“Revolt?” Amyu asked in confusion.
“An issue that has plagued countries in all ages,” the emperor said, disappointment in his voice. “The empire is no exception. There have been countless revolts since its founding. One might say it’s to be expected in a nation that has absorbed so many others. However, it’s been quite some time since the empire last annexed another country, and the past century or so has been without war. How unfortunate I am that such an issue would arise during my reign.” Despite the weight of the topic, the emperor’s tone made it sound like it was a minor, everyday gripe.
“We’ve been in a remote city to the east, so I’m afraid we haven’t heard of any revolt in the west,” I said with a frown. “Could I trouble you for more information?”
“I’ll have one of my officials explain the details to you later. Forgive me, but for now I must ask that we limit ourselves to only the outline of the matter.” The emperor turned to me, his brown eyes revealing nothing. A faint tension seeped into the air as he began to speak. “The cause was not anything out of the ordinary. In a remote city to the northwest, slaves working the mines and plantations revolted, killed their masters, and seized the town. From there, they marched southward, raiding smaller settlements along the way.”
I held my tongue in thought. Slave revolts weren’t particularly uncommon. I had heard of several smaller ones since reincarnating, and even in my previous world as well. However, I couldn’t think of many instances where they grew so large that the country had to get involved.
“In addition,” the emperor went on, as though adding a trivial note, “in another city further to the south, followers of a new religion known as the Church of Sozo staged a similar uprising. The religion has spread mainly among the poor, and perhaps because they gather together and practice suspicious rites, they have been heavily persecuted in the west. They also seized a town by force, then began marching north, attacking small villages and towns along the way. Then, they joined with the band of slaves and became one group.”
“Huh?”
“They’ve now grown into a mob tens of thousands strong. The military force a provincial city can muster can’t possibly suppress them, and even small fortress cities are being overrun. I’m at my wits’ end.” Contrary to the emperor’s casual tone and mannerisms, what he said was astonishing. I was left speechless.
Religious revolts weren’t anything novel, but not once had I ever heard of one merging with an entirely different group, such as a slave uprising. Was such a thing even feasible?
“I find that difficult to believe. You called them a mob, but if they’re capturing cities, that means they’re capable of some level of military coordination, doesn’t it? Do they have a base of operations? Where are they getting enough food to supply tens of thousands of people? Who is leading them?”
“As I said, you’ll receive the details from our government officials later. They will answer any questions you might have.” Though his tone was calm, he was clearly avoiding the subject.
“Pardon me,” I said, lowering my eyes slightly. “Then I’ll ask only one thing—why rely on Amyu instead of the imperial military?” Still silent, the emperor wore a smile that urged me to continue. “If this revolt is real, then the situation is well beyond the point where the empire should intervene. It calls for the mobilization of the military, not reliance on a single girl. Maybe you have high hopes for the Hero’s strength, but even a Hero at their prime wouldn’t be capable of stopping a mob of tens of thousands.”
“It pains me how true that is,” the emperor said with a wry smile. No part of his behavior suggested that he felt the gravity of the situation. “You are correct. I would mobilize the military immediately, were I able. Unfortunately, the circumstances prevent me from doing so. Due to the past century of peace, generations of emperors have been reducing the military. Officers gaining too much power is an issue, and above all, soldiers are costly. Our expenses have fallen, but as a result, we have little strength to spare.”
I could already guess what direction the conversation was headed.
“When I say ‘spare,’ I mean surplus forces that can be mobilized to deal with unforeseen circumstances. The empire may command several hundred thousand troops, but once you subtract those that must be stationed along the borders and elsewhere, there’s very little left that can be called ‘surplus.’ At most, five thousand could be mobilized immediately. Hardly reassuring against tens of thousands. Of course, that doesn’t mean I intend to withhold the military. We’re requesting that each garrison contribute troops, but the officers will naturally be reluctant. And even once we gather the soldiers, we’ll still need to decide how to organize the units, who should command them, and then obtain approval from the assembly. It all takes time,” the emperor said wearily.
“Even so, I can’t sit idly by and let this revolt unfold. Innocent people are suffering. As emperor, it’s my duty to aid them. That is why I wish to rely on you, Amyu. Will you lend your strength as the Hero to the empire?”
I glanced over at Amyu and saw a worried look on her face. “But, I...”
“I won’t be so unreasonable as to ask you to crush the revolt completely. I’d like you to hold them back until the military can be dispatched. Not on your own, of course—you’ll have your companions. I invited the four of you here because I hoped we could work together to help the empire through this national crisis. I’ve heard talk that you’re quite a capable party of adventurers.” The emperor directed a smile at all of us.
That plan explained why we had all been included.
“Having said that, you’re more than welcome to do it on your own if you’d prefer. If there’s anything you require, you need only ask. We can prepare any goods or personnel you wish for.”
A few extra hands or better equipment would hardly make a difference against an army tens of thousands strong.
“You just want Amyu to buy time for the imperial military to deploy, correct?” I asked, a grim expression on my face.
“I certainly wouldn’t complain if you were to accomplish more,” the emperor replied with a smile that was difficult to describe. “Routing the rebel army would be ideal. They aren’t making any major moves at the moment, but we can’t discount the possibility of an attack on the capital. Truth be told, merely buying time is far from optimal.”
If the capital were to fall, it would mean the collapse of the Urdwight Empire itself. Their numbers alone meant that the possibility had to be feared.
“That said, it’s not a major concern,” the emperor said lightheartedly as we sat in silence. “The capital’s defenses are sturdy, and the rebel army is a long distance from here. It would be difficult for them to cover so much ground.”
Glancing to my side, I saw relief on Yifa’s and Mabel’s faces.
“However, the empire has several other important cities. The city of Tenend in a nearby canyon is in particular danger. If it were by some chance taken, it would be an immeasurable loss for the empire. We must ensure that does not happen. If, by some chance, the bridge to the city were to fall, that would be completely acceptable,” he added in a joking tone. “It’s already so old that repairs are difficult, and we can use public funds to repair it later.”
Amyu let out a sigh in response. Her expression didn’t suggest that she was having trouble following the conversation. If anything, it seemed like she was struggling to decide whether she should accept the emperor’s request to suppress the revolt army or not. Just when I started to grow concerned, the emperor spoke up again.
“When I was a child and saw my grandfather being shouted at by the people, I thought it was simply part of the emperor’s job. But in reality, a nation has countless problems that must be solved. Threats posed by neighboring countries, demons, and monsters, industry, economics, social welfare, factional disputes between nobility, dissatisfaction among the people, the upkeep of aging roads and waterways, and choosing the next emperor... The emperor must make decisions on all of these matters and bear responsibility for them. It was far more difficult than being shouted at by citizens.”
The emperor spoke gently to the anxious Hero. “I’m an amateur when it comes to most of these things. I’ve never done any carpentry, I don’t know how the common man lives, and I’m not well-versed in trade. Should an enemy appear on our doorstep, I cannot fight. I alone can do nothing, yet the emperor must solve all problems. So, what do I do? I rely on others. That which I am unskilled at, I entrust to experts. A powerless individual is supported by the talents of those who are skilled in their field—that is how a country sustains itself.”
The emperor gave Amyu a smile that seemed to almost encourage her to embark on a journey. “Amyu, will you use your expertise to support this nation?”