I Became the Master of the Empress

204 – 208

Amon had visited the headquarters of the Equality Party but didn’t gain much from it.

“We need to be more radical! You idiots. Do you think the country will change like this?”

He wanted to shout these words, but being in a mid-level position within the Equality Party, he couldn’t easily say such things.

So, after the meeting of the Equality Party ended and he was heading home.

Seeing a stranger standing in front of the house where he stayed, Amon’s expression turns cold.

“What’s this?”

A man dressed as an imperial official.

The man, dressed in a neat uniform, smiles and offers a handshake.

“You are Mr. Amon, right?”

“Has the empire caught wind of something? Damn… Looks like I’ll have to lay low for quite a while.”

With that thought, Amon speaks coldly.

“Are you with the intelligence department?”

The man nods at Amon’s question.

“Yes, that’s correct. But please don’t misunderstand. I’m not here to capture you, Mr. Amon. As you can see, I’m not armed, and I’m alone.”

Amon looks at the man intently and scoffs.

“Indeed, with such feeble mana, you wouldn’t be capable of much.”

“Ha ha. This is rather embarrassing.”

A dapper man with a troubled expression points to a carriage some distance away.

“Someone of high stature over there wishes to see you. Would you have the time?”

Amon looks towards the carriage.

“Who is it?”

At Amon’s question, the intelligence agent scratches the back of his head, looking troubled.

“It’s someone difficult to talk about here.”

“Hmm… then tell them to get lost.”

As Amon says this and turns to enter his house, the man grabs his arm.

“Wait a moment. Just talk. It won’t be anything bad for your organization.”

Amon, no fool, had sensed that someone high up in the intelligence wanted to meet him.

He didn’t know why they wanted to meet. But he didn’t think it was with bad intentions.

‘No doubt, they’re just another leech looking to cling to us.’

Amon, whose hands were already full, was tempted to seize the opportunity but didn’t want to appear eager.

“It’s… not easy to mention that person’s name here. You’ll find out everything once you’re in the carriage.”

Amon’s face twists in displeasure at this.

The intelligence agent speaks as if to calm him.

“It’s difficult to speak freely of someone so high-ranking. But this person could be of help to your organization.”

Amon responds sharply, clearly annoyed.

“Do you even know which organization I’m with?”

“Of course, we do. Isn’t that why we’re here?”

Seeing the intelligence agent’s faint smile, Amon thinks,

‘Tch… I guess I have to meet them.’

Convinced they couldn’t stop him, Amon says,

“If this is some trivial matter, you… and that high-up person will both be dead.”

Already frustrated by the thought of abandoning his current operation, Amon’s mood worsens at the sight of these unwelcome visitors.

So, to appease him, the intelligence agent speaks cautiously.

“Don’t worry. Please, come this way.”

With that, Amon heads towards the carriage with the man.

The carriage windows are darkened, obscuring the view inside.

“Let’s see how high-ranking he is. If he’s just some minor noble…”

With that, Amon swallowed his irritation and the intelligence officer knocked on the carriage door.

-Knock knock.

-Come in.

As an unfamiliar male voice came from inside, the intelligence officer opened the door, and Amon climbed into the carriage.

Amon was surprised to see the person inside.

And for good reason… The person inside was Karl, the Minister of Intelligence.

‘There was a reason he couldn’t name himself.’

Amon’s expression hardened as he had not anticipated seeing the Minister of Intelligence, who was practically the right hand of the Grand Duke, the empire’s power broker.

“Could it be… I had no idea the Intelligence wanted to deal with us?”

Karl shook his head at Amon’s words.

“The Intelligence doesn’t want to deal with you.”

-Flinch.

Amon, who couldn’t possibly misunderstand the meaning, began to tremble.

‘Ah… if played right…’

Amon’s mind started racing.

The Devil, the adversary of the gods.

Thus, the Devil has the power to change the divine providence set by the gods in various ways.

Of course, this would require tremendous sacrifice… but with the power of that guy he had in mind, he could find the human sacrifices needed for the offering.

‘It’s too early to be pleased. I can’t be certain it’s him yet.’

Besides, the word on the street was that the guy was adept at deception and trickery.

“Then why didn’t that person come?”

Karl shrugged at Amon’s question.

“Don’t you know? Didn’t you flamboyantly burn down the inn last time?”

Amon gritted his teeth at that.

“That time. That rat was you guys?”

‘Damn it… That divine power I felt then was clearly a trap. They don’t think I’m a fool.’

The divine power Amon had felt at the inn.

It was definitely the divine power of a high priest, so it was natural for Amon to become more cautious.

And Karl, who couldn’t possibly be unaware of this, responds.

“Don’t get me wrong. We’ve only hired an excommunicated priest to protect our agent.”

“An excommunicated priest?”

