Although he looked pot-bellied, he did have knowledge and ability. He had even once browsed through the royal archives, so he knew that a thousand years ago the Empire had some contact with the eastern island nation, and that the samurai there really did dress like this.
In addition, he had also received intelligence that a ronin samurai who crossed the sea had carried out a massive massacre somewhere, causing a great deal of trouble. It seemed that it was this masked man.
To be able to recruit such a murderous maniac under his command, looks like his useless son wasn't completely useless after all… Forget it, at least he could still give him an heir. Might as well keep him.
"Why haven't you gone to find Mr. Stylish yet to treat my son? Wuwuwu, you've really suffered, haven't you~"
"..."
Continuing to coldly watch the minister's performance, Iori was full of the urge to complain, but forcibly held his tongue.
'Could you maybe tone down this exaggerated acting a bit and hurry up and start talking about real business?'
'I specifically got the brainwashing device back from Akame, and even used the precious modification medicine on Syura, I didn't do all that to come here and play house with you people!'
In the dimly lit audience chamber, fully armored figures like steel cans lined both sides. Thick, soft luxury carpets were spread across the cold marble floor, and at the end of the carpet stood the lofty, icy throne.
The young Emperor of the Empire sat upon it, wearing noble robes and a crown symbolizing power. Yet the face that should have been majestic and imposing was youthful and innocent.
Ascending the throne at merely thirteen or fourteen years of age, he looked completely lacking in the presence to match it.
He had no name, because "Emperor" was a unique title in this world. In order to highlight the Emperor's divinity, every person who inherited the throne would abandon their former name, and would not allow anyone to address them with any other bestowed title.
Even parents, siblings, spouses, or children could only respectfully call them "Your Majesty the Emperor."
This rule was set down by the first Emperor. It meant becoming a true loner, utterly alone, and also meant no longer living as an "individual," but existing as the owner of the crown and the ruler of the Empire.
Thus, although the first Emperor did not achieve immortality, his will continued on and deeply influenced the Empire…
It was just that, looking at things now, no matter how noble the title, it could not withstand the power of time. In the end, it would rot and decline.
Anyone seeing that frail body barely propping up the clothes on the vast throne would probably feel that the great building was on the verge of collapse.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to introduce two people to you."
Honest bowed politely, placing his hand on his chest to show his loyalty to the Emperor.
By the standards of an imperial audience, the etiquette was overly simple, but when Honest did it, it felt entirely natural.
After all, after the previous Emperor was murdered by him… uh, died accidentally, it was he who killed the other competitors and supported the late Emperor's orphan, that is, the little Emperor, onto the throne.
To reward his contribution of supporting the dragon, the little Emperor granted him many privileges, raising his status above that of other nobles.
In more easily understood terms, it was "exempt from being called by name when praised, not required to hurry when entering court, allowed to bring sword and shoes into the hall".
From this, one could see Honest's pure loyalty.
At least, that was what the little Emperor believed. So he looked at his pillar of state with a smile, "What kind of people would merit a personal introduction from you, Minister? They must be remarkable heroes, right?"
"Not at all, not at all. It's actually my son Syura and his close friend Izo. These two have been traveling abroad, gathering intelligence on foreign tribes and enemy nations, braving life and death solely to protect the Empire and Your Majesty. They truly possess both loyalty and martial valor."
"We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"
Syura and Iori spoke in unison, merely bowing their heads slightly, without any further formalities.
The little Emperor didn't mind. In his eyes, the minister's son was certainly loyal to the utmost, and might even become his right-hand man in the future. Getting close ahead of time wasn't a bad thing.
Still, he looked at the two somewhat strangely. "You both do indeed look extraordinary, but why is your… attire so peculiar?"
His wording was quite restrained, because Syura and Iori's appearances were more than just peculiar.
Iori wore a loose trench coat, with bandages wrapped around his face and hands, like a mummy just unearthed, or a patient who had just walked out of an intensive care ward.
Syura was even more outrageous, both arms and legs were fitted with metal frames resembling exoskeletons, making him look like some kind of non-mainstream modified human.
"These are sacrifices we had no choice but to make for the sake of the Empire!"
Honest immediately said sorrowfully, "Those despicable rebels ambushed my son and subjected him to brutal torture, trying to make him betray the Empire."
"But my son's loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as the sun and moon! Even with all four limbs broken, he still did not submit!"
"In the end, it was this Mr. Izo who voluntarily destroyed his own appearance and infiltrated the Revolutionary Army, finally succeeding in rescuing him!"
"What?! Something like this actually happened? Despicable rebels, daring to be so rampant!"
The little Emperor was instantly furious. "If even my most loyal ministers cannot be protected, how can I claim to safeguard the Empire? I will capture all these rebel criminals and execute them severely!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Leave this matter to me. It will also serve as revenge for my son. It's just that the rebels are powerful, with many experts among them, and quite a few even lurking around the Imperial Capital. I propose forming an elite unit specifically to garrison the capital."
