the emperor did not pursue them. However, the emperor is still uncomfortable, even though he understands. "Yes, that's right. But it's not just false information. When will we have to listen to the stories of murderers who killed strict people and then begged for money, saying they killed the emperor or the warrior?" Every time such a story came up, the emperor's breath caught in his throat. "Your Majesty, we cannot stop trying to find the emperor and the warrior just because an unavoidable accident may occur. They may have hidden in the autonomous region."

"I suggest strengthening surveillance of the autonomous region, prohibiting gatherings such as rallies, and increasing security measures."

"Your Majesty, the wicked humans in the autonomous region are only taking advantage of your mercy."

"We have already forgiven them several times, but it is a serious concern that there are ungrateful and reckless individuals, including the leaders of the autonomous region who were involved in the previous rebellion."

"It's not just the autonomous region. We need to increase the activities of the intelligence agency to identify the dissidents within the empire."

"That's right, Your Majesty. There are countless dissidents who deliberately do not belong to the autonomous region to operate within the empire."

As one person speaks, others chime in, and the emperor looks at them quietly.

He looks at Charlotte, who is standing next to him.

"Save me."

That's what his gaze seems to convey.

Charlotte looks at the emperor and gives a faint smile, nodding her head quietly.

"From now on, I will receive the reports on state affairs."

In the end, Charlotte takes over.

"Let's skip the useless talk and organize the reports by department."

They are all loyal to the demon king.

There is no doubt about their loyalty.

However, their expressions are extreme.

They are so loyal that they would not hesitate to kill Charlotte, the emperor's half-brother, in front of him.

Some of them are even former officials of the empire.

This is because they are irreplaceable personnel who have not been replaced even after five years, or they have proven their loyalty enough not to be replaced.

Therefore, Charlotte does not doubt their intelligence, but she does not doubt their loyalty.