You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

I really don't understand what's so surprising about it. Although the title of "Emperor" is impressive, Iori doesn't think it's anything special.

After all, he was just an emperor in "Akatsuki no Akatsuki," and due to the limitations of the world view, his territory and the number of people he ruled were just so-so.

However, Sera's feelings are understandable. After all, Iori appeared as "Susanoo" in the Holy Grail War. Even after explaining to Sera that he was not Susanoo himself from mythology, the android girl subconsciously thought that he was a hero with similar attributes to Susanoo.

I never expected it to be restored to this extent, even Susanoo's "king" identity is exactly the same.

To be honest, during her daily interactions with him, Sera didn't sense any domineering aura at all...

"Are you still bothered by it? I've already apologized."

Iori led Sera to a grand hall and chuckled softly, "Although he is the emperor, he only seized power by force. My own background is quite ordinary. I don't care about status at all. Just continue to treat me as usual."

"Even if you say that... there are many kings among the Servants, but they are all ghosts of the past, while you are a living emperor."

Sera glanced at him furtively: "You must be from an Eastern civilization. According to your customs... you must have quite a few concubines, right?"

"Well, having many children and grandchildren is one of the emperor's tasks... but I'm not very good at it."

Iori spread her hands: "Everything is in chaos right after I ascended the throne. There hasn't been any time to settle things yet."

"Not yet?" Sera's eyelids twitched. "What do you mean? Are you going to live a life of debauchery once the world is at peace?"

"Sounds good, shouldn't we start choosing now?"

"Well……"

"Haha! If you're feeling down, you can sign up too! The competition isn't too fierce yet~"

Iori waved her hand, and the lights in the hall lit up, a dazzling golden light shining down, immediately attracting Sera's attention.

"This, this is!"

Sera looked ahead and saw that on the towering and magnificent platform, where the throne should have been, a broken golden sphere had been replaced, with a statue of an angelic woman shrouded in wings inside.

Because of its incompleteness, the sphere resembled a waning crescent moon, and when viewed from the front, it looked like... like a throne modeled after a celestial body!

"The Greater Grail... it's placed in a place like this?" Sera exclaimed in astonishment after regaining her senses. "Shouldn't it be placed on the ley lines?"

"Unfortunately, although this world possesses extraordinary power, it is primarily manifested in the form of 'life force' and 'spiritual power'."

Nature can nurture powerful magical beasts, proving that a 'Great Source' also exists here... but it's too scattered, and dragon veins are difficult to find, often residing in the habitats of super magical beasts.

Iori stepped up and said, "But how could the capital be built on the lair of a super magical beast? So there is no dragon vein in my palace."

"That's troublesome. Without enough magic power, the Greater Grail is just a simple container."

"Indeed, but..."

Iori said slowly, "After being modified by Medea, the Greater Grail has the ability to absorb energy from the outside world. It is like a celestial body that exudes endless gravity. It can be used as the core to create a powerful dragon vein in the capital!"

“This kind of thing… is far too difficult!” Sera exclaimed in surprise. “Do you know how complex the flow of ley lines is? To succeed, every single change every second must be calculated. With human computing power…”

"That's why I demanded the supercomputer from Chaldea!"

Iori sat on the golden throne and reached for a laurel wreath—the control device for the supercomputer.

"With a sufficient source of magic, it can do things beyond your imagination, and my various researches will also benefit from it."

Human energy is finite, even if Iori has an infinite lifespan... However, the difference between humans and animals lies in the ability to utilize external forces.

With the quantum computer provided by Chaldea, the development of Imperial Arms, the improvement of Kido, and even the Hogyoku will be greatly reduced for Iori.

If you provide your own ideas and approaches, and the computer and the Holy Grail complete the calculations, wouldn't the speed of scientific research increase exponentially?

"Don't worry, everything is going according to plan."

He leaned calmly against the cold, hard metal, one hand supporting his cheek as he looked down at everything in the hall.

"I can spend a hundred years, two hundred years, or even longer, to bring all the ley lines of this world under my control with the 'throne' and the 'crown'!"

"At that time, endless magic will flow beneath my feet and extend to every corner of the empire!"

Chapter 159: The Holy King's Kindness Cannot Be Repaid in Three Lifetimes

The new empire can be described as a cabinet system. All government affairs submitted from various regions are collected and processed by civil servants in the capital, and then reported level by level. Most of them can be resolved within the respective departments. Only major events of sufficient importance are reported to the core management team—that is, the cabinet—so that the bigwigs can discuss and make a decision.

As the "Emperor," who holds the pinnacle of power in the empire, he would sit in on the cabinet meetings twice a week as an observer, but he rarely intervened in ordinary affairs, leaving them to professionals.

(Often, Chelsea would disguise herself and listen in for Iori.)

But whenever he expresses an opinion, it is considered golden, possessing absolute authority, and no one has ever dared to oppose him.