"That makes sense… but will General Budo agree?" the little Emperor hesitated.
"General Budo is responsible for guarding the palace. That is the glorious mission passed down through his family for generations, and I would never dare to overstep it."
"The unit to be formed will only operate within and around the capital, and will not interfere with the palace guards," Honest explained.
"Oh, oh, then there's no problem. That way it can also share the defensive pressure of the Imperial Guard. General Budo should be happy to see it."
The little Emperor nodded, then had a flash of inspiration and said to Syura and Iori, "Syura, you are of noble birth and so loyal to me, and although Izo is a commoner, he has the bearing of a knight, and is both brave and righteous."
"You two are pillars of the Empire's future and cannot go unrewarded. I have decided, this new army shall be commanded by the two of you!"
"We accept the order and will certainly not disappoint Your Majesty."
"Good. I bestow upon you the rank of 'General.' Go specifically to deal with the rebel forces!"
As the saying goes, in times of national crisis one longs for capable generals. Seeing such loyal and valiant ministers at this difficult moment, the little Emperor felt that the situation was extremely promising, the suppression of the rebellion was just around the corner.
———
"Overthrowing the Empire is just around the corner!"
Najenda never imagined that in just a few days, Iori would undergo such a dramatic transformation and become an Imperial general.
Thinking about how hard she herself had struggled to climb up the ranks, then looking at Iori's gorgeous turnaround from a wanted criminal… even though she had long since given up hope in the Empire, she couldn't help but say, "The Empire is done for."
And Honest and the little Emperor probably couldn't imagine that the trusted general who had been ennobled in the palace during the day would, that very night, move to a hidden base in the wilderness and make contact with rebel cadres.
One could only say that Shambhala was really useful~
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
Najenda was quite puzzled. "Enter the army to reform it from within? Or go undercover? I'm not trying to discourage you, but that probably won't work."
She herself had risen through the Imperial Army, so she naturally knew how difficult internal reform was, and how rotten military discipline had become. She wasn't optimistic about Iori's choice.
"Who said I wanted to reform it? I just want the position itself," Iori smiled slightly. "After all, having a legitimate title makes things easier~"
"I really don't get it… every action you take is so unexpected."
Najenda shook her head. Although she didn't understand what Iori's plan was, she was certain he wasn't the Empire's lackey. Their stances were aligned, and that was enough.
"What do you want to trade this time?"
"Information and heads."
Iori said without any attempt to hide it. "I want intelligence on local tyrants, landlords, and corrupt officials across the regions, and the payment will be their heads."
"Assassinations?" Najenda thought for a moment. "That's quite a lot. You alone..."
"Not assassinations, and not alone."
Iori interrupted her, smiling faintly. "It'll be in the open, in the capacity of an Imperial general, leading troops to pacify potential enemies who collude with the rebels!"
"…Are you joking?" Najenda looked stunned. "Your rank was granted by the minister and the Emperor. How could they possibly allow you to do something like this?"
"Because they collude with the Revolutionary Army."
Najenda was even more speechless. "That's not something that becomes collusion just because you say it is."
"If it were just me saying it, then of course not. But don't you have an assassin who can change her appearance at will?"
"…Huh?"
"If the minister's son Syura receives intelligence, Imperial General Izo finds physical evidence, the traitor herself (Chelsea) confesses in person, the Revolutionary Army attempts a jailbreak, and my personally recruited subordinates (island-nation samurai) all keep their mouths shut, and then we send half of the confiscated loot to Honest."
"Then tell me, would anyone believe it?"
Najenda, "…Huh?"
———
At the residence of a certain prefectural governor, today was exceptionally noisy. Squads of stern-faced, oddly styled soldiers surrounded the governor's mansion, sealing off all four gates and forbidding entry or exit. They disarmed all the guards and took control of everyone inside the residence.
A prefectural governor was already considered upper-tier within the Empire's ruling class, and on the local level was a true regional authority.
To dare to besiege a governor's mansion in broad daylight, such arrogance was no different from rebellion.
Yet strangely enough, aside from some resistance from the mansion's guards, the troops stationed inside and outside the city remained silent. Not a single unit came to provide support. They collectively watched as the highest-ranking local official was arrested.
There were two reasons for this.
First, the force that launched the surprise attack on the governor's mansion was extremely elite. Despite numbering only around a hundred men, every single one was a highly skilled swordsman. Among them, there were more than ten experts who possessed "Minister-grade gear."
What kind of concept was that? Forget the increasingly rotten local troops, even if you pulled out the most elite Imperial Guard, an equal number still wouldn't be able to win.
A few hundred copper coins a month, what are you risking your life for? Yell a few slogans to the sky and you've already earned your pay.
