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Inside the imperial palace, Venom finally sat down with the old emperor for a private talk.
"Give me a reason… cough, cough, cough…"
The emperor's voice trembled as he hacked into his sleeve, but despite his failing body, his eyes were sharp and unyielding.
"You must have plenty of enemies, right? Once you're gone, they'll swoop in, and your empire might not survive the onslaught."
Venom leaned forward, his voice low but confident. "But if I become your general, I'll handle them. I'll make sure this empire thrives. As for strength—" he let out a dry chuckle—"if I wasn't powerful enough, I wouldn't be standing here in front of you, would I?"
He slowly turned his head and smiled—a smile that was more unsettling than reassuring. A win-win deal. He was certain the emperor would see it the same way.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?"
The emperor's gaze flickered. He knew the man before him wasn't lying, but whether he could actually deliver was another question entirely.
"My presence here is proof enough."
Venom swept his gaze across the vast throne room. The fact that he had made it here alive already said it all.
"…Fine. I'll agree."
The emperor's eyes flashed as he straightened in his throne, radiating authority. For a moment, he looked nothing like a man on death's doorstep.
That very day, a decree went out from the palace: Saeko Busujima was to be named the empire's second general.
The next day, the emperor passed away.
So that vigor yesterday… had only been the flare of a dying flame.
In a sprawling villa, Mine darted from room to room with childlike excitement.
"That fat minister really did give us a nice place!"
Venom stood in the grand hall, eyeing the sleek furniture and modern touches with approval. The villa had been a gift from that rotund official.
"Yeah… not bad at all."
Saeko Busujima took in the blend of modern and traditional decor and nodded in satisfaction.
"Better tidy it up. Looks like we'll be living here for the next few years."
Venom agreed, making the decision official with a single sentence. Saeko immediately set about organizing the place.
Just then, noise stirred outside the gates.
The two stepped out to find a line of carriages gathering in front of the villa.
"Guess they're here to curry favor."
Venom smirked. He knew exactly what they wanted—his backing.
"What should we do? Take their offers or turn them away?" Saeko asked, frowning slightly.
"I do love gifts. I won't say no to anyone."
Venom's grin widened. And so, they welcomed the flood of nobles and ministers, accepting cartloads of treasures, and even hundreds of maids raised and trained specifically to be given as bribes.
Each visitor was dismissed once their "tribute" had been handed over.
When the last one left, Venom gazed at the hall now overflowing with gold, jewels, and the silent line of maids waiting nearby.
"This country is doomed. These people will drag it into ruin."
He picked up a jeweled necklace, studied it for a moment, then tossed it back into the chest.
"Why do you say that?" Saeko asked, stepping closer, eyeing the treasure.
Venom gave a faint laugh. "Just one chest like this holds more wealth than an honest official could make in a lifetime. And tell me—do you think upright, justice-driven men would grovel to us like this?"
"These riches were all squeezed out of the people. And this is just the tip of it."
"When the old emperor was alive, they might've held back a little. But now he's gone, and the new emperor is weak. Do you think they'll restrain themselves? No… they'll just bleed the people dry until the whole empire collapses from within."
"Then let's support the new emperor and root out the corruption. That would fix it, wouldn't it?" Saeko pressed, her distaste clear.
Venom shook his head. "No. Even if we kill them all, more will spring up. Greed can't be purged one blade at a time."
"This empire needs to burn. Only then can it rise from the ashes."
Saeko studied him for a moment, then simply nodded. "If that's what you've decided, I'll follow your lead."
Satisfied, Venom turned his attention to the line of maids. He thought for a moment before speaking.
"If I ordered you to die right now, what would you do?"
"Obey our master's command," they answered without hesitation, faces calm.
"Who among you has combat training? Step forward."
About twenty of them moved from the group.
"You, stand over there."
They quietly shifted to the side, waiting.
"The rest of you, start cleaning. This villa needs to shine."
"Yes, master." The remaining maids bowed and hurried inside to work.
Saeko joined him, eyeing the twenty left outside. "And what do you plan to do with these?"
"We need our own team. We can't handle every little job ourselves. I'll train them into battle maids."
His voice was calm, but his intent was deadly serious.
"First, though, they need a real test."
He pulled weapons of every kind from his system space, laying them out on the ground.
"Pick what suits you. Then head into the nearby forest and bring me the corpse of a Class Four danger beast."
The maids hesitated only briefly before selecting weapons and marching toward the forest.
"That's suicide," Saeko said sharply. "Even veteran hunters die against Class Fours. These girls barely know how to hold a blade. They'll be slaughtered."
Venom shook his head. "Relax. If they're in real danger, someone will step in to save them."
Deep in the trees, a shadowy figure watched the twenty-odd girls disappear into the forest… then melted back into the darkness.
"....."