Semi-Coercive Imperialist

I watched Arnolt leave with Anton inside the military building.

“Will you be all right?”

Colonel Keynes asked.

“To let him go so easily like that…….”

I turned my gaze to Colonel Keynes. He couldn’t even look me straight in the eye.

“The disciple’s letter was too weak to serve as evidence. If I had used it to suppress Arnolt, it would’ve only damaged my own authority.”

Perhaps the agency under the Imperial Palace wanted that outcome.

If the successor of Ebenholtz followed the will of the palace completely, then the authority of the palace would naturally rise, while the external dignity of Ebenholtz would diminish.

But I had no intention of playing along with their petty politics.

The will of the palace is not the will of the Emperor. From the beginning, those bastards only pretend to serve the Imperial Family while pursuing their own interests. They are nothing more than sycophants.

“But, the agency.”

“Colonel Keynes.”

Despite it all, Keynes still wore a concerned expression, and I cut him off.

“Does the agency seem superior to me?”

Keynes’s face turned pale. He straightened his posture and shook his head.

“No, it does not.”

“Good. Then that’s all.”

Truth be told, I was irritated.

From the very moment a mere department chief of some agency dared to summon me around. From the day I faced that impudent face, stiff-necked and staring with wide eyes.

I had no intention of cooperating obediently with those bastards. This wasn’t merely an issue of noble pride.

How far must I rise? And at what point should I stop?

I don’t yet know the answer to that, but one thing is certain.

Every one of my actions builds my power.

To reign as a strong one, I must show a figure worthy of it.

I must never tolerate the sight of some filthy beggar trying to climb over me.

***

The next day. A guest came to my mansion. He was the department chief from the agency directly under the Imperial Palace.

He showed up without an appointment, bowing his head as he entered. I led him to the drawing room.

A servant placed teacups on our table.

“What is it?”

“You must already know.”

His tone was disrespectful.

“About Arnolt.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“There was no choice. The physical evidence was too weak.”

The department chief quietly stared at his teacup.

Now that I think about it, I don’t even know this man’s name.

“You’ve betrayed the expectations of the Imperial family.”

Those words made me laugh.

“Not the Imperial family. The Imperial Palace, you mean.”

The department chief’s brow twitched subtly.

“May I ask why?”

“It’s simple.”

I looked at the department chief as I held up my teacup.

“Arnolt is a noble who benefits the Empire.”

I continued, looking straight into his eyes.

“And you are a mere petty commoner.”

The department chief’s fingertips trembled.

This man was a commoner. There were traces left of it.

“No matter how much one tries to hide their origin, no matter how much they try to paint over themselves to the point of self-deception, there are things that don’t change. Things that can never change.”

His manners and behavior are plausible, but the way he speaks─his intonation is the key.

“It’s because what was given from birth is different.”

The way of speaking shaped over a dozen years since birth. A faint accent of a southern Empire commoner that cannot be hidden, no matter how hard one tries.

I sensed it instinctively.

“Was it an inferiority complex?”

“…….”

The department chief glared at me.

“Did you think that by making a noble of the Empire kneel, you’d feel some kind of thrill?”

His pupils shook.

“I couldn’t be bothered with such a thought. It was too inferior. Childish, even.”

I mocked his pathetic intentions and set down my teacup.

Tap.

A sharp sound split the stillness of the drawing room.

“……You are mistaken.”

“You’re the one who’s mistaken.”

I leaned forward.

“Think carefully. Just because you’re in the Imperial Palace doesn’t make you royalty.”

“His Majesty-”

“His Majesty.”

I cut off what he was about to say.

“Indeed.”

Now that I think about it, it was laughable.

The Imperial Palace must have sent such vermin because they knew I had fallen out of Sebestian’s favor.

“Would he trust me, Sebestian’s son?”

In the end, he is my father.

Even if he never once intends to offer me help throughout my life, even if he never acknowledges me until the day he dies.

Sebestian is a man whose mere existence establishes my authority. Blood ties are not something you can sever, even if you want to.

“Or would he trust a vermin that crawled up from a mere pit of maggots.”

I glared at the department chief and asked.

“You?”

“…….”

He trembled with humiliation, and I quietly drank my tea.

It tasted quite good.

“Listen carefully.”

I extended my finger, pointing it at the department chief’s head.

“You say Arnolt’s ideology is dangerous.”

If dangerous ideology is the issue.

“To me, a lowlife like you who challenges nobility is just as dangerous.”

This commoner’s inferiority complex is a crime in itself. I don’t particularly like the Empire’s class system, but for now, it is one of my greatest weapons.

There’s no reason not to use it.

Clenching his teeth, the department chief eventually stood and gave a short bow.

