Rust - Chapter 982



Only Krnovel

Rust [RUST] – Episode 982

Dan Brown tilted his head slightly at Leon Bonnard’s question.

“Why did you do that? You knew that, but you still thought of coming to see me. Your liver is swollen.”

It was Leon Bonnard who did not avoid the hazy and maddening gaze of Dan Brown. Dan Brown smiled bitterly at his appearance as if telling him to blow himself up if he wanted to.

Emperor.

Even if it was only formal, there was no answer after killing the person who was elected through a national vote rather than the conventional election method of an electoral college.

What will happen to the empire after they die together? What will happen to the citizens’ representatives and the new military government that lost their emperor? What will happen to the power struggle that takes advantage of the vacuum created by the physical purge of existing politicians?

The empire could have been torn apart and destroyed. Unless the Holy Kingdom accepted the survivors. Since they had made it clear that they would not accept refugees or intervene, killing Leon Bonnard would have been the worst.

“If you’re wondering why, I have no other way to say it than, ‘Because I think I’ll become an absolute power like I am now.’”

“You tried to kill me because you thought you would gain absolute power? Weren’t you the absolute power? The former president?”

“Do you think I wielded absolute power? I became the president because there was no other way at the time.”

“Good words. You are saying that there is no other way. Is there any other way now than for me to become the emperor?”

One of Dan Brown’s eyebrows rose at Leon Bonnard’s response.

This kid?

“You didn’t come to power normally. You were tricked by those damned bastards. You were emotionally seduced by the people who were excited by the psychic generator. That’s the position you’re in now. But there was no other way?”

“Psychic generator?”

“If not, why would the citizens of the Empire be calling out to you so madly?”

“Is there any evidence?”

“Of course.”

“There must have been mental wave countermeasure equipment in major buildings, including the maritime city. So there’s a force that disabled it. Do you know who that is?”

“Yeah. David White. That idiot wanted to use this memorial and you to bring down the new president and the military.”

Leon Bonnard was conflicted for a moment after hearing that explanation.

I thought he had stepped down from the presidency and retired from politics, but Dan Brown’s shadow loomed large everywhere.

Since Dan Brown came from the Department of Homeland Security and had followers of his ideas and beliefs all over the Empire, it was inevitable that he would have both the intelligence and execution power.

It would have been difficult to kill him like this.

After killing Dan Brown, it was obvious that there would be a headache. Those from the Department of Homeland Security could filter them out, but those who supported his ideology and beliefs were likely to become secret societies and terrorists.

If we strengthen inspections, searches, and surveillance to catch them, they will say that they are oppressing the citizens after becoming the emperor without any authority.

I had just become the emperor, but things were not going well from the start. And once I was in the emperor’s seat, I didn’t want to be swayed.

“So. In short, is this what you’re saying? As soon as you, Dan Brown, stepped down from power, a politician who was in league with a cannibalistic vampire emerged. And they tried to use me.”

“······.”

“I was afraid that I would stage a coup d’état if I couldn’t bear it any longer, or that I would be used for political purposes and become the ringleader in dividing the empire, so I tried to be remembered as a good hero, but I survived thanks to their help.”

“······.”

Leon Bonnard’s eyes, as he spoke as if it were none of his business, were infinitely cold. Dan Brown did not avoid such gaze.

“You are the Emperor, who was obtained through political intrigue and the help of cannibals and vampires. You have no legitimacy. Is that what you mean?”

“You know very well.”

“Then, when the people’s support weakens, they will try to assassinate me. Or, from the moment the people’s support weakens, they will try to use political maneuvering to bring me down and return to democracy and republicanism. Right?”

“······.”

Despite coming out so openly, Dan Brown chose to remain silent rather than deny it.

So what should we do then?

Just as Leon Bonnard had told him to blow himself up if he wanted to, Dan Brown had a calm look on his face, as if he was telling him to kill him if he wanted to. Leon Bonnard snickered at that.

