“W-Wait, Your Highness!”

The urgency of the voice snapped me out of my daze.
After three years of relentless overwork, I thought I might finally enjoy a proper night’s sleep.
But no, here we go again—another strange situation, and it was really starting to annoy me.

But no more annoyance was left to express.
This shouldn’t be happening all the time! If I got angry every time a peculiar event occurred, I’d be completely exhausted!

Moreover… it was partially my fault these things kept happening.
‘Have I been a bit too aggressive lately?’

News from Cain reached me about the resurrection of the Black Fangs’ leader and the nonsense coming from the Mining Camp overseer who claimed to have witnessed it.
The moment I heard that, I got a strange intuition.

It could have been mere rumor, just another crazy person babbling. Sure, that possibility was certainly higher when thinking realistically. But still, something felt off about it all.

What nagged at me most was the fact that the leader was supposedly spotted again at the Mining Camp.
It wasn’t public knowledge, but the Black Fangs were first discovered and began their activities at the same magical mining site.
And upon investigation, it turned out to be the same location.

Three years to the exact day since the leader vanished, evidence came in from the very spot where the Black Fangs first operated.
This couldn’t be a coincidence, no matter how you looked at it.
With that conclusion, I sprang into action.

– “So that fool was blabbering to Cain, huh? This is something that cannot be overlooked.”

Who knows how far the Emperor’s ears reach? Spreading that sort of rumor would only bring trouble.

So, I’ll use that idiot instead.
A plausible lie whispered in someone’s ear.
Cain honestly believed that his theory about spies was his own clever deduction.
In the end, I’d been able to silence every survivor and anyone who might have information through him.

– “Oh, right. There are a few things I want to ask of you.”

And while I was at it, I decided to exploit him thoroughly.
Using the guise of Sion, I had managed to deceive everyone in the Empire with the Black Fangs’ leader, Ian.
During the chaos, it just so happened that five divisions swore absolute loyalty to him through the mana oath, yet that loyalty wasn’t perfect.

Everyone thought Ian was dead.
With the leader gone, victory would naturally lean towards the Empire. Why would I want to side with the losing end?
There were plenty of wicked thoughts circulating about refusing cooperation with the Black Fangs, even threatening to expose that I was on their side.

After all, Ian was dead, and no one knew of the oath.
Why wouldn’t I just lay low and await the Empire’s victory, taking on a hands-off observer role?
– “There are a few things needing fixing, like the management of key weapons or establishing a contact network for emergencies.”

In this scenario, personally visiting the headquarters of the divisions would be the worst possible idea.
Mana oaths are notoriously vague; no one knows how they’d operate.
No one would risk their lives trying to expose something, but they could gladly jeopardize someone else’s life.
A lover or a child—sacrificing what’s dear to them to blow the whistle seemed like a perfectly reasonable tactic.

However, in the current scenario with the possibility of the leader’s return, groundwork isn’t an option; it’s a necessity.
So, now’s the time to utilize Cain.
I provided a flimsy excuse about ‘finding an innovative weapon management method’ to slip him some ridiculous management guidelines.

Cain, using the elevated authority I granted him, circulated through crucial facilities and neutralized the few remaining weapons on our side.
Under the guise of reforming the communications system, he subtly manipulated things.

The five divisions that had sworn loyalty to the Black Fangs.
I had Cain break their ability to communicate externally, making sure they’d only connect with each other.
Along with a nice touch of ‘security enhancement,’ he restricted the connections to the outside world solely through their communicators.

With that, there was no worry about information leaking out.
And if news about the real leader’s resurrection got out to other divisions, they’d likely make their own move, figuring it out quickly.
They’re smart individuals.
Facing the final confrontation, they wouldn’t have missed that they couldn’t just ignore being called out.
If they were going to be summoned, they’d know it’s best to show up voluntarily to gain favor.
In this situation, taking swift action to squash the revolution before news reached the Emperor seemed like the safest bet.

Extra hassle in gathering troops would actually be quite helpful right now.
But it was still insufficient.
It’s been proven that the Emperor doesn’t react unless absolutely necessary.
Before long, a conclusion will be reached. If that’s the case, forget self-preservation; it’s time to go all out, and that’s precisely what I planned to do.

