<So what if you are the Emperor? (2)>

– Cale, it looks like we should first go inside and look around that pit.

The cheapskate was right.

‘But it doesn’t look like it’ll be easy to get inside.’

Cale looked at the glass door.

‘The person inside will notice us the moment we open the door.’

He heard Raon’s voice at that moment.

– Human, I think that’s a Dragon!

As expected, it was not a person but a Dragon.

‘If it is a Dragon, we will definitely be caught.’

The moment they even started to open the door, the Dragon would notice someone was coming in.

‘Mmm.’

He felt like as long as he found a way inside, he would be able to search the pit.

‘Because it is super big.’

The pit was big enough to fit multiple houses.

It would be enough to head toward the opposite side of the Dragon and look inside the pit.

– Human!

Cale flinched after hearing Raon’s voice.

– Someone is coming!

As Raon mentioned, someone was coming down the stairs that Cale had come down.

‘It’s a mage.’

It was an old mage.

He walked in alone but Cale could instantly identify the person.

– Human! This mage knows how to control mana!

There were only two mages inside Ryan’s lair who knew how to control mana.

One of them was the mage they met as they headed to the basement, so that meant this was the other guy.

‘Mm.’

Unlike the other mage who walked around with multiple subordinates, this guy was moving alone.

‘Oh.’

The mage went up to the door.

Ooooooooong-

Mana rose from his hand and a magic circle appeared the moment he placed it on the glass door.

To be more specific, the mage drew a magic circle with his mana.

– Human! I memorized that magic circle!

‘As expected of our smart seven year old Dragon.’

Of course, Cale had recorded it as well.

Beebeep!

There was a quiet nose before the magic circle disappeared from the glass door. Only then did the mage grab the handle with his hand and push the door. řÁＮօ฿Ě𐌔

– Human, I don’t know everything about the style of magic here, but that magic circle is a device to open the door!

Screeeech-

The door slowly opened and the old man let go of the handle.

The door still did not stop and opened all the way.

The old age saw this and leisurely walked inside.

– Now!

– Now!

Cale listened to the seven year old Dragon and the cheapskate as he walked into the door.

He looked toward where the old man was moving.

He was walking toward the Dragon.

Cale headed in the opposite direction.

– I’m going too!

Of course, Raon, who had turned Cale invisible, was following behind him without having to be told.

– The human is the slowest!

Naturally, On and Hong had already quickly moved inside.

– I’ll use soundproof barrier magic!

The smart seven year old Dragon was also making sure to put some safety measures to not have their presences noticed.

Cale felt as if he was falling behind the children averaging ten-years-old.

‘!’

It was at that moment.

Ooooooooong-

The air rumbled.

Cale looked toward where the rumbling started.

‘It looks serious.’

The Dragon turned his head to look at the old mage.

– It doesn’t look like they spotted us!

Raon was right.

– Oh, human, that Dragon is not as strong as the ten Dragon gods!

Raon had met two of the ten Dragon gods so far. Kendall and Cisco. It was a relief if this guy was weaker than them.

– It also looks like this Dragon has not consumed the foundation of this world!

‘Oh.’

– I did not get that feeling in the mana he channeled! After running into two of the Dragon gods, I know how to differentiate the foundation of this world! I have a decent idea about the foundation of this world as well!

Cale always felt this, but Raon was very good at figuring out an opponent’s aura.

He had instantly recognized crown prince Alberu Crossman’s secret as well.

He frequently looked lost but he was quite sharp.

“I greet Letao-nim.”

The old man did not submit to the Dragon’s mana and respectfully greeted him.

“Tsk.”

The Dragon, Letao, turned his head away.

‘Mm.’

Cale debated stopping here to hear their conversation before looking into the pit.

If he kept moving, it might be too far to hear anything.

‘I also cannot take Raon close to them.’

