Selene's Struggle to Become a Qualified Ruler

Walking out of the rebel outpost behind him, Gozuki turned and calmly gave the order, "Clean it up."

Upon receiving the command, the elite members of the Imperial assassination squad immediately began setting fire to the outpost. Before long, the small base was engulfed in flames, erasing all traces of the horrific scene.

"Are the other outposts in the same condition?" Gozuki asked, watching the flames consume the outpost.

"From what we've uncovered so far, yes," one of the assassins replied.

"Split into teams and take care of all of them. Don't forget to take photographs. Minister Honest will need proof..." Gozuki exhaled deeply before giving the next instruction. "...And remember, this is also the work of General Selene from the Imperial Guard. Let's head to the epicenter."

"Yes, sir."

As Gozuki crossed the charred, ruined landscape, his thoughts turned to the mission he had received from Honest—assess the strength of General Selene and identify any weaknesses.

While Honest and Selene were in a peaceful alliance for now, Gozuki knew the nature of political alliances: they were always about convenience. Honest's goal was simple—prepare for the worst in case relations with Selene soured. Gozuki had seen enough political maneuvering to recognize it as a precaution.

But staring at the devastated ground that looked as if a natural disaster had struck, Gozuki felt a weight of uncertainty. How could he find a weakness in someone with such power?

Silently, Gozuki unsheathed his blood-red blade, Teigu: One-Cut Killer: Murasame. The weapon's ability was infamous: even a slight cut would infect the victim with a deadly curse that spread to the heart, killing them no matter how powerful they were. Even the most dangerous creatures of legend couldn't survive once cursed by Murasame.

He didn't need to land a killing blow on Selene. One small wound would be enough to decide the outcome.

This was the only way Gozuki could imagine defeating Selene. Without Murasame and the element of surprise, there was no chance.

But... why was he so determined to stick with Honest? Forming an elite assassination unit would require the support of the Imperial Science Bureau, which was currently under Selene's influence...

It seemed inevitable that their paths would cross someday.

"Collect all the relevant remains, compile the evidence, and report to the capital that the southern rebel forces have been wiped out," Gozuki ordered before leaving the burning outpost.

Imperial Capital, Imperial Science Bureau Headquarters.

"Achoo!" Selene, trying to avoid one of General Budo's long lectures, had taken refuge in Dr. Stylish's workshop. She sneezed as she examined the latest model of Dr. Stylish's improved weapons.

"Hmm? Someone must be talking about me. Oh well, not like I care. Plenty of people think about me anyway," she said, brushing it off.

She turned back to Dr. Stylish's work and muttered to herself, "But... his research is a bit too slow. I'll have to get the Teigu Glorious Hands of God: Perfector for him soon."

One Week Later, Imperial Capital, Imperial Guard Headquarters, Selene's Office.

Despite her firm refusals, a mountain of paperwork still ended up on Selene's desk. Most of it was related to the northern front, where the Empire's defense had become much easier following their decisive victory in the southwest the previous year. With the borders more secure, there was now plenty of mobile forces available.

This had given Budo the perfect excuse to pile more work on Selene. He had told her, "You won the southwest war, so you should handle the military defense and troop redeployments."

And, as if that wasn't enough, he added, "By the way, wasn't your fief assigned by the late Emperor in the northern provinces? It's been renamed Habsburg Province. All the related affairs should be your responsibility as well. It's only fitting."

That was almost word-for-word what Budo had said, leaving Selene with no room for excuses. Her previously relaxed routine had been shattered, transforming from a "9 to 5" into an endless "24/7" cycle of work.

Sighing, Selene accepted it. For the sake of her long-term plan—to fully master world domination without relying solely on overwhelming power or fearsome strength—she had to learn to be a capable ruler.

She reminded herself, "The path to true leadership is long, and I must continue learning all I can..."

While she hurriedly ate some sweets at the headquarters in the morning, sunlight streamed through the grand hall's windows, casting soft rays on the luxurious jade floors. Selene gazed at the scene, momentarily lost in thought. "Another all-nighter," she muttered to herself.

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps and clinking armor echoed from outside. Selene looked up to see Gensa, acting commander of the 8th Legion, speaking with the guards of the 1st Legion stationed at the entrance.

"Let him in without an announcement," Selene instructed with a wave of her hand.

At her command, Gensa was immediately led inside.

"General! General, did you already take out the southern rebel headquarters?" Gensa asked excitedly as soon as he entered the room.

"Hm?" Selene raised an eyebrow as she cut into her dessert. "Where did you hear that? The information should be under strict lockdown."

"There's no lockdown anymore, General. The whole capital is talking about it... No, actually, it's spreading across the entire Empire! Everyone knows you single-handedly wiped out the main rebel force, including their leader!"

"Do you realize what this means? These weren't just some foreign barbarians—this was the internal threat that's plagued the Empire's southern borders for a hundred years!" Gensa was practically jumping with excitement, as if he had personally achieved the victory.

"Why are you so worked up?" Selene couldn't help but laugh, watching Gensa's animated behavior as she slowly stirred sugar into her coffee. "...What nickname have they given me now?"

"The Ghost General of the Nation's Protector!" Gensa blurted out proudly.

"Cough, cough—What?!" Selene nearly choked on her coffee.

"The Ghost General of the Nation's Protector!" Gensa repeated excitedly, thinking she hadn't heard.

"What a terrible name. And... do they even know what a ghost is?" Selene asked, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"Um... doesn't ghost just mean 'scary'?" Gensa mumbled quietly.

The title came from her ruthless efficiency in the battlefield. The piercing of rebel spies, the annihilation of western tribes, and now the complete destruction of the southern rebellion—all of it contributed to the name.

"Am I really that terrifying?"

Gensa didn't dare answer, but the truth was obvious.

"Alright, I get it. Head back to the camp and keep the troops calm. Make sure nothing goes wrong."

"Yes, General."