The Billionaire CEO Becomes the Youngest Emperor-Chapter 23 - 22: If I die...

Everyone present in that place showed no real fear of what Selene might do.

How is that possible...?

What makes them so confident? There was absolutely nothing like this in the script.

...

Let's test them.

— You think you're clever, don't you?

A fat, bearded old noble spoke with an air of arrogance.

— Look at this little shit. He has the audacity to quibble even in this situation.

— You thought you were untouchable because of that b*tch, Selene, didn't you?

My face immediately tensed.

She was, without a doubt, the kindest woman in the world, but...

Selene's accomplishment regarding Lucian: mutilating his left arm, forcing him to seek out the Saintess, only to end up in this situation.

Right, she's a... What the hell am I saying?

They dare insult a member of the imperial family now?

Darius, what the fuck have you been doing in my absence?

With a simple gesture, Darius silenced the nobles' jeers.

— I have to admit, you got us good. Never would I have thought that the little piece of shit you were actually had a brain... Honestly, I'm more inclined to believe the theory that this is the work of a dark mage.

— Funny, coming from someone who indulges in the same dark magic just to get rid of his little brother, Lucian replied.

I guess they have no intention of letting me walk away in one piece...

— You know, little brother, none of that matters anymore, since you're going to die today.

So I was right.

— I know very well that you covet the throne, but I'm curious... Why now? Out of all the moments you could have acted, even during the journey, killing me should have been child's play... So why take the risk of waiting and going through all these unnecessary steps?

Darius stared at Lucian in silence, deep in thought.

That's true... Why were the Grand Masters so insistent that Lucian be killed in THIS circle and with THIS dagger specifically?

...

No matter. Let the will of the Grand Masters be done.

A wide smile spread across Duke Darius's face.

— It doesn't matter, as I just told you.

Tsk. Lucian clicked his tongue.

— I at least deserve to know what I'm going to die from... Anyway, this is the end for me, right?

He asked sarcastically.

— Hehe... hehehe... Hahahaha!

His smile, growing increasingly deranged, terrified everyone.

!!!

What's this? Has he lost his mind? Lucian thought.

— THERE IS ONLY ONE REASON FOR ALL THIS: IT'S THE WILL OF THE GRAND MASTERS!

Darius's eyes gleamed with a mix of contemplation and desire. His disgusting expression was nothing less than that of a fanatic psychopath.

— Go get yourself checked, you bastard... Lucian murmured.

Grand Master...? What's that??? I've never heard of anything like that before...

So someone's pulling the strings?! ... But this person is powerful enough to make people forget the fear Sélène used to inspire??

What the hell happened during my absence?

Suddenly, the man beside Darius, as if to bring the duke back to reality, spoke in a cold voice, without even bothering to look at him:

— My patience has limits.

— Hehe...

Darius immediately stopped laughing, regaining a solemn expression and posture. It was so quick that it seemed like his earlier burst of madness had been nothing but an illusion.

This man... The more I look at him, the less he tells me. But... I'm not dreaming, he really just reprimanded Darius. This is absurd...

Anyway, this "Grand Master"...? No, this doesn't make sense. If Darius flipped out mentioning the Grand Masters, would they do something like that right next to the one he reveres, without even looking at him?

And then... he mentioned the Grand Masters.

So, there isn't just one mastermind behind all this.

— You seem impatient. Very well.

Darius spoke in an empty tone, his eyes devoid of emotion. Then he ordered the mind-controlled knights, those who had slaughtered their own comrades and were now standing still like statues:

— I want to see this little punk's heart on my table.

At these words, the knight slowly advanced toward me, his sword still covered in the blood of his comrades.

— Drop that sword and do the job with this dagger.

Darius ordered again, impassive.

The sword fell to the ground, and a dagger was tossed toward the knight by the mysterious man beside him. Without effort, the knight caught it mid-air.

---

Cold sweat ran down my temple as I watched the knight approach, dagger in hand, while the nobles snickered, whispering their mockeries.

Haha, damn...

It seems like they often forget that I'm just a kid in this messed-up world.

A mischievous smile curled on my lips as my thumb pointed downward.

My nervous tic came back without warning...

Of course, I had a plan in place in case a situation like this ever arose.

After all, when a new, brutal, unusual, and dangerous policy is enforced, the citizens of this country don't just sit back... especially when even the kingdom's elite are affected.

A rebellion was inevitable.

