"Hahaha!" I laughed.
"What are you saying!?" I asked the ambassador.
I was sitting in my study on a padded wooden chair.
It hadn't been three days since my army had entered the dungeon, marking the beginning of the war against the Westmont Kingdom.
I was currently working on some documents aimed at helping the common people, including free schools and healthcare.
My mood was good until an incredible piece of news reached me... Not anymore!
"Repeat it... but make sure I understand correctly," I said slowly to the ambassador.
He repeated the message with a trembling voice, "Th-the dungeon is c-closed, which means it has reached its level cap."
I slammed my hand on the table to release my frustration, but it didn't break apart as it was made of special wood.
"How can this be!?" I asked rhetorically. "Just after four weeks?"
"Has its Death Field already started spreading?" I inquired.
"It's slowly growing," he replied.
I fell silent and contemplated.
Dungeons typically leveled up slowly, which was the curse of Manara.
The fastest dungeon ever to reach its level cap did so after 50 years, because it had a devastating war in it, in which many died.
Fortunately, it was destroyed before it could create its second floor.
The problem with a level-2 dungeon was that you didn't know which direction it had developed in.
What was even worse was the Death Field, which grew larger every day and could be deadly to humans in an advanced dungeon.
It continuously absorbed mana from its surroundings to sustain itself, like a parasite.
And the stronger it became, the more it needed, to the extent that it could even drain the mana from living beings, causing them to die over time.
"Immediately evacuate all surrounding villages and cities within a 20 km radius," I instructed the ambassador. "Also, tell Daniel Whitaker to come to me."
He nodded and left the room in a hunched posture.
All this reverence was starting to get on my nerves. I became Emperor for two reasons: to help my people and to have the power to eradicate this pest.
I never wanted to be like the previous Emperors.
I swore that to myself, especially not like my father, whom I personally laid to rest.
*ptui*
After a short wait, Daniel Whitaker arrived and greeted me as usual.
"Your Majesty!"
On his knees, head bowed, and right hand over his heart.
If I hadn't given orders, they would call me "Centrum Terrae," a name my great father had coined.
"It's good that you could come so quickly!" I said to Daniel Whitaker. "You've probably already heard about the problem."
"Yes, I have," he replied.
"Good, then have a seat, and let's find a solution to the problem."
He sat down opposite me on a similar chair, and we began to discuss.
It wasn't easy because we had many projects on our list, such as universal basic income, free schools, improving the slums, the overall quality of life for our people and more.
These were enormous tasks, but we knew our people deserved them after decades of tyranny.
We discussed for a long time, probably several hours, and decided to postpone some plans and focus on evacuating people from the danger zone to the capital for the time being.
This is where the authority of a monarch came in handy—orders were swiftly executed at my command.
Afterward, Daniel left to deliver the message, and immediate measures were taken to build temporary shelters.
However, I knew my empire was too vast to rule alone, and I wasn't as foolish as my father to risk it.
You can see what became of that.
The further one was from the capital, the poorer and more run-down things became.
So, I divided it into six parts. I ruled over the largest part, while Daniel Whitaker had no territory, but the other five were governed by noble men.
The capital was by the sea, where I lived, essentially the center, with the territories of the others forming a semi-circle around it.
The territories bordering the dungeon were governed by Brander Fierysword and Dominic Sterling.
Dominic Sterling wasn't a warrior; he was just a wealthy merchant.
I granted him his position because he was extremely rich and had assisted me in the coup. Plus, I could trust him, like the other five.
Brander, on the other hand, was a warrior. He lived for combat and possessed great strength. He was the strongest in the entire empire and only spoke in the face of genuine danger.
I always chuckled when I thought about it, the way he had told me.
These two were tasked with destroying the dungeon.
If I had the time, I would love to do it myself, but I could trust them.
Dominic hoped for a handsome reward, and Brander... well:
"I laugh in the face of danger! HAHAHA!" I imitated him when he took on the role of commander.
I always found it amusing because he said it with such seriousness that it left no room for doubt.
...
The next morning, I went to the church.
I set off at sunrise, walking leisurely through the streets.
Luckily, the church wasn't far away; I just had to follow the outer right road, and it stood halfway along.
I could see it from a distance, and its beauty always captivated me.
Especially now, in the golden sunlight, the green-gold dome sparkled, and the marble-white walls shone.
(A/N: It's green-gold, not a pattern.)
The shops on the street were closed today, as it was the day of rest. Several people were heading towards the church, and each greeted me with a bow.
I was returning a greeting when I bumped into someone going against the flow.
The person fell down.
"Ah!" I heard a unique female voice when she collided with me.
It wasn't sweet, not harsh, not too deep, nor too high-pitched. It had a slightly darker tone for a woman, but still unmistakably feminine.
Somehow very beautiful!
"Watch where you're going!" she hissed at me.
"Haha," I chuckled. "Are you okay?"
I noticed people at the sidelines gossiping and laughing, some looking shocked because my reputation preceded me.
But I must say, the notion that I was a cold-blooded killer was only half true, either in relation to my father or the dungeons. That is just pushing my buttons!
