Chapter 114. Treaty (6)

Since the dawn of history, there have been many who were called Emperor, or who called themselves Emperor.

However, the meaning or role of the word ‘Emperor’ differs slightly depending on the culture and era.

The first emperor of China, famous for the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, was a monarch who established a powerful, centralized empire.

In contrast, the emperors of Rome, who ruled a thousand-year empire, did not directly control all their territories but rather governed them indirectly by recognizing autonomy through the provincial system.

It would be a natural difference.

The era, culture, race, and surrounding circumstances were all different.

Nevertheless, if one were to pick a single commonality, it would be the connection to ‘gods’.

All emperors were deified.

The First Qin Emperor spoke of himself as an intermediary between heaven and man.

Roman emperors were initially human, but were often deified after death.

This was true for most ancient monarchs, such as the Egyptian pharaoh, the incarnation of the sun god Ra; the Persian king, who received the protection of Ahura Mazda; and Jumong, who descended from the bloodline of the river god.

The Emperor of Lumer is similar.

In fact, in Lumer, he was called the ‘reincarnation of the chief god’.

According to the lore, Lumer was a nation where sun god worship was prevalent, so the ‘chief god’ here refers to the sun god.

The title the Vampire Duke shouted at me, ‘O one who shall shine for eternity,’ reflects that mythology.

“The reincarnation of the sun god….”

‘Master, the corners of your mouth are turning up.’

Oops.

I covered my mouth with a teacup and calmed the corners of my lips.

It seems my expression is getting out of control from joy.

Similar things have happened several times since I fell into this land, but this is the first time I've been misunderstood on this scale.

It can't be helped; the misunderstandings I've received over the past years have all worked to my benefit.

Wandering mage, secret knight, saint, inquisitor, and so on.

I remember making good use of them every time, and this time, it's none other than the Emperor of Lumer.

It would be strange if I weren't happy.

‘Why did he misunderstand?’

Of course, I can't just stand by.

I must use this misunderstanding well.

To do that, reading the opponent's psychology comes first.

Slurp.

The reception room of Karnhorst’s castle.

Drinking the tea served by the Vampire Duke’s servant, I thought about that ‘misunderstanding’.

For reference, the servant is also a vampire.

Because no humans live in this land.

‘Come to think of it, how do they cultivate tea leaves? The mana of necromancy would concentrate toxins in the crops. Is there a separate way to remove it?’

I tilted my head for a moment, but the answer soon appeared before my eyes.

The toxicity hadn't disappeared.

[[Selective Loss of Taste] is deployed.]

It was just that my iron stomach had ignored the poison.

“……”

Come to think of it, that trait made me immune to all poisons, parasites, and food poisonings that entered through the digestive system, except for extreme poisons.

I've one less thing to worry about being assassinated by poison.

By the way, did he just give me poisoned tea to drink?

Just as I was about to say something, the servant rushed into the reception room with a clatter.

“Your, Your Imperial Majesty! I have made a mistake and brought the wrong beverage. I have committed a crime worthy of death!”

“……”

“This is coffee imported from Indika in the south. Please, just spare my life…!”

…Was it a mistake?

Seeing him hold up the coffee tray while bowing at a 90-degree angle, it doesn't seem like a lie.

Uh-oh, his hands are trembling.

I should take it before he spills the coffee.

“You may go.”

“S-sob, thank… thank you! The Duke will also be here shortly, properly attired.”

Bowing at 90 degrees once more, the servant carefully left the room.

Back to the main point, let's think about why he mistook me for the Emperor.

Well, the reason is actually simple.

The Lumer Legionnaires.

A few hours ago.

At the critical moment of confrontation with the Duke right before the inner castle.

To unleash all possible power in the guise of Tribus, I summoned four thousand Lumer Legionnaires in their entirety, in addition to the Necro Ogers I made and the undead forces I had bound.

For reference, the Lumer Legionnaires are loyal only to the Emperor.

