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“The said envoy, Beast tribe’s ‘Beast King’ seems to have entered the city.”

A middle aged man with aquiline nose 一marquis of the Graviol Empire and also its Prime Minister, Warren一 temporarily put down the pen after going through the approval of documents atop his office desk.

Presumably, he was looking for the timing to give his hand a break. Warren raised his face when the word of the man in merchant attire poured into his ears as if just remembering his presence. Though the word young boy sounds more befitting to describe that persona, his features were so commonplace one would forget once their gaze was off him.

“He should have been the ‘Beast King Candidate’. Oh well, whoever he is doesn’t make much difference.”

He then shifted his gaze to the stacked document again with a face that said ‘he doesn’t have free time to think about useless things’.

“I heard you called them for an informal meeting. Wouldn’t it be better to do some preparation in order?”

“Unnecessary. Either way, they would soon be arriving at this mansion. Good grief, if only they haven’t arrived at imperial capi一… I would have finished them without taking high-handed measures if only I had a bit more time. 一Or else, you don’t have any confidence in cleaning them out?”

Momentarily, Warren raised his face from the document and glared at the young boy’s face.

“I don’t mean it~. Of course I am a very efficient cleaner but, wouldn’t it be better to have some alibi in case people get suspicious?”

“Hmph. You mean Emperor? I will just throw the pot in their yard if someone tries to voice out suspicion. I don’t have time to deal with everyone separately. If the same happens, there wouldn’t be any better way to cut down wastes.”

Whether it’s human life or the preparation for the conference, both hold the same value, all that’s there is to how efficient you are.

At Warren’s cold-blooded, or better to say, at his tone thoroughly belittling the human’s life一

“Whatever suits you.”

The young boy, too, replied in the same fashion as if nothing matters to him.

“Also, I’m confirming last time but are you really sure you don’t mind said ‘teleportation equipment’ to be destroyed? That is quite a handy item if I say so myself.”

“I don’t need it. I don’t have leisure time to play with unneeded time bomb.”

Of course teleportation equipment which could send a large amount of luggage or people at once has its benefits and there were also many calls from advisers whom Warren had discussed with that they should usurp that from Cres Freedom United Nation.

Albeit, this would undoubtedly turn into an all-out-war against Imperial Crimson, Cres’ suzerain state, if they showed clear signs of military invasion.

Even now, there were many who belittle the Imperial Crimson whose origin are unclear till now as if they’re nothing but pretending to play the role of tiger, however, Warren was unable to bring himself to do the same against an opponent who came to have an enormous territory in just a bit more than half year.

No, the thing to look after wasn’t the opponent’s threat but the status quo of his country first.

Although he successfully managed to snatch away the territory of Cres Cent’luna Federation when it split up amidst confusion, that too was in fact a dangerous wager from him. Had it become a protracted war, he wouldn’t have been able to maintain the war front most likely. As a matter of fact, the empire in its current status didn’t have the energy to go on a large-scale war.

一Graviol Empire is a major power backed up by its long history and impressive tradition.

From Warren’s perspective, such a catchy slogan was nothing more than them trying to keep up the pretense, beautifying themselves verbally.

At the end of the day, how was it any different from them indulging themselves by deliberately glorifying the past, without anything to be proud of now?

The bitter truth was, nobles were exploiting the masses, bribes were rampant amidst the public and private sector, government officials misusing their authority to harshly treat civilians while the populace kept shifting the blame to the empire for everything without trying to change anything.

Traditions had become evil practice and it was nothing but a seedbed for birthing the corrupted, slothful, snobbish individuals who know nothing but sophism and how to push blame on others.

He must purge all of them through any means necessary. When he tried to introduce the reformation in the social system, it met instant backlash even without them looking at the example before their eyes, Amitia Kingdom. He needed time. Time to once again put the empire back on its feet.

一The Emperor may have love for new or novel things while being pushed around by himself, he would immediately take on the offer of free trade with the Imperial Crimson without considering the consequences if this news reached his ears.

The balance Marquis Warren made with Aeon Holy kingdom would have crumbled if that happened. In that case, he just has to strike the special envoy of Cres Freedom United Nation down before this news reaches the Emperor’s ear.

The special envoy of Cres Freedom United Nation met with an ‘unfortunate accident’ and passed away before the unofficial meeting. Originally speaking, the special envoy shouldn’t have been here. Imperial Crimson wouldn’t be able to censure them officially either.

Of course, there’s the chance of them interpreting the death in different ways and declare war, but, chances of it should be low一 Warren thought.

Looking at Imperial Crimson’s trend so far, they had never taken initiative by themselves and commenced the war, they have advocated a take or leave stance uptill now. This wasn’t just a shallow thinking, he had reached this conclusion after he also felt a similar kind of rationality and integrity in that country’s Sovereign from what he had learned from hearsay and letters addressed to him. Those letters lacked any common wordplay that aristocratic society was fond of, conveying only what was necessary frankly and yet the humble consideration to prevent them from becoming boring which was rather to his taste.

Then, he would just have to express his disappointment alongside painting their words that they will relinquish some territory to them in the next territory negotiation. He was hoping this will become the common ground to work for both parties.

Rest would be, ‘Cres’ teleportation equipment was destroyed by an unknown assailant’.

This should settle the case.

It didn’t exist to begin with and things would return to their formal state.

By the time his trains of thought stopped, he noticed the young boy who was sitting on the sofa had disappeared at some point.

Warren, as his brows furrowed slightly at the elusiveness of the boy who vanished without a wee-bit of greeting, suddenly turned his gaze to the scenery outside of the window pane.

Dark clouds were getting thicker and thicker, shrouding the city like the night’s sky, and thunderclap could be heard in the distance. Windowspane was making a rattling noise from the strong winds. It was just a matter of time before rain falls.

“一It might be stormy today.”

So muttered vacantly as Warren reached out his hand for the pen to resume the approval of accumulated documents.