I Didn't Want to Become the Emperor of This World

Chapter 31

"...War on crime?"

When I declared a 'war on crime,' Jereuth stared at me blankly for a moment.

Then he came to his senses and cautiously asked again.

"When you say 'war on crime' ...... what exactly are you referring to?"

"It's simple. First, we will eliminate the thugs who ran rampant with the backing of the nobles, and we will also eliminate the wicked merchants who sucked the blood of the kingdom's people along with them. We will also uncover and eliminate the entire underground economy where various crimes occur, and this will be done not only in the royal capital but also in other cities of the kingdom. That is the 'war on crime'."

"......!"

Jereuth's eyes widened. But since he said nothing, I continued.

"However, this must be based on a thorough investigation. First, we need to secure a list of the thugs and their whereabouts, and the same goes for the wicked merchants who colluded with them. Also, if we eliminate the thugs, the merchants who paid them tribute or taxes might manipulate their ledgers."

"Ah...... yes."

"Therefore, while eliminating the thugs, we must also confiscate all the merchants' ledgers without missing a single one. Of course, the most important thing is to prevent even a single thug or wicked merchant from escaping."

This was the general plan for the 'war on crime' that I had thought of so far. Unlike the purge of the nobles, the plan for the 'war on crime' was relatively simple, and the reason for that was because, unlike when I purged the nobles, I now had immense power.

‘There's no need to make a complicated plan when I have strong power. That's the privilege of the strong.’

And above all, what's important now is 'speed'. The sooner I normalize the royal capital, the sooner people can live like human beings.

I continued speaking calmly.

"I plan to entrust the full authority of the 'war on crime' to you and the 3rd Knight Order, Head Knight. However, it will take a lot of time with only the manpower of the 3rd Knight Order to identify the list of thugs and their whereabouts, or to filter out the wicked merchants."

"That is correct. The number of thugs is not small."

"Yes. So this time, I'm thinking of having the 'former nobles'—the officials—do it together. To save time."

"If you are going to use the former nobles in this 'war on crime' as well...... Your Highness, of course, I agree with using them to save time. But for the sake of security, wouldn't it be better to entrust the work only to the 3rd Knight Order, even if it takes a little more time? Your Highness's operation could be leaked."

That's a valid point. And in a policy like this 'war on crime,' security is paramount.

But I wanted to use this opportunity to practice giving orders to the officials.

Because I will have to implement numerous policies even after this 'war on crime,' and I, Jereuth, and the 3rd Knight Order can't do everything every time.

'Still, there must be a reason why Jereuth is so concerned...... For now, I've instructed Jereuth about the 'war on crime,' so let's check the to see how the future changes. Let's see if the 'war on crime' really fails due to a security leak.'

Besides that, perhaps the had more cards I could use that I had forgotten about...... wait.

‘Come to think of it, Mage Tower Master Seria was also an important card I could use. But what is Seria doing now? I haven't seen her around lately.’

For now, I answered Jereuth.

"I understand. Then I will think a little more about whether to involve the officials in this 'war on crime' or not. Still, please have the 3rd Knight Order prepare for the 'war on crime' for now."

"Yes."

"By the way, Head Knight, do you happen to know where Lady Seria is? I haven't been able to see her at all since the Purge."

"Seria is...... hmm, still in the middle of 'revenge'."

Still in the middle of 'revenge'?

"When you say 'revenge,' are you talking about revenge on the Mage Corps?"

"That is correct."

"Weren't they all killed already?"

"All the other mages were killed, but she has not yet killed the Head of the Mage Corps, Kasemiru."

"Still?"

"Yes. Hmm...... I don't know how Your Highness has judged Seria as a person, but she is a very ruthless person. She is infinitely friendly to her allies, but on the other hand, she is a very fearsome woman to her enemies. Her revenge will not end in a day."

Her revenge won't end in a day...... what a scary woman.

"I see."

"Yes. It's not for nothing that Seria was called the 'red-haired witch that even the demon tribe shudders at' in the war against the demon tribe."

Jereuth didn't tell me exactly what Seria was doing. Considering his personality, he would have told me directly, but the fact that he didn't suggests that Seria might be carrying out a very scary 'revenge'.

As for me, I had no intention of stopping Seria's 'revenge'. That was what I had promised her in the first place.

