From Now On, I Do Things My Way

The Imperial Railway bombing incident was settled.

The train had stopped at the nearest platform.

Various movements occurred from all directions to handle the aftermath.

Naturally, I was resting.

Lying in a hospital bed reading books and munching on fruit.

While receiving top-tier service in a premium private room.

Treatment far superior to the other passengers.

Orca had emptied his personal funds to arrange it.

Orca, who came to visit, asked in an exhausted voice.

“Sorry for coming so late. How are you feeling?”

“The nurse is pretty. She comes three times a day to change my IV, and I don’t understand why she looks so sexy when she tucks her hair behind her ear.”

“Glad you’re doing well.”

“Jealous? I’ll set up another bed over there so you can lie down too.”

When I kept joking around, Orca finally relaxed his expression a bit.

You could tell he was mentally exhausted from handling the aftermath.

“First, railway operations have resumed. The military police seem to have gotten their act together too. Everyone’s on edge because there could be second or third wave attacks.”

“There probably won’t be more railway terrorism. They’ll stab somewhere else.”

I pointed at Orca.

“First, you, who resolved the incident on the surface.”

Then I pointed at my own chest.

“And me, who kept interfering starting from Crocell. They’ll mark us both.”

“We looked for that orc’s whereabouts but only found blood traces. Either dead or the terrorists recovered the body.”

I nodded and shifted the topic.

“You must have realized the empresses knew this incident would blow up this big. Yet they didn’t send additional forces, which means they didn’t care if all the passengers died. At that point alone, they’re disqualified as rulers.”

Meaning they didn’t care if Orca died either.

Orca defended them cautiously.

“Mother Lang Ei said she just heard the story urgently from my mother and came. She didn’t know the details about the assassins either.”

“I can’t trust that. And even if it’s true, the Queen of Assassins knew everything, didn’t she?”

I stated flatly.

“In this situation, the empresses aren’t even sharing information with each other and are out of sync. I objectively cannot trust them.”

“……”

“Ah, sorry. That must have put you in an awkward position just now. Forget I said it.”

When Orca looked troubled, I quickly added that.

Like when a son comes to mediate after his parents had a big fight.

I was angry at how the empresses handled things, but I wasn’t upset with Orca at all.

When my son is this admirable, what can I do?

Orca nodded and said,

“I’d like some advice, Rigen.”

“What is it?”

“You already resolved Crocell’s matter and Sister’s matter. You also helped me splendidly this time. If you hadn’t been there, the Empire Liberation Army would have committed terrorism as they pleased, and the situation would be far more terrible now.”

Orca looked at me directly.

“What should I do going forward?”

“The reason you’re not asking the Queen of Assassins for advice…… you suspect her too?”

I probed immediately.

The one who dispatched Lang Ei urgently was my third wife and leader of the dark elves, the Queen of Assassins.

In other words, the Queen of Assassins calculated even when deploying her own son to the operation.

Orca agreed.

“The prevailing theory is that all orcs died in the final battle against the Seven Sin God. There were eyewitness accounts of seeing orcs beyond the western desert, but those were just rumors……”

“For orcs to operate within the empire, they need a base. Naturally, the Empire Liberation Army must have provided that base, right?”

“Then if we dig into the Empire Liberation Army……”

“No, that’ll take time and won’t produce immediate results. And to be blunt, while I trust you, I can’t trust the Queen of Assassins.”

In the end, the information Orca obtains is also information the dark elf leader, the Queen of Assassins, selects and passes down to him.

Like this train terrorism incident, he could be caught off guard by not knowing the scale of things.

Orca also agreed, though with a complicated expression.

I said,

“From now on, can you do as I say? No, you must. Gather all your siblings scattered across the empire to the capital.”

“Why?”

“The Empire Liberation Army will likely target the princes and princesses again. You all have great symbolic value but weak military strength.”

The longer other races live, the stronger they become.

But my children weren’t even two hundred yet.

