Chapter 287 - The Great (Patreon)

Three days after the kingdom’s king got ousted, a new king was crowned. It was none other than the one who killed him, Viers.

The coronation itself was shown all over the city using magical items. Projected into walls or reflected on water, it was like television.

The new king was now traveling in a convoy all around the city above a royal carriage and people jubilantly cheered at the sight of him as if this was a Disneyland parade.

How could they not, when an army of Tyra Xerg pressed a stinger to their throat and was told to cheer?

For three days, the city was under martial law. The unrest among the populace was quickly suppressed with Zerrigan’s children patrolling the streets.

The day was sunny and bright. Shimmering flower petals were dancing in the air, courtesy of Sakuya and Dia.

Viers waved to the citizens with a big wide smile.

***

“Ladies and gentlemen, let's start the meeting,” Viers said while sitting on the main seat. Boram, the fierce general, stood towering behind him.

After the coronation, Viers called the kingdom’s officials and ministers to talk about the matters of the state. Some didn't come, no doubt they had run away. Viers didn't care.

Viers appraised the various nervous officials. None could hide their intent from his soul-piercing gaze. Their characters were like an open book to Viers. The ones trying to suck up to him didn't waste any time.

Of course, none of these people were truly loyal to him. Understandable, since Viers was an outsider. However, loyalty was not what Viers sought from them, but competence.

The hopeless and corrupt officials got kicked out of their position. The corrupt but competent got their illegally gained wealth confiscated. Those that want to improve the kingdom for the better got more responsibility and authority allocated to them. Boram was installed as the leader of the military.

Cutting the corrupt officials was not all that Viers did. Viers went on to centralize power, reorganize the bureaucracy, introduce fair laws, change the urban layout, implement mandatory education, plan to build public infrastructures, more trade, improve living standards, and so on.

The meeting went on for a few days. There was much to do. Like the coronation, the new king’s policy was spread to the masses using criers and papers. People were surprised. They didn't think the invader would do these instead of exploiting them.

Most were skeptical, thinking it was just empty words.

“The kingdom has been reborn. By the new king’s decree, henceforth, this kingdom shall be known as the Viridis Kingdom!”

Hearing the crier’s voice, people worried about their future.

The people of the Church watched vigilantly. They always had been, since Viers was sighted.

Behind the scenes and not recorded, Viers created his own CIA.

Sakuya and Zerrigan, along with their underlings, would keep the officials under surveillance, maintain public order, and spy on the neighboring kingdoms. For now, their immediate task was to root out every underground organization in the kingdom so Viers could install his own.

There would always be people drawn to the underworld. Eliminating them completely was impossible as new ones would take their place. But with this, Viers would rule above and below the law in Viridis.

***

Four years had passed.

Viridis Kingdom was thriving. It was the fastest-growing kingdom on the continent. Immigrants flocked to Viridis from all over to better their future.

The first reason for the kingdom’s prosperity was its might. Their human army was still small, consisting of low Level Pathseeker recruited from the populace but not so for their Tyra Zerg army. No one truly grasped their number. However, their true martial potential lay in the king and his close aides.

Their might brought stability.

After a few disastrous invasion attempts from neighboring countries that ended up with a complete wipe, none dared to eye Viridis’ territory with hostile intentions.

Monster tides, demonic outbreaks, natural disasters, mad Pathseekers, and so on were kept at bay by the king’s might.

People were safe and their lives were getting better each year. Thus they loved the one who provided it to them.

Of course they knew, Viers crammed it into their throat and stuffed it into their ears.

Massive propaganda campaign.

Ah how effective, Viers was amused. So this is why leaders always use them.

Viridis was happy, similarly, Viers was living a good life. He kept training every day, improving his already immense strength but he also enjoyed life.

“I’ve decided… With the brilliant yet refreshing taste that lingers on the tongue, making you always want one more spoon, I declare that Chef Howard’s Five Jewel Tofu is this year’s winner!”

Viers’ verdict was accompanied by a cheering audience. Chef Howard was in smiles, congratulated by the other chefs.

In his first year of reign, Viers created a food festival. The winner would receive a massive amount of wealth, lofty status, and great privileges. This resulted in Viridis' food industry renaissance, becoming better and better. The food Olympics commenced every year and Viers was the head judge. The winner’s dish would become Viridis' national food that year.

Part of the reason Viers was doing this was that he simply wanted to eat delicious food.

After his kingly duties of eating lavish food, the sunlight was fading. It was time for his other duties of no less importance.

Viers went to the royal harem, where there were a hundred ladies living there.

“I want something just like this~”

Viers hummed a happy tune.

