I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

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“Ah, crawling in like it’s a tightrope, huh? Are you mistaken that we’re frantically fleeing?”

Rose muttered as she watched Jean Helmut’s forces crashing through the narrow alley. One of Rose’s aides worriedly spoke up.

“However, it is true that our formation is in disarray. The terrain is favorable for defense, but with our lines scattered, it’s hard to claim an advantage in battle.”

“Is that so? Then retreat.”

“But Your Majesty, our troops are burdened with heavier gear and supplies than the enemy, so at this close distance, we will be caught quickly…”

“I mean you should retreat. The rest will handle it themselves.”

“Your Majesty, that is—”

“I said the rest will handle it.”

Rose’s attitude was unwavering. The general struggled to suppress the urge to point out that Rose’s backing wasn’t what it used to be as he bowed his head to the Emperor. The Emperor’s majesty played in a realm completely separate from common sense. Even if she might be lost in fantasies about her former glory, a mere general couldn’t contest her fierce presence.

Rose, mounted on her black horse, strode boldly forward, extending her hand to the cavalryman and instructing him to pass her the shield banner.

The cavalryman quickly handed the crimson shield banner to the Emperor and hastily retreated. Rose raised her hand, issuing her command.

“Retreat!”

The Emperor’s orders were executed flawlessly. All the Imperial troops, minus Rose, retreated southward in an orderly fashion. Naturally, whispers began to circulate among the soldiers. Was it right to leave the Emperor alone while retreating?

Wasn’t it rather thoughtless for the generals to blindly obey the Emperor?

Yet, even among the gossiping soldiers, there was no soldier brave enough to approach Rose and voice their concerns. In truth, most soldiers believed that Rose could resolve the issue no matter her divine protection.

Seeing Rose single-handedly blocking the path, the enemy forces halted, erecting shields and loading rifles. Upon observing the soldiers hiding behind their shield wall, Rose muttered with interest.

“Is this the army trained by the traitor? I can see the fear flowing through the souls of those soldiers.”

It was an intimidating sight, yet Rose was undeterred. Instead, she smiled at the army before her.

“But it seems they don’t realize that not everything can be swayed by fear.”

Jumping down from her horse, Rose picked up a single flag and slowly approached the enemy. An officer from Terkeon’s army shouted urgently as he saw Rose.

“Fire!”

With a crack, volleys of gunfire erupted toward Rose. However, she didn’t wear her armor and helmet for nothing. Seeing every bullet bounce off her armor, the soldiers hastily repositioned to prepare for a second volley.

Not missing a short interval, Rose shouted.

“Do you recognize this flag?”

No one answered. But seeing the soldiers hastily preparing to reload, Rose realized she had gained momentum.

“You must be those who were dragged away before I became Emperor, or even before being appointed Crown Princess. How unfortunate. While I couldn’t do anything, I feel compelled to apologize on behalf of the Royal Family. But a proper apology can wait; for now, I ask, do you recognize this flag?”

The enemy hurriedly fumbled to reload. Holding the flag high, Rose continued to walk toward the enemy formation. The Demon King’s officer ordered the troops to re-fire, panic-stricken as if watching an elephant approach them up close.

“Fire!”

Once again, the torrent of bullets rained down. Although Rose’s helmet did not obscure her face, once more the bullets only struck her chest and ricocheted away.

It was no coincidence. No one had the guts to look directly at her face and aim.

“But those who don’t know me will surely recognize this flag. Every citizen who once belonged to the Audrich Empire would know it well. This is the very flag used by the Great King Oliver Audrich, who established our kingdom as an Empire. I wonder if anyone can guess the meaning of me inheriting this flag?”

There were many who survived despite the bullets. But there were almost none who could stride forth so unbothered, appearing as if nothing was amiss.

The soldiers began shaking in helplessness and fear, their hands trembling noticeably as they reloaded their weapons.

Rose still approached the soldiers, relaxed and unhurried.

“Now I am close enough for you to see my face. Who was the ruler of your era? I would guess it was the people who served the Empire during my mother, Empress Olga’s time. Look, do I not resemble her even slightly?”

“F-fire!”

At this officer’s command, only a few soldiers fired. Many soldiers hadn’t finished reloading yet.

Seeing Rose come exceedingly close, the officer shouted.

“C-charge the bayonets! Prepare for the enemy’s approach!”

“No need for that. Why go through such trouble?”

Rose planted the flag into the ground and quickly advanced to the forefront of the soldiers. The soldier before her trembled as if he believed she would kill him, nearly dropping his rifle.

With a sympathetic expression, Rose said.

“A soldier ruled only by fear will tremble like this when faced with a greater fear. If you do not wish to become the most terrifying being in the world, you shouldn’t raise soldiers in this way.”

“P-please s-save me…”

The human soldier of the Demon King’s Army, facing Rose so closely, stuttered, murmuring a wish that seemed hopeless. Rose shook her head, guiding the barrel of his rifle to her face.

Rose spoke.

“I am the Emperor for the people, and the people encompass all of humanity. I am deeply hurt that you shot at me knowing who I am. If so many seek my death, then I must not be fit to be Emperor. Fire. If that is your wish, then shoot.”

The soldier did not fire. No, he could not. Many soldiers, with the chance to shoot Rose right in front of them, merely blinked, fiddling with their rifles. Even the officer who should have issued the firing order was rendered speechless by the Emperor’s imposing aura.

