Semi-Coercive Imperialist

A space reeking of blood, mana-infused chemicals, and the stench of horse dung.

I stared at Eshton, who was tied to a chair. Outside, the clash of swords grew urgent, but in this moment, time itself seemed to have stopped for me.

“……Is that you?”

He asked me.

The Ezenheim named Eshton,

“Julian.”

He called out his comrade’s name while gasping for breath.

“Julian……”

But he could not open his eyes.

Because he had none.

Dark crimson blood trickled from his hollow eye sockets, trailing down his cheeks to gather at the tip of his chin.

──Thump.

My heart continued to beat.

Ezenheim.

They had infiltrated among us for quite some time. There could certainly be one among the knights—no, perhaps more than one.

“Julian…….”

The knight named Eshton, calling out to Julian.

Should I kill him?

Or should I spare him?

Many thoughts spread through my mind.

Ways to keep him alive, interrogate and use him. The possibilities of extracting the information he has to track down other Ezenheim.

But the Ezenheim serve only their own kind. They desire nothing but the great cause of annihilation.

They are an otherworldly race with no will to live, or rather, whose entire focus of existence is fixed solely on that purpose.

Could I even make use of such beings?

When I still don’t even know exactly who I’m fighting against.

Still, the true nature of the Ezenheim remains veiled from sight. An opaque silhouette whose existence alone I can confirm. And because of that, because every aspect of them remains unknown to me…….

There is no need for unanswerable worries.

Enemies of humanity must not be left alive.

Though the method may differ, that is a duty that must never change.

I established a sta⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌ndard to stop my own thoughts.

It became my criterion, my maxim, and further, something I accepted as conviction.

“…….”

On the ground were remnants of unknown drugs the cartel had used for torture. I picked up a reagent bottle and a discarded syringe. Through the virus’s intuition, I understood the mana formula of this drug.

The virus perceives mana as mana.

Perhaps it even interprets non-mana things as mana.

──Rrrrrumble.

The liquid inside the vial began to churn. The variables emitted by the virus seeped into the liquid, twisting the mana formula that composed the drug.

It was a method I had never used before. This too was a new kind of realization, yet a question arose.

Why was I trying to kill Eshton in such a complicated way?

Just because I didn’t want to be suspected by Julian?

Stab.

I plunged the syringe needle into Eshton’s neck.

“……!”

Eshton let out a short groan. His body convulsed, trembling.

As the syringe emptied, Eshton’s head fell limply to the side.

His breath stopped.

“…….”

I crushed the empty syringe into powder in my hand. I lifted Eshton’s corpse onto my shoulder. Then I exited the stable and ran on foot. I sprinted across the jungle.

Julian, who had also taken care of his opponent, followed shortly behind. Shouts and footsteps of cartel bastards echoed from behind, but it didn’t matter.

On this rugged mountain path, we are faster than any vehicle.

Knights are human tactical weapons, cultivated by the Empire’s philosophy of the iron man pushed to its extreme.

Though the passage of time may have dulled that meaning somewhat, at the very least, the two of us were no imitations.

***

An unnamed forest in the border region.

I set down Eshton from my shoulder. Julian kindled a small spark of mana at his fingertips to illuminate the corpse.

“He’s dead.”

Eshton’s appearance, revealed under the bluish light, was gruesome. Flesh torn away, bones exposed, countless marks of torture.

Yet Julian showed no emotion. In his dull pupils, clouded like dust had settled on them, there was not even a flicker.

Finding that strange, I asked Julian.

“Was he your comrade?”

Julian nodded.

“He was.”

I looked at Eshton.

This man will not return to the Empire. Just like before the regression, not even his corpse will be found.

Because he possessed the heart of a subspecies.

“What are you planning to do with this body now?”

Julian asked.

“I……”

My words caught in my throat.

Just now, Julian’s voice echoed in my ears.

‘What are you planning to do with this body now?’

As if he were asking about the use of the corpse,

In the spaces between his words, as though he knew something I didn’t, suddenly—

A spark ignited in my mind.

Strange suspicions began to rise.

──Looking back, it had been odd.

What exactly had Julian been doing until I arrived here?

Julian is an exceptional knight. In the Sentinel, there aren’t many who are as balanced in both martial and intellectual skills as he is.