I extended a hand to help her up. She clicked her tongue and got up on her own.
"Isn't it a bit warm for a mask?" I asked.
I sensed she was tall for a women, even though she only reached up to my nose.
Despite wearing an elegant black and red coat with white gloves, her slender build was evident.
Although I didn't usually pay much attention to appearances, I had to admit she had a nice... posterior, at least from what I could see.
"None of your business!" she retorted.
Through a veil, I couldn't see her face, but I caught a glimpse of her chin. It had a distinctly feminine contour.
"That's a shame; I'd like to get to know such a nice lady better," I chuckled lightly.
She snorted through her nose.
"Would you at least tell me your name?" I asked her.
I don't know why, but she had piqued my interest. She invoked a certain curiosity in me that I rarely felt, even though she wasn't particularly pleasant.
Nonetheless, I attempted to engage in a brief conversation.
But in response to my question, she shook her head irritably and walked past me.
I watched her and got the confirmation of her beautiful bottom. Not too big, not too small and really well formed.
„Your Majesty!" I heard and saw soldiers coming toward us.
The woman looked at me and then too the soldiers. After this she run faster than the wind.
„Nice to meet you!" I smiled
When the soldiers reached me, they knelt down, and their leader asked, "Your Majesty, why did you leave the palace without your royal guard?"
"Don't worry so much! Nothing's going to happen," I assured them.
"Safety first, Your Majesty!"
"Fine, but get up slowly, Ragnar. I'm already running late for the church service," I said, glancing at his right arm, mysteriously absent.
"If you insist on following, then follow me. Slowly but surely, I really need to relax and share my thoughts with Manara."
All these formalities, the dungeon, and the war were giving me a headache.
"Damn abominations!" I cursed.
Just the thought of the dungeons and Scalari made my blood boil.
I walked faster this time. I really needed to find a different occupation for Ragnar. Every time I saw him, it filled me with unpleasant thoughts.
"Traitorous scum!" I muttered indistinctly.
…
Arriving at the church, I passed through the large wooden door, crafted from a more than 1000-year-old Apostle Tree.
Every time I walked through it, I couldn't help but think of this masterpiece of Manara. The tree that created its own forest and made mana rain down!
It was indeed a marvel of architecture, just like the interior of the church, which was overwhelming.
As soon as I closed the massive wooden doors behind me and entered the sacred space, I immediately felt the atmosphere change. The air was cooler, and a sense of reverence washed over me.
The church's walls were adorned in a soothing, calming green that put one's thoughts at ease.
The white of the pillars and pews lent the room purity and brightness, lifting one's spirit.
Golden accents glistened in the light of the large stained glass windows, bathing the space in a warm, divine glow. The ceiling soared high above me, seeming to touch the heavens themselves.
Its intricate decorations and paintings told stories from religious history, captivating the gaze of every visitor.
The altar in the center of the room was a true masterpiece, covered in gilded embellishments and intricate reliefs. At the altar, a priest stood with his back to the congregation, facing the altar with the Magic Crystal atop it.
This legendary treasure, discovered thousands of years ago, was only brought into the light during Sunday prayers at the end of the ceremony.
He was currently delivering a sermon, so I quietly took a seat in one of the rear pews.
The soldiers' armor clinked softly, distracting nearby individuals who looked annoyed, but quickly turned their heads to whisper to their neighbors.
I paid little attention to this and knelt down, folding my hands and listening to the priest delivering the closing sermon for Sunday.
"Behold the Crystal! A gift from Manara! A symbol of purity and justice!
It is a gift from Manara, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. A gift and a message to live our lives with pure hearts and to help those in need!
Free the world from evil and redeem it in Manara's name!
In her boundless grace, she has given us this crystal, not as a treasure of the world, but as a treasure for our souls.
Let us be grateful for this gift and honor Manara in our hearts. May we embrace her message to walk through life with pure hearts and to aid those who require our help.
For in helping others, we find true fulfillment and divine love. Manara calls upon us to free the world from evil and to redeem it in the name of love and compassion.
May we dedicate ourselves to this sacred task, and may the radiance of this crystal guide us on this path.
Let us pray together and surrender to Manara and her message of love and mercy.
May her light shine in our hearts and fill the world with kindness. In the name of Manara, the Goddess of Compassion, we say: So be it."
"So be it!" echoed through the church.
Afterward, the visitors gathered around the crystal, waiting for their turn to touch it and offer their thanks.
Since I arrived late, I remained kneeling and engaged in a quiet conversation with Manara, slowly calming my mind.
When I finished, I raised my head and saw that almost everyone had already left the church. Luckily, I only had three people in front of me. Even though I didn't have to wait as Emperor, I occasionally enjoyed it, as it allowed my thoughts to wander.
Finally, when it was my turn, the priest greeted me.
I only nodded and approached the crystal. I kissed it and expressed my gratitude.
"Your Majesty," the priest said, "would you like to perform a redemption?"
I was torn because I wanted to, but I had so much to do!
That was one drawback of being Emperor; you never, truly never, had a day off!
"Not today, thank you. But you should prepare double the amount of Scalari for next time," I replied.
"As you wish."
