Chapter 186. The Hunter and the Trap (3)
The past year, a population bomb had been dropped.
The city underwent expansion after expansion.
To the point where the ti wasted traveling by carriage could no longer be overlooked.
That was also why I ordered a spire for the imperial castle.
A sort of auxiliary facility to make good use of Eyeball.
By building a spire tall enough to be seen from anywhere in the city, the travel ti required for inspections could be drastically reduced through spatial movent.
If I made full use of the sensory traits I'd acquired, I could roughly see what was running well and where there were problems, even from this distance.
“Your Majesty, can you see all those people? To my old eyes, even the buildings look blurry, let alone the people.”
“Instead, you see into people's hearts better than anyone, don't you?”
“It is difficult to read Your Majesty's heart. Then and now.”
The Archduke let out a hearty laugh.
“Who would have known. That a frontier settlent retaken from Duke Zarhill would beco the heart of the Empire.”
“That's why they say the one who gets in first is the winner in real estate investnt.”
“An interesting expression. According to Administrator Bart's report, Wolfskrig's population has increased by roughly eight to ten tis compared to its viscounty days.”
“Is that so?”
“And the city's area has expanded more than tenfold.”
I looked down at Wolfskrig while listening to Archduke Gabir.
For reference, this imperial castle.
It was a miraculous building constructed in just six months, mobilizing all sorts of dwarven architectural engineering techniques.
According to the King-of-Kings, it was built using materials and techniques from the palaces of the Holds, to withstand even a fireball dropped by an archmage.
I haven't tested it.
If it was built in six months, I'd be glad if it wasn't just shoddy construction.
If we win the war safely, perhaps we'll rebuild it.
“Personally, I am not a very devout believer, but for Wolfskrig, which was a pioneer city until a few years ago, to accommodate that population is worthy of the word miracle.”
“You think so?”
“There was a catalyst, though. Was not the foresight of Count Ash, who had increased food supplies through rice farming, and His Majesty the Emperor, who selected Wolfskrig as a candidate for the Imperial Capital, the catalyst for that miracle?”
A strong wind blowing in through the open window brushed against my face.
The emperor the Archduke ntioned was likely Emperor Ricardo, not .
He was one of the few who knew who I was.
Anyway, it's about ti for the call to co.
A call I must receive.
“Is there anything else you wish to say?”
“Although I cannot read Your Majesty's mind, I have learned a thing or two about being perceptive after living for over half a century.”
The Archduke said, stroking his beard.
“I believe there is sothing you did not ntion in the conference room.”
“What do you an?”
“The true threat of the Eastern Empire is not the cannons, the soldiers, or the monsters, is it?”
Ah, that story.
I didn't intend to hide it.
But the right ti would be after the hunt is over.
This hunt requires a bit of acting in the setup stage.
Crackle-
Just then, static ca from the crystal sphere.
I took out the crystal sphere I had in my pocket.
It was a standard communication crystal sphere made by the White Magic Tower for governnt agencies, equipped only with recording and anti-wiretapping functions.
[Your Majesty, this is Count Ash. I have an urgent report.]
Coming from the crystal sphere was my own voice.
“What is it? The Eastern Empire?”
[No, sir. It is the Vampire Duke. An undead army led by the Princess of Blood is invading Kalisto!]
“……?”
I paused for a mont.
I could feel the Archduke's blank stare on .
Perhaps because there was an audience, I almost let out a laugh.
I cleared my throat and spoke into the crystal sphere in a low, rough tone, the one characteristic of the emperor when he was enraged.
“Count Ash.”
[Yes, Your Majesty.]
“Evacuate everyone to Wolfskrig.”
[E-evacuate, you say?]
“Yes. Evacuate them all. An important battle is ahead. I cannot unnecessarily endanger the people of the Empire, your army, and above all, you. I will compensate for the city later.”
[Urk, understood. Your Majesty, I will evacuate them without a single casualty.]
The communication ended.
Let's check if the recording went well.
I replayed the conversation twice.
Good.
The sound quality is good, and the two voices are clearly distinguishable.
