For the security of the Imperial Palace, I decided to add an extra layer of defense on my own initiative.

What I conducted, with the Emperor’s sister's approval, was none other than the Skeleton Exhibition. I transformed the closed-off underground area of the Imperial Palace into a skeleton museum. The exhibition, held under the pretext of showcasing ancient weapons and armor, invited elementary school children as the first visitors.

"Uwaah! Skeletons! The bones are moving!!!"

As soon as the children entered the exhibition, they screamed and panicked, causing the event to be immediately suspended. The underground of the Imperial Palace was once again closed off. The skeleton soldiers were left where they were, and the area became inaccessible to anyone.

At first, I was in favor of continuing the exhibition. Since Yuria’s undead army doesn’t rely on magic to move the skeletons, but rather the restless souls within the bones, they would appear to be ordinary skeletons to any expert. No one would be able to detect anything unusual. I thought that keeping the exhibition open would be a better way to avoid suspicion. However, I was met with strong opposition from Charlotte and Yuria.

"It's sad for the skeleton grandfathers!"

"Yeah! They stand still all day, unable to move! They’re just there for people to look at! How hard must that be?"

"They’re quite old, so it seems too harsh. I want them to be more comfortable…"

"···."

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' is shedding tears, touched by the great filial piety of our necromancer and dark knight’s ancestors.]

Faced with Charlotte and Yuria's strong opposition, the decision was made to shut down the exhibition. I had thought that standing still all day wouldn’t be uncomfortable for skeletons that had been buried for nearly a thousand years. But that was just my opinion.

Yuria’s kindness and empathy were evident in how even those stiff-necked royal skeletons bowed to her. Since the undead army belongs to Yuria, I had no choice but to defer to her judgment on this matter.

‘Now I can mobilize an army from the Imperial Palace in case of an emergency.’

In the cutscene from the original work, after the Imperial Palace was devastated, the Imperial Guard and even the Emperor’s sister were completely neutralized. Despite being exceptionally powerful individuals, capable of standing among the strongest in the world, they were rendered helpless. I couldn’t help but think that Sylvia and Charlotte wouldn’t fare any better.

If a battle couldn’t be won with strength alone, then it would have to be won by overwhelming numbers. While a few hundred might seem small, considering they are undead that don’t die and keep rising, it would effectively be the same as having thousands or tens of thousands of them.

‘Of course, this is just a prediction. I don’t know the exact strength of the enemy, so I can’t be sure.’

Though I prepared as best as I could, I couldn’t know for certain if it would work. The only information I had was that Reinhardt would betray us, and that the Imperial Palace would burn down.

Looking back, I should have just played until Chapter 2. Despite the chaotic story, the game itself wasn’t bad. A wave of regret washed over me.

‘Instead of these temporary measures, a more definitive countermeasure is needed.’

There’s little point in making plans without knowing the enemy’s full strength. What I needed now was a sure countermeasure. I knew one that could guarantee victory against Reinhardt.

"Sylvia. It’s time to bring out the final weapon."

"Yes? The final weapon...?"

No matter how skilled Reinhardt was as a general and a swordmaster, he was still just a Chapter 2 villain, not the final boss. And intermediate bosses always end up getting brutally defeated by the protagonist.

"Yuria... We have to use Yuria."

"Ah, yes."

[The Evil God, 'Kali,' chastises you for calling Yuria like an object!]

We have a shield in the form of Yuria. I had never felt more reassured by her presence than now.

Eastern Border of the Empire. Along the wide road, a long procession marched forward.

Instead of the Empire’s flag, the banner of the 4th Imperial Army was raised at various points in the procession. Carriages carried numerous slaves as war spoils. At the very front, a man, riding a magnificent warhorse, removed his helmet, letting his blonde hair cascade.

"Now, the territory is almost ours. Was it five years since I left?"

Heh heh heh.

Reinhardt Friedrich gripped his sword hilt tightly and chuckled. It had already been five years since he left for the expedition under the Emperor’s orders. The task had been to suppress a rebellion in a puppet state of the Empire.

