Demon King of the Royal Class-Chapter 476

“It has become impossible to destroy the warp gates with just the strike groups... Is that correct?”

“I’m afraid so, Your Majesty.”

Sabioleen Tana’s expression was grim, and Vertus nodded with an equally somber look. He already knew that as the number of warp gates decreased, the operations carried out by the guerrilla forces to destroy the gates were becoming increasingly more difficult.

In the most recent operation that targeted three warp gates within a single city, Sabioleen Tana had been forced to withdraw all her forces after destroying only one warp gate.

There were too many monsters, and they were too strong. That operation cost the lives of two Swordmasters from Shanapell and four mages from the Imperial Mage Corps. Such powerful combatants were not easily replenished, making it a painfully significant loss.

Master-level combatants were not easily replaced. Any loss of personnel in the strike forces led by Tana resulted in a permanent loss of strength.

The gates were becoming more dangerous, while the strength of the strike forces continued to diminish. It was Sabioleen Tana’s judgment that it was now impossible to carry out operations with just these strike forces alone. However, the longer the complete destruction of the gates was delayed, the more monsters would be unleashed upon the world.

“What do you think about combining Ellen’s unit with your own unit?”

The reconstruction of the city was still ongoing, but rescuing survivors had become extremely difficult. If Ellen’s unit could be charged with the destruction of the remaining warp gates instead, a very powerful new unit could be organized.

However, Tana shook her head with a firm expression. “If we do that, we might be able to continue the warp gate destruction operations temporarily, but in the long term, I believe similar losses will occur again. Furthermore, the risk of Ellen Artorius dying... cannot be completely ruled out.”

If Ellen Artorius were to die while carrying out the warp gate destruction operations, it would be a catastrophe worse than any other disaster for humanity.

The people had placed a great deal of expectation and hope on Ellen. If Ellen were to die in a fight to suppress the warp gates rather than in battle against the Demon King, humanity would fall into despair and grief.

While it was true that Ellen was already engaged in dangerous work, pushing her into even more perilous tasks, especially one with a higher risk of death, was something Vertus could not accept. However, he also couldn’t leave everything to Sabioleen Tana’s unit either.

The situation was dire.

There was a way, albeit not an easy one.

“It seems the time has come to organize a large-scale army,” Vertus said.

“... Yes, Your Majesty.”

Instead of operating with a small strike force, they would organize a large-scale army to initiate a full-scale war against the monsters.

Moving such a large force using magic alone was impossible. Therefore, this army would have to embark on a long expedition to destroy the warp gates, while constantly being supplied through magical means.

To preserve the core combat strength that consisted of Master-class fighters and archmages, those who were slightly less skilled would be sacrificed. It was impossible to predict how many people would die.

Once such a large-scale army was organized and dispatched, they would not be able to return to the capital easily. They would have to travel the long distances between the warp gates and fight the countless monsters roaming the continent.

It would basically be a suicide squad that could not return until all the warp gates were destroyed.

Since the strike forces could no longer complete their missions, they now had to truly go to war with the monsters.

The organization of a large-scale army to bring about the complete end of the Gate Incident...

The army would have to travel vast distances on foot, and it could take months or even years for them to return. Or rather, would they even be able to return?

However, if the Gate Incident was not brought to a conclusion once and for all, humanity would face extinction. It was something that had to be done.

“I will have to hold discussions with the vassal states and the Church of the Five Great Gods.”

Vertus would gather all of what remained and organize a large-scale army, one that could be considered the total combat force of humanity.

“Your Majesty, what about Her Highness the Princess...?”

“Reinhart has taken her.”

Tana had also been aware of this plan.

“... I see.”

Sabioleen Tana nodded, looking devastated. The empire had not been able to protect the princess. Therefore, they had been forced to come up with a ruse to deceive the public and hand her over to the Demon King.

“Although there were unexpected complications... let’s leave that discussion for another time,” Vertus said.

