The Empror's Trap-Chapter 33: Ch - A New "Force"

Kenji issued an immediate order: Hold position.

There was no need to push further for now. With Hanyin City back under their control, they could consolidate their position and wait to see if the Sal barbarians dared to retaliate.

At this stage, the next steps were clear: root out internal traitors and prepare for diplomacy with the Sal Kingdom.

Kenji leaned back in his chair, smirking slightly. He was curious to see what excuse the Sal Kingdom would conjure up this time to defend their actions. Every time they started a conflict, their explanations grew more far-fetched and ridiculous.

Well, he thought with a flicker of amusement, their creativity never disappoints.

With another dawn breaking over the horizon, several hundred new faces appeared in the training grounds of the Duke Anos’s manor.

These were the men Kenji had requested from General Balinos earlier. Though he now held considerable power, those regular troops were destined for the battlefield. No, what Kenji needed wasn’t just ordinary soldiers, but something... a bit more specialized.

He’d sent word to General Balinos, requesting five hundred of his most shrewd and capable men. Though the General remained stationed in the north, he’d already arranged for suitable candidates.

Kenji studied the robust soldiers before him with satisfaction, giving an approving nod.

"Young master, what do you intend to do with these men?" Lina asked.

"Something rather crucial - it concerns the very stability of Camelot itself," Kenji replied with a knowing smile. "Tell me, Lina, what do you think our fair empire lacks at present?"

"Resources, I’d say — though Camelot prospers, we still struggle to sustain such a vast population."

"Resources, necessities — those can be solved through various means. Not worth losing sleep over." Kenji patted Lina’s shoulder, gesturing dramatically at the five hundred men below. "What Camelot truly lacks is stability. Political stability, to be precise. Lina, you’ve had to save my neck more than once lately. Care to guess why I keep finding myself in such... unfortunate situations?"

"Lack of stability," Lina answered flatly. After Kenji had spelled it out so clearly, she’d have to be rather dense not to catch on.

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"Precisely! So I need to stabilize Camelot’s political landscape. Whether it’s the Prince’s faction, the various princes’ camps, the civil officials’ clique, or the military bloc — they can have their stances, but I cannot allow them to shake Camelot’s foundations."

As he spoke, Kenji’s gaze swept over the soldiers below, assessing each one.

"Camelot doesn’t lack productivity, but we’re only operating at half capacity. This isn’t due to outdated policies or natural disasters. No, the root cause lies in the chaos that’s persisted since the late Emperor’s campaigns. This chaos doesn’t stem from the common folk, but from us up here - the oh-so-noble officials."

Standing before the five hundred men, Kenji’s voice boomed across the grounds:

"Tell me, do any of you know why I’ve summoned you here?"

The soldiers exchanged bewildered glances. Most had simply followed their transfer orders, which stated that by command of the Grand Marshal, everyone on the list must report to his manor. They’d come, but none knew why.

"Perfect! If you knew, I’d have failed already!" Kenji chuckled, tapping his foot on the ground. "So tell me, where are you standing right now?"

"The Grand Marshal’s manor!"

Indeed, this was the Grand Marshal’s manor, everyone knew that. They also knew that nearly all military matters of the empire fell under the Grand Marshal’s purview. And not just military affairs - a significant portion of internal governance also rested in the hands of the Grand Marshal before them.

However, almost none present had ever actually seen the Grand Marshal in person. Though they’d heard the current Grand Marshal was young, no one had expected him to be even younger than many of those present. Some veteran soldiers couldn’t help but think he looked about their younger brothers’ age.

"Correct, the Grand Marshal’s manor. This is where the empire’s military orders originate from. Since that’s established, I’ll cut to the chase: Starting today, you’ll receive higher pay than ordinary soldiers!"

A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.

The five hundred men glanced at each other, hardly daring to believe such good fortune had fallen into their laps. Though the empire wasn’t short on funds and had never delayed military wages, such a sudden pay raise seemed too good to be true.

"Surprised? Well, let me tell you - this isn’t charity. You’ll undergo far more rigorous training than regular soldiers. That’s why I specifically requested capable men. Most of you are literate, which is essential for what I have in mind. Remember this: once you accept this higher pay, your loyalty lies not with Camelot, not with your generals, but with..."

He pointed to himself.

"Me, and Her Majesty."

As he said this, he studied their expressions, noting no signs of wavering before continuing:

"Now, I can tell you what I have planned. You’ll become the empire’s hidden blade. I need you, the empire needs you — you’ll follow my orders to deal with concealed enemies. This task is safer than facing external foes directly, but far more complex."

At this point, Kenji glanced at Lina.

Lina remained expressionless, apparently unconcerned.

"I’ll explain the details later, but first, I must warn you: you may face public panic, criticism from imperial officials, even curses from your own comrades. You may have to raise your blade against your own. If you can accept such duties, stay. If not, you’re free to return to your original units. Just one condition — everything said here today stays here. Revealing any of this will be treated as treason."

With that, Kenji waved his hand: "Make your choice."

After a brief pause, Kenji ordered his servants to display the salary details on the wall. The figures made everyone gasp.

Gods above, this was way more than their current military pay!

Moreover, it seemed there were excellent provisions for those injured in the line of duty - the document clearly stated that if injuries prevented continued service, the empire would provide stable rear-echelon positions...

However, given the Grand Marshal’s earlier warning, no one rushed to decide — from his words, it seemed this work involved not fighting external enemies, but... dealing with their own people?

What kind of work was this, targeting their own?

They couldn’t comprehend it, of course. Because in Kenji’s mind, their work had another special name, one from his world that perfectly described their role:

The Eastern Depot, Imperial Guards.