“Do you want to die as a hero? If I kill you, your men will say, ‘The Emperor killed his political opponent, former President Dan Brown, to strengthen his power.’ Then they will say that we should overthrow the Emperor for democracy. The Empire will fall in the process.”

“······.”

“The reality is that you need time to kill me. For whatever reason, the citizens of the Empire support me right now. Likewise, I want to kill you, but I can’t kill you right now. This isn’t something that can be resolved without rooting out all of your subordinates.”

“What do you want to say?”

“We both need time. And who will benefit as time goes by? Is time on our side? Or is it on the monsters’ side? Before I came here, I conducted a thorough investigation to see if there were any who had become cannibals or vampires.”

As Leon Bonnard told what he had done, Dan Brown listened as if telling him to continue.

I knew it from the report, but I was curious as to why Leon Bonnard had helped him, as he was a cannibal and a vampire.

“Whatever the process, it is an undeniable fact that the citizens of the Empire elected me as their Emperor. Now that I am Emperor, I have a duty to protect them. And I am not stupid enough to just sit on my head and do whatever I want with it.”

The Pants Emperor, you have no intention of becoming a puppet emperor?

Whether it was cannibals or vampires, if a higher power was in power, they had to follow suit. The early Confederacy said they would create a new order through complete control, but that was bullshit.

Leon Bonnard had no intention of doing that. He had no intention of going under those guys.

“I think people should do what they are good at. I also know that what I am good at is protecting, fighting, and winning, not politics. If I were to force myself into politics, I would have no choice but to do it forcefully.”

In the end times, the empire had no choice but to wage war in order to survive. Maintaining rear stability and productivity, as well as supply through it, were the basics for winning the war.

In order to popularize it, I had no choice but to do some clumsy politics. But do I really need to force something that I can’t do and create problems? It’s not like there aren’t any experts.

“So. How about we each do what we’re good at? Whether you assassinate me or bring me down politically, wouldn’t it be meaningful if the Empire and the people remain?”

“······.”

“To be honest, I really want to kill you for judging me so arbitrarily and trying to make me into a good hero. It’s also regrettable to think about the problems that would arise if I killed you and the benefits that would come from you taking charge of politics and distribution.”

“······.”

“So, I’ll make a formal proposal. Former President Dan Brown. Become the Prime Minister of the Empire. If you provide rear security and supplies. The unification of North America that you desire. I’ll make it happen.”

“It is said that the beginning of absolute power is always a revolution for reform, but in the end it is bound to become corrupt.”

“I. Absolute monarchy. I have no intention of becoming an emperor. The power of the emperor will be limited to the military. It will be for war and defense only. And if you want to monitor whether my words are true or not, what better position is there than that of the prime minister?”

“······.”

The next morning.

News that Emperor Leon Bonnard had appointed former Führer den Braun as Chancellor of the Empire made headlines.

‧

‧

‧

(Emperor Leon Bonnard. Appoints former President Dan Brown as Prime Minister.)

(The Emperor protects. The former President protects.)

(It is stated that military power belongs to the Emperor. Politics and economy are left to the Prime Minister.)

(The Emperor’s decision to pursue political stability. The empire comes before power.)

(Cheers to the Citizen Emperor’s decision.)

The face of the new president, who was paralyzed on one side due to a stroke, was distorted.

“This bird- bird-”

“Your Majesty, please calm down.”

The chief secretary wiped the drool flowing down one side of his frozen face and spoke in a somber voice.

“There’s no way out now that Dan Brown and the guy are together.”

The maritime city defense forces came out in support of Emperor Leon Bonard, and the units on land were also being absorbed into the Emperor’s command one after another.

“Hi- White-t-neun-”

It was static, but now it was time to hold hands. The new president asked what had happened to David White. The chief of staff shook his head at the question from the stroke patient who is now the former president.

“It seems like we escaped the riot, but we lost contact.”

“Yeo- Yeon-”

The chief secretary answered in a heavy voice at the call to contact him.

“Your Majesty, it is still dangerous. You must go to the hospital.”

