My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 64

“My disciple, huh…”

Thinking back on it now, it’s quite a funny situation.

I had never referred to the Heroes as my disciples, but everyone around me called them that, which left me baffled.

Well, a true teacher should have something to teach.

“…Is there a problem?”

I knew exactly what he was getting at, but I decided to play dumb.

Crossing my arms calmly and responding with a rhetorical question, Chris briefly wore a look of confusion.

“Praus, I already know you’ve taken in Beastmen and Elves. Naturally, you’ve branded them as slaves as well.”

If he’s aware of information from three years ago, does that mean he has been keeping tabs on me ever since?

He must be really interested in my affairs.

“I received reports back at the New Year’s party two years ago that you were raising some rather threatening Beastmen.”

At that time, Ariel hadn’t set up any barriers, so it seems information leakage was unavoidable.

“You must know about the massacre of the other races. Why are you raising those children? Don’t you think they’d become a significant threat to the Empire? As a citizen of the Empire, shouldn’t you give it a little thought?”

It’s far better than just letting the Heroes die.

If I had my way, I would want to question him about how he justified stealing the homes of the races that were living well.

A situation that could have led to cohabitation was ruined by the Emperor’s inability to overcome his greed, and now he’s shifting the blame on others because he fears they will pose a threat to the Empire.

It was repulsive enough in the game, but seeing it in reality was even worse.

“Such is my mind.”

In the past, I might have just grumbled and hoped for no conflicts, but it felt different now.

Especially since the Crown Prince thinks of me as strong, plus there are three Heroes around me.

“What did you say?”

“Why would I need anyone’s permission to raise anyone?”

“Praus, perhaps you’ve been isolated in a rural village, but committing acts that could be a threat to the Empire could warrant the death penalty.”

“A threat, you say? Then let me ask: if you knew they would be a threat, why did you massacre the other races in the first place?”

“That wasn’t me; it was His Majesty. At that time, I was much younger than now.”

Is he really trying to use that as an excuse now?

Shouldn’t the next emperor be pondering why the Emperor made such a choice?

In reality, Princess Seri thought differently; she considered that they would have to unite with other races to confront the Demon Tribe.

This meant that she questioned the massacre incident carried out by Emperor Lupin.

If she voiced her thoughts to anyone in the royal family, she could be scolded with “How dare you speak against His Majesty’s thought?” or ridiculed as if it were utterly laughable.

However, she was someone capable of envisioning the worst-case scenario over immediate greed.

That’s why, not being greedy for power, she could live quietly, treated as “the little sister” by Crown Prince Chris. Of course, she is ignored, but still.

“I didn’t raise that issue to argue. However, if you thought it would be a threat, you should have pursued a path of cohabitation with the other races from the start—”

“Wouldn’t that mean you wouldn’t have raised them at all? Even a slave brand would have been much more reassuring!”

He shouted as he slammed his cup down. The clattering noise was harsh.

“To raise disciples, you don’t trust them enough to not brand them as slaves? Don’t you find that contradictory?”

Setting aside the trust issue, he probably doesn’t realize that branding them as slaves takes away their original power.

Other races typically possess physical abilities superior to humans and tend to have enhanced mana sensitivity.

That’s why they are branded as slaves to make them easier to control.

Once branded, they can’t refuse orders, and their bodies are weakened.

This is fatal for the Heroes who have to confront commanders and Demon Kings.

No matter how much they train and equip themselves with good artifacts, if they’re in a suppressed state, they can’t harness their true strength and won’t be able to respond when danger strikes.

In fact, that would only put the Empire in a tighter spot.

“Regardless, making the other races stronger could be seen as forming a ‘rebellion.’ Therefore, I’ll have you rebrand them immediately. Otherwise, I will punish you with the authority of the next Crown Prince.”

Even a child wouldn’t throw such absurd tantrums. Damn brat.

“While you haven’t taken any action against the S-Class Urka, now you want to brand those who just became B-Class?”

“Urka is currently defeating the Demon Tribe, so that’s an exception. If you don’t like it, you could always send your disciples to the border.”

“You want to send those poor kids to such a desolate place? Are you out of your mind?”

No matter how much I encouraged them to become adventurers for practical experience, I had no intention of sending them away just yet.

They simply weren’t ready.

“Out of your mind? Just because I overlook your rudeness doesn’t mean you should forget who you’re talking to. I’m the future Emperor of the Empire. You’re just a commoner. And while I’m treating you well because you’re somewhat strong, openly insulting the royal family like this? Isn’t the royal family meant to be respected?”

Damn it. I’m sorry for being stuck in the position of a commoner.

In an era where class distinctions are clear, the biggest obstacle is, unsurprisingly, the social strata.

I’m not just some junior member of the nobility; I have no ties to them yet, merely being an Empire citizen makes me oppressed and interfered with. It was infuriating.

“I will propose to His Majesty that branding the other races as slaves will henceforth be deemed ‘illegal’ under any circumstance.”

“What…?”

Has this lunatic lost his mind completely?

Even in a time where dictatorship is the norm, this is too much.