“Yes. I apologize.”

He turned and left the mansion, but it was a foolish choice.

That was not the proper way to apologize.

You should’ve knelt. You should’ve pressed your head to the floor. You should’ve shown something beyond that.

If you weren’t prepared to do so, you should never have come here in the first place.

“I’ll have to cut him down.”

He’s overestimating his own value. But a department chief of a direct agency can be easily replaced. He’s not even a gear in the machine, just a bolt or nut, a mere component.

People like him only weaken the Empire’s strength,

and so, someone far more rational and precise should hold that position.

***

At the Sentinel Knight Order, aerial assault training is held twice a week.

Initially, it was just a few knights participating out of curiosity or for fun, but the number steadily grew, and now one-third of the Order’s members enjoy at least one drop every week.

“Try spreading your mana.”

Before starting the drop, I called Tiana and Leon to the [Training Yard] for a private lesson. It’s a rectangular, enclosed space within the Order’s facilities.

Tiana asked,

“Mana?”

“Yeah. Don’t think about anything. Just let it flow naturally.”

Though both of them looked puzzled, they began to emit their mana outside their bodies.

Ssssss……

Like shimmering heat haze in a blue glow, mana particles spread evenly from their bodies.

Both had a dispersive tendency.

“You two are quite similar.”

“Are you crazy?”

“……Max, that was pretty rude just now.”

Tiana and Leon both glared at me.

“Anyway. Your mana has dispersive properties.”

I told them.

“This trait can give you a special advantage during aerial drops. If you spread your mana particles widely and maximize the area of contact, it becomes possible to glide silently, change direction mid-air, or even decelerate rapidly.”

It’s the complete opposite of how I fight, where I ‘step on’ mana and concentrate all force at a single point to strike downward with full power.

These two are better suited for infiltration-style drops into enemy territory rather than direct ground impact.

“So, practice emitting your mana while in the air.”

“Emit it?”

“Yeah. If you want your mana to influence your descent speed…….”

I glanced around the Training Yard and thought for a moment.

─Thump!

The virus activated first. Its instinctive calculation delivered the result straight into my head.

“You need to be able to fill this space in under 3 seconds.”

I don’t know the exact volume of this training room. But for mana to generate meaningful lift and drag in the air that is, to interact with air molecules and form a minimum density, a mana emission rate capable of filling this space in 3 seconds is required. That’s the ‘intuition’.

“If you can do that-”

Now, we need a proper term. Establishing terminology for a concept goes beyond simply making it easier to refer to. A clear term imprints a complex concept into a single image and gives the learner a strong sense of purpose.

It greatly increases efficiency.

“You’ll be able to use Mana Wings.”

“Mana Wings?”

“It’s a technique where you emit mana from your body to generate and control the airflow around you.”

Also, terminology must sound as impressive as possible to inspire the learner’s motivation. Everything looks better when it’s well-packaged.

That’s what was written in the advanced manual distributed by the New Cabinet.

“Oh-ho. Mana Wings…… So I just need to fill this space with mana?”

“Wings of mana……”

Strong interest appeared on Tiana and Leon’s faces. Beneath their self-awareness as knights and their intentionally mature attitudes, the fluttering image of twenty-one-year-olds peeked through.

“Okay. Then I’ll go first.”

Just as Tiana eagerly rolled up her sleeves.

Ding-

A call alert rang from the terminal. It was Chiron.

“Hold on. I’ve got something to take care of.”

The two of them started training on their own, and I headed up to Chiron’s office.

“Max. Take a seat.”

“Yes.”

On Chiron’s desk, a premium mana stone cube was prominently displayed.

Was it set up just to show off?

Sensing my gaze, Chiron smiled bitterly.

“Everyone’s jealous.”

So it was to show off, after all.

“They all keep asking where I got such a mana stone.”

“I see.”

Hermes’ workshop had brought in some of the best artisans in the Empire, and their apprentices were steadily honing their skills.

Skill, in the end, was tied to money. With an unlimited supply of top-grade mana stones, they were growing rapidly.

“Sir Chiron. Perhaps-”

The workshop is still in its early stages, so it can only produce about 9 to 10 premium-grade mana stones per year, but now inventory is slowly piling up for sale.

“Would you be interested in receiving premium grade reservation tickets?”

“……Premium grade reservation tickets?”

“Yes.”

I just thought of it on the spot.

“It’s a ticket to reserve a premium mana stone cube. I’ll give you five. You can distribute them to whoever you see fit.”

“…….”

Chiron hesitated for a moment, but soon showed an intrigued expression.

“Would it be alright for me to accept that?”

“Of course.”

I smiled.