‘Well…… she'll probably show her face on her own when it's all over.’

Putting aside my thoughts about Seria, I got up from the reception sofa.

"Then I will think a little more about whether to involve the officials in this 'war on crime' or not and let you know again. I apologize for coming at such a late hour."

"Not at all, Your Highness. Please call on me anytime."

Jereuth also got up from his chair with me and saluted. He had a rather tired face when I first came, but now Jereuth was showing his usual sharp momentum.

***

After meeting Jereuth and returning to the palace, the time was well past five in the morning and approaching six. For reference, I was going to return to my room alone, but Jereuth insisted on assigning knights as escorts.

I said, 「”Who would target me in this royal castle?”」—and said I didn't need an escort, but Jereuth firmly assigned the knights.

‘Honestly, escorts are a burden.’

Click.

When I opened the door to my room, I could see the dawn breaking through the window.

Still, it was the Crown Prince's room, so the view from the window was quite good…….

But Elly was in the room.

"Y-Your Highness! Where have you been?!"

As soon as I entered the room, Elly asked in a slightly tearful voice, as if she had been very worried.

"I went to the 3rd Knight Order for a moment to discuss something with Head Knight Jereuth."

"Ah…… I see. Then does that mean you didn't sleep today either?"

"It's not 'today either'. I slept a little yesterday."

"……."

"By the way, Miss Elly, what are you doing here? It's not wake-up time yet."

"I came to see if Your Highness was resting well, but you weren't here…… so I was waiting. The guards also said they didn't know where you went……."

Elly continued to speak as if she had been worried and then bowed her head in apology.

"I am sorry, Your Highness. I lost my senses and failed to assist you even when you were leaving."

"It's alright. It was my fault for going out alone at dawn. I would have called if I needed you."

"Still……."

"It's alright. Then Miss Elly, I have something I want to think about alone for a bit, so would you please leave?"

I politely asked Elly to leave, but she did not. Instead, Elly stared at my face for a moment, then took out a rather large mirror from her front pocket and held it out to me.

"Your Highness, this is something I've been wanting to tell you recently…… would you please look in the mirror?"

"Yes?"

"Please take a look. What do you see?"

Although Elly was saying something out of the blue, I decided to look in the mirror for now.

What I saw in the mirror was, of course, the mysteriously beautiful appearance of the guy named 'Leonardo' that I had already seen countless times. An appearance that could not be hidden even by hollow cheeks and dark circles.

"I see my face."

"That's not what I'm trying to say. Your Highness, you've been overworking yourself too much lately. Of course, I know it was because of the Purge, but now that the Purge is over, shouldn't you get some rest?"

"Rest…… is it."

I asked myself in a monologue and then shook my head.

"I don't have time to rest. Because while I rest, someone among the kingdom's people is starving to death."

"……."

"I'll sleep when I'm dead— haha, I won't say such a vain thing. Still, I don't want to rest now. My mind is not at ease after seeing the royal capital with my own eyes."

At my words, Elly's head drooped reluctantly, like a dewy leaf tilting. Along with that, her gaze also dropped slightly as she nodded.

"……I understand, Your Highness. Then if there is anything I can help you with, please call me anytime. Should I bring breakfast in about an hour?"

"Yes, please do so then."

Elly put the mirror back in her front pocket and left the room. For some reason, there was little strength in her steps.

It seemed she had some worries, but I decided to talk to her slowly later. Now was the time to check the . Since I had spoken to Jereuth about the 'war on crime,' new content would have been written.

Swish—.

I opened the familiarly. It was the future closest to the present.

…….

Jereuth advised that it would be better to exclude the officials from the 'war on crime'. He said that information could be leaked.

Despite Jereuth's concerns, I involved the officials in the 'war on crime'. Because, without using them, it would take too long to prepare for the 'war on crime'. I wanted to eliminate the thugs and wicked merchants as soon as possible, so I made that choice.

But that was a mistake.

As Jereuth had feared, some officials leaked information about the 'war on crime' to hide their own involvement with the thugs or wicked merchants. They instructed the thugs and wicked merchants to flee the royal capital and dispose of their ledgers before I officially declared the 'war on crime'.

The reason why the officials helped the thugs and wicked merchants was simple. Because it was clear that if the thugs and wicked merchants were caught, their relationship with them would be revealed in detail. The former nobles—the officials—were afraid that the blame would fall on them if their relationship with the thugs was exposed.

