Blooming Villain

Showdown with the intruder.

The opponent, who’d maintained silence throughout, suddenly spoke.

“You’re injured and exhausted. If you withdraw, I won’t harm you.”

A hoarse voice with a strange accent.

I pointed my sword at the opponent and interrogated.

“Your voice isn’t human. No, what are you?”

“……”

The opponent pulled back the hood pressed low over their head.

Green skin.

Jutting fangs.

“……O, orc!”

Orca exclaimed in shock.

I was also quite surprised, though I didn’t show it.

The Millennial Empire is a human nation formed by humans and seven other races gathering together.

The Seven Sin God and their servants, defeated to establish this empire.

Orcs were among the Seven Sin God’s servants.

“……”

But all the orcs should have died in the final battle.

The opponent looked at me in silent response.

Saying he’d spare me if I withdrew.

“Orcs absolutely never lie. They’d rather cut out their tongues.”

“You know. That’s right.”

“Then I’ll have to capture you and make you spill everything.”

How exactly is an orc operating in the Millennial Empire’s heart?

What’s their relationship with these Empire Liberation Army bastards?

I’ll learn everything if I win.

“……”

The orc quietly raised a large axe.

Matching that, when I shifted my center of gravity, my wounds opened.

Drip drip.

Falling blood — the longer this drags on, the more disadvantaged I become.

Then…….

Examining the floor, I threw my body while swinging my sword.

Fourth rank magic blade.

I’ll decide it in one blow!

The orc also met it while channeling magic into the axe.

But right after the swords clashed, I deliberately relaxed my legs and slid smoothly.

Normally, attempting such tricks means you lose your sword and your head flies off to the axe.

But I reinforced muscle strength with telekinesis and applied posture control.

“Mm?”

The orc, mistaking my collapse for lack of strength, put more force into his hands and got flustered.

Because I maintained precarious balance while holding out.

In that gap, having slipped into the opponent’s lower body, I pressed my back to the floor and rotated while swinging my sword.

Splurt!

The sound of spurting blood, but the sensation is shallow.

The orc jumped far back, avoiding having his ankle severed.

“……”

The orc looked at me with great surprise.

Breakdancing while taking out an opponent’s legs would look like complete circus tricks.

“Ah, damn it. This stings.”

I tried to rise while pressing the floor and groaned.

I’d already rubbed my shattered back against the floor, essentially self-harming.

Even as I gasped while pressing the floor, the orc stood watching like a post.

Did he notice I was pretending not to rise to induce an attack and counter?

The orc suddenly asked.

“Human, why do you resist?”

“What?”

“The Empire Liberation Army would welcome you. Won’t you become a comrade?”

“If you commit suicide right now, I’ll think about it.”

Once or twice more, maybe.

Magic is sufficient, but I lack mental strength to use psychic abilities.

And I lost stamina from bleeding.

“Unfortunate, human. Your name?”

I stood up while checking on Orca behind me.

And around Orca, I also glanced at what the dark elves had spilled.

Exchanging gazes with my son.

I replied, hoping Orca would notice my intention.

“Rigen Librata. As you see, I won’t last long. If you want to finish this, why don’t you come in?”

“Right, Rigen. I’ll remember you!”

The orc gripping the axe long swung it aiming for my neck.

A fierce horizontal slash.

Even blocking it, the power would send my body flying.

Dodge while slipping in? I can see he’s already on high alert after being hit.

I swung the sword in my left hand to catch the axe while…….

“Sword!”

I shouted again.

The foreshadowing I’d laid in advance.

When I say sword, give it to me immediately, Orca!

“Catch!”

Orca threw his body while…… throwing a sword used by already-dead dark elves toward my hand.

The sword was caught as if sucked into my hand.

“Hah!”

The sword in my left hand blocked the axe, but my toes floated up.

But I didn’t try hard to endure and instead yielded.

Doesn’t softness overcome hardness?

Not resisting the opponent’s force, flowing like water.

While pushed back light as a feather, controlling posture with telekinesis, twisting gravity…….

I throw the sword in my right hand at the opponent!

“What……!”

The orc, who’d been certain of his attack’s success, didn’t defend with magic but twisted his body sharply.

Because the sword I threw was wrapped in magic.

A technique only Sirik Karakas can perform!

Earlier didn’t work with an ordinary sword, but this is a sword designed to contain magic — once is possible!

Thunk!

It was a strike aimed at the chest but stuck in the shoulder.

But that moment, Orca threw his body toward the enemy.

“Orca!”

I called to stop him, but Orca didn’t stop.

My son also knows this is the moment of victory, the opportunity.

“Mmmm!”

The orc, dulled from his slashed ankle and sword in his shoulder, just swung his hand to strike Orca away.

“Gack!”

But even while vomiting blood and retreating, Orca swung his sword.