Iori wasn't entirely satisfied with this. While the emperor's authority was important, it would be too much to make everyone afraid to oppose him.

No one can be omniscient and omnipotent, or never make mistakes. Even if Iori has a whole book of "world history" as a reference for governing the country, what is written in the book are only general trends and strategies for governing the country, which are from God's perspective... In actual implementation, there are just too many unexpected details and problems, so it is impossible to follow the example.

Of course, with his authority and military strength, even if the policies are not entirely suitable for local conditions, he will definitely be able to implement them.

However, Iori does not want to become a tyrannical ruler. His rule is for his own benefit, but there is no need to use innocent people as experimental subjects.

As a monarch, one should have the courage to carry out one's own will, and also the tolerance to accept advice. The two are not contradictory and need to be carefully balanced.

It seems that besides the cabinet, a "Censorate" is still needed... Should the intelligence agency be separated from the military system? How about creating a secret police force? Doesn't the Ministry of Finance have too much power? Shouldn't a regulatory mechanism be established?

...Don't think about it too much, otherwise the empire's administrative system will look like a makeshift operation!

Anyway, there's plenty of time. It's not even the second year yet. Let's fill in the gaps slowly...

Iori didn't dwell too much on the issue of responsibility and authority. Some things didn't require him, the emperor, to do everything personally. When someone presented him with the "Eight Strategies on the Ship" or the "Nine Chapters of Law," it was enough for him to review them.

Why not just issue a "talent recruitment edict" or build a Golden Terrace?

Putting all that aside for now, today's cabinet meeting saw Iori attend in person, a rare occurrence, and he personally introduced and appointed an official to the cabinet.

The reason for such a grand ceremony was that he was appointing someone not to an outer court position, but to an inner court position.

[The Holy King's Personal Advisor: Serra von Einzbern]

Although they had never heard of her name, all the cabinet ministers believed that she came from a distinguished family, and her elegant beauty and aloof and pure temperament left a deep impression on them.

In peaceful times, bringing in someone of dubious origin and without qualifications into the cabinet would certainly cause controversy. However, the new empire has only been established for a short time, and many people who had previously been operating in secret have risen to the political stage, while some who had fallen from power have made a comeback... Everyone has become accustomed to this.

Moreover, the scope of this "advisor's" authority includes: managing and maintaining the throne and crown, having the freedom to move within the palace, conveying opinions to the cabinet on behalf of the Holy King, and residing in the palace to facilitate discussions on the philosophy of life with His Majesty the Emperor at any time.

—This person is clearly the most trusted confidant and the closest of the close advisors. The appointment of such a person is not something that the outer court can decide!

Just as Iori promoted Will from a low-ranking officer to the commander of the royal guards, no one objected, because the position was too sensitive, and basically no one in power would allow others to interfere.

Regarding Sera specifically, the ministers exchanged opinions, not because they doubted her professional competence—that was actually unimportant—but because they wondered why the Holy King had appointed her as an advisor instead of directly taking her into the harem…

What? A purely master-servant relationship? Without any romantic feelings involved?

We're not stupid, stop joking around!

The way these two interact, the tone of their voices when they talk... it doesn't seem like they're innocent at all!

In any case, from now on, we should treat her as a princess and respect her accordingly—the ministers thought to themselves.

After the meeting, Iori called out to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Science and Technology, who were also the former Prime Minister and the Fashion Gentleman of the Empire.

The two were deliberately assigned to different reception rooms. Iori first went to see the Minister of Finance. Both were intelligent men, so there was no much small talk. Iori went straight to the point and asked the former Prime Minister of the Empire:

"How is that child doing lately? Is he healthy?"

The finance minister remained expressionless, his head slightly lowered, not daring to look directly at the emperor, but the muscles beneath his clothes were already tense, revealing his nervousness—a fact that did not escape Iori's notice, but he smiled slightly and did not point it out.

"I am grateful for Your Majesty's concern... My grandson is currently in good health and spirits, just like any other child his age. Moreover, I always keep my duties in mind and have confirmed that he has not remembered anything from the past."

The Finance Minister said earnestly, "Force, financial resources, power... Now that his death has been confirmed, he no longer even has a 'nominal' status. He will absolutely not pose a threat to Your Majesty, no... absolutely not to the great cause of the Empire. Please rest assured, Your Majesty!"

Iori listened patiently to what he had to say, then couldn't help but chuckle, "You must be very afraid of me, right?"

"how could be!"

The Finance Minister choked up and said, "It was His Majesty who reinstated this old minister who had been living in retirement and gave him such an important mission as managing the national finances. This kindness is like being given a second life, and I can never repay it in three lifetimes!"

“Exaggeration… I chose you to join the cabinet simply because I needed someone who was very familiar with national affairs and was mature and prudent. After all, the cabinet can’t be full of novices… and you are the best candidate.”