In the end, a significant number of thugs and wicked merchants secretly smuggled out their assets and fled outside the royal capital, and they were absorbed by the bandits who were rampant in various parts of the kingdom's countryside.

Not only the thugs but also the bandits were a major cause of the people's rebellion later on, and their strength had been reinforced.

As the thugs and wicked merchants fled the city, various problems immediately arose.

Third-rate thugs formed organizations and started power struggles to occupy the vacant positions of the fled thugs, and ordinary citizens suffered because of it.

Not only that, but the kingdom's people began to riot, enraged at me and Jereuth for allowing the wicked merchants to escape with all their assets.

―Fwoosh!

―Hurry up and steal! Hurry!

Today, another fire broke out somewhere outside the royal capital. Looking at the location, it seemed that the kingdom's people had looted a warehouse and set it on fire.

…….

A report came in from Jereuth. A report that the kingdom's people were preparing weapons near the royal castle.

Perhaps the kingdom's people are now trying to plunder the royal castle.

Riots are happening before a rebellion can occur.

To solve this problem…… I might have to kill people again. And this time, it's not the nobles who gnawed at the kingdom to fill their own greed, but the ordinary people who are trying to start a riot because they are hungry and have no hope in life.

Moreover, this problem is not just happening in the royal capital. It occurred simultaneously in the six major cities of the kingdom, including the royal capital.

I just wanted to make the kingdom's people live well…… why don't they understand my heart?

My head was heavy. The path of a ruler was too difficult.

As I had thought, new content was written in the . But that 'new content' was not in the direction I had hoped for. It was written that my 'war on crime' to eliminate the thugs and wicked merchants would essentially fail.

‘The good thing is that the reason for the failure of the operation is stated.’

It was stated in the . As Jereuth had feared, the officials leaked information about the 'war on crime' to the thugs and wicked merchants, and that was the cause of the failure.

So, if I don't involve them in the operation, the problem will be solved.

‘But there's another problem…… if I don't use the officials, the preparations for the 'war on crime' will take too long.’

If I don't use the officials, it will take too long, and if I use them, the operation will fail. The problem and the solution are in opposition to each other.

‘Still, it would be the right choice to exclude the officials even if it takes a long time, rather than fail, right? ……Wait, no? Can't I just solve the reason why the officials are leaking information about the 'war on crime'?’

According to the , the reason why the officials were helping the thugs and wicked merchants was because they were worried they would be punished if their relationship was exposed.

So, what if I were to persuade them by saying, 「”I already know everything, so if you confess to information about the thugs and wicked merchants and their evil deeds, I will take it into consideration.”」?

‘From the officials' perspective, they don't care whether the thugs or wicked merchants die. The reason they are trying to save them is to prevent the blame from falling on them if their relationship is exposed. So, if I promise the officials that the ‘blame’ won't fall on them…… I'm sure the officials will all sell out the thugs and wicked merchants to me. Because it's an opportunity to have their own sins pardoned.’

This is a technique commonly used by detectives or prosecutors when dealing with criminals. Everyone has probably heard the line in a drama at least once where the detectives say to the criminal during an interrogation, 「”I know everything, so if you confess, I'll go easy on you! So spill it!”」

In fact, that is also what detectives or prosecutors say to criminals. Cooperating with the investigation and confessing before the investigation is also a reason for a reduction in punishment.

‘Of course, I can't forgive them without any punishment. Confession is a reason for a reduction in punishment, not an exemption. For certain crimes, a confession or self-report alone can pardon the crime, but that's not the case here.’

Anyway, I came to a conclusion.

‘First, let's put pressure on the officials. I'm going to have a 'war on crime,' and I already know about your relationship with the thugs and wicked merchants. So if you cooperate, I'll go a little easy on you.’

What if they don't cooperate even after I've offered this much?

‘Then I'll have to do what I have to do. In a slightly more radical way.’

What that 'radical way' would be was only in my head. It was a barbaric method that my past self wouldn't have even thought of, but in this world, I might have to do it if necessary.

As I finished that thought.

Scribble, scribble, scribble—!

“!”

New content began to be written in the that I had laid open. Content that I had intended, liked, and hoped for.