“Chancellor. What on earth is going on here?”
The Citadel Parliament was brightly lit even late into the night. In such times, only a few could sleep peacefully, relying on medicine to find solace.
The Chancellor of the Citadel Republic, Adolf Macliren, sat in silence, unable to continue speaking.
Thomas William, a man the Chancellor would usually not even glance at, now had the opportunity to speak with him face-to-face due to the dire circumstances.
Upon hearing Thomas’s description of the monster, the Chancellor’s expression turned as if he had seen a ghost. In truth, it was something far more terrifying than a ghost.
Grimudo’s most cherished monster, undoubtedly the king of monsters, the unparalleled and strongest of them all—the Phoenix. The only being capable of summoning such a creature was none other than the Primal Demon King.
“I admit my mistake. I will acknowledge this error.”
Though he had struck a deal to overthrow the royal family and establish the republic, it might have been the worst mistake of his life. Even his supporters distanced themselves, and his enemies grew bolder, tearing into him.
Of course, they had no choice. The faces of the parliament members who vented their anger at him were filled with fear.
“A mistake? A mistake? Chancellor, this is a matter of national survival! I may not be as clever as you, but I don’t understand why Grimudo would attack our republic. But even I know one thing.”
The Chancellor’s gaze, as he watched a parliament member slam his fist on the table, flickered with a hint of killing intent. If he hadn’t sought Grimudo’s power, that man would have been beheaded and left to rot in the streets.
Back then, the anti-royal faction was on the brink of collapse, forced to operate in secret. The Citadel royal family had committed countless misdeeds, but their power remained strong, and many still supported them.
For the revolution, some choices were unavoidable. While he traveled to the Arctic to seek Grimudo, what were these trash doing?
And now, they refuse to acknowledge his contributions and only blame him? The Chancellor felt uneasy but didn’t show it.
Things had already reached this point. Who would stand by his side now?
And if the volcano truly erupts, what good would winning an argument do? He swallowed his anger and focused on finding a solution.
“Grimudo has no interest in us unless provoked. Chancellor, isn’t it because you provoked him that he’s now acting?”
“McKill, you’re being too harsh. The Chancellor caused this mess, so surely he has a solution. This is an emergency. Budget is no issue. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to the worst.”
Gillead Ranbolt, also the head of the Merchant Union, tried to calm his fellow parliament members. Of course, he wasn’t siding with the Chancellor.
He believed this pointless political squabble could wait. Winning an argument wouldn’t delay the volcano’s eruption. If the Caldera Mountain Range explodes, the consequences would be horrifying.
Unlike the vast empire, the Citadel Republic is small, with strong administrative power and order. But in times of crisis, this advantage becomes a liability.
Though the republic had prepared well against external threats, this was a crisis no one had anticipated. Honestly, even if they had prepared, it might not have made a difference.
If the volcano erupts, the republic is finished. Everything, including ports and roads, will be buried under lava and ash. The area near the mountain range will become a land of death, swept clean by pyroclastic flows, leaving nothing alive. Valles City might not even survive.
No one has ever seen a volcano of this scale erupt. What will happen is entirely unknown, but one thing is certain: whatever you imagine, reality will likely be worse.
Suddenly, the ground shook. Glasses fell and shattered everywhere.
If this were the first time, everyone would have been startled, but now they were used to it. The tremors came intermittently, familiar enough to make the Chancellor believe Thomas without verification. The intervals between tremors were getting shorter.
Even those who hadn’t received any news instinctively felt something was wrong and prepared to flee. Ships were fully booked, some packed their belongings and left, while others dug basements to prepare for the future.
Whether such preparations would help is unknown, but it’s better than waiting for death. Only time will tell.
“Shouldn’t we evacuate too?”
“The republic is our home. Where would we go if we leave?”
“To the empire or elsewhere. Life is more important than wealth.”
Fear appeared on the parliament members’ faces. Nature doesn’t care if you’re a parliament member or hold power. When it’s angry, it sweeps everything away.
If they stay and the earthquake hits, followed by volcanic ash, will they then surrender to the volcano? Will raising a white flag to the ash make it spare them?
Not a chance. Fleeing is the best option. Even the dignified ones wanted to take their families and wealth and leave by ship now.
Even if the republic falls, with money, they can survive anywhere.
“If we can protect it, we should.”
But that’s not easy. If they abandon the republic, it will be utterly destroyed. Nature is executing this, leaving no room for miracles.
“Don’t forget, this is the foundation of our power. If it’s destroyed, we’ll just be rich men, not parliament members.”
Unlike the Citadel Republic, where money equals power, other nations prioritize power over wealth. If they flee to another country, could these merchants strut around as they do now?
