Chapter 476
“It has become impossible to destroy the warp gate with the guerrillas alone… … . Is this it?”
“Unfortunately, Your Majesty.”
At the words of Saviolin Tana, who had a hard expression, Bertus nodded with a sorrowful expression.
It was already known that as the number of warp gates decreased, the operation to destroy the gates became more and more difficult.
In the most recent operation, on a mission to destroy three warp gates, Saviolin Tana was forced to withdraw his troops after destroying only one warp gate.
There were too many monsters, and they were strong.
In that operation, two sword masters of Shanafell and four royal mages were killed.
Such a strong force was not easily replenished, so it was an extremely painful loss.
It is a master class power that cannot be easily replenished. So it is a permanent power loss.
As the gate becomes more dangerous, the strength of the guerrillas continues to decrease.
However, the more the gate completion work is delayed, the more monsters will be released into the world.
“What do you think of combining Ellen’s troops and Lord Tana’s?”
Urban reconstruction continues, but the environment has made it very difficult to rescue survivors.
Now the mission of Ellen’s unit is to destroy the remaining warp gates, and a very powerful unit is formed.
At the emperor’s words, Tana shook her head with a firm expression.
“If you do that, we will be able to temporarily continue the warp gate destruction operation, but… … . In the long term, it is expected that such losses will occur again. Also, the risk of Ellen Artorius dying… … . You can’t see that there is none at all.”
Ellen Artorius dies while attempting to destroy a warp gate.
It is more terrible than any catastrophe to mankind.
People are pinning a lot of expectations and hopes on Ellen. If such Ellen died in a fight to subdue the warp gate, not the demon king, humanity would fall into despair and grief as it is.
It’s true that Ellen is still doing dangerous things, but pushing her into even more dangerous things. Even continuing to commit to an operation with a very high risk of death was something Bertus could not accept.
Even so, he couldn’t leave everything to Saviolin Tana like before.
The situation is very bad.
It is not that there is no way at all.
“at last… … . It seems the time has come to form a large army.”
“… … Yes, Your Majesty.”
All you have to do is operate a large force for all-out war.
Large-scale movement through magic is impossible.
So, the formed unit must go on an expedition to destroy the warp gates while wandering the continent while being supplied with magic.
In order to preserve the power of the master class and the great mages, those with a slightly lower level were sacrificed.
You can’t even predict how many people will die.
If you organize and send troops of that size, they won’t be able to come back easily. You will have to fight countless monsters wandering the continent while traveling a very long distance to the point where the warp gate is located.
Until you destroy all the warp gates, you must organize a union that cannot return.
Since the guerrillas can no longer carry out their duties, they must now wage a real war.
The formation of a large military force leaving for a complete end to the Gate debacle.
It is not known how many years it will take for the troops to leave and return, as they will have to walk great distances.
Will I be able to come back?
However, if the gate crisis does not end, humanity will perish.
So that’s what you have to do now.
“I need to have a meeting with the church, including the emirates.”
Bertus decided to gather everything that was left and organize a large-scale army that could be said to be the total strength of mankind.
“Your Majesty, Her Highness the Princess… … .”
“Reinhardt took them.”
Tana knew about this plan too.
“… … Is that so.”
Saviolin Tana nodded with a miserable expression at the emperor’s words.
The empire could not protect the princess.
So, I had to do a play.
“There were unexpected circumstances… … . Let’s talk about it like this.”
Anyway, things turned out the way Bertus wanted them to.
An unidentified secret society called the Black Order appeared and tried to kill the Demon King.
Unintentionally, there was a situation where Ellen, who was present at the scene, was forced to fight Reinhardt, but as a result, Reinhardt pretended to be defeated by Ellen and ran away.
That’s why, although there were unexpected civilian casualties, the atmosphere in the imperial city was very good.
The princess couldn’t be executed, and the demon king’s servants also fled.
But people saw how Ellen Artorius overpowered the Demon King.
As if that was it.
Even though the Demon King had appeared, the imperial capital was in a state of high spirits with the belief that they had confirmed the figure of a hero who now had the upper hand over the Demon King.
* * *
It’s been a week since Reinhardt left Edina.
Charlotte, who was in charge of the regency, was conducting state affairs in her own way.
Charlotte, who has been entrusted with full powers by Reinhardt, also carries out state affairs, but still puts more emphasis on grasping the current situation.
It was possible to organize a vigilante group and systematize punishments to establish standards for punishment, but first of all, many things had to be checked with the naked eye.
The Edina Archipelago was originally a small country, but as it grew in size, it was no different from a child who only grew in size.
That’s why you couldn’t expect the same laws and institutions as the empire.
First of all, Charlotte focused on the problem Reinhardt had the most trouble with, numbers.
The number of people, the amount of food stored, the number of crimes, the number of prisoners in camps.
What do you need and what do you lack?
And after putting the numbers she needed to know somewhat into her head, Charlotte did the next thing.
It is, in a way, a more important task than memorizing numbers.
Are the numbers you memorized correct?
It is reported to be abundant, but in reality there are cases where it is not enough.