Free promotion, free customer acquisition. These days, Chiron is proving helpful in more ways than one.

“Then I’ll gladly accept.”

“Yes. By the way, what did you call me for?”

“Ah~”

With a confident smile, Chiron handed me a thick envelope.

“My agent in the Underground City obtained information about the black market.”

Chiron didn’t skimp when it came to his ambitions. He was one of the few knights who spent beyond the budget allocated to the Order, using his own money to build a personal network of intelligence and contacts.

“The location is Basement Level 9 of the Underground City. It’s a place where all sorts of people gather. But there’s a particular item on that black market causing concern. According to my agent, a terrorist group may be targeting it. I figured it might be better for you to handle it, rather than me.”

This mission is tied to the black market, and I have money.

Chiron brought me a mission that suited me perfectly.

“Yes. I’ll take care of it.”

Besides, in the chaotic black markets of the Underground City, practical goods often surface. Since I’ve made a lot, it’s time to indulge in some luxurious shopping.

The value of the Imperial dollar will drop soon enough, so whenever I can, I need to convert it into physical assets.

“It shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave.”

As I stood, Chiron stopped me.

“……Wait. The premium reservation tickets?”

“My assistant will deliver them tomorrow.”

“Ah~ Got it.”

As expected, Chiron had an oddly cute side that didn’t quite match his usual demeanor.

…….

The path to the Underground City was located in the Empire’s central lowest-class district. Wearing a robe over my head, I walked through it.

After passing through Districts 40 to 43, where addicts and the starving, the living and the dead, all teetered on the edge of existence, I arrived at the far end of District 43, where a dark entrance descended underground like a mineshaft.

The entrance was no different from the slums above ground. Damp stench and darkness. But the further one descended, the more the scenery subtly changed, until finally, an old freight elevator came into view.

“Stop.”

A massive guard blocked my way. I silently held out a wad of dollars.

The entrance fee was only 100 dollars, but I offered fifty times that. The moment he confirmed the amount, the guard’s eyes softened.

“This way, please.”

The guard led me to an entirely different elevator. It wasn’t the freight type, but a clean, mechanical one.

“Enjoy your tour.”

Whirrrrrrr-

The descent began.

The Underground City is a place where only money and force matter. It’s the most alien zone untouched by the Empire’s law and order, but still, the Empire maintains it for a reason, not unlike the impossibility of permanently eradicating cockroaches.

The Underground City is, in practice, an autonomous region. The residents here know their place and do not crawl up to the surface. In fact, they pay a hefty amount in taxes. Paradoxically, the existence of this lawless zone also serves as a safety valve, suppressing riots and unrest in the surface-level slum districts.

Even the New Cabinet before Regression designated this place as a necessary evil and never attempted to annex it. It was once independent as a nation under the name “Authentic”.

Ding.

The elevator arrived at Basement Level 9. The moment the doors opened, dazzling lights and noise flooded over me.

A dark underworld with no sun. In place of the sky, black bedrock loomed above, beneath which endless neon signs and mana holograms flowed like a river. The air stabbed the nostrils, a mix of cheap perfume, unidentified pollutants, the stench of vomit, and people’s desires all entangled together.

“Disgusting.”

It’s no wonder the gas mask industry thrives in the Underground City.

First, I had to buy a proper identity. Among the countless signs, I headed toward the most eye-catching one, an ID card shop called「Name」.

“Welcome~”

The grinning shop owner immediately shifted to a serious expression when I placed a thick stack of cash on the desk.

“Top grade.”

“……One moment, please. I’ll count the money.”

30,000 dollars.

Without a word of complaint, he created a flawless forged ID card within minutes and handed it to me.

“If you have an account with the Central Bank of the Empire, we can link it, but…… I assume you won’t.”

Of course, I had no intention of attaching a traceable tag to myself.

I stepped back outside.

And then.

Thump-

My heart pounded irregularly.

I stopped walking.

Calmly, I turned my head.

I scanned the crowd, feeling for the foreign energy.

Thump-

There were three people.

A group of anonymous individuals were walking among the crowd, cloaked in robes. Two men and one woman.

Of them, the one my heart reacted to was a man with a thick beard along his jawline.

He looked slightly over 180 cm in height, but unfortunately, I could gather no more details.

I had to pull off his robe.

──Fwoooooosh.

From the tips of my feet, I released a thin stream of mana to create an artificial gust of wind. It brushed past him lightly.

“……?”

The man’s hood fluttered in the wind, revealing a glimpse of his face in a fleeting shadow.

I saw him.

A wanted criminal. A man whose face had been stored as a composite sketch on the Knight Order’s main server.

A member of the Revolutionary forces.

He was here.