MTLNOVEL Chapter 32: 32
"Master?"
"But…"
Chouri still had doubts in his heart. He was a man loyal to the Empire—loyal to the Emperor.
His journey to the capital had only one goal: to overthrow Honest's tyrannical rule.
Even after being rescued, that mission remained the obsession of his life.
"Akaza. Just tell them my identity,"
A voice echoed directly into Akaza's mind.
"Don't waste time."
It was Rivo's voice, using his shared skill to oversee Akaza's progress and monitor the mission's status.
After a quick assessment, Rivo had estimated Akaza's strength.
In terms of raw power alone, there were likely few people in the Empire who could match him now.
"Yes, Master."
The father and daughter flinched in surprise. They glanced around instinctively, but saw no one.
"My master," Akaza said coldly, "is the Emperor himself."
"Who else do you think would send someone like me to rescue you?"
Akaza snorted, clearly growing impatient. Rivo had told him not to waste time, and the night was short. As a demon, his movements were restricted during the day—they needed to make it back to the capital before dawn.
"The Emperor…? You mean His Majesty?" Chouri said, shocked.
Being in the remote south of the Empire, he hadn't heard much of the recent events.
To learn that Emperor Rivo had personally sent someone to save him—it left him stunned.
"Hurry up. The master said not to dawdle."
Without waiting for a reply, Akaza stepped into the carriage.
Spear helped her father back inside as well, taking the reins herself.
Akaza, meanwhile, remained inside the carriage, resting silently.
In the Imperial Palace…
After giving Honest a proper lesson, Rivo began preparing for what came next.
[Empire Summoning System]
[Host: Rivo]
[Servants: Twelve Kizuki – Upper Rank Two, Upper Rank Three, Upper Rank Five, Lower Rank One]
[Reputation: 500]
[Skills: Servant Summon, Servant Recall, Telepathy, Vision Sharing]
Now that his reputation points had reached 500, it was time for another summon.
Without hesitation, Rivo activated the Twelve Kizuki Summoning function.
[Ding! Congratulations! Reputation x500 consumed – new summon acquired!]
[Summoned: One of the Twelve Kizuki – Nakime!]
At that moment, a gleam of excitement lit up Rivo's eyes.
If there was one among the Twelve Kizuki who thrilled him the most—it was Nakime.
The second would be Kokushibo.
Nakime's Infinity Castle ability was perfect for Rivo's needs.
Now that he had completely turned against Honest, he expected retaliation.
Even if Esdeath herself didn't come, assassins or the Four Rakshasa Demons could still pose a threat.
And though Rivo was confident he could fend them off, the best form of defense was absolute prevention.
[Nakime]
[Rank: C-Class Servant]
[Grade: ★]
[Twelve Kizuki – Upper Rank Four]
[Abilities: Infinity Castle, Immortality]
While Nakime might not be as powerful in battle as Daki and Gyutaro, her utility was unmatched.
"Master,"
Nakime appeared behind Rivo, her long black hair veiling her eyes as she bowed.
As Kibutsuji Muzan's personal aide in the original timeline, her powers were game-breaking.
Not only could she manipulate teleportation and clones through her eyeballs—her Infinity Castle allowed her to control entire spatial dimensions at will.
"Nakime, begin construction of the Infinity Castle immediately," Rivo ordered.
"And be sure to hide it well."
Rivo nodded to himself. Though his current lineup couldn't yet rival Esdeath, he had amassed enough power to overwhelm nearly everyone else in the Empire.
Upper Moon demons like Akaza, Dōma, Daki & Gyutaro, Nakime, and even the custom-summoned Rokuro were under his command.
Even Sayo and Ieyasu had received demon-based enhancements from the system—roughly equal to the Lower Moons now.
"Understood."
Nakime nodded and strummed her biwa.
Rivo didn't say more. He lay back on his bed and soon drifted to sleep.
Beside him stood Rokuro, Sayo, and Nakime—his elite guards.
At this point, ordinary assassins couldn't even get near him.
The next morning…
As soon as Rivo finished washing up, a maid informed him:
"General Budo is waiting outside the hall. He arrived before dawn."
"Let him in."
Rivo sat atop the throne in the Sleeping Palace, clad in regal robes but without his crown. He gazed silently toward the gates.
As General Budo entered—towering and armored—Rivo's expression shifted into intrigue.
This was good news.
"Your Majesty… I've made up my mind."
"First, allow me to apologize for my past disrespect."
"Please believe that all of Budo's strength and loyalty now belong to the Emperor—and the Empire!"
Budo knelt and looked up, his face solemn.
After several days of deep reflection, he realized that pledging loyalty to the Empire alone was no longer enough.
His loyalty must belong to the one true ruler—Rivo.
"Budo," Rivo replied calmly,
"Remember this—betraying me is betraying the Empire."
"Now, I have a mission for you."
Rivo nodded with satisfaction. Budo's straightforward loyalty was exactly what he needed.
If used correctly, Budo would become a powerful pillar of support.
"Please command me, Your Majesty. I will carry out your orders without fail!"
Budo's chest swelled with pride.
After reaffirming his loyalty, he already felt like Rivo was placing great trust in him.
Rivo began outlining the mission.
It was about reclaiming military authority in the capital.
At present, due to Honest's manipulations, the Empire's army had splintered into scattered factions.
Budo's forces had dwindled. Most of his former generals had defected to Honest for wealth and glory.
If this was left unchecked, not only would Budo's influence vanish, but the military might of the new Emperor would also remain crippled.