Noble Reincarnation~Blessed With the Strongest Power From Birth

Chapter 110: Sacrifice

The next day, I came alone to the Leararat government office.

A government building is a public administrative agency of a town and is usually the place where the lord or governor who governs the town resides.

Standing on the main street, look up at the government building.

It’s a three-story building at most, but it’s an unfamiliar-style building.

“… the royal palace, huh?”

That kind of impression popped up in my head.

It’s a style I’ve never seen before, but it’s the decorations on the exterior, the construction of the gate, and the positional relationship with the city.

Everything met the requirements of the so-called royal palace.

“Seems like they had a lot of fun.”

　I chuckled.

　It is not unusual for a deputy or governor posted to a frontier region to wield power like a king in that region.

Even if they hold the same official position, if they are in the capital, they are just mid-level officials, but if they are in the frontier, they become high-ranking officials from the capital.

　Therefore, it is common to hear people say that they would rather stay as a low-ranking official on the frontier, even if their official position is lower than rise to the top and enter the center of the empire.

　Some of them even bribe the inspector-general who oversees their political performance so that they will stay in office.

In that sense, the barren and remote area of Saralira would have been an easy place to do such a thing, I thought as I looked at the palace-like building in front of me.

　Well, that’s not important now.

　I started walking again and came to the gate guard guarding the main gate.

Usually, these gatekeepers are a pair of two people, standing on either side of the double-opening gate.

　This place was no exception, with an elderly man and a young man serving as the guards.

　When they saw me approaching, the young gatekeeper held up his spear, another standard weapon, and thrust the tip of the spear toward me.

“Stop!　Who are you?”

“I am this.”

It was not worth the time to argue with the gatekeeper, so.

I released Livyathan’s power and displayed the crest on my back.

It is my crest, designed after the ship.

　It was a technique I had developed when I had Leviathan.

I will use my most loyal and mag dog, Livyathan’s power to intimidate along with the crest.

“”Hah-hah–“”

　Two of the gatekeepers dropped their spears at the same time and knelt on the spot.

　Some of the people who happened to be passing by also kneeled.

With this pressure, it will make them know that I am the Emperor.

“Let’s go inside. Who is the head of this place?”

“Y-yes! The governor is here.”

“I understand.”

With a nod, I leave the two gatekeepers in their place and enter the government building.

Once inside, I encounter various people, but because of Livyathan’s continued intimidation, everyone I meet instantly kneels down to me.

I learned from the kneeling people where the Governor’s office was and came to it on the top floor of the building.

　I didn’t knock, but pushed the door open and went in.

In the government office, furnished as luxuriously as the Emperor’s office, a man was sitting at a desk with his legs propped up on the desk, sipping from his cup.

“Who is it?　Can’t you at least knock?”

“Is that all right?”

　I knocked on the open door.

　The man looked at me with a sour expression—- then.

“Y-Your Majesty!?”

Startled, he fell off his chair.

　The cup fell to the floor and broke, splashing amber liquid on the man’s body.

　The man crawled across the floor, came in front of me, and bowed again and again on all fours.

“Y-Your Majesty, I am very sorry, I didn’t know you were coming…”

“Good. …… you know my face, don’t you?”

　I said this and retracted Livyathan’s crest.

Revealing my identity with my crest versus the reaction of someone who has known me from the beginning.

　The reaction was slightly different, and the man in front of me, the governor of Saralaria, was the one who knew my face.

“Yes!　I have seen you once at the Imperial Prince’s residence in the capital.”

“Hou?　What is your name?”

“Y-Yellow Cake, sire.”

“Cake?　Are you related to Rice?”

“Yes, Rice is my brother.”

“I see. So you must be one of Henry’s retainers, huh.”

“No, I’m a retainer of His Highness the Eighth.”

“…….Hou”

　Interesting, I thought.

　Rice cake.

　He’s the retainer of the fourth prince, Henry.

When I was 12 years old, I met him when I was working with Henry in the Ministry of War. He was a tough soldier, but at the same time, he was a strong military commander, and he used his skills to successfully organize his troops and achieve success in war.　

　He is a man of great skill, a general who is strict with his soldiers, but at the same time, he is able to organize his troops well and achieve success in war.

　I thought that since he was Rice’s older brother, he was also Henry’s retainer, but he said that he was Oscar’s retainer.

“It is unusual for two brothers to serve different Princes. Is there a reason for that?”

“T-That’s…….”

　Yellow looked away awkwardly.

He averted his eyes and glanced at me.

Is this something that would be awkward for you to tell me?

　……Ahh.

“I see that’s what it was huh.”

“Eh?”

“The brothers will each serve a different Prince, and whichever one ascends to the throne, the house of Rice will be protected.”

“Well, that’s …….”

“Hahaha, good. You could not have imagined that I, the thirteenth prince, would ascend to the throne. I can understand why you did not send your family to me.”