“Those who wish to become servants of power again, leave. I won’t stop you. I’m old, and I’ve experienced enough when the royal family ruled. I’ll listen to the Chancellor’s wise counsel.”
At the words of the eldest parliament member, Jayden Motavil, the others fell into thought. The Chancellor bowed his head in gratitude and spoke.
“Even if you prepare now, you can’t take all your wealth. This is an emergency, so no matter how quickly you move your assets, you’ll inevitably suffer losses. So, since we’ll lose it anyway, let’s invest that money.”
“Invest in what?”
“In the republic’s safety and our survival.”
“Chancellor, that’s not an investment; it’s a gamble. But I don’t mind a gamble if the odds are in my favor.”
Jayden downed a glass of brandy and replied.
“Speak.”
“I plan to bribe the three Masters the republic has recruited.”
“Will they risk their lives for money?”
“If they refuse, it’s just a matter of insufficient funds. Isn’t it our creed that nothing can’t be bought with money? We can offer as much gold and silver as it takes. After all, if the worst comes, we’ll have to leave it all behind.”
If the Citadel Republic’s transcendents can defeat the Undead Creature, the eruption can be delayed, and everything will return to normal. The key is not to waste time.
Even now, the worst-case scenario is approaching. Once decided, they must act as quickly as possible.
“Chancellor, it would be great if it works as you say, but what if the three fail? Transcendents may be at the peak of humanity, but monsters are fundamentally different. Their strength is incomparable.”
“That’s why I propose this.”
The Chancellor finally revealed his trump card.
“Long ago, when the republic was still a kingdom, a massive teleportation gate was built connecting Valles City and the capital, Grantera. This gate could be used for surprise attacks, so it’s always closed and requires approval from both sides to open.”
Originally, it was built to facilitate quick communication between the distant empire and the kingdom, as sending envoys would take months.
Another purpose was to provide a quick escape route in case of a demon invasion from the north. No matter how strong the royal family was, the Citadel Kingdom’s territory was too small to withstand a full-scale demon invasion.
In the end, the gate was activated not for demons but for the Chancellor’s rebels. Back then, young Parnell and her escapes fled through the gate. The Chancellor, who still remembers that day, believed fully opening the gate was worth a try.
“We’ll offer to fully forgive the empire’s national debt. Princess Ardein von Illumina incurred much debt during the war. The condition is simple: open the gate and accept refugees. The empire won’t refuse this deal.”
“That’s absurd. You want us to open our wallets to save beggars? How much debt does the empire owe us? Are we just going to wipe it all out? What about those of us who hold a significant portion of our wealth in empire bonds?”
One parliament member protested, but Jayden, the respected elder, calmed him down, chiding the younger members.
“If the Citadel Republic falls, do you think the empire will repay our debt? Even if they do, it might take centuries. Face reality. It’s cheaper for them to hire an assassin to kill you than to repay the debt.”
If the republic falls, the bonds will become worthless paper.
The empire won’t willingly repay the debt. If they’re forced to, they’ll likely pay only half through negotiations.
In that case, it’s better to prepare for the worst.
“In the worst case, we might lose both our money and our country. Chancellor, if your plan fails, how will you repay us?”
“Offering my life wouldn’t satisfy you. My life has no monetary value.”
Chancellor Adolf stood up, his aged face resolute.
“If the worst happens, you can divide my overseas mines among yourselves. If the republic falls, I will share its fate. You know I have no heirs or relatives to inherit my wealth.”
No matter how much wealth he has, without heirs, it means little to an old man. This old man lost his children to the Citadel royal family.
His brother sided wrongly in a power struggle, branding the Macliren family as traitors. His beautiful wife and lovely children died under torture, and relatives either died or cut ties. He survived torture but was left impotent.
Who would have thought this penniless man would overthrow the royal family with Grimudo’s help? But that’s all in the past.
Having lost his children and with no hope for more, his only joy was power, but now Grimudo seems intent on taking it.
Grimudo gave it, so if he takes it back, there’s nothing to be done. The Chancellor knew the Demon King’s power well. Complaining to him would be pointless.
“Chancellor, are you serious?”
“I don’t lie. If the republic dies, I will die with it. After that, you can divide my overseas assets as you wish. I won’t take them to the afterlife.”
When the Citadel Republic is destroyed by the earthquake and buried under lava, he will be buried with it. The Chancellor had already made up his mind.
No one could push this man, ready to die, any further. Someone had to bear the responsibility for this colossal failure, and no one wanted that burden.
Who would want to be branded as the villain who caused the nation’s fall in history books?
If the Chancellor is willing to bear all the blame and be buried alive, what more could they say?
The Citadel Republic’s final strategy was decided. If successful, the nation would survive; if not, at least the people might. All success or failure now rested on the three Masters residing in the republic.
