Elevated to an Empire

"Buzzing"

With a buzzing sound, a large chunk of the originally flat ground suddenly rose up, and then the ground was moved aside, revealing a hole about two feet square.

"Puff!"

After exhaling the stale air from his mouth, he peered out from under the Black Iron Mask and carefully scanned the surroundings. Confirming it was safe, he quickly climbed out of the burrow and called back inside, "Master, it's safe here, come on up!"

Not long after the man in the Black Iron Mask finished speaking, Talleyrand and the others emerged.

"Number Two, where are we now? (Talleyrand)"

After comparing the surrounding buildings with his memories, the Black Iron Mask replied, "Master, we should be on Yelt Street now. We should be able to reach the Prime Minister's residence in about ten more minutes."

"It's quiet around here, which means we've bypassed the battlefield. (Tak)"

Upon hearing Tak's assessment, Talleyrand and the Black Iron Mask nodded.

"In that case, let's not waste any more time and get going!" (Talleyrand)

"Alright! (Tak, Black Iron Mask)"

Auriel City, North Gate

"Sigh! I don't know what stroke of luck Gilkunis had to get the chance to make a move. (Woodman)"

Hearing his superior's complaint, the adjutant beside him advised, "Your Majesty, since there's nothing going on, why don't you take us into the city to have some fun?"

"Bang"

After serving his adjutant a Maruko, Woodman said angrily, "You're always coming up with bad ideas. If the enemy sends someone out to ask for help while we're away, how can we afford to be punished when His Majesty retaliates?"

Just as the adjutant was about to explain to Woodman the importance of wishful thinking, a situation suddenly arose at the city gate.

"Da da"

"Da da"

After a series of hoofbeats, a soldier in red armor riding a white horse appeared in front of the gate.

"Open the door quickly, I have urgent military intelligence to convey!"

"Call out"

As soon as the red-armored soldier finished speaking, a beam of emerald light shot out from the city wall and landed on him. The next second, his armor, clothes, weapons, and even the saddle beneath him all vanished. Without the support of the stirrups, he immediately tumbled off his horse. At that moment, a squad of soldiers rushed out and bound him tightly.

"Are you rebelling? How dare you intercept His Majesty the King's messenger?"

Upon hearing the red-armored soldier's threat, a burly man with green hair and a bushy beard sneered, "Rebellion? Heh! We are not your Auriel's army, and we have never been loyal to King Auriel. What makes you say we are rebelling?"

Seeing the bewildered red-armored soldiers, the soldiers who were groping them burst into laughter.

"Ha ha"

"Ha ha"

Auriel Palace, Palace Gate

Looking down at the Heavenly King Guard, who had revealed their true forms, Pallet slammed his fist into the wall.

"Damn it! I didn't expect these people to be so strong!"

After speaking, Pallet turned to ask, "Lier, how many men do we have left?"

After wiping the blood off his face, the Defense Minister stammered, "Your Majesty, we only have a little over a thousand people left!"

"What? That's all there is left?"

"Your Majesty, we first fought with Talleyrand, then were betrayed by Tak, and then encountered Erus's Heavenly King Guard. It's already quite remarkable that so many of us survived."

Although Pallet knew the Defense Minister was right, he couldn't accept the outcome, because it meant the end of his reign and the end of the Kingdom of Auriel.

Looking at Pallet's pale face, the Defense Minister advised, "Your Majesty, don't worry, I have already sent people out to seek help."

"Ask for help? Ha! Lier, what do you think was the first thing King Erus did after entering the city? Besides, we've already recalled the only ones we can mobilize, the Azure Elephant and the White Gull. Who else can you ask for help from now?"

Faced with the double blow from His Majesty the King, the Defense Minister was speechless for a moment.

"By the way, Your Majesty, isn't the White Gull Legion inside the city? We can bring them over!"

Looking at the excited Agriculture Minister, the Defense Minister and Pallet exchanged a glance, then shook their heads.

"What? Am I wrong? (The Agriculture Minister)"

"Old Ghost, do you think the White Gull Legion wouldn't have noticed such a commotion? If they did notice but didn't show up, there are only two possibilities: either they surrendered to the enemy, or they've already been eliminated. (Lier)"

Faced with his old friend's conclusion, the Agriculture Minister was instantly devastated and turned pale.

Just as the three people on the city wall were at a loss and the crowd below was getting impatient, a group of nearly a thousand people appeared from the northeast. The leader of the group was none other than the prime minister and others who had fled the battlefield not long ago.

"His Majesty..."

Looking at his nervous adjutant, Old Suo chuckled and said, "Hehe! Don't be nervous, he's one of us!"

Upon hearing His Majesty's words, the adjutant returned to his original position, but his eyes never left Talleyrand and the others.