Though it was called a rebellion, the real issue was that the puppet government had been on the brink of collapse. In reality, the entire kingdom, except for the government, had risen up in rebellion. Even though the 4th Imperial Army had been sent, the disparity in strength was such that it was nearly impossible to reverse the situation.

However, requesting reinforcements was equivalent to admitting defeat. Reinhardt had methodically captured strategic locations while severely weakening the puppet government’s personnel and administration. Simply occupying the land wouldn’t do; once the military left, another rebellion would likely occur. So, Reinhardt focused on addressing the root cause, and after five years of reshaping the entire country, the rebel forces finally surrendered, allowing Reinhardt to return to the Empire.

"This ridiculous order... while I was crawling through all that, my sister was living comfortably in the Imperial Palace... Did she think I’d give up quickly? No way. There’s no such thing as impossible in my dictionary!"

There may be difficult situations, but there’s no such thing as impossible. If the road ahead is blocked, I will just make my way through. Reinhardt firmly believed this, that every trial only made him stronger.

This expedition was no different. Initially, no one had trusted the newly appointed general who had fallen from the sky like a parachute. But now, the 4th Army, made up of seasoned veterans who had fought alongside Reinhardt, was a well-oiled machine, loyal to the general to the point of risking their lives. They were the Empire's elite force.

‘Is my sister not afraid of my army?’

Heh heh heh.

It seemed she had planned to politically castrate her half-brother, but now that I had returned stronger, I wondered what expression Vanessa, my sister, would have when she saw me. Reinhardt couldn’t wait to rush back to the Imperial Palace.

"Reinhardt-sama, it would be better to stop and rest at the next village."

"Oh, Sephiroth."

Clop clop.

Just then, a black-skinned elf riding alongside Reinhardt’s horse approached. Reinhardt’s face lit up as he greeted her.

"Have you finished your investigation?"

"Yes. I infiltrated the Empire in advance and thoroughly examined the current state of affairs."

"Then tell me. Among the people by my sister’s side, who is the most troublesome?"

"Without a doubt, it is Count Vermont."

"Count Vermont? That crazy old man is already dead, right?"

Reinhardt tilted his head in confusion. Count Vermont? How could a count from some remote region, whose existence most people didn’t even know about, pose a threat?

"His son, Aslan Vermont, is now in charge of the family and has inherited the title of Count by the Emperor’s command. Currently, Vermont has developed significantly in industry, tourism, and transportation, boasting an economy second only to the Empire. Count Vermont is trusted so deeply by His Majesty that he enters and leaves the Emperor’s office without permission..."

"Shut up! My sister would never trust him!"

"···."

Reinhardt’s face flushed with rage as he shouted, and Sephiroth closed her mouth, taking a step back.

My sister trusts someone? There was no way. She had grown up using the eyes of the Spirit King to see through the dirty intentions of everyone in the world.

Perhaps my sister despised and mistrusted humanity more than anyone else in the world. And now she trusted someone like Count Vermont? That guy was notorious for his reckless behavior, wasn’t he?

Reinhardt couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the absurdity of it all.

"This is ridiculous. Has my sister finally lost her judgment? To have someone like him by her side. I always hoped she’d remain strong and unyielding...!"

Crunch.

Reinhardt gritted his teeth in frustration. He had expected his sister to be waiting for him as a strong and indomitable figure, but the Empire he returned to had already begun rotting from the inside.

The Empire, which was already decaying even before I arrived!

It wouldn’t be fun if it collapsed like this! It’s supposed to be fun!

Reinhardt slammed his fist into his chest to calm his anger.

"Send a messenger immediately! My welcome ceremony should be ready by now, right? And as soon as I arrive, I need to meet this Count Vermont! I remember him as someone who looked shady and someone I didn’t want to approach within ten steps! I have to see how he’s changed in five years!"

"Count Vermont still looks shady, with his deceitful, scheming appearance, and now there are even rumors that he likes children. He’s someone you definitely wouldn’t want to get closer than twenty steps to."

"AAARGH! Why is my sister wasting her time with someone like that?!"

The Empire must not fall yet!

What kind of scoundrel is Aslan Vermont?!

Reinhardt gripped the reins tightly and urged his horse, eager to reach the Imperial Palace.