Otto was always one step ahead of Bathory.
Since Bathory was also one of the 100 Lords, Otto knew her all too well.
Moreover, Bathory was a character ideal for learning about diplomacy, espionage, and diplomacy.
As a result, anyone who had delved into the strategy of the game's [Territory War] was bound to at least delve into Bathory at one point or another.
Managing the powerful yet isolated Erzsebet Kingdom, surrounded by enemies on all sides, was an intriguing challenge.
Moreover, starting as the ruler of a powerful Kingdom meant there was little frustration in the early stages of the game
"Camille."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Gather the magic swordsmen."
"Yes, sire."Otto immediately summoned the magic swordsmen and handed them a confidential document detailing the identities of specific individuals.
"From this moment on, keep these individuals under strict surveillance. Track who they meet, who they talk to, what they eat, and what letters they exchange. 24 hours a day. Every move. Without exception."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The magic swordsmen didn’t question why Otto had instructed them to conduct the surveillance at all.
In the minds of the magic swordsmen, the concept of questioning simply didn’t exist.
If Otto gave an order, they simply carried it out.
The magic swordsmen trust in Otto was absolute, and there was no hesitation in carrying out his orders.
That didn't mean Otto didn't explain the mission to them.
"The individuals you are to monitor are dissidents harboring hostile feelings toward the Motherland. They could incite a rebellion at any time and take actions against me. Monitoring them is crucial for the security of our Kingdom."
Otto knew very well how Bathory might try to harass him.
Bathory was a master of information warfare.
Bathory's specialty was using the powerful resources, personnel, funds, and expertise of the intelligence bureau to destabilize the enemy from within.
It was a highly threatening form of attack.
Especially during a period shortly after expanding territory, it could be even more catastrophic.
But there was no need to worry.
‘Hmm. I know everything.'
Otto had a detailed understanding of the personal information of the individuals to be recruited by the Erzsebet Kingdom.
He knew exactly who would betray him.
He knew how they would conduct their espionage.
He knew so well that he could recite their names without hesitation.
‘I've faced so many setbacks here. If it happens again, I'd be less than human and more than a fool.'
Bathory was one of the biggest sources of frustration when playing Otto de Scuderia.
There were many times when he would catch a spy, grab them, and hold them only to see another one pop out of nowhere.
Having been beaten so badly before, Otto could now identify who Bathory recruited and who was engaged in a traitorous act.
It was a lesson he'd learned the hard way, and even if he wanted to forget, he couldn't.
"If any evidence of contact with the Erzsebet Kingdom is discovered, round up them without a second thought. Also, you must capture the intelligence agents of the Erzsebet Kingdom who attempted to make contact with them."
"Understood! Your Majesty!"
At the mention of the operation details, the eyes of the magic swordsmen flashed with fierceness and determination.
Catching the spies was very important.
It might even be more important than going into battle and annihilating the enemies.
That was why the attitudes of the magic swordsmen who had been given the operation were even more serious.
After the magic swordsmen left to carry out their orders.
"Send out a hundred rats. I'll steal them away."
Otto looked far to the west and mocked Bathory.
Bathory was undoubtedly an outstanding Lord and certainly not an easy opponent
The problem is that Otto's information was far greater than hers.
Since Otto had experience playing as Bathory, he knew exactly how many spies she had planted in each Kingdom.
In other words, he could even turn Bathory's most powerful weapon against her.
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The magic swordsmen who received Otto's orders kept a close watch on the insurgents.
The surveillance by these magic swordsmen was so discreet that neither the insurgents nor the spies from the Kingdom of Erzsebet realized that they were being watched.
A few days later.
"Your Majesty, they've detained all of the people who have been in contact with the Erzsebet Kingdom's agents."
"Really? I'll be right there."
In the underground prison, dozens of insurgents and spies from the Kingdom of Erzsebet were tightly bound, waiting for Otto.
"Do you plan to interrogate them?"
"Of course."
"Then, I will prepare them."
"There's no need for that."
Otto shook his head.
"I can do it myself."
"Huh?"
Camille was surprised by Otto's answer.
Otto usually didn't like to personally torture or interrogate people, so he usually left it to his knights.
To be precise, Otto didn't want to witness such gruesome scenes.
But now, he said he would handle the interrogation himself?
‘He wouldn't go through the trouble of conducting the interrogation himself, would he?'
As Camille had such thoughts.
*Flash!*
Otto's eyes turned red.
"…..!"
This was the first time Otto's eyes had turned red.
‘You've gained a new power.'
Realizing that Otto was about to use the new power of the Invincible Emperor, Camille quietly observed the situation.
*Tremble*
Otto approached the terrified spy from the Kingdom of Erzsebet and spoke.
"Raise your head."
The spy tried desperately to avoid making eye contact with Otto.
He instinctively realized that meeting Otto's gaze would be dangerous.
"His Majesty told you to raise your head."
"Ugh!"
The magic swordsmen forcibly lifted the spy's head and made him open his eyes.
"Look at me."
Otto locked eyes with the spy.
"Hie… Hiek?!"
The spy, locking eyes with Otto, trembled as if he had been electrocuted.
*Peeeeeee*
He even wet his pants.
"State your affiliation and name."
Otto asked.
Otto's voice was chilling and eerie, as if it were coming from multiple people.
