Imperial Reincarnation: I Came, I Saw, I Survived Volume 3 (eBook)

Masekinokatasa (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025
250 Seiten
J-Novel Club (Verlag)
978-1-7183-6536-0 (ISBN)

Infos

'Impossible? I do not know the word!'
After executing both the Chancellor and Minister of Ceremony, Carmine inherits an Empire in turmoil. His reputation among the people may have gone from 'incompetent' to 'hero,' but with his political enemies mustering an army to oppose him, he'll need to address his critical shortfall of funds and weapons-and fast, because war is already at his doorstep.
If that weren't enough, he also has to deal with dubiously loyal vassals, assassins out for his throat, and the debts his predecessor left behind. Then, as he struggles to bring stability to the Empire, the devil appears to offer him a deal. The only question: will he accept?

---

"e;Impossible? I do not know the word!"e;After executing both the Chancellor and Minister of Ceremony, Carmine inherits an Empire in turmoil. His reputation among the people may have gone from "e;incompetent"e; to "e;hero,"e; but with his political enemies mustering an army to oppose him, he'll need to address his critical shortfall of funds and weapons-and fast, because war is already at his doorstep.If that weren't enough, he also has to deal with dubiously loyal vassals, assassins out for his throat, and the debts his predecessor left behind. Then, as he struggles to bring stability to the Empire, the devil appears to offer him a deal. The only question: will he accept?

Textauszug

The Audience

It had been three days since the coronation. But although the imperial capital was still in lockdown, completely halting the flow of humanity was an impossible task—the city’s population was simply too large. There was no hope of keeping a lid on my execution of the Dukes and arrest of the nobility either, of course.

Rather than waste intelligence agents on that futile endeavor, I put them to work gathering the information I sorely needed right now. They departed for the duchies of Raul and Agincarl—now bereft of their principal governors—to spy on the movements of their noble houses.

Assuming no obstructions, news of the coronation must have reached the duchies by now. They’d be mustering armies before I could blink.

The day after the coronation, Count Chamneau had requested permission to make public the news of the purge. I knew we wouldn’t be able to conceal it anyway, and it seemed he could make good use of the opportunity, so I acceded.

Upon receiving my permission, Count Chamneau apparently informed the commanders of the Chancellor’s faction and regency detachments within his army of the events of the coronation. He also told them that much of the nobility had escaped and were suspected to be hiding within the army—a lie—and that they faced a possible attack—also a lie—by the emperor’s personal army and Duke Warren’s army, which had returned to the fold.

The majority of the nobility’s commanding officers within Count Chamneau’s army were rear vassals—essentially the lowest rung of nobility, or near enough. With their lack of insight into the truth of the events, it seemed they’d chosen to return to their holdings first and ask questions later. Better that than remain in the imperial capital surrounded by enemies, in their eyes.

This was how Count Chamneau essentially defanged the coalition army. I was grateful—I’d considered the option of disarming them, but this method was better for my purposes. Having potential enemies hanging around the city who would no doubt resist attempts to disarm them would only tie up my limited and precious pool of military resources.

Okay, so maybe those “precious military resources” were untrustworthy mercenaries. Beggars couldn’t be choosers, all right?

Above all, the outcome I most wanted to avoid was the nobility’s armies trying to recover their respective lords and ladies by force. I’d take them returning to their holdings over running amok any day. After all, having the nobility in captivity meant I’d basically muzzled their subordinates.

In the meantime, Duke Warren, who’d received my personal letter, showed no sign of any hostile intentions. He’d already sent me a written oath stating that he would return to the Empire’s service and pledge his loyalty to the emperor. In fact, he would be arriving in person to the imperial demesne today for an audience with me, shared with Count Chamneau and Fabio.

In truth, I’d hoped to have him come earlier, but that had proven impossible. Duke Warren and Count Chamneau’s armies had been hostile mere days ago—even if the duke had agreed, his vassals would not have allowed their lord to simply walk into a possible death trap.

To solve that problem, we’d moved both armies out of the way. Count Chamneau’s, which was essentially just an amalgamation of mercenary bands now, had moved to the western side of the imperial capital, while Duke Warren and Fabio’s forces had set up camp to the south.

Not-so-coincidentally, the city’s western and southern sides were defensively quite sound, owing to its layout and construction. Even with the ceasefire (did it count as a ceasefire if no fighting had actually happened?) we couldn’t exactly let an army or two hang out on the city’s eastern side, given its lack of a wall.

＊＊＊

Duke Warren, accompanied by a guard escort, passed under the city’s gates to the wild enthusiasm of the crowds.

Part of this was because I’d emphasized his loyalty during my public address, but it was mostly because he’d been very popular among the people during his time as imperial grand marshal. No surprises there—commanders who won a lot were popular no matter the day and age.

