Emperor of Steel

The capital of the Baroque Empire, Nemesis.

Due to the advent of the high ranking demon and the aftermath of the civil war, the Empire had been divided into three different nations and the glory of the city was lost, but it still held a large population of over 2 million.

Being so, it was still one of the most populated cities on Rhodesia Continent.

Although the inhabitants were all nobles who had comfortable residences and large mansions to live in, there were numerous slums which weren’t much far from the commercial streets.

In such congested streets, two merchants were moving in cautious eyes.

They were the agents from Libiya Kingdom.

“I think the number of people have reduced by a lot more than before.”

A middle-aged man with a frown said, making the young man with freckles look around for the answer.

“Because of the havoc raged by those demons and the civil war, many people moved over. In addition, Emperor Rudolf has wiped out nobles against him from the capital.”

There was a common saying in the people about the nobles, ‘A family with a gold spoon’.

However, there weren’t many people in the capital who were living as employed in the nobles.

Working as an employee in the noble family, it was common for them to hold the responsibility to build or repair the mansion of the nobles, or make clothes for them, or bring them food.

“Which means that many people in this city were living off the nobles in many ways. And Rudolf just blew it all up.”

“Aha, there were many people who left the capital because of the broken trust, right?”

“That is true. The public sentiment turned for the worst, however, Emperor Rudolf didn’t seem to be so concerned with it.”

People were dissatisfied, however, they couldn’t express themselves.

It was because they were afraid that the mad emperor would slaughter them like he did with the nobles.

“Even then, the emperor is no fool, so he is holding people with political movements. But it won’t be of huge impact.”

“Huhuhu. It would be worthwhile if the epidemic spreads in such a situation.”

When the young man was speaking, the middle-aged one stopped him.

It was because there were soldiers ahead of them, checking the visitors.

When the young man reached for the dagger on his waist, the middle-aged man stopped.

“This is normal. It is just a general checkpoint to find out the spies who are trying to enter the capital.”

Shortly after the civil war broke, the Baroque Imperial frequently searched in the capital to catch any spies who might have infiltrated.

“So, does this have nothing to do with our mission?”

“Kuku. They already believe that their plan has already been implemented.”

And as said, the Libiya army deliberately acted to suffer in the border areas to deceive the Baroque Empire.

The soldiers were sent to the treatment camps, and the medical mages were dispatched to show like they were trying to control the epidemic.

And it didn’t just stop there, they also spread rumors stating that strange disease was spread in the Libiya through the spies of the baroque.

“See, don’t get nervous. Since everything will work out.”

The elderly who managed to stop the young man stopped the wagon in front of the checkpoint.

A soldier, bowed to the two and the two in the wagon smiled.

“Hello, kid. What is happening?”

“Nothing sir. We’ll inspect you for a moment. First, please present your ID and pass.”

As the words of the soldier, the young man took out an ID and pass which had been forged.

“We are working in the food materials supply to a high-end restaurant in the capital. It is a place only for the high noble…”

Not listening to the words of the man, the soldiers looked at the ID and pass presented to him.

Maybe he wasn’t able to figure out if it was forged, he looked around to the other soldiers who were looking through the goods of the wagon.

“Have you found anything suspicious?”

“Well, there are vegetables and greens and mushrooms, some meat and fish which have been frozen with magic.”

“Tch, we are at war and the nobles eat so well.”

The world of magic had developed, however, only the talented nobles were the ones who benefitted from them.

Fresh meat and fish, the soldiers who couldn’t even dream about eating them frowned.

“Wait, there are some bottles in here.”

A soldier found a wooden box that had glass bottles at the corner of the wagon.

Even the agents disguised as merchants turned nervous at that.

It was the bottle that contained the epidemic fluid in it.

With a cold gaze, the soldiers spoke.

“Yah, what is this? Some kind of drink or a potion?”

Since the war had erupted, the Baroque Empire had banned the manufacture and sale of liquor and sold off all the potions in the nation. It was to prevent the waste of food siding it with alcohol and to secure as much attention from the soldiers as possible on work.

Which was why those on duty were extremely irritated.

However, the agents from Libiya weren’t aware of it.

“No, kid. That is for our cooking purpose, sauce.”

“Sauce you say? I have never heard of a sauce which had such black liquid used in it?”

When the officers’ doubts weren’t clarified, the middle-aged man laid out another lie.

“That is soy sauce, and it is imported from the Yemaek kingdom on the Southern continent. They said that it was made after fermenting the boiled beans in seawater.”

“Ah, I did hear of that. I heard it from my cousin’s sister who works in a high-end restaurant, but it is very chewy. They said that it tastes amazing when eaten with grilled meat.”

A soldier to the side spoke.

However, the soldiers who were leading the check didn’t seem to believe it.

“How do you ferment soil beans and turn them black?”

“Well, maybe something was done for it… Oh! Don’t open the stopper! It is very expensive and we can’t use it if the scent blows away!”

“Really?”

The soldiers looked at the men who stopped them.

“That sauce is expensive because it is made with all kinds of ingredients. Besides, it has come all the way from the Southern continent, it would be very expensive. Maybe the salary of the chef for a year…”

“Keuk, those damned nobles eating away the salary of ours.”

The soldiers put back the bottle in its place.

Seeing that, the agents of Libiya sighed out of relief.

They too heard the rough stories from the soldiers around them. If the lid was opened or the bottle had broken, they would die a terrifying death.

“Pass. Go.”

“Yes, thank you so much, kid.”

After some time, the agents were passed through the checkpoint and arrived at the location they had to release it.

“Be careful. If you don’t want to die, we shouldn’t open that lid.”

“Don’t worry. We all heard about it.”

After delivering the bottles, the agents left Burinake.

The spies of Libiya who were handed the goods moved into the crowded street.

It was a tough day, but they decided to move right away instead of using it at night.

Besides, since it was the midway, a lot of people were moving around. And that way the epidemic would spread faster.

The spies left the bottles of the ground and moved away.

The glass bottle got caught between the feet of the people moving or the wagons that went over them, breaking them.

And some curious walking men opened the lid to check what it was.

The spies watching from a distance looked at the broken bottles and confirmed the spread.

They were convinced that the God of Death had descended on Nemesis.