CH 43

On the night of the day when the divine possession of the main god Styx, or rather Eleni, occurred, Thanasios called Nikita to his office. Whenever important decisions were made as the Styx Kingdom, Nikita was always called upon as an advisor. Thanasios could usually make decisions on his own, but he called upon Nikita to explore more possibilities and obtain some assurance.

Thanasios conveyed the daytime commotion to Nikita and asked him, “What do you think, Nikita?”

Even without mentioning the divine possession of the main god Styx today, Nikita understood what Thanasios was referring to.

“Well, first of all, I’m not a follower of the main god Styx. But if I were to say, I think everyone in the Arche of Apeiron divine realm might have had a collective hallucination.”

“No, that can’t explain it. First of all, Eleni couldn’t have known about my childhood.”

“Well… that’s certainly true. There’s no one else who could have told her except me. But I swear I haven’t told her about how my lord made a fortune. Even I have some pride, even though I was defeated.”

“You don’t have to tell me. That’s enough.”

Thanasios got to the point and approached the core of the divine possession.

“I see a possibility of abolishing the aristocratic system on this continent.”

He didn’t want to say that it was necessary to complete Eleni’s revenge, but he had already told Nikita about it.

Nikita wouldn’t object. On the contrary, if Thanasios’ prediction was correct, he would take a proactive stance.

As expected, Nikita presented the necessary information about the state of the world and its purpose.

“Let’s talk a little about the future. The Styx Kingdom’s unique system is fine as it is, but other countries are not so lucky. The rebellion and establishment of a new state by citizens in the former Kailus Kingdom and surrounding countries, as well as the reform of the political system, are already a foregone conclusion. It is also certain that this trend will spread to other countries. If that happens… other countries and nobles will strongly oppose it. They fear that their vested interests will be violated and they will be executed, like the nobles of the former Hyperion Empire and Minava Kingdom.”

Thanasios nodded. Nikita confirmed it and moved on to the next topic.

“However, sooner or later, a large-scale rebellion by the citizens against the nobility and aristocracy would have occurred. It was almost predictable. If it miraculously succeeded, or rather, if it was a great success, the world would change dramatically. Therefore, as the Styx Kingdom, we should ride that wave. It is not strange to support devout citizens rather than the nobility and aristocracy who are only concerned with war.”

“What if we become the target of criticism and execution instead of the nobility and aristocracy?”

“That would be the time when faith is no longer needed on this continent. Nothing lasts forever, and the role of the Styx Kingdom may come to an end. However, it won’t be immediate, and we will survive for the next few hundred years. If we want to continue to be safe after that, we need our descendants to work hard during that time.”

I see, that makes sense.

Those who believe in the main god Styx, whether they are royal or religious figures, or citizens, would never utter such words. People who innocently believe in eternal peace and the protection of the main god Styx avoid the end of the Styx Kingdom. However, as Nikita said, the time will come when the Styx Kingdom will also come to an end. What can be done now is to delay it as much as possible. Alternatively, it may be possible to gain further glory and prosperity. To do so, one must read the flow of the times and make decisions accurately. That is all that Thanasios, who lives in the present, can do.

“If there are any strange points, please point them out, our wise prince.”

“No, there’s nothing. I agree with you. Alright, let’s talk about what we should do. How’s your contact with the citizens who rebelled?”

“We have negotiated with some of the leading figures and are pushing for organization. We have already sent people with military and organizational experience, and soon, selected merchant associations will come to discuss cooperation in terms of funding. We have conveyed the overall framework of the country we aim to become and have reached a general agreement. We will work out the details, but it won’t take much time.”

“Perfect, no problem.”

“I just followed my lord’s instructions.”

“There are too few people who can handle that. Now, what about Hemerapolis and Amphitrite? I think General Sophocles is there.”

“We should send the elite troops of the army for support. We can call it an escort mission.”

“Something else happened?”

“Even amidst the chaos of neighboring countries, the nobles of both countries are making a fuss, and it’s safe to assume that war is imminent. Therefore, we must launch a surprise attack on the Hemerapolis Senate and stop them.”

“I’m not thrilled about it, but it’s better than a war.”

“Of course, we need to send a well-trained unit.”

“I’ll give instructions to the army. We’ll leave the rest to General Sophocles.”

Thanasios suddenly looked at Nikita.

He seemed to be smiling in a creepy way.

“What’s with that creepy smile? What’s wrong with you?”

“No, nothing. On the contrary, I’m pleased.”

Thanasios tilted his head. Did something happen to make Nikita happy?

However, it was immediately apparent. Nikita was happy and laughing because he had a major goal in mind. It was ridiculous.

“Ambition is truly exciting, don’t you think?”

“I didn’t want to think about it if possible.”

“Hahaha! My lord, you are so humble! You want to bring about a revolution in the world for your wife!”

Thanasios made a disgruntled expression upon hearing those words—the unfamiliar term “for my wife”—being spoken to him directly.

“It’s embarrassing to say it to my face, so stop it.”

“My apologies.”

Nikita showed no signs of remorse. But Thanasios decided to let it go, as it would be too much trouble to make him change.

In any case, these schemes were for Eleni’s sake. That’s what gave him the strength to keep going.

He would change the world if he had to. If that would calm the flames of Eleni’s hidden revenge and satisfy her.

The wise prince of the Styx Kingdom did not yet know that this was the path to domination. In later years, the phrase “Pax Styxana, the era of peace brought about by the Styx Kingdom” would be coined to describe the three hundred years that followed.