The Incompetent Emperor Who Changes the World from the Shadows: Iron, Gunpowder, and the Young Maidens of Favor

Chapter 3: The Nucleus, the Return, and the Devil’s Equation

The lingering scent of the maid and the still-throbbing pulse remain in my body—amid this, Sopina mutters softly.

You could’ve just taken her, you know.

She smirks, as if she’s read my mind.

“What?”

Your body’s aching, isn’t it? That emperor was quite the womanizer, with insatiable stamina. If you don’t release that urge regularly, you won’t be able to control it.

“Control, you say? It’s my body, though…”

It’s not really your body, is it? The original emperor’s consciousness is gone, but the muscle memory ingrained in his brain should still be there.

“Memory? I can’t recall any of the previous emperor’s memories…”

Not episodic memory—motor skills.

“Motor skills… you mean…”

Sexual prowess. In other words, sex…

“No way. That’s why I was reacting to that maid?”

Just how much of a lust-driven demon was the previous emperor?

Suppressing those urges too much could be fatal. If your mind and body fall out of sync, your soul gets ejected—meaning death.

In an instant, the sweet atmosphere turns icy.

“…What happens to an ejected soul?”

Your original body in this world was killed instantly by enemy bullets during that charge. There’s no place to return to. Your soul would wander forever.

A chill runs down my spine. Becoming a wandering spirit in another world… even as a joke, that’s not something I want.

Does that mean I have to embrace this womanizing body? No, as a man, isn’t this the ultimate bliss?

“If I follow my instincts and sleep with women, that’ll resolve it, right? When you think about it, that’s not a bad deal.”

Exactly.

“But is it really okay to lay hands on the maids?”

I don’t want to overdo it and end up jeopardizing my position as emperor.

That’s part of their job. They’re hired with that in mind. Even if one gets pregnant, it’s not a problem.

“Isn’t that a bit too irresponsible?”

At my reaction, Sopina grins and says, You’re so serious, before continuing.

You just send them away. As emperor, you can’t make maids your wife or concubine for political reasons.

That makes sense. If the parliament holds more power, I’m just a figurehead they manipulate. I’m not exactly a dictator, despite being emperor. I probably can’t freely choose a wife.

“I get that, but… more importantly, tell me more about the current situation.”

I can vaguely imagine it, but there are too many fantastical elements to fully grasp.

To survive, I need to know more about this world.

Fair enough. I need your cooperation to return to my original world, after all.

“Right. I also want to go back to my original world… wait, do I? Not really.”

Come to think of it, what was I doing before I came to this world? All I know is I was living a “boring life” I don’t particularly want to recall.

Why would you? You’re in a position where women are at your fingertips. Going back to your original world wouldn’t guarantee a better life than this. Right, Soma Kato?

Her words jog a piece of my memory.

“You know my real name?”

I can pull information from anyone I touch. So, I know you lived a lonely life, never popular with women.

It comes back to me. I wasn’t exactly living it up as a carefree bachelor—just drifting through life.

I also remember being raised by terrible parents. Because of them, I was bullied as a kid.

“Hey, don’t dig into my wounds like that!”

Oh, sorry. But the situation here isn’t exactly great either. This country is at war, and if it loses, the nation could collapse. That would make it harder for you to cooperate with me. You might even be held responsible as emperor—exiled or executed. That’s a possible future.

A shiver runs through me. That’s something I absolutely need to avoid.

“Cooperate? What exactly do I need to do?”

To return to my original world, I need a million times the energy that triggered the transfer. Roughly 200 petajoules, by my calculations.

“Peta… that’s 10 to the 15th power, right? That kind of energy would require something like a nuclear—”

Images flash in my mind: a blinding light incinerating a city at noon, a mushroom cloud, and human shadows erased without a trace.

A shudder ripples through me.

Sopina’s face twists into a sly grin. Another chill runs down my spine.

“No way, I’m not a scientist! I don’t have the knowledge or skills to build a nuclear weapon!”

Knowing what a nuclear weapon is, is valuable enough. You don’t need to build it yourself. Just secure scientists and have them do it. As emperor, that’s not impossible, right?

I think it over. The largest hydrogen bomb in human history, the “Tsar Bomba,” was built around 1961, I think. Its energy output was about 210 petajoules.

“So, you’re talking about something on the scale of the biggest bomb in human history…”

If this world’s scientific level is around the 1900s, research could make it possible in 60 years.

But I don’t have scientific expertise. If I could give scientists hints, it might shorten the timeline.

But is it right to create something so destructive?

“…If we had nuclear weapons, we could stop the war. Deterrence, you know.”

The moment I say it, a heavy weight seems to settle in my chest.

But another thought crosses my mind.

“But one misstep, and we could blow this whole world to pieces.”

My lips feel dry, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth.

I see a gray, ruined wasteland and an empty sky with no one left.

Even if I looked for alternatives, any energy source that massive would likely be weaponized.

This world already has decent scientific capabilities. Sooner or later, it’ll follow the same path as my original world.

“…In that case, should we make it before other countries do?”

Even I think my voice sounds cold.

But if we don’t, we won’t have control.

It’s a devil’s choice.

To begin with, I don’t have any lingering desire to return to my original world. Is there even a point in cooperating with Sopina for her sake alone?

If you don’t care about going back, I’ll help you thrive in this world.

Sopina whispers sweetly, pausing deliberately.

…But if you use my power, you could solidify your position as emperor. There’s a price, though.

There’s a hint of something hidden behind her smile. Still…

Remaining a puppet emperor means no freedom. There’s also the risk of assassination. But if I can use her abilities…

“Your power is kind of a cheat, isn’t it? In a world without magic, it gives an absolute advantage.”

Pretty tempting offer, right? You could focus on building a safe and secure harem.

“That does sound appealing…”

My desires pull at me, and I swallow hard.

But our first shared goal is to “not lose the current war.”

“You’re right. If we lose the war, my position becomes shaky, and my life could be in danger. I’d have to give up this lifestyle of never lacking for women.”

I’ve already grown attached to this “womanizing” life, where women are always within reach. It must be the original emperor’s memories ingrained in this body.

Exactly.

“Securing scientists and making research succeed is uncertain, but it’s a straightforward goal. We’d need researchers to develop weapons to avoid losing the war anyway.”

To do that, you need to learn this country’s history.

A headache creeps in. I was never good at studying history. Still, I need the bare minimum knowledge to survive.

“Alright, teach me.”

I steel myself. It’s necessary to survive and live enjoyably moving forward.

Then let’s dive into the Empire’s history.

“It feels like I’m attending a class or something.”

It’s your country, so I don’t think you’ll find it boring.

“Keep it as simple and concise as possible.”

Sure. I’ll start with how the Empire was formed—including its history of assassinations.

The sudden mention of that word blows my drowsiness away.