13. PURGE

William sat in silence as the bickering of the Imperial Council filled the chamber, his annoyance growing with each passing moment. Despite the facade of Imperial autonomy, the grip of the ruling elite remained firm, their demands overshadowing any semblance of unity among the noble families.

The four dukes clamored for access to the research department's advancements, their pleas veiled in the rhetoric of familial unity. But to William, it was all a facade, a charade to mask their own ambitions and greed.

Yet, despite his frustration, William remained silent. Upon his return, he had enacted a ruthless purge of the Carlson family, rooting out all those implicated in the betrayal. It had been a decision fueled by both vengeance and pragmatism, with Gwen by his side, advocating for the eradication of their rivals to secure the Raven family's dominance.

But as the first innocent child stood before the guillotine, barely five years old, William's resolve faltered. Gritting his teeth, he called off the purge, unable to stomach the thought of spilling innocent blood in the name of vengeance.

Instead, the Carlson family members were imprisoned, their fates uncertain as William grappled with the aftermath of his decision. The weight of his responsibilities bore down on him heavily, the specter of chaos looming on the horizon if he did not navigate this delicate situation with care.

For William knew that the noble families would interpret his actions as a sign of weakness, a fatal flaw that could unravel the fragile peace that held the empire together. It was a burden that weighed heavily on his shoulders, his sleepless nights and frayed psyche bearing witness to the toll it exacted.

Despite the skill points he had invested in strengthening his body, William found himself teetering on the brink of exhaustion and despair. Hallucinations and moments of numbness plagued his every waking moment, a constant reminder of the harrowing reality he faced.

Although the skill did mitigate some damage. 

The atmosphere in the Council chamber was charged with tension as William observed Gweniwith listening intently to her transmission. When she solemnly nodded towards him, William knew it was time to act.

Raising his hands to command silence, William's presence drew all attention towards him. Silence descended as everyone's attention was drawn towards William. 

As soon as he raised his hands, multiple soldiers entered the Council, and two soldiers went side by side with William. 

"We have formed peace with the Secessionists." That statement blew up the Council, as a hubbub of whispers and shouts resounded inside the Council. 

"We have declared war on the Republic," That was the tipping point of the Council, as many even openly shouted at William. Gwen frowned, the soldiers readied their guns. 

"What have you done with your throne!!" Guert shouted as he stood up from his seat and pointed his fingers at him. 

"If the ancestors of the Dawn saw the condition of our glorious empire, then they would have wept! The real ruler of the Empire is branded as a rebel, an-"

"H-How dare you disrespect the K-"

*BANG*

Pin-drop silence descended upon the Council because blood and brain matter scattered across the table of Council like a beautiful tapestry of art. 

Gwen rose in anger at how Gwert was openly dishonoring the throne but was stuck in the middle of rising off her chair because hot blood splattered on her face. 

William looked at the brain matter and blood and sighed. He slouched on his throne and he left his gun-wielding hand dangling. Some little spatters of blood were still on William's face, but he didn't mind. 

"It seems that you all do not see me as your King... Don't worry, I'll let you know your positions." 

Everyone was shell-shocked by what had happened. The King had shot the Head of the Security Ministry. 

The day William publicly executed the four dukes marked a dark and unforgettable chapter in the history of the Dawn Empire. With a sense of righteous fury, William had unleashed his wrath upon those who had crossed the line, engaging in the abhorrent practice of child trafficking.

In a chilling display of power and vengeance, William had stripped the dukes of their dignity and subjected them to the cruelest of punishments. The sight of their bloodied bodies, beaten and broken, served as a grim reminder of the consequences of their heinous actions.

For William, children held a sacred place in his heart, and the thought of their innocence being exploited filled him with a righteous rage. To him, these perpetrators were beyond redemption, deserving of the harshest punishment imaginable.

Yet, even as William delivered his own brand of justice, he knew that his ideals were not universally shared throughout the intergalactic community. Hedonistic empires lurked among the stars, indifferent to the suffering they caused.

But William was undeterred. With unwavering determination, he had taken it upon himself to dismantle each and every one of these corrupt regimes, driven by a fervent belief in justice and a desire to protect the most vulnerable among them.

But William knew that he had to make concessions with his moral system. Not with these moral topics but more deeper topics.

"When you said to bring military help. I didn't think you would literally set a bomb on time!" Gweniwith was exasperated by the acts of William, but WIlliam mostly muted out any outside voice as he moved towards the military headquarters. 

William's intentions regarding the Secessionists were clear: there would be no peace as long as they existed. The truce he had agreed to was merely a temporary measure, a brief respite before he resumed his relentless pursuit of dominance.

With his [Resource] doubling from 500 to 1000, William's confidence soared. This increase meant that he could deploy a Tier 1 Unit in just six months—an unprecedented advantage that he intended to exploit to the fullest.

His decision to declare war on both the Secessionists and Krossar's simultaneously was bold, but William was emboldened by his newfound power. He was confident that neither faction possessed Tier 1 Units to match his own, giving him a decisive edge on the battlefield.

As for potential intervention from the Bright Kingdom, William was undeterred. The Treaty of the Ten Emperors served as both a shield and a sword for him. According to its provisions, a faction engaged in warfare with two existing factions could not be intervened upon by another faction. This safeguarded William's position and allowed him to focus on his enemies without fear of external interference.

Though the origins of the treaty's name were unclear, its impact on human faction politics was undeniable. While there were more than ten emperors in existence, these ten stood at the pinnacle of humanity's hierarchy. Despite any reservations William may have had about the treaty's restrictions, he recognized its utility in his current situation and exploited it to his advantage.

William took a sharp turn as he reached the infirmary of the military. All the soldiers gave way to the King and the commander of the army. He reached a bed and he looked at a couple of soldiers that had their shoulder bone broken and some having lung failure. 

They were all causalities by the sniper rifle, and that was the reason why the sniper rifle took so much time to fire another shot. 

William put all the soldiers at ease and tried to interact with them. 

[Turn:- 2] has ended.

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