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Chapter 27: I have become the Child Emperor
🕑 Added 2023-07-11 08:39:25 +0000 UTC"Ah! That hit the spot!" exclaimed the man as he took a hearty swig of ale. He appeared to be in his late 50s, with streaks of white hair on the sides of his head, adding to his rugged appearance. A belt adorned with various carpentry tools hung from his waist, a testament to his trade.
"Business must have been good for you to drink ale in my tavern again," asked the elderly, yet fairly fit tavern owner, who was diligently pouring ale for his other customers.
"Huh! You could certainly say that!" the man responded with a satisfied grin.
"I thought you said you were having trouble paying your bills. Didn't you mention that just a few months ago?" inquired the tavern owner, trying to make sense of the apparent turnaround in the man's financial situation.
"Well, first off, I'm not loaded with money. So you nosy folks better not get the idea of asking me for some!" the man retorted, causing the nearby group of people to exchange awkward glances among themselves. Currently, most of the people in the tavern were regulars, and they knew each other one way or another due to their habitual patronage. The moment the tavern owner mention that Greg might have met a stroke of luck in his business, they were already considering asking him for a few drinks.
"Come on, Old man Greg. You know I'm good for it! Just lend me enough for few cups of ale," said a young man in his 20s, slinging his arm on the 50-something-year-old carpenter in a friendly manner.
The carpenter, known as Old Man Greg, had an annoyed look on his face as he removed the arm slung on his shoulder. "Bullcrap! You pay me? I wish!" he stated, a mixture of joking and annoyance evident in his voice.
"You're such a cheapskate," the young man remarked as he took a seat beside Old Man Greg, reluctantly pulling out his meager coins to pay for a cup of ale. "I don't suppose I can get a discount?" he asked the tavern owner, who simply gave him a neutral look before dropping the topic altogether.
"There's nothing free in this world, kid," Old Man Greg stated as he finished his entire ale and slammed the empty mug on the table, shouting, "Another!"
"Shut up, old man," the kid replied playfully as he received his ale. Unlike Greg, who drank his beer quickly, the young man decided to savor his drink, taking small sips. Eventually, he glanced at Greg and asked, "So tell us, old man. Is your business really doing well?"
"Well, the money ain't life-changing, but there has been a sudden rise in people going to the capital, more so than usual. These new residents have good money and they want to improve the mansions and estates they've bought," Greg responded as he received his second cup of ale.
"Wait, you're working on the estates the crown has confiscated?" the tavern owner interjected, his curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, His Majesty got those properties from those shitty nobles who didn't pay their taxes. I've heard rumors that he's selling them at a discount, as long as the buyers pay the entire amount in a single payment," Greg explained.
"So, more money in the Emperor's pocket, huh? Figures. He gets their mansions, sells them, while we, the common people, suffer," Pete commented, taking a sip of his ale.
Suddenly, Greg's demeanor shifted. From being laid back, he became fiery with anger in an instant. He slammed his fist on the table and grabbed Pete's collar, pulling him closer. "Don't you dare insult His Majesty like that, you fool! Emperor Makoto is doing everything he can to change the Empire for the better!" Greg's voice boomed, causing Pete to become afraid. He tried to force Greg's grip off his shirt but despite Greg being older, Pete found such a task nearly impossible to do.
Seeing this, the tavern owner quickly intervened, calming Greg down. "Pete didn't mean that, Greg! Let him go!" he pleaded, not wanting a fight to break out and potentially damage his tavern.
After staring down Pete for a brief moment, Greg snorted as he released his hold, "The Emperor has made mistakes, that's true. But as someone who has lived through three Emperors, I can tell you that Emperor Makoto is the first one who truly cares about his subjects. If I hear you disrespect him one more time, I'll beat the living shit out of you," he warned Pete, who nodded in agreement, not wanting to be on the receiving end of a beating from someone who was a soldier in his youth and retired to become a carpenter in the Capital.
"Do you really think that highly of the Emperor, Greg?" the tavern owner asked, curiosity in his voice.
"I do," Greg responded as he took a sip of his ale. "Can't you see the changes brought about by the Emperor's actions?" Greg asked, causing both Pete and the tavern owner to exchange questioning glances.
"What... are you... talking about?" Pete asked, stuttering still afraid that Greg would attack him again.
"There are two things I can clearly see that have resulted from the Emperor's actions as of late. The first is the Capital Guards actually doing their jobs and actively patrolling the Capital and stopping crime. And the second is the nobles behaving kinder towards the common folk," Greg explained.
After giving it much thought, Pete replied, "That's actually right." He recalled that in the past, when evening came, the Capital guards would rarely patrol the streets and mostly stayed in their barracks. Night crimes were numerous back then, but now they were actually doing their jobs, reducing the crime rate and making the Capital safer at night. As for the nobles, in the past, they would whip and hurt common folk who were blocking their path, but such things could not be seen anymore. Perhaps the nobles were even too scared to try such things now.
"The Capital I see now is starting to look like the one I grew up in," Greg added while finishing his ale. He took some coins from his pockets and placed them on the counter.
The tavern owner nodded in agreement. "You're right, Greg. Things do seem to be improving under Emperor Makoto's rule."
As Greg stood up to leave, he patted Pete's shoulder, causing the young man to shudder. But luckily for him, Greg had no intention to hurt him now. "Remember, young man, change doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, and Emperor Makoto is trying to do his best for the people. Give him a chance," he advised, his tone softer and more understanding this time.
Pete nodded, still feeling a bit uneasy from the earlier encounter but also sensing the sincerity in Greg's words. He realized that perhaps he had been too quick to judge and criticize without fully understanding the complexities of ruling an empire.
Unbeknownst to Greg, a lurking figure perched atop one of the highest buildings in the capital had set his sights on him the moment he left the tavern. With a sinister smile plastered on his face, the man relished in the opportunity presented before him. "Finally, a target worth beheading," he whispered with a maniacal laugh, his eyes glinting with wicked intent. Swiftly and skillfully, he traversed the rooftops, leaping and running towards his unsuspecting prey.
Meanwhile, as Greg made his way through the dimly lit alley, a chilling laughter echoed through the air, sending shivers down his spine. He instinctively turned, trying to locate the source, but it seemed to come from all directions. He instinctively tried to reach out for his hammer to use it as weapon but before he could do it, he suddenly found himself flying in the air with blood spraying everywhere. He tried scanning the surroundings but the only thing he could see was his headless body in the distance.
Before Greg could comprehend the situation, darkness closed in around him, swallowing him whole. His consciousness faded, leaving him engulfed in an eerie void.
