My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness - Chapter 152
#152
Rebellion of the Empire (2)
The city of Tarak in the Kingdom of Tulk was bustling with people today as well.
It is said that the number of monsters coming down from the northern mountains is decreasing and a large number of troops are beginning to reside around the Iron Fortress, gradually stabilizing the situation… but
since the situation is not completely over yet, there are mercenaries and merchants everywhere in the streets. It was easy to see them busy moving around.
And of course, Hubert Trading Company, which had grown into one of the largest trading companies in Tarak, was one of them.
“…Then let’s handle the matter that way, and what happened to the results of the appraisal of the jewel that was previously entrusted to us?”
The office of the head of the large building where the Hubert Company is located.
Hubert, who had recently returned from long-term care, was shuffling through documents and glanced at an executive.
“Yes, as a result of requesting appraisal from Tarak’s precious metal association and three magic towers, all of them responded as strongly as the Lord of the Association expected.”
Hubert was secretly rumored to have already died, but he was preparing for a new business as soon as he returned, as if to prove that these were all false rumors.
Distributing the ‘earth-produced synthetic gemstones’ that I had just thought about.
You may be wondering what kind of precious metal it is at a time when society is in turmoil, but to those who originally had it, these were items that were timeless.
‘Rather, there will be many people who are trying to hide other assets by converting them into precious metals that are easy to store, so now is the right time to start this business.’
The synthetic gem he brought was not a superficially similar cubic imitation.
It was a gem that was made of highly pure materials in a high-temperature, high-pressure laboratory environment and was physically, chemically and optically perfect.
As such, it was characterized by being very clean with fewer inclusions than natural gemstones, and it was so unusual that it felt foreign to this Outerica.
So much so that appraisers at the Precious Metals Association were all confused.
‘The value of a luxury item is determined by how rare it is. It has a weakness in that it cannot be used as a medium for magic, but that will also be a unique selling point.’
As if to prove it, wizards were also showing great interest in this.
If you think about it, they were just pretty stones without any practical use, but it was actually an element that stimulated their curiosity.
No matter how much you check, it’s definitely a gem, but its characteristics are very different from the items I’ve seen so far.
“…So, not only Magic Tower but also the Precious Metals Association has been actively pursuing purchases. “Maybe it was because of its scarcity, but it seemed a bit burdensome.”
In the end, the debut of earth-made synthetic gemstones was said to be very successful.
I didn’t plan on releasing too much in the first place, but since I was probably the only one in the world who could supply this in earnest, there was no need to keep things too tight.
“We can expect promotional effects through them. “As this is your first transaction, please proceed with the negotiation by offering a small discount.”
This premium product, which will be sold in small quantities, will be a great help in expanding the scale of Hubert Trading Company in the future.
Originally, rare gems were ideal for bribes.
‘Of course, before that, it would be necessary to present the truth to the Aonia Counts, the owners of this land.’
Although it was because of Harley, they have provided many conveniences in many ways, so shouldn’t they show this level of sincerity?
Compared to the benefits that would be gained from it, the cost of the jewelry was not that expensive.
“Oh… and Marvin?”
“yes! Lord of the store. “Did you call me?”
Just before the meeting ended, the man with a thick beard quickly answered Hubert’s soft call.
He was in charge of the eastern expansion of the merchant association, which was credited with achieving small trade with the empire beyond the eastern border through various efforts.
“I have something to say regarding the Empire, so please wait a moment.”
“Empire… do you mean? Yes, I understand.”
The right attitude for a merchant is not to miss any opportunity, even if it is small.
So Hubert was diligently carrying out his duties as a merchant today.
***
The continental summit meeting, which had lasted for a long time, finally came to an end.
Of course, all discussions were not over and only the first meeting was concluded, but it was significant that all the forces that had been discordant until now came together and reached a consensus.
Representatives from each country began to leave one by one through the gates of the main shrine.
However, among them, there were those who received unexpected restraint from the church…
It was none other than a delegation led by Simon Carte Azerion, the crown prince of the Azerion Empire.
“What does that mean? “So are you telling us not to return to the Empire now?”
“Oh, that’s not what I’m talking about. “I just want to warn you that it might be dangerous if you go back now.”
“Huh—the place we’re heading to is Xeron, the capital of the Azerion Empire. “That means that Jeron is dangerous. What is your basis for saying that?”
The nobleman who had followed them as an aide to the crown prince escorted the bishop of the main temple who had stopped them.
Unable to treat the other person carelessly since he was his opponent, he only licked his lips while observing the prince’s gaze as he looked at him displeased from behind.
“Well, these are the words of the saint himself. “I don’t know the exact details, but it seems like something has changed in Jeron.”
“yes? So, just listen to one person and tell us…”
“It’s not just one person, it’s the saint. He also received revelation directly from the Lord.”
The bishop’s voice, which had been quietly persuasive all along, became slightly sharper at the words he blurted out as if they were absurd.
It seems that the words he said inadvertently offended him.
“Hmm… No, what I mean is that if we don’t force it, we will just go our own way…”
At that time, when the aide cleared his throat lightly at the unexpected response, he opened his mouth again.
“Thank you for your concern.”
The crown prince, who had been watching quietly from behind, interrupted the conversation with a cold voice and came in.
“I am the crown prince of the empire, and the capital, Geron, is like my home. Even if a problem arises, I can fully deal with it, but if something really goes wrong, I should be able to deal with it myself on the spot. “I don’t think it’s a matter for the church to argue about, do you?”
Crown Prince Simon did not like the current situation.
Even so, since they had recently heard a report that the church’s interference in the principality’s troops had intensified, their current appearance seemed to be some kind of political maneuver.
