Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Observation (3)

……Leutern II was meticulous and calculating.

A wolf that looked like a pig, hiding a viciously cruel core beneath a round, harmless exterior.

At this point, Grossman could see him no other way.

For this Executive Affairs Minister confirmation, every eye and ear in the Imperial Palace, even Grossman’s own shadow, had watched Leutern II’s every move.

Yet the bastard showed nothing. Not a single sign.

If anything, his daily routine looked idiotic. So monotonous that even the watchers got tired of it.

He said he was doing outside inspections while hunting for famous restaurants, said he was studying while locking himself in the west wing library only to drool and sleep, said he was attending operas while reclining in his seat and sleeping there too. Day after day, he just killed time.

It was the same routine Leutern II had always shown in the palace, and then at some point,

the closed hearing transcript was leaked from the Imperial Palace Archive.

Everyone in the palace thought Leutern did it. The direct agency investigated him thoroughly, but found no physical evidence.

So how he stole the document from there, and how he spread so many copies, Grossman still had not figured out.

“Ha……”

He took a drag on his cigar and sank into thought.

The extremity of removing Julius, one pillar of royalty, even through a staged spectacle. The execution to shake off countless watchers and steal palace secrets as if mocking them.

That was why Leutern II’s reason for accepting this meeting had to be deeply political. Which only raised more questions.

Why would that crafty bastard insist on seating Kents Bertem with them?

Why set the meeting outside the palace, at Lilac Vita of all places?

Every move felt loaded with meaning…… and still, his intent remained unreadable.

“……I can’t tell what he truly wants.”

Grossman had always tracked people through desire.

What they thirsted for, what they coveted. Under the belief that no one existed without desire, he seized that greed like a leash and yanked.

But it did not work on Leutern II.

Leutern was different from everyone else.

He was a completely new kind of enemy, one who scattered shallow desires in loud, careless excess, then perfectly hid his true intent behind that sloppiness.

At times, sending an assassin to cut his throat and enduring the fallout seemed easier than this tangled game of maneuvering.

For Grossman, who preferred elegant politics in his own way, it was the first time in his life he had felt that kind of killing intent.

……

Meanwhile, Leutern II was lying on a sofa.

In his private chamber, after repeatedly ordering everyone, Do not disturb me no matter what! he had been studying military strategy and meant to rest for just a moment, just a tiny moment,

“……Krr.”

Then he fell asleep without realizing it.

“KRAAAAA-”

Snoring.

“KAAAAAK-”

* * *

One day at the Sentinel Order.

An official document came down from the Imperial Palace. It was a clear order to halt the Order’s investigation into Mason Industries.

“……Interesting.”

I smiled.

Mason Industries still had plenty of pull, for now. Maybe the Emperor was excited by their results.

Then again, their future downfall came only after the Outcast incident, when their usefulness was completely gone.

“……?”

Right then, a gaze brushed down my spine.

The feeling that something was watching me.

I turned on instinct, and it snapped away and vanished.

“……”

It was a strange sense of déjà vu.

I was about to dismiss it and return to paperwork, then suddenly,

“Wait.”

I had felt something similar on the day I visited T24 Lab.

I frowned and thought hard, and one name flashed through my head.

One of Outcast’s characters. A cartoonist with the supernatural ability called Super-Vision. In other words, Filty, the original author of Outcast.

If the real Filty’s ability matched the comic too,

had she started watching me because of the recent T24 incident?

“Hm.”

Still, I had no time to worry about that right now. They had no real way to reach me directly anyway, and more than that, now was the time to temper the Order and bind it together.

Absolute power corrupted absolutely, and stagnant water always rotted.

The first-years who had just entered year one and grown arrogant, and the fourth and fifth years who had gained just enough seniority to become slick and lazy, were slowly turning into infected wounds inside Sentinel.

There were many knights nowhere near Cliff’s level, yet still chasing private greed like parasites.

Even among Hanna’s cohort, most of the first-years were substandard graduates of the old lax Empire Point system before the academy rules were reformed.

Tap, tap.

I straightened the papers on my desk. Then I tucked them under my arm and left the office. I climbed the stairs and reached Kairon’s deputy commander office.

Knock, knock.

When I opened the door and entered, a reception desk came first. Kairon’s office had gained another layer of formality.

“This way.”

A staff officer guided me to the deputy commander’s room. We passed four more administrative offices, and Kairon was in the largest office at the end of the corridor.

“……Max. What brings you here?”

The space Anton used to occupy still held traces of him. Most notably, the taxidermied frenzied moose mounted above the fireplace, the one Anton had hunted himself in the past.

“Sometimes symbols like that matter.”

Kairon noticed my gaze, gestured to the moose, and smiled faintly.

“There was no reason to erase everything from my predecessor and invite resentment. I thought leaving this much would be fine.”