No matter how powerful a necromancer, not even Duke Zarhill or the second Duke, Tribus, could subjugate the legionnaires.

Summoning such legionnaires in the thousands out of thin air, it's quite possible he would mistake me for the Emperor.

‘Loyalty to His Majesty! Let’s wipe out the insect-like mongrel half-breeds!’

‘Loyalty to His Majesty!!’

The legionnaires, led by the Chiliarchs, openly shouted things like that.

‘The mask probably played a part too.’

“The mask?”

‘The Emperor of Lumer was said to have worn a mask during his lifetime. And it’s true.’

“Right, that’s true. Was it because of leprosy?”

‘Hmm? How on earth do you know that?’

I know because I played it myself.

According to the lore, four thousand years ago, during the golden age of Lumer, the Emperor suffered from a disease that caused his body to rot.

It was unacceptable for him, who was like a demigod, to show a weak appearance, so the Emperor was said to have covered his face with a golden mask whenever he appeared in public.

That’s why all depictions of the Emperor on the murals of the Lumer ruins show a masked face.

“He thought I was the Emperor because I commanded the Lumer Legionnaires and was wearing a mask….”

Well, it’s not like I have any disease.

For reference, what the Emperor had was strictly speaking not a disease but a curse.

A mysterious curse called the ‘Curse of Leprosy,’ with no explanation in the lore as to why he was afflicted.

“Kkumteuli, you said you knew the Emperor well, right?”

‘I did. Among mere humans, I would say he was the closest after you, Master.’

“Do you know why the Emperor was cursed?”

‘…….’

“Why did you suddenly go quiet?”

‘…….’

What is this.

Could this also be related to the church or sacred relics?

As I was pondering this, the sound of footsteps approached from outside.

Soon, the door opened, and a neatly dressed vampire entered the room.

With a very complicated and subtle expression on her face.

“Your Imperial Majesty.”

It was the Princess of Blood.

“My father wishes to see you. No… wishes to see Your Majesty.”

Formal language seems awkward for her.

“If it’s alright with you, with me….”

“Let’s go. You don't have to use honorifics if you're uncomfortable.”

“……Really?”

“Yes.”

What’s so important about empty formalities?

I downed the coffee in one shot and stood up.

It was still too early to let my guard down.

Perhaps the Duke has realized it by now.

“……”

That there remains one fatal flaw in the hypothesis that I am the Emperor of Lumer.

* * *

They say one misunderstanding begets another.

It's a phrase usually used in a negative sense, but life is truly unpredictable.

“I was so surprised when I saw you drink the holy water, you know? Disloyally, until that moment, a small part of me still thought you might be just a human necromancer…. I thought perhaps you were trying to take your own life rather than submit to me.”

“I see.”

“But Your Majesty shattered my foolishness and fully accepted the effects of the holy water. A mere necromancer would have incurred the wrath of the Empire’s god on the spot and died.”

To think that misunderstandings can be piled up in such a positive way.

In fact, what the Vampire Duke said wasn't wrong.

It's common sense that those who have accepted the mana of necromancy are vulnerable to divine power.

An ordinary human necromancer would get burned just by touching holy water.

Protecting oneself with mana would lessen the effect, but drinking it outright would make even that impossible.

“Since you are a sacred being who will forever receive the grace of the sun, the holy water of the Imperial Church must have been helpful. Isn't there a saying that gods respect each other?”

“Is that so?”

“Ah, is it not?”

I'm not so sure about that.

At least the Outer Gods I know don't seem to show much respect for each other….

‘Heh heh, Master, where else would you find deities as united in mutual respect and love as us?’

‘Tick-tock…?’

‘Our little Tick-Tocky, do you want to be punished by holding a spear again?’

‘…….’

Anyway, the Duke’s misunderstanding is not entirely without reason.

When you play as the Emperor of Lumer, you start with an incomplete body.