The noise of a chaotic city on the verge of an enemy invasion is also well-integrated into the background.
I naturally put the crystal sphere back into my pocket.
I turned my head.
Archduke Gabir was looking at with a 'what in the world was all that' expression.
“...Just now.”
“Hm?”
“What did you just do? No, ahem. Th-what have you done?”
“I created recorded evidence.”
“……?”
“They say to deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies, don't they?”
“...Pardon?”
Ah, where do I even begin to explain this.
***
“Extra! Extra!”
The newspaper company.
It was one of the businesses I had fully supported after becoming emperor.
The movable type was developed about 100 years ago.
However, it was mainly used for printing books, and the concept of a newspaper was rely a form of entertainnt for so nobles.
People of this era were not familiar with the concept of reading the latest information in writing.
Gossip from pubs, town squares, and won at the well were the main sources of information in this era.
At most, nobles or officials would receive written reports.
That changed when we moved the capital to Wolfskrig. I established a newspaper company with the imperial budget and distributed weekly papers and extra editions for the price of a single coin.
With a large-scale migration, new city developnt, and war preparations, I needed a ans of propaganda to unify public opinion.
“Extra! It's a free newspaper supported by His Majesty the Emperor!”
“Hey, kid, give one. What's the news?”
“The news is that four days ago, the Princess of Blood, the second-in-command of the Vampire Archduchy, captured Kalisto!”
“What? I-it's true!”
“Turn to the back page! There's also breaking news that Count Ash, the war hero of the Empire, the chosen lord of Luark, and the favored subject of the Emperor, has been taken prisoner!”
Rumors spread fast.
Bad rumors even faster.
Riding on the two dia of print and word of mouth, the news of Kalisto's fall swept through the Imperial Capital in an instant.
The 'refugee testimony' plastered on the front page of the newspaper also conveyed the news of Count Ash's capture.
It was a tragedy where he, along with Artillery Commander William and four hundred artilleryn, was captured while drawing the enemy's attention after sending all the refugees and soldiers out of the city.
Naturally, the aftermath of the rumor reached the strategy conference room.
But this.
The aftermath is greater than I expected.
“The rumor has spread everywhere! Are we going to let the hero of the Empire die like this? Your Majesty, let's wipe out those vampire scoundrels right now!”
Bang!
The Dwarf King-of-Kings, Ungol, slamd the round table as if to break it.
Crack!
No, it really did break.
From across the split-in-half round table, Archduke Gabir tried to stop the dwarf.
“King-of-Kings, let's calm down for a mont and talk.”
“Calm down? Ha! Archduke, as a fellow human, aren't you ashad? Then I shall go! Count Ash is a benefactor to us dwarves as well!”
“Your Majesty, you must also consider that Kalisto is a strategic point. Didn't the dwarves discover a large amount of Dragon's Breath there?”
“...If the Empire does not move, the elves will send their own army.”
Even Karen quietly rose from her seat.
I'll be honest.
I didn't expect the reaction to be this intense.
Especially from the elves and dwarves.
I could understand Karen, who had been with from the beginning, but for Ungol to go that far.
“……”
This hunt was an operation that required deceiving both friend and foe.
Originally, I planned to tell them after the hunt was over.
However, I shouldn't let the confusion escalate like this.
Anyway, the preparations for the operation are complete.
There's only about half a day left until it begins.
There's no need to worry about it leaking if I speak here.
Feeling a bit moved, I began.
“It was all a staged act.”
“……?”
“?”
The conference room fell silent.
I said it once more.
“It was all a planned operation. From the Princess of Blood's invasion to the capture of Count Ash and the artillery corps. It was all discussed with Count Ash, as well as the vampires, in advance.”
“Wh-what in the world do you an by that…”
“My apologies. This operation had to be carried out in secret. To break the enemy's spearhead.”
A broken round table.
A torn map.
Inside the dusty conference room, as everyone except Archduke Gabir wore dumbfounded expressions, I began to speak.
“First, I should start with the fact that the Vampire Archduchy requested to surrender to us.”
***
The scenario is simple.
