Chapter 610

A few days have passed and many sudden events have occurred - sudden riots and massacres. Louise and Heinrich discuss the fate of the empire and the justification for their actions, with Louise arguing that as long as there is a justification, even the most brutal acts can be rationalized. The current justification is the Gate incident, but Louise predicts that once it is over, another justification will arise - the justification for the empire's downfall. Heinrich's eyes widen at her words. "Creating an army using the dead, committing countless civilian massacres, and even a country that cannot support its own people."

"And now people hate and resent the empire."

"Eventually, someone else will take the place of the Gladius royal family. But no matter who sits in that seat, people will not long for the empire. They have already accumulated too much hatred and anger."

The people's hatred and anger towards the empire become a justification.

However, the crowd cannot overthrow the empire.

Someone with power, someone with strength.

When he uses that justification to swallow the empire, people will support the new empire that replaces it.

Justification is reason and basis.

When a new power emerges, it is evidence that people will not rebel against that power.

As long as the empire is hated, people will not rebel against whoever takes the empire's place.

"I've imagined the empire falling many times...."

Louise looks at the scenery quietly. Overcoming the inferiority complex towards the empire and becoming the owner of the empire has been a long-standing dream of the Schwartz royal family.

But now that the empire is truly falling, Louise von Schwartz is not pleased with the situation.

The empire is accumulating debt.

Someday, they will have to pay the price.

"Interesting."

Louise exhales.

"If anyone is hated no matter who they are, wouldn't it be okay for anyone to sit in that seat?"

"What do you mean?"

"Let's say people hate the Gladius royal family. They will already hate and resent them."

"Yes...."

"Wouldn't it be the same if a demon king sat in that seat?"

"....Yes?"

Louise chuckles at Heinrich's stunned reaction.

"On the contrary, the demon king may be a little better than the already worst empire, as he has not experienced it yet."

The empire shows only the worst of the worst.

They hate the empire and the demon king.

However, the demon king has not experienced it yet.

So he might be a little different from the empire, which is already the worst, and people might imagine that he won't be worse.

"There is no reason to refuse to become the owner of someone who receives everyone's support, or to become the owner of another worst situation from the already worst situation."

If it's the best and the worst, people will reject and refuse the worst and want the best.

But if it's the worst and the second worst.

People will want the second worst.

The empire is the worst. It's heading towards the worst.

So it's okay for anyone to sit in that seat.

It's okay for anyone to take it away.

If there is enough power to do so.

"I wonder why I was able to enter the temple...."

Louise says so and takes a sip of cold tea. "The emperor is digging his own grave...."

They are not unknowingly digging it.

They are digging it knowing it.

* * *

"Is it not done yet?"

"Yes. It will take a little more time...."

