'I thought this was a game, but no, only this system interface makes it look that way. This is real,' Horus closed his eyes, picturing the scene he saw underneath the Minister's hideout.
'Shit like that can't possibly be a game. This empire is corrupted from within, and only I can save this godforsaken empire.'
Horus stood outside his room, where he got a better view of the chaotic empire around him.
Inside the body of a useless emperor in danger of losing his throne, he guessed whoever brought him here knew exactly what they were doing.
Because only Horus could use his experience as a Mafia boss to turn things around.
And there was one thing he was good at. If any of his men felt they'd grown wings enough to challenge him, Horus was good at breaking those wings.
Now, he'll remind them who's in charge. He was getting used to all of this. However, there was one thing he hadn't fully accepted yet.
"Horuuuss!!" Lady Vi groaned. "Please come back to bed," it was her.
---
The names he had gotten from Mira totaled five Ministers. Though summoned, one of them quickly fled after hearing what happened to Minister Evans.
The rest of them gathered in the throne room of the king, waiting for his arrival.
"I heard Minister Evans is dead," one of them said, initiating the conversation.
"So did I. Not only that, the emperor also distributed his properties to the lower classes, and his farms are being mined right now."
The Ministers were still trying to grasp the drastic change in the emperor. Laughing and sleeping with his concubines used to be all he cared about.
Now, he was giving attention to the needs of the populace.
"I hear he has reduced taxation by 80%. What exactly is going on? We'll instantly get caught if you take a dime."
"I overheard the soldiers talking about him turning a new leaf during battle."
"I just hope that fat fool did not run his mouth to the emperor, because why else would all four of us be here?"
Everyone felt uneasy for a brief second. Silence washed through the air between them.
"No, it was that rebel girl who killed Minister Evans," one of them said confidently. He had more resolve than the rest, being closest to the emperor. After all, he was the prime minister.
"If the emperor wants us dead, I have devised a plan that might save us all. Listen, I-"
All of a sudden...
With one step, all of them felt a suffocating aura sweep through the room, their hearts skipping a few beats.
It was their emperor. The man approaching them was in no way the Horus they knew. Comparing him to the once reckless person would be a lie no one would believe.
When he walked past one of them, the Minister felt his throat dry and swallowed.
'This... this guy,' he thought. 'He has changed completely.'
Accompanying him was the blood knight commander, Erwin, which made the whole situation feel suffocating for them.
Horus sat on the throne. In respect, the Ministers knelt and paid their respects. "Long live the King," they said in unison.
Regardless, Horus waved for them to stand. Quickly, he cut to the chase on why he had summoned them. However, there were only four of them.
"Where's the last one?" Horus asked slowly, with his arm resting on his cheek.
"Minister Zach has-"
"Shut up," Horus commanded. He didn't want the prime Minister to say anything. That man was too composed. In other words, Horus couldn't tell if he was lying or not.
And only the confident one among them would reply anyway, the one who had practiced a lie over and over again.
So he needed someone fragile. Who else was better than the skinny Minister who could barely hold a second stare with the emperor?
Horus picked this man. "You, which one of you has been selling my weapons?" he asked slowly.
The Minister swallowed hard. "But... but that wasn't the question you asked, prime minister," he stuttered.
"So it's you then? Erwin, kill him."
When the command was given, the minister quickly fell to his knees and began begging. He confessed to the crime he committed and also mentioned the person responsible for the illegal weapon sales.
All he wanted was not to be killed.
While the man was responsible for splitting taxation profits with Minister Evans, the person standing next to him was responsible for the illegal weapon sales.
Horus looked at the one who was being accused. He wasn't even defending himself; he stood there wordless.
"You," he pointed at the accused man. "What did he do?" Instead of asking if the accusation was true, he asked what the accuser did.
The minister was perplexed. He had just reported himself, but the emperor was still asking about his crime from another Minister.
Even the remaining two ministers were shocked by the tactic here. As long as the second one was exposed, he wouldn't hold anything back when talking about the other.
"Minister Silas has been harvesting half our farm stocks in his personal warehouse outside the empire."
"What? We swore we wouldn't say that," the crying Minister yelled. When he tried to attack, Erwin's men quickly pinned him to the floor.
Horus exhaled. So his people were hungry while these corrupted Ministers... Horus gritted his teeth. Thinking of it alone might make him behead them right where they stood.
"Where exactly is the place?" Horus demanded.
"I can take you there myself, my-"
"Fool, I asked you a simple question."
The Minister took a step back. Obviously, he wasn't expecting that from the emperor, so he had to spill the beans.
"The outskirts of the empire? It's clearly a trap," said Erwin.
The outskirts of the empire had become a location for bandits, those who harbored thoughts of killing the emperor.
Why would anyone store goods from the empire there? Even the bandits would kill them once they knew it was from the empire.
Although it wasn't like that from the start, the outskirts used to be the empire's center of defense.
-[Ding]-
SIDE QUEST RECEIVED: Venture Into The Outskirts and Free the People.
ALERT: This quest must be done alone.
Summary:
After realizing where your food and supplies had been hidden, with direct orders from you, Emperor Horus Seth, you must venture into the outskirts alone to reduce casualties.
Reward: Multiple rewards will be given after completing the mission.
Time Left: 10 hrs, 59 mins, 58 sec.
---
Horus massaged the bridge of his nose and sighed. Regardless of the system's sudden side quest, he would have still gone to see the outskirts for himself, but not alone.
"Lock them up till I arrive. If I don't, kill them all."
He gave out a direct order.