Chapter 0142: What Terrifying Scheming
Ten minutes passed quickly. The Bloody Emperor sat in an extravagantly decorated carriage, accompanied by three of the Four Knights—Gale, Heavy Blow, and Lightning—while the court magician Fluder rode in another equally lavish carriage.
"Looks like you're ready?"
Kayle crossed her arms, eyeing the two carriages and the surrounding soldiers with dissatisfaction. "Too many people! I'll only allow a few of you to come."
"Understood."
Without hesitation, the Bloody Emperor waved his right hand, dismissing the surrounding soldiers—this was the mark of a wise man. He knew when to yield in the face of overwhelming circumstances.
"Good."
Kayle nodded in approval. She raised her right hand, and a golden light enveloped the two carriages, lifting them—along with everyone inside—into the air.
"Everyone, we're heading to the Sky City now—"
After giving her instructions, Kayle turned and flew toward the Sky City alongside Morgana, leaving the bewildered soldiers staring up from below.
So... what exactly was going on?
...
...
"Whew—"
Sitting in the floating carriage, the Bloody Emperor nervously gripped his knees—a perfectly normal reaction for a human without flight abilities suspended midair without safety measures.
"Your Majesty, relax." The Lightning Knight steadied the emperor's arm, his expression grave. "We're moving fast. We should already be past the empire's borders by now."
"That quickly?"
The Bloody Emperor's eyes widened. Forgetting his fear, he quickly turned his gaze out the carriage window—the scenery outside rushed backward so swiftly he could barely make out where they were passing.
"Ha... is this the power of absolute strength?"
The Bloody Emperor gave up. He let out a bitter laugh and slumped into his seat with a defeated sigh.
Right now, he couldn't find any way to turn the tables. Before absolute power, all schemes and tricks were meaningless—not the Reaper's, not the Quincy's, but utterly meaningless.
Seeing the despondent emperor, the three Four Knights in the carriage exchanged glances but found no words to comfort their ruler, sinking into silence themselves.
After an uncertain period of silence, Kayle's voice rang out from outside the carriage: "We have arrived within Sky City. Everyone may disembark—"
This was followed by a slight tremor as the carriage settled onto the ground.
The Bloody Emperor glanced out the window and found himself in a vast open space surrounded by thick walls—apparently within the inner side of the city's fortifications.
"Sky City... Could it actually be in the sky?"
Puzzled, the Bloody Emperor steadied himself against the carriage doorframe and stepped out, squinting as he surveyed his surroundings. At first glance, the scenery resembled the interior of an extravagant estate—luxurious beyond measure, from the manicured greenery to the ornate fountains. The white jade gleaming under the sunlight was so dazzling that even he, an emperor, felt momentarily overwhelmed.
Such extravagance.
But what drew the Bloody Emperor's attention even more was the towering "castle" at the center of this "estate"—a colossal structure piercing the clouds, easily hundreds of meters tall. It was hard to imagine how such a massive edifice could have been constructed.
Heathcliff: Of course, it's all thanks to architecture! Do you understand architecture? No? Doesn't matter—do you understand the sheer brilliance of single-handedly designing Aincrad!?
"Yes, yes—"
Kayle stood nearby, pressing a hand to her temple. After a slight nod, she turned back to the Bloody Emperor and the others. "My apologies. The Supreme One is currently occupied with some matters, so please wait a moment."
This was Yunyun's newly developed "Telepathy," an upgraded version of the "Message" function from the game. Its effect allowed remote communication within a certain range, provided the other party's mental frequency was known.
'This is a power play, absolutely a power play!' The Bloody Emperor's mind raced. 'Just like my usual tactics—deliberately leaving troublesome figures waiting to dull their edge! This Supreme One is no ordinary person!'
(Meanwhile, Hayashi was sprawled across Erina's lap, blissfully enjoying her hand-fed snacks, hence having no time to entertain the Bloody Emperor.)
"No problem at all!" Though inwardly alarmed, the Bloody Emperor waved his hand nonchalantly. "We'll wait outside! The Supreme One's affairs take precedence."
"Thank you for your understanding." Kayle nodded, then turned toward the castle. "Rest assured, Sky City's maid corps will attend to all your needs during this time. Please feel free to instruct them as needed—"
With that, she clapped her hands, and over twenty maids dressed in classical English-style long dresses emerged from Sky City. Their races varied—pure humans, elves, dwarf lolis, fox-eared girls, dog-eared girls, cat-eared girls, and more.