Ooooooooong-

The old mage also started channeling his mana. It would be bad if Raon fell into danger because Cale sent him to an area filled with the Dragon and the mage’s manas.

‘But it’s not like I can go either.’

It didn’t hurt to be careful.

In that case…

‘There is a way.’

There was an existence that would not be affected by mana and could still stealthily eavesdrop.

Cale pulled the golden top’s whip out of his pocket.

He had been feeling the existence of the kid following him since earlier.

‘…Liberation……!’

It was that kid. The Wind Elemental.

Cale opened his mouth since there was soundproof barrier magic around him.

“Hey, can you hear what they are saying?”

‘If he can’t, then oh well.’

‘……Freedom……!’

The Wind Elemental was silent for a bit as if he was contemplating things.

‘It’s possible.’

‘Hmm?

He suddenly talked calmly?’

‘I could hear and deliver the message to you, but that would complicate things. I will carry their conversation in the wind so you can hear them.’

‘No, he is talking so normally?’

“…You can do that even with a Dragon there?”

‘I thought this guy was a slightly weird Wind Elemental.’

‘I am a highest-grade Elemental. I am Freedom. An Elemental’s name reveals their class. I am a great and mighty Wind Elemental who received his name from the Elemental King-nim. Don’t worry.’

“Uhh, yeah. Okay. Then please do it.”

‘…He got his name from the Wind Elemental King?

I just used the Wind Elemental King’s name to threaten that other Elemental. Will it be okay?’

He heard a calm voice at that moment.

‘The scent of the Elemental King-nim is on you. I will put your request as top priority.’

‘Mm. Is it because I was near Tasha?’

Cale thought about Tasha for a moment before deciding to not worry about it.

“Okay. I leave it to you.”

Flutter.

Some of Cale’s red hair, which was now long enough to touch his cheek, fluttered.

An extremely faint breeze moved past Cale.

The Wind Elemental must have moved.

‘No wonder. I heard that the Elemental guarding the door was strong. But this guy brought him over with no issue.’

Freedom, the amazing but slightly crazy Elemental.

Cale left the task to him and immediately headed for the pit.

– Human, did it get resolved well?

“Yeah.”

– But are you okay?

Cale was clearly feeling what Raon was talking about.

He touched the back of his hand. He still had goosebumps.

Something similar to the black despair…

He got more goosebumps and felt sick the closer he got to whatever was inside the pit.

He also felt as if his whole body was being heavily pressed down.

‘That’s why it feels like I’ll explode.’

Instead of being unable to handle this pressure and becoming crushed…

It felt like he would explode from being unable to handle it.

He felt like a volcano right before it exploded.

‘A volcano……?’

As Cale stopped at that sudden thought…

– I want to burn it up……!

He heard the cheapskate’s voice.

“Let’s calm down.”

Cale calmed the cheapskate and addressed the invisible Raon.

“Raon, you stay there if it is too much. On, Hong. You guys too.”

– Human, I’m okay!

“Meeeeeow!

“I’m okay, nya.”

He heard the casual responses of the children averaging ten-years-old.

Shh.

Cale felt something on his back.

– I really am okay!

Raon stuck onto Cale’s back.

– Hehe.

He then laughed.

‘Aigoo.’

Cale chuckled internally after seeing Raon acting like a kid unlike his usual self.

‘He really must be okay.’

“Meeow!”

He heard Hong meow as well before he felt Hong rubbing his body on Cale’s leg.

Cale gave him a strong rub on the back.

‘I guess they really are okay?’

Hong was fine as well.

He extended his hand after feeling something on his other leg as well. On was fine too.

‘…Is it just me?’

Now that he thought about it, he was the only one who had reacted when they got into this place.

To be more specific, the Fire of Destruction as well.

The children averaging ten-years-old and the Wind Elemental had been calm.

“Let’s go for now.”

Cale thought that it would be fine if the children averaging ten-years-old had no issues and started to walk. The goosebumps on the back of Cale’s hands had calmed down as well.

