Bab 192: An Expert In Pyramid Schemes
"Sister, look! Under my rule, the people live in peace and happiness," the young emperor said, stretching out his arms with excitement. "Haven't I done well?"
Kaguya looked at the young emperor's joyful face and sighed inwardly. He was such a naive child, completely oblivious to the fact that he was being manipulated by the minister. To be fair, he had a good heart and his intentions were kind, but he lacked independence and was easily swayed by the likes of the minister.
"Yes, you've done very well," Kaguya replied with a smile.
Having gained his sister's approval, the young emperor became even happier, almost dancing with joy. After all, he was just a young boy, probably no older than a middle schooler by modern standards.
"I've heard that Minister Honest taught you this?" Kaguya asked, keeping her voice neutral.
"Yes, the minister is very capable and loyal," the young emperor said with a smile. "Without him, I wouldn't have achieved what I have now."
Indeed, without him, you wouldn't end up on the guillotine, Kaguya thought to herself. She wondered whether the child was naive or just plain foolish.
"Have you ever thought about ruling the country with your own abilities? Relying on others isn't a sustainable long-term solution," Kaguya suggested carefully.
"No, I can't do that," the young emperor shook his head gently. "I'm not yet capable of ruling the entire country, and the minister is my best teacher."
"But you must understand that this country is yours to govern with your own strength," Kaguya said. "Ultimately, you can't rely on anyone else."
"Do you mean the minister?" The young emperor paused for a moment, then understood her implication and spoke with a serious expression. "That's not possible. The minister would never betray me. Sister, you might misunderstand him. He is a selfless and just person, not just my minister but also my teacher. You must have misunderstood him."
Selfless and just, Kaguya almost laughed at the thought.
Minister Honest did a remarkable job brainwashing him. He had convinced the young emperor to trust him completely. Minister Honest would make a great salesman in today's world.
"You misunderstood me; I'm not criticizing the minister," Kaguya said softly. "What I mean is that you should have your own opinions and abilities to manage the country better in the future."
"I see," the young emperor sighed with relief and smiled. "I was worried that my sister might have some prejudice against the minister. It's a relief to know you don't. On one side is my beloved sister, and on the other is my helpful teacher. I wouldn't know what to do."
As Kaguya walked back, her face turned solemn, and her mind was heavy with thoughts.
The situation was worse than she had imagined. The young emperor had been completely brainwashed by the minister, and it seemed unlikely that he would change his views. This meant her plan to use the young emperor to eliminate the minister had failed, and she would need to think of another strategy.
Kaguya sighed deeply. What she needed most was power, or rather, people who would support her. She was currently alone, with only a maid by her side. Even if she staged a coup and killed the minister and emperor, the Empire wouldn't follow her lead; it would only become more fragmented.
After all, she couldn't personally eliminate everyone who opposed her. Even if she used the Shadow Clone Technique, it wouldn't be enough. Moreover, her abilities were currently suppressed, and she couldn't use the Shadow Clone Technique. The only powers she could utilize were the abilities of the Rinnegan, Sharingan, and Tenseigan, along with her innate Bloodline Limit abilities.
Furthermore, governing a country isn't the work of one or two people but of a group. No matter how strong her combat abilities were, without the talent and ability for internal governance, managing the country would be impossible and could even worsen the situation compared to when the minister was in power.
As the saying goes, "Different skills suit different people." Kaguya was good at killing, but she admitted she wasn't cut out for governing a country.
The next morning...
The sky was blue with wispy clouds; the lake was clear, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. A gentle breeze blew, rippling the sky and water alike. Bright sunlight streamed down like threads, rustling the leaves. Wildflowers swayed in the wind, and birds chirped, creating a peaceful ambiance.
The weather was already early summer, and the temperature was rising, which was Kaguya's favorite time. However, she wasn't in the mood to appreciate it because she needed to go out and take care of some matters.
Royal family members typically couldn't leave the palace at will, but Kaguya, the eldest princess, had secluded herself in the palace for so long that many people had forgotten about her, and no one bothered to care, which gave her some convenience.
Kaguya handed her usual fox mask to her maid, ordering her to impersonate the princess to avoid prying eyes. Although the maid was frightened to the point of trembling, under Kaguya's "intimidation," she tearfully agreed.
Kaguya had already reached the edge of the palace.
The palace's security was tight, especially at the perimeter, where there were guards every ten steps and sentries every five. Moreover, a high wall, about twenty or thirty meters tall, separated the palace from the capital.
If anyone dared to climb the wall, they would be shot full of arrows. However, Kaguya was not someone who could be compared to ordinary people. Despite her suppressed strength, it was still formidable.
With a single step, her body shot forward like an arrow, turning into a streak of light as she headed toward the wall. Her toes tapped lightly on the wall a few times, and she leaped onto the wall in a few steps.
Kaguya snorted softly, a smile on her lips as she thought to herself that the palace's defenses were nothing special.
Unbeknownst to her, she had committed a major taboo in anime: hubris.
Suddenly, a shout thundered from afar, echoing throughout the palace.
"Who dares? Get down here!"
Before the words had finished, a blinding white lightning bolt shot toward Kaguya.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone