Semi-Coercive Imperialist

Cartel.

They are a group that sells dreams.

Dreams that cannot be obtained or reached by ordinary means, but with just a single puff, allow one to touch that place.

“Huuuu……”

Fragrant smoke rose from the cigar at the corner of his mouth.

Southeastern part of the Empire, the border region. More precisely, a lavish mansion located deep in the city center of the eastern country ‘Verkina’.

This was the hideout of the massive drug organization [Parmano Cartel].

“Fuck. This book is fucking beautiful……. Hey. What about that guy?”

The boss, ‘Costa’, asked in a languid voice. In his hand was the novel「Valtaras」, imported from the Empire.

“Yes. We’ve captured him now.”

A subordinate replied.

Though the word ‘captur⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠ed’ might sound funny, there was no other choice since the opponent was someone who used mana.

“Gouge out his eyes, rip out his guts, whatever it takes to find out. Whether there are other spies inside. There’s no way there was only one rat.”

Costa furrowed his brows and put out the cigar by pressing it down.

Because of that damned bastard, the damage they suffered was enormous. An entire large-scale plantation had gone up in smoke.

“But, Don Costa. The Empire’s knight—”

“Hey. Do you even know how much money we lost? If we’d sold all that product, it would’ve been tens of billions, tens of billions! It’s basically like we fucking threw away a massive jackpot!”

Just talking about it made the veins pop on his neck. He was still furious. Because of that fucking bastard, all that money went up in flames…

“Those knights can’t come here anyway.”

This was Verkina’s territory, and Verkina belonged to the Eastern Union. It was a region where even the Empire couldn’t recklessly deploy its troops. Some treaty or agreement or whatever existed.

Thanks to that, the Parmano Cartel was conducting a lucrative ‘business’ between Verkina and the Empire.

“No, they won’t come.”

Costa let out a sneer.

“In fact, it’s safer precisely because it’s the Empire. Those guys are so stiff-necked. They hate the lowly types who do drugs so much, they don’t even look at them. Yet they’re the ones always high on the best quality stuff.”

All of the top-grade packages produced by the cartel flew straight to the Empire’s center, specifically to the upper districts.

“Even the nobles use our stuff, you see~”

He lit his cigar again and motioned to his subordinate.

“Hey, enough of that. You know what Valtaras is?”

“Val… tars? Like, your feet are on fire?”

“You d⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠umb bastard.”

Costa burst out laughing and waved the copy of Valtaras in his hand.

“It’such a shame, truly a shame. Being born dumb, you can’t even appreciate the beauty of such a novel.”

“I’m sorry.”

To the subordinate bowing repeatedly, he handed over the copy of「Valtaras」himself.

“I’m giving this to you since we caught that guy. Read it when you have time. You need to cultivate some refinement too.”

“Ah, yes…”

“Don’t worry, you little shit.”

Costa bit down hard on the cigar as he spoke.

“Do you really think those noble lords of the Imperial Palace would make a fuss just to save one washed-up, discarded commoner knight who got kicked out of the Sentinel? No way there’s a crazy bastard in this world who’d—”

***

“Knight Maximilian.”

Southeastern part of the Empire— Pelan Province.

A border town in that region that jutted out from the Empire’s mainland like a spike, its coastline facing the Eastern Alliance.

“Y-Yes! Loyalty! Sergeant Lopez of the Pelan Province Police, ‘Rurales’ Division!”

The sergeant, with relatively dark skin, hastily saluted.

He was an Aran, but because of his skin color, he was treated as being of quite a low class.

“Hmm……”

I had arrived at the coordinates where Eshton had last transmitted his location.

I stood still and looked around. The scenery was completely different from the central region.

The humid tropical air and exotic architectural style. It felt more like a small resort town than a territory of the Empire.

In fact, due to its geographical characteristics, this area functioned more like an autonomous region where local customary laws held more sway than Imperial law, and the language used was a mix of the Imperial language and ‘Mercagnol’, a language from several eastern countries.

“Eshton, that is, Egilon, was kidnapped from the middle of this town and taken across the border?”

“Well… we inquired with the villagers, but no one claims to have seen anything. Since it’s such a remote place, there’s no foot traffic at night…”

Lopez was sweating profusely as he spoke.

I looked past his shoulder.

“……”

Other Rurales with rifles slung across their backs were gathered behind him, smoking cigarettes. They glanced at me and snickered.

“Hmph.”

The conversation they were having was entirely in ‘Mercagnol’. It’s the second or third most spoken language after the Empire’s Aran language.

Of course, Imperial nobles never bother to learn it. At most, the language nobles learn is Prozen. It’s known for having an elegant, artistic pronunciation.

─Thump

Those men concerned me.

Not just the content of their whispered conversation, which they thought I couldn’t understand, but—

─Thump.

Surprisingly, two of those four were Ezenheim.

“First, follow me. There’s somewhere we need to go.”

“Ah, yes. Where to…?”

Without answering, I began walking. The Rurales followed behind, looking puzzled.

Through a winding dirt path, to a remote cliff by the coast where the sound of waves could be heard.

Crunch──

I stopped, stepping on loose dirt, and looked back at Lopez.

“Sergeant Lopez.”

“Yes.”

I asked quietly, my voice barely audible over the waves.

“Did you sell information to the Cartel?”

“…Huh? What do you… N-no, I didn’t!”

Lopez’s pupils trembled. I quietly nodded and drew the longsword from my back.

“You four over there. Come here.”

I called out to the ones behind in Mercagnol. They flinched and looked at each other in surprise. They probably never expected to hear Mercagnol from the mouth of an Imperial noble, much less a knight.

“Come over here.”

The ones hesitating as they approached had just whispered something in low voices—but to my senses, those words remained vividly clear.

─Whoa. So this is an Imperial knight? He’s cuter than I thought.

─You think a pretty boy like that can actually swing a sword? He’ll probably just pose and leave.

─How old is he? If I get close, I feel like he might still smell like his mommy’s milk. Should I take a whiff?

Honestly, even if they hadn’t been Ezenheim, I had no intention of letting them live.

Perhaps my reverse scale is my mother.

“By the laws of the Empire, I hereby execute you for the crime of insulting a knight.”

I swung my sword.

Schlick—!

I severed the head of the one who’d spoken of my mother first. The headless corpse collapsed onto the sandy beach. Blood sprayed across Lopez’s face.

“Ugh, AAAAHH!”

While Lopez screamed, my sword moved once again. The second one’s arms and legs were severed, the third had his heart pierced, and the last one was cleanly split in two.

In an instant, four corpses lay scattered.

I flicked the blood from my blade and turned around.

“Sergeant Lopez.”

“Ah… ah, hurrrgh…”

“I despise people who laugh flippantly in front of me, who lie, or who spout off like vagrants.”

Lopez’s face went pale as a sheet. His legs gave out and he collapsed.

“Now, I’ll ask again.”

I sheathed my sword and repeated the question.

“Did you sell the information to the cartel?”

Lopez began hyperventilating, then hastily dropped to his knees.

“I—I have a child! And a sick elderly mother…!”

“I didn’t ask about your family situation.”

“I’m sorry! Please, please just spare me!”

He pleaded, trembling, hands pressed together.

“…Sergeant Lopez.”

I gazed down at him and called his name.

“Y-yes…?”

“If you want to live, then answer.”

He wasn’t an Ezenheim, so he was worth sparing.

“What exactly did you sell to the cartel? That’s all you need to tell me.”

“A-ah, that…”

Lopez opened his mouth with a trembling voice.

…….

“So he leaked Eshton’s personal information while also turning a blind eye to the crime. The cartel gave the Rurales advance notice of Eshton’s kidnapping date, and the Rurales didn’t respond that day. They didn’t even file a report with the authorities.”

That was Sergeant Lopez’s confession.

“I see.”

Julian replied bitterly. His gaze was deeply sunken.

“It’s confirmed he was taken to Verkina, but do you have any idea where specifically?”

This incident had occurred before my regression as well, but I had no memory of exactly where Eshton had died. Only a brief report remained, stating that his body was never found.

“There’s intelligence that the head of the Parmano Cartel has a residence in this area.”

Julian pointed to a spot on the map. It was a part of Verkina’s city center, slightly removed from the Imperial border.

“Not far, then.”