At Amon’s question, Karl nods affirmatively and says,

“Exactly. It’s absurd how one is excommunicated over a minor doctrinal disagreement. Isn’t the Papacy quite arrogant?”

In religion, the interpretation of doctrine is of utmost importance.

Even a single sentence from the Bible can change the will of God depending on how it’s interpreted, so they must stake their lives on it.

Those who stubbornly adhere to interpretations different from the mainstream are struck down by the Papacy’s excommunication.

And usually… those who are excommunicated come to despise the Papacy.

But Amon finds it hard to take such words at face value.

-Snicker.

With a faint smile, he inquires,

“Ah… you’re talking about a heretical priest. Which denomination?”

“They say it’s the Mana Sect.”

The Mana Sect claims that divine power, magic, and mana are one and the same.

Naturally, it would be difficult for priests to accept that the divine power, a symbol of sanctity, is akin to the corrupt magic or mana.

“Hmm… the Mana Sect…”

The denomination that is somewhat cooperative with the demon worshippers could be considered the Mana Sect.

Therefore, Karl’s assertion seems plausible… indeed, it sounds quite convincing.

Moreover, as rumors go, the Pope and that guy aren’t on good terms.

If the current, conservative Pope knew of their activities, he would have started a major crackdown.

‘What’s this? Can I really believe it?’

But it’s hard to take it at face value.

The actions that have thwarted the demon worshippers until now are clear.

While pondering this,

Karl picks up a book from his left and hands it to Amon.

“And he gave this to you.”

Amon takes the book with a black leather cover.

He quickly flips through it, scanning the contents.

“What’s this?”

“It belonged to Valoran.”

The black book, a symbol of the demon cultists.

Within it lies the Demon King’s oath, which the cultists stake their lives to uphold.

“Does he know about our relationship with Balor?”

At those words, Karl nods his head.

“Hmm… So what does he want?”

Karl looks at Amon and smirks.

“That will depend on your answer, won’t it?”

‘Damn it. If things go well, we might be able to resurrect the Demon King.’

Amon feels frustrated because of Karl’s inscrutability.

“Hmph. He must want something. Something that’s impossible with human power.”

At that, Karl smiles leisurely.

“Well? What do you think?”

-Thud!

Amon punches the carriage wall and speaks.

“Stop wasting time and tell me what you want.”

After all, what a duke desires is not going to be simple.

Surely, it would require Locust’s approval.

At that, Karl grins.

“I don’t know either. He told me to check if it’s alright for you to meet him.”

At those words, Amon feels a deep irritation.

***

Late evening.

In the grand duke’s office, waiting for news from Karl.

Hoping nothing’s amiss.

Knowing how wildly the demon cultists behave in the original work, one can’t help but worry.

Especially after the last inn explosion incident.

Then.

-Knock knock!

Hoping it’s news from Karl, I look at the door and say,

“Who is it?”

“The Minister of Intelligence has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

-Creak.

The door opens and Karl enters.

“I have returned, Your Highness.”

I invite Karl to the sofa as I speak.

“So, how did it go?”

Karl sits on the sofa as I suggested. He cautiously begins to speak.

“It seems a bit chaotic.”

I nod in agreement.

“Understandably chaotic, considering the incident at the inn last time.”

“I’ve disguised Miss Sena as a priestess of the Mana sect and delivered Balor’s book.”

I nod in response, encouragingly.

“Good job. Did that alleviate some of their suspicions?”

“No, they still seem to be half in doubt.”

“I see… That’s what I thought.”

I fall into thought.

After all, they are creatures who operate secretly in the darkness; it’s only natural they’d be cautious.

“It’s a perfectly normal reaction.”

“Your Grace, the Grand Duke. It seems too risky. Wouldn’t it be better to arrest Amon instead?”

At Karl’s words, I shake my head.

“That won’t do. We must take this chance to eliminate the demon worshippers… or rather, the Locusts. By the way, any progress on the method to counteract the Blood Contract?”

Karl nods at my question.

“We’re researching the part you mentioned, but it’s not easy to find the right dye.”

“I see… That’s what I thought.”

The Blood Contract is a method used by demons to make agreements with humans. Both casters must stamp their blood on the contract to enact a Blood Contract.

And if one fails to fulfill the contract… their body’s blood vanishes, and they meet a painful demise.

It’s obvious they will demand such a contract, so the Intelligence Department is currently utilizing all available resources to find a countermeasure.

“The Vatican has agreed to provide a portion of their Blood Contracts. Use those to experiment on the death row inmates.”

Recently, the Ministry of Justice handed down death sentences, and upon my review, I selected five utterly wicked individuals.

I personally do not like experimenting on humans… but I think it’s a necessary evil.

Moreover, it might be the right thing to do from the perspective of this world’s values. Life is so undervalued here.

“Don’t worry. After your hint yesterday, I’ve been searching through the ancient texts.”

At those words, I rub my palms together, thinking.

Finally… the end is not far off.