It was at this moment, watching everything unfold from the back, that Jean Helmut sensed something was amiss.

“What in the world is going on up there?”

The Commander of the Demon King’s Army, Helmut asked anxiously. As Helmut’s aide rushed forward to assess the situation, Rose was still shouting at the soldier with the rifle at her eye.

“Why aren’t you shooting? What could possibly stop you from firing?”

“B-but Your Majesty…”

“Your Majesty? Did you just call me ‘Your Majesty’? What qualifies the soldiers who have betrayed the Empire and fought beneath the black banner, who just moments ago were shooting at me, to call me ‘Your Majesty’? If you have qualifications, then what are they? Prove them here!”

“P-pl-please save us.”

This time, another soldier spoke, trembling, pleading. Rose turned her gaze toward that soldier, asking kindly.

“You wish to be saved? How?”

“O-olga, Your Majesty. Please, please do not abandon us, save us from their hands…”

The voice that spoke up this time was from an old soldier who couldn’t forget his nostalgia for the former Empress. Rose put the rifle down and surveyed the frontline soldiers.

“If you wish to shoot me, the Emperor of the Audrich Empire is right here.”

Rose pulled out the flag from the ground and raised it high toward the sky.

“But, if you wish to repay your most ancient enemy, then the one you should shoot is right up north!”

At that moment, a gunshot rang out. However, it was not aimed at Rose, but rather a single bullet fired toward the sky. A soldier raised his rifle to the heavens and shouted.

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

And that was it. Every soldier at the forefront aimed their rifles skyward and fired their bullets into the air as a declaration of rebellion. In the back, Helmut realized something had gone terribly wrong when he saw the gray smoke rising to the heavens. What followed was a shout that was more outrageous than anything, a cry that struck fear into his very soul.

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live the revival of the Audrich Empire!”

“What the hell! I lived as a slave for 12 years! I personally fought and selected these men! Was 12 years not enough? Did I not learn enough being pounded for 12 years?!”

But while Jean Helmut focused solely on fear, Rose’s presence was offering a firm hope for victory.

Perhaps even if thirty years had been spent in abuse, Helmut could not overpower the Rose standing there.

With a satisfied expression, the Emperor commanded.

“Troops of the Empire, turn around.”

The heavily armored troops all turned to face north. Rose, holding the flag aloft, was the first to shout.

“Charge!”

And then hundreds of soldiers turned to strike at the retreating Demon King’s Army. Helmut’s vanguard, fully equipped with bayonets, easily dismantled what had recently been their allies in close combat. Many soldiers, upon seeing the red shield banner wave amidst their forces, immediately joined Rose.

The shout grew louder. As the voices crying “Long live His Majesty the Emperor!” drew nearer, Helmut’s heart began to race, even though he was quite far from where the rebellion first started.

“General! The vanguard has betrayed us! The enemy’s Emperor is waving the flag from the front…”

“I can see that, you fool!”

Jean Helmut punched the messenger relaying the news. Immediately, Helmut’s personal guard rushed him away from the chaos. Although quite a few soldiers joined Rose, not all humans were favorably inclined toward the Audrich Empire.

Thousands of troops continued to refuse to return to Audrich, pointing their rifles toward their traitorous comrades. Rose quickly sought out the enemy soldiers unwilling to respond and personally decapitated them as she advanced forward. It didn’t take long for her to spot Helmut, who was hastily fleeing.

“The enemy’s leader is over there. Everyone, fire!”

At Rose’s command, the soldiers uniformly shot at the general who had trained them. Thanks to Helmut’s most loyal soldiers taking the bullets in his stead, he managed to escape unscathed. Just when Rose was about to give chase, she caught sight of an ominous sign.

“The black banner.”

The shadowy knights appeared suddenly on the battlefield, carrying the black flag. Helmut sighed in relief, but Rose’s expression soured.

Moments later, from behind the black banner, a most loathsome figure, Violet Moriarty, revealed herself. Furrowing her brows from the opposite side of the alley, Violet glared at Rose with obvious dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, Helmut hurriedly sought refuge behind the Sorcerer Emperor. Although Violet showed dissatisfaction at Helmut’s demeanor, she didn’t make any immediate moves, continuing to glare at Rose.

“So now you’re also an Emperor.”

Rose initiated the conversation. Violet shook her head.

“I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

Rose displayed a look of incredulity at Violet’s absurd response. However, the Demon King’s face was graver and more solemn than ever.

“Seeing you, I can’t be certain anymore. Does declaring oneself grant the right to call oneself an Emperor? If I were in your position, could I have done something similar?”

“Am I just so great that you’ve suddenly felt insecurities?”

Rose teased, sticking her tongue out. Violet neither denied it nor agreed, merely nodding her head.

“It was the worst era to be born as a Demon King. There are only you and me calling ourselves Emperors, but among us, who is truly the Emperor?”

Upon making this statement, unexpectedly, Violet didn’t lunge at Rose but hurriedly dashed northward. Rose watched in disbelief as the black banner receded. For a moment, she wondered if this was a trap, but seeing no hint of it being so, she instructed her freshly joined troops to slowly retreat southward.

“Welcome back to the cradle of the Empire, my sons. Your long-lost brothers will surely welcome you.”