A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

“However, one thing was quite unexpected: no one threw rotten eggs at the colonel as he walked down the street,” Alice added.

Indeed, Eric was prepared to face criticism, but he didn't encounter the situation he had imagined.

He thought that once others saw him, they would throw things at him without hesitation.

They walked away, their calmness almost excessive.

However, this development doesn't seem particularly surprising or cause for celebration.

“The people here haven’t really encountered any monsters yet,” Eric said.

"Those who want to curse me..." Eric hesitated, then stopped himself.

“They’re all dead, right?” Alice sighed, completing Eric’s sentence.

Dead people don't curse, so no one curses Eric.

Because it seemed that no one could survive those disasters and still stand in front of Eric.

Only those who have faced those monsters and felt endless despair would curse Eric for not sending all of them back.

"Thinking about it this way, it seems better if someone calls me a piece of trash."

"..." Eric shut his mouth after he finished speaking.

Faced with this desperate situation, words seem somewhat pale and powerless.

Looking around, the atmosphere in the inner city was heavy, but there was no sense of "despair".

It's not that the people in the inner city are particularly optimistic; it's just that they've been living in comfort for too long, and their senses have become numb.

Fortunately, this emperor who successfully usurped the throne wasn't so bad off.

At least he was one of the most clear-headed people in the empire, and at least he understood that if nothing was done, the empire would be destroyed.

Before he knew it, Eric had arrived at a door.

Carrasco had the original towering mahogany gate in front of the palace changed to a door only slightly larger than an office door.

The old-style doors were very grand, perhaps reflecting the imperial aura.

However, the downside is that it takes several people to push it open.

Now, with these small doors, the palace in front is completely unrecognizable as a palace.

The place where the emperor sits and listens to government affairs should not be so shabby.

But that's the reality now.

Carrasco was more frugal than most people imagined, and more averse to luxury than most people thought.

In many people's eyes, this kind of door is at most the level of a restaurant's main entrance.

Stingy, inappropriate, and easily ruined.

These should all be considered drawbacks.

But for Eric, this door has one major advantage.

That means it can be kicked open with one foot, something that other palace doors can't do.

Could the doors that other emperors had made do with this?

Eric suddenly became quite pleased with Carrasco on this point.

"Colonel Eric, may I ask where you are...?" the gatekeeper asked.

"Bang!" The door was kicked open by Eric, who had his hands in his pockets.

The goalkeeper is very strong, but so what?

To save time on reporting, he didn't care whether it would anger the gatekeeper.

"What are you doing!" the man shouted, his magic power erupting instantly.

Eric merely glanced at him.

"Alright, let him in. I have something to say to him," Carrasco's voice came from behind.

The goalkeeper's expression froze for a moment, then he silently retreated.

Eric ignored him, casually waved to the gatekeeper, and went inside.

He had no interest in reliving the humiliation of being "slapped in the face."

"Lord Carrasco, let's cut to the chase."

"What do you want to do now?" Eric asked bluntly.

He showed absolutely no respect for the emperor; his eyes were not humble, but rather extremely sharp.

Bowing, honorifics, and everything else are now meaningless junk.

In a world where even survival is not guaranteed, why are we still talking about these things?

This isn't some kind of invasion by a neighboring country; it's a genuine "natural disaster."

All identities are meaningless in the face of this; there is no difference between an emperor and a beggar.

If selling smiles could turn the tide now, Eric might consider it.

If not, then let all this cumbersome stuff go to hell.

"Colonel, you've kicked the door down."

"The fact that I kicked it to pieces proves that the quality was never good to begin with," Eric said, scoffing.

Carrasco did not comment on their whispers; he simply remained lost in thought.

His fingers tapped rhythmically on the armrest, his brows furrowed slightly.

A hint of worry appeared on his sharply defined face.

"In just one day, a large number of refugees entered the capital from other towns."

"The area affected within the empire's territory continues to expand."

"Currently, it appears that only three cities remain undestroyed, including the imperial capital."

"But just half a day ago, a large number of monsters appeared around the capital."

"The capital is in grave danger." Carrasco succinctly summarized everything.