A short while later, Talleyrand and his men arrived at the front of the formation. At this point, Talleyrand stopped the troops and Brain, including Tak, to the front of the Heavenly King Guard.

"Your Majesty, I, the surrendered subject Talleyrand, and my men pay our respects!"

"Please rise, everyone!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After everyone stood up, before Talleyrand could even explain his purpose, he heard a voice float down from the blue-white windship.

"Prime Minister Talleyrand, please begin your performance!"

Just as Talleyrand and his men were completely bewildered by this statement, another group appeared from the northeast.

"Hehe! Now everyone's here, time to wrap things up!"

Having finished speaking, His Majesty Sordil, who had not yet seen the performance begin, urged, "Prime Minister Talleyrand, didn't you prepare a performance for King Auriel on the city wall? Why hasn't it started yet?"

After His Majesty Sordil's guidance, Chancellor Talleyrand finally understood the meaning of those words, and immediately made his appearance with the prepared grand gift package. Just then, King Gilkunis, accompanied by a large cast of extras, also arrived at the city walls.

"Hehe! Bad... Your Majesty, I didn't expect you to beat me to it again!"

"Old man Gilkunis, you've come at the right time! The show is about to begin, so hurry up and get the brothers to sit down and watch the performance!"

"A good show?"

Gilkunis scratched his Big Baldy, still completely bewildered, and decided to give up thinking and obediently carry out His Majesty's orders.

"Your Majesty, look! It's the White Gull Legion!" (Defense Minister)

"Heh! Just as I expected! (Pallet)"

The two had just finished expressing their admiration for the supporting performers in the audience when the Agriculture Minister on the side was already exclaiming in surprise at the new situation.

"Your Majesty, look! Someone from the opposing camp is walking over."

Upon hearing the Agriculture Minister's words, the two immediately shifted their attention to the moving target below.

"It's that traitor Talleyrand, and... no! Impossible! How... how could they have found it... this is impossible! (Lier)"

Compared to the Defense Minister was acting like a madman, Pallet was much calmer.

"Heh! They still found us!"

Having said that, King Auriel closed his eyes in anguish.

"Your Majesty Pallet, please take a closer look. Those standing here are all..."

Before Talleyrand could finish speaking, Pallet shouted directly at the blue-white windship, "King Erus, I can surrender and accept any punishment, but please spare my wife and daughters!"

After Pallet finished speaking, the air was silent for a few minutes. Just when everyone thought that Old Suo was unwilling to accept the condition, there was finally a response from the blue-white windboat.

"Once they surrender, they become citizens of my Erus Kingdom. Why should I harm the citizens under my rule?"

Although Old Suo's tone was languid, making it seem like he was just being perfunctory, Pallet on the city wall was relieved. Since the founding of the Erus Kingdom, King Erus had never broken his word.

After taking a few deep breaths, Pallet gazed ahead and said, "Lier, have the soldiers throw their weapons down from the city walls and line up to leave!"

"Yes!"

"Yate, go and fetch the crown, the scepter, and the seal." (Yate is the Agriculture Minister)

"Your humble servant obeys!"

Just as Lier opened the palace gates, preparing to lead his team out, some red liquid suddenly rained down from the sky, followed by a black object falling.

"His Majesty!"

Upon recognizing the black object, the Defense Minister exclaimed in surprise and then quickly ran to the object.

"Lie... Pfft... Lier, I'm leaving the rest to you!"

After speaking, King Auriel closed his eyes and turned his head to one side.

"Your Majesty! (Lier)"

"Your Majesty! (Yate)"

As the Agriculture Minister ran over, the Defense Minister handed over His Majesty the King's last words, and then drew his sword and ended his own life.

"Old buddy!"

As the last of the three, the Agriculture Minister suppressed his grief and led the others to surrender outside the palace.

On June 10, X767, the Kingdom of Auriel was defeated and surrendered, the Kingdom of Kaelum and the Duchy of Veronica were conquered, and all the territories of the Northern Alliance were incorporated into the Erus Kingdom.

From then on, all kingdoms in Ishgar were annexed except for the permanently neutral Kingdom of Fiore, and Ishgar entered an era of unification.

On June 12, King Erus held a ceremony in Semreko to reward those who had rendered meritorious service.

On June 14, King Erus appointed Talleyrand Burski as governor of the Northern Province, Tak Burski and Yate Robwell as deputy governors.

On June 15, high-ranking officials from the Milantes Province and Southeastern Province were recalled to Philiers.

On June 23, King Erus convened a meeting of provincial governors in Philiers to redefine the boundaries of the various provinces.

On June 25th, King Erus and King Fiore signed a treaty of peace and non-aggression. (Actually, it had been signed long ago, but it was only announced now.)

On June 26, King Erus announced that the Erus Kingdom would be renamed the Erus Empire, and that a grand ascension ceremony would be held four days later.