Chapter 49: The Deal With the Emperor

Chapter 49: The Deal With the Emperor

Remus turned his head with a series of cracking noises, a provocative grin on his face as he moved his fingers. It was clear he was daring me to come at him with the first blow. Well, if he wanted to go down that path, I wouldn’t hold back.

Gripping my right fist enclosed in an exoskeleton, I rotated my hips and delivered a powerful blow to Remus’ side. Alexander had taught me some combat techniques, including effective striking methods. My fist sank deeply into Remus’ well-trained abdomen.

“Guuh!?”

Remus let out an involuntary sound of pain. Perhaps he had underestimated my strength because I had concealed my power. But it was too late for him to be surprised now. I had no intention of holding back or showing mercy.

With a fluid motion, I attempted to strike with my left fist in a sweeping motion from the side. Remus reacted swiftly, bringing his arm up to defend himself in response.

“Gaah!?”

However, my left strike was a feint. As I drove my left fist in, I simultaneously pulled back my right fist, which then came up from below, striking Remus’s jaw. The clean hit lifted Remus’s body slightly before he fell to the floor on his back.

For me, this could have been the end of it, but Remus got up, clutching his jaw. His eyes burned with hatred as he intensified his fighting spirit, strengthening his body. I thought this could turn into a fight to the death, but no one stepped in to stop it.

As I glanced at the Emperor’s demeanor with one of my compound eyes, he remained relaxed in his chair, stroking his beard. It seemed that he had decided to let this continue.

“You bastard... I’ll kill you!”

No sooner had Remus uttered those words, he charged at me, swinging his fists wildly in a fit of anger. He lacked technique, but his imposing physique and seemingly limitless stamina allowed him to continue thrashing around.

I followed Alexander’s teachings, trying to avoid Remus’s attacks as much as possible, and parrying them when necessary. It was clear that Remus was less skilled than Alexander, especially when there were no moments that required me to defend. I remained calm and waited for the right moment to counterattack.

“Running around! Coward! C’mon!”

Perhaps growing impatient, Remus lowered his posture and lunged at me. If he were to grab hold of me, he might be able to overpower me. To prevent that, I aimed a powerful kick at his lowered face.

However, to my surprise, it seemed that Remus had set a trap right there. Despite my genuine effort in the kick, he quickly shaded his arm to defend while still advancing. Although my kick caused his upper body to tilt slightly to the side, it was clear that he endured it with his inherent toughness, and it wasn’t enough to deter him.

Remus seemed to have foreseen a future where he could knock me down, considering I was standing on one leg. However, there was something he had forgotten. As he put it in his own words, I was a freak... a synthetic beast.

“Ugh...!?”

“I would like you to gather capable people who are well versed in battle, as well as a variety of powerful creatures, as many as possible. As there are compatibility issues even in synthesis, ignoring that would...” Orvo went on to explain.

“I am not interested in technical issues. As I said, everything you seek will be provided, as it seems the countries that make art of the coalition army are also willing to provide the neccessary materials,” the Emperor said.

The Emperor asserted that all the necessary materials would be gathered. It was a statement that only someone with absolute power to rule over a great nation could make. It seemed that the Empire also agreed to use creatures like me—synthetic beasts—as part of their military force.

While it saddened me to think that others would suffer the same fate as me, I couldn’t stop Orvo. Even if Orvo were to hesitate or show fear, I cannot stop him now that the coalition army and the Empire have pledged their support. No one could stop the large-scale flow of events involving all of the continent’s nations.

“What’s more important is to ensure the formation of the squad of synthetic beasts using human species... or did you call them demons, as I recall? It needs to be ready before the counterattack planned for autumn,” the Emperor said.

“It will be ready in time. We have already established a method to achieve your plans,” Orvo replied.

“Very well. Prime Minister, prepare a mansion for this individual to use freely. That’s where the project will be completed as soon as possible,” the Emperor ordered.

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“You may leave.”

“I am grateful for the unexpected treatment, Your Majesty.”

Orvo ordered me to return to the cage after saying so. I lightly brushed the blood off my hand before chaining myself and sitting on the chair. It seemed that the audience with the Emperor was over.

As I was being carried away in the cage, I glanced at Remus lying on his back, still unconscious with his eyes closed. He was unable to get up, but he was carried away by the attendants who were waiting by the walls as soon as the audience ended.

The Emperor didn’t even bother to see him off, remaining silent and stroking his beard. He seemed utterly disinterested, despite the fact that his loyal subject, who fought for him at his request, was left half-dead. It was quite heartless.

The cage returned along the same path, covered with cloth, and I was loaded onto Orvo’s carriage. After waiting for a while in that state, the carriage slowly began to move.

I thought the carriage would travel for a long time, but surprisingly, it stopped quickly. When I was unloaded with the other luggage, I saw a tremendously large mansion. It was about one size larger than the young master’s... um, the Marquis’ mansion.

Most likely, this mansion was given to Orvo by the Emperor. To think he would be given such a splendid mansion so easily... Truly, the Emperor is something else. So this is what it means to be in power.

Numerous servants appeared in the magnificent mansion and bowed their heads to Orvo. I thought Orvo would be overjoyed at this sight, but he entered the mansion with a disgruntled expression. I wonder if he has some dissatisfaction even after being given such a splendid mansion and securing a pledge of support?

At any rate, it seems I will be staying in this mansion for a while. Though I still have no freedom, it’s a relief not to have to go to the battlefield. At least I won’t die in combat. I silently expressed gratitude for the probably short-lived peaceful time as I was carried along quietly.