Elleon Valtin couldn't hide his impatience as he looked at the many priests struggling with documents at the headquarters of the Holy Knights. All the priests who could decipher the code were deployed in the Holy Knights headquarters, but the work was not progressing for an excessively long time. Elleon Valtin couldn't bear it and went out to the terrace. Outside the high temple of the Holy Knights, the snowy scenery was still unfolding. The excessive snow had long been a major problem even in the refugee camp. But now, the problem was not only that, but also what was happening among the people. The situation in the refugee camp had already reached an extreme, and the empire's response was also extreme. Of course, he instinctively knew that this situation was not unrelated to Rowen. The empire chose to cut its own flesh rather than collapse on its own. There is no guarantee that the next thing to be cut will be flesh. It could be bones, or something else. He had to find Rowen. The fact that Rowen controls the heretics scattered in the refugee camp is no different from the fact that the refugee camp is practically Rowen's. If those who are exhausted by desperation and despair are left with only evil and hatred, even more extreme things could happen. The riot subsided for the time being, but the next riot will occur on a larger scale. "Even if I find him, what will change?" What has happened cannot be undone. Just as the Gate incident cannot be turned back to what it was before, the riots in the refugee camp and the slaughter of the empire cannot be turned back to nothing. Even if he finds Rowen and removes the heretics, confusion has already begun. Even if he finds the arsonist, the fire that has become too big is a separate problem. The arsonist and the fire are now completely separate issues. He can prevent Rowen from setting fire elsewhere, but the already large fire will spark on its own. Fortunately, the most needed existence, the Demon King, has approached. Although the fact that the Popes gave away the Holy Knights and the Five Great Divine Sects as they pleased was a miserable and pathetic event to the point where it would split and rot, what was needed now was the Demon King. Rowen is a follower of the Demon King. Then he will definitely follow the Demon King's words absolutely. If he can convey just one word from the Demon King to stop self-destructive behavior to Rowen, he can delay the flow of this madness to some extent. But in the end, he has to find Rowen. He cannot make a massive announcement that the Demon King has appeared in Hwangdo to find Rowen. That would be like causing a landslide to put out a fire. Only in secret. Only in the dark. If he can let them know that the Demon King has approached Rowen and that the Holy Knights and the Five Great Divine Sects have already sided with the Demon King, he can control this confusion. He tried to subdue Rowen. Elleon Valtin felt that his choice alone would bring about a wave of consequences that would make his future bleak. He didn't know what the empire was doing, but it was clear that it was doing something very dangerous and fiery. He believed that if Rowen, who hates the empire, finds out about it, something bad will happen no matter what. However, in the end, Elleon Valtin fell into self-blame for causing more danger to stop dangerous things. The Demon King is waiting for information from the Holy Knights, and is also busy looking for Rowen in his own way. However, the important information is within the Holy Knights. If the code document is deciphered, the heretics' power can be known, and Rowen's whereabouts may be found. However, the work is not progressing properly because the data that Rowen has accumulated for a long time is too much. Even if the code document is deciphered and information is obtained, Rowen would have known about the data he left behind. So there are many ways to make this information worthless. It only takes one word. The Demon King you follow so much has already come to us. If you convey that one word, everything will be resolved, but the situation does not allow it. Only the Holy Knight Commander and the Pope of the Five Great Gods know about the Demon King's approach. Just like the Gate incident, which occurred because misunderstandings and lies were not resolved, is Rowen trying to turn the empire into a sea of flames without knowing that what he wanted has already happened? Elleon Valtin watches as many priests search through documents. Some of the heretic interrogators had to be kept alive. If that had been done, it would not have taken so long. But regret is useless now. If the Holy Knight Commander had not unnecessarily guarded against having too much power and intentionally not informed him of what he needed to know, this would not have happened. The restraint of the Popes and Elleon Valtin's excessive caution ruined everything. Elleon Valtin looks through the documents written in code. Since he had never worked as a heretic interrogator, he could not read such code documents, nor did he need to. Therefore, all the priests in the analysis room had experience working as heretic interrogators or were related to such work. Strictly speaking, Rowen held the position of overseeing all heretic interrogators, so they were his subordinates. However, most of Rowen's direct subordinates who knew the core of this incident had already died, so the work speed could only be slow. But really. Is that really the case? Elleon Valtin looks at the priests in the analysis room, who are turning pages, writing something, and doing something. They are doing something. But the movement of their pupils. The gesture of turning the paper. An inexplicable, strange sense of discomfort. It looks like they are doing something. But it seems like they are trying not to do anything. Elleon Valtin finally covers his face with both hands and sighs deeply. 'This damn it...' He was foolish. Too foolish. "They have nothing to do with Rowen. But why did I believe they would follow my orders properly, thinking that the Holy Knights would act as a group under the command of their leader? Sand is not easy to find a needle in, unless you have an excessive amount of time. And now, not even knowing how much time is left, I feel like my blood is drying up in real time. The situation is getting worse and worse, and if it gets more extreme, not just tens of thousands, but millions will be slaughtered. I can't let that happen, but there's not much I can do. All I can do is get more information as quickly as possible and get it to Rowen. We need to find the needle in the sand quickly. That's the only way to stop this madness. Althea's Grand Temple is too conspicuous a place, and it's dangerous to meet the Popes directly. That's why I sent a contact message to the designated meeting place. The location is the sewer under the Bronze Gate Bridge, where the Rotary Club was held. As I headed to the meeting place, I saw someone who looked like a contact person waiting for me in a corner of the sewer. A woman in a faded robe smiled brightly at me. Her smile was a little strange. It was too friendly for the current situation. "My lord." And a too familiar title. I couldn't understand what was going on. "I think you're Rowen." Was it possible for the needle to find me?