The negative effects of abolishing the tax system. The Empire’s treasury getting healthier from self-dieting.
To compensate for that, I pushed for a massive austerity program.
The Empire’s impressive technology and the high-level magic spells installed in critical facilities like the palace—gone, all to save on mana fuel.
The Empire’s military supplies were also sold off, making do with old stuff rusting away in warehouses.
As a human, I wouldn’t enforce using something absurd like a 40-year-old canteen, but…
Everything except daily goods got replaced with outdated, barely functional items.
The vital resources that had made the Empire what it is were carelessly sold off to republics or kingdoms at rock-bottom prices, falling right into the hands of the Black Fangs.

Surprisingly good results.
However, everything in this world comes at a price, and it seems that now is the time to pay that price.

“C-Crisis! Your Highness! Please wake up!”

So frantic, my servant was shouting at me when I was lost in thought. I sighed heavily, looking at him.
I could predict what he was about to say.
The Emperor might be indifferent to what’s happening in the world, but the nobility wasn’t.

The ridiculous reforms continued.
How many idiots genuinely believed the country was getting healthier and that I was properly normalizing the Empire?
Those with sharp minds must have noticed something was off long ago.

And given the recent extreme measures, it’s only natural for discontent to arise among the populace.
That great problem is probably related to these issues.
“Is there a protest happening? How infuriating! How dare these rebels challenge the royal authority…”
“It’s not a protest!”

The pale-faced servant interjected, panic evident in his voice.
Before I could even point out his rudeness, a visibly frantic man shouted.
“Real rebels have appeared! The Black Fangs are leading an army and have stormed in here!!!”
That news. Hearing it reignited vitality in my drained eyes.
A smile naturally crept onto my lips.
Finally. Finally, the day I had been waiting for had arrived.

In this situation, there was only one thing I needed to say.
“Open the gates.”
“…W-What?”

The servant’s face turned red with confusion. But I didn’t care; I spoke again.
“I said, open the gates now.”
The wait was over. The moment of final confrontation had finally arrived. There was no reason to hesitate or delay.
I was ready to join them as quickly as possible.
“…”

A bizarre gaze pierced through me. And an immense aura of malice was conveyed.
I finally realized that the person in front of me wasn’t my servant.
“I see now, you were with them.”

The melting disguise unraveled to reveal the First Division Commander, the Empire’s war hero, standing before me. The roaring footsteps betrayed the presence of his comrades.
Surely, they must be his allies.
‘Were they planning to trick me with lies? Not likely.’

While I did suspect the news of the Black Fangs coming might be a deception, I could feel the familiar power of divine energy faintly in the distance.
An uncontainable force. It was clear the Black Fangs were approaching the palace.
The First Division Commander must have come to stop them, while also testing my identity.
His plan had succeeded in exposing me.

I could no longer pretend to be incompetent. There’d be no use for excuses.
Plus, I had just woken up, and naturally, I didn’t even have proper armor or a decent sword.
“Submit. I’ll let you keep your life.”

Meanwhile, these fellows were fully armed.
Everything was top-notch, from their gear to their equipment. There was no need to mention their superior numbers.

A well-armed elite squad against just me.
In this situation, I had only one clear course of action. So I raised both hands and stood up.
“…Smart choice. I’ll keep my promise.”

The First Division Commander looked like he had talent with his sword, but not much with deceit.
His blatant intentions to have me treated as killed in the Black Fang attack were glaringly obvious.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s so amusing?”

The atmosphere turned deadly in an instant. The Commander exuded a fierce malice as he brandished his sword against my neck.
Logically, laughing in this situation was beyond absurd, yet I couldn’t help but keep chuckling.
I really couldn’t stop.
“I’d like to ask one thing.”

I am the Emperor’s son.
Born with the world at my fingertips, I could easily obtain whatever I desired.
Yet, I was never satisfied with such privileges; I always looked upward.
“Do you really think you guys can take me on?”
There’s no way I had slacked off in my training.

Suddenly, his shadow enveloped the area. His glaring eyes filled with cursed energy. I smiled back at the knights surrounding me.
The legendary war hero and his allies.
They were the perfect appetizer for the final showdown.
*

Leading their army into the Imperial Palace,
There was no mistaking it for rebellion, and by the book, it sure sounded like an act of treason. Obviously, things wouldn’t go smoothly.
So, with that resolve, I came barging in…
Yet, strangely enough, the Imperial Army didn’t attack us.
The defense spells hadn’t activated, and bizarrely, not a single person could be seen.

The gates, now only a stone’s throw away, swung wide open, welcoming the enemy.
And waiting for us behind those gates…
“Long time no see, Sion. Or should I call you Commander now?”

It was a blood-soaked Renya standing there alone.