Because nothing is more dangerous than a man who has nothing left to lose.

And that's exactly why these nobles, who would normally be terrified of change and death, no longer fear the name Sélène Voldreck.

— What's that gesture, little brother? That's funny.

Alright, now's the time.

— Hey, Chris, are you planning to make me stress out any longer? Get rid of everyone except Darius. I have a few questions for him.

A voice echoed from the depths of the forest.

— As you command.

— Haha, you've become a real...

The bearded noble with a bulging belly didn't even have time to finish his sentence. Before the other nobles could blink, twelve heads had already flown off.

Before I left on my journey, I had given Chris an order: keep a close eye on the imperial family and Grand Duke Angelos Red. They were the only ones capable of supporting factions and the only ones with noble titles.

Naturally, those without power always gathered around those who held it. And even though organizing a rebellion against the crown was practically impossible, that didn't mean no one would try.

Chris's mission wasn't for just anyone. Not only did he have to spy on their every move, but he also had to manage the Empire in my absence. However, if I trusted the novel, he was more than capable of pulling it off.

In the original story, it was mentioned that Chris was not human. He belonged to an immensely powerful race that had existed in times long past.

At the request of a fan, the author of Empire Wars had even released a bonus Chapter listing the most powerful characters in the work.

The top three spots were occupied by the Sword Gods, with Sélène in third place. The fourth spot went to the Level 11 Archmage, Angela Noir, and the fifth... to Chris Hartner.

In terms of raw power, this meant that Chris possessed near-divine strength.

So he was perfectly capable of eliminating these scumbags without being detected.

But could this bastard have dealt with it before I arrived? Tsk.

Chris suddenly appeared behind the knight advancing toward me and sliced him into three pieces.

With... his hand?!

Wasn't the author making his characters a bit too powerful?

Chris vanished immediately. I couldn't even track his movements with my eyes.

I simply focused on Darius.

Why is he so calm?

In the blink of an eye, Chris reappeared, this time behind the mysterious man next to Darius.

This should've been the end... It was supposed to be the end.

But a cold voice cut through the air.

"How dare a kid like you ruin our plans?"

The tone was so sharp, it almost felt like it was aimed at me.

After all, I was the only kid here...

Sniff...

But something told me he wasn't talking about me.

He was talking about Chris.

Did he just call Chris a kid?

Chris froze.

And on his face, there was a look... of terror.

What...?

What is...?

"What the hell are you doing, Chris?!"

My voice trembled as I screamed, panic creeping in.

Chris... that monster who had never shown an ounce of fear... was now sitting, terrified, with his back against a tree. He looked like a man who had just seen a ghost.

In a trembling voice, the old man whispered:

"Fu... flee, Your Majesty..."

Flee??? Flee???

With my little legs? You want me to run?

Darius, on the other hand, calmly sipped his tea, as if nothing unusual was happening before him.

— "Do you understand now, Lucian?"

Damn, damn, damn... I'm screwed.

— "Although... if you kneel before me, I promise you a quicker death."

Darius paused, then added, with a hint of false compassion:

— "I can do that... for the blood bond between us."

Ah...

Lucian furrowed his brow.

— "I will never bow down. Not even before the damn god of this shitty world."

Darius gave a smirk of amusement.

The man beside him mirrored the same grin before whispering:

— "Even if I promise to spare your life?"

Darius turned his head sharply toward him.

— "Hey, what the hell are you talking about?!"

But the man completely ignored him.

— "Kneel before the Grand Masters, and I swear you won't die."

Haha... well, look at that...

Maybe, in the end, I really have no business in this world...

A memory came to mind.

A conversation with Hamilton, where i assured that no matter the world, I'd always be wealthy.

Just nonsense.

Was I too arrogant?

Doesn't matter.

My nervous tic returned.

A wide grin stretched across my lips.

This time, I accompanied my smile with a middle finger from my left hand, while my right hand pointed a thumb down.

— "I will never kneel to anyone... and certainly not to dogs like you."

Darius, as if losing all interest, closed his eyes and took another sip of his tea.

— "Pity."

He vanished.

He appeared right before me.

I didn't even have time to react.

No one knew how, but the dagger that

had belonged to the knight sliced by Chris...

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

Was now in the hand of the mysterious man.

His right hand grabbed my neck.

The dagger gleamed in his left hand.

I couldn't breathe.

My vision blurred.

Indeed... it's a shame to die now.

If I die here... will I return to Earth?