Published: January 4, 2026
“Huh?”
“An imperial envoy must not disturb the residents.”
“W-what are you talking about?”
The man’s complexion changed.
He must have gradually realized that I was no ordinary person, pointing out the imperial law.
But— it was already too late.
“According to Article 365, Supplementary Provisions: If an imperial envoy reveals their identity and thereby incites the populace, the punishment is death.”
“I-I don’t know any such article!”
“That was enacted after His Majesty ascended the throne.”
“Wha—”
The man faltered and his eyes widened.
I thought he would be disheartened, but instead he clenched his teeth, glared wildly, and snapped back in anger.
“Who the hell do you think I am?”
“I could say the same to you.”
“Huh?”
“Who do you think I am?”
I said this, directly appealing to his consciousness with a declaration.
Not my face, not my name, nor any tangible proof.
It was a technique that directly instilled in the opponent’s mind: ‘I am the emperor.’
I directed this only at the man.
“Ah… ah…”
His body began to tremble.
His face instantly grew pale; he shook violently.
He collapsed onto the bed, and steam seemed to rise from his groin.
Struck by a fear so intense he lost control of his bladder, he was unable to form coherent words.
“Now then—”
I was about to turn toward Cindy.
In a post town, there should be some guards, and in a somewhat larger town where carriages stop, there should be officials too.
I was about to send Cindy to fetch them when—
“P-please forgive me!”
The man, having come to his senses after losing control, jumped off the bed and prostrated himself on the ground before me.
I was about to turn around when I caught sight of the innkeeper and his daughter, who looked utterly bewildered at how this situation had escalated.
Putting them aside for the moment, I faced the man again.
He begged for his life in a grand fashion.
“It was a moment of madness! I haven’t done anything yet!”
“You’ve already caused a ‘disturbance.’”
“Th-that's impossible... My elderly parents are at home! My mother is frail, and if their only son disappears, it would be disastrous!”
“...”
I glared at the man coldly.
I wondered where he had heard about my tendency to show leniency toward family-minded individuals.
That wasn’t exactly a secret — in fact, it was well known.
It wouldn’t be surprising if this man knew that Emperor Noah was that kind of person.
So he used that as a reason to beg for his life.
But.
“Imperial law does not reduce sentences based on family circumstances. It only grants discretion to the adjudicator regarding sentencing.”
“I—”
“And Article 365 is unique in that it mandates the death penalty without exception.”
“—N-no! Pl-please help me—”
“Leviathan.”
Expecting nothing but more pitiful pleas if I allowed him to continue, I ordered Leviathan to silence him with pressure until he fainted.
As usual, Leviathan answered simply, “As you wish,” and emitted an overwhelming aura of pressure.
In an instant, the man’s eyes rolled back, foam dripped from his mouth, and he collapsed unconscious.
Without a glance, I turned around.
There stood the innkeeper and his daughter, their expressions even more confused than before.
“Call the local constable.”
“Eh? Ah, y-yes… um…”
The innkeeper looked perplexed.
He seemed unsure whether to follow my command.
It made sense— I had only “revealed my identity” to the unconscious man before me, while to the innkeeper and his daughter, I was still just a wealthy, mysterious guest.
Their hesitation was natural.
Now, what to do— I wondered, when—
Thudding footsteps ascended the stairs.
The innkeeper and his daughter looked toward the door.
Cindy appeared, leading several men.
At the front was an official dressed appropriately, followed by three armed soldiers.
“Sorry for being late.”
Cindy gave me a slight bow.
“So you went to get them?”
“Yes. Partway through, I realized you would soon need help.”
“Well done.”