The Empror's Trap

Kenji explained to the ministers present about the special forces he had recently been preparing.

When they heard that these troops would be used specifically to maintain domestic stability and conduct internal intelligence work, some ministers clearly showed their disapproval. However, they didn't express their dissatisfaction directly.

Instead, they cited numerous examples—such as how the common people would view it, how neighboring countries would perceive it, and how history books would evaluate it—to express their opposition.

Kenji didn't really care about these excuses—the existence of this force was meant to make these officials uncomfortable in the first place. If they were comfortable with it, that would be the biggest problem.

"The suggestions you've all made are very important. As you can see, this decision that Her Majesty and I made does seem somewhat hasty... Her Majesty asked me to consult with you all, hoping to hear everyone's opinions, after all, this force hasn't been established yet."

Kenji expressed his understanding and praised their quality of daring to offer suggestions.

"Grand Marshal, in my humble opinion, now is not the time to establish an internal security force. Her Majesty has just ascended the throne and needs the support of the people across the empire. If Her Majesty forms such a force at this time, it will only create a rift between Her Majesty and the empire's subjects. Perhaps we could do this instead: have the officials present collectively nominate a person of high moral standing to form a department specifically for internal investigations."

"Then, have this department organize appropriate soldiers or imperial guards to specifically carry out internal stability work, rather than combining both functions. This way, we won't have a situation where one power becomes too strong and potentially overthrows the court."

This suggestion came from a court official.

To be honest, looking at the proposal itself, this method wasn't bad. After all, Kenji didn't believe the current method would be perfect in the future. Kenji was establishing this force now to stabilize the unstable domestic political situation and prevent foreign enemy infiltration—extraordinary measures for extraordinary times.

However, even knowing that such an approach would have hidden dangers in the future, Kenji could only choose to do it this way. It wasn't because he was obsessed with power, but because he knew that at this time, the authority of this force must be in his own hands or in the hands of someone he trusted.

Otherwise, this force would eventually become a knife pointed at Camelot.

"What you say has merit, but have you considered that if divided into two departments, what would be the purpose of this force? How would it differ from the current military system? If they need to execute a mission, they would still need to apply for mobilization and then act after approval from their department. Forgive me for being blunt, but such a force does not meet Camelot's current needs," Kenji replied.

"But Grand Marshal, if one person has full authority, it means the entire force could potentially become a tool for that individual."

"With Her Majesty above, they wouldn't dare," Kenji directly invoked Pluvia to silence them.

"However, we cannot rule out such a possibility. I believe the Grand Marshal should still be cautious."

The official glanced secretly at Kenji, who appeared expressionless and merely nodded, indicating that he would consider it carefully.

Then, Kenji expanded on the topic further:

"After establishing this force, we need a capable person to lead it. I've thought carefully, and currently, there aren't many officials in Camelot with enough capacity to take on this role. To be honest, the things this force will do aren't all noble and righteous... For some people, I think this wouldn't be a beneficial option for their career."

As he said this, his gaze swept across the crowd of civil officials.

If it were about selecting a few officials capable of handling cases and directing arrests, there were indeed many among the civil officials present. But these civil officials might not necessarily have high prestige within the force. To ensure the force's efficiency, someone who could command respect was definitely needed.

"Considering the areas this force will be involved in, we indeed need an experienced person in this field to serve as the leader... Although there might be suspicions of favoritism, I personally recommend Lina for the leadership position."

At this point, Kenji smiled, as if embarrassed by his own favoritism.

However, the officials present felt very speechless about this.

Damn, was this really a consultation? It seemed almost like a direct notification.

"May I ask if everyone present agrees?"

Looking at Lina standing beside Kenji, after a moment of silence, suddenly an old general stepped forward:

"Grand Marshal, I cannot comply. We all serve the court, and some things, if we don't say them, I fear no one will—Grand Marshal, this matter is of great importance. If you nominated a court minister or a general, I would have no objections. However, now you're nominating a person with... um... a disreputable background. I believe this is truly inappropriate!"

It seemed that this old general originally wanted to say "demonic cult remnant," but considering Kenji's likely reaction, he spoke more euphemistically.

Kenji looked at Lina, who appeared very calm. She didn't even glance at the general who disagreed with her appointment.

"What you say makes sense. Yes, from the court's perspective, appointing Lina is indeed inappropriate," Kenji didn't deny the other's view. "However, may I ask, General, Lina has received teachings from the Celestial Master of the Celestial Master's Mansion and many cultivators at court, and since being rescued from the demonic cult as a child, she has been living in the palace and with the Anos family. The time she has spent with people in the Camelot court is even longer than many officials present. By logic, she should be trustworthy enough. May I ask why you think it's inappropriate?"

"Grand Marshal, you know very well. Back then, the late emperor sent people to eliminate the demonic cult precisely because the cult was fickle and difficult to subdue. I have no grudge against Miss Lina, so naturally, I have no prejudice against her. But I have fought with those demonic cult disciples before, and I believe that people from the demonic cult are mostly untrustworthy—please forgive me, Miss Lina, I'm just thinking about the safety of the Camelot court. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry."

"General, your words are mistaken," Rinas suddenly spoke up from the side. "Anyone who has regular contact with the Grand Marshal knows that Miss Lina has accompanied him since childhood and still serves him wholeheartedly to this day. Such loyalty is hard to find even in the court, so how can you say she is untrustworthy?"

"General Rinas," the old general's beard twitched, clearly anxious, "if it's about loyalty to the Grand Marshal, Miss Lina certainly qualifies. But whether she is loyal to the court? That remains to be seen."