Blood spurted from the orc’s forearm.

“That son of a bitch!”

The moment I saw my son vomit blood, I instantly mobilized all mental strength and magic.

Straightening posture with telekinesis while gathering all available strength in my toes…….

Running like the wind.

“Aaaah!”

Mana Sprint!

Slipping into the staggering orc, I struck his chest with Telekinetic Palm and drove him back.

Simultaneously kicking up a sword rolling on the floor with my toe.

While snatching it mid-air, I deeply shoved it into his chest again.

“Gack!”

The orc with a sword stuck in his chest staggered backward.

But he didn’t fall and stood enduring.

A wound that would have meant instant death for a human. But orcs have tenacious vitality.

Meanwhile, having overexerted myself, I was also in terrible shape.

Bleeding is severe and mental strength exhausted.

“Mmm.”

I want to finish him off, but if I’m careless, I’ll be the one hit.

“……I am Toguro. Remember it, Rigen Librata.”

“……”

The orc who revealed his name jumped toward the rear of the train car blown away by the explosion.

The orc’s body rolling on the railway tracks.

I don’t know if he died or lived, but distance opens with the opponent.

“Hgk, haaaack.”

Only then did I gasp for breath.

Ah, damn it. As expected, Rigen’s body is frail, so I can’t endure even a little fighting like this.

When I was emperor, even with one arm gone, I’d have caught two hundred orcs.

“You okay, Orca?”

“……Yeah. You?”

Orca looked at me with regretful eyes.

Serious injury, but doesn’t seem like a fatal wound.

I felt relieved and burst into laughter.

“Barely survived.”

“……Really incredible. Rigen, how do you fight like that?”

“Guts, man.”

Consciousness wavers.

But…… the green aura flowing from Orca.

I moved my fingers and carefully absorbed it.

If I block the bleeding somewhat with telekinesis, I can endure longer.

“Since it’s come to this, someone will come check. Then…… make it so you handled everything.”

“What? What are you saying?”

“It has to be that way. Got it? Dark elves and your mom — absolutely don’t report about me.”

Just the imperial railway explosion drove them crazy, and now an orc appeared too.

Where exactly did the empire go wrong, where was such a bastard hiding — I have no idea.

I need to dig everything up, and to do that, hiding myself is better for now.

The less the opponent knows about me, the more advantageous I’ll be.

Orca had a dubious face but acquiesced.

“……Got it. If that’s your wish, I’ll do so. But even so, the fact that you saved me, my gratitude won’t disappear. I’ll do anything I can for you.”

“Can a field agent say such things? You’ll get purged like that.”

“I’m my father’s son before being an agent. Father didn’t raise me to be someone ignorant of shame and gratitude.”

When Orca spoke clearly, I sighed.

My body is dying of pain, but I smile unknowingly.

He’s my son but…… he grew up well.

Lacking strength and ability can be continuously developed. But if the heart becomes twisted…… it can’t be restored.

Whoooosh.

Then a sound cutting through wind.

Whooom!

Something nimbly fell through the blown-away ceiling.

An opponent who straightened up immediately as if there was no landing impact.

Tiger ears rising from the head.

White hair grown to the hips with black mixed throughout.

Golden eyes, diamond-shaped pupils.

Tiger beastman — a white tiger at that.

“Ha.”

I let out an empty laugh.

Full breasts, engraved abs and firm thighs.

A body healthy and brimming with vitality.

Beautiful features with imposing spirit.

A gourd and pipe hanging from her waist.

Exactly as I remembered.

“……S, Second Mother?”

Orca called out in utter shock.

I stood up feeling absurd.

“First Emperor Sirik Karakas’s second wife, Tiger Immortal Lang Ei.”

“Right, that’s me.”

Lang Ei acknowledged with a beautiful voice.

She raised her hand toward me.

“No assailant reveals their identity, so further conversation is useless. Then immediately……”

“N, no! That man is my benefactor!”

Orca said hurriedly.

Still, Lang Ei didn’t lower her guard toward me.

I snapped in disbelief.

“Are you joking? Only now playing the mother protecting her child?”

“……”

Lang Ei didn’t respond.

But her clouded face — some conscience must remain.

“Ah, seriously.”

I was emperor, but I ate, drank, and slept alone.

I spent ten years without seeing my wives’ hair.

I thought all anger would disappear as time passed.

It didn’t.

“You used the kid as bait right now?”

This isn’t a story to discuss in front of my son.

Despite bleeding, my blood pressure rises and my head spins.

But disappointment and anger were too great.

The imperial railway explosion, followed by the orc intrusion.

And Lang Ei appeared as if she’d been waiting.

Why? Did they have a date appointment?

“You all knew from the start, didn’t you? You grasped that an assassin would appear following the railway explosion? And you calculated that Orca’s skills couldn’t handle it? But you boldly threw the kid as bait?”

