In truth, Lancer had been secretly hoping for some arrogant young noble to interrupt his outing with Leone—just so he could indulge in a satisfying bit of face-slapping. But disappointingly, even after they'd finished lunch and returned home together, nothing of the sort had happened. He felt oddly deflated, though upon reflection, encountering trouble now would have been more surprising.
Over the past few weeks, the public beheadings of numerous nobles had left the Capital's commoners initially terrified, then bewildered, and finally indifferent, dismissing the matter with little more than a sigh before moving on. Meanwhile, the surviving aristocrats had tucked their tails firmly between their legs, behaving cautiously.
Everyone knew that this recent "cleansing" had been triggered by an assassination attempt against the Emperor. Yet, since most executed nobles had been notorious for their reluctance to obey the throne, it was inevitable that many whispered suspicions arose: Had those nobles truly plotted regicide, or was the Emperor seizing this chance to eliminate dissidents?
Adding fuel to the fire was Lancer's increasingly fearsome reputation, so distorted now that the formerly arrogant scions of aristocracy hid away in their mansions, terrified that even a minor slip-up might allow Lancer to justify wiping out their entire family. If that happened, they'd have nowhere left to cry.
Consequently, even as Lancer's infamy grew worse, the environment in the Capital steadily improved, boosting both the Emperor's and the Empire's popularity.
Lancer himself had no complaints about this—or rather, dared not complain. The Empire belonged to the Emperor; everyone else, whether it was himself, Budo, or anyone else, was essentially just a hired hand. Under such circumstances, what choice was there but silent acceptance?
Of course, the Emperor wasn't foolish enough to forget the carrot after applying the stick. Though Lancer had become the scapegoat, he'd retained all the power he needed.
First, he still maintained control over the Imperial Police. Though he'd initially been appointed only temporarily, after the former Chief resigned, the Emperor chose not to assign a successor. Lancer remained in his ambiguous role as the Acting Chief. Additionally, he'd been promoted once again, officially becoming an Imperial General himself.
Moreover, though Lancer wasn't sure if he was imagining things, ever since losing his original Teigu, General Budo had become unusually withdrawn. Despite having recovered and obtained a new Teigu, Budo seemed deliberately restrained, limiting his presence and influence.
Thus, Lancer continued executing the Emperor's "high-pressure policy," transforming himself completely into a ruthless incarnation of death.
Then one day, while reviewing documents in his office, Lancer suddenly saw one of his colleagues from the Imperial Guard burst through the door, clearly agitated.
"General Lancer! Great General Budo requests your immediate presence for an urgent meeting!"
"Understood!"
Lancer wasted no time, leaving his office immediately. He knew perfectly well that if it weren't something serious, they wouldn't have rushed so urgently to fetch him.
Sure enough, upon arriving at Budo's office, he found several senior commanders of the Imperial Guard already assembled.
"You're here just in time, Lancer. Take a look at this report."
Originally, apart from Budo himself, the Imperial Guard had been led by three generals, each commanding a separate battalion. Lancer, as the fourth, had no direct subordinates but instead operated more as a firefighter, responding wherever he was needed.
Without hesitation, he took the documents from Budo. But the more he read, the grimmer his expression became.
"Has the situation truly deteriorated to this extent?"
"Yes—and it gets worse. The reports everyone received differ from yours."
That was terrible news indeed!
Lancer didn't voice his alarm aloud; there was no need. Judging by everyone's somber expressions, they all shared similar thoughts.
"The northern tribes have finally made their move, as expected. Although Generals Najenda and Liver are jointly defending the north, the enemy has suddenly intensified their assault. Northern fortifications have been forced to withdraw several times, and civilians from villages around the forts have already evacuated. Meanwhile, there are signs of unrest among the western tribes, though nothing decisive yet. Your previous massacres seem to have successfully sown discord within their ranks. However, the most pressing concern right now is the emergence of a so-called 'Righteous Army' in the south!"
A "Righteous Army"? What the hell?
Seeing Lancer's baffled expression, Budo took another set of documents from a nearby officer and handed them over, briefly explaining:
"This so-called 'Righteous Army' is actually just a rebellion. Their leaders are Honest and several southern nobles. We've also received reports suggesting that some smaller countries to the south, bordering the Empire, have joined their ranks."
He'd searched high and low for that old fox—only for him to show up on his own.
"I'll mobilize immediately and crush them!"
Lancer had barely skimmed the report before making his declaration, but Budo raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait! That bastard isn't going anywhere. Besides, this 'Righteous Army' isn't the biggest problem right now. See for yourself—the north demands your immediate attention."
This time, Lancer didn't respond hastily. Instead, he quickly scanned the details of the report. Gradually, a complicated expression crossed his face—both incredulous and relieved.
According to intelligence, the banner raised by Honest's "Righteous Army" was to "cleanse the Emperor's corrupt advisors." And who were these advisors? Naturally, himself and Budo.
To maintain the facade behind such a lofty slogan, Honest's forces had truly acted "perfectly," even fooling Budo's spies, who reported that their conduct had been impeccable so far. The corrupt nobles alongside Honest had seemingly transformed overnight into genuine saints.
In other words, at least until they achieve their aims, Honest's rebels won't harm ordinary civilians. Their real danger lies in gradually reshaping public opinion within their territories. But changing minds isn't something accomplished overnight—no wonder Budo wasn't overly concerned.
Only after fully grasping the situation did Lancer finally give his clear response:
"Understood!"
Budo nodded curtly, satisfied, and moved on to assign tasks to the others. Although the immediate threats were still limited to border areas, the Imperial Guard needed heightened vigilance to prevent any surprises.
While Lancer himself could leave immediately, deploying the army wasn't that simple. Logistics and supplies took time to organize, so the departure was tentatively set for the following day.
After delegating various responsibilities in the Imperial Police, Lancer exhaled deeply.
At last! Once he settled the north, Honest would be next—and then he could finally close this chapter for good.
---
T/N: righteous army heh, more like rightpious army heh
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