He had clearly grown compared to before my regression. Most of all, the impatience that used to eat at him was gone. Probably because he no longer needed to beg for power by colluding with the Imperial Guard.

“Deputy Commander-nim. This is the audit report.”

I handed him the documents. Kairon took them and turned the pages with a grave expression.

“……Quite a few problematic knights.”

“Yes.”

Those who took kickbacks from specific companies. Those who tilted retrials in favorable directions for private profit. Those who abused knight authority to extort civilians. Those who took bribes to ignore enforcement of the Imperial Civil Law for the Protection of Aran Bloodline.

The worst was a year-one noble knight who forced discounts at luxury stores and even demanded mandatory sponsorship.

“I did not forgive Knight Cliff only because he was Sentinel.”

Where there was power, flies gathered. Put on a uniform, and people on the street treated you with extreme deference just because you were a knight. How could your shoulders stay level in that position?

But that was exactly why I was here.

That was exactly why I kept spending money without stopping.

I had no intention of leaving any of my fortune by the time this war ended, and that premise itself became my strength.

“Sentinel is Sentinel in the end, but for that to happen, qualification must come first.”

The stronger the Order’s authority grew, the closer it came to being unchecked, the more it had to prove through its own actions that it deserved that authority. Before asking for treatment and privilege, they had to understand and carry out the Empire’s will.

“Sentinel must carry the dignity Sentinel deserves, and recognize itself as the sharpest blade that protects the Empire.”

A knight blinded by personal gain and harming the Empire would never be tolerated.

What knights had to lead to victory was war, and the necks they had to cut were enemy armies and Izenheim, nothing else.

“A clear awareness of a knight’s duty will lead to the right kind of pride.”

“……”

Kairon stared at my audit papers for a while, then nodded.

“And the only ones who can punish Sentinel are Sentinel itself.”

It was completely sound logic.

Bang!

The stamp of the new deputy commander came down.

……From that day, eleven year-one knights, two year-two knights, three year-four knights, and six year-five knights were sent to the disciplinary committee. Those with relatively minor offenses were given salary cuts of three to six months. Those with major offenses were suspended for one year. The four with the most severe cases were dismissed without mercy and permanently stripped of knight qualification.

On top of that, large notices stamped with red seals were posted all along the Order corridors.

[ Notice of Internal Audit Results ]

[ Salary Cut: 10 ]

[ Suspension: 8 ]

[ Dismissal: 4 ]

I deliberately did not list real names. There was no need to inflict more shame than necessary.

I also did not consider status when selecting discipline targets. In fact, nobles were more numerous than commoners.

Because of that, some houses with political connections whose knights were suspended or dismissed approached Deputy Commander Kairon, but he refused all of them with one line.

‘This is entirely under internal audit jurisdiction, so it is not a matter I can intervene in.’

He pushed all responsibility onto the audit lead, meaning me, but not a single noble came in person to plead.

No, to be exact, they did not dare come.

In noble society, no house held more power than Ebenholtz.

There might be a few equals, but the only one clearly above it was the Emperor.

* * *

Spring, the season when many new things began.

Lorenzo Academy completed a prototype of a low-cost radio to distribute free across the Empire, and Johann Georg Goetze’s graduation ceremony brought me to Imperial Central University.

[ Imperial Central University Graduation Ceremony ]

This was the grand auditorium of Imperial Central University under warm spring sunlight.

As celebratory bouquets and excited laughter filled the hall, the president’s voice rang out.

I sat in the very front row and watched Johann walk up to the podium.

Around me sat the Empire’s most influential figures packed tightly together. Not just college deans, but high-ranking military generals, members of the House of Nobles, and even right beside me sat Empire Point principal Lieutenant General Litruman.

“Is that young man the famous author of Baltaras?”

Litruman asked, watching Johann on stage with interest.

“Yes. He is a very unusual intellect.”

I made Johann’s face stick in Litruman’s mind and in the minds of the nearby nobles.

A talent who would soon enter politics and become the head of the propaganda department, controlling the thoughts of the masses as the Empire’s loudspeaker. Planting his presence in advance among imperial powerholders was work that had to be done.

“Johann.”

I called Johann after he stepped down from the podium. He approached with a somewhat tense expression.

“Sir Knight Maximilian. Thank you for coming.”

As Johann thanked me politely, the surrounding nobles naturally turned their attention to him.

“Oh, so you are Johann. The author of Baltaras.”

“A celebrity was here?”

That was how connections formed. People in key posts, including Lieutenant General Litruman, spoke with Johann and fixed his name and face in their memory.

Then, while I was watching their conversation,

Bzzt.

The terminal in my pocket gave a short vibration. I checked it and stood up.

“Then I must excuse myself. I have urgent business.”

Litruman and the surrounding nobles already looked like they knew why.

“Ah. Right, today is that day.”

“I heard there is a very important meeting at Lilac Vita today.”