It wasn’t that the pressure had disappeared, so Cale didn’t even realize that the goosebumps were gone as he felt the warmth of the children averaging ten-years-old while quickly walking.

– Our human really is slow!

He ignored Raon’s assessment.

Swoooosh-

A small breeze roamed around his ear at that moment.

‘Freedom!’

The Elemental shouted before Cale started hearing the conversation.

“This is not your usual time to come here.”

It felt like Letao was whispering right next to Cale.

“Sir, I came to see you because I had to deliver a message.”

The old man’s voice was peaceful.

However, it was a gentle yet leery voice, incomparable to Ron’s gentle voice.

The Dragon continued to speak.

“…Has the final execution date been set?”

His voice had sunk down quite a bit.

“Yes sir. It is scheduled a week from now.”

The last execution in a week.

Cale’s mind started to record this information.

“…….”

The Dragon did not say anything but the mage continued to speak.

“Thanks to the mana you provided, Letao-nim, we were able to successfully complete all of the executions until now. We are finally able to reach the last stage.”

Peek. Cale peeked toward them. The Dragon and the mage were looking at each other. It was still a vicious sight with their manas mixed together.

– Human, that Dragon can easily defeat that mage but he is unable to do anything!

‘I know, right?’

Anybody would be able to tell that the Dragon was going easy on the mage.

No, he could not touch the mage. The mage seemed to know this as the corner of his mouth twisted up.

“We plan on bringing all of the remaining Beast people at the last execution.”

Cale stopped walking for a moment.

For reference, Cale was the only one who could hear this conversation right now. He felt On and Hong by his side and started walking again.

They were not far from the pit anymore.

“…I heard that Ryan will oversee the last execution?”

“Yes sir. However, Ryan-nim has requested for you to be there as well, Letao-nim.”

“…….”

The Dragon was silent.

“…I decline.”

He ended up rejecting the request.

“Will that be okay?”

On the other hand, the old man asked back without any hesitation.

“What do you mean by that?”

Ooooooooong-

The mana became a bit denser.

“Ryan-nim has indicated that he will bring your daughter with him to the final execution.”

Boom!

The air fluctuated and the area shook.

– Human, that Dragon is angry!

Cale looked at the distant Dragon on the other side of the pit.

“Are you threatening me with my daughter right now?”

“There’s no way that is the case. I am simply delivering Ryan-nim’s will, Letao-nim.”

‘It’s obvious.’

Cale could figure out most of the situation now.

‘That Dragon must be following Ryan’s orders because his daughter’s life is on the line.’

They resumed their conversation.

“Then I will see you in a week at the final execution, Letao-nim. There is so much to prepare. It will be a grand celebration.”

Letao looked at the gently smiling old man and sighed before turning toward the pit.

“Fine. I will see you then.”

Deep despair could be felt in his voice.

“These hands have already been dirtied. Nothing will change from them getting a bit dirtier.”

“Dirtied? Letao-nim, this is a great discovery. This is a major step forward for the world.”

As the old man’s voice filled with desire…

“You guys don’t look.”

Cale pushed the children averaging ten-years-old back.

– What is it, human?! I want to see it too!

“I want to see, nya!”

Raon and Hong whined, but…

“No.”

Cale’s voice was stern unlike usual. He then added on.

“On?”

“…I saw a bit, nya.”

“Don’t look anymore.”

“Okay, nya.”

Cale could feel On moving back without any complaints.

“Both of you come here.”

Cale listened to On calling Hong and Raon to her before walking closer to the pit.

He stood at the edge of the pit and looked down.

The pit was extremely wide but the depth was even more unfathomable.

“Ha-”

Cale scoffed in disbelief.

‘…Wrath! Wrath! Wrath!’

He heard the Wind Elemental’s angry voice but Cale couldn’t really listen to it.

– Cale, this is terrible.

It was as the cheapskate said.