“Are you kidding me? Do you genuinely think you can predict how people will respond if you do that?”

This was an excessively rash action.

It was tantamount to asking the other races, who had lost everything yet maintained hope, to surrender their futures.

To take races who had barely clawed their way out of slavery and plunge them back into it? Who even thinks like that?

Moreover, this is precisely the type of behavior that would incite the other races to revolt.

“If they pose a threat to the Empire, it’s only right to eliminate them. His Majesty figured that the massacre and enslavement of the other races were necessary because he deemed them a threat to the Empire.”

Ah… It’s like reliving the nightmares I had while playing the game.

How much did I suffer because of those damned royal family idiots?

Facing the same oppressive fear they exerted without providing any help in reality only increased my disgust tenfold.

Should I really consider smashing the royal family to pieces, excluding Princess Seri?

Starting a Succession War right now might actually be beneficial for the future.

I felt like I was about to explode from this suffocating development.

Leaning back on the couch, I let out a deep sigh.

“…Do you know why I’m raising those kids?”

I pressed my temples and tried to soothe my throbbing head.

“Why are you raising them?”

“To protect the Empire from the Demon Tribe.”

This was a glaring truth.

To craft a happy ending, I certainly need the Empire.

“What…?”

“From the perspective of an Empire that shares borders with the Demon World, the more strong allies we have, the better. So why do you only consider oppression because you’re scared of the other races? Don’t you have any intention of utilizing them?”

Once I asked, I stumbled upon the realization.

I didn’t even need to hear it from Crown Prince Chris to know.

This guy simply wants to remove any variables that might obstruct his path to becoming Emperor.

“W-Well, humanity has overcome countless adversities with sheer strength. We don’t need the help of other races.”

Does he even know how many monsters and Demon Tribe members Urka and the other race adventurers have slain up till now?

He doesn’t even seem to care about what happens at the borders, just relying on paperwork to make all his judgments, stuck in such shallow thinking.

“…If you’re confident, why not grant the other races some land and let them thrive outside the Empire?”

“Why would we? We’ve invested money to expand our territory, and there’s no reason for us to do that.”

Sure, that was its true nature.

This was Crown Prince Chris’s true character.

Despite being five years younger, it’s as if he’s been ripped straight from the game, a complete carbon copy.

Every single irritating trait matches. The hell?

I thought there might be a trace of redemption, but…

“And by the way, I can’t help but notice you seem to be siding with the non-human races despite being a human yourself.”

“Well, that’s….”

Because it’s the correct path forward.

If we fail to rescue the Heroes, this world is doomed regardless. In such a situation, can we really afford to argue about humanity versus other races?

I would have liked to explain everything, but since he’s declared he doesn’t need the help of other races, any further persuasion is futile.

He will surely think that the other races are worthy of serving humans till the day he dies.

“Sure, many people are accustomed to living alongside other races and consider their positions. However, no one would brand them as slaves like you do.”

Chris sneered and pointed at me.

“Why? Because others also understand that other races are untrustworthy.”

Since I’m not a product of this world, my perceptions of the other races differ from those of everyone else.

However, even among those born and raised in this world, there are still individuals who don’t view other races through a pessimistic lens.

“…So, was Duke Tori also wrong?”

“Absolutely wrong. By granting mercy to the other races, southern dukes of the Empire show a real failure. His Majesty’s preferential treatment of Duke Aus was warranted, but when I become Emperor, I’ll erase such precedents entirely.”

Woah, hearing that kind of cliché speech from the game in real life feels like cancer cells boiling inside me.

I think I need to adjust my plans a bit. I simply don’t want to see this blocked-eared Crown Prince become Emperor.

I had initially assumed I wouldn’t directly involve myself in the political schemes of the nobility, but that assumption has changed.

“It seems there’s no value left in continuing this discussion.”

I stood up from my seat.

“…Praus, if you continue to live as a citizen of the Empire, it’d be wise for you to follow my words.”

“You should go on and become Emperor first. What’s the point of you, who isn’t even an emperor, trying to act so grand?”

“What did you say?”

“Right. Now that I’ve got your thoughts down, I’ll lay it out for you clearly here.”

Taking a deep breath as if to calm myself, I opened my mouth.

“If you make slave branding illegal, you’ll have to deal with me and the disciples outside.”

If the other side thinks in extremes, then so must I.

“Hah… Are you seriously going to turn the Empire into an enemy?”

“I’m curious to see how the other princes will react once your power diminishes.”

“This bastard….”

I left the Crown Prince behind and started to walk away. Just before I reached the exit, I turned back to see Chris radiating hostility at me.

“It’d be wise to think this over carefully if you truly want to become Emperor.”

I opened the door and stepped out confidently. In the hallway, the Black Light Corps and the Heroes were glaring at each other, creating a tense atmosphere.

“Ah, Teacher!”

The kids’ expressions eased as they saw me.

“I’m leaving.”

Before heading out to the Imperial Palace, I should stop by Princess Seri’s quarters.

She should still be residing in this building for now.