“For someone at that level from the Imperial Palace to come outside, that is not ordinary at all……”

A meeting between Grossman, the real power inside the Imperial Palace, and Leutern II, who had suddenly risen.

That rumor had already spread through the entire imperial upper class. Everyone pretended not to know, but all of them were on edge for possible friction there.

“Yes. Then I’ll be off.”

* * *

Lilac Vita had been reserved in full today for only two people. Sentinel knights and Imperial Palace guards were deployed all along the road, and the restaurant interior had been thoroughly inspected by the palace direct agency itself.

“……”

“……”

At last, the two sat facing each other.

Grossman quietly watched Leutern II. Leutern II, meanwhile, had his gaze fixed on the food already served.

Though it was not only those two.

Just as Leutern wanted, Kents Bertem had been brought into the meeting.

“Eat. It’s unbelievably good. Kents, you eat too.”

Leutern invited them to start first. Grossman smiled calmly, cut into the veal tenderloin topped with caviar, and took a bite.

“……Mm.”

The taste was excellent indeed. Good enough to understand why palace nobles were desperate for reservation vouchers.

Leutern glanced at Kents Bertem beside him.

“Kents. I told you to eat. This is your first time here, right?”

“……”

Kents Bertem had been seething ever since he sat down.

Leutern’s arrogant attitude, and being treated like nothing but an accessory, were hard to endure.

Even so, he forced his anger down and picked up his knife.

He cut the meat, put it in his mouth, and the moment he chewed,

“……!”

Kents’s eyes trembled.

This is unbelievably good. A true delicacy I have never tasted in my life.

“Hmph.”

Leutern snorted at Kents’s reaction. Grossman dabbed his mouth with a napkin and began in a mild tone.

“Duke Leutern seems quite busy these days-”

“Ah, these days? Well, I’ve been studying military strategy, that’s why. The rumors spread that fast already?”

Military strategy. Grossman’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly at that word.

At some point Leutern had started repeating that military strategy talk. Naturally, he was likely anticipating future war and laying groundwork for it.

As if building royal power by removing Julius was not enough, now he was showing ambition to involve himself in military affairs, even war.

“What do you think about this new title, Executive Affairs Minister? You seemed to have a lot of complaints about it.”

You seemed to have a lot of complaints.

That was Grossman’s real point. Leutern replied casually with his fork still in hand.

“Ah, whatever. It doesn’t really matter to me. I’m not sure there’s even any need to control the knight orders anyway. They seem to handle themselves just fine already.”

Grossman smiled faintly and nodded, but Kents Bertem could not hold back and cut in.

“That blade of the knight orders can point at the Imperial Palace any time, no, one day it definitely will. Are you pretending not to know that, or do you really not know?”

Kents Bertem’s usual tone, acting like only he knew, acting smart, talking down like he was teaching others.

Exactly the type Leutern hated most, the type that scraped at his pride.

“……What are you even saying.”

Leutern’s knife stopped. His plump face suddenly cooled.

He looked straight at Kents and replied with an innocent expression.

“That’s just your opinion.”

At the same time, he turned and stared at Grossman.

“Chief Secretary-nim, do you think like him too?”

“……”

Grossman only gave a small smile.

“Come on, no way. No, say it. Right? This guy keeps making everything up in his own head.”

When Grossman made a slight nod-like motion, Leutern muttered, Knew it, and pointed his knife at Kents.

“Hey, this has always been your problem. You keep forcing your opinions on other people. Then you act like whatever you think is always right.”

“What-”

“You can’t read the room, and you’ve got no sense either. Just eat. Even Chief Secretary-nim is having his first meal at Lilac Vita.”

Leutern II felt good. Right now, rebutting everything Kents said and openly needling him was simply fun.

“……”

But Grossman hid his emotions and sank into thought.

He wants me to open my mouth. He demands explicit words, and above all…… he keeps touching relationships.

Relationships.

The links between person and person.

In politics, that was where the most sensitive dynamics surfaced.

“This has always been your issue since we were young. You think whatever you want, then you run wild however you want. Sigh, when are you going to grow up?”

Leutern kept scraping at him in his usual way. To Kents, it felt like his skin was being pared away with a blade.

Still, he knew he had been fooled by this man’s style for far too long.

So this time, he calmed down instead. He showed no reaction.

Then Leutern whipped his gaze away.

“What do you think, Chief Secretary-nim?”

“……Let’s eat first.”

Grossman picked up his wineglass instead. He needed time to sort his thoughts.

Certainly not an easy opponent. But there was no reason to overreact. You should never hand unnecessary narrative weight to an enemy. See him as he is, stay alert, and deal with him.

But Leutern’s tongue did not stop. This time he looked at Kents and muttered.

“Anyway, Kents, your mouth is always the problem. So this time too, because of your mouth…… ah, sorry.”

Mouth. A clear reference to the transcript leak.

Veins bulged on the back of Kents’s hand.