WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

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Chapter 723: Exit Over Salary Negotiations

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Antares showed no hesitation despite being alone in a foreign country. He carried himself as though this were his right.

The fact that he was an honored guest of the Empire did not matter much in the Arcane Federation. What mattered was that he was a Master who had attained the principle, an overwhelmingly powerful man. The forces he had brought were few, but each one was a killing machine trained in the Water Qi Art.

They observed proper etiquette for now, but given a reason, they would become the most powerful and dangerous armed force in the world.

Amid that strange tension, Antares read a document he had received from somewhere.

"Hughes. King of Humanity. Born in the military state, entered Hamelin Military Academy, then disappeared after causing the Hamelin Incident. Afterward, he lived in seclusion in Amitenggrad before being imprisoned in the Abyss. Inside, he made contact with Jiseon, the Progenitor Tyrkanzyaka, and the King of Dogs. He was then sighted in the military state, the Lesser States, the duchy, and later Ende, before vanishing again."

Asking how he knew that would be stupid, wouldn't it?

Secrets hide in people's hearts, and money opens those hearts. The Empire, which could mobilize staggering funds, could acquire information through perfectly legal means.

They had probably planted countless spies in the military state too. They could not have risen to important positions with Holy Maiden Yuel watching over things, but bribing a few working-level officials would be enough to hear what they knew.

Antares tapped the paper.

"Nothing particularly remarkable in here, is there? Going by the rumors alone, I'd doubt you're the King of Humanity."

"That's right. I'm not actually the King of Humanity. Other people just spread ridiculous rumors."

"But they say the Holy Maiden can recognize the King of Humanity. I got confirmation, at least. I don't know why she didn't tell me beforehand."

The other side was the Empire. It had money, people, and a system built over two thousand years. They even claimed to be the Sanctum's protectors, so they must have had countless ways to obtain information.

"You caught me. I am the King of Humanity. If you'd like to become my subject, take a number and wait."

"An annual salary of 1.27 billion alke, with expenses paid separately."

"Pardon?"

"The Imperial Thousand-Commander Horse Warrant. The post of honorary guild master at the Patronage Merchant Guild, the rank of Guardian Saint. Three territories with noble titles included. The right to take wives and concubines. That's the treatment I receive as one of the Empire's Twelve Zodiac Seats. If you want to recruit me, you'll need to promise at least that much. Can you?"

An annual salary of 1.2 billion alke? It would be faster to count what that money could not buy. I doubted that much even existed as alchemical coinage. To come up with 1.2 billion alke, you would have to carve out an entire city and sell it to the Lord of Gold.

And that was not all.

The Imperial Thousand-Commander Horse Warrant? It was absolute authority. No one could hold you responsible, even if you used every public facility and mobilized the imperial army.

The post of honorary guild master at the Patronage Merchant Guild meant unlimited financing and supplies from that rigid, difficult guild.

A Guardian Saint was respected not only throughout the Empire, but by temples and missionary orders across the continent, and held the authority to request a private audience with the Holy Maiden.

There were even three territories with noble titles, and the right to take wives and concubines... One of the few rights in the Empire that officially allowed someone to keep concubines.

"Can't do it, right? Yeah. I thought so. That's why I'm with the Empire."

Knowing it was absolutely impossible, Antares puffed out his chest as though bragging. I spoke up.

"Ah, I'm surprised your reason was different from what I expected. I thought you'd oppose me out of loyalty to the imperial family, but it's because of money?"

"Loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor! Of course I have it. But that's not everything, is it? Warriors naturally go where they're treated well. In that sense, the Empire bought my loyalty outright! With money!"

He sounded like a money-grubber, but he was full of absolute confidence.

He believed he was the strongest and deserved the best treatment.

"When they treat you this well, loyalty grows and you become a diligent person. That's why I can obey an order that sends me all this way without complaint. Loyalty comes from money!"

"The Twelve Zodiac Seats are more like ordinary office workers than I thought."

"I started as a career soldier. It can't be helped."

He laughed heartily and held out a hand toward me.

"It looks like you don't have the money to hire me. But I'm the opposite. I came here to make you an offer."

"Me? For what?"

"King of Humanity. I'm here to recruit you. Take it as an honor. There's never been a case of one of the Twelve Zodiac Seats personally acting as a recruiter."

Recruit me? Please. He was trying to buy me, the King of Humanity, with money?

"I'm thinking of offering an annual salary of ten million alke. What do you say?"

"How many hours a week would I be working? Are there any other benefits? Would I get the right to choose wives and concubines?"

"Hey!"

I heard Shei shout from behind me. Heh, why? I wanted to legally keep wives and concubines too. Honestly, I had to read the room far too much as things stood.

"That depends on your abilities. Still, if not now, the Empire won't come looking for you directly again."

"You should at least tell me what the job is."

"It's classified, but sure. You need to know."

Huh? I thought he wouldn't tell me. Antares answered readily.

"The King of Sin has occupied the Lilac Duchy."

"What?"

"Its power is unknown. We sent spies to gather information, but none returned. The Lilac Duchy is now a vast black hole of information. No information comes out, and no supplies move in or out. Everything has gone dark, as though it has become an island within the continent."

Shei's presence surged behind me. The King of Sin's appearance had made her tense despite herself. At the same time, I sensed a faint tension among the Empire's elite soldiers. Not because of Shei, but because of the words King of Sin.

"It makes no sense. There is such a thing as economics in this world. The Lilac Duchy specializes in dairy products and woolen goods. Its food output is respectable, but it lacks iron and machine parts. To make up for that imbalance, the Purple Merchant Guild transports enormous amounts of goods every year. Yet that entire flow has disappeared. They say even the Holy Maiden cannot see the Lilac Duchy."