And yet, he had been excessively calm. Even though his comrade had been kidnapped, he hadn’t taken the initiative himself, only moving as I led.

As if he were waiting for me to discover something. As if he were subtly guiding me toward it.

“…….”

To blame it on his dry personality would make him seem far too incompetent.

The Julian I knew was absolutely not an incompetent man.

“……Julian.”

I turned to look at Julian. The suspicion that had grown like a side branch reached a single possibility.

Why had Eshton suddenly been captured by the cartel, and how had I ended up coming here?

Knight Ezenheim are rare. From Ezenheim’s perspective as well, he was a valuable talent that must have been preserved, and yet, how could someone like that be captured by something as trivial as a cartel?

“It was you.”

No matter how much I thought about it, there could be no other reason except this man.

“…….”

Julian silently looked at me. An unreadable light shimmered faintly in his deep eyes.

“You.”

I asked him,

“Did you kill Eshton?”

Julian’s expression was always the same. He was a man devoid of expression. I had thought of it as composure, calm, equanimity, but that had been a grave misconception.

I had never once looked into his true self.

There were far too many things I didn’t know about him.

“……Yes.”

Julian gave a low cough and nodded.

“I leaked information to the cartel.”

My face hardened.

He lowered his gaze to Eshton’s corpse. A small breath escaped through his teeth.

“Eshton. This m⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌an was not a pure-blooded Imperial citizen. He borrowed the identity of a commoner named Eshton…… a man whose dreams were far too grand.”

Julian murmured quietly, as if recalling a not-so-distant past.

“I was the first to learn the truth. I was also the one who had him expelled from the Sentinel.”

If one enters Empire Point by impersonating an Aran, the minimum punishment is death.

Even those who knowingly allow such a person to go free, depending on their status, face extreme penalties equivalent to execution.

“I let Eshton go. I allowed him to keep his title as a knight.”

Julian confessed both his own crime and Eshton’s simultaneously.

“He said he was grateful. Said he’d definitely repay me in some other way.”

A glass-like sharpness crept into his dry voice.

“But at some point, Eshton’s greed seemed to grow again. He broke his promise and showed signs of returning to the Capital.”

“……You were monitoring him.”

“If he could deceive the Empire, do you think he couldn’t deceive me?”

A man whose depths cannot be seen shows no openings.

Julian continued speaking calmly.

“Max. I cannot say what is right. Nor can I say what is wrong. But I can certainly see what is amiss.”

Julian’s gaze flickered slowly.

“Do you know how much cash the cartel tributes to the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Guard?”

The Imperial Guard siphons money from all manner of sources.

Whether it was soaked in drugs, filth, or blood—once laundered, it didn’t matter anyway.

“Even so, the higher-ups are turning a blind eye to the cartel. There are even people who think of it as funding for war preparations.”

Julian continued in a faint tone.

“But t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌hat money flows back into the Empire through the borders, destroying the subjects and crushing the poor. They’re destroying people’s souls just to make a bit of money.”

I sat down on a rock in the forest, using it as a chair.

“Max. Do you know the crimes the nobles commit using drugs? Do you know the crimes addicts commit just to get their hands on them?”

How upper-class nobles forcibly addict commoners and turn them into horrifying slaves. And that even children were among the victims. Fathers who slaughtered their families in a drug-fueled frenzy, or sold off their loved ones just to buy more…

“Before this evil spreads further, before it becomes irreversible, someone has to end it.”

While I was in the Capital, Julian had been watching all of it—watching, observing.

“Maximilian.”

He called my name.

“To bring down the cartel, it’s impossible by normal means. It requires much more money and people.”

I could understand Julian’s words easily.

“……You need a stronger cartel.”

Julian nodded.

“Destruction and replacement.”

Then he pointed at Eshton’s corpse.

“Use this as justification to destroy the current cartel, and fill the vacuum with someone at least partially controllable.”

This was Julian’s plan from the beginning, the true reason he had asked for my cooperation.

“You were testing me.”

“I won’t deny it.”

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say to him.

Since the regression, perhaps for the first time, I was at a loss for words. The miracle of regression had instead revealed a new side of Julian.

“Before the war, we must clean up internally.”