Soon, I would be granting an audience to Duke Warren, Count Chamneau, and Fabio. Rather than use the palace where my coronation had been held, we’d converted a part of the sixth emperor’s palace for social gatherings as a temporary audience chamber. The coronation palace was too deep into the imperial demesne to be convenient.

More relevantly, it was still being, ah, cleaned. A certain someone had spilled a good deal of blood in the process of subduing the coronation’s attendees. What was more, most of the imperial demesne’s servants were in the pockets of the regency or Chancellor’s faction, meaning we had to be wary about what work we entrusted them with. Long story short, we were suffering a manpower deficit.

Before long, Duke Warren and the others arrived at the slapdash audience chamber. Incidentally, the throne I sat on had belonged to Edward II, the fourth emperor—we’d pulled it out of storage and dusted it off. Despite it being the plainest of the thrones in terms of ornamentation, it had a refined elegance to it. Plus, it was very comfy.

Atop my throne, which rested atop a slightly elevated platform, I waited for the three men to kneel. Before you go calling me pompous—admittedly I was quite literally looking down at them—the act of me sitting on the throne ahead of time and waiting was the greatest respect I could show them in my capacity as the emperor.

When I’d been a puppet, everyone had made light of me. Naturally, that had meant I couldn’t perform the etiquette befitting of my station. Now that I was properly in power, I fully intended to act like a self-important emperor—to protect myself, if nothing else. This was not the time or the place for overfamiliarity; sometimes, being too nice could breed contempt.

All of which was to say that from here on out, I needed to play the part of a strong emperor.

Daniel de Piers announced the trio’s names and titles. Ordinarily, that would be the Chancellor’s role, but the position had experienced a sudden vacancy. Official procedure called for a member of the clergy to stand in as substitute herald.

“Your arrival is most welcome,” I declared once Daniel was finished. “Raise your heads.”

Incidentally, Duke Warren had come into the audience chamber accompanied by another nobleman acting as his guard, but formality demanded we treat him as invisible. Well, more accurately, he was deemed an object—a weapon of the duke’s—in the eyes of official procedure, and forbidden from speaking. Likewise, the imperial guards who were present to ensure my safety couldn’t speak a word either. Stuffy and suffocating, I know, but that was formality for you.

“Duke Warren,” I began. “We thank you for heeding our words. If you had not mustered your army, we would not have been able to enact our own plan. You have done well, and we consider you a paragon of imperial nobility—a model on which posterity shall rely.”

“Your Majesty is too kind. Your words bring me greater joy than I can express.”

From Duke Warren’s point of view, the purge had been abrupt and unexpected, carried out by a child he’d thought a puppet. No doubt he was still gauging my character, and it would take more than the events of the past few days for him to fully trust me. He’d come to the imperial demesne regardless because I’d publicly refuted the claim that he was a traitor, as well as because of the handwritten letter I’d bid Nadine to deliver to him.

“Once you have delivered just punishment to the Empire’s traitors, we shall reward you handsomely for your distinguished service,” I proclaimed.

The traitors I was talking about were the Chancellor and Minister of Ceremony’s sons, who would be mobilizing their armies as soon as they heard the news of their fathers’ demise. In the very unlikely event that they didn’t revolt...well, I’d still crush them anyway. Houses Raul and Agincarl held too much power.

“As Your Majesty’s sword and shield, I swear that I shall bring the disloyal to justice.”

“Well said, Duke Warren! We could not entrust the task to a more worthy man. Henceforth, Emperor Carmine of the Bundarte Empire appoints you as imperial grand marshal!”

Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but we were just going through the motions. I had included all of this and more in my letter.

Me gaining the opportunity to enact my plans because of Duke Warren’s insurrection; my promise to the duke that I would handle the Chancellor and Minister of Ceremony myself and subsequent request to refrain from engaging Count Chamneau’s army; another request to return to the imperial fold after I’d seized control of the capital, and of course, his reappointment to the rank of imperial grand marshal and the promise of further rewards after the civil war was concluded—all of this exchange had been decided in advance.

“You are known as a great commander, Duke, and famed for your ability. Deliver the Empire the stability it needs.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

I nodded emphatically, then turned my gaze to Count Chamneau. “Count Chamneau. Your efforts have produced magnificent results.”

...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 2.9.2025
• Reihe/Serie: Imperial Reincarnation: I Came, I Saw, I Survived
• Illustrationen: Masekinokatasa
• Übersetzer: Masekinokatasa
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• Schlagworte: Drama • hard mode • Isekai • Magic • male protagonist • Politics • royalty
• ISBN-10: 1-7183-6536-5 / 1718365365
• ISBN-13: 978-1-7183-6536-0 / 9781718365360