Second, they weren't bandits, nor were they rebellious insurgents. On the contrary, they had official status.
They were a bona fide Imperial Capital garrison force.
Just listening to the name, you could tell they were far superior to these rustic country bumpkins. Since they were ordered to arrest the governor, it must mean that old bastard had offended some big shot and was about to fall from power.
At a time like this, shouldn't you be busy distancing yourself? Why rush to get involved?
Not only the soldiers thought this way, even the arrested governor himself was inwardly uneasy, looking panicked and unsettled, clearly with a guilty conscience.
If he didn't have something to hide, why would Iori come after him?
"Hmph, old man, you secretly colluded with the revo... cough, colluded with rebel traitors. Now that both the people and the evidence have been seized, what else do you have to say?!"
"Rebel traitors?"
The governor, being held down, froze for a moment, then suddenly shouted, "I've been wronged! I've never colluded with traitors!"
"So you won't shed tears until you see the coffin? How do you explain all these letters found in your residence?!"
"How could this be… It's indeed my handwriting, but I… no, you're framing me! Why, why would Lord Honest do this?
"We already agreed on a 30–70 split of the taxes! I only take three parts, I haven't dared to skim even a single coin!"
The governor seemed convinced that this was political persecution, because he knew he truly hadn't colluded with rebels… strictly speaking, he just hadn't gotten around to it yet.
In fact, the Revolutionary Army really had contacted him, but the governor had firmly refused. The Empire was still strong, and the Revolutionary Army didn't look very promising. If one day the Revolutionary Army truly gained momentum, it wouldn't be too late to defect then.
But if this was political persecution, then the mastermind could only be Honest, wasn't his son leading the operation?
Yet the governor couldn't understand why Honest would want to get rid of him… Sure, he had fiddled with the taxes a bit. It was said to be a 30–70 split, but in reality, he took more than what he handed over to Honest.
'But if you were unhappy, you could've just said so! It's just money, why go this far?!'
"I want to see the Minister! I want to see His Majesty! I've rendered meritorious service to the Empire, I've shed blood for the court! You can't just, mmph mmph!"
Iori impatiently waved his hand. The island-nation samurai immediately stepped forward, stuffed the man's mouth shut, and dragged him away.
Truly a hopeless case… He had committed so many acts of bullying, murder, and arson in his daily life, yet at the critical moment, all he could think about was tax money.
That proved he had never placed the lives of common people in his heart, subconsciously believing those weren't serious crimes, far less important than sharing spoils with the minister.
With the governor arrested, his family members were also gathered under centralized supervision. Iori casually glanced over them and pointed out several people, including the governor's son and his principal wife.
These people were specially detained, while the others were released on the spot and allowed to come and go freely.
Iori wasn't afraid of wronging good people, because earlier he had observed the governor's mansion for a full day in spirit form.
Combined with the intelligence he had gathered over time, he was already very clear on who deserved to die, who was merely going along with the tide, and who was completely innocent.
As for why he personally investigated even though he already had intelligence from the Revolutionary Army, it was very simple. He didn't want to become anyone's "blade."
He would only strike at true evildoers. That way, he would have the least psychological burden, avoiding the formation of inner demons that might affect his future Bankai.
And Iori couldn't completely trust the Revolutionary Army either. Who knew whether they would slip a few inherently innocent political enemies into the list?
He could cooperate with others, but he would never foolishly allow himself to be used.
After a while, under Iori's orders, Syura gathered all the prominent figures of the city into the central square. More than a dozen prisoners, including the governor, were also escorted there.
Such a grand display naturally attracted many commoners to come watch the spectacle. When they realized that those kneeling in the square were all big shots, the crowd grew larger and larger, quickly becoming packed to the point of overflowing.
Seeing that the atmosphere was about right, Iori stepped forward and briefly read out several charges against the governor, colluding with the enemy, corruption, murder, and so on. The pale-faced governor confessed without resistance, immediately causing an uproar.
The people erupted in commotion. They had suffered plenty of oppression in daily life, and now that they saw the governor about to fall, they were naturally ecstatic, with curses and shouts rising one after another.
The officials, on the other hand, looked at each other, legs trembling, not daring to say a word.
They didn't know what conflict existed between the minister and the governor, but putting themselves in his place… they felt the minister wouldn't mind killing a few extra people. So they absolutely couldn't stick their heads out at a time like this.
Besides, no one doubted whether the mastermind behind the scenes was the minister. After all, Syura was leading the operation, what more was there to think about?
When the crowd's shouting died down a little, Iori waved his hand, ordering the governor, or rather, the assassin Chelsea, to be taken away. Then he had the other main culprits brought up.
They were all accomplices of the governor, from both the underworld and the official side, who "managed" the city for him on a daily basis. No one knew how many heinous crimes they had committed.
[🎉 Shoutout to Fanisa & Luck for joining p@treon. Thank you very much.🤗]