Chapter 20: In the End, the Problem Is People | Semi-Coercive Imperialist
Yan Novak trudged back home.
"...oppa!"
"Hyung!"
As soon as he entered, his younger siblings clung to him. Small, delicate little ones. Their eyes were swollen as if they had been crying all along.
"Oppa, what happened to your face...?"
"What, what happened, hyung?"
"Yan."
Behind the worried children, their father appeared. With a complicated expression, he first scolded the siblings.
"Go to your rooms, all of you!"
At his stern voice, the siblings scurried into the small room. Their father let out a sigh upon seeing Yan's rough appearance.
"...Are you alright?"
"...."
Yan silently nodded.
"That's a relief."
"...Yes."
"Get some rest."
His father had always told him not to get involved in politics or protests. But today, he said nothing.
Yan climbed the stairs to his room on the second floor. He lay down on the wooden-plank-like bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
Suddenly, that knight came to mind.
The scene he had witnessed, how that man had made the beast-like investigators kneel and unable to utter even the slightest voice, was filled with dignity.
That was true strength and true authority.
'If you continue to strive from your position, you will meet again someday-'
With his expression hardening, Yan sat up. He picked up the envelope and shook out its contents. Ten thousand dollars, a letter of recommendation, and an ID card. Staring intently at them, he walked briskly down the stairs. The broken stairs looked like they might collapse at any moment.
His father sat under the dim light in the living room with a sorrowful face. He was probably blaming himself.
"...Father."
Yan sat across from him. He placed half the bundle of bills he had received from the knight on the table.
"Yan, where did you-"
"I..."
No detailed explanation was needed. Nor should there be.
Biting his lip firmly, Yan merely conveyed his determination to his father.
"I'm leaving Genen."
***
Catching the wrong person causes bigger problems than simply having someone unjustly accused.
Because it gives the real perpetrator the opportunity to remain hidden and active.
Ezenheim will be lurking deep within the revolutionary forces and the independence faction, and I hope that the investigators in Genen, including Zendo, are competent.
That way, I can at least lessen my burden a little.
"...Hmm."
I received a new investigation report from Zendo at the Genen Central Police Station. The investigation showed much better progress than before.
"Not bad."
I had Dieter look into Zendo's background and origins. He had his own reasons to hate the independence faction.
If someone exhibits that level of madness and aggression without any backstory, then they were just born wrong from the start.
Zendo's parents had been slaughtered by the independence faction in the past.
"Zendo...."
It's not a name from my pre-regression memories. Which means he wasn't someone who stood out particularly. He probably rolled around as an investigator in Genen and died at the hands of the revolutionary forces.
However, spending time only searching for verified people is a waste.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I snapped my fingers as I thought.
Is he worth giving a chance?
Beyond that, is he worth supporting?
"...I'll find out if I try."
Ebenholtz has money. I'll raise him first, and if he still doesn't perform, I can throw him away without remorse. I need subordinates like Zendo who are consumed by grudges.
Above all, if that place isn't straightened out, the "Spring of Genen" will erupt. A highly disadvantageous event for the Empire.
I called Dieter.
"Dieter."
─Yes, sir.
"Tell Zendo I read the investigation report. Also provide him with equipment like wiretapping devices and mana residue trackers."
After all, the Genen Central Police Station is still just a police station in an autonomous region. Their facilities, equipment, and finances are so poor that they only got telephone service about a year ago.
─Understood.
"What about Yan?"
─A new identity has been confirmed in the southwestern part of the Empire.
Yan has moved south. Dieter handled everything flawlessly.
─Also, as you instructed, the land purchase has been completed, and they claim to have found meaningful data through mana stone exploration, but there's a problem.
"A problem?"
─The local influential figures in the area are not easy to deal with. There are already protests opposing mining under the pretext of environmental preservation.
"...Pfft."
I chuckled softly. I had already expected this. The south was a region where the local powers held immense sway.
"Dieter."
Ironically, that's why it managed to avoid much of the Empire's corruption, but they had built up their own kind of corruption.
"Now, Ebenholtz is behind you."
If everything could be solved with money, then I could give them money.
But if anything, those bastards would cling even harder if they were given money.
"That means you can wipe them all out."
I don't have time to be distracted by those people. Money must be earned quickly, and consumed just as quickly.
─Yes. Understood.
"Good. If there's anything unclear or bothering you...."
I paused to consider Dieter's role model. Who did I want Dieter to emulate? In what direction did I want him to grow?
Only one person came to mind.
"Ask Enzi. He's my family's butler. I'll send you his contact."
Before the regression, Dieter had been a competent treasury secretary of the Empire, and ultimately was executed as a crazy hardliner who refused the New Cabinet's offer.
─Yes.
At the very least, by my side, he would live a better life.
***
Southern Empire, Hermes. In a secret chamber there, five influential families had gathered. It was to deal with an uninvited guest who had suddenly intruded since last week.
"...Apparently, some company quietly purchased land near the Lomilton Mountain Range."
Since ancient times, the power of the imperial family had not fully reached the southern region. It was because of the massive Vitar Mountain Range that cut across the Empire.
"They even began surveying for veins right away. Didn't even bother to greet us. Very typical of those central bastards."
Only recently had tunnels been dug to improve transportation, but for most of the Empire's thousand-year history, the south had remained cut off from the central government.
"That's absolutely unacceptable. We cannot allow the beautiful nature of Hermes to be defiled."
"Of course not. Environmental protection is the duty of all of us."
Thus, there were many areas in the south where bureaucrats and local powers had colluded to establish their own authority. In particular, "Hermes" had long been notorious for extorting massive development funds under various pretexts whenever an outside company tried to enter.
"We've already prepared a protest group of concerned citizens. Once they see our 'sincerity', they'll back off on their own."