Of course, as long as there is value in the name of an order and a saint, the warning may not be completely empty.
They must have sensed something and that’s why they are saying this.
But if he stops walking and hides in a safe place after hearing what they say, it becomes a bigger problem.
‘The situation is different from being away to participate in a summit meeting. If you’re not careful, you could give Riley an excuse.’
In addition, he had strong pride in his country and had confidence in the capital’s defenses.
The empire, using the recent attack on the Great Temple as an example, has been making all-out efforts ever since to fortify the imperial castle’s iron-clad defenses.
No matter how powerful the church is, the Azerion Empire is the most powerful country in the world, both in name and reality.
The extent, resources, and population of the territory it actually controlled were on a different level from that of the religious denomination, and the defense of the capital, where its national power was concentrated, was nothing short of an impenetrable fortress.
‘Yes, even if that opponent is the Immortal King. Unless he brings the entire immortal army, there is no way to attack it with only a small number like when he attacked the Great Temple.’
Prince Simon truly thought so, but
since his own safety was more important than anything else, he did not completely ignore the church’s warning.
He requested that his country provide more security than usual just in case, put pressure on the Capital National Guard, and even brought in additional escort troops.
After about a day and all preparations were completed, we crossed the gate and moved to the Great Hall of Geron.
…and all that hard work.
Even though it was already in someone’s palm.
***
[Oh, it really deserves to be called the capital of an empire.]
Above the sea of clouds spread out beneath your feet.
Hans, covered in darkness all over, was looking down at the ground with deep eyes that absorbed even the light.
The defenses of the empire’s capital, Xeron, seen through the “Eye of the Abyss” were certainly not ordinary.
No matter how much resources and manpower were poured into it, the center where the imperial palace was located was filled with all kinds of magic techniques, and the barrier that stretched out in all directions like a spider web around that place was at a level that could never be ignored.
‘The ability to search around the capital is beyond what was assumed. If you get a little closer to this, no matter how much you hide it, it will be discovered right away, right?
It was possible to somehow avoid the detection of a saint whose scope covered the entire continent, but there was nothing that could be done about the type of intensive surveillance over a certain area like the barrier spread over that city.
The Immortal King’s energy itself was so fierce that it was impossible to hide it any further.
‘It’s on a different level from Tovea, which was a satellite city. Maybe that’s why we put more effort into defending the capital. Of course, it’s only natural that a nearby city was robbed not long ago.’
In addition, the warning delivered in the name of the church through Heinrich may have played a role.
In some ways, it could be said that it was a self-defeating decision, but Hans didn’t care about that anymore.
‘Anyway, we prepared more than usual here.’
As this is a very important scenario, we invested generously in what we had collected so far.
Wouldn’t the larger scale be more effective in making a strong impression?
‘It’s about time.’
Likewise, timing was a very important factor, but it wasn’t a big issue for him either.
And finally.
‘Let’s get started now.’
Hans, who was floating on a cloud, fell like a meteorite.
Beep! Bleep—!
Clink ding ding ding—!
At the same time, loud alarms rang out in the city, but he ignored them and accelerated faster.
Ugh!
An enormous energy that surrounds and radiates the entire city in an instant.
It activated numerous techniques in the blink of an eye, and the spread of light as if it were a chain reaction beautifully colored the city.
Kwaaaang—!
Immediately afterwards, Hans’ body collided with the barrier surrounding the capital.
[Hehehehehe— I was quite concerned, but there is no way to block this body with a barrier like this.]
He easily tore the sparking barrier and entered, looking around.
Bleep—! Beep!
The first thing I saw was the huge imperial palace in the center of the city, which had already become an impenetrable fortress due to the dense use of magic techniques.
All kinds of abilities, including magic, magic, and alchemy, came together and created synergy—it was like a mystical crystal representing the Outerica dimension.
‘I wonder how much money was spent… Seeing it activated properly is more spectacular than I thought. Even Hans will need quite a bit of time to destroy that thing.’
In the first place, his goal was not to attack the imperial palace directly… but
wouldn’t it be rude to come all the way to the capital and just pass by after seeing that?
‘I guess it would be reasonable to at least say hello.’
That way, they will at least feel rewarded for spending their money!
In this way, Hans opened his mouth softly, with a warm and considerate feeling in his heart that no one recognized.
[Come out now. Entrasio Heratos.]
At the same time, the darkness that covered his body wriggled and instantly encroached on the surroundings…
Two huge shadows came out of it, tearing the space.
[Koooooo——!]
[Kyaaaaa——!]
Two bone dragons roaring while creating strong winds.
But they were only the beginning.
[Then, Olivia, I will leave it to you to lead the others.]
[Just leave it to me… Girl, I will do my best to carry out the king’s orders…]
The immortal army appears around him one by one. With the executives…
coooooooo!
“Aaaah!”
Pow—!
“Quickly escape!”
Black smoke rose from all over the city along with heavy drinking.
The slaves… no, the extras who had infiltrated beforehand began working simultaneously as a signal to Hans’ intrusion.
‘It’s started over there too. Perhaps because it is the capital, there are more places to clean up than Tovea. Well, I guess I’ll have to survive on my own when the job is over.’
Of course, even if you survive, the only thing left is the future of being deployed to the next field, but if you’re lucky, you might survive until the end, right?
Originally, all hope was like that.
[Hehehe— Ah, that’s good! This is the prelude to destruction! Mortals, remember my name! I am Hannibal Strauss, the immortal king! Hahaha!]
With a self-appeal that never misses the timing.
Finally, the Immortal King directly invaded the empire’s capital, Xeron.