When the sun came out, Viers was having a glass of brandy on the balcony. He was just wearing a sleeping robe that showed his broad chest and six-pack abs. Behind him, there were two women still sleeping on the bed, they were the former queen and princes who now hopelessly fell in love with Viers' manliness.

Looking at the capital while the morning breeze was blowing, Viers had an idea.

I want to try conquering the world.

A royal missive reached the hand of all important officials of Viridis Kingdom. The king had summoned them to the capital. Flying carriages and mounts arrived in the airport in droves and the main entrance to the city saw the arrival of VIPs.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Viers said to them in the palace. “It’s time to unite the world under a single banner.”

“By you will. Which country first?” Farley replied without looking surprised.

“The Swarm is ready, Overlord” Zerrigan said in her human form.

The response for the other ministers was also positive. Viers had already gained their utmost respect.

“Before that, we must address an issue. If we go to war, the Church will intervene. They are already wary of you, Your Majesty,” Paina flipped the documents in her hand.

“Heh. If they want to come then come. I’m not afraid of them. We are not afraid of them.”

Viers gained many nods of similar sentiments from the others in the council.

Under Viers’ command, Viridis was on a war footing.

***

A palace was in clamor, its foundations shaking, and sounds of battle could be heard from the inside.

In one of many battles taking place, Viers had defeated the other monarch.

The invasion was done lightning quick, after getting past the border, Viers and his elites aimed directly at the heart.

“You devil… Thousands lost their lives because of your ambition. History will remember you for this atrocity!” The defeated king reviled Viers.

To which, Viers answered calmly.

“Kill a man, and you are an assassin. Kill ten, and you are a serial killer. Kill a thousand, and you are a war hero. Kill millions of men, and you are a conqueror. Kill everyone… and you are a god.”

The king’s eyes became wider with every sentence uttered.

“...Devil! You’re a devil! You don't belong here. Go back to Hell. The people of this country will never accept you as their ruler.”

“Never is a strong word,” Viers chuckled. “Mobs' memories are short. Agree to disagree. Not that you’ll be there to see it. Buh-bye.”

Another soul was added into Viers’ soul prison.

“Viers-sama, the city is ours,” Sakuya appeared behind him and spoke with one knee touching the ground. “Zerri and Boram have engaged others who tried to intervene. A very agitated messenger from the Church came to the headquarters asking for an audience with you.”

“Mmm. What about our plan?”

“Sir. I brought a message from Farley. The evidence has been planted.”

It was about the king who was actually a devil-worshiping lunatic that tried to revive a demon god. Viers acted so the good folk would not be sacrificed in a blood ritual.

“Hehehe. Good. For now, Viridis are the allies of justice. Let's meet the Churchman. Hope he is reasonable and likes the excuse. I don't wish to kill a messenger.”

***

The flames of war raged as Viers brought one nation after another to heel. His banner went from victory to victory. The territory of Viridis Kingdom swelled. It was now triple its original size.

The people of Viridis began to call Viers, the Great.

The other nations banded together to resist the tide of conquest. The Church did not openly participate in the war but gave support to the alliance while condemning King Viers’ warmongering.

“The great conqueror King Viers in my tent,” The General King of the Alliance with a robust body haughtily scoffed. “Come to save your lost pet, have you? I’ll at least hear your terms before refusing. Make it interesting.”

The other alliance officers were making smug faces.

Viers' campaign had gone on for years and the theater of war expanded. While his forces were strong and Viers himself was undefeatable, not every push Viers made was successful.

Such was war.

After getting surrounded by a vastly superior force, Boram’s army was routed and the man himself was hounded into a mythical mountain. Boram was the Fist of Viers; if the Alliance could kill him, it would shatter Viers’ myth of invincibility.

Before the Alliance stormed the mountain, something unexpected happened. Viers personally visited them under the truce banner.

Alone in the middle of the enemy army, Viers was not worried one bit. He knew his capabilities and theirs.

“I don't think you understand. I didn't come to rescue Boram from you. I came here to rescue you from him.”

There was a silence of shock before the gallery broke into a clamor. For the General King the insult was too much.

“I’ll send him back to you in little boxes.” With a low voice, he threatened Viers. “Look forward to it.”

Viers simply smiled.

"You don't seem to want to accept the fact that you're dealing with an expert in everything warfare, with a man who's the best! With hammers, with Artes, with his bare hands! A man who's been trained to ignore pain! To ignore weather! To live off the land! To eat things that would make a billy goat puke! In Thousand Abyss, his job was to dispose of enemy personnel... to kill, period! Win by attrition... Well, Boram was THE BEST!"

He turned to leave the tent.

“God didn’t make Boram. I made him… Gents, do your worst.”

Six days later, Boram met Viers again, with the bloodied helmet of the General King as a gift.

The tales of what Boram did were immortalized into a movie back in Viridis.