With that, I left the church with my „superb" bodyguards and headed back to the palace.
On the way back, I didn't cross paths with the "nice" lady again, but I did enjoy the gentle breeze that brushed through my silver hair, thanks to the view being unobstructed by the bodyguards.
...
Arriving at the palace, I decided to work in the garden since the weather was truly beautiful today.
I worked for a while and was taking a short break when a letter reached me. It stated that the war against the WestMont Kingdom was unexpectedly going well.
In the three days they had marched through the land, no opposing army had confronted them. They had just arrived at the new capital, which surprisingly turned out to be a walled area.
There were archers on the walls, but they were swiftly eliminated.
However, the real surprise came when they discovered a Death Field behind the walls. In the center of it was an underground dungeon.
These were just as troublesome as Tower Dungeons, only they had smaller but multiple floors.
"DAMN IT!" I exclaimed. "THESE MEPHISTO WORSHIPPERS DARE AGAIN?"
"How dare they! Again!?" I muttered.
I took a deep breath and, with a cold expression, thought that this time, we would succeed again.
Like last time, it was even an Evolved Tower Dungeon. They really breached the contract!
"Ah, this is ruining my mood again!"
I continued reading the letter, in which Orion wrote that they would first besiege the dungeon because it didn't seem powerful enough to kill yet.
Afterward, they would plan further and likely attack the dungeon once they had gathered enough information.
The problem was that an army of 800,000 wouldn't have enough space, making it easier for the dungeon's inhabitants to leave.
That was all, and the letter ended with the message that he would write again with updates.
Because of the letter, I interrupted my break and wrote a response letter, inquiring if they needed any assistance and so on.
With my anger preventing me from working further, I decided to calm down by taking a stroll in the city, this time without my bodyguards.
I thought that I would have to work overtime again to complete the project.
I was currently working on a reform to abolish slavery. Although it was no longer as widespread, there were still human slaves. And I believed that Manara wouldn't approve of this.
Unfortunately, it was easier said than done, and Daniel and I were experiencing headaches because of it.
...
As I entered the city, some food stalls were open again. Although today wasn't meant for work, I understood it.
People still needed to earn their livelihood, and food would eventually go bad.
I, too, had work to do.
As I passed by a noodle shop, I heard the unmistakable voice of the woman from this morning.
"How much for five bowls of Spaghetti Bolognese?" she asked.
"Regular wheat or Mana wheat?" the chef inquired.
"Regular."
"17.5!"
"17.5 what?" she hissed back. "Copper, silver, gold, or green-gold?"
"Isn't it obvious?" he replied irritably. "Silver, of course!"
"Tsk! That's a rip-off!" she snapped. "13!"
"Now calm down, young lady! This isn't a bazaar; the prices are fixed! One bowl of Spaghetti Bolognese; 3.50 silver!" he said irritably. "Do you want it or not? Others are waiting!"
"Fine," she relented.
Then, she pulled out a bill with a silver 20 and handed it to him.
In return, she received two silver coins and five reddish-brown ones with a note that read "312."
She then took a seat at an available table.
I smiled, walked through the open door, and headed towards her table.
"May I?" I asked her.
She startled for a moment and replied dryly, "No."
I sat down anyway.
"What's your name?" I asked her again, resting my chin, smiling, on my hand.
She glanced around the room, and if it hadn't been full, she might have moved to another table.
„Tsk"
"This place seems quite popular, doesn't it?" I remarked. "By the way, my name is Darian."
She appeared to be ignoring me, not reacting at all.
I continued to gaze at her, and after a short while, she seemed to notice.
„Tsk"
She did that quite often.
"Tsk, Will you leave if I tell you?" she asked.
"Maybe."
"Yes or no?"
"Maybe!" I smiled.
"Tsk."
"Again," I smiled. "It seems like you enjoy keeping your mouth busy."
"Tsk... Only when I'm annoyed," she said. "And you're annoying."
"Haha," I laughed and checked the time.
"I get it. Can I offer you something to drink?"
"Will you leave then?"
"Only if you tell me your name."
"Tsk... Fine! But then, you have to go."
"Alright, what would you like to drink?"
"Five apple sodas."
"You've got quite an appetite for a young lady," I smiled and went to order them.
"That's not all for me," she said when I brought her the bottles on a tray.
I smiled and was about to say something when I was interrupted.
"Number 312!" her order was called.
She took the tray and retrieved her noodles.
She was about to leave when I followed her.
"What's your name?"
She probably looked annoyed, but I couldn't tell through her red and black veil and hood.
"Mia."
"Oh, Mia, a lovely name! Have an equally lovely evening," I smiled.
I heard her snap her tongue again and saw her disappear into an alley.
On my way, I admired her once more, especially her bottom, which I glimpsed in the lamplight.
"Friendly, the Mia!" I laughed.
She really takes my mind off things, I thought, realizing that my mood had improved again.
I wondered about myself, why I liked her despite her prickly demeanor. Is it her beautiful voice? Or maybe her bottom?
Whatever it is, I look forward to seeing her again.
With that in mind, I went back to the palace, smiling under the rising moon.