Semi-Coercive Imperialist

The Imperial Royal Opera House.

This place, the final stop on the Imperial Princess’s schedule, was once the most famous opera house on the continent “before my regression”.

It was, before my regression.

Which meant it wasn’t yet. Of course, it could be called the finest within the Empire, but the Republic of Prozen far surpassed the Empire in culture and the arts overall.

Even the citizens of the Empire had to begrudgingly admit that fact.

—Poor Giro! How is it that your love is so fleeting!

Instead, a special story is tied to this Royal Opera House.

─Ah! It feels as though my heart is being seared with fire!

I looked up at the VIP balcony. There sat the Imperial Princess “Justine” and her escort knight.

However, Justine’s expression didn’t look pleased. The VIP balcony had a limited view and wasn’t ideal for enjoying the opera, and she preferred the general seating.

I turned to continue my patrol. I entered the corridor leading backstage, behind the opera house stage.

I spread my mana thin to sweep the interior, extending my senses to detect any potential enemies.

Th⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠ump─.

My heart trembled faintly.

I turned my gaze toward the end of the corridor, hidden in darkness.

Thump─.

The virus was reacting. It was the presence of an Ezenheim.

I quietly walked in that direction.

Thump─.

A busy space filled with staff carrying props from the waiting room and organizing costumes.

In the midst of that chaos, a man walked by, carrying a ladder on his shoulder.

He was just a staff member in ordinary work clothes, but my heart pointed toward him.

“…….”

I walked up to him and deliberately bumped shoulders.

Thud.

“What the he… oh, uh, I-I’m sorry!”

The man initially showed a flash of irritation on his face but hurriedly lowered his head.

I stared at him intently.

Right now, I held the power of life and death. Anyone threatening the safety of the Imperial Family was subject to immediate judgment. If I killed him now and performed an autopsy, there would surely be proof he was a subspecies.

“…….”

I gripped the sword angled at my lower back and stared him down.

“I, I, I… Sir Knight?”

The man’s eyes trembled as he faced me. His lips turned blue, his complexion pale.

His fear was vivid.

The Ezenheim race mimicked human emotions even more convincingly than humans. That made them all the more repulsive, and far more chilling.

“Johan!”

Just then, someone shouted and rushed over. I turned my head. A man with heavy stage makeup. It was “Leonard”, a star in the Empire’s opera scene.

“Johan, what are you doing here! You need to move! Aren’t you preparing for the next act?”

“I-I…”

“Go! I said go!”

Johan was indeed a common name.

“Don’t just stand there like an idiot. Move!”

Leonard forcefully pushed the Ezenheim away. The Ezenheim scurried off in a panic, and instead, I turned to look at Leonard.

Leonard was the one who spoke first.

“Sir Knight. What are you doing here?”

“…I’m on duty.”

At my reply, Leonard furrowed his brows. He held himself with dignity.

An attitude that didn’t cower even before a knight. Probably because he too came from a distinguished knightly family. He was an unusual person who had purely chased his dream to become an opera performer, and his conviction in himself was equally strong.

“I don’t know what kind of duty it is, but this kind of behavior during a performance is disruptive. You’re scaring the staff.”

Leonard was a fine man from a prestigious house.

Justine was the Emperor’s daughter.

The reason this place became so famous was because of these two.

On a day not far from now, the princess would visit the opera house without her escort and get caught up in a terrorist attack. The person who saved her then was this opera performer, Leonard.

The two fell in love as if by fate. It was uncommon in the Empire, and precisely because it was the Empire, it became the romance of the century.

“Yes. My apologies.”

I gave a faint smile and shook my head.

“I think I was being overly sensitive.”

But the ending was a tragedy.

Leonard was assassinated. It was presumed that the culprit was either a spy from the Eastern Union, the Revolutionary forces, or perhaps a staged act by the Imperial Palace concerned about dilution of power, but the truth remained unknown.

The Imperial Princess, having lost her lover, spiraled into extremity, and both the Emperor and Johann used the incident for propaganda. It was the beginning of the Empire’s collapse, one that came far too “prematurely”.

—Bang.

Perhaps it was intermission, as the waiting room door swung open. Actors and staff came pouring out.

Thump— Thump— Thump—

Among the staff being pushed from behind, I sensed at least three Ezenheim.