Carrasco knew of the existence of demigods, but he preferred to call them monsters.

In his mind, the word "god" could not be used to describe them.

"I want to fight myself." The air seemed to freeze the moment Carrasco uttered those words.

He's not as good as Blakeras, but... he's not weak either.

At least it can still be used to restrain people, which will give them more opportunities to evacuate.

However, Carrasco's words were immediately rejected by Eric.

"You know, there's a saying in our military."

"When the commander needs to take up a gun to protect himself, the battle has already been lost."

"If you, who need a pillar of support, draw your sword, then we are almost in a desperate situation."

“So now is not the time for you to draw your sword,” Eric said.

"Give me command, and I'll find a way to defend the inner city."

"Be prepared. Once the battle begins, I will have everyone run towards the inner city as much as possible," Eric said after a pause.

“I’ll shut everyone in the inner city up. Go ahead and do it.” Carrasco stared at Eric and replied, “You really trust me that much?” Eric questioned.

“Only someone like you who dares to kick the door like that deserves my trust.” Carrasco wasn’t blind; he knew who to trust at this moment.

Before Eric arrived, many people from the military and the Knights had offered their advice.

Unfortunately, none of them realized that this disaster was far more serious than they had imagined.

Although they had already taken the matter very seriously, it wasn't enough.

Before witnessing the power of the silver species that surpasses human capabilities, it is impossible to imagine it through mere imagination.

The military was very enthusiastic, as was the Knights, both feeling that the nation was in dire straits.

However, they still believed that someone would survive.

They believed that with the powerful forces protecting them there, the capital could be defended.

The death toll is roughly as high as that of a tsunami or an earthquake.

However, is it really that simple?

Both Eric and Carrasco understood that this so-called exaggeration was nothing more than a beautiful fantasy.

The truth is, the Will Empire may be completely wiped out, and the probability of this is very high.

Those who truly understand what the Silver Seed is all know that this is not just a simple disaster.

It is a kind of despair.

"I'll think about how to be more polite in the future," Eric chuckled.

"Because I have absolutely no desire to be valued by you. In fact, it would be better if you didn't even know who I am."

“I already know you,” Carrasco said calmly.

Eric was silent for a few seconds.

"As a soldier, it is my duty to protect everyone in the empire."

“It’s my duty.” Eric’s tone became a little serious, no longer the nonchalant person he used to be.

“I wish I could do it... but I can’t this time.”

"I might not even be able to protect one in a thousand people."

"If I were unlucky, I might not even be able to save my own life."

“You are the same in this respect, Your Majesty,” Eric said slowly.

There is no one else here; the only third person is Alice.

But to speak so frankly to an emperor requires more than just courage.

“I plan to abandon all the surrounding villages, all the towns around, the outer city, and the inner city.”

"Although I don't intend to give up on people."

“However…whether I can make it to the inner city alive, or survive in the inner city, is not up to me,” Eric said.

“Then let’s give up,” Carrasco said without hesitation.

He was indeed a little surprised that Eric would make such a cold-blooded decision.

This doesn't seem like a decision Eric would make.

This is reminiscent of the practice of sacrificing ninety-nine people to save one.

This makes people question the meaning of things like "salvation" and "justice" themselves.

Of course, Carrasco felt this was the most reasonable approach, although it was unclear whether the inner city could ultimately be preserved.

Retreating to a city is the best option for survival.

It is a recipe for failure to scatter the people to different places or to leave any place behind.

These words should have come from Carrasco, not Eric.

He is the one suited to do this kind of thing, just as he did when he first became the acting emperor.

"You're really decisive. Who knows, maybe our inner city will be wiped out by someone else with a single slap." The colonel deliberately emphasized the word "you" to tease Carrasco.

"You'll regret it later," Eric shrugged.

“Even if you hadn’t brought it up, I was going to do it anyway,” Carrasco said softly.

"Eric, they're all in your hands now."

"Don't give me this kind of burden." Eric waved his hand dismissively, completely unmoved by such courtly rhetoric.

"Even if you don't tell me, I will find a way."