“……”

“Because if you were beside him, the enemy would have held back.”

These people…… knew the enemy’s target was Orca but turned a blind eye.

To grab the enemy’s scruff the moment they moved!

Ah, truly a wise stratagem.

So wise and rational it makes me shudder.

“Right, Orca is a dark elf and actually weak? So you threw him as appetizing bait to the enemy. Telling them, wouldn’t you try for this guy while you’re blowing up the railway? No, you limited the enemy’s choices!”

“……”

This is why I didn’t want to see my wives’ faces.

Because I knew this would come out where the kid watches.

That moment, Orca said,

“Stop, Rigen.”

“Stop what? Endure this?”

“……I also knew everything and did it. I already explained, didn’t I?”

Orca spoke slowly.

“I said if Sister and I are here, the enemies will target us.”

“Hey, that’s……”

How is it the same?

Even among soldiers, volunteers and conscripts are different stories.

Fighting of your own will and being used as bait are different.

But Orca persuaded me.

“I volunteered.”

“……”

It’s a lie.

If so, he wouldn’t have been greatly shocked seeing the orc’s intrusion.

But Orca said so.

To shield Lang Ei from me.

To protect family.

“……”

The moment I understood what heart my son did this with, I really had nothing to say.

“Enough. What’s the point of saying more?”

I turned my body.

Seeing Lang Ei, whom I saw again after ten years — no, over a hundred years — with a pale face only looking down at the floor.

The tiger ears drooping pitifully caught my eye, but.

There were no more words between us.

The moment I crossed to the next car, I heard footsteps.

It was Orca.

“Rigen!”

“I’m tired.”

I turned my body.

Still, when my son calls, I can’t pretend not to notice.

As Orca showed signs of anguish, I smiled bitterly.

“I said unnecessary things. You hurry and get treatment.”

“No, I’m the one who can’t raise my head. I also don’t know the situation yet but……”

“I won’t tell anyone. Okay?”

Orca spoke carefully.

“Mother Lang Ei isn’t a bad person. Just now, even at your criticism, she just listened without saying anything, right? This matter also must have had circumstances. She’s absolutely not someone who uses such complex schemes and stratagems. Surely there were circumstances……”

“Right, then that’s fortunate.”

“You don’t believe me…… But even when you snapped at her, she didn’t say anything, right? If we talk once more, I think we can resolve misunderstandings. I’ll properly introduce you……”

“Forget it. More than that.”

As Orca tried earnestly to persuade, I extended my arms.

My treasure.

“Huh?”

Embracing Orca with both arms, I exhaled a long sigh.

The bastard who was small even young is still small even grown.

But with firm resolve.

Reliable, admirable, knowing how to consider others.

He became a trustworthy man.

I released the embrace and nodded.

“I understand everything you want to say. I understand, if an opportunity comes next time, I’ll respond.”

“……Uh, mm. When?”

“Who knows. I’ll try to move it up if possible.”

To respond as Sirik rather than Rigen requires preparation.

As Orca looked dazed, I pinched his cheek.

“Get it together, you bastard. You have to clean up the aftermath. I’ll go back and rest, so you work hard too.”

“Mmm.”

Patting Orca’s shoulder, I turned my body.

I tried to cool my heart by embracing my son but…….

It starts burning again.

“This sucks.”

Leaving it to the empresses was a mistake.

No, actually I didn’t trust them at all~ at all~.

The reason I didn’t reveal I’m Sirik?

Because the empresses might unite and stab me in the back.

That can’t happen? Everyone thinks that before getting stabbed.

The empresses now are ruling the Millennial Empire under the pretext of regency.

Having ruled the world for a hundred years, will they quietly withdraw just because I returned?

They might cry and beg me, but who knows?

They might kill weakened me and seize that power eternally.

You don’t know people’s hearts.

And I remember what they did.

“Ah, this is why I tried not to think about it.”

I tried to think positively.

That I just made a mistake in my youth.

Time has passed now, and I tried to laugh it off with the saying marriage is life’s grave.

I’m Rigen now, and they’ve also changed over a hundred years.

It’s all over.

“Meaning they don’t care whether the kid lives or dies.”

The will I heard from Melius — could I not know whose work it was?

Actually, I knew immediately.

The answer comes when you consider who benefited most, right?

Right, you fabricated my will? Second emperor? Twelve houses?

Fight among yourselves.

That power you coveted! You obtained it, so do as you please!

I retired! It was filthy being with you, let’s never meet again!

But my daughter went blind, and my son nearly died.

And the empire was rotting and splitting.

“Even wanting to overlook it, I can’t overlook it.”

I need power.

And I need forces that follow me.

Power to safely protect my children and prevent the country I built from collapsing.

The time has come to activate the control mechanism.

Let’s go retrieve my people, my power.