Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 565

“It took them all a rather uncomfortably long time to reveal that man,” Grand Eunuch Hao complained to an emissary of Erlebnis, the orange-robed man sitting beneath a tree that blossomed in brilliant pink. “We had to force his hand, somewhat. But, well… have you read the story floating around?”

“We know it,” the emissary confirmed. Of all of the emissaries, this one seemed the most human, the most normal—the only oddity was a lump of flesh protruding on its back. It could even somewhat blend into the imperial court.

“Quite grandiose. Quite stirring.” The eunuch ran his fingers through some discarded pink blossoms. “Well… enough talk. Do you have his face, and all the others bit I need?” Hao grunted as he rose to his feet.

The emissary raised its arm up, revealing a six-fingered hand. It snapped, and the Grand Eunuch touched his head as though trying to resist a wave of pain overtaking his mind.

“Half a thousand times, yet I’ll never get used to that…” the Grand Eunuch dragged his hand across his face, and the façade faded away to reveal the true face of the polymorph, Dimocles. He put his hand over his cheeks, then, like sculpting clay, his fingers shifted and twisted and his skin and bones as the man’s blue-green eyes shone ominously. What remained there afterward was a perfect replica of Emperor Ji Meng.

Dimocles continued on in great detail—he cast away the orange robes, then lengthened his legs to grow taller. He changed the flabby body of the eunuch into something harder and rougher, made the hands rougher and calloused, put on signs of age to better match with the ancient emperor whose life had been elongated by virtue of his vital force.

Dimocles put his hand to his throat, then massaged it gently. He hummed, “Wooo….” As he vocalized, his voice deepened until it perfectly matched the emperor’s. With a pleasant and sonorous deep voice coming out, he lowered his hand in satisfaction. “There we are.”

The emissary of Erlebnis draped a purple imperial robe over Dimocles’ bare body, and the polymorph put it on eagerly, then kicked away his old eunuch’s robes. He walked to a still spring beside the blossoming pink tree, and admired himself in the reflection.

“Not too bad. The eyes will always be a problem… but reports say that the emperor doesn’t have any magic, anymore, while I’m still S-rank. Two incongruities, one right answer… but it shouldn’t matter, right?” Dimocles looked over.

“If it does, your role is to prevent it from mattering,” the emissary reminded him. “Another thing. Change your speech. Grand Eunuch Hao could speak as he wished, but you? Times will change. You will be scrutinized, always, as an emperor ought to be.”

“We understand that.” Dimocles straightened, adopting the role of Ji Meng. “And we are returned.”

do his part.” The emissary turned to walk

#####

“Dimocles.”

in a spot considerably grander than the one that Argrave and Ji Meng had occupied for theirs. Many things made sense now—why the little polymorph had been so silent after Argrave took control of his collection, or how the imperial court was so easily infiltrated. The A-rank ascension that

bond, then looked at everyone near. All the essentials of this operation gathered frantically when word spread to them about an emperor retaking his throne. Even Ji Meng

like he slunk back to Erlebnis, even after what you two put him through.” Durran leaned up against the wall. “Guess he’ll finally die, this time.

the

Erlebnis, but we held something he cared about hostage to force him to betray the ancient god. In the end, we still have the thing he cared about in our possession—his collection. I saw no reason to honor the deal with scum like him, but I guess he managed to get back in Erlebnis’ good graces. He has a good tongue, and he knows how to suck up—he must know how to

speak of someone that way,” the emperor noted. “Did he best you

belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences

him. “Does it

the door as they spoke, then entered. “I’ve just spoken to Governor Zen through Stain. He’s already working on spreading propaganda about the blue-eyed imposter. In turn, they’ve already started spreading word about the false emperor without vital force. We had quite one-sided support, but now… it’s

There’s no more striking image than that to earn the hearts and mind of people. No one can truly imitate me, least of

that he was muzzled, prevented from using magic. Despite

finished,” Elenore raised her hand, then looked at the emperor. She gestured to the Veidimen guards in the room.

and the emperor obediently left the room at their direction. Once he was gone, Anneliese

Elenore disclosed. “More fortification, more preparation, more descension—I think they’re aware that it’s our

if they’ve already taken action. Betrayal is a difficult pill for many to swallow, and no one likes to seem the hypocrite. We have some loyalists—now, it’s time to have the emperor make his first move. We need to claim what regions we can, take what fortifications exist, and make these men steadfast before

We need to see what we’re working with in terms of loyalists. As for the

protested. “I want

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255