I said again,

“Gather together to discuss things and establish countermeasures. While the kids are gathering, dig deep into the Empire Liberation Army. Build an intelligence network separate from the Queen of Assassins and report to me.”

“……”

“This is the way to protect your siblings. Understood?”

The Queen of Assassins threw her own son into a dangerous place.

Would she treat the other kids any differently?

Perhaps recalling Lisera, Orca spoke resolutely.

“Understood. At least regarding this matter, I’ll also distance myself from Mother.”

“Not just the Queen of Assassins. Don’t trust the other empresses either, keep your distance.”

“Why?”

I spoke calmly.

“The twelve-house race that the humans are conducting — that’s a plan where a second emperor emerges from among the humans, and they become bound through marriage to the imperial bloodline of the race that supported that house, right?”

“Right.”

“You can think in reverse. If all the princes and princesses die and only one person survives, the candidates for second emperor narrow dramatically. It determines which race will seize hegemony.”

“……”

Orca’s face showed he’d heard something terrible.

But it was commonplace in human history.

King Taejong Yi Bang-won killed his young half-siblings to become king.

I just wished it wasn’t my family……

Orca shook his head.

“Then is the Empire Liberation Army trying to destroy the twelve-house race right now?”

“I don’t know. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Anyway, stick together among yourselves…… and don’t trust your mothers.”

I drew a firm line.

Orca had a complicated expression but nodded.

“Understood. But I cannot easily accept the advice to not trust the empresses. Even if my mother deployed me to a dangerous scene, that must have been an unavoidable decision for the empire’s sake. I’m a dark elf agent and division chief before being a prince.”

“Even so……”

“I’ll never forget the debt of you saving my life. I’ll accept your proposal and be careful, but don’t be too wary of the empresses. They’re also suffering greatly.”

Orca spoke firmly.

“Father suddenly left this world, and everyone was in chaos. Not just the siblings, the empresses also lost their minds. My mother, whom the world calls the Queen of Assassins and fears — she didn’t touch water for three days.”

“……”

I can’t imagine that.

Orca declared,

“Your criticism makes logical sense. But those people who wailed before Father’s coffin — I cannot think they’d commit terrible things out of greed for the emperor’s seat.”

“Then why did they hide information about the Empire Liberation Army and orcs?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’ll have to ask next time.”

Orca was calm.

“Father used to say that if you’re going to suspect blindly, rather blindly trust — at least that way things can move forward.”

“……Hahaha.”

I felt like I’d been struck in the head.

When I suddenly laughed, Orca looked puzzled.

But I was purely pleased.

The kid really grew up well.

Now he even knows how to give his father advice!

After laughing for a while, I nodded.

“Right, you’re correct. I went a bit overboard, Orca. Yes. To understand the situation, I need to gather information.”

“……Mm, anyway I’ll contact the other siblings too and tell everyone to come to the capital. And I’ll gather information and discuss countermeasures. If I get any information afterward, I’ll contact Heinkel.”

Orca added,

“Ah, you don’t need to worry about Heinkel anymore. I fully understood his reasons for serving House Librata. Excellent choice. I’ll show leniency.”

“Right, I plan to depart for the capital the day after tomorrow.”

“Then let’s go to the capital together. Just in case something else happens.”

When I nodded, Orca changed the subject.

“I explained the situation to some extent to the Railway Military Police. Since you did chase them out.”

“It’s fine, I’ll handle that side myself.”

“……”

Orca, who’d been gauging my mood, spoke carefully.

“Mother Lang Ei wants to see you separately……”

“No visitors. Tell her I have no face to show the Empress, so I went into emergency surgery.”

I stated flatly.

Actually, my second wife, the tiger beastwoman Lang Ei, isn’t the type to scheme.

She probably rushed over without knowing the full story.

But my policy regarding my past-life wives had become clear.

I don’t want to see their faces unless absolutely necessary.

After Orca left, I checked my physical condition.

My mental strength and magic had increased significantly.

“Magic is also in the mid-to-late fourth rank? It’s really growing incredibly fast. Looks like the third psychic ability isn’t far off either.”