“…….”

There was an unusually high number of Ezenheim here.

It was likely in preparation for the upcoming terror attack.

I stared at them intently, then turned back into the shadows.

***

At the Royal Empire Hotel in the imperial capital, under a sky stained black.

Professor Jean Pierre was deep in thought.

The manuscript paper on his desk was blank. No, it had but one name written alone.

[Maximilian Ebenholtz]

In Jean Pierre’s opinion, the man held immense academic value. As dangerous as he was fascinating, a subject of research so compelling that, as a scholar who delved into personalities, it was the first time he felt such a powerful intuition that “this man will shape an era”.

It was thrilling, and at the same time terrifying.

Maximilian’s appearance was certainly outstanding, just as the rumors claimed. He had a face that most Imperial nobles, no matter how hard they tried, could never imitate.

His linguistic abilities were also beyond expectations.

It was nothing new for imperial nobles to learn Prozen out of pretension.

Prozen actually mocked such tendencies among imperial nobles, but Maximilian’s learning was far from mere pretension.

“In Zerpha too…….”

Maximilian’s name appeared there, too.

There, he once again demonstrated his military leadership capability. The 7th Imperial Guard Battalion on the western frontier, a newly formed battalion. He had participated as a knight on the battlefield and broke through the Republican faction’s encirclement within a month.

But what stood out most was his “restraint”.

He had indeed broken through the enemy encirclement. Most young commanders, intoxicated by such a high, would recklessly push deeper into enemy lines or pop the champagne to flaunt their military merit at the center.

Maximilian was not like that.

Even in the moment of victory, he remained cold; even in the heart of enemy territory, he showed no disarray. He gave credit for the achievement to Major General Schweitzer and Lieutenant Colonel Han.

“…And even in politics.”

Recently, the Empire introduced new policies that caused several western nations to sputter in outrage.

Foreign exchange controls, restrictions on profit remittances, and the unprecedented taxation concept of “tax withholding”.

The real reason Jean Pierre had come all the way to the Empire was to directly analyze the diplomatic repercussions and impacts on the populace brought about by these policies.

“Haa…”

Jean Pierre exhaled a long stream of c⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠igarette smoke.

‘For the Empire.’

The words Maximilian had spoken at the museum.

Jean Pierre mulled over the true meaning behind those words.

“Does he truly serve the Emperor?”

The current Emperor was a ruler with legitimacy that ranked among the greatest in the Empire’s thousand-year history. He called himself a god, and his belief that “I am the state” was well known.

But would Maximilian see it the same way?

Maximilian was the son of a loyalist, but he possessed as vast, perhaps even broader, a range of talents and capabilities as Sebestian.

And there is one eternal truth.

A person’s ambition grows to match the size of their vessel.

Would Maximilian’s aspirations… really be satisfied with just Ebenholtz?

“…….”

Having organized his thoughts into an outline, Jean Pierre began writing without hesitation.

A biographical critique, or perhaps a warning to the current generation.

Either way, Jean Pierre felt he would be absorbed in the figure called Maximilian for some time.

***

The Sentinel Knight Order, now fully embraced by midsummer. Built in a terrain where the sun beats down relentlessly, it was now gradually being equipped with window-type air conditioners supplied by Lorenzo Academy.

“Opera terror attack…”

I was lost in deep thought in my office.

In the face of great cause, emotions were nothing but obstacles, and the individual was a trivial byproduct.

But the Ezenheim exploit even that. They consume human emotions as a tool, making them the most inhuman of beings.

Therefore, to face them, one must become a monster even more monstrous than they are.

“If, perhaps…”

I won⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠dered about the “what if”.

What if, on that night, Justine didn’t meet Leonard at the opera house?

What if she met someone other than Leonard…… someone like me, for example?

What if the future diverged, and she came to feel affection for me?

“…Could I…”

…become Emperor?

…No. Politics isn’t that simple.

Even so, these thoughts kept coming to me lately.

Emperor.

If I had been an Emperor rather than an Ebenholtz, could I have walked this hellish path a little more easily?

“…….”

I shook my head to dispel the idle thoughts.

Knock knock.

Just in time, my executive secretary Yukia entered with a knock. She held out an envelope.

“It’s a sealed envelope from Sir Julian.”