Yet, faced with this array of enchanting maids, the Bloody Emperor felt not a trace of improper thoughts. This was entirely due to a single whispered remark from Thunderlight of the Four Knights.
In a stammering voice, he said, "Y-Your Majesty! Every one of these maids has stepped into the realm of heroes..."
"Tsk—"
Upon hearing this news, the Bloody Emperor visibly took a deep breath, then looked at the respectful maids with shock—what had he just heard? Excuse me? Every single maid here was a powerhouse at the Hero-tier!?
No… no way!
Let him think this through!
First of all, none of the four great generals by his side—the Empire's proud Four Generals—had even stepped into the Hero-tier! The only Hero-tier powerhouse he could rely on was the old man (Fluder) alone!
But now? A maid corps of over twenty, each at the Hero-tier!?
Hah? What kind of joke is this!?
Is this some fantasy novel from over a decade ago!?
Where at the start, the continent only had four Saints—Spear, Blade, Sword, and Magic—but by the endgame, hundreds of Saints would die from a single sneeze!?
'Calm down, calm down, Jircniv!' The Bloody Emperor grabbed his own hair, trying to use the pain to steady his emotions. 'This must be that Supreme Being's doing! While placing troublemakers, he's also flexing his muscles—such a straightforward and brutal method!'
A drop of cold sweat rolled down the Bloody Emperor's forehead. He grew even more convinced that the unseen "Supreme Being" was a scheming boy—despite possessing such overwhelming strength, he still wielded such cunning tactics. Truly terrifying!
(Meanwhile, Hayashi was busy stroking Erina's plump thighs and kissing her, too blissfully distracted to bother coming down to meet the Bloody Emperor.)
'Then let's see who has better patience!'
Steeling his heart, the Bloody Emperor crossed his arms and sat grandly on the chair prepared by the maids, his sharp gaze fixed on the table before him.
'I'll see who cracks first!'
...
...
One minute, ten minutes, half an hour, an hour, an hour and a half…
Thanks to Sky City's barrier, even under the scorching noon sun, everyone felt no heat—only the gentle warmth of a winter's sun! Combined with the iced juices and delicious desserts served by the maids (courtesy of the Maid Corps), even Fluder and the others were thoroughly satisfied.
Except for the Bloody Emperor.
'This is terrifying—' The Bloody Emperor clutched his own arm, his eyes now bloodshot. 'He actually left me hanging for an hour and a half—what is he thinking!?'
(At this moment, Hayashi, after finishing his intimate moments with Erina, snuggled up with her to watch the animated film Josee, the Tiger and the Fish.)
Finally, just as the Bloody Emperor's mental pressure was about to reach its limit (mainly due to being surrounded by "enemies" all at the Hero-tier, leaving him utterly insecure), the synchronized kneeling of the maids announced the arrival of a man clad in pitch-black armor emerging from the castle.
"Sorry, sorry—" Hayashi said in a tone utterly devoid of apology. "Ah, I've been so busy, I lost track of time—you've been waiting long, haven't you?"
'He's asking knowingly… no! He's doing it on purpose—' The Bloody Emperor's pupils constricted sharply, his heartbeat accelerating rapidly. 'Too busy? All lies! He must have been lurking in the shadows, observing me, waiting until my psychological pressure reached its limit before appearing before me at just the right moment…'
What terrifying cunning! This man is extraordinary!
Cold sweat broke out again on the Bloody Emperor's forehead, but he absolutely could not lose his imperial dignity. With great effort, he forced a smile and said, "Not at all! The scenery of Sky City is splendid, and with such beautiful maids attending, along with delicious pastries and drinks, waiting a little longer is no trouble."
I just won't admit I was anxious! What are you going to do about it?
"Since you're satisfied with our service, that puts my mind at ease." Hayashi smiled sincerely. After all, he did feel a bit guilty for accidentally leaving the other party waiting for over an hour. But since the other didn't seem to mind, he couldn't help but remark, "Your Majesty truly has a magnanimous heart—"
'H-he's hinting at something!?' The Bloody Emperor's mental storm began anew. 'Magnanimous heart… that's it! He's reminding me that whether in national power or military strength, the Empire is no match for the Holy Kingdom. So he's telling me I must—and can only—be magnanimous!!'
The Bloody Emperor subconsciously clenched his teeth, deeply sensing the unfathomable cunning of the man before him.