Knock knock.

The sound of knocking.

“Amelia?”

The person who opened the door was an unfamiliar woman.

Gray uniform — Railway Military Police.

The woman didn’t enter the room but stood in the hallway and bowed ninety degrees.

“I’m terribly sorry. I know this is rude, but could you please hear me out for just a moment? If you’re not inclined, please at least accept this.”

A package offered with both hands.

It was a fruit basket.

Excessive courtesy, pointed ears visible between strands of fallen hair.

The opponent was an elf.

“Come in first. It’s better to avoid people’s eyes.”

“Thank you for permitting me to cross the threshold.”

The woman entered the hospital room and set the basket on the table.

Then she clasped her hands together in front of her and waited for me to speak.

I looked at her chest area and confirmed.

“Your race is elf and your affiliation is Railway Military Police, management position?”

“……Yes, I’m Mirei, a second-rank officer in the Railway Military Police.”

“You came primarily representing your affiliation with the military police, correct?”

Just checking if it was different from what I knew.

Then Mirei spoke seriously.

“I have pledged my life to His Imperial Majesty, so race doesn’t matter.”

The Imperial Army and other government organizations include various races.

I removed their racial identity and made them prioritize loyalty to me and the empire.

In other words, this elf woman is Railway Military Police to her bones.

“This isn’t just a get-well visit. Please state your business.”

“We committed such a grave offense in this matter — how could I dare speak carelessly? Just the fact that you saved the passengers in this calamity and prevented a great disaster is such a tremendous debt that I cannot lift my head.”

“At this rate, oil will start dripping from my entire body. Since it’s slippery, let’s get to the point.”

I pointed out,

“The Railway Military Police must have had their noses flattened over this incident, right? Moreover, since it was terrorism committed by crew members.”

“……”

Mirei’s face clouded.

An honest woman.

“The crew belongs to the Railway Bureau, but management and oversight is the Railway Military Police’s responsibility, right? Meaning this can be framed as the Railway Military Police’s negligent management allowing terrorism.”

“……I’m simply ashamed. Everyone in the military police is deeply reflecting.”

“Then you should show it through actions. Tell them to dismiss that bastard Collett and have the military police commander resign.”

“……What?”

“Ah, I don’t have the authority to give such directives, do I? But you must need something since you came to me wanting to make a deal?”

“……”

Mirei flinched.

As expected, she’s not suited for negotiation.

Still puzzled, I continued pointing things out.

“But if it’s not at the level of the commander resigning, won’t there be an uproar? The dark elves even gave prior warning, yet there were casualties. How exactly do you plan to take responsibility?”

“That’s……”

“You came to me to cover up or downplay the incident, right? But how do you plan to silence Orca’s and the dark elves’ mouths?”

“His Highness Orca said it would only be possible with your agreement, Lord Rigen.”

He passed the ball to me?

I shook my head.

“It can’t end just like that. But there is a way for the military police to minimize the damage.”

“Please tell me.”

“Naturally, it won’t be free.”

I spoke firmly.

“Going forward, the Railway Military Police will cooperate fully with everything I do. Take me on as a civilian collaborator and grant me the authority of a special officer in the Railway Military Police.”

Special officers are just below the regional branch commanders.

They have personnel authority, so they can dismiss people, and they can mobilize military forces.

Mirei’s face went blank.

“S-special officer?”

“Ah, that! The position was abolished because the authority was too strong, right? They could decide practical affairs and management as they pleased. There was even talk that they exceeded regional branch commanders who were bound to each area. We should revive it with this opportunity.”

“That’s……”

“Too unreasonable a proposal? Then go back and report privately to the military police commander. Can a second-rank officer do that? Even if it’s impossible, do it anyway.”

“……You’re telling me to meet Commander Arsen?”

“Tell Arsen this: the third drawer in his study — I can open it.”

The control mechanism to grip the military police.

Terrorism occurred, my children are in danger, and I can’t trust my past wives.

From now on, I build my own forces.

So I can wipe everything clean if necessary.