“A-apologies. ……”

“Fuh.”

I smiled faintly and sat down in the chair that Yellow had been sitting in a moment ago.

　I looked at him over the table.

“Stand up, I need to talk to you.”

“Y-Your will my lord.”

　Yellow stood up as I had ordered.

“I have a few things to do. First, is there a death row inmate here in Leararat?”

“A death-row inmate….. sire?”

“Yeah. A death row inmate awaiting execution who did not reach an immediate decision.” 

　I asked Yellow.

What I thought last night was that I was going to use a death row inmate who had been convicted of rebellion or something like that, and whose whole family had been sentenced to death, but then I thought about it and remembered that most such cases are decided immediately, and none of them exist in the Imperial Capital at the moment.

　I had no choice but to switch to a policy of procuring death row inmates in the vicinity, and here we are.

“Some of them are at …….”

“I see. Is there anyone on false charge and substitution?”

“Eh?”

“I’m the Minister of Justice. I know how this works. Do you have a substitute who is paid for?”

“T-that’s …… no it shouldn’t be–no, it’s not. Tomorrow…”

Yellow spouted off a lot of words but then stopped talking.

“Calm down, I’m not here to question you about your sins.”

“Eh?”

“Do you think I, the Emperor, would come all the way here for something as trivial as that?”

“Ah, …….”

He was taken aback in a different way, and his expression was a little relieved.

In the first place, the substitution attendance and execution, of such things will not disappear forever.　

That kind of thing happens when there is a certain amount of wealth and power.

It is confirmed in a book written about 500 years ago that when a master has done something wrong, someone is forced to substitute himself for the master with the promise that after the sentence is over he will do something about it.

　It is a fact that exists and will never disappear.

There is no time to waste on something that cannot be eradicated.

“I’m just asking if there is anyone on false charges or scapegoats among those on death row.”

“There are…… some.”

“But not all of them?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll use the proper death row inmates.”

“B-By your will. Then, how will you use them……?.”

“Umu.”

I nodded and decided to tell Yellow about the dragon vein revitalization, picking up only the practical details.

After putting it all together in my head, I was about to open my mouth—then.

“Governor-sama! There’s a serious, very serious situation!”

　A middle-aged man jumped in, almost smashing through the door of the room.

　Yellow glared angrily at the one who jumped in.

“You’re being noisy!　I don’t know what’s going on, but back off!　I’ll hear you later!”

“That’s not it, sire!　It’s an express letter from the capital!”

“What!?”

　Umu?

　Yellow took the document from the man.

　He waved his hand and let the man go.

When we were alone again, Yellow asked me.

“May I read it, Your Majesty?”

“Yeah, it’s an express, check the content without concern for me.”

“Yes!

Yellow reverently bent down and opened the express document.

　As soon as he looked at it, he said,

“W-What is this”

“What is it?”

Yellow looked up and stared at me.

“It is an urgent matter, and I have been asked to find His Majesty in Saralaria and give him the enclosed document.”

　With that, he showed me a smaller envelope enclosed in the document he had mentioned.

“Let me see it.”

“Y-yes.”

　Yellow held out the envelope with both hands.

I took it, opened it, and read what was inside.

Then – to my surprise.

It was a letter from Henry.

　The content was simple.

Rebellion has broken out and the Imperial Army has been defeated.

　That was all that was written.

With a clatter, I knocked over the chair and stood up.

“Y-Your Majesty?”

“……, it’s nothing.”

　I took a deep breath and sat back in my chair.

　Calm down, I told myself.

It’s important, undeniably important.

　But – it’s not an emergency.

From the place of the rebellion to the Imperial Capital.

　And from there to Leararat.

Both would take about seven days to reach here, even with express service.

　In other words, the defeat itself happened seven days ago.

It’s important, but …… depending on the case, it’s a situation that can’t be rushed.

I took another deep breath.

　I told myself to regain my composure as an emperor.

　And then I thought.

　What I should do now and what I should do in the future.

“Yellow.”

“Yes!”

“Prepare a horse for the super-express, ahead of time.”

“By your will!!”

“I have some decrees. Get a pen and paper ready.”

“By your will!”

“And I’m leaving a man here to serve as my personal representative.”

“By your will—eh?”

The super-express for the limited express.

　As a man who had risen to the rank of governor, Yellow understood the urgency of the situation, even if he didn’t know the details.[TN: Should I have used viceroy from the beginning instead of the governor?]

　So he responded to my orders each time, remembering them by the gesture of writing something in the palm of his hand, but he froze at the last word.

“Leaving ……?　Where is His Majesty going?”

“With that super-express service, I am going back to Imperial Capital.”

“No way!”

　Yellow was astonished.

　It’s no wonder.

　The super express service is a service that does not guarantee the lives of either man or horse.