READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 5 - Opportunity in Crisis (4)
✦ Chapter 5 – Opportunity in Crisis (4) ✦
「Translator – Creator」
𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝𒋝
Our group headed towards the prison located beneath the imperial palace.
Andrei had quickly recovered his energy and continued to tease me along the way, chuckling incessantly. I understood the reason when we arrived at the place where I would be confined.
My confinement wasn’t the typical barred cell one might expect. We stopped in front of a solitary chamber, its door constructed entirely of stone. Inside, a crudely hewn stone bed and a deep, narrow pit were the only furnishings. A small, high window and a food slot in the door were the only connections to the outside world.
The room itself was incredibly cramped; it looked like stretching would be a luxury.
“How long am I to be held here?” I questioned Andrei, who stood beside me struggling to open the heavy stone door.
“I cannot say.”
“A day? Hmm, no, that can’t be right. Three days? A week?”
“Stop it.”
“It doesn’t seem like it’ll be longer than that. Five days, perhaps?”
“…Damn it all.”
Andrei’s twitching eye and inability to hold my gaze for more than a second were all the confirmation I needed. It seemed I was destined to spend the next three days in this glorified stone box.
He shoved me into the cell without bothering to untie the ropes binding my wrists.
“We’ll see how confident you are when it’s time for you to leave,” he said, a menacing edge to his voice.
“Take care.”
“Ugh!”
*Thud.*
The heavy stone door slammed shut, plunging me into darkness.
Once I was certain no light could penetrate the thick stone walls, I let go of the ropes I’d been holding onto. I’d already loosened the knots while we were walking, so they easily slid off my wrists and fell to the floor.
“As expected, what a fool.”
It was a basic procedure when imprisoning someone — especially in solitary confinement — to remove any potential tools for escape or self-harm.
Sharp objects were an obvious no-no, but surely, even someone as clueless as Andrei could grasp the potential of a few feet of sturdy rope? He’d likely spent more time sipping tea with his noble buddies than actually dealing with criminals.
“Phew.”
He was lucky I wasn’t the type to take advantage of such incompetence. While other, more violent criminals might have caused a ruckus, I intended to be the model prisoner.
Like the saying goes, ‘even unjust laws were still laws’.
And my goal was to appear as the epitome of a loyal subject — blindly devoted to the crown, accepting every command, no matter how unreasonable.
Since my abilities had already been proven, there was no need to worry about the misconception that I was incompetent or foolish.
By consistently displaying loyalty to the monarch, when the Emperor eventually offers a suitable opportunity, I plan to feign reluctance while joining the Empire with a statement like, ‘You have swayed my heart.’
The idea was to increase my value through a shrewd display of resistance during the persuasion process, creating the perception that once my loyalty is secured, I will serve the Emperor as diligently as I served the previous king.
The ‘suitable opportunity’ was the tricky part.
I couldn’t predict how the Emperor would approach me. But I was confident in my ability to read the situation and react accordingly. If all else failed, I could feign a sudden change of heart, citing a weakening resolve or a newfound appreciation for the Empire’s ideals.
To achieve all this, I must behave impeccably during my time in solitary confinement.
Luckily, I am confident that I can remain quiet and composed here better than anyone else in this world.
I reached out, my fingers tracing the rough surface of the stone bed before settling down upon it.
“Let’s do this.”
As I closed my eyes and focused my thoughts, the small minimap that usually occupied a corner of my vision expanded, filling my entire field of view, transforming into a detailed tactical map. The familiar UI of ‘Great War,’ my go-to strategy game, unfolded before me.
This was a function I discovered during my student school days when I frequently used the minimap. This tactical map wasn’t just a map; it was a full-fledged battle simulator.
Like a game, it allowed me to simulate and command battles I had experienced or significant battles from the game with the terrains and forces I knew.
Since discovering this function, my life had become quite enriched.
Dedicating my spare time to these simulations often resulted in sleepless nights, but I was never bored.
The experience gained from these simulations could be directly applied in actual combat, making it a perfect one-two combo.
“Let’s get some practice.”
Since I was destined to lead the Imperial forces eventually, I decided to focus on simulations where I led Imperial troops against the forces of neighboring countries with shared borders.
“…Now this is more like it.”
Just thinking about handling the superior quality and scale of the Imperial forces, compared to the subpar Kingdom of Rus army, quickly instilled a rising sense of loyalty to the Empire.
The solitude of the cell was a bonus. No distractions, no interruptions. I could fully immerse myself in the virtual battlefield, my mind buzzing with strategies and tactical calculations.
🪦
Recently, I’ve been feeling quite good.
The humans who used to brag as if they were kings of their lands have become much quieter.
While I’m still not used to the structures of power, it is clear that different factions in the council are now addressing me in changing tones.
