Lord of the Truth

"…Devos The Transcendent has finally emerged from his den. It seems that he detected a temperature fluctuation caused by one of our formations in the village near his lair, and in response, he left his den to destroy it. No casualties were reported during his furious outburst, but his sudden and violent movement was enough to send waves of terror through the region. The inhabitants, fearing further retaliation, have abandoned their homes and relocated near the Abyss at the very edge of the frozen half of the planet. This is the first time he has been seen in a long while, and from what we can tell, he did not appear to be particularly pleased with what we've been doing in his territory."

Robin's brows furrowed deeply, his fingers tapping against the table as he considered the implications of this report. This was, without a doubt, the most pressing issue presented so far. The movement of a Beast King was always a matter of grave concern, especially one as dangerous as Devos.

A creature wielding the Merged Law of Permanence Frost could not be underestimated. Such beings were unpredictable and possessed power beyond conventional reasoning. If Devos had finally emerged from isolation, there was no telling what further actions he might take.

Before Robin could dwell on it further, Caesar abruptly placed another report on the table with a loud thud.

"This one is from Planet S-1, also known as the Dwarves' world. They have completely ceased all labor, and their leader has personally stepped forward with a list of demands!"

Robin's expression shifted from concern to outright disbelief. "Didn't you all claim that they had lost their sense of self after enduring thousands of years of mistreatment? That they had become no more than machines, endlessly toiling without a voice or will of their own? And now, out of nowhere, they've decided that they have rights and grievances to voice?!"

Among all the worlds under his rule, the Dwarves' world was the last place he had expected trouble. They had always been an obedient, tireless workforce, shaping and refining metal without complaint.

Caesar scoffed, crossing his arms as he shot an annoyed look toward one of his subordinates. "Hmph, this is all because of that soft-hearted fool, Raiden. He treats them far too well. The moment the ruthless overseers and merciless enforcers were no longer present, their suppressed voices finally found the courage to rise from the depths."

Not giving Robin a chance to fully process this, Caesar retrieved another report and slammed it onto the table with another thud.

"And this one… this is from Poison Rock Planet. Our campaigns against the seven neighboring worlds have forced many of the soldiers there to flee, and as a result, they've started returning to their original lair. Almost every single day, at least one or two ships arrive, carrying displaced individuals seeking refuge. Some of these arrivals were completely unaware of the ongoing war— many of them were explorers on long-term missions, only to return and find their homeworld became ours."

Robin narrowed his eyes, already sensing where this was going.

"…The newcomers have caused continuous disruptions. They've launched multiple assaults on our prison camps in an effort to free their captured comrades. Others have gone so far as to fire upon our forces with their ship cannons, openly engaging in hostilities. Of course, our forces have successfully repelled every attack and captured the intruders each time. However, the frequency of these incidents has led to an unintended consequence—daily uprisings among the prisoners of war, particularly the Duergar captives. What's more concerning is that even the human laborers have begun to lose respect for our rule. They no longer see us as an unshakable force and have even dared to send envoys to negotiate with our military while we're still in the middle of battle!"

Robin inhaled deeply, his fingers tightening into a fist. The thought of prisoners openly rebelling and outsiders treating them as equals in negotiations was an insult to the empire's authority.

As if to pile on the weight of the situation, Caesar dropped three more reports onto the table in rapid succession. The resounding thuds echoed through the chamber.

"These reports cover Planets S-2, S-3, and S-4. The situation there isn't much better. While they don't house as many prisoners of war —only a few thousand Durger humans— they are home to hundreds of thousands of human laborers working in our mining operations. And now, every single one of them has ceased their work entirely. They've organized large-scale protests, outright refusing to continue laboring under our rule. They are demanding our withdrawal from their worlds."

Robin's brows shot up in mild amusement, and before he could stop himself, a dry chuckle escaped his lips. "So, let me get this straight. Every single one of the nine planets that once belonged to the Great Serpent Empire is now facing some form of rebellion or resistance?! Is that what you're telling me?"

Caesar's expression remained serious, his golden eyes unwavering. "It's not just them. The unrest extends beyond those planets. The inhabitants of the Ancestral Continent on Planet Jura may fear you, but they do not love you. Outside of their borders, the people of the other continents know nothing about you except for the massacre that brought them under your rule. They see you as nothing more than a conqueror who subdued them through sheer military force. While the newer generations are slowly beginning to lean toward our side, the truth remains—our supposed homeland is still not fully ours."

