He Died and Receive an Overpowered Tyrant System

Turncoat

Two months later.

As the last snow melted, the smell of spring began permeating the land. By and large, things were progressing as Ernest Gonzales had expected.

Thanks to his minister of propaganda and organizer, messages of the UNSP started circulating around the nation. The effect however was not yet in place but soon, Ernest believes that it's only a matter of time they'll revolt.

Also, thanks to the United National Socialist Party's proactivity of providing charitable food and medical work, support for the group was slowly rising among the Gustave domain's populace.

Health conditions in the domain had been questionable in the best of times, so the UNSP's work was the talk of the town. Many locals went so far as to pronounce the party their saviors openly. On the other hand, the Red Brigade's standing was plummeting.

While folks certainly gave them credit for rising to action and taking down Duke Gustave, that was all annoyance attributed to them. They hadn't done anything to note since then, after all. The rebellious sect had been perfectly happy to dumb all the cleanup to the UNSP.

The negligence stemmed from the fact that the Red Brigade's leader, as well as many of the group's noble members, wished to spend as little of their own coins as possible. Such a tightfisted attitude was costing them quite a bit in terms of public opinion, however.

When spring arrived, the UNSP had achieved a monopoly on public trust.

"The Red Brigade is all talk."

"The United National Socialist Party cares way more about us little guys than they ever did."

Gossiping housewives and villages all across the domains echoed the same sentiment.

As things worsened for his group, even Marquis Conrad came to realize just how precarious a situation the Red Brigade was in. If he allowed things to continue as they were, many were liable to start demanding the UNSP's installations as the new governing body.

Were such a thing to happen, Conrad knew the Red Brigade wouldn't have the power to stand in their way. By slaying Gustave, the domain's appointed duke, they'd earned the suspicion of their own country. They couldn't realistically expect help from the rest of the empire.

Standing on the edge of a proverbial precipice, Conrad had to wonder whether it was better to be assimilated into the United National Socialist Party. That decision would mean swearing to fight on behalf of the powerless masses.

Given the ideals Grebel had founded the Red Brigade under, it seemed the right thing to do, but Conrad couldn't accept that. As far as he was concerned, the very idea was laughable. Dividing up the privileges afforded to nobles and handing them to the common rabble was an idea so far removed from his way of thinking that it insulted his sensibilities to even consider it.

With that in mind, there remained only one other choice. Conrad had to get back in the empire's good graces as swiftly as possible. To that end, he penned a letter explaining the legitimacy of the decision to kill Gustave. He sent it off to Erica Strasser, one of the Four Grandmasters left in charge of maintaining order in the king's absence who is currently in the Empire.

'We nobles fought for the sake of our great country.'

It didn't take long before Conrad's lobbying bore fruit. Soon, he and his titanic bodyguard Zebel, found themselves in Drence, the capital. They had been summoned to the audience chamber of the grandmaster's estate.

…

"W-will you really be enough to guard me on your own, Zebel…?" The short, elderly Conrad fidgeted restlessly in the chamber's dim light. Rightly so, as the capital wasn't exactly the safest place in the world for him.

If the kingdom had deemed the Red Brigade's action to be criminal, then Conrad had traipsed into the lion's den. Fully aware of that, the old nobleman remained ill at ease. His expression was dark with fretfulness and fear.

Conrad's compatriot turned on him and replied, "If the kingdom really wanted us dead, we could've brought the whole Red Brigade with us and it wouldn't have mattered. We want to demonstrate our lack of hostility, so coming without a full retinue of bodyguards gives off a better impression."

"Th-that's true, but it doesn't make me feel any better…"

"Our only option is to trust what the grandmaster wrote in his message, right?" As a glimmer of frustration crossed Zebel's face at his master's cowardice, the two were greeted by a third voice.

"Sorry for the tardiness, gentleman. The war council meeting dragged on for ages. The Tevia Empire is really keen on subjugating the Sakura Empire."

A woman sauntered into the room from the door opposite the one Conrad and Zebel had entered from.

Her long glossy black hair flowed gently behind her trail, and her eyes were dark red, gleaming. It was one of the Four Grandmasters who served King Philip II directly, Grandmaster Erica Strasser.

"The Empire of Trevia declared war on the Sakura Empire and our great king was summoned to an emergency session, discussing their part in the war. To be honest, it's a bad move of our great king to join the war but he's the king and his will must be followed." Explaining the reason for his delay, Erica took a seat in the audience chamber's chair. "That's why I'm late. Busy on things." The woman crossed her legs.

Conrad lowered his already-short body and prostrated himself. "D-Don't think twice of it! I understand how difficult it must be for a busy woman such as yourselves to find any time at all, honored Grandmaster. I thank you for being so gracious."

Hearing that, Erica chuckled softly, "Ha-ha-ha. Loosen up, Conrad. No need to be so formal. Don't tell me you're nervous, are you?"

"Sh-shamefully so, ma'am. I understand full well how tenuous my standing is."

Erica c****d her head to the side.