"My affiliation is…."
With glazed, unfocused eyes, the spy answered Otto's question.
"The intelligence department of the Kingdom of Erzsebet…"
Following that, classified information that the spy should never have revealed began to spill from his mouth.
"…..!"
"…..!"
"…..!"
The onlookers were horrified to see the spy divulge confidential information.
They had never imagined that Otto possessed such advanced interrogation techniques.
The Fourth of the Five Powers of the Witch Calypso.
This power, known as [Soul Domination], was a terrifying ability that allowed one to control the opponent's mind simply by making eye contact.
The power of Soul Domination was so formidable that it could even turn someone into a slave, demonstrating its truly terrifying control.
It might even be a more frightening technique than Kairos's Mind's Eye.
Of course, since Mind's Eye involves reading the opponent's thoughts, it operates quite differently from Soul Domination, making a direct comparison meaningless.
In any case, Otto successfully used Soul Domination to interrogate each captured individual, extracting all the secret information they held.
But Otto did not stop there.
"You will obey me."
"Obey… I will… Obey…."
"You are a loyal servant of Otto de Scuderia."
"I am… the loyal servant of Otto de Scuderia."
Otto brainwashed each of the captives one by one, seizing control of their minds.
The result.
"I greet my master."
"I greet my master."
"I greet my master."
The insurgents and spies bowed their heads and worshiped Otto.
The brainwashed individuals soon began to divulge secrets freely at Otto's command.
Camille shuddered for a moment.
He had locked eyes with Otto without thinking, and then felt his mind being taken over.
"Ah, sorry."
Otto quickly stopped using Soul Domination and apologized to Camille.
"I forgot to turn it off."
"……."
"Hehehe."
Having completed the brainwashing of the insurgents and spies, Otto ordered the magic swordsmen to release them.
"Do you plan to feed them false information?"
"Exactly."
Otto nodded in response to Camille's question.
"From now on, Bathory will be deceived by the false information I've spread. Kehehe."
"I'm relieved."
Camille felt a genuine sense of relief.
It was a huge relief to be able to uncover people who could do great harm to Kingdoms' security.
Moreover, with brainwashing in place and plans to spread false information, things couldn’t have been better.
"Yeah… ugh."
Otto wiped away the blood flowing from his nose.
"Are you okay?"
"It's because I was too engrossed."
Otto waved it off as if it were nothing.
Soul Domination was a power that consumed a great deal of mental energy, so excessive use would result in nosebleeds like this.
"Are you really okay?"
"I'm really fine. You don't need to worry."
Otto wiped his nosebleed with the handkerchief Camille handed him and then walked away.
"Let's go pack our things."
"Huh?"
"I'll be going on a tour."
"What do you mean by that?"
Camille couldn’t understand what Otto meant.
‘Touring out of the blue?'
‘Why is he suddenly talking about something so random?'
"You'll see."
With that, Otto strode out of the dungeon.
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While packing his things, Otto also summoned Kairos, who was in the Kingdom of Loredin.
At present, Kairos was serving as the acting governor of the Kingdom of Loredin, tasked with stabilizing public sentiment.
According to reports, Kairos was carrying out his duties as governor excellently.
Perhaps because of his past experience building an Empire with nothing but a mace, his governing skills were exceptional.
Additionally, Kairos gained significant popularity by spreading the true teachings of the Atropos Order.
Countless people were inspired by the true teaching that salvation must be earned through one's own efforts.
At this rate, Kairos might well create a new sect within the Atropos Order.
A few days later.
"Pansy! I really appreciate it! Thank you!”
Kairos, running breathlessly, grabbed Otto’s hand and cried tears of gratitude.
"W-What's wrong with you all of a sudden…?"
Otto was taken aback by Kairos's haggard expression.
Kairos's appearance, after not being seen for a while, was truly disheveled
His eyes were bloodshot.
Lips that were pale blue.
His cheeks were hollowed out.
It was at a point where it was hard to distinguish whether he was a living person or a walking corpse.
“Thank you so much for calling me! You saved me! Thanks a bunch, Pansy!”
"…."
"Uugh!"
It was clear that he had been constantly harassed and tormented by Ariel around the clock.
*Shake* *Shake*
Otto shook his head in resignation and said to Kairos.
"Pack up your things, we have somewhere to go."
"Okay! Pansy! Thank you so much for taking me!"
Kairos was so grateful for Otto's help that he didn’t complain even a little.
One couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy, wondering just how much torment he had endured from Ariel to lead to such a reaction.
However, considering the things Kairos had done, Otto felt he wasn’t really deserving of sympathy and just accepted it as it was.
That night.
"Your Majesty! Where should I take you?"
Qasim, who had by now assembled the Wyvern Knights, asked Otto.
Qasim commanded around 50 wyverns, all of which were equipped with armor crafted by dwarves.
On the backs of these wyverns were magic swordsmen who had passed a rigorous selection process, serving as riders.
"Okay, Sir Qasim."
Otto smiled at Qasim and told him the destination.
"Please take us to the Uruk Plains."
At that moment.
"……!"
"……!"
"……!"
Everyone present was astonished.
It was because they knew all too well what kind of place that region was.
The Uruk Plains.
That place was… a land ruled by a race known as orcs, not humans.
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