A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 138

Chapter 138: Upheaval (1) Part 2

The next day, Yulie returned to her duties at the Freyhem Knights’ Order. A lingering chill, likely from what happened the previous night, washed over her. But as the Grand Knight, there was no time for rest.

She spent the morning sorting through the ledgers, drafting the training schedule, and delegating tasks to the knights. The paperwork alone took up almost two hours.

“Phew...” Yulie exhaled, stretching her arms above her head, feeling a small wave of accomplishment.

Bang—!

At that moment, the door to her office burst open with such force that it nearly splintered. Yulie instinctively sprang to her feet.

Rockfell, the deputy knight, rushed in, his face drenched in sweat, and shouted, “Grand Knight! We have a serious situation!”

"Sir Rockfell, what is—"

Before she could finish, several agents in suits entered behind Rockfell and said, "Alright, Deputy Knight, if you could please wait outside. This matter is not for your concern."

“Unhand me!” Rockfell demanded, resisting as they forced him toward the exit.

“Now, now. Let’s not obstruct official duties,” the agent warned, turning his attention to the room. The agents glanced around, their faces showing faint disappointment at the office's plain, no-frills interior.

“What’s going on here?” Yulie snapped.

One of the agents smirked as he flashed his badge and said, “Russo, Knights’ Order Special Inspection Team, Intelligence Agency. Well, we’re here for the routine audit of private knight orders.”

“Excuse me, but an audit? Of our knight order?”

"Yes, that's correct. A report has come to our attention, prompting this necessary review."

"A report?" Yulie repeated, nearly at a loss for words. An audit was absurd—she had always managed Freyhem with the highest standards of integrity.

"Yes, a report. We've received certain... information, and... Hey, get to work! Grab everything.”

“Yes, sir!”

At Russo's command, the agents sprang into action, tossing ledgers, mission files, and nearly every document they could find into boxes.

Yulie pressed her lips together, then snapped, “There is nothing wrong with Freyhem! This report has to be false—”

“Well, we’ll see about that once the investigation is over,” Russo cut in. “If you’re really as spotless as you claim, maybe you’ll even earn a commendation.”

“This is ridiculous...” Yulie muttered, ready to argue further but suddenly fell silent, a warning from Deculein flashing through her mind.

"Do as you wish, but be ready for the consequences. Remember this—you will regret it."

“Could it be...?”

“Now, now! Let’s go, keep it moving! We have plenty more to get through,” Russo barked, pushing the agents to hurry along.

The agents swarmed the room while Yulie stood rooted in place, her mind racing and heat rising up her neck. Something was going terribly wrong.

***

The grand imperial hall buzzed with the presence of the Empire's ministers and officials. Today, for the first time in ages, Sophien attended the state affairs herself in person. Though she had been making crucial decisions from within the confines of the snow globe—possessing the body of a cat—she had long avoided this hall, weary of the tiresome task of facing her subordinates.

"Your Majesty, the Scarletborn's resistance has grown intolerable. I recommend we take firm action to crush their rebellion and restore order."

"Your Majesty, the situation in Marik has spiraled out of control. The area is now flooded with reckless adventurers. It would be prudent to close off access to Marik entirely."

"Your Majesty, the Empire's merchants—"

Sophien viewed these fools with deep contempt. Most of them cared little for the Empire or its people, driven purely by self-interest. Roughly thirty percent were selfish opportunists, ten percent were under the Altar's influence, another forty percent blindly followed their factions, leaving only a few twenty percent who genuinely cared about the Empire's governance.

"Your Majesty, a petition has arrived from the provinces. I humbly seek your attention," the official said.

“Hand it over,” Sophien replied, a scowl on her face as she snatched the document.

The message was clear. The Scarletborn, possessing demonic power, had laid waste to villages and slaughtered hundreds of vigilantes who stood against them. The plea was simple—they desperately sought to be rid of the Scarletborn.

"Your Majesty, many are increasingly worried about the recent spike in prices. This, too, seems to be due to the opening of Marik—"

"Ah, excellent! You've brought up a valid point!" Sophien interrupted, her eyes lighting up with sudden interest. "To combat inflation, I will have the Empire's supply of mana stones placed under direct control of the Imperial family. I will also raise the interest rates."

Raising interest rates would decrease liquidity across the Empire. Citizens would curb their spending and deposit more money into banks, pushing merchants to lower prices on unsold goods.

Sophien’s greatest weapon wasn’t her imperial authority or military strength; it was the Empire’s reserve currency, the elne, along with its monopoly over mana stones. The power of interest rates, in the end, came from this currency.

The officials broke into a flurry of anxious protests, one quickly following another.

“Your Majesty! Controlling the supply of mana stones is far too—”

“Your Majesty, I urge you to reconsider! A sudden increase in interest rates could—”

“What's said is said. I won't take it back,” Sophien declared.

Also, Sophien was already preparing for a war against the Altar, and the weapons left unsold due to the rate hike could easily be bought by the imperial family at a bargain.

“Your Majesty, if nothing else, providing some advance notice could—”

“Advance notice? And who exactly would that benefit—!” Sophien shouted, her voice booming through the hall, forcing the officials to recoil like turtles retreating into their shells. “My policies will not be announced ahead of time.”

Sophien’s next policy would be the implementation of a legal name banking system. The aim was to unmask hidden criminals and reveal corrupt officials—a plan she considered nothing short of brilliant. However, it required the utmost secrecy. She planned to discuss it with Deculein and tighten security to prevent any leaks once Keiron returned.

“I’ll remember the name and face of anyone who dares to demand advance notice,” Sophien declared. “And what would you have done if I had given you a heads-up? Twist that knowledge to serve your own ends?”

A tense silence hung in the grand imperial hall.

Sophien looked over the room, her expression stern, and added, “I know how my predecessor dealt with you. He believed in politics that balanced harmony between the Emperor and his officials. But with succession comes change. This era is not Crebaim’s; it belongs to Sophien. In my reign, officials are nothing more than tools for the Empress, myself.”

Clunk, clunk— Clunk, clunk—

I was on my way to the Scarletborn's hidden lair on the northeastern outskirts of the Empire. To pass the time, I kept myself busy, exploring various studies on the authority of the Iron Man.

“Hmm.”

Carla's authority worked in a distinct way. When fused with the Iron Man, it branched out into various attributes, enhancing abilities of Sharp Eyesight, Aesthetic Sense, and the Midas Touch. Furthermore...

Screech—

“... Urgh,” the Scarletborn leader groaned.