The Vampire Duke first requested to surrender.
The situation is not so lenient as to unconditionally reject yesterday's enemy.
After careful consideration, the Emperor accepted.
However, on a conditional basis.
The condition was that he would accept if the vampires broke the enemy's spearhead.
If they succeeded, we would have gained a reliable ally.
If they failed, we would have made two potential enemies bite into each other.
Either way, it was a condition where the Empire would not suffer a loss.
Surprisingly, the Vampire Archduchy accepted the 'loyalty test.'
Count Ash volunteered to be the direct supervisor of this 'test.'
He claid that he, who had fought vampires his entire life, would be able to make the most accurate assessnt of the traitors' intentions.
‘…Master, I'm starting to respect you.’
Of course, this is all a scenario.
In a word, a staged act.
‘I wonder if this person would live well no matter what dinsion, what country, what culture he was dropped into.’
‘That might be so. If he had been born in the Eastern Empire, he might have taken care of the emperor before the seal was broken and wiped us all out too.’
‘Tick-tock….’
For so reason, it seems the workers at the mana stone factory in the subspace are praising instead of being sarcastic.
Well, just because it's a staged act doesn't an it's an easy job.
I stayed up all night in Karnhorst to devise this scenario.
Moreover, there are three versions of the scenario that was created, depending on the audience.
One for the Empire.
One for the vampires.
And one for the Eastern Empire.
“My Lord, we have finished laying the charges as you instructed.”
William approached, wiping his sweat.
That's right.
This is Kalisto.
Count Ash, 'who is known to have been taken prisoner,' has been working day and night in Kalisto for three days with William and the artillery corps.
That work is the construction of laying a large amount of explosives throughout the entire city.
“Good work.”
“Not at all. The dwarves had prepared a map of the burial sites in advance, so it wasn't difficult.”
To put it simply, it's a trap.
One that could even wound an Outer God.
Sothing I learned from the battle between the Eastern Empire and the Lur Legion is that Outer Gods can also be damaged and their summons can be dispelled.
According to Kkumteuli's supplentary explanation, what is commonly called 'Advent' or 'Summoning' is because only a very small part of their power is drawn upon.
Should I call it a kind of incarnation?
Of course, to even scratch such an incarnation, one must mobilize firepower equivalent to at least an archmage.
Even Lur's powerful curses and spells only managed to inflict minor damage.
“We have placed the explosives at all the detonation points according to the calculations. If you press the button you ntioned, a chain explosion will occur automatically.”
“You've worked hard.”
“Not at all. By the way, it feels strange. To have explosives that could blow up the city under my feet……”
“Feels like you're riding on a sleeping dragon, right?”
“Haha, that's right.”
William said, tilting a leather pouch and drinking water.
“By the way… how strong is the Eastern Empire, exactly?”
“Why the sudden question?”
“Well, because no matter how much it is His Majesty the Emperor's command, for you, my Lord, to agree to cooperate with those vampire scoundrels.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
They are strong.
That's why we're putting on this show, to wear down even a part of that strength.
For reference, the scenario the artillery corps knows is also the 'Empire version' scenario.
Unfortunately, since security had to be maintained, I could only tell them after they were captured.
If it weren't for [Lord's Unyielding Mind], wouldn't it have taken a long ti to persuade them?
“What about that human necromancer? He seed to be of a higher rank than the Princess of Blood.”
“Ah, that's a guy nad Tribus. I don't know him well either, but you can think of him as the diator of this negotiation.”
“I see.”
Anyway, let's turn back the clock a bit.
To Tribus, the key to today's operation.
Tribus, my main body, is watching the eastern wasteland from atop the city wall.
Beside , the Princess of Blood is using a simplified version of [Blood Sacrifice] to monitor all human presence approaching from over ten kiloters away with hundreds of skeleton vultures.
“Ah.”
She opened her eyes.
“He's here.”
“The envoy?”
“Yeah. The envoy. The delegation to be used as a sacrifice. And a follow-up strike force of about 30,000.”
I nodded my head.
“Let the hunt begin.”
The prey is an Outer God.
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