At present, Demon Emperor Yuki ruled over the Reauxgard Empire, but he was merely a nominal head of state, with policies set and implemented by the leaders of other countries. However, those leaders weren’t always present in the empire. Thus, naturally, others ran the country on a day-to-day basis—in this case, the senate. About half of its members had changed since the war, and relationships were complicated due to differing factions, but they still shared the same goal of governing the nation. In that sense, they were united in their views. They had suffered the misfortune of defeat, but they had slowly been rebuilding and managed to bring the empire to its current state.
And at this very moment, those very people were groaning, clutching their heads in despair.
“First the terror attacks at the stadium and the airport, now this?”
“If it isn’t one thing, it’s another...”
Their current headache was the gaggle of protesters that had descended on the imperial castle.
“Give us back our mentor!”
“To hell with this unjust inquiry!”
“We demand transparency!”
Angry shouts erupted from the gate outside, reaching all the way to where the senators were gathered. It wasn’t a riot; simply citizens exercising their right to protest. They weren’t carrying weapons or anything dangerous. But the passion and pressure radiating from them were so great that the government had no choice except to deploy troops. Officials could easily see that a single misstep could blow up the powder keg of a situation and turn it into a riot.
The protesters had one goal: the liberation of Alveiro Velburn. Alveiro had been running a private school of sorts. Those who could be described as his pupils had heard of his arrest and had come storming in, along with friends and acquaintances, all residents of the neighborhood he lived in. In all, there must have been at least two hundred people taking part in the demonstration.
The problem wasn’t the number. If the senators really wanted to, they could easily subdue the protesters. No, the problem lay in who was protesting. Among them were high-ranking military officers, well-known wealthy merchants, and even aristocrats who held important positions. It was no wonder the senators felt like the walls were closing in around them.
Alveiro Velburn’s popularity was as plain as day, which was an unpleasant truth in the current political climate. Unfortunately, there was simply no way they could ever free him. After all, he was the person who had emerged as the prime suspect during the investigation of a major incident involving Demon Emperor Yuki, Dwarf King Dodah, and Demon King Fynar Regnerius Saturnia—one that could have easily escalated into a diplomatic issue. That incident was the problem Reauxgard needed to solve before any other.
The empire couldn’t continue to embarrass itself as a disorganized mess, unable to accomplish anything without the help of other countries. As of now, it existed only because of those other nations. Even its current emperor wasn’t a born citizen. All of that had been inevitable following its defeat in the war, which was exactly why, in order to regain their sovereignty, even if bit by bit, it must solve its problems by itself.
It came down to honor. If a country couldn’t maintain its honor, it couldn’t survive. That was reality, no matter how trivial it might seem.
For that reason, now that the prime suspect had been apprehended, the senators wished to continue solving the case on their own. But then this commotion had erupted. The meeting had turned into an uproar, with everyone talking over each other.
“The evidence has been presented. His crime is heinous enough to warrant execution!”
“Have you any notion of the number of objections and complaints the senate has received?! If we do that, there will be chaos! Riots everywhere! Can you even begin to imagine what a disaster it would be if we lose control and have to call in the military?!”
“A former assemblyman is under suspicion. If we execute him without due process, won’t that be seen as an attempt at a cover-up?”
“Bah, you’re being too soft on him! Any further disrespect of the government will only lead to more problems!”
“That doesn’t mean we can act recklessly! Being proactive is one thing, but a drastic decision like this is something else entirely!”
Everyone offered their opinions, but they couldn’t reach a consensus. Just more proof of the impact the latest incident had had. The man known as Alveiro was far more famous and well-regarded than they’d imagined. The senate president remained silent for a moment, then let out a sigh.
“Either way, when a problem balloons to this scale, it’s beyond our capacity to judge. While I’d prefer outsiders to stay out of our politics...we have no choice in this case. First, contact the Demon King.”
“But, my lord...”
“This matter has involved citizens of other nations from the start. Given that, it would be better for ours that we demonstrate our willingness to cooperate. Fortunately, we were able to apprehend the prime suspect, so we’ve managed to save some face. It isn’t ideal, but if we overreach, we’ll fail. Any objections?”
No one said a word.
The man smiled faintly, pleased that the meeting was proceeding as anticipated.