One person in particular was visibly uneasy. Shumahel, the Master who had only recently joined the Star Seats, spoke.

"Lord Antares, that is classified..."

"So what? It's not something only a few people know. Oh, right. Shumahel. I heard you're from the Lilac Duchy. You must be worried."

"That is correct. I served as the White Tiger General among the Five Tiger Generals. It was small and cramped for pursuing my ambitions, but that doesn't mean I didn't love it. The fields of lilacs blooming every year were beautiful."

The Five Tiger Generals? I had heard that somewhere before... Ah, right. In Ende. Was he a colleague of that mustached marquis? He didn't seem arrogant like the mustached marquis. So there had been normal people there too.

"If only it hadn't been for the right to take wives and concubines, I would have remained one of the Five Tiger Generals and protected the Lilac Duchy... Urgh. If only it hadn't been for the right to take wives and concubines...!"

I take that back.

"The conversation wandered a little, but anyway. The King of Humanity should be useful in resolving this situation. Maybe not, but it's better to have more options."

"The fact that you specifically came looking for me, the King of Humanity, means you know who the enemy is."

"Yes. It won't be a bad deal. You'll receive the Empire's support while driving out a king from a bygone age. You probably need that too. One beast doesn't need two kings, does it?"

They had reacted quickly. They had identified Big Sister through their own channels, found me, and come straight here. I could understand why they were called the strongest nation in the world.

Their offer was reasonable as well. They had clearly stated their goal and offered compensation. Honestly, it would be strange to refuse.

I glanced over and asked.

"Shei, what do you think? We need to stop the King of Sin anyway. Should we work with them?"

"...Hmm."

Oh, that was unexpected. I was seeing something rare. Shei was watching Antares's reaction.

As a regressor, Shei had nothing to lose in this life. That was why she treated anyone she met the same way, whether they were immensely powerful or influential. Her attitude was so natural that the other person felt no incongruity and accepted it as it was.

Yet she seemed strangely intimidated by Antares. Was it because he was a powerful energy artist? No way.

They must have had some connection in her previous life.

'Antares of Scorpio. One of the Twelve Zodiac Seats, commander of the Knights of Judgment. My master's comrade, and at the same time, my master's enemy...'

Her master's comrade and enemy. That sounded like a complicated relationship. Strange. She felt a little respect and discomfort at once. Was he not an enemy?

...Maybe that was it. I didn't sense any personal hostility toward me either.

But he was not an individual.

He was a man who symbolized the Empire itself. He might not have any personal feelings involved, but if necessary, under the Empire's name, he would do anything.

"Hmm. I don't think I can. I'll have to refuse your offer."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You have the chance to achieve your goals with the Empire's support. Why?"

"The Empire has the Twelve Zodiac Seats, countless Masters in the Star Seats, mage towers, and innumerable imperial soldiers, doesn't it? Even if an ordinary Beast King like me joined, I wouldn't be much help to the Empire. I'll work separately, like a guerrilla battalion. That would be better for dealing with Big Sister, wouldn't it?"

I had connections in the Arcane Federation, the duchy, the Lesser States, and the military state. They didn't. Wouldn't it be better for us to move separately?

"Is this a salary negotiation? I'll double it, even if I have to pay the difference out of my own pocket. What do you say?"

"It's tempting, but rather than taking a salary, I think it would be much better to build up my own power and make an exit when I can get better treatment. By then, I'll receive far better terms. I have to raise my own value."

"You don't need the right to take wives and concubines?"

"It would be nice to have, but do I really need it?"

In times like this, I had to be confident. My value had not been set yet. I could raise it as much as I wanted.

As I sat there, Antares shrugged, looking none too pleased.

"Haa. Then it can't be helped. I wanted to settle this with money if possible."

"Pardon?"

"I have to take you with me."

Right. I thought it would be like this.

A slight tension filled the conference hall. Antares's words carried resolve, no, an implication that this would happen.

Even if he had to use force.

"Well. With the Empire and His Imperial Majesty still standing, it looks strange for the King of Humanity to be playing king somewhere else."

"So what? Rulers in kingdoms, duchies, and the Arcane Federation are all playing king."

"Those are their own tiny countries. Their domains are different. But the King of Humanity is king of all humanity, so our domains overlap. The only legitimate ruler in this world is His Majesty the Emperor, and there is nothing above him."

What a load of nonsense. I was a mind reader. Where did he get off lying to me?

"You know that isn't true."

"I got paid. Enough to feed ten thousand imperial soldiers. So I have to work as much as those ten thousand people. Business trips, recruiting, and... odd jobs like this."

A faint shadow crossed Antares's hearty face. The moment he showed his true colors, explosive flames burst forth and blew away everything around us.

Flames surged through the conference hall. The Cyan Tower Master, who had stepped back a little, and the mages of the Celsius Family had prepared themselves in their own way, but their reactions were too slow.

An energy artist who had mastered Heaven, Earth, Water, and Li had nothing that could stand in his way. Energy arts were a power that extended from one's inner image into the world. If magic covered the world with an inner image, energy arts covered the world with oneself.

That was why it could accomplish even the impossible.

Flames stretched through the freezing ice. Those flames could not be extinguished by water or ice. They breathed even without air, greedily devouring something else. They burned their way through the ice walls prepared by the Celsius Family.

Something flew at me through that storm of fire. The world's strongest energy artist attacked me. Without killing intent, he swung the shaft of his spear, intending only to subdue me first.

With no visibility and no time to think, I grabbed it on reflex. I felt a heavy weight in my hand, but that was all.

As the flames cleared, Antares's puzzled expression appeared.

"Oh?"

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