Ten days later, the hour of the meeting approached within the castle. In order to organize this meeting, the one who suffered the most was not Sislin, but Morgana, who was responsible for the palace.
Although many servants were recruited in haste from the Workers' Guild, as well as from among slaves and commoners, the limited time imposed by Ray nearly caused problems.
During these days, the capital witnessed its gates opening and receiving hundreds of luxurious and commercial carriages, all heading toward a single destination. This unprecedented scene was the result of a single order, and the news was published in the newspapers under the title: "The Imperial Meeting."
Something like this had never existed before; because it was impossible to summon all parties at the same time, and sometimes only representatives would attend. However, this time, the Emperor issued a supreme decree under the name "The Imperial Meeting," summoning all officials, from the smallest ones at the edges of the Empire to the highest-ranking figures,
Anyone who did not attend would be declared as standing against the Empire. Without discussion. Even officials from cities near the capital came, yet enemies were not greeted by swords, nor were allies welcomed with celebrations; only a cold road under the protection of the Imperial Army leading to the castle, where all the knights stood on full alert to deal with any problems that might arise, a sign that this meeting was not for filling stomachs, but for saving the Empire.
Morgana wanted to make sure whether this was appropriate. An official invitation without displaying any splendor seemed strange, but Ray insisted on it; it was better to use that budget on something else, and any spending on luxury could reignite a fire that had not yet gone out.
The Throne Hall was crowded with faces; nobles in their luxurious clothes, lords who had come from the far reaches of the Empire with dust still covering their boots, and minor officials. There were no banquet tables, no music, and no signs of luxury. Only rows of wooden chairs lined up together, and knights standing behind every corner with stone-like expressions.
Whispers filled the place like the buzzing of bees. Those seats were a message, and most of those present understood it; the Emperor was saying clearly and openly: "I did not summon you here to offer loyalty and reverence, I summoned you here to work."
This break from protocol caused opposing whispers to rise, yet no one stepped forward. The seats were arranged on both sides before the throne while the center was left open, and the higher an official's rank, the closer his seat was to the red carpet before the throne.
In the midst of this noise, the side doors slowly opened. "Sislin" entered first, followed by "Rei" with his sharp appearance that caused gazes to follow him with a single question: who is this person?
Then there was Morgana, whose presence attracted everyone's attention, and the Duke of the North's eyes narrowed. He had been forced to attend and had not expected all these changes because reports had reached the Northern Duchy late. He had underestimated the matter and realized that the moment he saw Morgana, yet he remained calm. Then his eyes met Morgana's, who was observing every detail within the hall.
Finally, there was "Ray"; without any entrance ceremony or announcement, he simply entered. He did not wear the massive crown or the long purple sash, but instead wore a simple and practical formal uniform bearing the Empire's golden emblem.
He walked toward the throne with calm and steady steps, without looking right or left. The moment he sat down, a sudden and heavy silence descended, to the point that the sound of the attendees' breathing became audible.
Then Morgana sat upon the Empress's throne beside Ray, a clear indication that Ray had acknowledged her status as Empress. Ray looked at the rows to his right and left before speaking.
"I apologize for summoning you all so suddenly. I hope I have not caused any inconvenience, but as everyone knows; the situation is urgent and requires urgent changes."
Even if no one was satisfied, no one could say so; the authority of the throne still existed, and the knights were proof of that. Ray ignored the silence of some and the denial of others regarding the inconvenience they had endured. Although half of them had cursed during the journey, it seemed that at least half of them appeared sincere.
Ray signaled for Sislin to begin the meeting, and after a formal introduction we moved directly to the main topic: "Before discussing the changes, we will begin the meeting by discussing the penalties imposed upon the sectors that rebelled against the Crown yet are present with us here today in response to the Emperor's order."
A powerful opening shot.
(I know what they are thinking, but it is better to show mercy clearly here.)
Sislin did not call out any names after finishing, and before anyone could speak, I spoke first.
"I will set the punishments aside and consider all of that the result of the incompetence of the previous Emperor and the Empire's system, but for the betrayal of loyalty, a list will be prepared containing only those present here, requiring them to pay a fine amounting to 10% of all their assets. The list will be announced, and anyone who wishes to object may wait until his name is mentioned."
In this way, the individual is isolated from the group..
The atmosphere became tense. This was an aggressive opening to the meeting. It might seem like a bad plan, but that was the reason the knights were present; they were there for protection and intimidation. Anyone who had brought his own knights could not call upon them, and the Emperor had the right to execute them right now if he were not concerned about the chaos that would follow. Therefore, everyone decided to observe first how those whose names were called would react. Then Sislin cut through the anticipation:
"Please remain calm. Anyone whose name is not mentioned will face no penalties. Baron Kyokis, do you have any objection?"
Everyone looked around searching for this unknown baron. A fat man at the end of the seats trembled when he heard his name. Fortunately, he was not well known, but suddenly the people near him recognized him, then the people near them noticed as well, and suddenly everyone found him. When Ray noticed that everyone in the row to his right was looking toward a certain place, he was able to locate the baron as well and spoke:
"Please stand and state your opinion."
"Your Majesty..." The baron fell silent and felt immense pressure from everyone's gaze. He looked around, searching for help, but before the throne he was no different from a commoner. He realized that. Even attempting to justify himself now would destroy him, so he lowered his head and spoke. "No objection."
He found nothing else to say; the arrangement of the seats left him unable to seek help or influence the atmosphere. He had been manipulated psychologically until he could see nothing to cling to. Even his chair lacked armrests to ease his tension, and he was nothing more than a follower, so all that remained was admission and avoiding interrogation.