The response of the citizens’ representatives and the new military government was also quick, and when Den Brown’s forces were joined, the empire quickly regained stability.

Since even the troops on land had fallen into the hands of the emperor, there was no way to regain power through military force.

The same goes for the Imperial Diet, as over 80% of the members of the Imperial Diet were physically wiped out. As a result, they were buried in graveyards by angry mobs.

When Dan Brown became Prime Minister, he announced an election for the Imperial House of Representatives, but it was clear that a citizen representative who supported the Emperor would be elected, so it was difficult to expect a return to power through an election.

“Ahhhh- ahhh-”

“Your Majesty, it’s finished. Let’s go to the hospital now.”

The new president was trembling with anger, his body frozen in place by the words of the chief of staff. And then, a voice that seemed to find it amusing echoed softly.

“Somehow, power was taken away too easily. I thought it was quiet. But it seems like things aren’t going well.”

The chief secretary shouted, aiming his pistol.

“Who are you?

The Chief Secretary’s eyes, aimed at the gun, quickly scanned the surroundings. He saw the bodyguards standing there blankly. Seeing them frozen in place as if they were mannequins, the Chief Secretary immediately pulled the trigger.

I pulled the trigger, but the gun didn’t fire.

‘misfire?’

You need to quickly pull back the slide to check if the round is stuck and then shoot again.

‘shit.’

My arm wouldn’t move. My fingers wouldn’t move either.

I clearly felt like pulling the trigger, but it wasn’t happening.

No, I never pulled the trigger in the first place. I was already paralyzed.

“You- You-”

The lips and tongue began to harden in an instant. And then the other side of the field of vision began to slowly turn black. The person with the unidentified man was clearly David White.

David White, the man who had solidified his bodyguard and chief of staff, stood before the trembling, stroke-stricken new president.

David White’s face looked more alive than ever as he looked at the man lying there with a stroke.

Aaaah (If only you hadn’t been acting like a dog.)

If I hadn’t been stuck with Leon Bonnard, this wouldn’t have happened. David White, who had been quietly watching the seizure, spoke to the unidentified man standing next to him.

“He’s already a wreck, wouldn’t it be better to just get rid of him?”

“No. I guess I’ll be more useful now that I’m a wreck. Are you not confident?”

“···That’s not true.”

David White stepped back quietly.

Aaaah (You. Because of you-)

“Okay, let’s deal with personal grudges later. For now, let’s talk constructively about the future.”

The unidentified man took out a red ampoule and spoke.

“Whether it’s revenge or regaining power, isn’t that something you can do after you get better?”

Healthier than ever.

After becoming stronger.

“If you don’t want to join us, then just back off.”

Or die a slow and miserable death like this.

Become a new human and get another chance.

“Choice is free.”

His hands, trembling from the stroke, clutched the red ampoule.

“Good choice.”

The unidentified man smiled with satisfaction.

======

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(Prime Minister Dan Brown. Security measures to be strengthened in maritime city.)

(Traces of intrusion from outside discovered.)

(The military and the opposition party. Circumstances of dealing with the remnants of the Southern Confederacy are revealed.)

(Why was the security of the maritime city breached? Because of insider sympathy?)

(Emperor. Order to investigate without sanctuary.)

(We will not compromise with anything that threatens the safety of the citizens of the Empire.)

Ki-soon made a regretful expression.

[Ah- I thought you were going to come as an exile.]

“It would have been a headache if that old man had come.”

Those who don’t want to leave a trace will demand that Den Brown be handed over. If that shit happens, Maru will make it nice.

If the worst comes to the worst, a war will break out between the Holy Kingdom and the Empire, and the Holy Kingdom, which holds the Death Ridge, will obviously win, but what crime will the common people commit if they are swept away and killed?

[Ugh- Well, that’s true.]

“It seems like it’s gotten colder than last year. How’s the situation?”

[There were no particular problems because I prepared in advance.]

The bitter cold began to freeze the world.