"Well, that's odd. Didn't I send you a letter that said, My greatest thanks to the Red Brigade for deposing the fanatical traitor Gustave, complete with a grandmaster seal? Well, no matter. Anyhow, the kingdom views the Red Brigade's actions favorably. We appreciate Gustave's devotion to His Majesty, but there's a limit to all things. Starving the domain entrusted to him was out of the question. Besides, we are adopting a new national policy from the Empire. 'Survival of the fittest.' Gustave was weak, so he became your prey, that's all."

"Your actions were fully in keeping with the spirit of the new law, so they're to be commended, not reproached. We're not going to charge you with sedition or anything like that, so there's no need to look so spooked."

When Erica restated her approval of the Red Brigade's actions against Gustave, Conrad's face lit up with joy, and he bowed repeatedly.

"Th-Thank you! As the Red Brigade's representative, I extend to you our utmost gratitude for your understanding and…"

"There is one thing, however," Erica cut in, her tone suddenly turning grave.

Conrad's whole body broke out into a cold sweat as he waited for his superior to continue.

"...Those guys, see they're trouble. What were they called, again? Right, the United National Socialist Party. They're a problem. Our Great King alone is doing his best to keep the populace survive and those deceiving people promise that they can do better than His Majesty? That would be inexcusable enough on its own, but they've gone a step further and preached a message of equality for all. Such a stance flies in the face of the Kingdom of Crentis itself. Leaving them to their devices simply isn't an option, now, is it? Ah, but I hear you've been getting pretty friendly with them."

"Th-that's, I…"

Narrowed dark red eyes bored into Conrad, and he was struck by a wave of tension so powerful he thought for a moment that his heart had stopped.

Immediately, however. Erica's expression gave way to laughter. "Ha-ha-ha, I jest, I jest." She seemed to be enjoying Conrad's timid reactions.

"Don't worry; I understand the circumstances. I mean, we're talking about the powerhouses that took over the entire western region in a single season here. The fight against Gustave wore you down too much to pick a fight with them. I may not look like it, but I'm one of the smarter Four Grandmasters. If anyone can appreciate your plight, it's me." Evidently, Erica understood quite well the tricky predicament that Conrad had found himself in.

"Which is why., I figured I'd offer you a hand."

Snap.

A sound echoed sonorously from Erica's fingers. When it did, the door he came through opened once again, and a man made his appearance. This newcomer was hidden beneath a black overcoat and mask.

Between the man's unsettling appearance and aura, Zebel's battle honed instincts told him that the man was no mere eccentric. He leaned forward a bit as he spoke.

"Who is he? This man" inquired Conrad.

"My aide, Neurus. Show them what you can do."

On Erica's order, the masked man raised his bandage-wrapped right hand and held it up. In a flash, flame furled up in the audience chamber's fireplace, then whirled over to Neurus's hand and began gathering atop it.

"Wh…?!"

"That's magic…! He's a mage?!"

The two of them goggled at the sudden supernatural phenomenon. Such a display was the only beginning, however, The flames gathered atop the man's hand started increasing in both head and intensity, eventually transforming into pure red light. After only a moment that glow had taken the shape of a spear in the mysterious man's hand.

Conrad and Zebel recognized that red spear; anyone would've.

"Th...that's…!"

"W-without a doubt...that's the Divine Spear of Fiery Heavens."

Indeed, the red spear was identical to the Divine Spear of Fiery Heavens, the trump card of the man they'd fought against as the members of the Red Brigade.

It had taken Gustave years to finish one.

Yet, that man had conjured one in the blink of an eye.

"Neurus is several times the mage Gustave was. As you can see, he has the power to summon the Divine Spear of Fiery Heavens in only a moment. Handy, right? And for now, I'm going to lend him to you."

"Wh…?R-really?!"

"Yup. And I'm dispatching soldiers to your location, too. Ten thousand of them."

"T-ten thousand?"

"With that much might, you won't need to play nice with the upstarts anymore. Isn't that right?" Erica gave a flash of her white teeth, grinning confidently.

Conrad shivered at just how assured the man seemed. He'd never know that the kingdom employed mages of such power. Truly, its power knew no limits.

The Kingdom of Crentis, even in its miserable state, is unbeatable.

Conrad was coming to realize that allying his group with the kingdom was their only real option with each passing second. As such, he made his vow eagerly.

"O-of course! You have our deepest thanks for lending us a hand in our hour of need! With this, the United National Socialist Party will be powerless before us! We will eradicate those misguided fools who dare opposes His Majesty!"

"Ha-ha-ha. I should think so." Erica chuckled, but then her gaze narrowed yet again. "With a grandmaster backing you to such an extent, I expect nothing less. Failure is not an option. Am I understood?" She menacingly stared at Conrad.

His cheer from a moment ago gone, he went pale and prostrated himself yet again. "...! Y-y-yes!"

Erica nodded in satisfaction. "That's what I like to hear...I leave squishing the pests to you, Neurus"

Making those final words, Erica departed from the room.