“What choice do we have? No noble will side with us if we dig up every single crime they committed.”
“Hah! We can just kill them all!”
Jinpok spat at Joonbum’s words. However, Jinpok knew what he said wasn’t possible. It was possible to kill all the nobles, but that only meant more bloodshed. Also, if they did that, all the nobles of this world could turn around and start a fight.
The Khalodian armies weren’t enough to fight against the entire world. That was what Joonbum was most worried about.
“Is this the last place?” Doral mumbled, and Joonbum nodded.
“Seems like it. I think this is Gordon’s last place.”
“Amazing guy,” Jinpok commented. Joonbum and Doral also agreed with his comment. Gordon had been running to safety so many times that they were now sick of following him around.
“But it’s the end now.”
“Should we spare him?”
“Spare him? I thought you wanted to rout them all out?”
“Yeah, but I think sparing him can be more useful.”
Joonbum pondered as Doral asked in concern. Gordon wasn’t a good guy, to say the least.
“How can we trust him?”
“We don’t have to.”
“What?”
“We’ll just chip him. He can’t run.”
Doral seemed confused, but Jinpok only looked surprised.
“Chip? The kind you planted on the puppies?”
“Yeah.”
“Can we do that here?”
“Yes. The distance isn’t too far though.”
“How do we install it?”
“We can capture him, torture him, and put it in him during the torture. Then, we can let him loose. He’ll run around and look for the remaining Horuns. That’s when we jump in and take care of it. It will make our job much easier.”
“Wow.”
Jinpok looked genuinely impressed and smiled.
“That’s good.”
“Yeah. It will take us a really long time to rout them all out throughout the continent. We should use him against his own people.”
Jinpok and Doral nodded. At that moment, a voice came from the back.
“We are ready.”
It was Aiden, who had quietly come out of a bush.
“Awaiting your orders.”
Doral nodded, and Aiden moved out.
“We should go too.”
“Let’s go!”
Starting with the Ainos Guards, they began attacking the mansion.
*
Horns sounded throughout the majestic castle walls. As another sound erupted, people of Khalodian shouted throughout the city.
-Hail Emperor Joonbum Christos Khalodian!
-God of War! Emperor Joonbum!
Nobody was forced to do anything, but all the citizens chanted Joonbum’s name as a large carriage moved through the wide streets at the center of the city. It was a carriage, but it looked more like a huge siege tower.
“Is this the power of Khalodian? Say, have you seen anything like this? What was the Horun Empire coronation like?”
Duke Medrin shivered as he asked Marquis Herdon next to him. They were here from the Galia Kingdom to send congratulations on the coronation.
“N-no. I have never seen such a coronation in my life. The Horun Empire’s coronation was like child’s play compared to this.”
They both stared at what was unfolding in front of their eyes in awe.
‘So all the rumors of riches coming from Khalodian was true! Krakuls pulling a large carriage! That carriage is like a building!’
Six huge Krakuls were pulling the carriage. On top of such a building-like carriage, was the emperor, crowned with various gold ornaments and jewels. The crown that was created by twelve of the Magnos’ finest craftsmen was very special.
However, the armor that Emperor Joonbum wore was the opposite. It bore hundreds of battle scars that showed Joonbum was a true warrior and ruler of the battlefield.
“He is amazing.”
The marquis murmured as Duke Medrin smiled bitterly.
“It’s only a matter of time we become citizens of Khalodian.”
“Huh? But…”
“Our fate has been decided. No kingdom can match this powerful empire. It’s too late.”
*
As Joonbum stood atop the carriage, he sighed and spoke to Jackson, “What’s all this? You’ve overdone it.”
Joonbum was surprised by what Jackson had prepared. The carriage that he and his family were aboard was so huge that it was like a building in itself. What was more amazing was that giant dinosaurs were pulling it!
“It’s okay, son. It’s interesting to ride on a building pulled by dinosaurs!” Sunsook spoke to Joonbum teasingly.
“It’s too much.”
It felt like money was wasted with every step. Khalodian was getting more money than one could imagine, but Joonbum knew that they were using up everything that they were getting.
Jackson, however, looked stern and shook his head.
“No, we need this grandeur. We need to create stories. There has been no empire after the Horun Empire fell. The entire continent is looking at us. We need to make this a grand show.”
“Ugh, yeah, but this thing is just too heavy!”
Joonbum moaned at the jeweled crown on his head.