There are many cases where the actual number is higher than the recorded number.
Usually those numbers are tweaked a little in the middle.
And it was Charlotte’s job to find out why the number was different.
Charlotte sits on a throne, staring at a man kneeling, bound by guards.
“Explain the difference between the quantity and shipment of fish stocked for the purpose of producing fish bags.”
Charlotte had never dreamed that she would live and interrogate the manager of a dried fish production plant herself.
But Edina’s most important business and problem is food.
Food is a matter directly related to people’s lives.
The fish and shellfish collected by the mermaids are a very important and core food resource, and making fish into fish is one of Edina’s very important food businesses in that it is a task to make long-term preservation food in preparation for the winter.
There is a difference between the amount of fish stocked and the quantity of fish fabric produced.
In front of Charlotte’s eyes was the person in charge of the fishery production process.
“I, Your Highness… … .”
“To be called the Regent.”
The terrified officer looked into Charlotte’s red eyes and banged her head on the ground in terror.
“Sir, Your Excellency Regent… … . Basically, not all fish that have been received as production of fish are finished in the manufacturing process of fish. In the middle process, the amount of loss due to mistakes or mistakes by field workers is considerable, so the actual yield is not very high… … .”
“You mean the yield is low?”
“Yes, yes… … .”
“What is the loss rate?”
“That, that… … .”
“If you are the person in charge of fish production, you should know something about average yield. Could it be that you don’t know?”
don’t know what you need to know
In fact, even if the person in charge didn’t steal it in the middle, it is already a sin if you don’t know what you need to know.
“The actual yield is about 80%… … .”
“It can’t be. Calculating the amount of warehousing and shipment, the actual average yield is less than 60%. The reality is that about 40% of fish are disappearing.”
At the false report, Charlotte calmly stares at the person in charge.
“If there was a mistake about the actual figure, that mistake itself is a sin. The problem of preserving food is a very important national project in that it is a food business in preparation for winter. Since the person in charge is ignorant of the actual situation, it must be a serious dereliction of duty. Also, if it is a 40% business or a business that has to disappear, there must be a technical problem. However, there is not a single report on the need for improvement or improvement of technical problems or raising an issue. Do you only do what you are told to do and do not understand the purpose of this work?”
“Go, Your Excellency… … . but… … . In the field, various things happen… … . inevitably… … . That is… … .”
“What do you mean by necessity?”
Charlotte tilts her head slightly.
“I have already confirmed that the fish you stole from you is being distributed in the black market of Razak. Let’s hear what more excuses you have.”
“Go, Your Excellency! Shareholder… … I have committed a mortal sin!”
Charlotte smiled as she watched the white-faced attendant slam her head on the audience room floor.
“It is false.”
“… … yes?”
“I have nothing to do, so did you find out if you or the like are distributing fish poo in the market? I just did it.”
Charlotte smiles at the frozen rep.
“If you stab me once, you’ll confess on your own.”
Charlotte glances at the guards.
“After thoroughly investigating his crimes, execute him publicly. There will inevitably be female sins, so uncover those as well. Also, if the female crimes are revealed after you are executed, I will execute all of your wives and children. So, if you want to make the rest of your family’s life easier, please tell me without lies.”
“Go, Your Excellency! Yo, please forgive me!”
“Drag and go.”
Charlotte watched as the fishpo production line manager was dragged away by the guards.
Sin happens everywhere.
Charlotte is not curious about why the author sinned.
It could be for an inevitable reason, or it could simply be for self-interest.
But once you start making excuses, there is no end.
So Charlotte had no intention of knowing that in the first place.
“west… … . Your Excellency Regent… … .”
One of the vassals, who had been abiding by Charlotte’s decision, cautiously opened her mouth.
“Speak.”
As if meeting Charlotte’s gaze was too much for them, one of the retainers trembled.
“His Highness the Demon King is originally… … . When you deal with sin, you don’t discuss involvement… … .”
“ah… … . Is that what you mean?”
Reinhardt’s reign.
How it was, Charlotte knows something.
It was used as labor rather than killed, and no matter how extreme the crime was committed, only the perpetrators were punished.
Even, the punishment for those who tried to assassinate the devil was only the death penalty, but they did not punish their clan.
Leaving aside the simple matter of good and evil, Reinhardt’s view of punishment is an individual punishment.
However, Charlotte’s view of punishment is different.
One hundred precepts as one punishment.
Punishment is not a matter of ethics, but a tool of government.
“Didn’t I tell you?”
Charlotte speaks in a cool voice.
“From now on, many things will be different.”
Sin and its punishment are meant to alert society.
“I have been entrusted with all of Edina’s internal affairs. And I was guaranteed maximum autonomy for him.”
“So, if I punish you, I punish you.”
“If I say I want to sit-in, I will.”
“Especially, food-related businesses are directly related to the lives of Edina and all citizens.”
“It is a serious crime that shakes the foundation of Edina for the people in charge of the business to take personal profits in the middle.”
“Edina has a lot of mouths.”
“Too many.”
“So, I intend to reduce as much as possible the unscrupulous mouths that try to survive by sucking the blood of the nation.”
