Jircniv leaned back in his chair, his deep purple eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Then I'll just ask directly. Are you the angel of the Holy Kingdom, the angel of the Dragon Kingdom, and the one who annihilated tens of thousands of Orc outside the Dragon Kingdom?"
"Yes."
Higashino Makoto did not deny it.
Jircniv's fingers were on the armrest, his fingers somewhat stiff.
"Those angels... were they summoned by you?"
"Yes."
How many can you summon?
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"A lot of."
Jircniv's pupils contracted slightly.
How much is "a lot"?
"Twelve, I think... um, of course, I'm referring to the daily number."
The audience hall fell silent.
Jircniv looked at Higashino Makoto for a long time, then chuckled softly.
"Mr. Higashino, do you know what your words just now meant?"
"Know."
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
"That means I have the ability to easily destroy any country. You already knew that, didn't you? Not long after you learned that I had destroyed the Orc army."
"Then why don't you do it?"
"Because I like beautiful Garden."
Jircniv's brow furrowed slightly.
"Garden?"
Yes, the Garden.
Higashino Makoto stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.
Sunlight streamed in, illuminating the entire audience hall.
In the distance, the streets of the imperial city were bustling with people, the cries of vendors, the laughter of children, and the rumble of horse-drawn carriages all mingling together.
"To me, this world is like a Garden."
Higashino Makoto gazed out the window, his dark eyes reflecting the bustling scene.
The Garden is filled with all sorts of flowers; some are vibrant, some are simple and elegant, some are in full bloom, and some are about to wither. Some flowers are thriving, and some are not.
He turned and looked at Jircniv.
"I like beautiful flowers. So, I'll fertilize, water, and remove pests from the flowers that aren't growing well. But I won't pull them out or move them away. Because they're part of the Garden."
Jircniv looked at him, a complex light flickering in his deep purple eyes.
What about those flowers that grow well?
"Don't worry about it."
Higashino Makoto walked back to his seat and sat down.
They can heal on their own.
"So what is your attitude towards the Baharuth Empire?"
Higashino Makoto looked at him for two seconds.
"The Baharuth Empire is a beautiful flower. It doesn't need my attention."
What about the Re-Estize Kingdom?
"The Re-Estize Kingdom was a poorly grown flower. So, I removed the insects from it."
"And then what?"
"Then see how it goes."
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair.
"If it grows well, then let it continue to grow. If not, then I'll remove the pests again."
Jircniv fell silent.
He leaned back on the throne, his deep purple eyes gazing at the ceiling, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
He was thinking.
The point isn't whether Higashino Makoto's words are true or false, but rather what they mean.
This means that Higashino Makoto is not an ally of any country.
He will not help the Re-Estize Kingdom fight against the Baharuth Empire, nor will he help the Baharuth Empire fight against the Re-Estize Kingdom.
He simply acts according to his own preferences, interfering with what he dislikes and ignoring what he approves of.
As long as you don't provoke him, he won't interfere with anything.
Just like the legendary Dragon Kings.
This means the Baharuth Empire can continue its expansion plans.
As long as it doesn't cross Higashino Makoto's bottom line.
"Mr. Higashino."
Jircniv spoke, his voice calm.
What is your "bottom line"?
Higashino Makoto looked at him.
"What?"
"What's your bottom line? Under what circumstances would you take action?"
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"When someone tries to destroy the whole Garden."
"For example?"
"For example, someone might commit mass slaughter of humans, someone might use evil magic to destroy cities, or someone might summon demons to destroy countries."
He paused.
"Or someone has offended me."
Jircniv's lips curled up slightly.
"So as long as I don't provoke you and don't do those things, you won't take action against the Baharuth Empire?"
"Right."
"What if I annex the Re-Estize Kingdom?"
Higashino Makoto looked at him for two seconds.
"That's a matter between your two countries. War is an inevitable part of human history. As long as you don't resort to stunts like massacring entire cities along the way, I won't interfere."
Jircniv's fingers stopped.