“Fuck.”

The bottom of the pit was full of black water.

It looked very similar to the black despair.

He was sure this was made of dead mana.

Inside the black water, no, inside this swamp were stone statues that were not completely submerged.

‘No, they are not stone statues.’

These figures that were stiffened black like stone…

– They are Beast people.

Beast people were frozen stiff in death.

Boil boil.

Those stiff Beast people all had expressions of despair and fear as they extended their arms out to try to climb out of the pit.

Some of them had stuck to the wall of the pit before they died.

They were all black and looked like stone statues.

People who had no idea would say these were stone statues, but Cale could tell that they were actually dead individuals.

He had sent the children averaging ten-years-old back the moment he realized it.

“… Crazy bastards.”

The numerous bones he had seen in the basement of the Mogoru Empire’s Alchemists’ Bell Tower…

It had been terrible when he saw that, but…

Seeing these individuals who died in pain and despair was such a miserable sight that he didn’t even dare to express it in words.

– They look like they burned to death.

The black corpses…

– That black swamp is slowly pulling the corpses in.

The black water boiled like lava as it swallowed the corpses.

– I can’t even imagine how many Beast people must have died like this.

Cale didn’t say anything to the Super Rock’s comment and just recorded what he saw.

His gaze last moved to the center of the black swamp.

– Cale.

The Sound of the Wind. The thief started talking to him.

– That’s a divine item.

Cale could see an altar shooting up in the middle of the black swamp.

There was a pair of gloves on top of the altar.

– That divine item smells like an animal.

The white gloves were becoming dyed black.

The Cry of Sunset, the divine item explained by the foundation of this world as belonging to the Blue Wolf, an almost forgotten god…

Those gloves were at the center of the black swamp slowly becoming dyed black.

– Over two thirds of it is already black.

– It smells terrible.

– The divine item seems to be rotting.

Cale could not understand it.

– It looks like the divine item is becoming tainted.

Cale nonchalantly commented after hearing that statement from the Sound of the Wind.

“So this all happened because of that divine item.”

The First Star, Ryan.

That bastard had taken the Blue Wolf’s divine item and was scheming something with it.

He was killing Beast people to make this black water and using it to dye the divine item for a reason.

Swoooooooosh.

A gust of wind roamed around his ear again.

He heard the conversation.

“It will be a rare and precious sight, Letao-nim. Bringing down the fallen god.”

The old mage continued to speak.

“You made a wise decision, Letao-nim. Ryan-nim will consume that god to become a god himself.”

“…Do you really think the Dragon Lord will let him do as he pleases if he finds out?”

“Hoo hoo. I would think that you wish to see your daughter.”

“Ha.”

Cale let out a scoff-like laugh as he raised his head.

He then looked toward the other side.

He could see the Dragon and mage conversing in the distance without noticing him.

The First Star, Ryan.

The bastard known as the Dragon Lord’s trusted subordinate was scheming behind his back.

“…He plans on calling forth the fallen Blue Wolf, consuming him, and becoming a god himself-”

‘And the last execution for it is in a week?

Will that be possible?

Absolutely not.’

Cale heard Raon’s voice in his head.

– Human, what is up with the look on your face? You look like you want to destroy everything! I don’t know why, but I’m all for it!

“You look like you will cause a shitshow, nya!”

“…I want to know what you are thinking about destroying, nya.”

The children averaging ten-years-old, who were chatting away, flinched.

Cale, whom they expected would ignore their comments as usual, nodded his head.

Raon subconsciously became anxious and spoke out loud.

“H, he really is planning on destroying everything……!”

“Meeeeeow!”

“This definitely deserves it, nya.”

Hong meowed in shock while On was the only one to respond calmly.

Cale was calm as well.

– Hoo.

He listened to the cheapskate’s oddly anger suppressing gasp of admiration.

—

Translator’s Comments

Cale is annnnnngry.

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