That's how protests work. It's part of the negotiation.
If the company shows sincerity, they receive it and retreat.
Of course, if a mana stone vein is discovered there, they would need to show even greater sincerity to match its value....
─Cease the mana stone mining that is desecrating the sacred landscape of the Lomilton Mountain Range!
─Withdraw!
─Withdraw!
Hundreds of protesters shouted slogans at the entrance of Mount Lomilton. They blocked the path of the miners. They smashed the equipment and machines the workers were trying to set up.
─Get out, you central bastards!
─How dare you! You're trying to destroy nature that has lasted for thousands of years!
─You bastards! If you're going, go over my dead body!
At the feet of those shouting passionately, thud. Clatter.
A few small cans flew in. The protesters flinched and stared at them.
They were smoke grenades.
Fsshhhh──!
The cans spun as they released grey mist. As the protesters panicked, assailants appeared.
Without a word, they charged in and swung iron pipes.
Thwack! Thwaaaack! Crack!
A dull impact rang out as iron broke bones and flesh. The protest site turned into a battlefield in an instant, and screams of pain filled the area.
Aaaaaaagh! Kyaaaagh!
One protester fled in a hurry and called someone.
Ring ring ring ring───
The secret chamber where the local powers were in discussion.
There, a terminal rang.
"...Ah, sorry about that."
One of the five influential people of Hermes ended the call. They were about to resume the discussion when.
──Bang!
With a roar, the door burst open. The entrance disintegrated and shrapnel scattered. Beyond the blasted doorway stood armed Imperial police.
"Wh-who the hell are you people!"
"Under Imperial Criminal Law Articles 237 and 314, we hereby place 'Marcus Steiner', 'Jin Yousef', and four others under emergency arrest for bribery, abuse of authority, and inciting illegal assembly."
The police subdued them while citing Imperial law. The handcuffed local power brokers screamed as if in a fit.
"You sons of bitches-! Do you know who I am?! How dare you!"
"This is the South!"
"The South is part of the Empire. The same laws apply."
"You pig bastards, did someone pay you off?! The southern nobles won't stand for this!"
They were taken away in an instant.
***
...Mayor Jensen of Hermes received the news without delay.
Having built close ties with the local powers, he got into his car in a fury.
"Those goddamn bastards. I don't know what gave them the balls to pull something like this, but I'm gonna see their faces at le- urk?!"
Screeeeech!
The driver slammed on the brakes. A man stood right in front of the car.
"Who the hell is that?!"
It was a man wearing rimless glasses. He quietly approached and knocked on the backseat window.
Knock knock.
"...."
Jensen rolled down the window.
"Nice to meet you, Mayor. I'm Dieter Schmidt from Veritas Trading."
"What? Veritas? Ah~ those guys mining mana stones in Lomilton? This your doing? You dumb bastard, don't know how the world works. You messed with the wrong people. You think City Hall's going to approve anythi-"
"There have been reports of bribery involving you and several other local powers."
"Reports? Hah, you central bastards don't know how things work around here. In the South, that kind of practice is-"
"You should read the details yourself."
Dieter handed over two folders containing the reports. Meanwhile, suspicious individuals appeared around City Hall.
Men in plain clothes loitering around without doing anything obvious.
"There are two reports. One is yours. The other one... I'm sure you already know."
"Hah!"
Mayor Jensen was about to rip up the documents but stopped and instinctively checked the official seal.
A silver tiger.
A silver tiger.
He'd seen it somewhere before, specifically in textbooks...
It was the emblem of Ebenholtz.
"Everyone seems to have accepted things a bit too openly, citing 'custom' as an excuse."
At Dieter's words, his mouth suddenly went dry. He felt the blood drain from his head.
Normally, central nobles didn't bother causing a fuss in the South, but Ebenholtz was not an ordinary noble house. It was not a typical family.
"Would you like to make a call?"
Dieter held out a communicator. Jensen's body trembled.
"Or, would you prefer to go back now and become our friend?"
"..."
Jensen's lips parted. With trembling hands, he swept his hair back. But time was not on his side.
The mayor deliberated fiercely, staring intently at Dieter, whose expression remained unchanged.
"...How do I become your friend?"
He asked. Dieter gave a light nod.
"If you go inside, it will all be over soon. I'd like you to handle the cleanup afterward."
"...."
Jensen got out of the car without a word. With his secretary, he returned to Hermes City Hall.
As Dieter silently watched his retreating figure, a small word of praise was offered.
"Well done."
It was Enzi, who had personally coached him. Dieter bowed his head.
"Thanks to you. This is my first time on-site."
"It's alright. For a first time, it was perfect."
From Enzi's perspective, Dieter had a genius-level talent for tracking financial flows. His ability to exclude emotion from work made him ideal as a field operative.
Young Master Maximilian has a good eye for people.
Enzi smiled softly.
"Mr. Dieter Schmidt. Do you know why a family becomes strong?"
"Why a family becomes strong..."
Dieter tilted his head as if he didn't know.
"Because people are passed down. I imagine Sir Maximilian is currently building his own people, his own organization."
Independence from the main house is the first step in breaking away from one's father. Ebenholtz, and Sebestian, know everything but turn a blind eye.
It's only natural. The current head of Ebenholtz is Sebestian, but in the end, Maximilian will have everything.
"However, Sir Maximilian is also an Ebenholtz. That means he has the right to inherit the human network the family has built over generations. You can gradually take that over, one by one."
Enzi looked at Dieter. Dieter looked at Enzi.
"Yes. Thank you."
"—And, the one most important thing in that process."
Enzi's eyes curved into a thin arc. More warning than smile.
"Never betray the young master. This isn't for him- it's for you, Mr. Dieter."