This is because the leprosy that tormented him in life gnawed away at his dead body in the form of a curse.

After restoring the body through various rituals and ceremonies, you go through the ‘Complete Resurrection’ event and regain a whole body. From then on, the undead attribute disappears, and you can develop unique miracle skills.

“Then… have you now completely regained your body?”

This is the key.

The fact that I have a whole body.

Why a fully resurrected Emperor isn't setting out to conquer the continent.

Why he is living as a wandering human necromancer near the Empire.

No matter how much he mistook me for the Emperor, that one question must still reside within the Duke.

That’s why I still couldn't let my guard down.

If I couldn't provide a convincing reason here, we would have to return to the previous state of confrontation.

“About that…”

“Could it be!!”

“……?”

“Ah, those traitors finally did this to Your Majesty…!”

“?”

Traitors?

What is he talking about?

There were no retainers who would dare to rebel against that absolute monarch.

Could it be a new setting from the 4.0 update that I don't know about?

“The 2nd Legion Commander, the 4th Legion Commander! I knew it would be like this. Hebrun, do you see? Your father was right!”

“Uh, yes?”

“Didn't I tell you time and time again! The reason His Imperial Majesty has not conquered the continent again until now is surely because there are treacherous vassals under him!”

So, you're saying.

Those treacherous vassals are the 2nd and 4th Legion Commanders?

I thought about it, with the Duke clapping his hands and shouting in the background, and the Princess making a ‘here we go again’ face.

Strange.

The 2nd Legion Commander is the Emperor's Captain of the Guard.

The 4th Legion Commander is the ambassador the Emperor trusts the most.

“Your Majesty, do not worry. Although I am but an ignorant fool before you, I have read and reread the history of Lumer until it is etched into my very bones. And that includes the two wicked legion commanders who have coveted Your Majesty’s throne!”

“I-Is that so?”

“Of course. The reason I turned my back on the Emperor of the Empire was also to wait for the true Emperor, His Majesty, who would one day return from the south!”

…So that’s what it was?

If Viscount Pewin or the Emperor of the Empire heard that, they would want to beat me to death.

By the way, were the two legion commanders really traitors?

I asked the Duke where he found out, since it seemed like information I didn't know.

If it's content added in the 4.0 update, this too will act as a very important variable.

“I Became the Frail Emperor of an Ancient Empire, but After Being Betrayed, I Regressed and Built an Empire!”

“……Huh?”

“The title is a bit long, isn’t it? It’s a book. I Became the Frail Emperor of an Ancient Empire….”

No, no, wait a minute.

What in the world is that title, which sounds like an internet novel from the 2000s?

Are you for real?

Is that even a history book in the first place?

“……Sigh.”

The sound of the Princess of Blood’s sigh sounded particularly loud, and it probably wasn't my imagination.

* * *

The sky was red.

It was sunset.

The streets splashed with red water.

The rain that had poured for the past few days, along with blood and flesh, had clogged the sewers and was overflowing onto the streets.

“…Hmm.”

The Emperor's ambassador and the Spear of Lumer, 4th Legion Commander Tutobarus, rolled his shoulders.

His ears felt itchy for some reason.

Of course, as a colossus, he had no such organs as ears.

To protect the Emperor's long sleep, he had completely abandoned even his human body on the day he resolved to enter the tomb with him.

The powerful colossus body he was granted, though unable to feel the pleasures of being human, was powerful enough to more than compensate for that drawback.

Even now.

Hadn’t he destroyed a kingdom that was considered quite strong in this era in just one week?

“For In…dika….”

Crunch!

The general, who had survived even after his legs were cut off, was finally crushed under the legion commander's foot and became a lump of meat.

Indika was destroyed.

The 4th Legion Commander took heavy steps toward the royal castle.

One of the legionnaires had reported that there was a treasure worthy of the Emperor there.

It was one of the sacred relics that had protected the Empire during Lumer's most powerful era.