He looked into Higashino Makoto's eyes, trying to find traces of hypocrisy, affectation, or deliberate intent.
But he found nothing.
"Mr. Higashino."
"Um."
"You... are really strange."
"I know."
Higashino Makoto stood up.
"Your Majesty, if there's nothing else, I'll be returning now."
"Please go ahead."
Jircniv did not try to stop him.
Higashino Makoto turned around and walked towards the door.
Illya lifted her skirt and followed.
He took a few steps, then stopped without looking back.
"By the way, Your Majesty."
"Um."
"Your title of 'Bloody Emperor' is quite interesting."
Jircniv's eyebrows rose slightly.
What's so interesting about it?
"You have killed so many people, your hands are stained with blood. Yet your subjects respect you. Your country has prospered."
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
This shows that sometimes, blood is not evil; it's fertilizer.
He stepped out of the audience hall.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor, gradually fading into the distance.
Jircniv sat on the throne, gazing at the open door, and remained silent for a long time.
Then he chuckled softly.
"Fertilizer... interesting."
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked outside.
Sunlight shone on his blond hair, making the carefully combed strands appear as if they were flowing gold.
"Bajed."
"Exist."
What kind of person do you think Higashino Makoto is?
Bajed was silent for a moment.
"Your Majesty... I do not know."
"Have no idea?"
"I only know that he is not an enemy. At least not now."
Jircniv nodded.
"You're right."
He turned around, walked back to the throne, and sat down.
"Pass down the order. The strategy towards the Re-Estize Kingdom remains unchanged. Continue to apply pressure, continue to infiltrate, continue to prepare. But do not touch Higashino Makoto. Do not provoke him, do not test him, and do not do anything that might displease him."
"Yes, sir."
The Four Imperial Knights simultaneously knelt on one knee.
Jircniv leaned back in his chair, his deep purple eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Higashino Makoto..."
He murmured the name, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"That's terrifying."
No one answered. Only the wind outside the window rustled the curtains softly.
The carriage moved slowly through the streets of the Baharuth Empire.
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.
Illya sat beside him, her long silver hair cascading over her shoulders, her crimson eyes fixed on him.
"Big brother."
"Um."
Why did you tell the emperor so much?
Higashino Makoto opened his eyes, his dark eyes staring at the roof of the car.
"Because he asked."
"That's all?"
That's all.
Illya tilted her head.
Aren't you afraid he'll use this intelligence against you?
Higashino Makoto chuckled softly.
He wouldn't dare.
"Why?"
"Because he knows he can't beat me."
Illya looked at him, a certain light gleaming in her crimson eyes.
"Big brother, you are very confident."
"I've already said, this isn't confidence, it's the truth."
Higashino Makoto closed his eyes and leaned back in the soft chair.
"And telling him this will do him good."
What are the benefits?
"Let him know that I am not his enemy. Let him know that his only enemy is himself. And let him know—"
Higashino Makoto paused for a moment.
"There's someone he can't fight back watching all this, so don't even think about playing any dirty tricks."
Illya tilted her head, not asking any further questions.
With his eyes closed, Higashino Makoto's mind drifted to Jircniv's face.
That handsome and calm face, tinged with a hint of weariness.
He remembered Jircniv's words, his habit of tapping his fingers, and the glint in his deep purple eyes.
"The Bloody Emperor..."
He murmured the name, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"You are a good emperor."
Illya looked at him.
He sat up straight and looked out the window.
The sunlight shone on his face, making his dark eyes shine exceptionally bright.
Illya looked at him, her crimson eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Big brother, you seem to care about him a lot?"
"It's not so much concern as it is --"
Higashino Makoto shook his head.
Illya tilted her head, not asking any further questions.
The carriage continued its journey. In the distance, the towers of the imperial city gleamed in the sunlight.
That was the center of power in the Baharuth Empire.
He didn't know when he would go there again. Maybe soon, maybe never.
But he knew one thing—
The Bloody Emperor will probably not disappoint him.