We were currently having this conversation at the airport.

The Empire and the Eastern Union were currently in a very ‘open’ state. A situation where both sides smiled with words while hiding blades behind their backs.

Thanks to a previously signed agreement, many Imperial citizens and companies were conducting business in the Eastern Union, and airport entry was also possible.

“Here. Take this. It’s your ID.”

I handed Julian a forged Verkina identification card.

“Can you speak Mercagnol by any chance?”

“…To some extent.”

“Say som⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠ething. Let me judge how fluent you are.”

Julian cleared his throat and opened his mouth with an awkward accent.

“Ish thish good enuff…?”

“No. You sound like all your teeth fell out. Let’s go with a silent type persona.”

“……”

Julian closed his mouth, seemingly embarrassed.

“Here, take this as well. Carry it.”

I handed him a heavy duffel bag.

“There’s ten million dollars inside.”

Julian nodded.

“Then, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

We stood up. Without delay, we passed through the airport gate and boarded the plane.

“……”

Julian raised an eyebrow as he looked around. The cabin was full.

“There are a lot of people today.”

“Ah. Everyone here is part of our operation team.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know.”

Mercagnol was a relatively common language. Most nobles wouldn’t know it, but among eastern commoners, quite a few could speak it.

So I had hired such commoners with an offer they couldn’t refuse.

“I’ve acquired this airport as well.”

“…When?”

“Yesterday.”

I’d purchased it yesterday. I had always planned to own most important facilities like airports anyway.

“…I see.”

Julian nodded and leaned back against his seat.

He seemed somewhat stunned.

…….

Before my regression, the Eshton incident was swept under the rug. The Empire knew that a knight had died, but because he was a knight without official status, and because he was a commoner, they simply buried it.

That probably meant the Imperial Palace bastards had taken bribes from the cartel too.

Therefore, to bring down the cartel, time, money, and above all, people were needed.

From the moment I arrived in Verkina, I dispersed agents everywhere.

Civilians, military, wherever—it didn’t matter. I spread them everywhere. Agents bribed locals, and those locals bribed other locals in turn.

The operation budget was unlimited. Verkina wasn’t even a country with a large economy.

That’s why, within just two days, the situation could be resolved.

“Knight Julian. I believe we’ve found him.”

And that’s exactly what happened.

We pinpointed the exact location where Eshton was being held.

“Let’s move immediately.”

We got into a jeep. Leaving the city behind, we drove for a long time on an unpaved road.

Before long, we arrived at a place far removed from the typically lavish hideouts of cartels—a ranch deep in the jungle.

In the center of it stood a structu⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠re that looked like an abandoned stable.

“That’s the place.”

“Let’s go.”

Creeeak. We parked the jeep at a distance and pushed through the forest, advancing silently.

The area’s security was lax. At most, a few thugs with rifles were dozing off nearby.

Schlick! Squelch!

We exchanged hand signals and took them out one by one with precision. However, standing directly in front of the building was someone with notably sharp senses.

He was, at the very least, a swordsman.

“I’ll handle the outside. You go in.”

Julian said as he warmed up his mana. With his skill, he could easily subdue the opponent alone, but speed was of the essence.

The cartel’s forces must never be underestimated. They were people who hired the strongest talents from their own or other countries as mercenaries.

If we didn’t rescue him quickly, more of them would keep pouring in.

“Yes. Understood.”

Julian leaped out soundlessly, and I circled around to the back of the building.

Before entering, I first released my mana.

The calm wave of Ebenholtz passed through the wall and scanned the interior. No enemies were detected. Only the presence of a single person could be felt.

Creeeaak.

I o⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠pened the door.

In the slowly revealing darkness, a man was tied to a chair.

“…….”

For a moment, I nearly dropped the sword I was holding.

Knight Eshton.

Covered in blood, he was hanging his head and gasping for breath. His entire body was wrecked from torture, but his chest rose and fell ever so faintly.

He was still alive.

However…

I couldn’t comprehend it. It felt like a fuse had blown in my head.

A retired knight of the Sentinel.

He had joined nine years ago, but left the order after some incident.

The man whom Julian had trusted so deeply.

Why was it that for such a man—

──Thump.

My heart was reacting?