Robin's gaze darkened slightly.

"Meanwhile," Caesar continued, "the people of Greenland still hold a deeper loyalty to the Four Kingdoms than they do to us —the so-called Empire that we claim to be. Their sense of identity remains tied to the old world rather than our rule. And, of course, there's no need for me to even mention the situation on Orphan's Blood Planet. Aro's influence there is absolute. The people do not recognize your authority at all. To them, you are irrelevant."

Robin exhaled slowly, his eyes scanning the room as he took in the gravity of the situation. He could feel the weight of countless battles, decisions, and conquests pressing down on his shoulders.

After a brief silence, he finally spoke. "…Is that so?"

Across from him, Théo silently nodded, confirming the truth of Caesar's words.

"I suggest we mobilize the army and crush all these fools under our boots." General Martin had heard enough.

"I strongly support that. Just give me an army and two weeks." General Victoria smirked, clearly in favor of the idea.

"Silence!"

Caesar furrowed his brows and took a deep breath before speaking again. "There is a serious problem within the empire, Father. A problem that, if left unresolved, will keep us locked in endless internal conflict." He clenched his fists. "And that problem is… that we are not a real empire."

He then raised his hand and began listing points one by one. "We do not have a properly crowned emperor. We lack an organized government. We have no institutions to support or regulate the people. All we have is an army and generals. Even the organization we created to oversee the people is nothing more than a military faction—the Shadow Swords. Look at us! We are discussing the fate of thirteen planets among ourselves—a mere handful of war generals who know nothing but bloodshed! I fear that we are still just an army that happened to seize land, rather than true rulers who have made that land our own."

Richard nodded in agreement. "I see no flaw in my older brother's words."

"...Strangely enough, I agree with him as well." Billy glanced at his nephew as if reevaluating his perception of him.

Robin rubbed his forehead for a few moments before exhaling and looking at his son. "And in your view, what is the solution?"

There was no point in arguing against Caesar's words. The empire truly was nothing more than an army. But that wasn't because Robin had intended it that way—it was because he had never had the time to build anything else. Ever since he proclaimed the empire's birth on the Great Green Hill, he had found himself thrown into war after war. There was simply no opportunity to focus on the people beyond finding ways to recruit them.

"In my view, we must separate the military from governance." Caesar's tone was firm. "We must stop relying solely on intimidation and fear as our primary tool of rule. Each planet must have its own appointed governor, and a government must be formed using the planet's own people to handle all civil affairs. This government will remain under the watchful eyes of the governor and the Shadow Swords. Even law enforcement, the police, must be composed of the planet's own inhabitants."

General Marent frowned. "But isn't that exactly what we did with Greenland? And yet, you yourself said that they hold no allegiance to us."

Caesar pointed towards the palace's grand schematic. "That's where the concept of coronation comes into play. We need a grand, extravagant ceremony—one so magnificent that all the planets witness the awe-inspiring majesty of their ruler. Using one of the Research and Development Team's latest inventions, we will record this ceremony in its full glory and replay it during every major event and festival. Following that, we will hold an annual military parade. The official reason will be to introduce the people to their military's power and the latest technological advancements, but in reality, it will serve as an unspoken warning to those who dare to plot against us."

He then crossed his arms, his eyes gleaming with a sharp intensity. "Additionally, I will be borrowing His Excellency's concept regarding Orphan's Blood Planet. On every world under our rule, we will establish Imperial Cities—highly developed, state-of-the-art cities that showcase the very best that the empire has to offer. Only in these cities will the people find the finest technology, the greatest scholars, the most advanced weapons, and the most intricate arrays. These cities will be filled with statues of His Excellency, along with legends of his heroism and the army's glorious victories. They will be constructed at the highest possible standards, leaving a profound and unforgettable impact on anyone who beholds them. These cities will be the very heartbeats of our empire's worlds."

He then placed his hand firmly on the table, his voice carrying an air of finality. "Through this approach, we will etch love and respect for the empire into the hearts of the people without them even realizing it. The resentment they feel toward an outside force that conquered them through brute strength will gradually fade, for we will no longer be seen as mere invaders—we will be the providers of prosperity, of beauty, of opportunity. The people will come to associate the empire with greatness, and in time, they themselves will desire to enlist in our military—not out of fear, but out of pride. And after a few short decades, we will finally have a true homeland. A place where every citizen will gladly lay down their life for His Excellency… with a smile on their face!"