“Your Majesty!”
“Speak.”
The fact that those who normally ignored me are now asking permission to speak is a significant improvement.
Just a few years ago, they would have paid lip service to my presence but disregarded my opinions entirely.
“Why did you deny the request for reinforcements? If not for the agreement, General Paul might have been stranded in the heart of enemy territory!”
And when someone dares to say something unpleasant like that,
“It was your side who insisted that no support was necessary from the start! You’ve ignored the management and by-products of the occupied territory, only seeking help now that you’re in danger. Does that make any sense?”
The opposing faction, gathered across the room, would readily rise to rebut.
“That’s because…!”
“Are you suggesting that you are all here today, alive and well, not because Her Majesty sought to end the war?!”
The Emperor’s Faction, they called themselves.
They weren’t “my” people, not in the true sense of the word, but they had adopted the label with fervent conviction.
“However…”
“Let’s not dwell on this any longer. We didn’t gather here to determine right and wrong.”
“Theodore…!”
“I would appreciate it if you addressed me as Duke of Oppenstadt. I am, after all, a duke in my own right.”
As accusations flew back and forth, the words of Duke Theodore Oppenstadt silenced them all.
The Emperor’s faction, composed mainly of emerging nobles like Theodore, openly challenged the aristocratic faction under the guise of supporting my authority. With the Northern War, fought at the aristocrats’ existential risk, ending in a de facto failure, the balance of power shifted considerably.
As a result, Theodore, despite his youth — he was barely in his twenties — wielded influence rivaling that of the seasoned dukes. He was increasingly perceived as the power behind the throne.
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmmm?”
“The delegation has almost arrived.”
“Ah, I see.”
Theodore’s demeanor was befitting a representative of the Emperor’s faction—outwardly polite and respectful. However, I harbored a deep distrust towards him.
There was an unsettling ambition lurking behind those courteous gestures. His aspirations, it seemed, extended far beyond the role of a faction leader.
Not only was he amassing his own power base, one that operated independently of my influence, but his gaze often lingered on me with a disconcerting intensity.
Lust and ambition intertwined in those eyes, sending shivers down my spine. I’d come to regret crafting such an alluring appearance; it was becoming a burden.
Unfortunately, I lacked the power to remove him from the equation. Not yet.
The Emperor’s Faction and the Noble Faction were meant to counterbalance each other, allowing me to consolidate power in the interim.
However, the self-proclaimed Emperor’s Faction had grown alarmingly strong. Even with the legendary ‘Bloodline Sword’ in my hand, a symbol of my rightful claim to the throne, my authority wasn’t yet sufficient to eliminate a high-ranking noble like Theodore without repercussions.
But I couldn’t just let things slide.
Those who truly pledged their loyalty to me had joined the Emperor’s faction, seduced by its name, while its leader harbored different intentions.
I must distinguish those whom I can genuinely trust.
If someone I’ve nurtured and invested in turns out to be aligned with Theodore, it could spell serious trouble.
“…Are you sure one person will suffice? They might demand more.”
“No. It is sufficient.”
Therefore, this negotiation was crucial for me.
I needed someone untouched by Theodore’s influence.
A person capable of keeping Theodore in check, yet competent and unentangled with the existing nobles, who I could trust.
There was one person who met this stringent set of criteria.
“They say he’s called ‘The Invincible.’ I’m curious.”
Viktor, “The Invincible.”
My hopes now rested upon him.
“Do you intend to employ him, Your Majesty?”
“I’ll have to see if he’s… worthy.”
If he proves to be as capable as the rumors suggest, he could be trustworthy.
Without an evident hunger for power, his competence was nearly certified, and his reputation was so well-known among the Empire’s people that his name alone could scare children into bed.
If he also had aptitude in administration, I could keep him close and bolster his strength. If his only merits were in military strategy, I could appoint him as governor of the occupied Kingdom of Rus territories, setting him up for conquest once the truce ends.
And if he turned out to be…useless…?
Well, in that case, I would simply have to make an example of him. A public execution to quell any lingering dissent.
“…Understood.”
Despite Theodore’s apparent reservations, my concern isn’t about affiliations.
Aren’t all humans essentially the same?
In my view, the banners they pledge allegiance to are inconsequential if they can serve a purpose when needed.
“Then, let us conclude this meeting.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Rumor has it that Viktor is also quite good-looking.
Taking a deep breath, I felt my heart, wearied by the uninspiring nobles I was surrounded with, start to beat a little faster with a renewed sense of anticipation.
↤ END OF CHAPTER ↦
⚘ ⚘ ⚘
If you have liked the novel, don’t forget to rate and review the novel on ⊱• NOVEL UPDATES •̩̩͙⊰