Her formal speech was rather pleasing to hear. I took the envelope from her.

Yukia hesitated for a moment in place.

“Do you have something to say?”

When I asked, she paused briefly before speaking.

“…I went to the grave.”

“…….”

“My father looked… peaceful.”

Her voice was calm, but the corners of her eyes were slightly red.

I remained silent for a moment before asking teasingly.

“Did you wiretap me again?”

She gave a small laugh and shook her head.

“Not anymore. But… I want to ask about that fishy smell.”

Ezenheim. The source of that rotten stench.

Then she placed one more document down. It was a list of names from the Arte Museum factory, people with the “fishy smell”.

I tapped on the document and replied.

“…Later.”

“When?”

“When the time comes that you can fully trust my words. I’ll tell you then.”

Yukia didn’t ask any further. She quietly bowed her head and left.

I opened the documents Julian had sent.

On the first page, a short sentence was written.

[ It’s ready. ]

True to Julian’s style, it was straight to the point.

Below, it explained how a new club in Verkina had become a city landmark in less than three months, and that cartel executives were coming and going as if it were their own home.

Kalo had expanded his power rapidly. Thanks to Julian’s help, he had established a new farm.

“…….”

Finally, it was time to make use of Eshton’s corpse.

I rose from my seat and headed to Chiron’s office.

On the upper floor of the knight order, just as I was about to habitually knock on the door labeled ‘Senior Knight Chiron’─

“…Phew.”

I paused. Took a deep breath. Deliberately disheveled my clothes. Loosened my tie, and slightly tousled my neatly combed hair.

Ebenholtz maintains composure and grace. Precisely because of that, this kind of effect might work better.

Bang!

I threw open the door without knocking.

The clerks in the lobby and the 0-year knights jumped up in surprise.

“S─Sir Maximilian?!”

“Wh-What brings you here, sir?”

Ignoring them, I walked straight into Chiron’s private office.

Sensing the commotion, Chiron o⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠pened the door himself.

“Max. What’s wrong?”

I spoke with a deliberately cold expression, acting as though I was barely holding back my anger.

“I have something urgent to report. Immediately.”

“…….”

Chiron gave a solemn nod at my appearance.

“Everyone, leave us.”

After sending away the staff, we went inside and began discussing matters related to the cartel. The moment the name Eshton came up, Chiron’s face hardened instantly…

……

We moved out immediately. Instead of a civilian aircraft, we boarded a military transport vessel from Canilan that I had prepared in advance. There were four of us total. Chiron brought along his two most trusted subordinates.

Whoooooooo──.

The transport reached the skies over the Verkina border region.

“Commencing descent.”

At my signal, the ramp opened.

We threw ourselves into the dark sky. Chiron and his knights followed smoothly. They were well-trained in aerial deployment, and we reached our destination via low-altitude flight.

Fwhoooooo─

Inside the Verkina border, in a deserted forest clearing.

Julian was standing there.

“You’ve come.”

He let out a low sigh and pointed to the duffel bag at his feet.

“It was difficult, but I managed to recover the body.”

“…….”

The zipper was half-open. Through the gap, the gruesomely mutilated state of Eshton─Egilon─was visible.

Chiron’s expression hardened. He likely knew Egilon as well. They had been comrades at the Sentinel.

“Egilon. He was an old friend.”

Julia⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠n spoke in a subdued tone.

“He left Sentinel and was crawling through this sewer for the sake of the Empire’s peace. And now he’s ended up like this…”

I sighed and closed my eyes. Moonlight mana shimmered around my body like heat haze.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“…A knight has died.”

I filled my face with restrained fury and cold killing intent.

“A man who was once a member of Sentinel, reduced to this, by nothing more than gutter rats selling drugs.”

Crack. Chiron and his subordinates clenched their fists tightly. The death of a comrade, especially a death by such torture, was the greatest humiliation for a knight.

“…….”

I looked up at the night sky. Through it, Julian’s performance was flawless. His appearance, steeped in grief, was natural.

Or perhaps… he truly was grieving.

The five of us knights stood by the corpse in silence for a long while.

Fwhooooooo──

A cold night wind swept through the forest.

The cartel dared to lay hands on a knight.

Now they would pay a price fitting that offense─

No.

They would pay far beyond that.