Julian looked at me and continued.

“If we go to war without dea⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌ling with the cartel first, it’ll be a massive harm to the Empire as well.”

He was trying to persuade me.

“Also, the ingredients for the drugs aren’t much different from stimulants. They’ll be extremely useful during wartime.”

The crops cultivated at cartel farms, including Black Poppy, are used as stimulants on the battlefield.

Stimpacks are core war supplies.

“For someone like you, a pure imperialist more than anyone else, there’s no mission more fitting than this.”

I looked at Julian.

His proposal was the right one—for the Empire’s benefit, and for the sake of my own cause.

But was it t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌he same for Julian himself?

To someone who seemed worn down, who had stepped too deeply into the darkness of the world…

“Julian.”

Suddenly, words spilled from my mouth.

“What are you searching for?”

Swoooosh──.

The wind blew, rustling the branches. Shadows flickered as if dancing.

Julian gazed quietly up at the night sky. Gentle moonlight gathered in his eyes.

“……Who knows.”

And in him, I saw.

“Perhaps I’m searching for a way to reach my dream.”

A fragment of Valtaras.

***

A luxury villa in downtown Bekinia.

I opened Eshton’s chest cavity laid out on a metal tray. I examined the heart first in detail. I didn’t need the other organs.

“……He’s a subspecies.”

“You learned autopsy?”

“Yes. The shape of the heart is different. The more trained in mana someone is, the more distinct it becomes.”

The atria, ventricles, muscles, every form was different. Unlike humans, the hearts of subspecies are altered by mana. More efficient pathways are carved according to each individual’s talent.

“I’ll keep the heart.”

I removed the heart and placed the corpse in the freezer.

Thanks to Julian, I had learned something new.

A living Ezenheim is difficult to use, but a dead one is more than usable.

“Then, let me explain.”

“Yes.”

Julian pointed to the chalkboard hanging on the wall. Dozens of photos were connected like a spider’s web.

“Costa, Fellier, Kunta. These three are the most influential cartel heads. Also called Capo. They’re at war with each other while selling drugs recklessly and competitively. There’s no order and no control.”

I scanned the Capo and their subordinates. In their world, they had many nicknames—Viper, Boss of Bosses, Iron Boar.

They were nothing more than frogs in a well.

“They can be easily taken out. I’ll use this body to handle the ‘destruction’ of the cartel.”

Eshton. This man would become a hero. Not as an Ezenheim spy who falsified his identity, but as an ill-fated knight who was brutally murdered while working for the people of the Empire.

By enraging the Sentinel and the other knight forces and directing that fury at the cartel, the destruction operation would resolve itself naturally.

The problem comes after.

Julian pointed out that very part.

“However, even if we cut off the head, new heads will emerge.”

Before the regression, the Empire had also severed the cartel’s heads, but their underlings had risen up in chaos, making the political situation even more turbulent, and their atrocities continued even after the Empire’s fall.

“If that’s the case, then it’s better to create a controllable organization that encompasses the entire cartel.”

In other words, to establish the strongest cartel.

“Do you have a candidate?”

“There’s someone I’ve been cultivating for quite a while. He has both the skills and the purpose. But… cough.”

Julian let out a dry cough. He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and gave a bitter smile.

“My funding has its limits. To raise him properly, I need far more money than I currently have.”

“Funding won’t be a problem.”

“I know, but… truthfully, the cartel devours money faster than you think. It’s like pouring water into a bottomless pot.”

Julian seemed concerned about me. Of course, even that could be an act, but one thing was certain.

Just as I can’t read Julian, he can’t read me.

Perhaps no one in this world can see my ‘end’.

“You’ve seen my money and you’re still worried? There’s no need for that.”

I said calmly.

“I’ll tell only you. My net worth exceeds at least ten billion dollars.”

“Ten billion?”

Julian blinked.

“Yes. That’s the minimum. Honestly, I don’t even know how much I have. It keeps growing every day”

The short selling profits from Canilan, the surge in raw materials, revenue from mana stone mines, and the acquisition of several Imperial corporations—at this point, a structure where money generates more money was already complete.

“……I see. Ten billion, I didn’t expect that.”

At the very least for me, problems that could be solved with money were the easiest.