In any case, the situation had turned out as Vertus had desired. A mysterious secret society called the Black Order had appeared and attempted to kill the Demon King. Ellen, who had been unintentionally present at the scene, had been forced to fight Reinhart, but ultimately, Reinhart had pretended to be defeated by Ellen and fled.

As a result, despite the unexpected amount of civilian casualties, the atmosphere in the capital was overwhelmingly positive. They had not executed the princess, and the Demon King had taken his minions and fled. Moreover, people had witnessed Ellen Artorius overwhelming the Demon King.

That was enough to lift the spirits within the capital, and despite the Demon King’s sudden appearance, the populace was filled with belief in the hero’s dominance over the Demon King.

***

It had been a week since Reinhart left Edina.

Charlotte, who had been entrusted with the throne, was managing state affairs in her own way. Although Charlotte had been granted full authority by Reinhart, she prioritized understanding the current situation over implementing new policies.

While she could immediately organize a civilian militia, create a systematic set of punishments and establish a standard for strict enforcement, she felt the need to see and confirm many things with her own eyes first.

The Edina Archipelago had been a small nation at first, but as it grew, it had become like an oversized child. Therefore, one could not expect laws and systems like those of the empire to exist.

Charlotte focused on the issue that Reinhart had struggled with the most: numbers. The number of people, the amount of stored food, the number of crimes, and the number of prisoners in detention centers. She needed to find out what was needed and what was lacking.

Once Charlotte had memorized the necessary numbers to some extent, she moved on to the next task. This task, in a way, was even more important than remembering numbers.

She needed to verify whether the numbers she had memorized were accurate. There were cases where reports indicated abundance, but in reality, there was a severe shortage. There were also cases where the actual figures were much higher than what had been recorded.

Usually, these numbers would have been changed somewhere in the middle, and it was Charlotte’s role to find out the reasons behind such discrepancies.

Charlotte sat on the throne, staring at the man who was bound and kneeling before her, surrounded by guards.

“Explain the discrepancy between the amount of fish received for dried fish production and the quantity shipped out,” she said.

Charlotte never imagined she would be personally interrogating the manager of a dried fish production facility. However, the most critical issue in Edina was food.

Food was directly linked to people’s lives. The fish and shellfish collected by the merfolk were vital and essential food resources, and the process of preserving these fish by drying them was one of Edina’s crucial food projects, as it ensured a long-term stockpile of preserved food for the winter.

However, there was a discrepancy between the amount of fish received and the quantity of dried fish produced. The man kneeling before Charlotte was the person responsible for the dried fish production process.

“Y-Your Highness...”

“Address me as Your Excellency the Regent.”

The trembling manager took one look at Charlotte’s red eyes and bowed his head to the ground, terrified.

“Y-Your Excellency the Regent... Not all the fish received for dried fish production make it through the manufacturing process. A significant amount is lost due to mistakes or errors by the workers during the process. In reality, the yield is not that high...”

“Are you saying the yield is low?”

“Y-Yes...”

“How much is lost?”

“W-well...”

“If you are the person in charge of dried fish production, you should know the average yield. Surely you are not unaware?”

Not knowing what one was supposed to know... Even if the manager hadn’t embezzled anything, not knowing what he was supposed to know was already a crime in itself.

“T-The actual yield is about eighty percent...”

“That can’t be. If you calculate the amount received and the final amount shipped, the actual average yield is below sixty percent. About forty percent of the fish is disappearing under the pretext of poor yield.”

Charlotte calmly observed the manager who had given the false report.

“If there is an error in this actual figure, that error itself is a crime. Moreover, food production, especially preserved food, is a crucial national project that is necessary for the winter. The fact that the person in charge is unaware of this situation is a serious dereliction of duty. Furthermore, if about forty percent of the raw material disappears in the process of preservation, it has to be a technical issue. However, there have been no reports or suggestions for improvements to this process. Are you just doing what you’re told without understanding the purpose of this work?”

“Y-Your Excellency... But... various things happen on site... Inevitably, that is...”

“What inevitable things?” Charlotte tilted her head slightly. “It has already been confirmed that the dried fish you’ve embezzled is being distributed on the Rajak black market. Let me hear what other excuses you have.”

