"I said it from the beginning, letting a ten-year-old boy inherit the throne was a mistake. He'd surely run wild after ascending. Look at what's happening now. See? I was right!"
In a luxurious courtyard, an elderly man with snow-white hair and a commanding presence sat in the main seat, angrily voicing his dissatisfaction.
"Allowing commoners to own land, rewarding high-yield farmers, encouraging agriculture, and implementing a comprehensive military merit system that grants titles to outstanding soldiers… Is this not insanity?"
Seated nearby, a corpulent middle-aged noble let out a deep sigh, chiming in,
"Those lowly peasants, as weak as ants, only need enough food to fill their bellies. To allow them to own land and even reward them? If His Majesty wanted to increase agricultural production, he could simply use the whip! There's no need to grant rewards for something as basic as farming."
"And the soldiers—what nonsense is this, granting noble titles and land based on military merit? What kind of child's play is this? If this continues, won't the entire country be filled with so-called 'nobles'?"
Opposite the plump noble sat an armored general, whose face was etched with disapproval. He, too, found such ideas absurd. In all known examples, even the bravest soldiers were merely rewarded with gold or silver—not noble titles or land.
"Exactly. And using land as a reward? Where does the kingdom even have so much land to give away? The lands we nobles hold are barely enough as it is," the corpulent noble added, nodding fervently in agreement.
"These policies must be rejected. We cannot allow this child to implement his whims unchecked. If this continues, our kingdom will be left in utter chaos."
"Indeed. We should rally other ministers to jointly submit a petition opposing these absurd policies. With enough voices, even a king must consider our opinions," the elderly man said, his gaze sharp as he stroked his beard.
"Let's start by gathering a small group. Too many voices at once might scare the boy," the elder chuckled, a calculating glint in his eyes.
"On that point, you don't need to worry. Even if you gather everyone, it wouldn't scare him. That said… you won't get the chance."
A voice suddenly echoed from outside the room, freezing everyone in place. Almost immediately, a deathly chill filled the air, blanketing the room. Frost rapidly formed on the floor and windows, creeping across the furniture like an omen of doom.
"What's happening? Who dares stir trouble before me?" The armored general shot to his feet, slamming his hand on the table. His voice brimmed with fury, his warrior's spirit unshaken.
"Who dares, indeed? It's quite refreshing to see you show such spirit, Saxon. I always thought of you as a sniveling sycophant," the voice sneered.
As the room reached the peak of its chilling silence, the roof was ripped away with a deafening crash. A massive, dark creature with double horns on its forehead leaned in, its crimson gaze bathing the room in an ominous, blood-red glow.
Surrounding the giant creature were several others of similar size, their towering forms exceeding ten meters at the smallest. They loomed over the courtyard, their greedy, predatory eyes fixed on the humans within.
Outside the house, a black fog swirled like a living entity, suffocating the entire estate in deathly silence. The oppressive scene could make the bravest warriors hesitate.
"It's… you…" Despite the transformed figure before him, the general recognized the towering, horned corpse demon. The man's breath hitched as his eyes widened in shock.
"You recognized me? Impressive," the creature replied, its deep, guttural voice rumbling as it curled its lips in a mockery of a smile.
The creature was none other than Fernand, the former king of Gai. Despite his grotesque transformation, the horned general identified him through the unique curvature of his horns.
"Your Majesty… you're supposed to be…" The general's tone softened involuntarily, an ingrained habit born from years of loyalty. Even now, his respect for the former king ran deep.
"Yes, I was supposed to be dead," Fernand said, his crimson gaze sweeping over the room's occupants. His voice carried a chilling resonance. "But death wasn't enough to quench my thirst to see my son lead Gai to glory. I've returned in this form to ensure he succeeds."
Fernand's towering figure crouched slightly, his voice filled with cold conviction as he addressed the trembling men. "Surely, you know why I'm here."
"The boy… no, the new king's reforms must be your doing! You were too cautious to enact them yourself, so you put your youngest son on the throne as a distraction, drawing our attention while you feigned death and manipulated events from the shadows!"
The elderly noble's voice trembled with a mixture of revelation and accusation, his tone almost triumphant as if uncovering some great conspiracy.
"You're wrong," Fernand interrupted flatly. "The reforms are entirely my son's idea. I opposed them initially, but I realized my objections were meaningless. So, I've decided to support him fully. My role now is to clear away anyone foolish enough to stand in his way."
As Fernand spoke, he extended his massive clawed hand toward the three men before him. Simultaneously, the surrounding corpse servants began closing in, their glowing red eyes gleaming with malevolence.
"Your Majesty, I've fought countless battles for you and this kingdom! Will you truly discard me because I stand against your son's reforms?" The general roared, his voice tinged with anger and sorrow as his body began to shift, growing larger and sprouting white scales.
"You did serve me well," Fernand admitted. "But now you've become a hindrance. You know full well what will happen if these reforms succeed. Yet, for your own gain, you've chosen to oppose progress."
Fernand grabbed the transformed general, now a hulking, white-scaled beast, and hurled him through the air. The man crashed into a series of buildings, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
"Anyone who dares oppose the rise of Gai must be eliminated," Fernand declared.
The general emerged from the rubble, his monstrous form battered but defiant. Yet, before he could counterattack, a group of corpse servants pounced on him, dragging him into a vicious melee.
"Mercy, Your Majesty!" the corpulent noble cried, collapsing to his knees. Tears streamed down his face as he kowtowed repeatedly, smearing blood on the icy floor.
"Why aren't you kneeling?" Fernand ignored the groveling noble and turned his gaze to the elderly man who defiantly met his crimson eyes without flinching.
"Because I've done nothing wrong," the elder said firmly. "Do you truly believe these reforms will succeed, Your Majesty? They've already alienated the nobles and officials who uphold this kingdom. Without their cooperation, the reforms are doomed to fail."
"That's why I'm here—to deal with those unwilling to cooperate," Fernand replied coldly.
"And what then? Will you kill every noble and official in Gai who opposes you? Replace them all? Do you truly believe that's feasible?"
"Why not?" Fernand's lips curled into a contemptuous sneer. "You overestimate your worth. You're not indispensable. If every noble and official opposes the reforms, I'll wipe them all out and find replacements who'll obey."
With that, Fernand gestured, and the swirling black fog enveloped the elder. Within moments, the man's vitality was extinguished, leaving behind only a red-eyed husk.
The corpulent noble, seeing the elder spared in a twisted form, brightened with hope. He crawled forward, sobbing,
"Your Majesty, spare me! Let me serve you in this form as well!"
"You're not worth the effort," Fernand said dismissively, his voice laced with disdain. With a casual wave, the black fog consumed the noble, leaving behind a dried, lifeless corpse.
In the end, none who opposed the reforms would be spared. And so, the blood-stained path to Gai's transformation began.
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