After the baron sat down, Sislin spoke: "Let it be known to everyone that refusing to pay the penalties or attempting to evade them elevates your offense from rebellion against the previous Emperor to rebellion against the Empire's system itself."
Then Sislin continued announcing the names.
Anyone who attempted to object found that his voice was the only one echoing throughout the vast hall. He would look toward the person who had encouraged him, yet receive no answer. He could reveal nothing and shift the blame onto no one. Only the words "No objection" continued to resound. The presence of the knights standing behind them only intensified the pressure.
The list moved from barons to counts, then to marquises, among whom the number of rebels was the smallest—only three people.
Then the name of the Duke of the West was called, and Ray spoke.
"Duke Melyn, you will not be held accountable for what happened before. I understand your desire to protect your land. Your ducal title will be restored, and all previous offenses will be pardoned. Do you accept an official penalty?"
"No objection, Your Majesty."
Ray smiled. It seemed this man had understood the change better than the Duke of the North—or perhaps he was planning something.
But was he truly unrelated to the Duke of the North?
The man who had declared himself king only days ago?
Who knew. He might simply be playing with words, accepting the decision now only to reject it after leaving this hall.
At the very least, there was one amusing sight within the chamber.
The Duke of the North looked as though he had just eaten a dead rat.
Just as Sislin was about to announce the final name, Ray raised his hand.
It was time to pull the rug out from under him.
"Duke of the North, I do not enjoy simple mind games. I possess documents proving your involvement in numerous rebellions. Do you admit it, or would you prefer that they be revealed?"
Duke Philip frowned.
What was the meaning of this?
Why was Ray choosing such a direct attack?
And how did he even know about that?
Yet Duke Philip did not panic. He calmly denied everything.
"Your Majesty, these are merely rumors spread by rebels seeking to drag me down alongside them. Your Majesty himself can testify that I was the foremost supporter of efforts to save the Empire."
Interesting.
He appeared calm, but was he truly calm?
Did he not realize that everyone whose name had been called had already been labeled a rebel?
Look behind you, man.
Those eyes are not friendly.
Their names had been exposed, and even those who had remained hidden had already admitted their guilt.
You are severing every connection with your own hands.
Still, it does not matter.
Thank you for bearing their anger in my place.
"Duke, I will take that as permission to reveal your actions."
I snapped my fingers.
One of the Shadows appeared kneeling before the throne.
Their previous caution may have come from ignorance regarding what I had retrieved from the treasury, but now everyone who recognized the emblem trembled in fear.
"That organization... wasn't it destroyed?"
As for those who did not recognize the symbol, their eyes narrowed in confusion.
Who was this person?
A secret unit?
The figure wore a mask bearing the symbol of the Empire, and barely anyone had even sensed his presence. The reactions of the knights made it clear that they knew nothing about him.
Ray gestured toward the knights.
Rei took the documents from the Shadow, and the Shadow vanished.
Even from a distance, his brief appearance delivered a stern warning specifically to the four dukes.
[The Shadows of Aster still exist.]
This came after everyone had believed they were destroyed by the Twelfth Emperor, after which they had vanished completely from sight.
This was merely a display.
Yet revealing this hidden card dealt a serious blow, forcing even the Duke of the West to reconsider his plans.
Perhaps revealing this secret card in such a vague manner was reckless, but Ray did not care as long as it was enough to serve as a warning, a threat, and a declaration.
That was why he allowed the knights' reactions toward the intruder to remain visible.
After Rei took the documents, he spoke in a cold voice.
[Welcome, everyone. Due to the limited time, I will skip introducing myself and begin recounting Duke Philip's actions. This is not a trial, and you may stop me at any time.]
Who is this person?
The duke frowned, especially because he had not even felt that the newcomer was human.
There was something strange about him.
Was he the leader of those Shadows?
Before Philip could fully process the situation, Rei began speaking.
[Five years ago (Dismantling Oversight): As Prime Minister, you issued Administrative Decree No. 402, reducing the authority of the Imperial Inspection Office within the northern provinces. The objective was to prevent reports of corruption and tax embezzlement from reaching the throne, allowing you to build a parallel fortune beyond the reach of oversight.]
For a moment, the duke trembled and looked around before declaring with restrained anger:
"Your Majesty, this is a disgraceful political attack and nothing but fabricated accusations with no basis in truth. I will not allow my history to be tarnished by such invented lies!"
Rei ignored the duke's words and continued.
[Four years ago (Weakening the Central Army): You pushed through the Defense Restructuring Act, which reduced the Imperial Guard's budget under the pretext of directing funds toward rural development. However, records show that those funds never reached the villages. Instead, they were redirected as exceptional grants to strengthen and arm your private forces in the North.]
At that point, the duke calmed down slightly.
"I do not deny that. During that year, the Northern Duchy suffered continuous waves of monster attacks. Permission was obtained from the previous Emperor for this action. His Majesty can personally confirm the matter."
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End of Chapter
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[Confidential Information: Beyond the Unknown lies the headquarters of the Shadows, where prisoners, the forgotten, and orphans are brought. They are trained and subjected to indoctrination within a special gate, then strengthened through the Emperor's legacy. Their fate is to die in pursuit of the Emperor's desire to protect the royal bloodline. Should the last member of that bloodline die, or should a usurper ascend the throne, the existence of this organization will come to an end. Otherwise, it will return to life no matter how greatly it is weakened.]