“Y-Your Excellency! I-I have committed a grave sin!”

The manager, pale-faced, repeatedly struck his head against the floor of the audience chamber.

Charlotte smiled. “I was lying.”

“... P-Pardon me?”

“Do you think I have nothing better to do than to investigate whether someone like you is distributing dried fish on the black market? I didn’t really mean it.”

Charlotte laughed as she looked at the frozen manager.

“But once I needled you, you confessed on your own.”

Charlotte’s gaze went to the guards. “Investigate this man’s crimes thoroughly and execute him publicly. There have to be additional crimes, so uncover those as well. Furthermore, if any additional crimes come to light after your execution, your wife and children will all be executed. Therefore, if you wish to ensure a peaceful life for your remaining family, confess all your crimes without lying,” she commanded.

“Y-Your Excellency! P-Please forgive me! Y-Your Excellency!”

“Take him away.”

Charlotte quietly watched as the manager of the dried fish production line was dragged away by the guards.

Crime happened everywhere. Charlotte was not interested in why the man had committed the crime.

There were inevitably reasons, or perhaps he had done it simply out of personal greed. However, if she started considering extenuating circumstances for such crimes, there would be no end to it.

Therefore, Charlotte had no intention of learning about such things.

One of the retainers, who had been quietly standing by during Charlotte’s decision, cautiously spoke up.

“Y-Your Excellency the Regent...”

“Speak.”

The retainer trembled, as if even meeting Charlotte’s gaze was daunting. “His Majesty the Demon King originally... did not discuss collective punishment when dealing with crimes...”

“Ah... you’re talking about that.”

Charlotte knew somewhat how Reinhart’s rule had been like.

Instead of executing criminals, he used them as labor, and no matter how extreme the crime, he only punished the individual. Even those who attempted to assassinate the Demon King were only executed by themselves, while their families were spared.

Beyond the simple matter of good or evil, Reinhart’s perspective on punishment was focused on the individual. In contrast, Charlotte saw punishment differently: as a means to deter many by making an example out of one. For her, punishment was not an ethical question, but a practical tool of governance.

“Didn’t I say it before?” Charlotte said in a cold voice. “Many things will be different from now on.”

The punishments for crimes were meant to instill a sense of caution in the broader society.

“I have been granted authority over the internal affairs of Edina, and I have been assured maximum autonomy in that regard. So, if I decide to punish someone, then they will be punished. If I decide on collective punishment, then so it shall be. Especially when it comes to food-related projects, which are directly linked to the lives of all citizens of Edina.

“The fact that those responsible for these projects are pocketing resources for personal gain is a serious crime that shakes the foundation of Edina.

“There are many mouths to feed in Edina. Far too many. Therefore, I intend to reduce the number of shameless mouths that try to enrich themselves by sucking the lifeblood of the nation as much as possible.

“Henceforth, regardless of affiliation, if anyone gaming the system for personal gain in Edina’s food projects is caught, they will be publicly executed without exception, and their family members who benefited from such unjust gains will also be dealt with without exception.”

Charlotte observed the retainers flinch. She also noticed that some of their faces turned pale.

There were demons among these retainers. However, those demons who had absolute trust in the Demon King showed no signs of fear.

Those who were terrified were all humans.

“If you are clean, there is no reason to fear. So it seems there are those among you with reason to be afraid.”

Charlotte, sitting on the throne, rested her chin on her arm and surveyed the retainers.

“Pray to the gods that your corruption does not catch my eye.”

‘Not only you, but the things you hold dear could also disappear...’

The lenient rule of the Demon King was over. This regent would spill much blood to establish discipline in Edina. Those who had been complacently lining their pockets would have to be prepared for significant consequences if they wished to continue doing so.

***

“Reinhart might not like the idea of collective punishment.”

Charlotte nodded in response to Harriet’s words. “Probably. But the governance so far has been excessively lenient.”

“...”

The way Reinhart had ruled Edina and Charlotte’s regency were drastically different in nature. Harriet feared what Reinhart would think when he returned from wherever he had gone.

