Zeroy did not linger long at the Way of Tranquility.
She did not even speak with its people, following her usual routine: separate, punish, deliver her message to calm and warn the rest, then move immediately to the next place.
There was still much to do. Conversation could wait until the purge was done. And she was quite satisfied with the Way of Tranquility—talking to them would surely take time.
Afterward, Zeroy encountered the Revolutionary Army.
Having seen the Way of Tranquility, Zeroy assumed the Revolutionary Army would be much the same.
Knowing there were two such groups of normal people had even brightened her mood.
And the word "revolution" itself held a certain appeal.
Then she met her first Revolutionary Army unit—
After clearing the pests, Zeroy frowned slightly.
How to put it—this first impression was unsatisfactory.
Including the officers, about thirty percent of this unit were pests.
Better than the Empire, certainly, but compared with the Way of Tranquility, this army was little more than a band of brigands.
Still, it was only the first unit she met. Zeroy kept her patience, reserving judgment.
Perhaps this unit was an exception.
Nonetheless, the Revolutionary units she encountered afterward proved otherwise.
Thirty percent pests was the good case.
There were units with fifty, sixty, even seventy percent.
Compared to the Empire, they were better; indeed, many innocents oppressed and driven into desperation had joined their ranks.
Anyhow, such forces could never be called righteous.
It was far from the army of justice she had imagined—fighting tyranny, liberating the suffering.
Especially when Zeroy saw that the fifty percent average included common soldiers. Without them, the pest ratio rose to seventy percent.
Out of ten, only three were not pests. Even those three were not all innocent, only guilty of lesser crimes that did not merit the pest's judgment.
When Zeroy reached the Revolutionary Army headquarters, matters were worse.
All pests, indistinguishable from the Empire's elites.
In fact, in garrisons far from the Capital, Imperial troops were in better shape than the Revolutionary base.
Revolutionary Army? Perhaps some had once risen in true resistance against tyranny.
Although now, they were pests, the same as the Empire's lords.
Waving the banner of revolution was nothing more than a cover for their own vile desires.
They sought to topple the Empire only to sit in its place, replacing one band of exploiters with another.
Zeroy revealed their crimes, exposed their filthy thoughts to the people, and delivered destruction.
...
The Empire's pests were cleansed.
In only two days.
Zeroy then turned to handle the Empire's aftermath before moving on to the other nations.
First step in rebuilding order: construct a wonder!
"Patchi, what kind of wonder should I build this time?"
"You're asking me?"
The two were in the Imperial library. Patchouli was flipping through a book; Zeroy had come to accompany her.
She was curious about Imperial Arms, Danger Beasts, and the Empire's secret methods of forging Imperial Arms.
Then, out of nowhere, came Zeroy's question.
Patchouli stared wide-eyed at her, as though she'd just seen a fairy of the Misty Lake who could barely count to ten suddenly become an Ice Queen wielding advanced calculus.
"Patchi's so smart, you must have some magical idea."
That was Zeroy's answer.
"...Even if you flatter me, I wouldn't know. I have no interest in wonders."
Patchouli calmly returned her gaze to the book.
"I see... sigh."
Zeroy sighed in disappointment.
In truth, she was only asking casually. She knew Patchouli wasn't interested.
"..."
Patchouli glanced at the troubled Zeroy and sighed inwardly.
She wished Zeroy would ask about magic or knowledge, not such absurdities.
"...How about a monolith? With your Kaina, shaping it would be no problem."
"A monolith... ah, that's a good idea!"
Zeroy thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up.
In terms of gore and horror, a monolith could not match a Tower of Corpses or a giant tree. However, if large enough, its deterrent power would be similar.
And this world was different from the first two—
Here, the nobles were truly revolting, their souls steeped in thicker black mist than in the previous worlds. The reasons were many: ancient times meant lower moral bottom lines, unchecked power meant a festering cesspit of corruption. The longer it brewed, the fouler it became.
Simply put, there was nothing restraining their power—no law, no morality. At first they sought simple thrills; however, as time went on, they needed ever more perverse and sickening indulgences.
In the Highschool of the Dead world, if zombies had not mutated further, stripped of humanity over time, people might have become the same.
The more their twisted tastes grew, the uglier their acts became.
That said, this was the nobles. Most people were still ordinary folk, neither driven to degeneration by their environment nor given the chance to become monsters. They were merely struggling to survive under oppression.
So this wonder didn't need to be so extreme in blood and horror—just enough to send the warning.
"As expected of Patchi! You solved my problem so easily!"
Zeroy hugged Patchouli again, this time rubbing her cheek against hers in affection.
"...What's so happy about that, idiot."
Patchouli's cheeks reddened as she pushed Zeroy's face away lightly.
Albeit perhaps too lightly… Zeroy, caught up in her excitement, didn't even notice.
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]