Since you were dismissed for opposing former minister Ernest, you are naturally in favor of the new empire—or rather, you have a reason to support it, thus dispelling any doubts others may have.

"Electing you would both silence the revolutionaries and appease the powerful elites of the old empire... As for what you yourself think, I don't really care."

The finance minister was stunned. He understood the principle, but he didn't expect Iori to say it so bluntly.

He entered the cabinet as a representative of the old elites, and above that, his experience as a former prime minister gave him a wealth of knowledge about how the central government operates. He could act as a lubricant for the transition between the old and new empires, reducing unnecessary turmoil.

He also knew very well that, regardless of his own thoughts, he had to remain loyal to His Majesty the Holy King in his actions!

Otherwise, death and the extermination of one's clan are minor matters; the real danger might be the implicate of countless innocent civilians...

Frankly, if he were merely participating in governance as a cabinet minister, the former prime minister could have been quite composed. The reason he was so nervous was because, in addition to being the "Finance Minister," he was given a second role:

The deposed emperor's guardian!

Yes, when Iori approached him and invited him to join the cabinet, he dared to make a request: to spare the young emperor's life!

He may have already been prepared to be executed... but he didn't expect Iori to agree so easily.

Iori smiled slightly: "You must think that my entrusting the young emperor to you for upbringing is part of some kind of conspiracy, right?"

"No!" the finance minister exclaimed, trembling with fear.

"To be honest, the young emperor poses no threat to me, just as you pointed out before. Even if he has had his memory wiped and started a new second life, or even if he secretly gathers followers and plots a rebellion... it doesn't really matter."

That's actually a good thing—Iori smiled.

The minister sensed the murderous intent behind the mask and couldn't help but shudder.

"I spared his life not out of pity, nor was there any ulterior motive."

Firstly, talent is hard to come by, and your identity and experience are indeed very valuable to me.

Secondly, he carries the bloodline of the first emperor, and I haven't yet completed a thorough analysis of the 'Supreme Imperial Arms,' so I originally had no intention of killing him.

Iori casually said, "Actually, keeping him confined and raising him like livestock is the same thing... It all depends on your performance."

"Yes……"

The finance minister bowed his head deeply.

The revolutionaries and the old elites had all approached him privately, hoping to find collaborators in the cabinet. The finance minister outwardly maintained a friendly relationship with him, but in reality, he was constantly gathering intelligence and then submitting it to the emperor's trusted warriors... He had no choice.

loyalty!

Only by being loyal to His Majesty the Holy King can the deposed emperor be preserved and the bloodline of the former emperor be continued.

Now that things have come to this, he has long since given up hope on the old empire... but the late emperor has been kind to him, so out of personal feelings, he still hopes to protect this child and help him grow up safely.

Fortunately, His Majesty the Holy King of the new empire was not as narrow-minded as Ernest. He possessed the boldness and skill of the first emperor, and such a confident monarch would not stoop to lying.

"Alright, you may leave. From now on, you must work even harder for the empire, understand?"

"As you wish, Your Majesty!"

Watching the Finance Minister leave cautiously, Iori calmly stood up and went to another reception room.

He wasn't worried about problems arising with the young emperor. Firstly, the finance minister wasn't a fool; secondly, his strength and influence couldn't be shaken by a child; and thirdly... he wasn't without countermeasures.

The young emperor's tutor is a disguised blond-haired handsome man named "Ran." He is both the young emperor's monitor and protector. If anyone tries to harm or kidnap the young emperor, Ran can defeat them.

Next, Iori went to the second room and met the Fashion Gentleman, who was not so polite to her.

He kept this guy around and even entrusted him with important tasks simply because he valued talent and had no replacement. But now that he has a supercomputer, he doesn't really need this guy anymore.

Therefore, Iori was quite direct and asked right away, "Do you want to live or die?"

Chapter 160: Esdeath's Second Challenge (Bonus Chapter)

To be or not to be, that is the question.

—This was the first time in his life that the fashionista had felt such fear.

He had seen powerful people before, such as the former minister Ernest, who wielded power comparable to an emperor in the old empire, able to decide the life and death of tens of thousands of people with a single word, and even the lives and deaths of high-ranking nobles and regional officials.

But the oppressive aura emanating from Iori was incomparable to that of Ernest or the Little Emperor!

No matter how cunning, treacherous, cruel, and vicious Ernest was, he was still just a mortal "human being" who needed to eat, drink, rest, and sleep. He would bleed if stabbed with a knife and die if his head was cut off.

This may sound strange, but the gentleman has no reverence for "human beings".

Perhaps because he had conducted too many human experiments, in his eyes, whether they were ordinary people or royalty, they were essentially flesh and blood with internal organs wrapped in a layer of skin, and there was no fundamental difference between them.

—Even he himself was the same.