Did Reinhart know this would happen when he entrusted the regency to Charlotte? Harriet couldn’t tell.

“Even low-level officials are looking down on the royal family and embezzling resources. Those in the know are aware that the Demon King is actually very merciful. And a merciful ruler is often perceived as a laughable one. It’s time to eliminate those perceptions. We need to uproot and discard the rotten roots that are of no help to the state. No—we need to burn them in front of the masses.”

In fact, Charlotte had once offered to burn herself in front of the masses to maintain the empire’s unity. Harriet had nothing else to say, because Charlotte’s words had a certain validity to them.

“Collective punishment is mostly for show. It’s not something to be used frequently. Once it’s been demonstrated a few times, the officials will naturally fall in line. They need to understand that if they get caught, their entire household could be uprooted.”

‘Killing people for show...’

Even though Harriet was also a princess herself, she was slightly overwhelmed by how calmly Charlotte made such decisions.

***

It had been fifteen days since Reinhart’s departure.

Several public executions had been staged in the square of Rajak. The herald announced the crimes of the convicts, and the executioners beheaded them.

These heralds let the people know that the system of governance in Edina had changed, and that the regent was the one who had made such decisions. Rather than trembling in fear, many people actually cheered.

Most of those executed had embezzled from the treasury or committed unforgivable crimes. Therefore, the crowd believed they deserved to die.

Of course, there were those who came forward and voluntarily confessed out of fear. Charlotte did not impose extreme punishment on such individuals. She forgave them with public flogging or caning, and even had their wounds tended to. Moreover, she did not retroactively punish those who had already been penalized.

In this way, Charlotte was reorganizing the state and establishing new principles and regulations. At the same time, she did not neglect to examine the overall situation in Edina.

However...

“...”

Charlotte was quietly observing the array of numbers before her eyes.

Port Mokna, the forward base responsible for searching out and protecting survivors from the continent and sending them to Edina... In a way, it was the place Reinhart considered most important. freёwebnoѵel.com

Riana de Granz was the commander there, known to the people as the Thunder Queen.

The main force consisted of paladins from the Holy Order, and there were many mages stationed there as well. It would not easily fall to an ordinary monster attack, especially because of the presence of the powerful superhuman, Riana.

[Supply List Requested by Port Mokna]

Charlotte was looking at the list of supplies needed by Port Mokna.

“Is there a problem...?” Harriet asked her from her seat in the office.

Charlotte furrowed her brow. “Could you show me all the supply lists sent to Port Mokna so far?”

“Oh? Ah, okay. I’ll look for them.”

Harriet bustled around the office for a while before bringing the stack of documents Charlotte had requested.

“And could you also find the documents regarding the number of survivors who have come to Edina from Port Mokna?”

“Yes, got it.”

Since these documents Charlotte mentioned were among the most important ones, Harriet was able to retrieve them promptly. Charlotte laid out the supply request lists by date, and similarly arranged the documents detailing how many refugee ships arrived, and when.

Charlotte quietly studied the documents as Harriet looked on. Charlotte seemed to be contemplating something serious.

“The stationed force at Port Mokna is about two thousand strong, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. There are about fifteen hundred combatants, and the other personnel on site make it around two thousand. This number doesn’t change much.”

“Hmm.”

Charlotte stared at the documents for a long time. Harriet began to sweat. She couldn’t tell what Charlotte was thinking, but if there was a problem with Port Mokna, it would implicate Riana.

Riana already did not have any particular goodwill towards Charlotte. If Charlotte discovered some irregularity at Port Mokna and tried to correct it, it would inevitably lead to a clash with Riana. It was likely to develop into a very unpleasant situation.

“Is there a problem...?”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes, there is. Port Mokna is requesting an excessive amount of supplies. Not just this time, but always. Especially food.”

According to Charlotte’s calculations, Port Mokna was demanding an excessively large amount of food supplies, and Edina had been providing them all the time.

Charlotte had noticed something strange in those numbers.