“In the future, regardless of lineage, if those who pursue such self-interest in Edina’s food business are discovered, they will be publicly executed without exception, and his clan who took the unfair advantage will be punished without exception.”
Charlotte sees the vassals flinch.
There are also demons among the vassals. However, the demons who had absolute trust in the demon king showed no shame.
All the people who were terrified were human.
“If you are clean, there is no reason to be afraid, so it seems that there are people who have a basis for that fear.”
Charlotte sits on her throne, resting her chin on her arm and examining the faces of her vassals.
“Pray to the gods that your infidelities do not get in my eyes.”
It’s not just you who die, your precious things can also disappear along with you.
The reign of the fallen demon king is over. The Regent will shed a lot of blood to discipline Edina.
Those who used to keep their pockets in complacency will have to be prepared to do so in the future.
* * *
“About the sit-in… … . Reinhardt might not like it.”
At Harriet’s words, Charlotte nodded.
“I guess so. But the rule so far has been too benevolent.”
“… … .”
Charlotte’s reign as regent was, however different, too different.
That’s why Harriet was afraid of what Reinhardt would think when he returned, not knowing where he was headed.
Did Reinhardt know that this would happen and entrust the role of regent to Charlotte?
Harriet didn’t know.
“Even the lowest-level officials look down on the royal family and steal supplies. whoever knows knows That the Demon King is actually very merciful. And a benevolent monarch is more likely to be perceived as a funny one. Now I need to get rid of those parts. The rotten roots that are of no use to state affairs must be pulled out. No, burn it in front of the crowd.”
In fact, Charlotte tried to keep the Empire together by burning herself in front of a crowd.
Charlotte’s words made sense, so Harriet didn’t add anything.
“Anyway, the sit-in is for show. It’s not really the way you do it all that often. If you show it like this a few times, the discipline will take care of itself. You have to know that if you get caught wrongly, all the pillars in the house will be pulled out.”
Kill people to show off.
Harriet is a princess too, but seeing Charlotte make such a calm decision made her feel queasy.
* * *
It’s been 15 days since Reinhardt left.
There were several public executions in the squares of Razak.
The proclamator recited the guilt of the criminals, and the executioners slit their throats.
It was confirmed by the mouths of the proclamators that the way of government had changed, and that the regent had made such a decision.
Rather than trembling in fear, there were many people who cheered rather.
They are usually those who negatively swindled the national treasury or committed unpardonable felonies. That’s why the crowd thought they deserved to die.
Of course, some feared and voluntarily paid their taxes.
Charlotte didn’t even punish those people. She pardoned them to the extent of whipping or flogging, and she even tended to their wounds.
And those already punished were not punished retroactively.
That’s how Charlotte was reorganizing the country and establishing new principles and rules.
And at the same time, he didn’t neglect to look at Edina’s overall situation.
“… … .”
Charlotte was quietly watching the array of numbers in front of her.
An advance base that secures survivors from the continent and sends them to Edina.
Fort Mokna.
In a way, it was the place Reinhardt thought was the most important. Liana de Granz, who is called the Thunder King by the people, was in charge of the command.
The main force is the paladins of the church, and there are also many wizards.
It never collapses under the attack of a fair amount of monsters, and it cannot collapse easily even because of Liana, who has powerful psychic powers.
[List of supplies requested by Fort Mokna]
“There is something wrong… … ?”
At Harriet’s question, who was sitting in the office, Charlotte narrowed her brows.
“Could you show me the list of supplies sent to Fort Mokna so far?”
“uh? Ah Okay. I’ll look for it.”
Harriet busied herself in the office for a while, then brought back the papers Charlotte needed.
“And if there are any documents about the number of survivors who have come to Edina from Fort Mokna so far, can you find me?”
“yea, I got it.”
What Charlotte said was the most important document, so Harriet was able to prepare it right away.
Charlotte lays out a list of requests for supplies by date.
And, likewise, they lined up next to the papers that listed when the refugee ship arrived, how many people, and on what day.
Charlotte watches the papers silently.
Harriet looks at Charlotte, who seems to be thinking about something troubling.
“Didn’t you say that Fort Mokna had about 2,000 resident troops?”
“huh. that’s right. The fighting force is about 1,500, and there are around 2,000 including 500 people in various units. This number has not changed much.”
“Hmm.”
Charlotte looks at the papers for a long time.
Harriet broke out in a cold sweat.
I don’t know what Charlotte is thinking, but if there’s anything wrong with Fort Mokna, it’s Liana’s problem.
Even so, Riana has no special feelings for Charlotte.
If Charlotte discovered any irregularities in Fort Mokna and tried to correct them, she would inevitably come into conflict with Liana.
There was a very good chance that it would be a bad thing.
“There is something wrong… … ?”
“Yes, there is.”
Charlotte nodded at Harriet’s question.
“Fort Mokna is demanding too many supplies. Not just this time, but always, especially food.”
According to Charlotte’s calculations, Port Mocna wants too much food supply, and Edina has actually supplied that much to Port Mocna.
Charlotte noticed something odd between the numbers.
